This journey has taken me several years. Sheri coordinates data collection and assists with day-to-day office administration for the church staff. 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. 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. 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 My last complaint. Do not judge the timing, Gods timing is Always Perfect. I hope they succeed in bringing people back to the church! Be very careful Azaelea. 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. Fear. At this point, Im not sure what else your thread can accomplish. A worship song says He gives and takes away, He gives and takes away, and still my heart will say Blessed be the name of the LORD!. The Harvest and James MacDonald Controversy Explained, Did Pharaoh Have Free Will? 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!. Matthew 7:15: Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Thank you for your thoughts and strong, encouraging words. Thats what happens when I get older chronologically! I am excited for all God is doing in your life to help other women get closer in their relationship with Jesus. Only time will tell whether Harvest can outlive its founding pastorand the scandal that has enveloped both him and his elder board. Thanks Sheila. I loved his book Vertical Church. I hope it doesnt chase people away from their spiritual questaway from God., I take no joy in this announcement, said Muller. We are thankful and humbled by His care and protection of our family. A woman who is full of fun loving life. A former Harvest staffer was also reported to police last fall after being accused of embezzling $270,000 from the church. That is, so many think that the church is the pastors ministry and they dont adequately facilitate the ministry of believers. This man is a smooth deceiver and believes his own lies. 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??!! 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. ! It is a shame to Christianity what is happening here. (Matthew 12:33-37). Seeing this in your personality it is understandable to me that at first you revered James correction and fell into compliance. Quit pointing fingers, justifying why and stirring the pot. Therefore, we are at our most open to hurt. Now you can stop going to church altogether and free your mind from religious delusion. Its ironic that you should post this today. Love you! 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. While I am heartened that the elders finally removed MacDonald, he should have been fired five years ago. Then, a famous friend of his, Chicago shock jock Mancow Muller, spoke out in a local newspaper against the manipulation and ego he observed around MacDonalds cult of personality at Harvest. It never dawned on me that it would open you up to attack. Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.. Nice to hear from you again! wounded by wolves in sheeps clothing. Thanks for finally being honest. During Sunday services, Harvest showed a videoof members of the current elder board explaining why the church was placing the two former elders under church discipline: Church matters are not to be tried in the court of public opinion. The reason there are spiritual Pol Pots that number in the thousands like our friend James McDonald is because men are happy to give themselves authority. Subscribe to CT Harvest Bible Chapel Naples and its landlord have reached a settlement, ending a court battle to evict the church. Thank you, Lord, for Ephesians 6:13: Now he is disillusioned and wants to go back to Catholicism. He spoke highly of you, and since then, I have occasionally prayed for you regarding your time and experience at HBC. Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. What are you authorized to do? Instead, it was MacDonald and his inner circle that were making the decisions, unilaterally. I agree with Nellie. When I started Bible studies Harvest I was given a booklet and videos on everything bad about the Catholic Church. So now, I tell the truth about what happened, and it isnt only a Pastor James problem. 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. We are to fear God not man. She is sharing her heart and personal experience in an open, vulnerable way, in kindness and love. I no longer help lead a larger mens ministry. Nor do I want to be part of a fellowship where the whole counsel of God is not taught nor eschatology ever mentioned. When I asked questions at the Harvest I attended I was told to be careful what I read on the internet. Again I dont blame James MacDonald. But as every Christian knows, we walk and we live by grace. see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/, I would love to chat and learn more of what you are doing. this isnt meant to hurt you but to support those who need it. Hidden things have come to light. Torn between right and wrong. 12:18) as while working through this year-and-half-long process of transition. 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. 