The question is, how many pastors/leaders are actually GIVING AWAY the ministry and equipping others for it? In Jesus precious name. And you will not lose true friends and sisters in Christ. The church and its people helped create Pastor James He is not the only one involved it was a group effort. Harvest, which Roys says is $42 million in debt, is suing the Evangelical Christian Credit Union for not refinancing five of its mortgages. This scandal that were going through has really rocked my world. As of November, 2021, HBC is $34,000,000 in debt. whos fault is this? Ive been blessed by your teaching and Im wondering if I wouldnt have heard your teaching as much had you stayed longer at Harvest. 3:48. Dont stand in the middle, dont seek to mediate. No one asked why I quit attending after 15 years. Besides, pastors charismatic enough to gain large followings frequently have the ability to effectively deflect criticism and keep their elder board firmly on their side. Jesus calls us to be GOOD. 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. Lina, this took courage and Im glad you said it. Christs grace saves us and sustains us. I dont take joy in this situation, but I rejoice in the truth. Addressing this following statement from you, By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman ruled by fear. 1st at services, then recording those messages fir walk in the word and finally by publishing them. Yet, with the growing numbers leaders, it is coming out, many followed along with James out of fear to personal, family, career damage. Amy. God wins the war. You also restrained and could have said much more and didnt. He better thank God for Grace and cause he is going to need it. Still, things seemed off. 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. Its so fitting that you likened the pain at Harvest to the pain of a divorce. 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. But that does not matter. I think that this message has relevance to many situations today, including the present political situation. Until then, you are still a wolf in sheeps clothing. Lina, to see how the Lord has blessed your ministry these past few years is absolutely amazing! Even more, the trauma of having those who had taught me so much about Jesus and showed me the way to Jesus healing suddenly take the side of the person who caused me to fear for my life- its taken a long time to move forward. Ive never been able to foster the same level of trust and thats the residual I wrestle with. But your words affirmed what I suspected. 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. In her expos, titled Hard Times at Harvest, Roys details evidence from former Harvest elders, employees and members that show an ongoing pattern of relational and financial abuse, a lack of transparency and outright deception., Harvest strongly disputes the claims, saying Roys has an unhealthy fixation on the church and failed to uncover the desired scandal.. I do believe you. God loves his Church and we can trust hell do what is necessary to preserve it. Thanks for sharing Lina. Let us pray God will send His Spirit upon us and cure us of this. Pastor James teaching seemed so Biblical. Harvest womans Tuesday bible study group has not studied a book of the Bible in a couple of years. How long before we wake up and show the world how Christians are not only different from the world but we are not of the world! Continually praying for healing, reconciliation and restoration for His church. And in 1 Corinthians 5, we are told to judge those within the Church). And I find it odd that someone would have an opinion on that. I know many people who attend Harvest or who have been impacted by MacDonalds preaching are crushed today. Specifically, I do mean the Machiavellian rule by fear and division that we are seeing. first Bill Hybels. The culture of fear is real, soo much so I dont feel comfortable giving my name as some will know me. Truth is healthy. We are all human, myself included. James MacDonald (born October 4, 1960) is a Canadian-born evangelical Christian pastor, television evangelist, and author. Congratulations on your freedom, Lina! The fruit of people at Harvest coming to Christ belongs to the Holy Spirit, not to JM. 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. It also had a church-planting network, Harvest Bible Fellowship (HBF), which MacDonald dissolved last year. see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/. *For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Lina, given your vast experience, It is ironic that the experience at Harvest should be seen as a culture of fear. I am so glad Lina has spoken up. Even people who were very close to us turned silent. In the wake of his departure, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability acknowledged serious concerns around spending and financial stewardship under MacDonald that resulted in the church losing its membership status. I have 3 small groups now that are like this but we lack music. Blessings to you! I am thankful for JESUS that used Pastor James in my life. The elders ordered church members to separate themselves from dissenters for fear of their souls; called MacDonalds critics behavior satanic to the core; and accused them carrying out an attack by Satan against MacDonald and Harvest. Where there is no vision and freedom the people perish. The current model for pastor directed churches says that the senior pastor is the priest this is Old Testament. The decision comes after an explosive scandalous period at Harvest, including a botched excommunication,an ill-fated attempt at a defamation lawsuit, a scathing investigative report from World Magazine and then this most recent, shocking revelation. Fear is a stupid liar and I praise God that Hes given us a spirit of a sound mind and Love!!! 