Voices heard together make a difference. Have you sought the Lord in prayer and fasting?Exposing sin is not hurtful then you would be against every prophet in the Bible. Lina, That is, so many think that the church is the pastors ministry and they dont adequately facilitate the ministry of believers. The 60-year-old pastor called on his former church to confess its wrongs and correct the record. Perhaps the Holy Spirit prompted Lina to share from the HEART. Biblical: submission to the Word in My Dream Church will be at a higher level It permeates through the woman that you are. Scripture does not say what the mark was, but it was a mark that man knew as a sign to not to kill Cain, as it would end his life, and end the judgement that God had given Cain to live out his life with. @Ross, Were you able to access it? I simply could not reconcile the lies that were shared from the pulpit with the truths that I knew regarding issues in the church. Maybe its because youre a doctor and have such a desire to see people healed. Thank you, Lina. Your mission and your ministry is beautiful and changing lives. I believe that now IS an appropriate time to share your story. You have to leave before you can see clearly. Their letter covered MacDonalds self-promotionlove of moneydomineering and bullying abusive speech[and] outbursts of anger.. This is also why as a follower of Christ it is so important to know and learn Gods word so you see when something isnt right. Come together at part of the body of Christ called Harvest Bible Chapel and pray that Gods will not ours be done. Truth is healthy. Church is a small community. What had these individuals done? Data Coordination. In fact, he is the one who is no longer pastoring. I used to go to a church in AZ pastored by Jon Gaus. Dont damage the church by being publicly critical. I have 3 small groups now that are like this but we lack music. 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. 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. this isnt meant to hurt you but to support those who need it. Life goes on people repent and grace is for everyone. Thankful we got left when we did. And a few days later James MacDonalds sons, Luke and Landon MacDonald, also announced they are resigning. May the God of all comfort minister his comfort to them. and pro football. Harvest Bible Chapel We're here to glorify God through the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). That is why I really rally for our black preacher and pastors like Keion Henderson, https://www.keionhenderson.com/about-us/ ! The good intentions of our ministry partnership with Harvest Chicago have been overshadowed by these developments, he said. You are loved. Your sister in Christ in Auburn, Indiana. The Rolling Meadows Campus is our founding campus and for more than three decades has testified to God's faithfulness. Elder boards are supposed to create this accountability in these situations, but in many cases these boards are no more than rubber stamps. Truth is truth. In eras of prosperity, their hearts drifted. Only time will tell whether Harvest can outlive its founding pastorand the scandal that has enveloped both him and his elder board. Dont stand in the middle, dont seek to mediate. 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. Once a preacher condemns other, that is the sign that he is trying to avert attention from what he is doing. Yet their silence hurt me and sometimes made me question the validity of my reasons for leaving. It was an extremely long and difficult decision to finally leave (we did our best to leave peacefully with the good of Christs church in mind) knowing very well that our reputations and many of our friendships we had there would be severely if not permanently damaged. The edited . Id be interested in reading you blog on tattoos. There are dozens if not hundreds of witnesses against many Elders at Harvest all saying the same thing. I pray to our Father who loves us all that His truth and reconciliation and peace, healing abounds in this circumstance. Driscoll, now MacDonald. I didnt want to upset James. 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. Its hard no impossible- to do everything with the right motivation. The Harvest and James MacDonald Controversy Explained, Did Pharaoh Have Free Will? God is a for-others being he can not lie, therefore, he can not be for Himself. REALLY !! Reflect about yourself and what steps you need to take to be healed and then to help others heal. We are conditioned to believe that leaving silently is whats best for the church and in some cases thats true. One elder resigned over this, after asking to see the finances and being overruled by the rest of the board. You followed what God would have instructed you to handle this situation.you started by going to the leaders of the church for answers and none were given. Subscribe to CT The pastor also gets $1.2 million and a parcel of property in Crystal Lake, Illinois, as well the ministrys equipment, books, and digital resources, the church announced this week. 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). 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. There are no ongoing issues of any kind. it seems to me that people give more grace to the offender than the victim. That, apparently, was what it took to get him fired. No one seems to be able to discern right from wrong anymore. I no longer help lead a larger mens ministry. Im very certain you do not understand narcissists and how manipulative they are I recommend Dr. Ramani on YouTube as she is a great resource to gain understanding but the only chance to fight their evil is to bring it out into the light, expose them for what they truly are. I have always wondered why? I never worked at Harvest under Pastor James, I never wrote a book, I never had any altercation with Pastor James, and never had a complaint about him. In other words, thatwasMacDonald in the recording. Opt out of mega church? Soon we must bring those truths to light, but for now we continue under the weight of so much falsehood in hope that the church will themselves initiate the needed steps of public confession, he wrote. I didnt want to risk any negative impacts on my own growing ministry. Its like I seek mans favor as well, rather than the Lords. I struggle with the fear of man myself. The Right's New Lie: The Left Gave Us Toxic Masculinity, The Harvest Bible Chapel Scandal in a Nutshell (And Why You Should Care). Yell and bully and make people feel like second class Christians? I really doubt theyre sending texts and emails asking for money. Dont listen to haters. One thing that has helped is recognizing seasons. I praise your decision to own your ministry outside of James. Nellie, They are not calmly declining either. Since I know I am capable of the worst sin, I am choosing to show grace and praying fervently. Thank you for having the courage to write what you did and for your ministry Lina. God has this situation in his hands he wasnt surprised by it. This should not be! I am so glad Lina has spoken up. 