P.S. 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. Rather, God is shaking the junkall of our junkout of His Church. So I called one of the elders in the video and got his side of the story. perfect response and reminiscent of what scripture teaches. Put faith in Gods justice and judgement upon all, now that sin has been exposed. I was asked what I would do if I were still on staff through the last 2 years. How about some GRACE !!! Dont talk to them, or theyll drag you down too. He kept telling me that I didnt understand authority and I was in rebellion. She has admitted that she didnt speak up enough at the time. 2. This comment to Harvest and James is your opinion and you have every right to it. Amen to that. Lean should read it and reply in kind. Oh my how that resonated with me and the experiences my beloved and I have had with churches in the UK. I would recommend A book Joy Starts Here and The Pandora Problem Facing Narcissism in Leaders & Ourselves as helpful to possibly understand how whats happened can be explained and perhaps bring healing and prevention as members move forward. for less than $4.25/month. Often no explanation given, and the band plays on. My precious, from a far, friend who I have watched since your first speaking engagement at Harvest. Kenny Foreman, Founder of Cathedral of Faith, Passes Away at 88, Millennials Cant Buy MeaningLets Talk the Meaning of Life. 1.) 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. Harvest Bible Chapel has owned its mistakes and endured to become a happier and healthier church, whose members recently pledged financially, in their walk/work for Christ, and in their. 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. I am grateful for your courage. Lauren Boebert And Marjorie Greene's Adult "So Your Problem with Christianity is the Jesus No, the "Second Shift" Isn't Feminism's Fault. Letting you know about this is one of the most loving things that Lina can do at this time so that others dont experience the pain that she went through. 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. Praying for you for healing and for growth and strength during all of this. Nellie-What you might not know. 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. Church Online is a place for you to experience God and connect with others. 1 Song. Several years went by and one family apologized to us as did another man. This did not happen to James, he did this, by sinning repeatedly. I speak as one who has gone thru it, like you. 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. For our premium ad-free experience, including exclusive podcasts, issues and more, subscribe to. In my lowly position, I have said, like others, I would have put my head in the sand and continued to do the job God gifted me to do in the interest of the body. Whatever is wrong in Gods eyes He will bring someone to reveal it. Wow. May the God of all comfort minister his comfort to them. Sign up for our newsletter: Pray for James and Christs church that the LORD would accomplish what HE and HE alone is allowing. I pray shes wrong. I am surprised by your editorial on Harvest. Thats what happens to us as individuals and us as a collection of people. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. And I do want to state that MANY of us have made every effort to address the problems prior to leaving. Sign up for our newsletter: The recognizing date of the exempt status is April, 1972. I was brushed off. If the church treated Lina this way, they will do it to you and others without a second thought. I also assumed that because of the size of Harvest, those closest to you would reach out. Harvest responded by suing both bloggers, their wives, and Julie Roys. The Scripture that came to me as I read this is I Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment. Harvest will also reimburse MacDonald another quarter-million dollars related to selling his former home and transfer compensation related to his retirement benefits. The next day, Helmer resigned, citing MacDonalds pattern of uncontrolled anger. The pastor later admitted being too intense in the classroom that day. Harvest dropped the lawsuit; MacDonald took a leave of absence; Roys revealed that MacDonald had lied; and then, finally, MacDonald went on a public vulgar, slander-laced tirade against Roys and Christianity Today. Im sure I will find much more to comment on, but I hope to leave it at that as an encouragement to you. 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 lost the bulk of my community virtually overnight. All this comes on the heels of another scandal. Do you think God approves of pastors who deliberately scam their congregation for years, use his name for money and abuse people for the Almighty Dollar? Im praying for you. 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. Many were intimidated, called names, called subversives. Thankful for the freedom you have found and are willing to speak up. For a great many, it's time for the cult of personality of James MacDonald at Harvest chapter to close and the actual Bible to be opened again., Today on his edgy radio show, Muller said while he felt MacDonalds firing had to happen, he also had wanted nothing to do with any of it and now my part is done., I feel like God was using me in this, he said. Shes not the only one there are many. The flock are the casualties in all of this. I can think of hundreds of small things, and some rather large ones, that Ive compromised myself for. 1 Timothy 5:20: But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. I know many people who attend Harvest or who have been impacted by MacDonalds preaching are crushed today. is it the pastors doing? Precept Inductive Bible Study for Women. No church outside of the One True Church Christ began was given His authority to act on their own. This isI believewhy the American church has lost its effectiveness. I will be praying for you , too, Lina. http://www.issendai.com/psychology/sick-systems.html. I believe you spoke up now to show how far reaching the powerful words and actions of those in authority goes. I wondered where God was in the narrative. Congratulations on your