Chicago radio personality, Mancow Muller, says disgraced megachurch pastor, James MacDonald, asked him to find a hitman to kill someone. MacDonald’s former bodyguard is making a similar claim.
Muller said MacDonald— a celebrity pastor who was fired from Harvest Bible Chapel in February—asked him at least twice in 2018 if Muller knew a hitman MacDonald could hire. Muller said he thought MacDonald was joking at first. But during a conversation in December, Muller said it became clear to him that MacDonald was “really serious.”
Similarly, Emanuel “Manny” Bucur, a deacon at Harvest and former confidant and volunteer bodyguard of MacDonald’s, said MacDonald asked him in 2015 to kill MacDonald’s former son-in-law. Bucur added that MacDonald offered to help him dispose of the body.
Bucur said he was upset by the request but didn’t report it because he figured MacDonald had spoken in anger and simply had a momentary lapse in judgment. Plus, Bucur said he has four daughters and understood MacDonald’s rage toward a man who had allegedly hurt his daughter.
Bucur agreed to tell his story anonymously on a podcast of Muller’s, which was recorded on Thursday but has not yet aired. Bucur said during the recording session, he heard Muller’s story for the first time and hours later, decided to go on the record with me.
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Muller told me he doesn’t know the identity of the person MacDonald allegedly wanted to kill in December. Muller said he got the impression that the person was a rival who was bad-mouthing MacDonald and perhaps “snooping around.” Muller said he definitely didn’t think it was MacDonald’s former son-in-law. Muller said he urged MacDonald to leave vengeance to God, “who punishes worse than man.”
I repeatedly called and texted MacDonald over the weekend to comment on both Bucur’s and Muller’s accounts, but he did not respond.
Muller began attending Harvest in 2014 and became friends with MacDonald in 2016. That friendship ended earlier this year when Muller’s view of Harvest and his former pastor soured. Muller now accuses MacDonald of stealing millions from congregants and calls Harvest a “cult.” In February, Muller aired vulgar comments by MacDonald that were recorded on a hot mic and MacDonald was fired the same day.
Nathan Murray, an Indiana pastor who says he’s been a friend and spiritual mentor of Muller’s for more than 10 years, said Muller told him in January about MacDonald’s alleged murderous request. Murray said Muller was “freaked out about it” and in a “kind of Jim Jones shock.” Murray said he recognizes that Muller is a “shock-jock” who “exaggerates for a living.” But Murray said he can tell when his friend is serious, and Muller “was pretty dead serious about it.”
Muller said on Thursday he filed a report with police where he lives in Wilmette, Illinois. He added that he’s terrified of MacDonald, who he believes is “dangerous” and may be targeting him. Muller said police are increasing patrols around his house and Muller also has hired private security.
Wilmette Deputy Police Chief Pat Collins told me that Muller came into the station on Thursday and said there is an active investigation. Collins would not comment on the subject of the investigation. But he said my open-records request for Muller’s police report about MacDonald was denied and that police are not releasing Muller’s report until after the investigation is complete.
Bucur told me that on Thursday, he also gave a statement about MacDonald to police in Bartlett, Illinois. According to Bucur, Bartlett police called him on Friday and said they had talked to Wilmette police, who confirmed that Wilmette Police are investigating MacDonald. Bucur said Bartlett police said they would not be opening a separate investigation, but instead would allow Wilmette to handle the case. I called Bartlett police for further clarification, but they declined to comment.
According to Illinois law, a person who requests or encourages someone to murder another person is guilty of solicitation of murder—a Class X felony carrying a sentence of 15-30 years in prison.
Discussion Allegedly Turns Murderous After Visit to Creation Museum
Bucur said MacDonald asked him to kill MacDonald’s son-in-law, Tony Groves, during a motorcycle trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, from July 31, 2015, to August 2, 2015. Bucur said five others from Harvest were also on that trip—Harvest former Assistant Senior Pastor Rick Donald, former Elder and Executive Director of Harvest Bible Fellowship Kent Shaw, former Elder Marcel Olar, and church members Tom Moore and Steve Lupella.
