A Florida Lawyer Argues That a Pregnant Inmates Unborn Child Is Being Illegally Detained, Experts Predict the Ozone Layer Will Fully Heal Within 40 Years, The Biblical Reasons for Going Low Waste, The Spiritual Toll of Americas Food Waste Epidemic, The Buffalo Supermarket Shooter Has Been Sentenced to Life in Prison. It was both true in a sense and funny. Lina, Dont stop trusting or loving. Driscoll, now MacDonald. Amen Sister! The sin that has taken place does not negate the awesome work that God has done, and it pains my heart to hear people act as if it does. If so Id be in agreement but again- this is not a political post. Anil. My faith has been shaken by the situation at another Christian organization. I have been attending Harvest and listening and learning from Pastor James sermons for almost 10 years; I have witnessed the sweet joy of my husband coming to Christ because of God using Pastor James mightily; and I have been blessed beyond measure by the positive impact Harvest, its ministries, and especially its PEOPLE have had upon my relationship with God, my Harvest friends and family, my life, and my marriage. Im far removed from this situation, but saddened by it nonetheless. 8. The beloved drink is both an attraction and a generational divide. One elder resigned over this, after asking to see the finances and being overruled by the rest of the board. Lina, to see how the Lord has blessed your ministry these past few years is absolutely amazing! Ted Haggard bemoans his "exile" in a new HBO documentary. Did you realize elders and pastors are personally apologizing g to people? - October 16, 2020 The protracted dispute between Pastor James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel (HBC) recently concluded through arbitration. Others will be hurtit is a matter of time. God the Holy Spirit wanted Lina to speak more specifically at this time; and she did. Lina, I have always wondered why? Perhaps we can do something like that here in Davenport, too. 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. 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.. There are larger lessons to be learned. It all is about money to pay taxes and building and salaries. You have every right to speak up; and I respect you for doing so. Church Online is a place for you to experience God and connect with others. Persecution or hardship drew them close. Many might wonder why it all still matters to me so much. This decision was made with heavy hearts and much time spent in earnest prayer, followed by input from various trusted outside advisors.. I am no one special here. Wow. And your part of the problem. Do you read the elder updates? This young lady has done the work and is doing the work of the great physician. Thank goodness God is still God! 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. Now he is disillusioned and wants to go back to Catholicism. Then, on February 8th, Roys revealed material obtained under subpoena that backed up critics claims that Harvest Bible Chapel inappropriately took money from HBF. Lina you were humble and owned more than most. When the Church becomes the organization instead of the people, then it ceases to be the Church. Thank you for speaking out, Lina! When we left, after having posted a letter to the elders, not a single person called us to see how we were doing. I also dont know why it took me five years to leave, but now Ive been at a true Bible preaching, Jesus exulting church, not too far from the RM campus. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman/person ruled by fear. Although he denied stabbing the photo, MacDonald said, I may have put my knife up against it or into it.. It is a shame to Christianity what is happening here. If you know anything about abusive relationshipsHBC is in the honeymoon phase right now.look it up!! Isnt this just what the enemy of our souls would want? She did not claim it was her trurh , but opinion. Too many of these large churches have lost track of what their true purpose is. I remember when I saw the tattoo that James got and I remembered the line from The Davinci Code about the Chevron symbol. Im about to lead a teaching tomorrow night about the mark God placed on Cain after he killed his brother Abel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISjXhWUyGi0&list=PLud2nIxx0IAT58I8QPBdfrOz8bFMQQcd6&index=4&t=0s. Our cold hearts lack love that shows the world we are His. Harvest, an off-shoot of an eponymous megachurch in Illinois, was sued for. Its who you are! I didnt want to upset James. blessings. However, 2 of the groups meet in Panera Bread. Your sister in Christ in Auburn, Indiana. 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. I always wondered why you left but after reading The Elephants Debt I figured I knew why. Wow Nancy K, after all that has been said and done, seemingly over many years, it is startling to me that you would make such a commemtWow, Why? Like in Ezekiel, many people are trying to sound the trumpet of warning!! 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. Whats also sad is that old witness accounts go to show how truly far reaching and how long this behavior has been going on. Therefore Lina did what God moved her to do in His Boldness and Courage, being fear had silenced her. However, he ultimately agreed with the wave of backlash his pastor-friend now faced, condemning how MacDonalds drama had overshadowed Harvest and threatening a class-action lawsuit yesterday if MacDonald remained its pastor for another week. Hoping you come back and teach a book of the Bible. I was just starting out at Harvest in September of 2011. Amen sister!! and stay glued to founded and genuine monetary purchase services. 