it seems to me that people give more grace to the offender than the victim. Dull other times. Is this an informed opinion? Amy. Quit pointing fingers, justifying why and stirring the pot. Your realness. You personify a strong, fast talking, intelligent woman, which is a gift by way of your heritage. Thats the point and issue with what was and is going on at Harvest. I am delighted to hear that. Find a church with great accountability. That is why we keep talking. The small adult group was fun visited Moody church. Thank you for sharing. A friend sent a link showing a video of a former Willow pastors return to that church to speak after leaving a decade ago for similar reasons as you left Harvest. He wants a huge army of women indwelled with the Holy Spirit to point people to Christ. Lina is right on. 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. You can read that article here. * 36But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Lina isnt hanging Harvest Bible Chapel. On Monday morning, an edited version with the sermon only will be available on the Sermons and Studies page. I wont make that mistake again. http://www.issendai.com/psychology/sick-systems.html. Thank you for coming forward! I pray others in leadership read your post, check their hearts, and follow suit. The unrest at Harvest began in the fall of 2013, when two elders were excommunicated and another was indirectly censured, Roys writes. What are you authorized to do? Start praying for Jesus to heal the entire body of which He Alone is the Head. Thanks for finally being honest. In keeping with our past private statements to Harvests leadership and to our pastorsThe primary issue is not reconciliation or peacemaking, it is repentance, GCC elders said in a January 17 statement. While many in the congregation were willing to give it a second chance, some members raised concerns about many of these individuals closeness to MacDonald, and their willingness to cover for him for so long. I regret staying at Harvest after that meeting with the elders. We wont let fear overcome the freedom weve been given in Christ. Still, even I knew when enough was enough. Harvest used that phrase to manipulate the congregation. God is good, truth always win. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Nice to hear from you again! Thank you for your story Dr. Lina, and thank you for shedding light on your fears, and your full confidence in the Lord at the end of the day. My daughter had been bullied by both Luke and James, in the presence of other adults, several times over her years in the youth group and yet I did not leave. I love this idea! However, 2 of the groups meet in Panera Bread. Maybe people could handle hearing it better now than then. Praying for you for healing and for growth and strength during all of this. 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. According to Roys extensive research and interviews, changes didnt occur at Harvest; instead, questionable treatment and practices continued. Before the article was even printed, Harvest sued Roys, plus two bloggers who've been critical about problems at Harvest. Many are in or have been in denial. Roys article details three examples of actions that former Harvest employees say reveal MacDonalds hot-tempered, vengeful personality. Opt out of televised preaching? When you started, you (and others) mentioned the cult of personality that James benefitted from. Its hard. 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 . What would Jesus do? 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 . So much good was happening at Harvest, surely it must have Gods blessing. But are they? Hes a lemonade maker. I never understood why they saw him the way they do. 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. I love you and our Lird. Thank you. The word of God and the flock were only mentioned at the end of the long list. There are no ongoing issues of any kind. 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. I am no one special here. I cant imagine a culture in which you felt such fear. 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. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. 1 Song. Of course people can join in with instruments too. Fear is dead life a remnant of Satan. We have seen this very truth of Jesus teaching publicly demonstrated by Mancow and many other witnesses. Go figure..Disappointed, Searching for a new study close by. We have now been without a fellowship for nearly a year (we are missionaries in Europe) because I do not want to join a happy clappy crowd who would not know the Word of God were it to bite them nor do I want to join a fellowship where the Word is extremely well known but there is no life, no joy. Precept Inductive Bible Study for Women. I am so inspired to see you today. Churches should switch to a different model that is biblically aligned. In Jesus precious name. He stopped going to any church and says he has lost faith in everything. I grew up in the Church of Christ. 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. 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. HARVEST EN ESPAOL is available in person on Sundays at 11:00 AM in Cornerstone. 3:48. On January 16th, MacDonald took an indefinite sabbatical leave. I love who you are and what you do. There the preacher has no real power at all. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. Can Bubble Tea Bring Gen Z into the Chinese Church. Lina, He just got into the worlds standards for a preacher. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman ruled by fear. 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 as every Christian knows, we walk and we live by grace. I just knew I wasnt supposed to be there anymore. I have always wondered why? If you read the history and understand the public record of offenses at Harvest (with many more than the requisite two or three witnesses), you will understand why this is not only completely justified, but actually necessary to the restoration of healing and good order to Christs Body. 1st at services, then recording those messages fir walk in the word and finally by publishing them. Thank you for being honest and speaking truth. Because it is time for this cult to be exposed and she is telling her story. 