Bucur said MacDonald’s request took place during breakfast at a restaurant in Indiana on the last day of the trip. Bucur said he was seated immediately to MacDonald’s left, Lupella was on MacDonald’s right, and the rest of the group was seated across the table or at the ends of the table.
Bucur said MacDonald was preoccupied with something on his phone, which he was holding with both hands under the table. Bucur said he glanced down and saw that MacDonald was on a porn site and asked, “Is that what I think it is? Are you on a porn site?”
Bucur said MacDonald then told Bucur in hushed tones that he feared that his son-in-law, Tony Groves, had posted something damaging to his daughter, Abby MacDonald, online, and that’s why MacDonald was searching porn sites. (Bucur said he never saw anything that Groves posted, nor did James MacDonald ever tell him that he found anything that Groves had posted.)
Bucur said MacDonald added that Abby and Groves were getting a divorce, and that Groves had cheated on Abby multiple times. (Groves and Abby divorced in April 2016. Prior to that, Groves was arrested twice and charged with domestic battery—once in 2012 and once in 2013. At least one of those incidents reportedly involved a “girlfriend/mistress.” I called Groves for comment. He said to call back later, but when I did, he didn’t pick up or respond to my messages. I also reached out to Abby MacDonald for comment, but she did not respond.)
Bucur said that MacDonald then leaned toward him until MacDonald was inches from his face and said that he needed to ask him something based on what Bucur had just heard. Bucur said MacDonald then asked Bucur if he would be willing to “take Tony out” for MacDonald.
Bucur said he replied, “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”
Bucur said MacDonald said yes and noted that with Bucur’s background (as a combat marine veteran), it shouldn’t be too hard to kill Groves and get away with it. Bucur said MacDonald added that he’d help Bucur dispose of the body and no one would know.
Bucur said he replied, “Absolutely not! We’re not having this conversation and we’re not talking about this ever again.” Bucur said he didn’t think any of the other men at the breakfast table overheard his discussion with MacDonald. I reached out to all five of them, but only Steve Lupella responded.
Lupella said he remembered sitting on the other side of MacDonald from Bucur during breakfast and seeing MacDonald on his phone for a long time. Lupella said he also remembers observing Bucur and MacDonald have a private conversation. Lupella said he didn’t hear what Bucur and MacDonald discussed but said Bucur was clearly upset and withdrawn afterwards.
Lupella said Bucur normally rode alongside MacDonald on bike trips, but that day Bucur dropped to the back of the pack. Lupella added that after the group stopped at a Dairy Queen later in the day, MacDonald took off before everyone else and headed home alone.
Lupella said a couple weeks later, Bucur told him that MacDonald had asked Bucur to kill Groves or find someone else to kill Groves. Lupella said he assumed MacDonald had just spoken in anger and didn’t really mean it.
Looking back, Bucur said he wishes he had gone to police immediately. He said at the time he was enamored with being in MacDonald’s inner circle and “duped” into believing MacDonald was a man of God.
Spying and Intimidation
According to two former Harvest employees, a year or two before the incident Bucur described, James MacDonald had instructed them to spy on Groves.
Tom Hackl, who worked part-time at Harvest as a men’s ministry assistant, said the instructions to spy on Groves came from his supervisor, former Harvest Director of Biblical Soul Care Garrett Higbee. However, Hackl said he believed that MacDonald was behind the spying.
I talked to Higbee and he confirmed that MacDonald gave him instructions to monitor Groves, which Higbee then relayed to Hackl. Higbee said MacDonald was concerned that “there was some kind of impropriety going on with his son-in-law, and he was trying to enlist some guys to check it out for him.”
Though Higbee participated in the spying, he said he felt uncomfortable with it and told MacDonald that he should get a private investigator. “I let James know it was paranoia,” Higbee said, “and he needed to stop doing this because he was going to end up in trouble.”
