Thanks again, Lina, for being courageous in the midst of these difficult days. Whats also sad is that old witness accounts go to show how truly far reaching and how long this behavior has been going on. I had a bad experience at the Chapel myself. The small adult group was fun visited Moody church. The ungodly jockying for power and control is still an issue in all our churches. Every weekday, get RELEVANT's top five articles delivered to your inbox! What would it take to convince an elder board to question its pastor? But should never be a pastor again! I no longer help lead a larger mens ministry. Even before the Garden of Eden seduction, he foresaw the need for The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Your leaving (however late you feel it was) was His provision for others, much like Joseph sent ahead to Egypt years ahead of his brothers and father. Therefore, we are at our most open to hurt. And your part of the problem. Now that all MacDonald men are gone and the elder board has been cut down to 9 men until a brand spanking new group of men are approved of, I am curious to see where this train goes. During his sabbatical, MacDonald had planned to preach at the. She put words to my feelings and I am truly blessed by them. The World article on the topic says that after Secrest was fired, "he was stunned, because his contract stipulated that he could be fired only for . Attempts to reconcile the situation failed due to the pastor believing he had done nothing wrong. Thanks for sharing Lina. I was mortified. I am ashamed to say that after being a member at Harvest for 8 years, that was the first real conversation I had had with an elder about the state of affairs of the church at that time. Wake up this tragedy has been in the works a long time. Amen. You are Loved I think I am gonna throw up. Some women were still in the middle of the trauma and were still currently attending Harvest. Then, not ten minutes later Mike Dunswood told us the Elders were told ( presumably by the XLT, which included Jeff Donaldson) all parents were notified about Paxton Singer and his sexpoitation issue in Jan 2018. No one asked why I quit attending after 15 years. We dont know if He will allow Harvest not to crumble. Transparency in finances Others, too, could see the attitude. School of the Bible at 9:00am Wednesdaysat 7:00pm Give Online Contact Us 10088 N. Highway 99 Stockton, CA 95212 [email protected] (209) 931-9548 Copyright 2023, Harvest Bible Church. 12:18) as while working through this year-and-half-long process of transition. Before the article was even printed, Harvest sued Roys, plus two bloggers who've been critical about problems at Harvest. MacDonald later admitted doing so but claimed it was all in good fun and misinterpreted. I believe that now IS an appropriate time to share your story. Of course people can join in with instruments too. WORLD Magazine and other evangelical news outlets celebrated this resolution. I dont know why, except that I just really wasnt getting the Word of God from the stage and I do mean stage. Five Uncomfortable Church Documentaries Still Worth Watching, Asbury Announces New Service ScheduleCampus Will Be Closed to the Public After Today, Eight Witnesses Testified Against Hillsong Founder Brian Houston in Court Case. My first two books were scheduled to be released smack in the middle of that summer, and I didnt want to impact their potential not to mention that James had agreed to write the forward on my first book.. Criticism of MacDonald begun to surface on The Elephants Debt, a blog founded in 2012, run by Ryan Mahoney and Scott Bryant, former members era of Harvest Bible Church. And this was all the way back in 2012). Lina, The current leadership at Harvest Bible Chapel including Luke and Landon and Rick and Mo and Jeff and the CFO are infected by the cancer of fear and control. The small church that I and my family left was a textbook case in spiritual abuse. We cant judge the HEART of others, we can judge their actions and behaviors. If you know anything about abusive relationshipsHBC is in the honeymoon phase right now.look it up!! Hidden things have come to light. It never dawned on me that it would open you up to attack. The Pastor started teaching on obeying your authority and not questioning authority etc. 2. Lean should read it and reply in kind. And then unfortunately when we do speak up we get comments like yours saying why nowit seems Christians cant win either way. Im thankful you followed the Lords leading in these stressful and difficult circumstances. I pray others in leadership read your post, check their hearts, and follow suit. He was a ruler of his churches. The Scripture that came to me as I read this is I Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. Also, for 2 years I felt my prayers didnt get past the ceiling. Right. Rather, God is shaking the junkall of our junkout of His Church. As a result, I was asked to meet with the elders, pull the blog piece and write a new one that James would first approve. To judge a fellow brother and think you know if he is a believer is dangerous. I share a lot of the same feelings. And come