Seven years ago, we began to publicly air just a few of the stories that former elders and pastors had begun to share with us in private. While they did not allow us to share many of these stories, we published accounts and documents about finances, power and control as a means of pointing to the much deeper issues that were swirling around MacDonald and Harvest. As of the end of 2017, we felt that we had said all that we could to warn the people of Harvest about this toxic scenario.
Thankfully, in April of 2018, Julie Roys approached The Elephant’s Debt with a desire to continue her own research into this story. As she proceeded to write, even amidst the pressures of ongoing litigation, her fresh approach inspired a new wave of witnesses, some of whom spoke with a previously unparalleled boldness. We are thankful for these folks, particularly Matt Stowell, who spoke with a grace and wisdom that was so needed at that time. Furthermore, we are also deeply indebted to Eric “Mancow” Muller, who grabbed the mic and took a risk by playing a toxic, hot-mic audio of James MacDonald on WLS890AM talk radio. Over the past several weeks, Mr. Muller has displayed a courage that is often profoundly lacking in the evangelical community; and we will always be appreciative of the true leadership he provided in this era.
We recognize that many people at Harvest Bible Chapel are hurting today. And we are hoping and praying for better days ahead for your community.