[pullquote]“I let James know it was paranoia and he needed to stop doing this because he was going to end up in trouble.”[/pullquote]Hackl said shortly before Christmas in either 2013 or 2014, he got a text from Higbee directing him to go to an apartment where Groves might be and to look for a car with a certain make and license plate. Hackl said he went to the apartment, found the vehicle, and then communicated the information to Higbee. Hackle said Higbee told him to remain at the apartment until further instruction.Hackl said Higbee then directed him to go to the door of the apartment and confront Groves. Hackl said he refused and Higbee backed down.
However, Hackl said he then began getting texts from someone who identified himself as “someone important to the MacDonald family.” Hackl said the person strongly urged him to confront Groves, saying, “As a man of God, you need to do this.” Hackl said he texted back and forth a few times, but then drove away.
Hackl said he was fired in late December 2014 and told his position didn’t exist anymore. Hackl said he believes the real reason he was fired was because he refused to spy on Groves.
Hackl said a year later, the church rehired him for another position. But after a few days on the job, Higbee told Hackl that the church was withdrawing its offer because someone didn’t think Hackl was the right person for the job. Hackl said Higbee wouldn’t say who the person was, or why the person objected to Hackl. Higbee told me he can’t remember who the person was, but thinks the directive came from someone in human resources.
Guns and a Pattern of Violence
In my December WORLD article, “Hard Times at Harvest,” I recounted several disturbing stories concerning James MacDonald’s reportedly angry and violent nature. One involved MacDonald repeatedly stabbing a picture of a former pastor with a butter knife. Another recounted a time that MacDonald made a target out of pictures, including the wives of elders, and shot at it with a pellet gun. And a third, told how MacDonald displayed a “pattern of uncontrolled anger” while teaching high school students at Harvest Christian Academy, allegedly calling them names and threatening them physically.
Former employees at Camp Harvest tell additional, disturbing stories about MacDonald. Bill Pease, who worked as property manager at Camp Harvest from 2005-2010, said he once saw MacDonald shoot a deer at “point-blank range” and said MacDonald didn’t stop shooting until he was out of ammunition.
Former Camp Harvest groundskeeper, Mike Hulburt, attended the same shoot in which MacDonald allegedly unloaded on the deer. Hulburt said the shoot, which occurred in 2008, involved MacDonald and 8-10 of MacDonald’s friends. He said the deer were mangled afterwards—“a stinkin’ mess” with holes throughout their bodies, including bellies, legs, and hind quarters.
Another time, Pease said MacDonald’s assistant called him and asked him to retrieve a gun and $1,000 cash from the glove compartment of MacDonald’s car. According to Pease, a church employee had hit a deer while driving MacDonald’s car back to Chicago from the Camp. (Pease said MacDonald had flown home in a private jet.)
Pease said the car then was towed to a body shop in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pease said the next day, MacDonald’s assistant called Pease and asked Pease to retrieve the gun and cash from the glove compartment of MacDonald’s car. Pease said he then called his friend, who owned the body shop in Grand Rapids, who looked for the gun and cash but didn’t find it. Pease said when he called MacDonald’s assistant back, she said she had just discovered that the employee, who had gotten in the crash, had retrieved the gun and cash already.*
Bucur told me that MacDonald almost always carries a gun in his car.
Podcast Coming
Muller billed the podcast he recorded on Thursday as the “nuclear option”—a last resort he said he’d produce if MacDonald didn’t confess and show remorse for his actions. MacDonald has been silent since Harvest fired him. And on Thursday, MacDonald reportedly informed Harvest that he is pursuing arbitration concerning his termination and ownership of Walk in the Word—MacDonald’s broadcast ministry, which used to reach millions.
Muller was expected to release the podcast on Thursday. But he told me on Friday that police had requested that he wait a day or two before releasing it. Bucur told me he appears on the podcast anonymously as “George.” He said also on the podcast is an anonymous guest and Constantine Fotopoulos, a former church member and close friend of MacDonald.