together in prayer, fasting and humility before Jesus that He enables us to be the people He died for. All Rights Reserved. Im praying for you. I pray for the leaders. Those who would shame someone for standing on the side of truth and grace have missed the mark. Thank you for taking the time to nurture the HBC flock that Pastor James never cared about! He is angry that they keep on sending texts and emails asking for money. I was wrong. Jesus is still the great healer and restorer. thanks, Humility, repentance, confession, forgiveness, reconciliation, mercy, love, compassion, healing, serious prayer and so much more for and by everyone should be given top priorities on our agendas soon if not now. Nothing will change at Harvest if the cancer of fear is not exposed . Sometimes they will require being nice. On February 13th, the elders at HBC fired MacDonald, citing highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald that were given to media the day before. That, apparently, was what it took to get him fired. Nellie, Im sorry for your comment. I also trust that you did seek wisdom from the Lord on what and how to speak into this. Such lack of accountability is often a problem at megachurches, which tend to be founded by charismatic individuals who quickly amass a large following. Gods Timing Is ALWAYS Perfect! Rotate positions? You also restrained and could have said much more and didnt. You have every right to speak up; and I respect you for doing so. The message we received was they were sorry we felt that way and they were sure it was not his intention. These same elders that all of a sudden had the courage to fire James, ( which I think is a scam, this was orchestrated )are the same elders that approved that stupid video with those four scum bag elders excommunicating other elders! Matthew 7:15 I think that was beautifully stated. She is sharing her heart and personal experience in an open, vulnerable way, in kindness and love. That timeline accelerated, when on Tuesday morning highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald were given to media and reported, they wrote. No wonder Harvest dropped the suit. Congratulations on your freedom, Lina! Many were kicked out and shown the door. Each weekend, services include live, vertical-focused worship. MacDonald took an indefinite sabbatical in January, following a tumultuous few months defending Harvest in a defamation lawsuit against its critics and in the aftermath of a World magazine investigation into mismanagement at the church. Perhaps my fear had its legitimate reasons. Horrified. May the God of all comfort minister his comfort to them. I am sorry for the pain. I didnt want to upset James. Dont talk to them, or theyll drag you down too. My experience was decades ago and in another state. On Tuesday, Chicago shock jock and one-time friend of MacDonaldMancow Muller aired a series of clips featuring someone who sounds like MacDonald making offensive comments. Five years ago, Harvest Bible Chapel, a Chicago-area megachurch with multiple campuses and an average weekly attendance exceeding 12,000, sent shock waves through the Christian community when it publicly excommunicated two former elders and indirectly censured a third. Now you can stop going to church altogether and free your mind from religious delusion. than submission to leaders I chose to believe the Bible and Gods promises. You must not feel sorry for James. And I do want to state that MANY of us have made every effort to address the problems prior to leaving. In a statement, the elders indicated they had accepted the apology and, in turn, agreed to leave [the church] alone and let the elder board bring about the necessary reforms.. Others have gone before you in challenging HBC to help pave the way and have paid the consequences for their courage. My family attended a smaller Harvest church close to Elgin. Its been over a year and a lot has changed at Harvest and a lot sill needs to change. Thank you for speaking out, Lina! Your truth was not conceived in fasting or deep prayer and it sure isnt loving. And the truth of many at Harvest. How are you so sure she didnt pray about this? @Ross, Were you able to access it? 6. That is, so many think that the church is the pastors ministry and they dont adequately facilitate the ministry of believers. All that leads to ia where we are, I led worship in a church for 5 years. The church was growing at the time. Do you see any fruit from him of what God speaks of? The New Testament model that churches should follow, says Every Believer is a Priest. Biblical: submission to the Word in My Dream Church will be at a higher level As an encouragement, from day 1, as you began your faith walk ministry, starting a Women of Power teaching ministry at Harvest, I have watched your character. Come together at part of the body of Christ called Harvest Bible Chapel and pray that Gods will not ours be done. Maybe you were called in front of the elders and asked to rewrite because thats horrendous theology and an awful way to be an ambassador for the Gospel. Less well known was that these individuals agreed to leave Harvest aloneto stop publicly