Your mission and your ministry is beautiful and changing lives. I met you when you spoke at Harvest Davenports womens ministry retreat and events many years ago and was challenged and inspired by your teaching. Not everything needs to be about Polititcs. Even when you get away that fear doesnt leave just because you physically left. James said it many times himself, chose to sin, 5. As a former elder for three years at the Elgin campus ( it wasnt a true elder board then and it still isnt now ), I couldnt agree with you more, that all the infected parts have to excised! Others wised up and slowly left. You are loved. The preacher has no support system to fall back on but must find a new church before the new hireling moves in. and stay glued to founded and genuine monetary purchase services. We have seen this very truth of Jesus teaching publicly demonstrated by Mancow and many other witnesses. She was obedient to Christ. Thats when eight former elders sent a letter to the sitting elder board, warning them that MacDonald was disqualified for office, she said in a response posted Wednesday. Thank you for your vulnerability. see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/, I would love to chat and learn more of what you are doing. He stopped going to any church and says he has lost faith in everything. The Harvest and James MacDonald Controversy Explained, Did Pharaoh Have Free Will? All Rights Reserved. He lists grievances against Harvest including a false narrative in financial matters, a hostile takeover, shunning our family, the wrongful seizure of the ministry assets returned to him in the recent arbitration, and a vicious but unsuccessful strategy to end our ministry permanently.. Thank you for your thoughts and strong, encouraging words. All why surrounding himself w/yes men. We dont know each other, but I found this via Julie Roys Twitter. I appreciate the Biblical distinction you made Sheila, in relation to the Bible calling us to be good ; which doesnt always mean being kind and nice. Check out Moreno website, http://www.godsonlygospel.com. That is who God truly cares about. Im replying after reading just your first few paragraphs. At Camp Harvest in 2009, for example, the pastor shot at a target that contained photos of some elders wives. Christs grace saves us and sustains us. I dont see anything mean in her commentary. MacDonald later admitted doing so but claimed it was all in good fun and misinterpreted. No shame here for Lina. 2. The Pastor started teaching on obeying your authority and not questioning authority etc. I was recovering from the deep wounds and hurts from when we left when this all came rushing back in and opening old wounds. Or were you saying they were bullied too. I have or attend 3 or more small groups a week now and feel alive. God is sifting His church! It also had a church-planting network, Harvest Bible Fellowship (HBF), which MacDonald dissolved last year. This decision was made with heavy hearts and much time spent in earnest prayer, followed by input from various trusted outside advisors.. But, the truth is, I am ashamed to say, I should have left much sooner. Is the founding pastor subject to accountability structures? Wounds take a great deal of time to heal and its appropriate to share them and warn others to avoid similar church abuse. For this, according to the Daily Herald, Secrest was fired. Its very important that people share their stories. It was so hard not to be bitter, and it took a long time to want to be part of another church and not be so cautious. Can Bubble Tea Bring Gen Z into the Chinese Church. Nancy You sound like you still attend thereand you seem double minded. Until then, you are still a wolf in sheeps clothing. Your sincere desire to move us further in our relationship with Jesus Christ. Im thankful you and so many others I know have left with dignity and after a bit of healing have jumped back into churches where they are serving the Lord with all their hearts using the gifts God has given them so faithfully. Such a good post Lina. That is why I really rally for our black preacher and pastors like Keion Henderson, https://www.keionhenderson.com/about-us/ ! When I left my job I stayed at HBC for about another year before leaving entirely. Pastor James MacDonald of the Chicago-based seven-multicampus Harvest Bible Church, issued an apology statement on Sunday saying that the board of the megachurch unanimously agreed to lift a discipline ban from three excommunicated elders. He says he gave about $1K in these 6 months, and regrets it. It was love at first sight!! You are a fraud and a liar! Some women were still in the middle of the trauma and were still currently attending Harvest. You can read about the continued corruption and fraud here: Dan George's Resignation. Amen sister!! Also another story emerged on why another person left Harvest Bible Chapel. The small adult group was fun visited Moody church. Roys also lamented the fallout of todays news. Im one of the people who asked you to share why you left. I dont take joy in this situation, but I rejoice in the truth. That, apparently, was what it took to get him fired. Somehow I thought 2500+ members walking out would send the message. How important it is to pray pray pray and check on our leaders also of their growth in Christ and what our church mission is and to stay biblical, not political but biblical. Let us pray God will send His Spirit upon us and cure us of this. Thank you, Lord, for Ephesians 6:13: God is faithful, and He is doing what needs to be done to protect His bride. He is doing a new thing, and I will stand with my brothers and sisters in Christ and praise his Holy name through it all. She did not claim it was her trurh , but opinion. Still, even I knew when enough was enough. Harvest ousted Daniel Marquardt, Scott Phelps, and Barry Slabaugh in 2013 after they protested against . The evangelical megachurch system, where multilayered ministries form around a single persona, leaves ample room for mismanagement and abuse of authority. He went recently, saying the time had come. Go to the all church meetings? Not cool to kick people when they are down. Maybe its because youre a doctor and have such a desire to see people healed. As Gods word says it would. Because evangelical megachurches are typically formed around a single charismatic individual, elder boards are generally loathe to consider letting this individual go. Several years went by and one family apologized to us as did another man. I left Harvest about a year before you did, and I also stayed, for the most part, silent out of the same fear you described. Yet, with the growing numbers leaders, it is coming out, many followed along with James out of fear to personal, family, career damage. Is this an informed opinion? Dont stand in the middle, dont seek to mediate. He did the same. Woah there Nellie! Just goes to show, pride goeth before a fall. Im so sorry, and Im sorry for the comments here that are going to be painful for you. Did you see the link to my web page. Love you! Why do you say you have a lack of music?. Thank you for taking the time to nurture the HBC flock that Pastor James never cared about! I am surprised by your editorial on Harvest. Thank you Yahweh. What blessings are flowing at Harvest for those who stand firm! . The Elephants Debt, which had posted criticism of MacDonald, including stories by former Harvest members, elders, pastors, and staff, throughout 2012 and 2013, went on a posting hiatus at around this time. Welcome to the Video Broadcast ministry of Cornerstone Bible Church. 