Muller texted me that he’s grieved to go public with something so sordid concerning his former friend and pastor. “Nobody wanted ANY of this,” Muller said. “We wanted to worship Jesus Christ and instead we got the devil’s messenger in Boss MacDonald. This is more hassle and heartbreak then most can imagine. I’m still a believer in Christ but believe MacDonald has pushed many towards being agnostic or worse.”
UPDATE: Mancow Muller’s podcast is now live.
*Correction: The original version of this story reported that Pease had retrieved the gun and cash himself.
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131 Responses
And somehow, none of this is surprising. #McMafia
“Look up here…Your sin will find you out…choose to sin, choose to suffer.” He’s about to find out the weight of those comments. Can’t believe I/we have been duped by this guy for decades. Only the Lord is trustworthy and does not move. I have less than zero trust in any pastor ever again.
This is one of the most tragic consequences of the elders of Harvest failure to reign in the ego and narcissim of James. It reminds me of the 1 Samuel 2:17, the sin of Eli’s sons with the offering to God caused the people to despise the offering of God. You will need time to heal, but the uniform testimony of history is that the James MacDonald’s of the pastorate are a minority. They exist. They always have. The apostle Paul mentions a few of them in his letters. But they are a minority.
I agree. Not to distract from the reality of JM, but there is not nearly the focus on the elders/other leaders as there should be. What they did is also pure evil. It cannot be minimized.
Enabling evil is evil, yet they do not get the attention they deserve.
And there are still many who will defend JM, all while scorning and attacking any whistle blowers, or any who ask questions or confront this evil.
James is clearly a very very sick man… why didn’t anyone love him enough to make him go get help?
Former member 2 that is a very good question, I think number one reason was fear of JMac (so obviously unhinged) the other was fear the gravy train would stop. Makes me think of celebrities who end up train wrecks, we all see it coming & wonder why no one tries to help.
For sure we find great love exemplified in the MacDonald household. Kathy, dear wife of JMac and loving mother of Abby is the Mother Teresa of the USA. Pastor Luke and Landon MacDonald; spiritual and biological sons of JMac are very protective brothers. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 NIV “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?
What?
GH, I was being sarcastic. Even his own family didn’t “love him enough to make him go get help.”. They have some responsibility and blame for his behavior.
Unless, they too are terrorized.
Me and My friend Paul Strzala met with pastor Brian Bradshaw and that sleazebag Steve Huston in Dec 2017….we asked them that very question and many others….We instantly became pariahs.
It’s very possible they did. Malignant Narcissists (and after reading this story I’m starting to think he might also have some psychopathy going on) don’t “get help”. They believe they don’t need it, because they believe nothing is actually wrong with them in the first place.
You can’t “make” someone like that get help.
Chilled to the bone and physically nauseous as this story Julie, bookends all of your investigation. Anyone who is prompted to hurt an innocent and defenseless animal in such away is a psychopath. That all of these men and women, former staff and friends were paralyzed into silence all of this time is frightening. JMac is WITHOUT defense! No wonder he has been creeping around with pseudo names on the various Twitter feeds. He is a Jekyll and Hyde even worse than a wolf in sheep‘s clothing. Anyone who supports him even now, is complicit.
The nuclear option indeed BOOM! I am sick in my soul. God help us; I pray that all of this information gets into the hands of members who still attend Harvest. God will not be mocked.
Just when you think it can’t get worse….
I’m not at all surprised what is alleged here about James MacDonald, who I firmly believe is a very dangerous, wicked man.
I believe the testimony of these brave men, Mancow Muller, Manny Bucur and others mentioned who are willing to speak out. Praying for them and their families, and you too Julie. I have the greatest respect for you (and Muller) for reporting on this terrible situation, as scary as it is.
What a sad day we live in, when men and women seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in a church… only to find themselves unknowingly being targeted by a devilish wolf “pastor” who wants to corrupt them, or destroy their lives, their families and faith? I think a lot of people have been put through absolute hell by their association with James MacDonald.
I pray that law enforcement will take these allegations seriously, and importantly, be able to do something about it.
