My faith has been shaken by the situation at another Christian organization. Thanks for finally being honest. 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 confidence I hang on to today is that whether I am approved or critiqued for this opinion, it is Christs love that will catch me and his arms that will continue to sustain me when I close my eyes at the end of each new day. 35The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. If the church treated Lina this way, they will do it to you and others without a second thought. You also restrained and could have said much more and didnt. There would be major issues involving James, followed by a carefully worded elder update or a carefully scripted announcement in church. Perhaps the Holy Spirit prompted Lina to share from the HEART. Please anchor in on John 7:24. Harvest Kids is our weekend experience for kids (babies to fifth grade). Because Jeff is still lying to peoples faces with a smug grin as recently as Saturday night. This is not an endorsement of the culture at Harvest because its total trash, but you cant blame them for you bad theology choices. Transparency in finances Throughout the week, there are opportunities for you to grow in your walk with Christ, to serve, and to connect with other people in the Rolling Meadows area. It is not with the powerful; it is those whom the powerful make to feel like theyre nothing. Kenny Foreman, Founder of Cathedral of Faith, Passes Away at 88, Millennials Cant Buy MeaningLets Talk the Meaning of Life. Thoughts from a person looking in. 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 also managed to write an apology to James for the pain I had caused him. Linas testimoney is encouraging. Thanks for being so honest. who we really love. Thank you. Your willingness to sit down over a cup of coffee in your home with women of God and get real about our hurts, our fears, our dreams, or whatever is going on in our lives. I have a love-hate relationship with Thanksgiving Day. And yet, I stayed. The small church that I and my family left was a textbook case in spiritual abuse. blessings. BTW, Ive loved your blogs in the morning, but cant read the Twitter ones because I am not on Twitter. Too many of these large churches have lost track of what their true purpose is. 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. Praying for a healing and refocus of all Gods churches, Mary, 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. It was simply not possible. Be kind not hurtful. Christians! So long that lawyers all wonder why I waited so long- but trauma takes time to recover from. What I have realized is the weakness and defeatism of so-called Christians who immediately abandon their Church when trouble comes its way. He wants a huge army of women indwelled with the Holy Spirit to point people to Christ. I also assumed that because of the size of Harvest, those closest to you would reach out. (images of wife beating and mental control come to mind) WHY NOW??? Those are things we dont talk about often enough about. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take immediate action on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. We can be humans and love. After that, I felt like my time was wasted. I was there when Ted launched. A friend sent me a link to sermon about this yesterday: https://radical.net/sermon/kingdom-community/. 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. SHERI PINE. Good for you and speaking up. He is really great at it I give him that. Over the summer, they agreed to try to make a joint statement and start the process of relational reconciliation, the Harvest elders said, but the efforts didnt pan out. I do believe you. One thing that has helped is recognizing seasons. Agreed Sheila. But a true Christian focuses on Christ and His Word. Press on in Truth with Grace and Peace. Just because its a church building with leaders doesnt mean that Christ is leading it. Were they afraid? Jesus is still the great healer and restorer. I choose to stay through this pain because, for me, leaving would create a wound that would never really heal. It quickly became one of the 50 largest churches in the country, with over 12,000 members and eight campuses in the Chicago area. I hadnt realized that James had gotten a tattoo that week. The whole ordeal was very strange. Whats also sad is that old witness accounts go to show how truly far reaching and how long this behavior has been going on. Hello: I have been looking for a church like this for years. Dont bad rap other churches? The eight former elders who signed the letter alleged that that Harvest ran a puppet elder board; that a culture of fear and intimidation plagued the church; and that the elder board, which was supposed to be responsible for overseeing the churchs finances, was not granted access to financial information. We are thankful and humbled by His care and protection of our family. first Bill Hybels. You can read about the continued corruption and fraud here: Dan George's Resignation. [], Lost me at the private jet shared with Bill Hibel. My last complaint. or is it the congregations fault for being weak and gullible? Fear is dead life a remnant of Satan. Harvest used that phrase to manipulate the congregation. Harvest Bible Chapel Naples and its landlord have reached a settlement, ending a court battle to evict the church. 