freedom, Lina! Gosh, so many similarities with the HBC action. The Rolling Meadows Campus is our founding campus and for more than three decades has testified to God's faithfulness. Thank you Lina for your honesty and boldness and ultimately helping me put words to what I have been experiencing through the preaching of James. Unreal as I went to Harvest for over 7 yrs and this whole situation has hurt so many people. Just pray in a prayer closet to be still in the presence of Jesus. (Galatians 2:11-21) Two years ago, MacDonald moved away from overseeing the Harvest Bible Fellowship, a global network of churches, which eventually separated from Harvest completely to form the Great Commission Collective (GCC). Saying he had hit a "wall of exhaustion" in June, Lead Ministry Pastor Greg Bradshaw said he is not only leaving Harvest, but also the ministry. see My Dream Church https://sites.google.com/site/mydreamchurch/. Even before the 58-year-old pastors sabbatical, MacDonalds role at Harvest had shifted. Yes Nellie, we are called to bring light on the darkness. Lina, Plus Lina Abujamra on Why She Left Harvest Bible Chapel | Wondering Eagle, How Christians Care for One Another When Their Leaders Fall BCNN1 WP, How Christians Care for One Another When Their Leaders Fall Urban Christian News, How Christians Care for One Another When Their Leaders Fall BCNN2, How Christians Care for One Another When Their Leaders Fall | BCNN1 Black Christian News Network, From Mars Hill to Harvest: Hope for a Wounded Church Bible Talk. My current church I actually joined, unlike Harvest, and have been there five years and counting now. This post reminds me of something that happened at my former 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. I was too afraid to ask her why. My heart breaks for the ones who will walk away from church and walk away from God. Instead, it was MacDonald and his inner circle that were making the decisions, unilaterally. Harvest womans Tuesday bible study group has not studied a book of the Bible in a couple of years. Matthew 7:15 This woman sounds sincere. Love for God, relationships, and the church. What would Jesus do? I didnt want to risk any negative impacts on my own growing ministry. We just determined to treat the circumstances as a loving God giving us a different direction. Have you ever read this piece on how sick systems keep people controlled? Its about the hurting. If they built it, it is theirs to destroy. Jesus calls us to be GOOD. 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. 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. Ross, Ross, For years, they had been made to feel like the outcasts, but finally vindication in its godly form was working its way out. If you ever make that offer again, Ill be there, but please post on Twitter. Check out Moreno website, http://www.godsonlygospel.com. Lina, a number of years ago I was reading one of your books while waiting for Gordon Z. to join me for lunch. Nellie, Your comments are without sound knowledge of the depth of this I am SO glad that Lina has allowed the grace of Christ to free her from the culture of fear that controls Harvest Bible Chapel, and I am impressed by her willingness to speak in such as grace-giving way that will speak freedom to others who are hurting from this. The abuse I suffered first hand and working through the realizations and implications of that abuse have been traumatic. I was wrong in hindsight. blessings. Most of my friends as well. God is sifting His church! I did not fear God as much as I feared James and longed for his approval. Yet their silence hurt me and sometimes made me question the validity of my reasons for leaving. Im a prostate cancer survivor and had radical prostatectomy in 2005. God is using this to grow me as he does in all trials, so for that Im grateful. REALLY !! Many many of us are praying for all of you in Naples. Those are things we dont talk about often enough about. This was encouraging to read and I hope others take it to heart. James ended up sending me a copy of the new approved blog post, and out of fear, I complied. I think the congregation who asks these questions should know that I pray for them. Agreed Sheila. However why now? I have multiple thoughts. The congregation has been deceived, lied to, and hounded to give sacrificially, all the while the senior pastor has been making hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hi Lina. He stood and told me and my husband he was naive to the Paxton Singer situation. I saw the horrible video of the three Elders that were fired, It was autrocious! Thank you Lina, for opening the door of your life so that we can understand your experience. This young lady has done the work and is doing the work of the great physician. Thanks for speaking up! Since I know I am capable of the worst sin, I am choosing to show grace and praying fervently. You are speaking the minds of the many who did not stand up to James as they felt at the time, based on fear of public shame, and damage to career, to stick their heads in the sand and not speak up. Ive tried to cover everything in prayer but I dont feel God right now. Harvest Bible Chapel has fired its founder and senior pastor James MacDonald following years of controversial behavior, financial scandal and allegations of bullying and intimidation. Still, things seemed off. Right. Praise and Worship is congregational: They helped to create this culture of fear. These are the last days! Thankful we got left when we did. I pray others in leadership read your post, check their hearts, and follow suit. If so Id be in agreement but again- this is not a political post. Im praying for you. 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. Then came Roys story, MacDonalds decision to sue Roys and the bloggers behind The Elephants Debt (presumably rubber stamped by the current elder board), and the realization that discovery would mean everything coming out. The current model for pastor directed churches says that the senior pastor is the priest this is Old Testament. , Titus 3:10-11 says as for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once, and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful, he is self condemned. Also 1 Timothy 5:20 says as for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, which is what we are doing, so that the rest may stand in fear. , Nothing is covered, nothing is unresolved, nothing is ongoing, only this attack from the enemy. Blessings to you! 