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? The pastor of that church,John Secrest, said he would be uncomfortable with MacDonald preaching at his church and asked Harvest to sever their affiliation. Your mission and your ministry is beautiful and changing lives. Thank you for your courage. In my lowly position, I have said, like others, I would have put my head in the sand and continued to do the job God gifted me to do in the interest of the body. No wonder Harvest dropped the suit. I wondered where God was in the narrative. Do you remember how Jesus acted towards the money changers and false shepherds? Ive been where youre at, believing that its godly to keep trying to work it out, like family does. There are always two sides to every story not really believing your story and if someone is a Christian you would talk about this with some Church leaders not blow it all out in public its sad that it was done that way that isnt what a Christian would do it is what a secular person would do. Despite recent legal cases and reports of greedy abuses, experts say the longstanding benefit remains safe. We are to find our faith and hope in the Message, not the messenger. A former youth pastor for Harvest Bible Chapel in Aurora has been charged with the sexual exploitation of a 16-year-old boy on allegations he sought nude pictures of the boy and repeatedly. 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. There is no question in my mind that what I did see and experience increasingly at Harvest was a culture that functioned and was sustained by fear and the desire to please James at any cost. The Lord has used you mightily before, during and after your exit from the toxic leadership at Harvest. Pray for James and Christs church that the LORD would accomplish what HE and HE alone is allowing. As questions about how Harvest Bible Fellowship money was used ballooned, the pressure mounted. Put faith in Gods justice and judgement upon all, now that sin has been exposed. Harvest ousted Daniel Marquardt, Scott Phelps, and Barry Slabaugh in 2013 after they protested against . A year later, MacDonald apologized for the harsh discipline taken against the three men, adding that Harvest had meaningfully and mutually reconciled with them. It was both true in a sense and funny. I have multiple thoughts. Implying that the information on TED was lies. It is finally the truth coming to light from his own actions and the people who protected him for years. Before the article was even printed, Harvest sued Roys, plus two bloggers who've been critical about problems at Harvest. They never acknowledged that they had done anything wrong. But I hope the healing can begin, and I hope the abuse will stop.. He just got into the worlds standards for a preacher. Harvest, an off-shoot of an eponymous megachurch in Illinois, was sued for. After that, I felt like my time was wasted. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Can Bubble Tea Bring Gen Z into the Chinese Church. 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. God bless you. How are you so sure she didnt pray about this? A book called the Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse really helped me and my wife to recover from our experience of confronting the pastor and then leaving the church. Its hard. If so Id be in agreement but again- this is not a political post. Your staying as long as you did part of the clarity and power youve experienced in communicating what youve seen. I was counted as one of the privileged ones and considered it a great honor to know James personally and even be considered as part of his inner circle at that time. DONT defend these people in any way!! Sometimes they will require being nice. Through it all, our relationship with Christ was strengthened all the more. In a recorded video message, Bill Sperling, an elder, told the congregation that the elders concluded that there is a sinful pattern of inappropriate language, anger and domineering behavior. Look, Im sorry, but thats a bit late. Did they not find that video shocking? I also trust that you did seek wisdom from the Lord on what and how to speak into this. You take feed back to heart and you use it as growth points. After leaving, others came to us, with similar stories of why they left or quit being involved. I was pleasantly surprised to find that you know each other. Id be interested in reading you blog on tattoos. I hope that you are recovering well, for you have added a vital piece of information. We continue in prayer for all those affected near and far. 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. This is the right time as the judgment of God has come to his people. Finances: Giving not Tithing. Thank you Lina, for opening the door of your life so that we can understand your experience. People in leadership are there one day, and then poof! Many were kicked out and shown the door. The leader of that church, John Secrest, was blindsided by the news and asked Harvest elders to reconsider allowing MacDonald to preach there. 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. Hmm. I was asked what I would do if I were still on staff through the last 2 years. In a statement written by church elders, the Chicago-area megachurch says they fired MacDonald for "engaging in conduct contrary and harmful to the best . Im disappointed in your timing. Brave. @Ross, Were you able to access it? Pastor James MacDonald, of Harvest Bible Chapel, was given the boot last week by church elders after "highly inappropriate . Your two posts make no sense I hope you get some sense and realize people in Church are not infallible only Jesus! You are a blessing to many in need. Ross, Ross Blomberg, Im not sure what is going on with me honestly. 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. Do You Really Have to Go to Church Every Sunday? I have always wondered why you left Lina but didnt know you personally to ask. 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