James MacDonald

"Citing a tip published by Dee Parsons at The Wartburg Watch, independent journalist Julie Roys, confirmed in a report Tuesday that MacDonald gifted Stetzer a just under $13,000 1971 VW Beetle last April. Stetzer said he had no idea MacDonald used money from church donations to pay for the gift." - Christian Post

"Admitting they had 'made mistakes,' members of the elder board spoke to Harvest Bible Chapel’s congregation and promised big changes are coming to the Chicago area megachurch. ....a whole lot of people are going to be resigning from positions of leadership—including all five members of the executive committee of the elder board." - Church Leaders

"After LifeWay pulls James MacDonald’s Bible studies, Christians consider if and when a leader’s teachings remain edifying after a scandal." - Christianity Today

"Elders announced the move in an update posted to the church’s website on Wednesday (Feb. 13)." - RNS

The elders of Harvest Bible Chapel announced Wednesday that Pastor James MacDonald would take an “indefinite sabbatical” from preaching and leadership at the Chicago megachurch while it works to reconcile with past critics. The decision came after the church’s Executive Committee of the Elders held a closed-door meeting on Monday and presented its recommendations to the entire Elder Board Tuesday night.

"James MacDonald’s church takes unfavorable ruling as “God’s direction” to abandon legal effort against Julie Roys and Elephant’s Debt blog." - CToday

At one time, three members of the Stowell family worked at James MacDonald’s Chicago-area mega-church, Harvest Bible Chapel. Joe Stowell, Sr., President of Cornerstone University and former President of the Moody Bible Institute, served as a teaching pastor there. His son, Joe Stowell, Jr., served as an executive pastor. And Matt Stowell served as a worship pastor. Then, during a six-month period in 2008, all three Stowells left Harvest quietly.

Conference president Danny Wood: MacDonald ... "contacted me personally to say he is stepping away from all outside speaking engagements for a season." - BPNews