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. May God have mercy on his soul. I was mortified. Goodthat you let a toxic place. I saw the horrible video of the three Elders that were fired, It was autrocious! His sermon provides good reasons for why we need to shine light on these abuses. I too have had similar experiences in another church (The Chapel). Not one. This is an extra difficult time for the members and regular attenders of Harvest Bible Chapel. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. DIRECTIONS & INFO | . Others had old wounds that had resurfaced and were hurting, having never felt closure to their stories, Abujamra, a Bible teacher and Moody Radio host, wrote on herblog. The elders were given a paper that laid out their duties, that mostly consisted of protecting, encouraging, and blessing the senior pastor. To heal enough to communicate and receiving shaming comments like yours. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. My coworker who was Catholic and going through a painful divorce, was led to Christ by me. I am airing on the side of no. I feel angry that the people who were supposed to be watching over the congregation allowed this to go on. It truly is the Lords work. One elder resigned over this, after asking to see the finances and being overruled by the rest of the board. 7. A year later, MacDonald apologized for the harsh discipline taken against the three men, adding that Harvest had meaningfully and mutually reconciled with them. My blog had indirectly undermined James. Lina isnt hanging Harvest Bible Chapel. No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, After Chaos and Crisis, Beth Moore Still Finds Refuge in the Church, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. Sometimes they will require being nice. Gods Timing Is ALWAYS Perfect! 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. This woman sounds sincere. I pray your steps continue to be guided by our Lord! MacDonald was manifestly not okay with the criticism. Im sorry that the doctrine that youve been taught says that life is about being kind and nice, rather than about being good. I believe you spoke up now to show how far reaching the powerful words and actions of those in authority goes. When a person is afraid of the reaction of their pastor or preacher it is time to move on. We attended Harvest for 16 years before we left little over 4 years ago. Still. He kept telling me that I didnt understand authority and I was in rebellion. What are you authorized to do? I pray for the leaders. Voices heard together make a difference. He stopped going to any church and says he has lost faith in everything. Hence the Response Statement Regarding Pastor James and Anne Green yesterday on HBC in the news. You are absolutely right about the fear! 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. While every major financial decision was supposed to be examined and approved by the churchs eldersand it was claimed that this was casethis was not actually happening. 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. The more I think about the demise of Harvest Bible Chapel and James MacDonald, the more I believe that fear is the cancer at the root of it all specifically the fear of James MacDonald. Ross, The ungodly jockying for power and control is still an issue in all our churches. Streaming Video Broadcast. He is angry that they keep on sending texts and emails asking for money. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take "immediate action" on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. And, at the same time, I know you to be a humble woman, easily impacted by negative, feedback. What I have realized is the weakness and defeatism of so-called Christians who immediately abandon their Church when trouble comes its way. This cancer must be excised and as often as is the case in cancer treatment, months of treatment must be involved for health to take place. Implying that the information on TED was lies. Others will be hurtit is a matter of time. These patterns were present and recognized as early as 2012, and nothing was done about them. Love you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISjXhWUyGi0&list=PLud2nIxx0IAT58I8QPBdfrOz8bFMQQcd6&index=4&t=0s. Have you ever read this piece on how sick systems keep people controlled? Different situations require different things. It seems that was true at Harvest, just as it is at many local churches. Right. Others, too, could see the attitude. A friend sent me a link to sermon about this yesterday: https://radical.net/sermon/kingdom-community/. So Ill never forget the day I got