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Reporting the Truth.
Restoring the Church.

Harvest Elder Dan George Offers Public Confession

By Julie Roys

Harvest Bible Chapel Elder Dan George today became the first leader at the church to publicly confess for his role in allowing and perpetrating sin at the church. This is such a heartening first step and I forgive Dan for any sin committed against me. I appreciate his willingness to step off the board as soon as a replacement can be found. George posted this letter on Facebook and it is reprinted here with his permission:

My wife and I have called Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago our home church for 23+ years. We have seen God do great things in and through Harvest in that time. We have served as small group leaders and coaches and continue to do so. We have been blessed to invest in many couples through newly married small groups. We have led mission trips to help sister churches in Romania, Moldova, and Haiti. We enjoy it all and count it as service to our Lord Jesus. This statement is about my service as an elder at Harvest Bible Chapel. This statement is a personal statement, not a statement on behalf of anyone. It is not a statement on behalf of the church.

I served as an elder on the larger elder board from 2010 through 2015 (i.e., two consecutive 3-year terms before a mandatory roll-off). I was off the board for the three years between December 2015 and late December 2018. I rejoined the board in late December. Up until a few weeks ago, I counted it a privilege to have served as an elder at Harvest Bible Chapel, a church God has used to multiply believers, multiply leaders, and multiply churches. But information that has come to light recently has made me rethink my involvement. There have been many tearful and sleepless nights, much prayer, and conversations with my wife and dear brothers in Christ. I have seen my sin and must repent. I am convicted to act on that now.

For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away
    through my groaning all day long.
For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
    my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah

I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah (Psalm 32:3-5)

  • I apologize for not listening to those who tried to bring issues to light. I should have made it easier for brothers and sisters who called Harvest home to come to me. Please forgive me.
  • I apologize for vilifying people outside Harvest who tried to bring issues to light. Please forgive me.
  • I apologize for agreeing to place three of my fellow elders – i.e., Dan Marquardt, Scott Phelps, and Barry Slabaugh, who are all godly men – under church discipline and excommunicating them in 2013 when they raised concerns. (Dan/Scott/Barry – Please forgive me. I look forward to a time, hopefully soon, when I can sit with you and express this in person.)
  • I apologize for signing a statement of “unconditional support” for our former senior pastor in December. I was wrong. Harvest congregation – Please forgive me for causing confusion.

(I could do my best to unconditionally love someone – i.e., Harvest’s 5th pillar. But I cannot pledge unconditional support of anyone.)

  • I apologize for not holding our former senior pastor accountable for his actions. I apologize for being OK with a structure that did not allow the visibility needed for real accountability. (I could tell you all about the structure and the part it played. That may be another statement for another time.) As I have said to many of you in person recently, I am so sorry. Please forgive me.

I am sorry for the way I have handled my duty as an elder. As soon as men are identified to serve as the new elders to lead our church forward and we can conduct the needed transition, I will roll off the board. For now, I want to help our church rebuild. I believe we have taken some solid steps in that direction over the last few weeks, including reducing the board from 30+ to 9, getting outside help, and other steps. However, it is not enough. There is more work to do. More changes are needed and are needed soon. If our congregation will allow me, I desire to help redirect and change Harvest, to position us completely back toward Jesus Christ alone. I pray as the Third Day song, “Lead us back where we belong.”

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I am speaking only for myself. I am speaking differently than some others. I may be speaking sooner than some others. But I remain hopeful others will follow. That is between them and God. In the end, I am convicted to act in repentance now. I am hopeful my doing so will help break down the old Harvest culture and start to move us to a new, open, honest, gracious, forgiving, loving culture in the first year of what I pray will be a newly revived church.

O, Lord, we desperately need your help! Have mercy on us.

Sincerely,

Dan George

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100 Responses

  1. God Bless you Dan! We’ve never met but I served with your wife for many years on the Benevolence Team. Thank you for your faithful service in our church!

  2. That was a powerful apology. It’s the apology we’ve all been hurting to hear. It moved me to tears to hear someone finally step up without a PR approved statement, with genuine and heartfelt words that actually acknowledged what happened. We’ve gotten some apologies, but nothing quite like this.

    Dan, thank you for being a humble leader in this painful situation. We need more of this from all the elders, pastors, and staff to be able to truly heal and move forward. I pray that others would follow suit and that a public statement at church would also be made, without all the PR checks that usually have happened in the past before an elder statement is given.