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. It seems to have so many cracks in the structure. I was too afraid to ask her why. Yes, I was there for ex-communication video. Your truth was not conceived in fasting or deep prayer and it sure isnt loving. He is angry that they keep on sending texts and emails asking for money. You also restrained and could have said much more and didnt. maybe its time for all of us to wake up. Fear can lead to many sins. The problem definitely doesnt end with James. And I find it odd that someone would have an opinion on that. I was brushed off. No wonder Harvest dropped the suit. The problem was not so much the pastor but the members that lived worldly. I loved that about you. DONT defend these people in any way!! Others have gone before you in challenging HBC to help pave the way and have paid the consequences for their courage. It helps to be able to talk about it instead of feeling like you have to hide it, or just deal with it. I attended Harvest for five years, and left five years ago. Or they, too, are so rotten at the core that they dont care. It is not with the powerful; it is those whom the powerful make to feel like theyre nothing. Seriously? When I asked questions at the Harvest I attended I was told to be careful what I read on the internet. The higher the leadership level was, the more protective of James they were. 102 reviews of Faith Church "I have been to a few churches in my day. I am sorry that you experienced this fear. I too visited Harvest. Unhappy to see you did not make the approved list. A former Harvest staffer was also reported to police last fall after being accused of embezzling $270,000 from the church. The two entities released separate statements detailing the results of the process, which went through the Institute for Christian Conciliation. I totally agree with you Patti. Also another story emerged on why another person left Harvest Bible Chapel. She is sharing her heart and personal experience in an open, vulnerable way, in kindness and love. Before the article was even printed, Harvest sued Roys, plus two bloggers whove been critical about problems at Harvest. It is important to bring light to this matter, help yourself and others heal and put a new song of praise and trust in Our God. Sheri and her husband Gary attended Cornerstone in the 1980s while attending Azusa Pacific and in their first few years of marriage. DeeperWalkInternational.org. 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. This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. 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. In 2013, in a story covered bymajor evangelical news outlets, Harvest publicly excommunicated two former elders who were still members of Harvest. How dare you question her about why? Why? In a statement, the elders indicated they had accepted the apology and, in turn, agreed to leave [the church] alone and let the elder board bring about the necessary reforms.. It was love at first sight!! Lastly, we need to comfort hurting today, she wrote. A year later, MacDonald apologized for the harsh discipline taken against the three men, adding that Harvest had meaningfully and mutually reconciled with them. I simply could not reconcile the lies that were shared from the pulpit with the truths that I knew regarding issues in the church. I regret my own weaknesses, my love for the approval of others. Thank you and thank Lina. God bless you. It was engaging at times. 2. And even then, it often doesnt work because so many remain enthralled with the narcissist, or have tied their fortunes to them, that they simply cant or wont see the truth. As Pastor James has said in the past, truth and time go hand-in-hand. I was a woman ruled by fear. Let us examine ourselves for unconfessed sin and seek to live in fear of the Lord lest bitterness overtake us.. All this comes on the heels of another scandal. Different situations require different things. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. The only hope is to totally exposed and excise it so that all will not be consumed. 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. 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. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. I have replied, I would have probably, as most have done, put my head in the sand and carried on doing the work God gave me to do. 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. Most of my friends as well. [] While only a handful showed up, the range of their pain was wide. Do You Really Have to Go to Church Every Sunday? A new believer has lost faith because of the shameful behavior of HBC leadership and all you can say is question the new believers truthfulness of his account? By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman ruled by fear. Oh my how that resonated with me and the experiences my beloved and I have had with churches in the UK. 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. Looking sideways (practical love): Harvest Bible Chapel Naples and its landlord have reached a settlement, ending a court battle to evict the church. I pray your steps continue to be guided by our Lord! Love for God, relationships, and the church. Well said Lina. That IS A LIE!! Hannibal Harvest Bible Church (EIN# 862793399) is an tax exempt organization filed with Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The church and its people helped create Pastor James He is not the only one involved it was a group effort. Brave. You too felt you had to leave Harvest and what was your point of conviction on having to leave the Church ,that we all sacrificed so much for! 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. I do pray that the entire senior leadership staff and elders who have participated in sheltering the truth for their own gain would be called out by the Lord. Also Thank you Lina for having the courage to say something now. Because evangelical megachurches are typically formed around a single charismatic individual, elder boards are generally loathe to consider letting this individual go. For me, I would like to apologize for not reaching out to you when I finally realized that you had left HBC. In October, the church reported its chief information officer to police for suspected embezzlement. And come together in prayer, fasting and humility before Jesus that He enables us to be the people He died for. We need to trust Him. I am excited for all God is doing in your life to help other women get closer in their relationship with Jesus. Why now does not matter. Good for you and speaking up. I pray others in leadership read your post, check their hearts, and follow suit. Is it perfect? Thank you for this post. Despite recent legal cases and reports of greedy abuses, experts say the longstanding benefit remains safe. Hearing these stories has helped me to realize I left just when I was supposed to. But your words affirmed what I suspected. This all happens when we gather, grow and go together as followers of Jesus. 