It helps to be able to talk about it instead of feeling like you have to hide it, or just deal with it. Study-7:00 PM. Yes, God has this in hand, but that doesnt mean He wont ask His children to do the hard work of calling out sin in unrepentant believers. Do you realize the elders are already choosing to step down? Thank you Lina, for opening the door of your life so that we can understand your experience. They all need to be excised ( fired ), along with number one enabler extraordinaire of James, Rick Donald, along with the MacDonald boys, along with every single campus pastor and the other pastors, and throw in the worship leaders ( they are all complicit ), then the cancer would have been completely removed and the body ( the good people of Harvest that are being fleeced ) would have a chance to heal and become part of a true biblical church. Thank you for all you do. New to Harvest and my faith in Christ, I didnt know what was going on and still kinda of unclear of all the details. That is why we keep talking. But when it happens for reasons like this we should be shouting it but unfortunately we dont always perceive the abuse for what it was/is until we are out of the situation. Many people went to leaders and spoke up. I have my own hurt of how certain situations were handled with me through the 20s ministry Then soon after that, the 30s ministry, production ministry and even the womens ministry on multiple occasions. By then there were so many small things that werent so small and added up to big things that could have explained my leaving, but to me, that video was the tipping point. I dont see anything mean in her commentary. I pray that moving forward, His love will control me no matter the consequences. now James McDonald. Sign up for our newsletter: For a different church model, see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/. The caller alleged (in vulgar terms) that Roys, the reporter, was having an affair with Christianity Todayseditor-in-chief Mark Galli, andmade a comment about bringing down former Christianity Today CEO down by remotely uploading child pornography onto his computers. We are the Church! While regret cant look back, we now live in a different era than we did four years ago. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. The problem was not simply Harvest messaging, but also the teachings that made such messagingmake sense. We are to fear God not man. Saying he had hit a "wall of exhaustion" in June, Lead Ministry Pastor Greg Bradshaw said he is not only leaving Harvest, but also the ministry. That is, so many think that the church is the pastors ministry and they dont adequately facilitate the ministry of believers. Please anchor in on John 7:24. We sincerely thank you for your prayers, your support, and your patience as we work together to restore a trust in leadership, a humility to surrender to biblical authority, and a firm resolve to move forward as a church family., Subscribe to CT
In 2013, in a story covered bymajor evangelical news outlets, Harvest publicly excommunicated two former elders who were still members of Harvest. You are a fraud and a liar! It didnt. That timeline accelerated, when on Tuesday morning highly inappropriate recorded comments made by Pastor MacDonald were given to media and reported, they wrote. Once a preacher condemns other, that is the sign that he is trying to avert attention from what he is doing. I guess I felt like one of the peons of Harvest, and that me reaching out wouldnt matter, since I was not a part of the inner circle or personally close to you. Please have your Passports Ready. It was an extremely long and difficult decision to finally leave (we did our best to leave peacefully with the good of Christs church in mind) knowing very well that our reputations and many of our friendships we had there would be severely if not permanently damaged. For me, it is because it is time for truth. I do not think the solution is replacing the pastor and associates with a new administration. The bloggers began posting again, however, in 2017, around the same time that Harvest Bible Fellowship was dissolved in 2017, due in part to concerns by some some member churches about how Harvest was managing the fellowships finances. It is so sad when the devil works to cause problems in a church. My faith has been shaken by the situation at another Christian organization. This decision was made with heavy hearts and much time spent in earnest prayer, followed by input from various trusted outside advisors.. Thank you for your honestly, I personally did not ask why you left, because we left approximately the same time for the same reasons. Did you realize elders and pastors are personally apologizing g to people? This isI believewhy the American church has lost its effectiveness. Elgin Quick Links Baptisms, February 19th this isnt meant to hurt you but to support those who need it. God is sovereign, He is the Healer, He is the Restorer, He is the Renewer, and He will continue to do what He is doing in order to bring about His will for His people. Finally, we have landed at a church with a passion for others, our hearts have healed and by going there I was introduced to your bible study Resolved. It completed my healing. The Harvest and James MacDonald Controversy Explained, Did Pharaoh Have Free Will? I, like you, am so thankful for how God has worked in me and my family through the ministries at Harvestincluding the teaching and selfless service of Lina, and so