In the US, James MacDonald, former Harvest Bible pastor, charged with felony assault and battery
United StatesRNS Former Chicago area megachurch pastor James MacDonald has been charged with two felonies for allegedly assaulting a woman during a dispute over parking. MacDonald, who was fired from Harvest Bible Chapel in 2019 and later disqualified from ministry for what church leaders called a “substantial pattern of sinful behaviour”, was arrested in Coronado, California, on 22nd March. […]
James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel reach multi-million-dollar agreement
RNS The Chicago-area megachurch Harvest Bible Chapel has reached a multi-million-dollar agreement with its former pastor James MacDonald, who was fired last year for insulting his critics who had written unfavourably about his leadership style. As part of the settlement – reached through a Christian arbitration group – MacDonald was given the right to continue […]
Report pins Harvest’s “massive corporate governance failure” on former pastor
Chicago, USRNS A “massive corporate governance failure apparently developed over several years” at Harvest Bible Chapel primarily because of its former senior pastor, James MacDonald, according to a report released Thursday evening by the Chicago-area megachurch. The report by Chicago-based law firm Wagenmaker & Oberly pinned that failure on MacDonald’s “powerful and subversive leadership style”, his […]
James MacDonald “biblically disqualified” for ministry, says Harvest Bible
RNS Former pastor and radio preacher James MacDonald is no longer fit for ministry, said the elders of Harvest Bible Chapel, the megachurch MacDonald founded in the Chicago suburbs in 1988. In a statement released on Sunday, the church elders found MacDonald was prone to anger, “had a pattern of improperly exercising positional and spiritual […]
CHURCH FINANCES: US EVANGELICAL FINANCIAL WATCHDOG FACES SCRUTINY OVER BACKING OF ERRANT MEGACHURCH
BOBBY ROSS, Jr, of Religion News Service, reports…
In the US, Harvest Bible Chapel apologises as it installs new elder board
Chicago, IllinoisRNS Harvest Bible Chapel has apologised both privately and publicly to a freelance journalist and two bloggers whom it sued last fall. The lawsuit, which also included the bloggers’ wives, had claimed the journalist and bloggers defamed the Chicago-area megachurch. The lawsuit later was dropped. Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, on 10th February. PICTURE: […]
Financial watchdog ousts Chicago-area megachurch Harvest Bible Chapel
Chicago, USRNS The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a Christian financial watchdog group, has terminated the membership of Harvest Bible Chapel. The council pointed to “significant violations” of several of its financial standards in a written statement released Wednesday evening. Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. PICTURE: Courtesy of Google Maps “ECFA continues to champion integrity […]
US evangelical financial accountability group suspends Chicago-area megachurch Harvest Bible Chapel
Chicago, USRNS The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a Christian financial watchdog group, has suspended Harvest Bible Chapel, a Chicago-area megachurch, after church leaders admitted “a lack of financial control and oversight” under the church’s former pastor. Harvest recently fired its founding pastor, James MacDonald, for conduct its elders called “contrary and harmful to the best interests […]
In the US, Harvest announces executive committee will resign, more changes after MacDonald fired
Chicago, USRNS Harvest Bible Chapel, an embattled Chicago-area megachurch, announced this past weekend that the executive committee of its elders will resign. The resignations, which will take place over several months, came days after church elders fired James MacDonald, Harvest’s founding pastor. Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. PICTURE: Courtesy of Google Maps In a statement, the […]
US megachurch founder James MacDonald fired as Harvest Bible Chapel pastor
RNS James MacDonald, the embattled pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, has been fired by the suburban Chicago megachurch he founded three decades ago. His departure follows years of controversy over MacDonald’s leadership style and the church’s finances. Elders announced the move in an update posted to the church’s website on Wednesday. James MacDonald preaches at Harvest Bible […]