God has said that those who are give much is required. I havent seen the video but abuse of power at any level is sickening!! 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. I saw the horrible video of the three Elders that were fired, It was autrocious! Amen Sister! But I hope the healing can begin, and I hope the abuse will stop.. 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. WHY NOW??? He has harmed thousands of people. 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. Others lied to me directly for selfish gain. I can think of hundreds of small things, and some rather large ones, that Ive compromised myself for. That is, so many think that the church is the pastors ministry and they dont adequately facilitate the ministry of believers. Thank you for sharing your story, Lina. http://www.issendai.com/psychology/sick-systems.html. Those that have gone through it ask themselves, should I speak up?. Im disappointed in your timing. Then God led him to Harvest Bible Chapel. superstar pastors are always ,inevitably, trouble. So long that lawyers all wonder why I waited so long- but trauma takes time to recover from. Amen to that. Theres a difference between stirring the pot and exposing false teachers as the Scriptures instruct us to do. Thanks for writing it. 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 just knew I wasnt supposed to be there anymore. We did not want to cause a split or damage the cause of Christ, so we quietly left. To judge a fellow brother and think you know if he is a believer is dangerous. 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. That is why we keep talking. Did you see the link to my web page. Does It Matter Where Your Clothes Come From? I didnt want James as an enemy, as being on the inside knowing and seeing how he could and would destroy others in ministry if they challenged him. I, too, have friends who have never once asked how I am or why I left. @Donna Is it possible that it is God Himself who is exposing these misdeeds? 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. God used him mightily for many years and brought His salvation to thousands through this brother. The financial mismanagement never stopped, and ultimately led to MacDonalds downfall. I too had been a part of HBC both as a staff member and member of the church and was there in total over 15 years. Ive been blessed by your teaching and Im wondering if I wouldnt have heard your teaching as much had you stayed longer at Harvest. Ive been where youre at, believing that its godly to keep trying to work it out, like family does. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. Each former leader that speaks out helps us heal and validates our experience. For me, it is because it is time for truth. Therefore, we are at our most open to hurt. Pray for James and Christs church that the LORD would accomplish what HE and HE alone is allowing. But dont shame others who speak up. We left Harvest for, among other reasons, the bad theology and overall silliness of the womens ministry. 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. Doesnt matter how long ago it happened either. I speak as one who has gone thru it, like you. Thank you for sharing! I didnt want to be rebellious against authority. I can see you have regret for not having the courage to do it then but youre working to make up for it by speaking now. It is not with the powerful; it is those whom the powerful make to feel like theyre nothing. At my former church, I reached the point where I couldnt, in good conscience, stay because of the amount of bull-headed spiritual abuse that was going on combined with covering-up of sexual abuse. How are you so sure she didnt pray about this? I am airing on the side of no. The good intentions of our ministry partnership with Harvest Chicago have been overshadowed by these developments, he said. Find a church with great accountability. 12:18) as while working through this year-and-half-long process of transition. I am delighted to hear that. Its hard no impossible- to do everything with the right motivation. 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. Matthew 7:15 Looking back over my life I see how all things have led to today. The elders were given a paper that laid out their duties, that mostly consisted of protecting, encouraging, and blessing the senior pastor. Still, even I knew when enough was enough. I hope they succeed in bringing people back to the church! I wont make that mistake again. It may not be warm and fuzzy but speaking truth, especially when compelled by the Spirit, is never wrong. Then, he was fired, according to the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper. That occurred right after eight former elders sent a letter to the current elder board, claiming that MacDonald was guilty of self-promotionlove of moneydomineering and bullyingabusive speechoutbursts of anger[and] making misleading statements. Harvest countered by accusing those eight former elders of great sin and defiling many people., The three censured elders said Harvest maintained a culture of fear and intimidation that destroyed relationships. "Following a lengthy season of review, reflection, and prayerful. Ross, Ross Blomberg, 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.. 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! One person (not from Harvest) asked if I needed to call the church to cancel my membership. For years, I kept believing the deception fed to the congregation by the elders. 