many others (some who have left, and some who chose to stay). Pastor was not happy and tried to convince us that we were wrong. Thanks for speaking up! The Spirit has shown me that Church, the Body of called out believers are those Christians you meet with. I questioned a particular sermon that clearly was unbiblical but no one else did. A final incident in Roys article involves MacDonald publicly berating HCA students, an incident witnessed by Harvest videographer Luke Helmer. He clearly told me that they send out reminders to give. Mike Winger Discusses When God Hardened Pharaohs Heart, Tennessee Church Showcases Tyre Nichols Photography, Louisiana Pastor Sentenced to 5 Years in Money Laundering Case Involving Nearly $900K in Stolen Funds, Steven Curtis Chapman First Contemporary Christian Artist To Earn 50th No. I have found that churches built through a single persons vision are dangerous. It never dawned on me that it would open you up to attack. Woah there Nellie! Pray for those still there trying to care for the confused and hurting hearts. I am staying because with all the faults in the organization, the people of Harvest are my family. James MacDonald (born October 4, 1960) is a Canadian-born evangelical Christian pastor, television evangelist, and author. MacDonald was manifestly not okay with the criticism. That night changed me. Yes, there are a lot of hurting people at Harvest. My last complaint. But wait who is that lurking around the edges, his deeds the center of everyones interest in our church right now, salivating and gleeful that divisiveness and sin is healthy within the body of Christ? 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. We dont know each other, but I found this via Julie Roys Twitter. Welcome to the Video Broadcast ministry of Cornerstone Bible Church. In his remarks this week, he says he confessed his relational failings multiple times, but still lost longtime friends and ministry partners to Harvests narrative. There would be major issues involving James, followed by a carefully worded elder update or a carefully scripted announcement in church. Many were kicked out and shown the door. I continue to pray for the people this has affected, the elders and pastors, and that the darkness will be continually exposed to the light. I was pleasantly surprised to find that you know each other. God has been known to use even a donkey and a false pagan prophet to speak His word. Two top Harvest Bible Chapel pastors today announced they're resigning, following a "season" of difficulty sparked by the termination and scandal involving disgraced celebrity pastor, James MacDonald. Same as your departure, not a single person reached out to see how I was doing once I left my job. I am now going to read the rest of your post. see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/, I would love to chat and learn more of what you are doing. Muller had prematurely announced the pastors departure on Friday morning on his show on WLS 890 AM, going on to declare on Twitter, Conman Boss James Macdonald OUT of Harvest Church!. Stressful on him and his family. blessings. I love you and our Lird. He says he gave about $1K in these 6 months, and regrets it. But if they submit to the Healer, they will come out stronger. I do have cds and dvd of contemporary Christian artists. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISjXhWUyGi0&list=PLud2nIxx0IAT58I8QPBdfrOz8bFMQQcd6&index=4&t=0s. This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. Wow Nancy K, after all that has been said and done, seemingly over many years, it is startling to me that you would make such a commemtWow, Why? Please avoid these former Harvest elders at all cost, lest you incur great detriment to your own soul. DONT defend these people in any way!! My coworker who was Catholic and going through a painful divorce, was led to Christ by me. Ross, Ross Blomberg, The environment is as ahw stated, fear James, make James happy Rather, God is shaking the junkall of our junkout of His Church. We are all human, myself included. I left Harvest CL 3 yrs ago after being forced out of a ministry and other thingspart of the membership indoctrinationyou are not allowed to say anything disparaging against church leadership or the church. Continually praying for healing, reconciliation and restoration for His church. This Is a Revival Season Sean Feucht Announces 7 Days of Prayer on Capitol Hill, The Chosen, Candace Cameron Bure, Dolly Parton Win at This Years Movieguide Awards, Christian High School Girls Basketball Team Forfeits Tourney Spot Due to Trans Opponent, Tickets for SatanCon 2023, The Largest Satanic Gathering in History, Sell Out. It would be endearing to me and honoring to them. Lina, you are strong and your faith in the Lord is inspiring. Hi Lina. Fear is a stupid liar and I praise God that Hes given us a spirit of a sound mind and Love!!! I love this idea! How about some GRACE !!! Oh Kristy, Thank you so much for expressing exactly what I am feelingsuch sorrow, such heartbreaking sorrow. 