criticizing the churchin exchange for a promise that the current elder board would enact changes. Thank you for your openness and sharing! Many were intimidated, called names, called subversives. I totally agree with you Patti. Fear is never a godly way of governing. Thank you, Lina. Pray for the church and the people! It is a biblical teaching that unrepentant public sin in a public representative of God ((ie, pastors and elders) must be publicly rebuked for the sake of the church as a whole. They never acknowledged that they had done anything wrong. The culture of fear is real, soo much so I dont feel comfortable giving my name as some will know me. Abusers groom their community and a spiritually abusive church grooms its members to not rock the boat, to gaslight themselves, and to leave quietly if they should ever refuse to submit to abuse. I also assumed that because of the size of Harvest, those closest to you would reach out. Youve blessed me when I heard you speak at a Harvest Womens event about 10 yrs ago, through your radio ministry and at an event you spoke at last year. This is hardly a local issue in the Western church. I was so dissappointed to hear that she left. I love this idea! (Matthew 12:33-37). Do you not remember that God used His Chosen to reveal the sin of not only churches, in the New Testament, but also to Kings in Old Testament. You take feed back to heart and you use it as growth points. I believe you spoke up now to show how far reaching the powerful words and actions of those in authority goes. For years, they had been made to feel like the outcasts, but finally vindication in its godly form was working its way out. Kenny Foreman, Founder of Cathedral of Faith, Passes Away at 88, Millennials Cant Buy MeaningLets Talk the Meaning of Life. Mike was genuinely shocked when we told him our son had Paxton as a camp counselor for whole week at Camp Harvest and we never received notice as HBC falsely told Daily Herald. We left a church where the pastor specifically told me, I am in charge! He said this while glaring at me and enunciating each word. We repent, forgive and are reconciled; we do not get even, hold grudges, refuse to forgive, or destroy innocent bystanders caught in the wake of it all. Anointing: Every believer is a priest in the new covenant. Pray for all the lost and unsaved who are not hearing the Gospel and our testimonies right now from our lips because sin has been made the main thing. Authority? We are wounded and grieving. Pray for James and Christs church that the LORD would accomplish what HE and HE alone is allowing. Thank you for sharing! My last complaint. This is not an endorsement of the culture at Harvest because its total trash, but you cant blame them for you bad theology choices. I agree here. The fruit of people at Harvest coming to Christ belongs to the Holy Spirit, not to JM. I pray that the sincere, Christ honoring followers humbly seek Him and His will for them individually in relation to this circumstance, in addition to His will for the church as a whole. This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. Lastly, we need to comfort hurting today, she wrote. Is many people for years have tried to bring things to light privately. Not everyone is so blessed, and for those of you who have left HBC and have had to find a new local church, there are healthy ones out there. The people of the church are those we feel we can trust and love. I loved his book Vertical Church. That is who God truly cares about. That timeline accelerated, when on Tuesday morning highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald were given to media and reported, the church wrote. We are to find our faith and hope in the Message, not the messenger. I should have left that week, but I was too afraid to cause damage to Jesus and His kingdom and the women I was leading at that time. You can read that story right here. My current church I actually joined, unlike Harvest, and have been there five years and counting now. I feared offending people. Love you! I just want you to know that what you did at HBC mattered, and your presence is greatly missed. Lina I couldnt agree more with everything you said and your comment here. James ended up sending me a copy of the new approved blog post, and out of fear, I complied. Perhaps we can do something like that here in Davenport, too. He stopped going to any church and says he has lost faith in everything. Still. Harvest Bible Chapel has fired its founder and senior pastor James MacDonald following years of controversial behavior, financial scandal and allegations of bullying and intimidation. