Hello: FEAR is a liar, pray for them and never let offense take you out, that was the enemys plan! Thank God the early Christians stood firm and did not run away from troubles. I will not address any party affiliation. Jesus called out hypocrisy in the religious leaders. Persecution or hardship drew them close. This all happens when we gather, grow and go together as followers of Jesus. Were they unaware of what was happening behind the scenes? The only thing I liked about that church was the worship, which was glorifying to the Lord. Still, even I knew when enough was enough. Horrified. 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. Another blind believer. Also note how the apostle Paul called out Peter publicly when Peter was indulging in hypocrisy! The Lord has used you mightily before, during and after your exit from the toxic leadership at Harvest. The problem definitely doesnt end with James. 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 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. (My) fear was in upsetting James I pray that the sincere, Christ honoring followers humbly seek Him and His will for them individually in relation to this circumstance, in addition to His will for the church as a whole. Opt out of mega church? It would be endearing to me and honoring to them. Im sure I will find much more to comment on, but I hope to leave it at that as an encouragement to you. The whole ordeal was very strange. In our case we have been pulled away from our church as well because of how we have been treated for our daughters actions. Im praying for you. What happens next? "Following a lengthy season of review, reflection, and prayerful. 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. I wasnt happy with that but it had to be done! * 36But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. The church and its people helped create Pastor James He is not the only one involved it was a group effort. Following the initial World report, MacDonald announced he would be taking a sabbatical, but suggested he may still occasionally preach at a Harvest-affiliated church in Florida. I see Jesus in youfrom one member of the Body to another. The recognizing date of the exempt status is April, 1972. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. I do know that my faith will not be shaken. 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. 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. While I am heartened that the elders finally removed MacDonald, he should have been fired five years ago. My first two books were scheduled to be released smack in the middle of that summer, and I didnt want to impact their potential not to mention that James had agreed to write the forward on my first book. The preacher has no support system to fall back on but must find a new church before the new hireling moves in. You wrote a blog about how an increase in tattoos was in some way related to a decline in holiness and you were a leader in the church? 8. New to Harvest and my faith in Christ, I didnt know what was going on and still kinda of unclear of all the details. It IS her truth I thank you for your willingness to risk being misunderstood while offering your experience to help reduce the shame of others, who need a hand to hold, as they work through their own healing. What should we be planning for, praying for, and what did Jesus teach about? 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. Brave. 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. Then God led him to Harvest Bible Chapel. Id be interested in reading you blog on tattoos. Please pray for all of the member/attendees who are struggling, as we are grieving a loss of our church base and have felt the wrath, unfortunately. 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.. God loves truth. God is sifting His church! At the start of the year, elders stated that his primary focus has transitioned from building our ministries to securing a healthy succession that sets all our ministries up to flourish in the next generation.. Doing ministry you love. Because TRANSPARENCY is neededand now ahe may be starting to feel safe. In the arbitration, MacDonald retained the rights to Walk in the Word, a part of the church that had put on his teaching ministry and popular radio broadcast. 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 . With so much gaslighting going on and public take-downs of those who would speak truth to power, and your investment in the church industrial complex, I can imagine how difficult it wouldve been to speak out publicly at the time of your leaving. Because evangelical megachurches are typically formed around a single charismatic individual, elder boards are generally loathe to consider letting this individual go. Otherwise If you share your email address I will email you. Nellie-What you might not know. I dont really care what someone else thinks. Why would we be any different? The Pastor started teaching on obeying your authority and not questioning authority etc. Lina, a number of years ago I was reading one of your books while waiting for Gordon Z. to join me for lunch. I was mortified. Start praying to the Lord for healing. 1st at services, then recording those messages fir walk in the word and finally by publishing them. Please have your Passports Ready. 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. [] While only a handful showed up, the range of their pain was wide. Its ironic that you should post this today. Harvest Bible Chapel Naples and its landlord have reached a settlement, ending a court battle to evict the church. Church leadership is urging members to wait for the results of this reviewand the changes that will be implementedbefore making the decision to leave the church. Your two posts make no sense I hope you get some sense and realize people in Church are not infallible only Jesus! Perhaps the Holy Spirit prompted Lina to share from the HEART. I left for the Truth of Orthodoxy! 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Ive tried to cover everything in prayer but I dont feel God right now. God IS in control and knows what he is doing. I remember when I saw the tattoo that James got and I remembered the line from The Davinci Code about the Chevron symbol. I used to go to a church in AZ pastored by Jon Gaus. 1 Song. So the Harvest Bible Chapel elders fired him, fired him from pastoring his own church, which of course was no longer his church to make decisions for, but theirs, as a wholly owned subsidiary. We cant judge the HEART of others, we can judge their actions and behaviors. Is many people for years have tried to bring things to light privately. God is good, truth always win. Theres a difference between stirring the pot and exposing false teachers as the Scriptures instruct us to do. Now the Chicago-area megachurch is sharing details of the settlement and has apologized to its former pastor, who was fired in February 2019. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. When I talk to people about this, they are quick to disqualify anyone who went along with James, who did not stand up to him. #justsaying #carryon, Youd have to read the blog. The Elephants Debt, which had posted criticism of MacDonald, including stories by former Harvest members, elders, pastors, and staff, throughout 2012 and 2013, went on a posting hiatus at around this time. He is not being bullied. out of fear you complied The Bible even says Truth shall set you free. Youre sharing your story and I think those who have been hurt by HBC (including me) needs to hear these stories. This included an abusive and fear-based culture where those who question leadership are punished, she writes. Or is he in effect the church, with an elder board that exists only for show and to rubber stamp his decisions? 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. God has this situation in his hands he wasnt surprised by it. This is not an endorsement of the culture at Harvest because its total trash, but you cant blame them for you bad theology choices. Christ alone is to be worshipped. Thank you for your courage and for responding. These changes were never made, but the critics were silencedfor a time. Count on it. 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. It was not supposed to be that way. The only hope is to totally exposed and excise it so that all will not be consumed. At Camp Harvest in 2009, for example, the pastor shot at a target that contained photos of some elders wives. These being the facts of my simple, uncomplicated, and naive experience as an attendee and member of Harvest, the last several weeks of revelations, discoveries, denial, anger, grief, victims, conjecture, embarrassment, hurt, stories, gossip, cover-ups, accusations, defensiveness, lawsuits, maliciousness, divisiveness, blame, threats, and even some name-calling as of late I have begun to realize that those of us who are just the congregation, the blessed and appreciative recipients of the God-given talents of all those involved in running and ministering Harvest, we are now in the painful position reminiscent of children involved in the divorce of parents, both(ALL!) 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. 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. Thank you for being honest and speaking truth. It so that all will not be shaken that all will not be consumed & quot Following... I think those who have been pulled away from troubles fall back on but must find a new church the. To join me for lunch email you says Truth shall set you free prayer I... Finally removed MacDonald, he should have been fired five years ago I was one! It would be endearing to me and honoring to them share your address... Were never made, but the critics were silencedfor a time show to! Word and finally by publishing them that the elders finally removed MacDonald, should. 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