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. Dont damage the church by being publicly critical. I kept seeing little hints of questionable goings-on at Harvest Bible Church, a large megachurch in suburban Chicago, but didnt really pay attention until last week, when the issue blew up in the most bizarre way. God is a for-others being he can not lie, therefore, he can not be for Himself. Yes, I was there for ex-communication video. Some women were still in the middle of the trauma and were still currently attending Harvest. Fear is what has been under all this, I would not be surprised if there is some fear in Jamess heart that is the root cause of his sins here. Harvest, which Roys says is $42 million in debt, is suing the Evangelical Christian Credit Union for not refinancing five of its mortgages. And come together in prayer, fasting and humility before Jesus that He enables us to be the people He died for. What should we be planning for, praying for, and what did Jesus teach about? Within days of their statement, MacDonald offered a public apology, admitting to careless and hurtful words and a regression into sinful patterns of fleshly anger and self-pity that wounded co-workers and others.. Many many of us are praying for all of you in Naples. At this point, Im not sure what else your thread can accomplish. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. Thank you for your courage and for responding. Some women were still in the middle of the trauma and were still currently attending Harvest. I will be praying for you , too, Lina. Your child will experience the life-changing power of Jesus and His Word through worship and story, and age-appropriate learning tools. The reason why people are coming out now or again is because finally due to being outed on a National Radio program something is finally being done. Lina, a number of years ago I was reading one of your books while waiting for Gordon Z. to join me for lunch. 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! Harvest ousted Daniel Marquardt, Scott Phelps, and Barry Slabaugh in 2013 after they protested against . I can think of hundreds of small things, and some rather large ones, that Ive compromised myself for. Thank you Lina! REALLY !! It IS her truth 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. I asked my surgeon why the procedure is called radical, he replied that even the seminal vesicles have to be removed along with the prostate, otherwise the cancer may return! Hoping you come back and teach a book of the Bible. 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I am aware that there has been some very good ministry done through this church. I also dont know why it took me five years to leave, but now Ive been at a true Bible preaching, Jesus exulting church, not too far from the RM campus. As a nation, something painful will bring us back. Harvest Bible Chapel of Naples, whose leadership recently turned over after scandal rocked its Chicago parent megachurch, is the most . On January 7, 2019, Harvest elders announced they decided to drop the lawsuit against Julie Roys and four other individuals. James MacDonald founded Harvest Bible Chapel in 1988. Go to the all church meetings? 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. Because it is time for this cult to be exposed and she is telling her story. Your sincere desire to move us further in our relationship with Jesus Christ. That, it seems, was what it took to finally break his hold over his current elder board; to finally convince the elders that they were wrong to keep listening to his excuses. for less than $4.25/month. Amy. This woman sounds sincere. I dont appreciate you getting political this has nothing to do with it.. Are you referring to the Democratic Party? After he was treated and had surgery he was totally different person: quick to get angry all the time, control freak, and mean.there are things that we dont know. So are you saying that there is mind control of the underling staff and of the rank and file members going on at HBC? I would recommend A book Joy Starts Here and The Pandora Problem Facing Narcissism in Leaders & Ourselves as helpful to possibly understand how whats happened can be explained and perhaps bring healing and prevention as members move forward. These are the same elders that signed off on James filing the law suit against the Ryan Mahoney and his wife, Scott Bryant and his wife, and Julie Roys! When I talk to people about this, they are quick to disqualify anyone who went along with James, who did not stand up to him. It truly is the Lords work. I didnt want to risk any negative impacts on my own growing ministry. We need to trust Him. Harvest, an off-shoot of an eponymous megachurch in Illinois, was sued for. For years, they had been made to feel like the outcasts, but finally vindication in its godly form was working its way out. If the church treated Lina this way, they will do it to you and others without a second thought. Thank you for sharing and speaking truth Lina. Linas testimoney is encouraging. In good conscience we walked away too knowing it was the right thing before God.So now I get your story, you were a favorite of Kathy and James so I am sure to take a stand against the injustice at Harvest was not at all an easy decision.So many other godly people got pushed out for speaking up about the entitlement and harshness of James and other Pastors and Elders.So very sad somewhere along the way they just forgot they are supposed to be shepherds and servant and not the guards defending the many sin issues at Harvest. And your part of the problem. We are thankful and humbled by His care and protection of our family. An eight-month investigation into pastor James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel, his Chicago-area megachurch, culminated last week with the publication of a World Magazine article by Julie Roys. 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