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. Harvest Bible Chapel's Elgin campus H arvest Bible Chapel has reached a multimillion-dollar agreement to transfer some of its assets to former pastor James MacDonald, who plans to continue in. In any case, Im saddened to hear that this happened to James McDonald. Im grateful that the sin of James and the elders/staff who allowed his tyranny to prosper is finally coming to light, so that the abuse can come to an end. Jackie Alfirevic HBC mothership (1992-2011). For years, they had been made to feel like the outcasts, but finally vindication in its godly form was working its way out. I should have walked out but, I too, was afraid. So many people have recently asked me why I left Harvest Bible Chapel when I did. There the preacher has no real power at all. These being the facts of my simple, uncomplicated, and naive experience as an attendee and member of Harvest, the last several weeks of revelations, discoveries, denial, anger, grief, victims, conjecture, embarrassment, hurt, stories, gossip, cover-ups, accusations, defensiveness, lawsuits, maliciousness, divisiveness, blame, threats, and even some name-calling as of late I have begun to realize that those of us who are just the congregation, the blessed and appreciative recipients of the God-given talents of all those involved in running and ministering Harvest, we are now in the painful position reminiscent of children involved in the divorce of parents, both(ALL!) I pray that no stench of fear be found in any space occupied by Christs love. Do you remember how Jesus acted towards the money changers and false shepherds? 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. These things happen in small churches too. He spoke highly of you, and since then, I have occasionally prayed for you regarding your time and experience at HBC. In October, the church reported its chief information officer to police for suspected embezzlement. Did you know that Satan and his minions come to Harvest? This isI believewhy the American church has lost its effectiveness. I think that was beautifully stated. To heal enough to communicate and receiving shaming comments like yours. That IS A LIE!! God has this situation in his hands he wasnt surprised by it. Ive been asked, what would I do if I were still on staff. It takes a long time. When the Church becomes the organization instead of the people, then it ceases to be the Church. So Grace is only for MacDonald and no one else not the elders he excommunicated, not the numerous employees who were fired or kids who were expelled from HCA, not the pastor who was fired in FLORIDA and had his church taken away I would ask you SERIOUSLY??!! 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. 2023 RELEVANT Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I didnt want to upset James. I was so surprised to read that you were afraid because you seem like such a strong and confident person. Isnt this just what the enemy of our souls would want? 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. The collaboration of many witnesses should help the leadership at Harvest (or any church) know the depth of a problem. I am thankful that timing of other circumstances in my life led me to a new city to grow and find a faithful, healthy, growing, biblical church community. I have a Patreon! Find a church with great accountability. We are thankful and humbled by His care and protection of our family. That timeline accelerated, when on Tuesday morning highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald were given to media and reported, the church wrote. Thank you Lina for your honesty and boldness and ultimately helping me put words to what I have been experiencing through the preaching of James. Be very careful Azaelea. And still some came because their loved ones and spouses have abandoned the faith completely and now refuse to go to church and they long to understand why. There would be major issues involving James, followed by a carefully worded elder update or a carefully scripted announcement in church. Welcome to Ohio. The Lord has used you mightily before, during and after your exit from the toxic leadership at Harvest. James is (was) a powerful force which could and did destroy people with his power and influence. Your two posts make no sense I hope you get some sense and realize people in Church are not infallible only Jesus! And yet, I stayed. Its hard to step out alone but God always protects and brings darkness into the light to be seen. However, James is not the same person he was when he began that church and if he was to continue leading it, he would hurt countless others. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! 12:18) as while working through this year-and-half-long process of transition. I chose to believe the Bible and Gods promises. model and not on the Old Testament hierarchical model. Fear that your leaving would damage those you ministered to. As a nation, something painful will bring us back. I do believe you. 2.) The culture of fear is real, soo much so I dont feel comfortable giving my name as some will know me. 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. Lina, What God Gives Black Americans That The Country Does Not, Baylor, Louisiana State University and More Colleges Report Revivals Happening on Campus, Why Asbury University Decided to End Revival Services This Week, Faith Leaders Push Back on Asbury Revival Criticism, Southern Baptists Expel Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for Ordaining a Female Pastor, GET OUR TOP 5 ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX EACH WEEKDAY, This Story of a Fugitive Nun Who Faked Her Own Death to Escape a Convent Is Insane, Watch: Frozen 2s Trailer Promises an Epic, Possibly Darker Sequel, Dont Forget, Theres a Lot Right With the Church, Too, The Asbury Outpouring Has Come to a Close. 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