BEN FASANO

My Story

Raised by believing parents, I believe that I repented and believed in Jesus at a young age (around 7). Beginning in the 7th grade, I began to really pursue God more intentionally, reading God’s Word and seeking to obey Him. However, my understanding of the gospel was lacking and my relationship with God was filled with fear, guilt, anxiety, and a lack of assurance of salvation. I related to God as if His love and forgiveness were based on my daily actions.

This misguided and destructive way of relating to God reached a climax in college when I came to believe (though it certainly wasn’t true) that I had committed the unforgivable sin by not listening to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Convinced that God was against me, I withdrew from college and isolated myself from everyone, spending long periods of time alone without eating or sleeping. After 3 visits to psychiatric units, God sought me in His love and rescued me. I finally understood the gospel, God’s love in Christ, and what it meant to experience joy and peace by the Holy Spirit. I have never been the same.

Over the last few years, though it has not been without struggle, God has been growing, healing, and strengthening me. I finished my biblical studies degree at Wheaton College in 2016, and moved to Memphis in 2017 to do the Emerging Leaders program with Downline Ministries. There I met my wife Kylie, and we were married in July 2019. She is a High School English teacher at Briarcrest Christian School, and I am now enrolled at Southern Seminary.

My Hope For Harvest

My hope for Harvest is that as we grow and as time passes, we will not stray from but remain faithful to God and His desire that we center our church on His Word, the Gospel, and Disciple Making. Built on these things, I hope Harvest is truly a place where we are an authentic, unified community who are shepherded by our Elders, who love each other and the world, and who glorify Jesus as we abide in Him!