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. Hi Sally, Well, that same year, my wife was hired as the childrens pastor at the church we had been volunteering at on Wednesday nights (because our church had nothing going on) and I myself have been ordained as a deacon and have even had the privilege to preach on a Sunday morning. Pray for those still there trying to care for the confused and hurting hearts. Your two posts make no sense I hope you get some sense and realize people in Church are not infallible only Jesus! Many are in or have been in denial. Because there are others that need to also be held responsible. Fear is a stupid liar and I praise God that Hes given us a spirit of a sound mind and Love!!! Were they unaware of what was happening behind the scenes? We repent, forgive and are reconciled; we do not get even, hold grudges, refuse to forgive, or destroy innocent bystanders caught in the wake of it all. Now you can stop going to church altogether and free your mind from religious delusion. A woman who is full of fun loving life. The church and its people helped create Pastor James He is not the only one involved it was a group effort. Lina, given your vast experience, It is ironic that the experience at Harvest should be seen as a culture of fear. Many many of us are praying for all of you in Naples. His sermon provides good reasons for why we need to shine light on these abuses. James said it many times himself, chose to sin, I am so inspired to see you today. Good word, my sister. Bless you! The church has responded by hiring Lawrence Swicegood, the executive director of communications at Gateway Church, who was also hired by Harvest Bible Chapel when facing its scandal involving James MacDonald. I will not blame those who suffer spiritual starvation for wolves like the James McDonalds, Joel Olsteens or Creflo Dollars (to name but a few), however designer churches and their false teachers are the direct results of people who refuse to be obedient and submissive to Gods will. Jesus may be truly calling people to stay, and rebuild Harvest Bible Chapel. The only hope is to totally exposed and excise it so that all will not be consumed. I cant imagine a person alive who couldnt look at their life and say the same thing in some area of their dealings with people. I pray for the leaders. I was so dissappointed to hear that she left. 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. I am so proud of Lina and she is speaking out the words that I would never say because I live in fear of that kind of authority. 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. May God bless you for speaking truth and standing in the gap for those of us who dont have the circle of influence that you have. The flock are the casualties in all of this. Anointing: Every believer is a priest in the new covenant. Congratulations on your freedom, Lina! Once a preacher condemns other, that is the sign that he is trying to avert attention from what he is doing. 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. I work every day to be rid of my anger and thank you for proving that church is an unsafe place filled with predictors such as yourself seeking to tear down. Also Thank you Lina for having the courage to say something now. We cant judge the HEART of others, we can judge their actions and behaviors. Because ultimately what God wants is not a huge army of women who are nice. 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. The moment I read about someone saying something about planting child pornography on the Christianity Todaycomputers, I knew I had to figure out what the heck was going on. According to Roys extensive research and interviews, changes didnt occur at Harvest; instead, questionable treatment and practices continued. When one part of the body hurts, we all hurt! So I called one of the elders in the video and got his side of the story. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take "immediate action" on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. Im replying after reading just your first few paragraphs. . He was a ruler of his churches. You are courageous! Nellie, Im sorry for your comment. 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. He was a very good speaker and teacher of the Bible but was forced to resign from our church a few years back. But I lived this in the late 70s and early 80s the scandals of the then big preachers they fell down hard as well. Im thankful you and so many others I know have left with dignity and after a bit of healing have jumped back into churches where they are serving the Lord with all their hearts using the gifts God has given them so faithfully. Rita, be encouraged. and stay glued to founded and genuine monetary purchase services. Thank you for displaying what an honest and vocal Godly woman can look like. Have you not read these passages? I have wondered if Harvest Bible Chapel (the organization) is worth the cost its taken to try and save it? God IS in control and knows what he is doing. 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. Lina is right on. Your staying as long as you did part of the clarity and power youve experienced in communicating what youve seen. Isnt this just what the enemy of our souls would want? Maybe you were called in front of the elders and asked to rewrite because thats horrendous theology and an awful way to be an ambassador for the Gospel. The link was in my post above. Hes a lemonade maker. 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