Really, I dont doubt the story but your not surprised? Stealing and abusing people is one thing, contracting hits is another. With respect please tell why your not surprised.
Yeah, I was so sure he drew the line at stealing the inheritances of the elderly and pretending to murder former staff members with butter knives. Sorry Daniel, many of us are not at all surprised.
Out of all this, one of the more shocking and confusing aspects is the numerous clients I work with that continue to go to HBC like nothing is wrong! I’ve actually probed a bit to see why, but mostly just get blank stares and changing of the subject. Or, a questioning stance that asks why the outside world is trying to “hurt” what God is trying to heal.
Can’t understand, I’ve gotten the same exact response…..I guess that’s what happens in a Cult.
Hi Dan, I’ve been taking note of these ” reactions” for quite a while now , call me what you will but it certainly seems to me that they are under the “spell” of ANOTHER GOSPEL. Until one comes out and separates themselves I’ve found that they actually CAN NOT HEAR. It is quite amazing in a bad way.
When I read Julie’s article, Hard Times at Harvest, I was immediately alarmed when I read about MacDonald stabbing a picture in anger and shooting at the pictures of elder’s wives. Those behaviors spoke to a deeper pathology than just someone “having a temper.” No, it spoke to a lack of regard for the dignity and worth of another human; it revealed a lack of empathy for others; and it spoke to a level of entitlement that is, quite frankly, dangerous.
When Mancow first spoke about the nuclear option, I guessed it would be about rape and/or murder; these behaviors fit into everything else I have read about James MacDonald.
Reading this today about MacDonald does not shock me; what does shock me is the number of people who knew MacDonald was unhinged, yet said and did nothing. My statement is not meant to finger-point and/or accuse, I understand there are mitigating factors every person involved had to weigh; I think this should be an important example for all of us though, that if we see someone who is harmful to our-self and others, speaking up could, quite literally, save a life.
Praying the Lord continues to reveal all the sins of these men. Each one needs to be held accountable for perpetuating a system of abuse. Thank you Julie, Mancow, and Manny for bringing these troubling truths to light.
It’s sad that Harvest is even TALKING to him about arbitration. This wolf in sheep’s clothing should get NOTHING. WHY would Harvest give him what he needs to do all this again?? Either in Naples Florida or by fleecing unsuspecting people after he bullies them into giving him walk in the word again. This is all disgusting. They need to stop talking to him because they owe him NOTHING. If they give him anything, intellectual property, money, anything at all, they are complicit in whatever he does later.
Martin, I’m fairly certain that the church has no option but to go to arbitration per the bylaws or per the contract they have with him. In other words. Arbitration occurs when the two parties disagree and is legally binding once that process is completed
Where are the incriminating bits on the 50 minute hot mic recording provided by Muller? I listened thru it but must have missed it while working.
I use to hunt. Anyone who would shoot a deer point-blank (except as an act to relieve its suffering) and unload their gun on it could not be my friend. I knew some kids like that, they’re SCARY.
Someone please notify the IL State Police firearms division to revoke his FOID authorization card to buy weapons and ammo.
Go for it – you can do this, don’t wait.
Make him turn in his all weapons and and ammo.
Reading this makes me wonder– when did all of these actions start? I am starting to think that the chemo rounds and the radiation might have fundamentally altered him. Something changed after his time with Driscoll.
I’ve heard stories though of him stealing and manipulating back from the beginning.
Deeplygrateful, interesting comment. I was at Harvest and watched all the sermons when he was in CA undergoing treatment for his prostate CA. Hate to even think it, but maybe the only way he will be stopped is if the Lord allows his cancer to return and metastasize. I don’t wish this for anyone but who knows? I have no clue when his behavior started going south – I was only there for 5 years (2009-2014). I thank the Lord He led me out of that place and to a church where Jesus Christ and the Word of God are lifted up.
I do feel that everyone and anyone reading these blogs by Julie, who work in all the various levels of law enforcement and government, will join forces and ACT…before anything more insidious happens to our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ who have been hurt by this person. I can’t even call him by his title anymore because it makes me sick.
