Peter Hammer
General Manager of Harvestnet, ACC WA Church Planting Director and a Board Member of Exponential Australia.
The Harvestnet Story - The Journey So Far
Harvestnet started with a simple conviction: the local church is God’s plan to change communities—and we need more of them.
In 2003, while leading one of Perth’s largest Pentecostal churches, Pastor David Storer experienced a “burning bush” moment. Rather than focusing solely on growing one large congregation, he felt called to release people to plant churches—sons and daughters in the faith stepping out to lead communities of their own.
By Easter 2004, South City Church (now Nations Church) launched as worship pastors Ken and Chrissy Lee were sent. In 2006 it was the Next Generation pastors, Joel and Sharon Chelliah, who were sent with the birth of Centrepoint Church in 2006. Within ten years, six churches had been planted—and those churches were starting to plant new ones. In 2018, David handed leadership to Joel Chelliah, who continues to guide the network into the future.
As of 2025, Harvestnet has been part of planting 15 churches operating across 27 locations in WA.
WHAT MAKES HARVESTNET DIFFERENT?
We’re part of the Australian Christian Churches (ACC) and carry some distinct convictions that shape how we plant:
1. We Plant Churches that Plant Churches
We don’t just want to start churches—we want to start movements. Every plant is encouraged to look outward from day one: sowing financially into future plants and identifying leaders they can raise and release.
2. We Play the Long Game
Church planting is not just about the launch day. Our planters stay relationally connected—meeting quarterly and gathering annually on retreat. The friendships, encouragement, and shared vision are what keep us strong over time.
3. We’re Not a One-Size-Fits-All Movement
We don’t believe every church should look the same. Courageous Church, led by Israel and Simone Mohammed, launched in 2023 in Perth’s northern coastal corridor full of young families in new homes. At their first interest session, they saw eight people make decisions for Christ—three for the first time. They’re already preparing for their first campus plant in mid-2025.
Meanwhile, Passion Church in Mandurah reaches a very different demographic. Planted in 2023 in a lower socio-economic area, they provide food hampers, community care, and a message of hope. To date, they’ve seen 34 baptisms and continue to grow steadily.
Whether urban or regional, large or small, each plant is unique—just like the people it’s called to reach.
4. We’re Willing to Get Our Hands Dirty
We’re not a distant network. We walk with planters through assessments, admin, compliance, coaching, governance, and the unseen hard work of starting something from scratch. It’s a shared journey—and we’re in it together.
WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF HARVESTNET?
We believe we’re at a “crossing the Rubicon” moment—not just for Harvestnet, but for the church in Australia.
Our population is growing rapidly, yet more and more Australians are living without access to a vibrant, local church. New suburbs are being built. Regional centres are expanding. And in many of these places, there is no gospel presence. The need is urgent, but the opportunity is great.
As we look ahead, we’re prayerfully exploring what it looks like to reach beyond Western Australia—into regional towns and other key locations across the nation. We’re not rushing, but we are moving with conviction.
The future of Harvestnet isn’t about growing a network. It’s about responding to the call—to plant churches that change communities, in every corner of Australia.
That’s why we’re so thankful for Exponential’s leadership in calling the Australian Church to reimagine itself as a sending movement. The spotlight you shine on multiplication is helping all of us ask the right questions—and take courageous steps forward.