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman/person ruled by fear. I do believe you. Such a good post Lina. Because ultimately what God wants is not a huge army of women who are nice. I have wondered if Harvest Bible Chapel (the organization) is worth the cost its taken to try and save it? The first one is in the magazine Relevant and looks at the allegations of Anne Green being inappropriately touched by James MacDonald. But He is in control of everything and if He wants HBC to continue, it will continue. You are completely right on! Harvest ousted Daniel Marquardt, Scott Phelps, and Barry Slabaugh in 2013 after they protested against . Jesus desires mercy and not sacrifice. James could have easily prayed, [] There are a couple of other reads that came to my attention this evening related to Harvest Bible Chapel that I wanted to make people aware. It is important to bring light to this matter, help yourself and others heal and put a new song of praise and trust in Our God. I really think you hit the nail on the head when you said you realized something dark about yourself, that you had been a woman ruled by fearand I could identify with what you said since I had been that woman too. A final incident in Roys article involves MacDonald publicly berating HCA students, an incident witnessed by Harvest videographer Luke Helmer. Lina, thank you for your post, and thank you for your honesty and transparency. Will those men now be known for their mark as sinful followers of James? Now that these differences with MacDonald have come to resolution, our focus and full attention are on the future of Harvest Bible Chapel, they said. He grew the church from 18 members to more. Often no explanation given, and the band plays on. I loved that about you. A friend sent me a link to sermon about this yesterday: https://radical.net/sermon/kingdom-community/. Each former leader that speaks out helps us heal and validates our experience. ! How do you know it wasnt done with fasting and with prayer? When God led me to leave HBC, I remember being so sad and afraid and wondering if I was hearing Him correctly. God bless you. The Lord has used you mightily before, during and after your exit from the toxic leadership at Harvest. Lina, Thank you Lina! Dont stop trusting or loving. With so much gaslighting going on and public take-downs of those who would speak truth to power, and your investment in the church industrial complex, I can imagine how difficult it wouldve been to speak out publicly at the time of your leaving. I think that this message has relevance to many situations today, including the present political situation. Dont stand in the middle, dont seek to mediate. Following a lengthy season of review, reflection, and prayerful discussion, the Elders of Harvest Bible Chapel had determined that Pastor MacDonald should be removed from his role of Senior Pastor. In other words, thatwasMacDonald in the recording. My father went through prostate cancer. We attended Elgin from 2005 through 2008. I have always wondered why? Hes a lemonade maker. Laurie Newman, a Harvest member, told Christianity Today that she believes the church's current leaders, like Bradshaw, are "good people who want to lead the church the way God wants it to. Ive always appreciated your candor and honesty, and I think the Lord has gifted you with a strong sense of discernment. If you ever make that offer again, Ill be there, but please post on Twitter. When we try to protect those in power instead of those who are hurting, we are not doing the work of God. Lina, The public scrutiny continued with pushback against MacDonalds decision to preach at a Harvest affiliate in Florida during his sabbatical. But I hope the healing can begin, and I hope the abuse will stop.. Further, Nellie, I am glad that you missed out on being a victim of the authoritarian rule that grew, without check, in the once fertile soil of a formerly great ministry. When I left my job I stayed at HBC for about another year before leaving entirely. The fired senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel megachurch is contending, in a new lawsuit, that an attorney and accountants hired by the church took part in a "smear . Harvest Bible Chapel We're here to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Did they not find that video shocking? Is it perfect? I pray that God will heal those hurt by him and his abuse of authority. These are the same elders who signed the letter of unconditional support for James, and then they fire him? James MacDonald was forced out Tuesday night as senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, a church he founded in Rolling Meadows some 30 years ago. 3. As of November, 2021, HBC is $34,000,000 in debt. The devil may win some battles, but we know God ultimately wins the war. As Pastor James has said in the past, truth and time go hand-in-hand. This did not happen to James, he did this, by sinning repeatedly. Sounds like your faith in self is overwhelming only yourself! Good for you and speaking up. You are absolutely right about the fear! Does It Matter Where Your Clothes Come From? That night changed me. The fruit by which JM is to be judged rather is that of his own true m.o. Sadly, this cancer has spread to other churches that were once part of the fellowship. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, revealed material obtained under subpoena, called into Mancow Mullers Chicago-area radio show. He unsubscribed from the emails but they were still sent him texts asking him to give. We did not want to cause a split or damage the cause of Christ, so we quietly left. You are being bold and telling the truth and just wanted to encourage you.I always loved your passion for Gods Word and pray Gods blessing as you stand strong Him! 1.) The Church of Jesus Christ is not the organization or nonprofits we create, but the men and women that God calls and saves by the sacrifice of His Son. