Harvest Baptist of Owensboro

About Harvest

Our Mission
is God’s Mission

Jesus said in Luke 19:10 that His mission is “to seek and to save that which was lost.” This is our mission—to take the message of Jesus Christ to all the world.

Our Heart

How We Follow Jesus

Our church is functioning as Jesus wants it to function when we are helping people begin a relationship with Jesus Christ. The most important decision a person can make is regarding eternity. It is our prayer that you will believe on Jesus Christ and receive Him as your personal Saviour. After beginning a relationship with God, Harvest is a place for you to connect with other believers. We all want people who can “do life” with us. There is no greater place to build life-long friendships than in the church. All of us will need encouragement along our spiritual journey; and a church family can provide that encouragement.

Our History

More than five decades in Owensboro

Since its founding, Harvest Baptist of Owensboro has been a part of the Owensboro community with a desire to faithfully serve God and reach people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For more than five decades, God has used the church to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families throughout Owensboro and around the world. Through changing seasons, pastoral transitions, and generations of church families, the mission has remained the same: to love God, love people, and faithfully proclaim His Word.

Throughout its history, Harvest has developed a strong emphasis on Bible preaching, discipleship, missions, and serving others. Generations of children and teenagers have grown up in the church, families have found a place to worship and grow, missionaries have been supported around the world, and countless people have been encouraged through the ministries of the church. The church's current home on Old Calhoun Road has become a place where people of all ages can gather for worship, fellowship, teaching, and service.

In recent years, Harvest has entered an exciting season of growth and ministry. Pastor Greg Dowdy has served as the church's full-time pastor for the past several years, leading the church with a desire to see people know Christ, grow in their faith, and become active servants of the Lord. From children's programs and Master Clubs to Harvest Youth, Connection Groups, discipleship ministries, missions, special services, and community outreach, there are now many ways for people to connect, grow, and serve.

At the heart of Harvest is a simple desire: we love God and we love people. We believe the church is more than a place to attend—it is a family where people can find encouragement, develop meaningful relationships, grow in God's Word, and discover opportunities to serve.

Harvest Baptist buildingHarvest Baptist campusHarvest Baptist auditorium

Leadership

Meet our pastors

Pastor Greg Dowdy

Senior Pastor

Pastor Greg Dowdy

Pastor Greg Dowdy trusted Jesus Christ as his Saviour at the age of eleven. He did not grow up in a Christian home or regularly attend church, although he occasionally attended Vacation Bible School during the summer. As he humorously remembers, at the time he went because he enjoyed the cookies and Kool-Aid! Looking back, however, he recognizes that through those VBS weeks and the faithful influence of his grandmother, God was planting seeds of the Gospel in his heart.

The summer Greg turned eleven, his parents began attending church again after being away for many years. For the first time, Greg was personally confronted with the truth of the Gospel. His pastor took the time to sit down with him and walk him through the Scriptures, showing him God's love and explaining how Jesus Christ had taken his place on the cross and paid the penalty for his sin. That day, Greg gladly received God's gift of salvation and placed his faith in Jesus Christ.

That decision changed not only his eternal destiny, but the direction of his life. At the age of sixteen, Greg surrendered his life to God's call to preach. After graduating from high school, he attended Crown College to prepare for ministry and has had the privilege of serving the Lord ever since.

In July 2013, Pastor Greg came to Harvest Baptist of Owensboro, where he has faithfully served the Lord and the people of the church, leading Harvest through seasons of ministry, growth, and change. Today he continues to serve as the church's full-time pastor with a desire to faithfully preach God's Word, reach people with the Gospel, and help the church grow in its love for God and for others.

Pastor Greg considers his story a testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of God. He is especially grateful that salvation is not something we can earn or achieve, but is the gift of God received by faith in Jesus. His desire is to faithfully proclaim the Gospel, serve the people of Harvest, and help others find and follow Jesus.

Pastor Martin Costilla

Associate & Youth Pastor

Pastor Martin Costilla

Martin Costilla was born into a Christian family and grew up attending church. Because his father served in the military, Martin spent his childhood moving between several states. At the age of five, following a Wednesday evening church service, Martin placed his faith in Jesus Christ and asked the Lord to save him.

As a teenager, Martin began to sense God's calling into full-time ministry. During his sophomore year of high school, he surrendered to that calling and began preparing for a life of serving the Lord. In the spring of 2020, Martin attended The Crown College in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Youth Ministry.

It was during his time at Crown College that Martin met his wife, Emilee. The two were married in December 2022 and have since continued to serve together in ministry. On December 31, 2023, Martin began serving at Harvest Baptist of Owensboro as Associate and Youth Pastor. Since then, he and Emilee have been actively involved in the church's youth and music ministries, with a particular passion for investing in the next generation and helping young people develop a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ.

In July 2026, Martin and Emilee welcomed their daughter, Haven, into the world. We are thankful for Martin and Emilee's desire to faithfully serve Christ, love people, and help others find and follow Jesus.

What We Believe

Statement of Faith

The Bible is a God-breathed Book (II Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21) given to man to reveal His person, His work, and His will. It is the inerrant, infallible Word of God. God not only inspired the Bible, but also preserved it through the ages, so that we may have confidence that the Authorized Version (King James Version) is His inspired Word for the English speaking world (Psalm 12:6-7; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; I Peter 1:23).

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