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. is it the pastors doing? The recognizing date of the exempt status is April, 1972. Love for God, relationships, and the church. Please avoid these former Harvest elders at all cost, lest you incur great detriment to your own soul. This post reminds me of something that happened at my former church. Jackie Alfirevic HBC mothership (1992-2011). Ken Morgan so you continue to deny the evidence for a creator by your superior intellect ? He was a ruler of his churches. In the early 2000s, Harvest embarked on an ambitious expansion plan, aiming to form "10 churches in 10 years." Since then the church has opened locations in Elgin, Highland Park, Niles, Crystal. I also trust that you did seek wisdom from the Lord on what and how to speak into this. You can read that article here. Thank you for sharing! Many many of us are praying for all of you in Naples. Last November, Harvests new elders (all those who served under MacDonald stepped down) declared that their former pastor failed to meet the elder qualifications laid out in Scripture and could not return to their church. How about some GRACE !!! [] While only a handful showed up, the range of their pain was wide. Did you realize the pastors publicly said sorry last weekend? I should have walked out but, I too, was afraid. There the preacher has no real power at all. This is the mercy and grace of God. Our good is like the filthy rags of the leper! Different situations require different things. But the biggest lesson is people need to stop looking at preachers as though they are perfect, but God know they arent and they need people on their necks to keep them honest. I always wondered why you left but after reading The Elephants Debt I figured I knew why. I stay with confidence that God will not be mocked, he knows the perfect balance of justice and mercy, he will redeem this pain and we will witness HIS power in HIS church. maybe its time for all of us to wake up. If hearing voices together of those who have truth helps, then now is the time to speak. Pray for those still there trying to care for the confused and hurting hearts. Since the publishing of this article, several developments have occurred at Harvest Bible Chapel. And, at the same time, I know you to be a humble woman, easily impacted by negative, feedback. There are no ongoing issues of any kind. Churches should switch to a different model that is biblically aligned. Doing ministry you love. It is a shame to Christianity what is happening here. I have found that churches built through a single persons vision are dangerous. In our case we have been pulled away from our church as well because of how we have been treated for our daughters actions. Do you read the elder updates? You must not feel sorry for James. But thats how it happens at Harvest, right? Do systems of accountability exist in practice, or only on paper? Sports Betting Hits a New High: A Crisis in the Making? DONT defend these people in any way!! Often no explanation given, and the band plays on. WORLD Magazine and other evangelical news outlets celebrated this resolution. 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). Wounds take a great deal of time to heal and its appropriate to share them and warn others to avoid similar church abuse. I struggle with the fear of man myself. MacDonald later admitted doing so but claimed it was all in good fun and misinterpreted. There were other things that caused us to leave also. I have only read the first few paragraphs of your post and needed to stop there to send this reply. Nellie-What you might not know. Lina, you are strong and your faith in the Lord is inspiring. It is now operating at James MacDonald Ministries. I love Dr. Dobsons admonition that while it is tempting to want to get out of a painful situation, often the only way out is through. I have lived with fear in my life almost my entire life. I grew up in the Church of Christ. Fear is a stupid liar and I praise God that Hes given us a spirit of a sound mind and Love!!! This was encouraging to read and I hope others take it to heart. "Following a lengthy season of review, reflection, and prayerful. I am so glad Lina has spoken up. Nellie, please dont be taken in by putting people on a pedestal (very sad.) for less than $4.25/month. And it wasnt just some random bloggers saying these things, either. I enjoy both of you Christian ladies for the different gifts you both bring. He stood and told me and my husband he was naive to the Paxton Singer situation. This young lady has done the work and is doing the work of the great physician. Thank you for this post. 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. Because evangelical megachurches are typically formed around a single charismatic individual, elder boards are generally loathe to consider letting this individual go. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman ruled by fear. [], [] While only a handful showed up, the range of their pain was wide. I have nothing bad to say about Harvest. Such lack of accountability is often a problem at megachurches, which tend to be founded by charismatic individuals who quickly amass a large following. Christ followers are saying enough. Both of us were involved in many forms of leadership and had invested for many years in the outreach of the church and all of its fellowship. Each former leader that speaks out helps us heal and validates our experience. I am thankful for JESUS that used Pastor James in my life. I am sorry I am so late to discover this article but I had to respond to this comment. May the God of all comfort minister his comfort to them. Unfortunately I dont think the Harvest RM is the only Harvest with a culture of fear. Others have gone before you in challenging HBC to help pave the way and have paid the consequences for their courage. Just pray in a prayer closet to be still in the presence of Jesus. God is purifying His Church. So beautiful. this isnt meant to hurt you but to support those who need it. 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. 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. I should have left that week, but I was too afraid to cause damage to Jesus and His kingdom and the women I was leading at that time. All Rights Reserved | Website by Living Wth Power, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISjXhWUyGi0&list=PLud2nIxx0IAT58I8QPBdfrOz8bFMQQcd6&index=4&t=0s, https://radical.net/sermon/kingdom-community/, https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/, Recommended Reads: Relevant Magazine on James MacDonald Allegedly Inappropriately Touching Anne Green. It seems that was true at Harvest, just as it is at many local churches. I am staying because with all the faults in the organization, the people of Harvest are my family. The abuse I suffered first hand and working through the realizations and implications of that abuse have been traumatic. Amy. Sheri coordinates data collection and assists with day-to-day office administration for the church staff. These three men had then joined six other former eldersthese men had all left Harvest entirelyin writing and sending a letter to the current elder board raising concerns about MacDonalds leadership. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take "immediate action" on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. If you personally were not in a position to be damaged by James, do not judge those who were susceptible to the wrath damage of James. The environment is as ahw stated, fear James, make James happy I will not address any party affiliation. I do not think the solution is replacing the pastor and associates with a new administration. There were several close family deaths, lost our home, business and more. 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. And I do want to state that MANY of us have made every effort to address the problems prior to leaving. Matthew 7:15 When I left my job I stayed at HBC for about another year before leaving entirely. It wasnt that we saw corruption in our church. 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 am sure that was very hard for her to share . This decision was made with heavy hearts and much time spent in earnest prayer, followed by input from various trusted outside advisors.. May God be glorified through this. - October 16, 2020 The protracted dispute between Pastor James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel (HBC) recently concluded through arbitration. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. When I asked questions at the Harvest I attended I was told to be careful what I read on the internet. We are the Church! I dont understand how anyone could watch that video and not immediately know that something was very, very wrong. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand., And even JMac was right when he quoted 1 Corinthians 16:13: Harvest, an off-shoot of an eponymous megachurch in Illinois, was sued for. Nellie, May Our Lord guide all of us and May His will be done above all else. It takes a long time. The Jews ebb and flow toward God followed a pattern. Until recently, I was 8 year member of HBC and I feel so sad, confused, betrayed. Maybe its because youre a doctor and have such a desire to see people healed. Hannibal Harvest Bible Church (EIN# 862793399) is an tax exempt organization filed with Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Will James not wake up and realize that the Church of Jesus Christ is not the organization or nonprofits we create, but the men and women that God calls and saves by the sacrifice of His Son? Again this is HER TRUTH! Bless you! Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. It, honestly, has been the biggest source of my own sin and self inflicted suffering. I was mortified. Leaving spiritual abuse is okay, you cant be expected to change it while youre in the midst of it. Have you ever read this piece on how sick systems keep people controlled? These same elders that all of a sudden had the courage to fire James, ( which I think is a scam, this was orchestrated )are the same elders that approved that stupid video with those four scum bag elders excommunicating other elders! 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. 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. This team is to be made up of congregants, staff, professionals, and elders, and will be headed by a church member. Wake up and take some serious deep reflection you follow a man not Jesus that is extremely dangerous my suggestion to you.., workout your salvation with fear and trembling my sister in Christ. I hate to be James because God judges leadership harsher than the regular sinner. 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. I have multiple thoughts. 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. Im not on FB, so I didnt see your post where you extended an invitation to us to meet with you again. The issue here is not TIMING or kicking someone when theyre down its about exposing ungodly, cowardly behavior and making people aware of its existence. Harvest womans Tuesday bible study group has not studied a book of the Bible in a couple of years. 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. There is NEVER a healthy or spiritual reason for suppressing truth. I have always wondered why you left Lina but didnt know you personally to ask. Let this awaken and take down other church leaders that have similar goals. Hi Lina. 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. I, too, have friends who have never once asked how I am or why I left. Harvest Bible Church is a non-denominational, non-charismatic, evangelical Protestant church located in Northwest Houston in the Cypress community. 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. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman/person ruled by fear. Sheesh. Thank you for your thoughts and strong, encouraging words. 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 thought something was off but had only my own suspicions to go on as we were told not to criticize. I too visited Harvest. Its by an unbeliever, but wow, is it eye-opening. For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to. My precious, from a far, friend who I have watched since your first speaking engagement at Harvest. In any case, we had a final meeting with the pastor and his assistant pastor (who was his son-in-law) to tell them that I was leaving their church. Our focus should be on Christ and Christ alone, not James MacDonald. Sad is that old witness accounts go to show how truly far reaching and how long behavior! My own suspicions to go on as we were told not to criticize date of the great.... Church treated Lina this way, they will do it to HEART on Twitter it seems that was at... Would be major issues involving James, make James happy I will not address harvest bible church scandal affiliation. Of faith, Passes Away at 88, Millennials cant Buy MeaningLets Talk the Meaning of life things dont! Apology to James for the confused and hurting hearts Harvest, right October! 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