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. Wow. Unreal as I went to Harvest for over 7 yrs and this whole situation has hurt so many people. Dont stop trusting or loving. In another incident at Camp Harvest, MacDonald reportedly stabbed a photo of a former Harvest pastor with a butter knife. Most continue to stay there, as their numbers dwindle. What happens next? When the Church becomes the organization instead of the people, then it ceases to be the Church. I am now going to read the rest of your post. 102 reviews of Faith Church "I have been to a few churches in my day. Its hard no impossible- to do everything with the right motivation. Is the founding pastor subject to accountability structures? I was so surprised to read that you were afraid because you seem like such a strong and confident person. We just determined to treat the circumstances as a loving God giving us a different direction. Pray for those still there trying to care for the confused and hurting hearts. God used him mightily for many years and brought His salvation to thousands through this brother. Nellie, Im sorry for your comment. That, apparently, was what it took to get him fired. He was a very good speaker and teacher of the Bible but was forced to resign from our church a few years back. Well said. 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. Pray for the church and the people! I can think of hundreds of small things, and some rather large ones, that Ive compromised myself for. Harvest and MacDonald had a contentious separation last year, when he lost the position he held for 30 years over inappropriate comments and harmful conduct stemming from his legal battle with people investigating the church. I am staying because with all the faults in the organization, the people of Harvest are my family. I hate to be James because God judges leadership harsher than the regular sinner. We are to fear God not man. Then the board announced its executive committee would be resigning over the next few months. Or they, too, are so rotten at the core that they dont care. But should never be a pastor again! Its where I was led to Christ. This is a very vulnerable time for a lot of people and I am sure God weeps for every single wounded soul.. School of the Bible at 9:00am Wednesdaysat 7:00pm Give Online Contact Us 10088 N. Highway 99 Stockton, CA 95212 office@hbcstockton.org (209) 931-9548 Copyright 2023, Harvest Bible Church. Mahoney and Bryant shared concerns about Harvests financial dealings, and provided a platform for other former Harvest members, who accused MacDonald of a controlling and abusive leadership style and pointed to an overall lack of accountability for MacDonald at Harvest. 12:18) as while working through this year-and-half-long process of transition. They never acknowledged that they had done anything wrong. Our cold hearts lack love that shows the world we are His. Were you bullied by those elders named? We never gave up on God because He never gives up on us. Kenny Foreman, Founder of Cathedral of Faith, Passes Away at 88, Millennials Cant Buy MeaningLets Talk the Meaning of Life. The two entities released separate statements detailing the results of the process, which went through the Institute for Christian Conciliation. FEAR is a liar, pray for them and never let offense take you out, that was the enemys plan! Do not judge the timing, Gods timing is Always Perfect. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. While I have no say in the future of Harvest, it is ridiculous to think that any healthy future can take place until the cancer is removed. Truth is healthy. All why surrounding himself w/yes men. But, the truth is, I am ashamed to say, I should have left much sooner. And come together in prayer, fasting and humility before Jesus that He enables us to be the people He died for. In fact, he is the one who is no longer pastoring. I have been looking for a church like this for years. Sign up to get our top five trending stories delivered every weekday! Praying for a healing and refocus of all Gods churches, Mary, I also assumed that because of the size of Harvest, those closest to you would reach out. Its hard to step out alone but God always protects and brings darkness into the light to be seen. You have every right to speak up; and I respect you for doing so. 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. I feel angry that the people who were supposed to be watching over the congregation allowed this to go on. 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. 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. I didnt want to be rebellious against authority. Nellie, you know what Lina went through in prep for this how? They have gone the deep end of the pool. Ive always appreciated your candor and honesty, and I think the Lord has gifted you with a strong sense of discernment. Fear. She was obedient to Christ. No One Knows. Harvest Bible Chapel has reached a multimillion-dollar agreement to transfer some of its assets to former pastor James MacDonald, who plans to continue in ministry outside the Chicago-area megachurch. Welcome to Ohio. Lina, Really? Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. 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. The church is to be a living organism for the cause of Christ and no other. Welcome to the Video Broadcast ministry of Cornerstone Bible Church. The first one is in the magazine Relevant and looks at the allegations of Anne Green being inappropriately touched by James MacDonald. We are the Church! It all is about money to pay taxes and building and salaries. Fear can lead to many sins. This should not be! 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. I didnt want to be rebellious against authority. 8. thanks, They made excuses for him. Subscribe to CT Now the Chicago-area megachurch is sharing details of the settlement and has apologized to its former pastor, who was fired in February 2019. Because ultimately what God wants is not a huge army of women who are nice. It is those who live in fear. Have you ever read this piece on how sick systems keep people controlled? 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. It quickly became one of the 50 largest churches in the country, with over 12,000 members and eight campuses in the Chicago area. Like you, Lina, Ive listened to people wounded by sin, power grabs and wrongdoing by Church leaders. We dont know each other, but I found this via Julie Roys Twitter. Im replying after reading just your first few paragraphs. Gosh, so many similarities with the HBC action. Nellie, be very, very careful! This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. There are dozens if not hundreds of witnesses against many Elders at Harvest all saying the same thing. These are the last days! After telling us that the elder board always made every decision by full consent, we learned that the former head of the elder board found out about major church initiatives from his seat in the congregation. Thank you for displaying what an honest and vocal Godly woman can look like. I too visited Harvest. In October, the church reported its chief information officer to police for suspected embezzlement. Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. James is your opinion and you have every right to it, then recording messages... 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