Our goal at Harvest Baptist Church is to spiritually impact every individual God gives us. We want to help you experience the power of a genuine conversation and to be set free from any form of bondage. Ultimately, we want to help create within you a new culture of spiritual greatness. All of this together will in return help impact and reach the world for God’s glory.
Harvest Baptist Church is an independent Baptist church in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The pastor is Marvin Smith.
6 Reviews on “Harvest Baptist Church - Fort Dodge, IA”
From my findings…Cameron Giovanelli’s plea deal never included having to register. Transferring out-of-state must have been what required it. How is him being allowed to attend the church “harboring”.
Definition of: harboring
1. keep (a thought or feeling, typically a negative one) in one’s mind, especially secretly.
“she started to harbor doubts about the wisdom of their journey”
2. shelter or hide (a criminal or wanted person).
“he was suspected of harboring an escaped prisoner”
Giovanelli, in know way, has been sheltered or hidden. The facts are: he has been one of the most fully-exposed abusers within the IFB. He went through the entire legal process and now has served his time (50+ days in jail), and also probation (5-years I believe). He is even registered as a sex-offender (who knows how long) and seems to be keeping a low-profile.
As for Jordan Webb…
I called immediately after this was shared on some twitter-accounts. The church stated that they did not pay for any legal fees for Jordan Webb. He was supported by the church as a missionary, but he was never employed by the college.
…according to the church…money was sent to his Missions Account (from friends and family) for the purpose of helping with his legal fees. The church took those designated funds and issued the church to Webb. No church funds were used to assist Webb with his fees.
According to other sources … Webb does not currently attend Harvest Baptist Church at this time.
Cameron Giovanelli has never repented for his behavior, stubbornly maintaining his innocence and accusing the victim of lying even while pleading guilty and getting a slap on the wrist. Allowing an unrepentant child abuser to attend a church is heinous, regardless of the terms of his plea deal. “Harboring” is the term used since they kept Cameron Giovanelli’s presence at the church quiet, not wanting to call attention to the fact that they were welcoming a convicted, unrepentant child abuser.
Marvin Smith IV paid for the lawyer fee, stating that it was best if kept off the books so it wouldn’t look bad. This is all public knowledge. The church is intentionally covering for a man who, according to the charges, allegedly sexually abused his daughter. Whether he “attends” currently (sneaky way of saying that he isn’t physically present in the church services) is irrelevant: the church is clearly supporting him and helping him avoid jail time.
THIS is a perfect example of why Christ’s body has no power today: it protects pedophiles and ignores victims. Thank you for exposing yourself, Jacob from Fort Dodge.
This church accepts, harbors, protects, and defends child abusers. Both Cameron Giovanelli, a convicted child predator, and now Jordan Webb, a missionary sent out of Harvest and charged with child molestation and incest, are members at the church. The church is even paying for Webb’s lawyer fees all while claiming that he’s not sent out of the church or employed by the church or college.
In typical fashion, the church is ignoring the abuse and covering for the abusers. This church is a reproach upon Christ and should be shunned by all believers.
Let me tell you a story.
I came to Fort Dodge in August 2013, specifically FOR Harvest Baptist Church and the Bible college associated with it. My family ended up moving here. We loved it.
My siblings went to the Christian school. My older sister graduated from the Bible college.
This past school year, my youngest sibling was in 7th grade. She happily attended the school.
But then Pastor Marvin E Smith III’s grandson is a little punk and decided to tell her, “You mess up everything; you’re probably the reason your parents got divorced.” This teenaged boy said that to a TWELVE YEAR OLD whose parents separated when she was TWO. He said it in his mom’s class.
Not only did he say that horrible thing, but he never got punished, because he’s the pastor’s grandson. He didn’t get punished because he said it in his mom’s class, and she’s the school secretary. He didn’t get punished because his mom, although everyone knows she sleeps around pretty much any chance he gets, is his grandpa’s favorite and gets her way.
Not only that, but when my sister said how upset she was, they decided to punish HER.
When we decide to speak out on the subject on their Facebook pages, our comments get removed. They won’t punish their family but silence my family for standing up for ours.
I will NEVER attend that church and my children will not attend that school. You can’t win the world for Christ if you’re going to drive away those already in the church. You can’t spread Jesus’ love if you can’t even show it to your fellow believers.
It’s absolutely disgusting.
Great place, Great atmosphere, and very welcoming!
I love this church! Christ is exalted and the members of the church come from all different walks of life. The word of God is preached, the gospel goes out and the widows are taking care of. This is a great church to raise your family in. We love our preacher and his family. One of the members of the church gave us a van when we first moved here. I can speak of so many other accounts where they loved on us when we did not know anyone.
This is a great example of a cult fronting as a “church.” The pastor has ran off his son-in-laws parents, tells the congregation and anyone who will listen that they run by faith, then gets up and tells them that the staff couldn’t be paid or had to take a reduced salary because the offerings weren’t large enough. Has changed his standards on the internet and songs (he used to preach against the internet – even had special speakers in to preach against it & told the congregation that they would only use the old-fashioned hymns and not the “new Christian worship music” then started letting his son bring in “old choruses” that are in fact current contemporary Christian music (but just the choruses). Has stolen faculty from other churches around the country that he goes to speak at & brings them here to serve (many are gone & some out of the ministry altogether after 2-3 years of working for Smith. Has accepted money to buy buildings from Jack Decoster, yes the same one who was convicted of the salmonella tainted eggs from his egg farms & hiring illegal workers to work his farms. Not to mention running off a staff member because his adult daughter who lived on her own in a different town got pregnant out of wedlock. It is preached that women should have no say & not wear pants or anything other than skirts or dresses all the time. He expects complete obedience and following his rules or you get preached at from his pulpit.
You are unfounded on your facts, before running your mouth off about the minsistry and how it works maybe try to live and breath in it.