Disgraced megachurch pastor James MacDonald has been arrested and charged with felony assault and battery in California, after authorities say he attacked a 59-year-old woman, resulting in “serious injuries.”
According to a criminal complaint filed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s office, MacDonald faces one charge of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and one count of battery with serious bodily injury.
“James MacDonald personally inflicted great bodily injury upon Barbara Bass . . .” the complaint reads. It adds that MacDonald “did willfully and unlawfully use force and violence” on Bass.
If convicted of all charges, MacDonald faces seven years in prison, according to Tanya Sierra, assistant director of communications for the San Diego County District Attorney’s office.
MacDonald has pleaded not guilty, Sierra said.
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MacDonald’s attorney, Michael Pancer, dijo en un comunicado a El Informe Roys (TRR), “James MacDonald has never, nor would ever, intentionally harm another human being. The charges as written are not accurate as to what took place. We believe the evidence will show Dr. MacDonald’s intent and conduct was neither malicious, nor correctly assigned, in the charges filed.”
The incident involving MacDonald and Bass occurred on March 22 and was reported En facebook at the time by the Coronado Police Department. However, the initial statement by police simply identified the alleged assailant as a “62-year-old man.”
After receiving a tip, TRR reached out to the Coronado Police Department. Police spokesperson Lea Corbin responded and confirmed that the 62-year-old man involved in the alleged assault was James MacDonald.
According to the police statement, the assault happened after MacDonald struck a car parked in front of him while attempting to parallel park his truck on the 900 block of Orange Avenue in Coronado at 10:15 a.m. The occupant of the car, a 59-year-old woman, got out of her car to talk to MacDonald, the statement said. MacDonald then reportedly “jumped out of his truck and attacked the victim.”
The statement said the victim sustained “serious injuries” and was transported to the hospital.
(Photo: Coronado Police Dept. / Facebook)
The alleged attack comes four years after macdonald fue despedido from Chicago-area megachurch, Capilla de la Biblia de la cosecha, for “engaging in conduct . . . contrary and harmful to the best interests of the church.”
Prior to his firing, TRR had published numerosos artículos, documenting MacDonald’s alleged intimidación, abuso espiritual, y mala conducta financiera. Chicago radio personality Mancow Muller had also broadcast a vulgar “hot mic” recording in which MacDonald joked about planting child porn on the computer of a Christian media executive. Later, Muller and MacDonald’s former bodyguard told TRR that MacDonald had asked them to find a hitman to kill someone.
Police said that during the recent attack, MacDonald’s truck rolled backwards and struck the vehicle parked behind him. They added that witnesses came to the victim’s aid and stopped MacDonald from leaving the area.
When officers arrived on the scene, they arrested MacDonald, police said. They added that they found a “stolen gun” inside MacDonald’s truck. However, Corbin told TRR that the gun was not stolen, as initially reported.
Police closed Orange Avenue, a busy street in Coronado, for 1½ hours while officers investigated.
A friend of the victim sent TRR the picture below, which she said was taken the day after the assault when MacDonald reportedly returned to the alleged crime scene.
Lt. Alex Navarro of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department told TRR that MacDonald was booked into San Diego Central Jail on March 22 around 2:30 p.m. He was released on $35,000 bail the same day just before 11:00 p.m.
A week after the incident, on March 29, MacDonald was arraigned on the assault and battery charges, according to spokesperson Tanya Sierra.
MacDonald is scheduled to appear for a readiness hearing on June 14 and a preliminary hearing on July 6, Sierra said.
TRR has requested a copy of MacDonald’s mugshot but was told that California law prohibits the release of mugshots unless there is “an immediate threat to public safety.”
ACTUALIZAR: After this story published, TRR received a copy of minimal police report from the Coronado Police Department. In a letter sent with the report, Coronado Police Records Specialist Jennifer Reloj stated: “There was a police investigation regarding the records that you have requested, specifically related to an incident occurring on March 22, 2023. Police investigative files and official information are privileged and confidential pursuant to California statutory and case law. . .”