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. Thankful for the freedom you have found and are willing to speak up. But, the truth is, I am ashamed to say, I should have left much sooner. I assumed that you had simply moved on to bigger and better things. Sunday Service-10:15 AM/Wed. Roys also lamented the fallout of todays news. Such lack of accountability is often a problem at megachurches, which tend to be founded by charismatic individuals who quickly amass a large following. I didnt want to be rebellious against authority. Although, it definetly planted a seed for me. Let us pray God will send His Spirit upon us and cure us of this. He is angry that they keep on sending texts and emails asking for money. 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. 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. 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. Why kick him and the church while their down Lina? According to Roys extensive research and interviews, changes didnt occur at Harvest; instead, questionable treatment and practices continued. I was recovering from the deep wounds and hurts from when we left when this all came rushing back in and opening old wounds. Is many people for years have tried to bring things to light privately. Were you bullied by those elders named? I keep coming back to this part and I identify so much with this part. Pray for those still there trying to care for the confused and hurting hearts. Pastor James MacDonald of the Chicago-based seven-multicampus Harvest Bible Church, issued an apology statement on Sunday saying that the board of the megachurch unanimously agreed to lift a discipline ban from three excommunicated elders. Stressful on him and his family. By the time I left, I had discovered something dark about myself: I was a woman/person ruled by fear. And I do want to state that MANY of us have made every effort to address the problems prior to leaving. Thank you for your openness and sharing! It doesnt mean anything.. Also Thank you Lina for having the courage to say something now. May Our Lord guide all of us and May His will be done above all else. The Spirit has shown me that Church, the Body of called out believers are those Christians you meet with. I was just starting out at Harvest in September of 2011. 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. Until recently, I was 8 year member of HBC and I feel so sad, confused, betrayed. 6. chose to suffer. I am surprised by your editorial on Harvest. Praise and Worship is congregational: needless to say she did not go back and found a great church she was able to become a part of during her college years. 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. Its hard to step out alone but God always protects and brings darkness into the light to be seen. As Pastor James has said in the past, truth and time go hand-in-hand. Mike was genuinely shocked when we told him our son had Paxton as a camp counselor for whole week at Camp Harvest and we never received notice as HBC falsely told Daily Herald. Churches Still Depend on Clergy Housing Allowance, No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival. If hearing voices together of those who have truth helps, then now is the time to speak. Fear is why leaders did not speak up until now. Her princes within her are like wolves tearing the prey, by shedding blood and destroying lives in order to get dishonest gain. Criticism of MacDonald begun to surface on The Elephants Debt, a blog founded in 2012, run by Ryan Mahoney and Scott Bryant, former members era of Harvest Bible Church. Thank you for being honest and speaking truth. What blessings are flowing at Harvest for those who stand firm! And these things are only the tip of the iceberg. Nancy You sound like you still attend thereand you seem double minded. But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. We are to find our faith and hope in the Message, not the messenger. We did not want to cause a split or damage the cause of Christ, so we quietly left. I love this idea! I can only hope and pray that those that criticize you for speaking up now are MORE upset about the behavior of the leaders of the church! As a result, I was asked to meet with the elders, pull the blog piece and write a new one that James would first approve. He stomped his questioners. (It wouldve done no good to tell them how they erred when previous months didnt get it done.) James has all the characteristics of a false teacher. I will not address any party affiliation. But wait who is that lurking around the edges, his deeds the center of everyones interest in our church right now, salivating and gleeful that divisiveness and sin is healthy within the body of Christ? This scandal that were going through has really rocked my world. 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? now James McDonald. And you will not lose true friends and sisters in Christ. I dont take joy in this situation, but I rejoice in the truth. I choose to stay through this pain because, for me, leaving would create a wound that would never really heal. Be blessed. He wants a huge army of women indwelled with the Holy Spirit to point people to Christ. Sarah, I am so sorry for whatever happened to you. I wondered if you had become a full time missionary and if that was why you quit writing. Persecution is supposed to come from the world with the devil behind it, as Jesus said. The assistant pastor just tried to deflect and justify the pastors actions. Ive never been able to foster the same level of trust and thats the residual I wrestle with. As happens in evangelicalism, Harvest effectively became its own denomination, with MacDonald at its head. When God led me to leave HBC, I remember being so sad and afraid and wondering if I was