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. 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 . Nellie, Im sorry for your comment. You have to leave before you can see clearly. He stopped going to any church and says he has lost faith in everything. As of November, 2021, HBC is $34,000,000 in debt. 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.. If you like harvest and the culture of hidden abuse and The narcissistic system in order there- by all means, stay! This past Sunday, Harvests elders and remaining pastors were in serious damage control mode. These patterns were present and recognized as early as 2012, and nothing was done about them. Something happened to us some years ago and a number of people turned against us because of lies, etc. 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. it seems to me that people give more grace to the offender than the victim. Did they not find that video shocking? Although he denied stabbing the photo, MacDonald said, I may have put my knife up against it or into it.. The 60-year-old pastor called on his former church to confess its wrongs and correct the record. But He is in control of everything and if He wants HBC to continue, it will continue. Thank You for writing your blog. 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. I think that was beautifully stated. Or is he in effect the church, with an elder board that exists only for show and to rubber stamp his decisions? 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 do not believe your timing should be questioned. Mike Winger Discusses When God Hardened Pharaohs Heart, Tennessee Church Showcases Tyre Nichols Photography, Louisiana Pastor Sentenced to 5 Years in Money Laundering Case Involving Nearly $900K in Stolen Funds, Steven Curtis Chapman First Contemporary Christian Artist To Earn 50th No. I wonder if this is an area where youd feel free to minister; where people leave the church and are forgotten. James MacDonald was forced out Tuesday night as senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, a church he founded in Rolling Meadows some 30 years ago. 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. 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. All why surrounding himself w/yes men. You can read that article here. To heal enough to communicate and receiving shaming comments like yours. I knew he wasnt perfect, but then, neither was I, I reasoned. 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. Persecution is supposed to come from the world with the devil behind it, as Jesus said. Looking sideways (practical love): I still would like to read the blog on tattoos. Amen Sister! Lina Abujamra who once was the Womens Ministry Director at Rolling Meadows explained how she ran afoul of the elders and why she left in the course of time. I kept thinking people would wake up and see the truth and understand that my leaving was not a betrayal to James but a stance against his leadership style, and the leadership style of the XLT, and James sons, and most of the remaining elders. May Our Lord guide all of us and May His will be done above all else. I keep coming back to this part and I identify so much with this part. Pastor James made it political when he compared the era of President Trump to the era of Stalin the era of Hitler. On January 7, 2019, Harvest elders announced they decided to drop the lawsuit against Julie Roys and four other individuals. Hannibal Harvest Bible Church (EIN# 862793399) is an tax exempt organization filed with Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Even before the Garden of Eden seduction, he foresaw the need for The Lamb slain before the foundation of the world. Your leaving (however late you feel it was) was His provision for others, much like Joseph sent ahead to Egypt years ahead of his brothers and father. This should not be! Like in Ezekiel, many people are trying to sound the trumpet of warning!! I had a bad experience at the Chapel myself. I left Harvest CL 3 yrs ago after being forced out of a ministry and other thingspart of the membership indoctrinationyou are not allowed to say anything disparaging against church leadership or the church. Im thankful you followed the Lords leading in these stressful and difficult circumstances. He is angry that they keep on sending texts and emails asking for money. Therefore Lina did what God moved her to do in His Boldness and Courage, being fear had silenced her. It truly is the Lords work. As painful as it is, all that has been hidden must be revealed. That is at the root of a serious problem that the Church hardly touches. Why do you say you have a lack of music?. In one fellowship people were actually warned to have nothing to do with us, and yet all we had done, in each instance was to ask questions. He better thank God for Grace and cause he is going to need it. Biblical: submission to the Word in My Dream Church will be at a higher level Thank you for having the courage to write what you did and for your ministry Lina. Also Thank you Lina for having the courage to say something now. Thank you Lina, So many of his followers would still want him as a preacher. While tens of thousands flocked to campus, school officials met in a storage closet to make decisions that would honor what is happening.. These things happen in small churches too. I am so glad Lina has spoken up. Pastor James MacDonald, of Harvest Bible Chapel, was given the boot last week by church elders after "highly inappropriate . I too have had similar experiences in another church (The Chapel). Sometimes being good will also mean being nice, but sometimes it will not. Hbc to continue, it will continue choosing to show how far reaching the powerful words actions..., they will do it to you would reach out presence of Jesus sending texts and emails for! 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