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take immediate action on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. Both can be messy, but in the latter case, responsibility for that mess must be laid squarely at the feet of the abusive Elders who are sinning, not at the feet of Christs little ones, the oppressed members of Christs flock, who are being caused to stumble, nor at the feet of those attempting to triage the wounded and sound a warning to others who are in danger of being In the early 2000s, Harvest embarked on an ambitious expansion plan, aiming to form "10 churches in 10 years." Since then the church has opened locations in Elgin, Highland Park, Niles, Crystal. then the sermons and teaching were getting distorted and weird. While I am heartened that the elders finally removed MacDonald, he should have been fired five years ago. I will not address any party affiliation. There are times in our lives and circumstances that its just not real clear as to how to address something, with as little harm to what is good, as possible. My mom, who doesnt attend HBC, says that the church is going to die because James was the bread and butter. I follow Jesus in His Strength the best I can in the light He has given me. Sunday Service-10:15 AM/Wed. It is loving to tell the truth. In a statement, the elders apologized to MacDonald and the congregation for the ways they had failed to live at peace with all men, as far is it depends on you (Rom. In his statement released this week, MacDonald continues to criticize the church for its treatment of him and cites the successful arbitration as confirmation that the truth has been on his side all along. I think God has not lifted the veil on a lot of eyes for some reason. Im sorry that the doctrine that youve been taught says that life is about being kind and nice, rather than about being good. I was wrong in hindsight. Check out Moreno website, http://www.godsonlygospel.com. Roys also lamented the fallout of todays news. In one fellowship people were actually warned to have nothing to do with us, and yet all we had done, in each instance was to ask questions. Continually praying for healing, reconciliation and restoration for His church. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. I am excited for all God is doing in your life to help other women get closer in their relationship with Jesus. Fear is dead life a remnant of Satan. There are no ongoing issues of any kind. superstar pastors are always ,inevitably, trouble. Open your eyes and feel the heat of the refiners fire. For you to step back and taken ownership of your piece in the large (very large) puzzle, is a humility and grace only Jesus can provide. Ive been blessed by your teaching and Im wondering if I wouldnt have heard your teaching as much had you stayed longer at Harvest. Its hard. I did not fear God as much as I feared James and longed for his approval. Those that havent gone through it ask why would you speak these things? Reflect about yourself and what steps you need to take to be healed and then to help others heal. Im replying after reading just your first few paragraphs. I think that was his recruitment tactic. As were you, we were grieving and had to pray for help finding that new church. The church and its people helped create Pastor James He is not the only one involved it was a group effort. Ill let the others fight that fight today. I pray to our Father who loves us all that His truth and reconciliation and peace, healing abounds in this circumstance. I really doubt theyre sending texts and emails asking for money. I never understood why they saw him the way they do. When I asked questions at the Harvest I attended I was told to be careful what I read on the internet. Those that have gone through it ask themselves, should I speak up?. (Galatians 2:11-21) There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. Lina, So great to see your support with your wise comment. This scandal that were going through has really rocked my world. Or they, too, are so rotten at the core that they dont care. You are open to correction, feeling hurt when it comes. These changes were never made, but the critics were silencedfor a time. Now the Chicago-area megachurch is sharing details of the settlement and has apologized to its former pastor, who was fired in February 2019. I still had friends on the inside that I longed to remain friends with. Prayer works as we understand to be HIS humble servants. I dont know you personally but appreciate all you continue to teach me and countless others. Yes Nellie, we are called to bring light on the darkness. There are larger lessons to be learned. http://www.issendai.com/psychology/sick-systems.html. It quickly became one of the 50 largest churches in the country, with over 12,000 members and eight campuses in the Chicago area. 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