Police Letter and Record:
James MacDonald Police Report_Redacted1James S. MacDonald Criminal Complaint – San Diego County – April 12, 2023
James S. MacDonald Criminal Complaint
Julie Roys es una reportera de investigación veterana y fundadora de The Roys Report. Anteriormente, también presentó un programa de entrevistas nacional en Moody Radio Network, llamado Up for Debate, y ha trabajado como reportera de televisión para una filial de CBS. Sus artículos han aparecido en numerosas publicaciones periódicas.
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105 Respuestas
Perhaps it was just a matter of time before MacDonald’s temper would boil over to hurt someone.
I would be VERY surprised if this was the first person he’s assaulted. It’s likely just the person he’s assaulted that is not under is power and authority, and therefor able to speak out against it.
Exactly…”under his power and authority”
I was a member of Harvest Bible Chapel Elgin (Illinois) about ten years ago and was a member of the parking lot ministry. Reading this story brings back a lot of memories for me. One evening in below zero weather I was working in the parking garage. Part of the garage was blocked off by cones and other parking barriers. There were ramps that led to several levels of the garage, and I was standing at the top of the ramp on the first level. As I was standing there, I saw James’s drive in and within minutes I heard him yelling at the top of his lungs. However, I could not make out what he was saying because he was several feet away from me. Moments later I noticed him get out of his car to move the cones, so he could drive through. When he got to our level, he yelled at me and another volunteer in the garage, but much of his vitriol was directed at me.
He pretty much tore me down because I didn’t walk down the ramp to remove the cones. Needless to say, he and I had a few words, but soon after that I stop attending that church. I had never been so humiliated by a man of the cloth. James is a talented preacher, so I hope and pray he gets the help that he needs.
I don’t understand why being a talented orator should merit anyone’s prayers that he get “the help he needs”. Christianity doesn’t need more “talented orators”. We simply need Christians like him to be decent human beings.
“Decent human being” isn’t SPIRITUAL enough.
“Decent human being” does not bring celebrity, praise for you behavior, wealth, power over others, or the ability to be above the law. They are not concerned with how God views them, they crave the look at what am doing, look how special I am, praise, celebrity culture, and benefits from their fellow man/woman.
Witnesses, medical report, etc. It sounds as though the authorities have plenty of information to sort this out
Living in America’s finest city and knowing many fine folks of SDPD, my man wouldn’t have got the bracelets and paperwork if he didn’t deserve it.
“great bodily injury”, that, with the 7 year possible sentence, indicates it must be a felony charge, not just simple assault, the kind of charge that fights without weapons usually get.
DNA sample previously provided. That sounds like he’s been arrested and fingerprinted before. When?
Did he have a permit for his gun? I suppose so, or they would have added that charge. Can that be looked up in California?
Well-written article, and balanced. Maybe put a disclosure somewhere in about the lawsuit he brought against Julie Roys (and which failed humiliatingly for him).
I wonder if what he’ll mind most about this article is that it shows he’s a rotten driver.
Maybe that 9mm “in his truck” factored into it?
But I don’t see any firearms charge tacked on; California law is really really touchy about firearms.
That’s why I’m curious about “his truck”. Often He-Man Masters of the Universe (in their own mind) will buy and drive the biggest, most intimidating vehicle they can, just to bully everyone else on the road. “ME MAN! RAWR!”
(Joke) They call it the “Dodge Ram” because you can ram anything short of a big rig and come out on top.
Pray this is not true, but I’ll not be surprised if it is. The disease of Hate has overtaken this Nation. ????
“Pray this is not true …”
Why? In order for the story not to be true, the alleged assault victim would have to be lying, the witnesses would have to be lying, the police and the courts would have to be incompetent or dishonest, and Julie Roys would have to be incompetent or dishonest.
It would be praying for a lot of people to have done a lot of things that are wrong, and for what benefit? What is the upside if this story, as reported, is not true?