hearing Him correctly. Sometimes they will require being nice. Did you see the link to my web page. What Happens Now? What God Gives Black Americans That The Country Does Not, Baylor, Louisiana State University and More Colleges Report Revivals Happening on Campus, Why Asbury University Decided to End Revival Services This Week, Faith Leaders Push Back on Asbury Revival Criticism, Southern Baptists Expel Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for Ordaining a Female Pastor, GET OUR TOP 5 ARTICLES IN YOUR INBOX EACH WEEKDAY, This Story of a Fugitive Nun Who Faked Her Own Death to Escape a Convent Is Insane, Watch: Frozen 2s Trailer Promises an Epic, Possibly Darker Sequel, Dont Forget, Theres a Lot Right With the Church, Too, The Asbury Outpouring Has Come to a Close. The beloved drink is both an attraction and a generational divide. SHERI PINE. A final incident in Roys article involves MacDonald publicly berating HCA students, an incident witnessed by Harvest videographer Luke Helmer. Prayer works as we understand to be HIS humble servants. #justsaying #carryon, Youd have to read the blog. He was a ruler of his churches. I am a 60 year old grandfather who wants to get a tatoo around my ankle of all six of my grandchildrens names. Lina, to see how the Lord has blessed your ministry these past few years is absolutely amazing! I have great empathy and sensitivity toward them. Yet a week ago I posted on FB an invitation to open my house to anyone who needed to talk about their pain as it related to what was happening at Harvest. I think he forgot Whose ministry it was. I knew he wasnt perfect, but then, neither was I, I reasoned. On January 7, 2019, Harvest elders announced they decided to drop the lawsuit against Julie Roys and four other individuals. That is why we keep talking. No One Knows. I loved his book Vertical Church. Well said Lina. Horrified. It also had a church-planting network, Harvest Bible Fellowship (HBF), which MacDonald dissolved last year. I have had similar experiences at The Chapel . It, honestly, has been the biggest source of my own sin and self inflicted suffering. Those that have gone through it ask themselves, should I speak up?. How do you know it wasnt done with fasting and with prayer? I was wrong. However, 2 of the groups meet in Panera Bread. Goodthat you let a toxic place. Ive been where youre at, believing that its godly to keep trying to work it out, like family does. I didnt want to be rebellious against authority. Thank you Lina, So many of his followers would still want him as a preacher. In effect, the senior pastor isthe church. We attended Elgin from 2005 through 2008. Congratulations on your freedom, Lina! 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. Now its a big business with Harvest all over the states. Fear. I appreciate your voice. I feel foolish for allowing myself to be misled for so long. How dare you question her about why? Why? Because these leaders will continue this false deceitful way of life that flows from them so seamlessly, so easily, and with such persuasiveness. A woman who is full of fun loving life. Praying for you for healing and for growth and strength during all of this. Anil. This was encouraging to read and I hope others take it to heart. It was love at first sight!! Im not sure what is going on with me honestly. A friend sent me a link to sermon about this yesterday: https://radical.net/sermon/kingdom-community/. What should we be planning for, praying for, and what did Jesus teach about? My coworker who was Catholic and going through a painful divorce, was led to Christ by me. Thank you again, Thank you for your honest post. Those of us that have experienced spiritual abuse and church hurt personally can truly resonate with your story. I didnt know you personally, but was a part of and benefited from the many programs that you offered through womens ministry. I met you when you spoke at Harvest Davenports womens ministry retreat and events many years ago and was challenged and inspired by your teaching. Lina, you are strong and your faith in the Lord is inspiring. Most of my friends as well. A year later, MacDonald apologized for the harsh discipline taken against the three men, adding that Harvest had meaningfully and mutually reconciled with them. Not everything needs to be about Polititcs. 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? Harvest Kids is our weekend experience for kids (babies to fifth grade). They have gone the deep end of the pool. Lina, Thank you for speaking out, Lina! This man is a smooth deceiver and believes his own lies. I was mortified. So Ill never forget the day I got up from my seat in a service, walked out, and never looked back. People meant evil but God works it out for our good. I also managed to write an apology to James for the pain I had caused him. Then the board announced its executive committee would be resigning over the next few months. Its by an unbeliever, but wow, is it eye-opening. Thanks for writing this, Lina. Isnt this just what the enemy of our souls would want? The environment is as ahw stated, fear James, make James happy I chose to believe the Bible and Gods promises. I dont understand how anyone could watch that video and not immediately know that something was very, very wrong. People in leadership are there one day, and then poof! When one part of the body hurts, we all hurt! The fruit of people at Harvest coming to Christ belongs to the Holy Spirit, not to JM. Women are not silenced: This model is not original and is old but it is appropriate for the megachurch and also for the persecuted church. Im glad I have stood firm. When is God pleased at his church? If you ever make that offer again, Ill be there, but please post on Twitter. MacDonald took an indefinite sabbatical in January, following a tumultuous few months defending Harvest in a defamation lawsuit against its critics and in the aftermath of a World magazine investigation into mismanagement at the church. God IS in control and knows what he is doing. Sheesh. This young lady has done the work and is doing the work of the great physician. Gods hand is on Harvest and the dark is continuing to be shown. Lina, I know that you did not take writing this lightly, and that it was preceded by much prayer and asking for the Holy Spirits wisdom and guidance in order to strike a balance of truth and grace. 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