    Harvest leaders, please take this example into consideration. This is how true healing can begin. Confession and repentance.

    1. Agree – harvest leaders in all churches – US and Canada – there are many other Harvest churches with a similar (not as extensive) track record – these leaders also need to step out and admit the stupidity of their past actions – and there are still pastors that need to step down. This is a systemic problem.

  3. At the risk of being misunderstood … While I, too, am grateful for his confession(s), and while forgiveness is not an issue, the level of severity of sin and damage done is beyond egregious. Perhaps Dan is not culpable for any more than he owned already, and this is great, for now. Yet we must keep in mind that in some ways the Enablers are just as responsible for the abuse and destruction as the perpetrator. If this is all he is responsible for then he did a fantastic job (so far), at least with the first two critical things: confession and asking for forgiveness. Now repentance is in order (at least for him, before God; cp 2 Cor 7:10-11; Matt 3:8; Lk 17:3).

    Furthermore, it would be very helpful and loving if he led the charge (or was one of many to lead the charge) in exposing the many lies and sins, and the many truths that have been withheld, distorted, minimized, covered up, etc. Repentance is required (at least personally, before God), but this would go a long way in helping others heal, in assisting in possible reconciliation, in preventing this from happening again, in bringing to light other destructive things, in motivating others who have not come clean, etc. [I am not saying he will not do this, I just want this to be thorough and complete. This is an enormous opportunity to turn this horrific thing into some blessings.]

    1. I appreciate that, MB, and, of course, LOVE LOVE LOVE all that you’ve done, Julie.

      But is it possible that we’re not going DEEP ENOUGH on this?

      Are missing the Big Story…the big lesson/question from this…which is:

      WHAT IS IT that allows such abusive tyrants (MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Trump…) to continue their wickedness for so long? Why do we tolerate such authoritarian dictators?

      WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, Harvest Bible Chapel elders?

      &

      Bigger picture…What is taking us so long to act against the even more vile Don-the-Con?

      1. Thanks Don, and that is my point and concern. This is a good first step by Dan, but so much more can, and should, be done. From all that we read about, HBC could be considered evil (not everyone, of course). It had an appearance of good, while underneath was the opposite (Matt 7:15ff; 2 Cor 11:13-15). Yet many people are often satisfied with confession alone, and/or with request for forgiveness. In order for trust to be rebuilt, especially after such egregious and continued acts of deception and destruction, then repentance, through full “godly sorrow,” must take place (2 Cor 7:11).

      2. I agree Dave. The answer I believe isn’t to far off from why the Israelites worshiping the golden calf is the reason this guys get away with all of this for soo long!

  4. Dan, I am a church member. If you read this I want you to know I forgive you. Thank you for being honest. Thank you for serving and for your hopeful words as well.

  5. Good evening Julie,

    After reading your ‘Translate’ blog post by Waden Mullen – I feel (strongly) that as an Elder – they have to own up to worshiping the golden Calf of (fame, fortune, ego, James MacDonald – fill in the blank).

    I think there are a lot of statements by HBC that he should specifically refute not only to the people involved but the world in general. This is a start on a long road back and it is not one you can take short cuts.

    Thanks for all your work (and thick skin).

    — CJ

  6. Now put your money where your words are. Look into the real reason harvest Naples was made autonmous without making anything right first. Issue a statement of apology to the Secrests, admit John was wrongly terminated to take back the words spoken by Russell Taylor and make a public statement about it.

  7. I find this apology quite lacking on a few levels…

    But I’ll just offer one. While he acknowledges the sins he committed, he doesn’t explain why. The fact that he believed at the time that his actions were righteous shows that he lacks the discernment or the obedience to carry out the duties of elder. He wants to help the church rebuild? According to Scripture, he is not called nor equipped nor qualified to participate in that.

    There ARE faithful men at Harvest who are Biblically qualified to be elders. Let them step up and serve.

    1. The why will come out, I’m certain, but “whys” in an apology can sound like an excuses. I respect that this was a pure apology without excuse.

  8. Dan’s apology is sure heartfelt but it just keeps going and going and going like the energizer bunny. Before now, when the curtain was pulled back, did you plan to set the record straight Dan?
    Why didn’t you speak up before now? You’re so sorry OK, but only after things have recently come to light? Your apology sure sounds like there were plenty of things going on that I would expect an Elder of the church to say, “wait, this is wrong. We can’t do this”.