Wouldn’t you rather someone be lying rather than actually being assaulted?
“If your Conspiracy Theory doesn’t fit the facts, Invent a Bigger Conspiracy!”
— Kooks Magazine
I let my subscription to “Kooks” expire because eggs are so expensive now.
Jaunita, True that there is no shortage of bad behavior in the public sphere. This incident? It’s on one man only who failed to exercise self-control or personal restraint in an admittedly upsetting and stressful situation.
If he can do that to a woman he doesn’t even know, imagine what he could do to someone he hates like Julie. If this doesn’t burn his platform to the ground when nothing else has, all hope is lost in stopping wolves.
Will past violent threats figure in to this case? Is having a pistol in CA an issue? Greg Laurie going to speak out against his buddy? Any of the other big dogs in the evangelical industrial complex?
If his cronies in the Evangelical Megachurch Industrial Complex feel like he’s a weight around their necks and not able to offer them anything but bad press, they’ll dump him in a heartbeat.
Like Josh McDowell and I anticipate, Brian Houston.
James MacDonald has an anger problem. This has been evident for years. He also has a pride problem. This has also been evident for years. He now has another legal problem, this time in the criminal justice system in CA.
I take no joy in this. Yet after all that has passed between him and fprmer elders, former parishioners, former friends, former employers and now a complete stranger with whom he had a traffic accident, I am unsurprised by this.
Now it’s time to go tend to the plank in my own eye.
Love your final sentence … “Now it’s time to go tend to the plank in my eye. So very true, Linda. As a matter of fact I will do the same thing, my sister.
I find it confusing. The point of the passage about removing the plank in one’s eye before trying to remove the speck in another (Matt 7) is that we will be judged by the same measure we judge others. So, unless you’re out assaulting people, I don’t see how this passage applies to this situation.
Though I appreciate the humility and earnestness many Christians have concerning their own sin, I fear these kinds of responses are examples of sin leveling. I encourage you to listen to this podcast on the topic with Rebecca Davis: https://julieroys.com/podcast/untwisting-the-scriptures-wolves-hypocrisy-sin-leveling/
I have the utmost respect for your work as well as your personal integrity in doing the work. I have listened to your podcast on sin-leveling (not just now, but when it came out). I see “sin leveling” as people in power in the church trying to silence those who speak out against abusive behaviors. And also “sin leveling” can be people who call complaining about abuses within the church as “gossip” trying to silence any criticisms or ability to have it come to light. I will listen to the podcast again when I have some time this weekend to give it deeper consideration. Regardless, when the power structure must be preserved at all costs, this is corruption within the institutional church (such as it is these days in all its forms)
To clarify why I included this last sentence, I, too, struggle with anger and pride. There’s my own plank while I comment on the same problems James MacDonald struggles with, albeit much more publicly than I have ever had to do. Repentance is the key and a resolve to continue to walk and act as Christ did. I pray that James MacDonald will answer the call to repentance and to humble himself as Christ did.
Blessings on you and your continued work, Julie.
There is a huge difference in teachers and laymen!
The teacher is held ti the highest of standards not laymen
Jesus said let there not be many teachers
So again the plank thing? It had no relevance and it also victimized the victim even more !
I find it a little over the top to say that Linda’s attempt at self-awareness, rather it was relevant or not, revictimized the victim. Maybe dial back the rhetoric a little.
Outstanding Julie. I’ve said that many times and most people, unfortunately don’t understand the point being made. Which is why many many Christians don’t have the knowledge or guts to stand their ground against evil.
Here’s why people should use that passage. Subtitles confuse the context of this text. “Enter by the NARROW gate. For the gate is WIDE and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is NARROW and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are FEW… “Not EVERYONE who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” This may be true of James. The “plank” is what holds one from the narrow gate. Perhaps jail or prison would be apropos in this situation. Pending the facts. However, his past outbursts tend to be his pattern. Not everyone acts like James. But God forbid I overlook my sin. Paul said he was the “CHIEF” of sinners.
