August 21 - Megachurch's Organic Farm Gives Fresh Produce to Needy

Coming from a family of four generations of California farmers, ministry leader Gene Archibek said he was "done with farming" as a child. However, late last year, the 40-year-old member of Saddleback Church in Orange County, Calif., said he was inexplicably drawn to the church's recently acquired ranch land in San Juan Capistrano.

Archibek became one of several volunteers who helped the church prepare the 175-acre property previously owned by Crystal Cathedral to become a satellite campus and retreat center. It was clear to him that the tasks at hand had nothing to do with farming.

Soon afterward, he said he heard about a federal grant program that donates seeds to non-profit groups and decided to apply and submit his plan for a farm to the agency in charge of giving out the grants. Archibek said he received an enthusiastic phone call from someone in Washington, D.C., and 800 bags of seeds were on the way. "I received this grant and I knew that's God telling me there's no backing out," he said.

Archibek then told his pastor and mentor from Saddleback about his plan for a farm ministry, which included people coming together to help plant, harvest, and distribute fresh produce to the church's food pantry program.

Another component to the farm was that it had to be organic. Churches throughout the nation are increasingly including organic farms to help supplement food pantry programs. At the time of Archibek's vision, Saddleback Church began Pastor Rick Warren's Daniel Plan, a push for members to live a healthier lifestyle which includes eating organic food when possible.

"So, when I thought about what this ministry would be like, it was to bring people together and have fellowship where people could learn about God."