up from my seat in a service, walked out, and never looked back. As painful as it is, all that has been hidden must be revealed. What blessings are flowing at Harvest for those who stand firm! wounded by wolves in sheeps clothing. Its like I seek mans favor as well, rather than the Lords. Attempts to reconcile the situation failed due to the pastor believing he had done nothing wrong. I also managed to write an apology to James for the pain I had caused him. After leaving Harvest no one from the church reached out to me to see how I was doing, to ask why I left. Gods hand is on Harvest and the dark is continuing to be shown. I kept thinking people would wake up and see the truth and understand that my leaving was not a betrayal to James but a stance against his leadership style, and the leadership style of the XLT, and James sons, and most of the remaining elders. Because ultimately what God wants is not a huge army of women who are nice. model and not on the Old Testament hierarchical model. The pastor also gets $1.2 million and a parcel of property in Crystal Lake, Illinois, as well the ministrys equipment, books, and digital resources, the church announced this week. Hello: I wondered where God was in the narrative. 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. While only a handful showed up, the range of their pain was wide. Harvest launched a radio show; founded a Christian school with over 700 students; built its own retreat center; produced feature-length films; wrote its own worship songs; and created its own. The church was growing at the time. 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. Seeing this in your personality it is understandable to me that at first you revered James correction and fell into compliance. How are you so sure she didnt pray about this? We attended Elgin from 2005 through 2008. First, they resigned, along with a third elder (who was not excommunicated only because he also left Harvest and was no longer a member), in protest of how the church was being run. At this point, Im not sure what else your thread can accomplish. Its by an unbeliever, but wow, is it eye-opening. Do you think God approves of pastors who deliberately scam their congregation for years, use his name for money and abuse people for the Almighty Dollar? Since I know I am capable of the worst sin, I am choosing to show grace and praying fervently. In another incident at Camp Harvest, MacDonald reportedly stabbed a photo of a former Harvest pastor with a butter knife. This young lady has done the work and is doing the work of the great physician. Im very certain you do not understand narcissists and how manipulative they are I recommend Dr. Ramani on YouTube as she is a great resource to gain understanding but the only chance to fight their evil is to bring it out into the light, expose them for what they truly are. Pray for those outside the faith who will never come to salvation because of how this appears to them, Muller wrote in his op-ed. Elder boards are supposed to create this accountability in these situations, but in many cases these boards are no more than rubber stamps. I was wrong. I dont know you personally but appreciate all you continue to teach me and countless others. and pro football. May Our Lord guide all of us and May His will be done above all else. 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. I no longer help lead a larger mens ministry. Praise and Worship is congregational: 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. , Titus 3:10-11 says as for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once, and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful, he is self condemned. Also 1 Timothy 5:20 says as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, which is what we are doing, so that the rest may stand in fear. , Nothing is covered, nothing is unresolved, nothing is ongoing, only this attack from the enemy. In 2013, in a story covered bymajor evangelical news outlets, Harvest publicly excommunicated two former elders who were still members of Harvest. 33Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for the tree is known by its fruit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that you know each other. You are Loved I think I am gonna throw up. I dont know why, except that I just really wasnt getting the Word of God from the stage and I do mean stage. Only time will tell whether Harvest can outlive its founding pastorand the scandal that has enveloped both him and his elder board. Nor do I want to be part of a fellowship where the whole counsel of God is not taught nor eschatology ever mentioned. The controversial founder and former pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel is barred from serving as pastor or elder of the popular evangelical Christian church ever again after an investigation. Thank you for having the courage to write what you did and for your ministry Lina. The former Harvest Bible Fellowship leaders now at GCCwhich contains about 130 churches, more than half of which still have Harvest in their namesshare concerns about the churchs leadership and are looking for transparency and repentance from MacDonald. 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