We know that we all fail, but we don’t have to feel guilty for calling out a leader in the Church for allegedly severely beating a woman.
The “plank in the eye” does not apply here, as no one is attempting to remove a speck from MacDonald’s eye.
MacDonald is a violent, manipulative abuser. He is a criminal. Your use of this verse here seems like an attempt at “sin leveling,” which is neither biblical nor helpful.
This was already discussed above. Do we really need to pile on Linda for attempting to have a little self awareness. It reeks of sanctimony.
Gordon, I didn’t read the other comments when I left mine. Not sure if they hadn’t yet posted, or if I just missed them.
You think he’s reached rock bottom yet? I believe he’s a sociopath at this point. My prayers continue that he will find Jesus and true repentance.
That makes me think of an excellent title for a book: The sociopaths created by the church industrial complex. Woolridge sounds like a great name for a future, famous author . When you start the outline don’t forget Bully Driscoll , Bill Hybels , Robert Morris, Greg Locke……….
Oh my, me too, Sarah. Yes.Yes.Yes. That he will find Jesus and true repentance. Right on!
I wander if this is not so much of an issue of “finding Jesus and repenting” but rather is a situation rooted in mental illness.
I’m not a clinician by any means, but strongly believe mental illness could be a strong possibility here. I mean this in a kind way, not to cast a stigma on him.
I suspect he might always have been one. Any position that gives someone authority over others, adulation, and limited accountability is always going to be a magnet for sociopathic personalities
Oh boy, wonder how this will impact his, “Act Like a Man” ministry.
Sometimes, I don’t want to read this stuff because it so depressing. But, I guess daylight is still the best disinfectant…
Having had the benefit of knowing my two grandfathers and my father (who passed when I was in my 50s & admittedly I am a Daddy’s girl) and many uncles, I can tell you that there is no one way to “Act Like a Man.” James MacDonald seems to have a warped sense of masculinity coupled with a
“my way or the highway” attitude and personal style. In ministry, in his personal invective included and ad hominem attacks against Julie Roys, who committed the cardinal sin of simply reporting on his behavior, and in life as Joe Citizen on the street, he exhibits what the kids nowadays call out as “toxic masculinity”. Maybe they a few things we have not yet learned? Just sayin’.
Linda, Not sure, but you may have missed my tongue in cheek comment. I was making fun of the idea that a guy with a ministry about being a “real man” punches out a lady. It would be funny if it weren’t so sad.
I hope and pray that the victim and witnesses do not allow themselves to be bribed to drop the charges, if that is possible. If he can get away with this attack, he will do it again. And she can always sue for personal damages after he is convicted.
MacDonald has deep pockets so quite possible he can pay people off.
“MacDonald’s attorney, Michael Pancer, said in a statement to The Roys Report (TRR), “James MacDonald has never, nor would ever, intentionally harm another human being. The charges as written are not accurate as to what took place. We believe the evidence will show Dr. MacDonald’s intent and conduct was neither malicious, nor correctly assigned, in the charges filed.””
Notice the language “… never, nor would ever, intentionally harm another human being”, my bet is they are going to say he accidentally tripped or stumbled into her, causing the damage.
Clearly, there is something amiss with James MacDonald! What is really sad is that no matter how one may feel about the man, he was given a tremendous gift to teach the Scriptures, and many lives were positively impacted. However, two things can be true: even gifted People can be unwell…as evidenced by this latest incident surrounding MacDonald’s anger and out-of-control behavior. Yes, I pray for the female victim, and I pray for James MacDonald that a healing can take place deep within his soul and spirit!
I want to push back on that a bit. I used to routinely listen to James MacDonald on the radio. He is a skilled orator. So, does James MacDonald have a “tremendous gift to teach the Scriptures” or is he just a skilled performer? I’m sure there are many Hollywood actors who could deliver the same quality product using the same medium (church preaching) however I wouldn’t call their performance a “tremendous gift to teach the Scriptures.”