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. Harvest, which Roys says is $42 million in debt, is suing the Evangelical Christian Credit Union for not refinancing five of its mortgages. Often no explanation given, and the band plays on. These same elders that all of a sudden had the courage to fire James, ( which I think is a scam, this was orchestrated )are the same elders that approved that stupid video with those four scum bag elders excommunicating other elders! This is not an endorsement of the culture at Harvest because its total trash, but you cant blame them for you bad theology choices. The Pastor started teaching on obeying your authority and not questioning authority etc. I hope they succeed in bringing people back to the church! Then God led him to Harvest Bible Chapel. Thank you for your courage. Leaving without speaking up was still an act of cowardice and self-preservation. Thank you for sharing your story and for doing so in the right spirit. I still hold fast to the hope he will take all this to Jesus. (function($) {window.fnames = new Array(); window.ftypes = new Array();fnames[0]='EMAIL';ftypes[0]='email';fnames[1]='FNAME';ftypes[1]='text';fnames[2]='LNAME';ftypes[2]='text';fnames[3]='MMERGE3';ftypes[3]='text';}(jQuery));var $mcj = jQuery.noConflict(true); Copyright 2023 Living With Power. We just determined to treat the circumstances as a loving God giving us a different direction. Pastor was not happy and tried to convince us that we were wrong. You have to leave before you can see clearly. Gods heart, over and over again, is for those who are oppressed. I lost the bulk of my community virtually overnight. Thankful for the freedom you have found and are willing to speak up. Amy. For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to. God IS in control and knows what he is doing. Your two posts make no sense I hope you get some sense and realize people in Church are not infallible only Jesus! Maybe people could handle hearing it better now than then. For years, I kept believing the deception fed to the congregation by the elders. Fear is dead life a remnant of Satan. Have you not read these passages? Notify me by email when the comment gets approved. Fear. That is just so day to know that people are leaving churches. For me, I live with the regret of not taking advantage of the opportunity to come over and get to know you. My family attended a smaller Harvest church close to Elgin. These are the same elders that approved this same law suit to be dropped when James and co. knew that they would have to open all the books and all the dirt would come out! On January 16th, MacDonald took an indefinite sabbatical leave. I no longer help lead a larger mens ministry. Thanks again, Lina, for being courageous in the midst of these difficult days. We are the Church! We have seen this very truth of Jesus teaching publicly demonstrated by Mancow and many other witnesses. The problem was not simply Harvest messaging, but also the teachings that made such messagingmake sense. Then the board announced its executive committee would be resigning over the next few months. Such lack of accountability is often a problem at megachurches, which tend to be founded by charismatic individuals who quickly amass a large following. Even if the criticism in the letter had been unwarranted, this response is a huge red warning sign. 1.) We are thankful and humbled by His care and protection of our family. Hi Lina. No one knows why. 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. The whole ordeal was very strange. FEAR is a liar, pray for them and never let offense take you out, that was the enemys plan! I will only say that if it is right and important to address a culture of fear within the church, it is equally important to address the same for our country. I know many people who attend Harvest or who have been impacted by MacDonalds preaching are crushed today. Harvest elders announced this morning that they were forced to take "immediate action" on Tuesday to end his 30-year tenure. Looking back over my life I see how all things have led to today. Thank you Lina, 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 church-planting ministry, Harvest Bible Fellowship, with 170 member churches. God bless. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. I have found that churches built through a single persons vision are dangerous. By then there were so many small things that werent so small and added up to big things that could have explained my leaving, but to me, that video was the tipping point. Blessings to you! These things happen in small churches too. Our focus should be on Christ and Christ alone, not James MacDonald. Lauren Boebert And Marjorie Greene's Adult "So Your Problem with Christianity is the Jesus No, the "Second Shift" Isn't Feminism's Fault. Be blessed. This scandal that were going through has really rocked my world. 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??!! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world. I didnt want to upset James. Fear that your leaving would damage those you ministered to. A year or so before leaving Harvest I had written a blog post about holiness in which I had referenced the growing fad of tattoos in our culture. Its by an unbeliever, but wow, is it eye-opening. 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