    I’m afraid what you really mean is, you all got outed and now you’re in damage control mode just like Pastor Rick was last week with that disgustingly choreographed service.

    People of Harvest WAKE UP! These are all wolves in sheeps clothing and they’re trying to manipulate you.

    This is just another attempt by Harvest Leadership to give people a slick brochure and more lies! They’re saying if we make them feel sorry for us they’ll forgive and forget or, should I say, keep giving and forget.

    NO MORE!!! Tell the whole truth and tell it now. This is breaking people’s hearts and they loved and trusted you. “Act Like Men” and admit what you’ve done and step down immediately. Let us heal.

    1. “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.””
      ‭‭Luke‬ ‭17:3-4‬ ‭

      I get it, we’ve been hurt and wounded. But when a brother is, as far as we can tell, genuine in his repentance, let’s be quick to forgive. It’s what I desire from God, I wouldn’t want Him to withhold from me and demand more, as some are doing here. This is such a good start and step in the right direction on behalf of Dan.

      1. Amen Amanda. His apology does not need to contain an explantion for the rampant abuse of power that was at the root of the evil. There is a time and place for that. The time is now, but I don’t believe it belongs in the context of his very personal apology.

    2. He has been shown a lot of grace, yet we all need grace AND truth. Is seeking more truth a “critical spirit”? In fact, that false accusation often intimidates and shames people into not asking for more truth, for more specifics, for repentance, etc. (I’m not saying that is your intent here) “Judging” is necessary. (Jn 7:24; Phil 1:9-11; Heb 5:12-14) Our lives depend on our judgement. So please be careful of false accusations and condemning those who want the truth, who want healing for all, who want to prevent this from happening, who want accountability–all of which is supremely loving, wise, and needed.

  9. I am just someone who is watching from a distance and here is my observation: you all “yelled” for apologies, demanded elders to speak up and then when someone responds to the Holy Spirit and apologizes, it’s not enough for you.

    We are not the HS. We don’t get to choose how and when someone repents. We don’t get to choose their words. We don’t get to choose when “enough is enough”.

    Just my thoughts as someone who understands abuse, in its many forms and has experienced it.

    1. Because all the apologies from James Macdonald were insincere it’s only warranted that change comes along with his apology. Open up the books, soooo simple!

    2. A couple of people are saying that actions speak louder than words.

      However, Julie Roys posted this in a spirit of grace and forgiveness. She is forgiving, based on this statement, and God bless her for it.

      I’m not sure what you are looking for. Unquestioned acceptance? That’s what led to this situation. Many people here have been lied to over and over again. We will know the tree by its fruits.

    3. Not sure who you are referring to (as “you all”), but, actually, we do get to choose when “enough is enough.” We have a responsibility to discern if, when, and how much to trust others. It is not all or nothing. A heartfelt apology is wonderful, and it ideally leads to forgiveness, but it does not undue damage, and a confession, by itself, does not rebuild trust or mean that reconciliation has occurred. Ironically, by accepting less than genuine repentance (I am not saying he is doing this here) is often a major factor in enabling abuse.

    4. Hi! I think when there has been a pattern of abuse for many years, relationships with people and groups of people become quite entangled. I dont think healing and building new relationships happen with an apology but it can certainly start there. Many of us can testify to that I can’t say I blame people for their reactions This sounds like it’s been going on for a long time and has many layers of abuse Sometimes I think it best to leave an abusive situation or keep that person(s) at arms length at least to see if they actually show signs of repentance. Or sometimes you just need to start from scratch I do think this church needs outside counsel from leaders chosen by the people of the church

  10. Hoping to see, over a long period of time, the fruit of repentance – turning and walking the other way. Are you seeking guidance and accountability for this walk of repentance, embracing a completely different mindset?
    Celebrate Recovery helped me upon leaving harvest and owning my part – staying so long and ignoring problems that were right before my eyes. Would you consider humbling yourself to program such as that? Some of my close friends have been hurt very deeply by you and would like nothing more than to see you renewed in your relationship with God. Praying…?

      1. Hi Dan. So grateful for your confession, repentance, and humility. I know we already had an exchange on Twitter tonight, but thank you again.