In retrospect, having listened to hours of James MacDonald on the radio and now having a better picture of his character, I question the validity of things he preached. Was I really getting Christ-honoring teaching or was I being deceived? I’m sure at the time I would have said that I was being positively impacted by listening to those shows, however now I just feel manipulated and embarrassed that I readily accepted teaching from someone solely based on their oratory skills and their approval by the gatekeepers operating the radio station.
I heard him preach once, and he was very good. The efficacy of the pastor doesn’t depend on his personal morality– to believe otherwise is the Donatist heresy that St. Augustine fought. True, he was probably good at manipulation, but test his preaching against the Bible and your own reason, and you’ll find he was generally good. That he didn’t practice what he preached just shows that he has no excuse for his evil behavior.
I loved listening to James McDonald daily I invited a friend to join me in attending his speaking event in our city. I was embarrassed and disappointed by the money-making, high pressure marketing style of the event.
He was friendly and charming until he realized my friend was purchasing a book, but I was not. I never listened to him another day.
“Be on your guard against … hypocrisy. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known.” Luke 12:1-2
It’s all performative Christianity. You shall know them by their fruits. James MacDonald has not been yielding good fruit for years, and he shows no signs of repentence and submission to any authority other than his own ego. Sad but not surprising. At all.
Let me guess…
The Friendship and Charm turned off like a light switch?
Click On, Click Off?
I grew up with a Sociopath Manipulator in my family. I know the pattern.
“The Friendship and Charm turned off like a light switch?”
Is EXACTLY how I would describe it.
Why is it any wonder ? The blame falls squarely on shepherds to guard the flock from wolves especially ravenous ones like Ravi Zacharias and even Ben Courson
Paul said he grieve ravenous wolves will come and OVERTAKE the flock!
Wolves can’t come in unless pastors are letting them in
The greater sin is on pastors that find it’s too high of a cost to protect God’s sheep!
And when the pastors are the wolves? What then?
I didn’t say that ! They are worse than wolves when they lead trusting people to the flock !
Read 2 john all of the 1/2 page regarding even giving Godspeed to a wolf
The judgment is that they will receive the sane judgment that partake in a wolf devil deeds
I’m sorry I misunderstood
You said what then ?
When a pastor condines it endorses a wolf must be approached and even confronted !
If he does not repent then it’s a decision to leave anyone that endorses God’s enemy
Yes, it’s counting ti Cost to be a disciple
I find most pastors run from the notion of being watchman which disqualifies them from service at any capacity
“According to the police statement, the assault happened after MacDonald struck a car parked in front of him while attempting to parallel park his truck on the 900 block of Orange Avenue in Coronado at 10:15 a.m.”
“Police said that during the recent attack, MacDonald’s truck rolled backwards and struck the vehicle parked behind him. They added that witnesses came to the victim’s aid and stopped MacDonald from leaving the area.”
So, did he hit two cars?
“So, did he hit two cars?”
That is how I understood it. He hit the car in front of him, and then, while he was allegedly assaulting the driver of that vehicle, his truck rolled backward and hit the vehicle behind it. I assumed there was nobody in that vehicle at the time.
Thanks, Cynthia. That’s how I understood it as well, but it wasn’t clear.
The type of Road Rage incident that goes viral in a YouTube “Epic Fails” compilation video.
1) JMac first rear-ends the other car with his truck (CRUNCH!).
2) Other driver gets out.
3) JMac jumps out and commences a full Road Rage Incident, forgetting to set his parking brake as well as leaving his Emotional Support pistol behind.
4) While he’s giving her a full Road Rage Beatdown (and the witnesses join in to stop him), his truck starts slipping backwards and crunches the car parked behind. DOUBLE CRUNCH!
(And this being Cali, there’s probably now a car alarm going off.)
I say “full Beatdown” because of the reported “Serious Injuries”.
