New Harvest Church

Christian is a graduate of Fresno State University, with a degree in Agricultural Business. About that time, he met his future wife, Jill Gaykian. They embarked on their spiritual journey as a couple by getting involved in the "Right Beginnings" class at Northwest Church, and were married in June, 1999. In 2001, we were blessed with the birth of our first son, Ryan. Daughter Hailey and youngest son Mason complete their family of five.

Christian and Jill never had a doubt that they would follow Mitch Ribera as he planted New Harvest Church, and they have chosen to be actively involved since Day 1. Christian says, "We have been so blessed, and we are committed to serving HIS church; giving our time, talent, and treasure."

Christian joined the Elder Team for a three year term in January, 2007.

Brody Johanson - Vice Chairman

Brody Johanson was born in Fresno on September 29, 1973. He grew up in a loving home with a father that was in the construction business causing his family to move several times throughout his childhood. At the age of 15, he lost his father unexpectedly to a heart attack, and this event impacted him tremendously. At that time, living without Christ, he found himself both self reliant and without real purpose.

In his last year of high school, he began what soon became a career for him in cheerleading. He began coaching and soon would find himself at Fresno State coaching Clovis West High School. This is where he met his future wife Jennifer. They dated throughout college and both found that although everything was well, there was something very big missing in their lives. In 1998, he attended a men's conference with Northwest Church, and he accepted the Lord. Since then he has wanted to live a life that is obedient and one of following the Lord wholeheartedly.

He currently has been married over ten years, and has three beautiful kids: Kennady, Keegan, and Kolson. He is passionate about marriage ministry. He and his wife, Jennifer, serve as Marriage Mentors and create Married Life Live Celebrations at New Harvest Church.

David Brager - Treasurer

Rick Alfheim - Secretary

Rick was born and raised in Fresno with his 3 brothers, Mike, Steve, and Jim.  Rick came to understand the Gospel at age 11 through a youth-group fellowship bible study conducted by Bob Ennen, a self-employed handyman who had a real passion for young teens.  From these bible studies taught by Bob, Rick didn’t want to end up in hell and so he accepted Jesus into his life to forgive him of his sins.   Bob’s passion for kids and the Word of God inspired Rick to know and memorize many scriptures from age 11 through 17.  After high school however, the new freedom that comes to College kids enticed Rick into living for himself and other worldly cravings.  Through this time, a voice was always gently speaking to Rick, asking this prodigal son to return to God (the Father).  It wasn’t until age 22 where Rick got sick with mononucleosis, hepatitis, and bronchitis, plus a kidney stone for good measure, which got Rick’s full attention.  Rick came back to church, attending Northwest Church, and became involved in various ministries under Mitch Ribera.  Mitch took Rick through Timothy, and became a spiritual mentor to him.
 
At age 24, Rick met his wife Caroline Ketscher in the college/career group led by Mitch.  Two years later, Rick married Caroline in November 1993.  Rick finished his accounting degree at Fresno State in 1990, and in 1995 started working for the family business owned by Caroline’s parents as the Office Manager and Controller of Harding & Leggett Inc.  God had his hand in Rick’s life all along, directing him to this latest 14-plus year employment.

Rick and Caroline from the inception joined Mitch and his passion to church-plant New Harvest in the Northeast Fresno/Clovis area.  Early in their marriage, Rick and Caroline went through the Crown Financial Ministry bible study at Northwest Church, and committed to teach this class for 5 years.  Apparently God had other plans, and both he and his wife have had this same passion to teach God’s principles of handling money to many couples and singles over the past 15 years.  Today, Rick and Caroline enjoy leading couples and singles through these principles, either in the 10-week bible study, or in “coaching” meetings with folks needing advice.  A continuous reminder from these principles is that God owns everything that we have been given, and he entrusts us to be faithful stewards of these resources and responsibilities for his glory. 

The latest adventure in Rick’s life has been the selection of this Elder position, leading God’s church through these difficult economic times.  As news and other medias blast negative economic messages to the world,  Rick is reminded by God’s Word in 1 Chronicles 29:11, which says “Everything in the heavens and earth is yours O Lord, and this is your kingdom, we adore you as being in control of everything…”.  Rick hopes that through his life and testimony, many will come to trust God at his Word, and not let the world take away our Joy, the Joy of knowing the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He is in control.  Rick and Carole live in Clovis and have two children, Thomas (10) and Nicole (8). 

Tom Anderson

Anyone who knew Tom thirty years ago would be totally shocked to see his name affiliated with any Christian activity. It is clearly a testament to the power and mercy of Jesus Christ.