Former member 2, in response to your question “why didn’t anyone love him enough to make him go get help” I agree that Paula’s two mentioned ideas are possible reasons (depending on how close one was to him where they actually received “the gravy train”). I would also say that part of the answer lies in your question. “…make him go get help.” That seems contradictory to me. You really can’t make someone get help if they don’t want it. I’ve worked in law enforcement for a while now, and classic examples of this are drug addicts, suicidal people, and abusive relationships. The people in these situations may be very aware they need help (though in many cases they are not), but you can’t want change for someone more than they do. It just won’t happen.
“Can’t Understand” – respond to your question of why people still continue to attend HBC, I have friends that still attend there. When asked why, the answer was that they have legitimate solid community (mostly from small groups I believe). While I don’t know if that would personally be enough motivation for me to stay, I can understand where they are coming from. To say “keep your small group/community, but just have everyone go worship elsewhere on the weekends” may sound easy and great on paper, but in reality is much more difficult.
This goes far beyond being “sick.” If these allegations are true then this falls into the category of evil and not mental illness. It looks like MacDonald and his cohorts have been running a mafia-style criminal enterprise and using his “church” as a cover. Prayerfully now authorities will criminally investigate this man. Hopefully all of the people who have information on this man’s criminal activities come forward and speak out before he really hurts someone. This really makes me sick to the stomach.
Julie, This is too over the top for me to believe. I have great respect for you and what you are doing, but you may have been duped on this one. If you just step back and read this, it is so off the wall that I’m not sure the National Inquirer would print this.
Doug, you’re wrong: Julie Roys is MUCH more careful than that—she never puts anything into print without getting the same facts from at least two witnesses, as she herself has mad clear. That’s standard journalism put into practice.
Think how foolish it would be to make something public that is not true—and open oneself up to potentially-unending liigation.
Doug keep your opinion in Naples we in chicago are tired of hearing from you. What do you think about someone pumping bullets into deer? Hoping this revelation brings the DNR back to his Michigan camp after they came out and then left again after an apparent rip off to back off from a higher up!
Doug,
Too over the top to believe? How is this out of line with his previous behavior? And more to the point, we are talking multiple witnesses. This isn’t just some guy’s testimony, it’s three people confirming the same story.
Doug, the PD seems to think it worthwhile enough to investigate. They don’t investigate ideas unless there is enough there to substantiate the claim. Once you see it in the news, will you then be a believer of the post?
Doug, you’re wrong. What’s unfortunate is that other men with similar stories about James MacDonald still won’t come forward. Regarding his son-in-law, James was engaging in–shall we say, a VARIETY–of revenge-driven activities. That he would ask someone to kill the SIL is more than believable, and I will be surprised if he actually dropped the “quest” when Mr. Bucur said no. What did he do next? is my wondering.
Doug, I can see why it seems pretty over the top and hard to stomach. But just because it is difficult for you to fathom, doesn’t mean it isn’t true. I’m not saying 100% it is true because I’m not privy to the intricate details. But I think it’s completely feasibly. To give you a real life example I can speak from, you may find it over the top to think that a “Christian” parent would repeatedly sexually assault their own young child. But it happens. I know it does. I’ve investigated multiple cases of “Christians” doing very ungodly things. Things you and I would never think of doing. But just because it is outside our realm of thinking doesn’t mean it is the case for other “believers” as well.
*feasible*
It is extreme, but in context, it’s also consistent with his other bullying behavior. James didn’t need multiple full time bodyguards. He has none now and he’s fine. He kept them on the payroll to act as an entourage and to try to use them to bully others by proxy. We know that’s happened via another bodyguard’s testimony. This was simply an extension of his prior actions of trying to “unleash” his muscle on people with whom he disagreed.
I would urge you to use more caution in Naples, Doug. Sooner or later, James turns on all in his inner circle. Since that circle is far smaller now, it means your turn will be coming up. You’ve got a wife and kids to think about. The man displays psycopathic tendencies and a certain degree of bloodlust.