And given the type of truck I think it was (big as and taller than a Hummer with four doors and a bed sized around a couple golf bags instead of 4×8 sheets of plywoood), both the other (smaller and lighter) cars probably took serious damage from its low-speed nerf.
There’s actually a news article from the week of the accident that makes it more clear that his truck rolled backwards after he exited the vehicle following the initial accident. The article doesn’t specifically name James, but it is about the accident. Someone shared a link to it on Twitter, I believe.
Back in the early to mid 1980’s a Dr MacDonald left a large Baptist church in Lexington, MA under a cloud. Is this the same one?
No, that was Gordon MacDonald, who committed adultery but later reconciled with his wife and went back to the ministry.
Jonathan, that was Gordon MacDonald.
From the story above: When officers arrived on the scene, they arrested MacDonald, police said. They added that they found a “stolen gun” inside MacDonald’s truck. However, Corbin told TRR that the gun was not stolen, as initially reported.
My question: If a “stolen gun” was reported by the police and then later reported as a “gun was not stolen,” it makes me wonder what else could be wrong with the reporting (by police or by the journalists).
Steve – What evidence would you need to see to be persuaded to believe the story is genuine and that James MacDonald is a danger to his community?
I have no clue what happened. I wasn’t there. My question relates to the report of a “stolen gun” vs. a “not stolen gun.” Both can’t be true. Why the discrepancy?
Initial police reports are written immediately after an event occurs. It’s not uncommon for some of the details to be incorrect. That’s why they’re followed by investigations. And that’s likely why it took a week for the DA’s office to file charges.
I don’t know why police initially said the gun was stolen. But I’m glad they corrected the error and the DA didn’t include anything about the gun in the charges filed against MacDonald. That gives me more confidence in the process, not less.
Why does he have a DNA profile on record?
1 Timothy 3.2-3
An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, SELF-CONTROLLED, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, NOT VIOLENT BUT GENTLE, NOT QUARRELSOME, not a lover of money.
Titus 1.7-8
For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or QUICK-TEMPERED or a drunkard or VIOLENT or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, SELF-CONTROLLED, upright, holy, and disciplined.
I frankly do not understand all of the over-the-top nice comments here about praying for a Neo-Pharisee. Has anyone making these comments ever read Jesus? The things he said about the hypocrites of his day were brutal. White-washed septic tanks is a more milder form of what Jesus said. Graves and dead men bones were filthy, filthy, filthy. Jesus states such as this as Sons of the Devil. This too is an incredibly rude insult. An equivalent would be to string together every curse word in the English language as a description then tack on McDonald at the end. Let’s call a spade a spade.
Jesus never, ever called his followers to pray for the Pharisees. Instead He called on us to pray for our enemies (the Romans) who were brutal but did not even claim to know YHWH. They were ignorant while the religious leaders were the opposite. How will the likes of a man who could have beat a 59 year old woman to death who knows the scriptures but does not live them be saved? According to Jesus, He cannot. He is as much a Son of the Devil as those who killed Jesus. The violence they both have very much in common. It is not what you say but what you do…
Ralph, thanks for your input. I like it!
Mrs. Roys has been warning the church about this man for what now ? Maybe 7 years ? This latest incident shows how dangerous these guys with an overly inflated sense of importance can become, if not dealt with. Although I expect that in Macdonald’s case he should have been disqualified from all ministry 20 years ago , at least now there is something he can’t lie his way out of. Any church having him speak now should be considered poorly pastored by corrupt men.
All of this drives home the importance and value of the Roys Report. If men like Macdonald are allowed to operate churches, many innocent people will be terribly hurt. When my next contract starts I’m going to be a regular donor here. We must fight this.
A man I once respected, so incredibly sad. But with that notwithstanding, innocent until proven guilty, I would want the same.
So far the evidence does not seem to be in his favor.
“Innocent until proven guilty” is a criminal law standard that requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The observation that we can know a tree from its fruit requires only good judgment and a pair of eyes.