Despite being raised in a wonderful middle class family in Fresno and regularly attending church, the things of God were not a priority in his life through college and his early professional career. Tom chose to believe that God loved him unconditionally and forgave him for whatever he did, which was a license to do whatever he wanted. His focus from an early age was on competition, seeking the luxuries of life and experiences only money could buy.

Shortly after college, Tom married his incredible wife Lori, and they had a beautiful daughter Amber. He was consumed with success and developed workaholic habits at Bank of America and eventually in the commercial real estate industry. He rationalized that destructive behavior under the pretense of doing it for his family!

All of that changed one Sunday at Northwest Church, when Bufe Karraker challenged Tom to take a hard look at his life, asking the questions "Are you truly saved? Have you made Jesus the Lord, the boss of your life or are you simply being a Cultural Christian, attending church one hour on Sunday and the doing life your own way the rest of the week?" Tom's world was rocked when Bufe quoted Jesus in Revelations 3:16, "So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." Tom knew immediately he was lukewarm at best and that he could no longer ignore God's calling in his life and that he had to make a choice.

Shortly thereafter, Tom and Lori's son Shane was born with a life-threatening blood disorder. Praying for healing, he promised God to deal with issues that had kept him from accepting Christ as his Lord and Savior. God did intervene with a miracle healing and Tom finally honored his commitment to God. He started to deal with intellectual issues like evolution and the resurrection of Christ that had kept him from yielding his life to Christ for the fear of change!

Finally, he gave his life to Christ following his simple instruction in Romans 10:9, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved!" How simple could it be? Tom says, "I believed, I confessed and my life was changed forever."

The next 27 years have been a miraculous journey and the results have been an unimaginable peace and joy that he never came close to in his secular life. God blessed Tom with freedom from the fear of failure, acceptance and death, while providing his Word as the foundation of absolute truth for all of his decisions and choices.

Larry Karagozian

Larry Karagozian asked Jesus into his life at a very early age at a neighborhood Bible study his parents were invited to attend. Though small children were asked to play in the back bedroom as the adults "looked through the Bible," both Larry and his sister somehow made their way to the front living room to be among the chatty adults. There they sat wide-eyed and focused on the many great stories of the Bible beautifully and passionately illustrated by a loving neighbor with a huge heart for God.

Larry continually thanks his wonderful parents for their positive and honest upbringing, always truly focusing on Christ as the foundation for life. He admits that it wasn't really until the completion of his college education that his true spiritual walk and investment in his faith began. It just so happened that it was at that time that he met Michelle, later to become his bride, that God convicted him to "drop his net, and follow Him" (Matthew 4:20).

During their wonderful courtship, Larry and Michelle got plugged into a small group of newly engaged/married couples at Northwest Church. This was definitely the hand of God at work. This dynamic group, led by Mitch Ribera, talked about real life issues and practical "take-aways" that always referenced back to the Bible in some way or another. Being obedient and making small steps of faith eventually led Larry and his family to New Harvest Church. Focusing on Christ and serving in the various ministries at New Harvest has become a blessing beyond riches and serves to reinforce their commitment to God before the eyes of their two young sons Luke and Seth. "But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15)

James Coon

Jim is life long resident of the Fresno/Clovis community. Raised in a loving middle class home in central Fresno Jim enjoyed the full benefit of a stable and healthy home environment. However, as a young teenager he experienced the type of life change that would begin to shape his character for the years to come. In 1968, at the age of 14, Jim’s father died of heart attack. During the year that followed his older brother married and middle brother left home to pursue a career as musician. By default, Jim was now the ‘man of the house’.

As you might imagine the circumstances of life drew his mother to a closer relationship with Christ and in turn Jim found his comfort zone in church by singing in the choir and being active with the youth group. Then, while attending a Church youth conference, Jim accepted Christ as his Savior. Regrettably, it was not until several years later that he would come to know Jesus as his LORD and SAVIOR.

After graduation from College and following a Prodigal Son experience Jim returned to Fresno out of money, broken and lost. Then, as if called from heaven, Jim met Jan his “arranged partner” and love of his life. Jan was a true woman of Faith and, as a result, dating her came with a requirement that they attend Church together. It only took a couple of Sundays for Jim to recognize his brokenness and to stop his running from the unrelenting pursuer of his soul. Finally, after many years of a luke-warm experience, Jim surrendered to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

During their 33 years of marriage Jim and Jan have been blessed with a loving daughter, son-in-law and three grandsons. “New Harvest Church has been an awesome blessing to our entire family and we are excited to be a part of serving HIM and HIS Church in this season of our life.”

David Brager