Jeremiah 5:26-28a (NIV)
26
“Among my people are the wicked
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27
Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
28
and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit…
Their evil deeds have no limit…
Their evil deeds have no limit…
No one is demonic to this level without a good deal of insulation and knowledge by others. Anyone who claims this is James by himself and Harvest is “fine” and outside of this is greatly mistaken. The whole place needs to be shut down. There are no adjectives and adverbs left to describe this level of evil, cover up, abuse, criminality, collusion, manipulation, deception, etc. RESIGN elders, campus pastors, XLT-CLT, Harvest HR, etc.
I agree! This modern day Sodom and Gomora should be destroyed. God has warned us. Woe unto them who look to Harvest as Lot’s wife did. Judgement is coming!
Just when you think it can’t worse .. it did… really unbelievable… so incredibly sad… being a nurse I am also thinking if there has not been some sort of mental fracture that has taken place… or he has been caught by the evil one himself ….. and used to tear down the church from within …. God help us when we do not control evil from within the walls of the church…. FEAR keeps people from acting and this one needed spiritual warfare to take place…… there were warnings by many…..God has removed him through his people….. I have seen something similar before and destruction lay all around….
What more poetic justice could there be than the police escorting him away from this particular child’s wedding?
So the director of soul care told a part-time staff person to spy on the lead pastor’s son in law. This raises serious questions about the professional ethics of Mr Higbee.
He is serving where at this time?
Fisher, check out the guest blog post I made on The Wondering Eagle. It was focused on Higbee: https://wonderingeagle.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/guest-post-kristen-draughan-as-a-licensed-social-worker-explains-the-problems-with-garrett-higbees-soul-care-counseling/
In short, here is the answer to your question; also, I’ve attached other references for your reading enjoyment.
According to his LinkedIn page, these are the ministries in which he has a leadership role: Director of Pastoral Care for the Great Commission Collective, President of Twelve Stones Ministry, and being on the Board of Directors for the Biblical Counseling Commission.
LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-higbee-94333625
Soul Care Consulting: https://www.soulcareconsulting.com/
Biblical Counseling Coalition: https://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/person/garrett-higbee/
Twelve Stones: http://twelvestones.org/about-us/counseling-philosophy
Model of Therapy: http://www.harvestbiblechapel.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Let-Me-Draw-You-a-Picture.pdf
Resignation Letter: http://thewartburgwatch.com/2019/03/22/garrett-higbees-letter-of-resignation-and-his-statement-on-his-years-at-harvest-bible-chapel/
1st Public Statement: https://wonderingeagle.wordpress.com/2019/02/25/preserving-garrett-higbees-statement-on-harvest-bible-chapel-scandal/
Statement to Elders: http://thewartburgwatch.com/tww2/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/HigbeeHBC.pdf
Wow. To be a pastor one is called to be above reproach. Even *if* he was just angry, being angry does not mean it’s ok to speak like that and definitely not ok to inquire about a murder no matter how not serious you are. Not as a Christian leader. Not as a Christian. Period. James does not possess the fruits of the spirit. And judging by James’ actions and deeds I fear for his soul as I have become convinced that he does not know Jesus Christ but has been a con man all along. I pray that he will never have the opportunity to deceive anyone else. The fact that he is still fighting for WITW is nauseating.
” which occurred in 2008, involved MacDonald and 8-10 of MacDonald’s friends. ” Do we know who the friends were??
I’m worried for you Julie, for the bloggers, everyone. Please be careful.
Is there any hard proof/evidence of these allegations beyond two people saying it happened, such as text messages or audio recordings? Otherwise, people could easily write it off as coming from disgruntled former friends and staff, since it sounds so ridiculous on the surface, even with all the other stuff that has been reported in the media. Why did this news not come directly from Mancow first, considering he has been outspoken about James on his radio show, twitter, and podcast. Why did he let you break it (by giving you the information on the podcast topic) before him?? He also has a bigger audience than you through those avenues.