So, no. I don’t advocate throwing him in jail based on his decades of bad fruit and this latest arrest report. But I don’t think any individual owes him the benefit of the doubt. We’re commanded to love everyone. We’re never commanded to trust anyone but God.
innocent until proven guilty *in a court of law*. We do not have to wait for a court of law (or even agree with it’s outcomes) to be discerning with publicly provided evidence. Your comment seems to be minimizing the great harm this man continues to cause.
The Biblical requirement is two or three witnesses to confirm – that appears to have been satisfied. In our legal system, we have two different sphere which to consider. 1) Obviously there is the belief from authorities that something bad happened and so he has been charged. 2) Court of law and consequences = “innocent until proven guilty” before judgment is rendered or case is dismissed.
My heart was grieved when read about this incident. My husband and I prayed for James before dinner for him and his family. Love does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. We serve a God who is able to work all things together for good to conform us to the image of His Son. I am praying that God will use this incident for His honor and glory.
I certainly don’t rejoice over this but I am uncertain how God receives glory and honor after a minister of the Gospel allegedly physically assaulted a women.
I did not say that God receives glory and honor from an assault. What I said was that God can take this incident and use it for His honor and glory. He is in the business of taking people found in sin and turning them around. One need only look to David, Paul, Peter, and Rahab to name a few. Jesus did, after all, come to save sinners. And God receives all the glory when that happens.
Marianne, did you and your husband also pray for the woman he is alleged to have assaulted? Barbara Bass aged 59 experienced great bodily injury.
Yes, but not in the same way as for James since I know him by name.
I have often wondered who actually received the brunt of James McDonald’s anger and hostility. I am an orphan of the storm, you might say of the Harvest Bible Chapel mess. And in the last days of his time there I began to hear many many stories from credible sources about the outbursts of anger and outright violence James inflicted on those in the employment of the church as well as some of the congregants. Honestly at that time I didn’t know what to think because I had never heard of a pastor behaving in this manner. But as the truth began to emerge and the pictures of this man’s character became more and more clear I began to say to myself, who may have suffered the most at the hands of James McDonald? I can only hope it wasn’t his family.
Yikes. The wheels are really falling off for this dude now, aren’t they. These are some serious charges and it wouldn’t surprise anyone at this point if they are true. James always seemed especially enamored with the wrathful God of the Old Testament. I wouldn’t doubt he’s always had serious issues with rage that were in some way channeled and amplified/justified in his own mind by his reading of the Bible and his view of himself as “chosen” by God to preach.
Incidentally, this is part of why people leave “Non-denominational Evangelicalism” for Catholicism, Orthodoxy, or more traditional branches of protestantism where you don’t have “star pastors” of churches who wield unchecked power over everyone. In the American evangelical landscape, it’s all about the personality and charisma of the particular preacher/pastor/apologist, and when that person turns out to be a conman (which happens so often, doesn’t it), the faith of many is shaken. There’s something so absurd about it.
Johannes. One million amens on this subject. It started in the late seventies and eighties. The grifters saw their marks and have using guilt ever since. Actually listen to the American evangelicals as they bring forth their messages. Now actually and honestly hear our lord’s words in the gospels. These mega churches are the new tabernacle for the Pharisees. Being called a rock star pastors or “Christian” musicians rock star should be a title of shame. But then their is no glory in that is there.
I can’t say whether or not that gun is stolen, but it is damaged. The barrel is bent to the point that the slide can’t close. I wonder what happened to cause that?
Actually that is a Smith & Wesson Shield model. The barrel just angles up like that when the slide is back. It’s not bent , but the end of the barrel does appear to be rusted. It will still fire but needs maintenance. If he is convicted he won’t be in possession of firearms again. Well not legally anyway.
Randy-thank you for the clarification. I’m more of Ruger man myself…
It’s okay. Calvary Chapel South Bay won’t mind, he can still have speaking engagements there while on bail
I can’t help but wonder if he’s also got a safe space at a particular church in Scottsdale, AZ.