        Speaking only for myself & my husband (former 12-year members, HBC Niles), what we want is for the full truth to come into the light. All of it. People first have to see/be convinced that the sins have ceased. I understand that many well-meaning people are guided by a “Save Harvest” and “Harvest 2.0” vision, but I’m not sure that works as a primary catalyst or outcome. That’s not saying “Kill Harvest! Let Harvest Die!” It’s letting the pursuit of uncovering & exposing what actually happened–the specific sins and (if applicable) crimes–take precedent over “save the ship”. God will salvage it if He chooses.

        Practically speaking, we understand that not every single truth can come out at once, and that there are many sins that perhaps even Steve Huston & Bill Sperling don’t know about. Some things need to be thoroughly investigated by professionals. Other things may need to be private for now, until people’s safety can be ensured. Obviously, the leadership vacuum and financial dire straights are primary orders of business as well. That may require closing some campuses and planting others.

        It’s our understanding that the Elders recently received letters from at least 6 former staffers (men)–DJ, DT, DB, GH, JR, and DS–and that those letters were read publicly at an Elder meeting. Correct us if we received bad information. We spoke directly with the author of another letter (not among those 6) that shared information about James asking someone about a crime James was thinking about committing.

        We’ve seen women like Anne Green and Anne Freres—and perhaps others soon–step up and disclose specifics. Often, women who have been abused and choose to tell their stories have no choice but to use their names and give specifics. (Which is only fair if they expect to be taken seriously.) For that reason & others, we humbly request that the letters of those six men be shared versus “protected.” No more “privileging” some people’s stories, including (but not only) those that speak to evidence of financial sins.

        Besides opening the books and having a forensic accounting investigation (with public results), lines of inquiry that many people are interested in knowing the truth about include the Paxton Singer case, Jeff Parham’s alleged embezzlement of $270,000+, the identities of the Class B members in the Aurora & North Shore LLCs, everything & anything related to the deer herd at Camp Harvest, and the HBC Naples takeover. People can add other topics. (Sadly, there are so many that it’s hard to keep track.) :(

        Our perspective is far from the only one, but what we heard in your request was a broken, repentant man issuing all-call for feedback in response to the Lord’s prompting. What an amazing God we serve! Proud to call you my brother in Christ.

      2. Dan, here’s a starting point to learn more about CR: https://locator.crgroups.info

        Because bab828 suggested and you asked. That’s about all I know of CR.

        You have been manipulated. Please do look for informed help to regain yourself.

        Praying Ps 143:8 for you!

        1. Thanks Paul. Great program if entered with a heart to address root issues. Partnered with wise counsel and accountability to guide ?

  11. Thank you for your honesty and humility Dan. You are the only person so far who has taken personal responsibility (vs “collective”). You are an honorable man. May God pour out His mercy and blessing upon you and may you feel the depth of His love and forgiveness!

  12. How do you see restitution and submission the the lowly members of the church and community playing out as you work toward repentance and reconciliation? How will you disburse power to the critics who have been silenced and maligned and sued?

  13. Dan – thank you for your honesty. Being humble. Being truthful. Please use whatever power you have to bring transparency to the church. Open the financial books. Let the congregation know where their tithes went.

  14. Thanks Dan. A good conscience and conviction by the Holy Spirit no doubt has been at work in you. I pray that you facilitate, as others have requested, that the books become transparent and open to the congregation. I personally would like to know where one year of my salary has gone. (Tithing 10% x 10 years). Is that too much to ask of the Elder board that is left and the incoming elders before they say let’s move on & build a new better Church? It is not possible to build a new version of HBC in a healthy way when you leave people with this big looming question hanging over everything.. what happened to all our money? How much did James get when he walked away? What about Luke and Landon? is the congregation still paying them now that you’re gone? Whether they are or not they have a right to know. That’s what healthy churches do.

  15. Words are fairly easy to say; ask anyone whoever put their trust in James MacDonald. Pretty words of apology are not what Harvest needs. Let’s see action that demonstrates genuine repentance. Let’s see you confess the details on all improper acts, open the books, ask to meet with all former staff and members and answer their questions, and eliminate a board of elders that answers to no one. Let’s not only hear the truth about Jeffery Parham, let’s hear his side of the story. There is so much that needs to bee confessed, aired and changed. ‘I’m sorry’ is hardly a start.

  16. While it could be heartening to see an apology tendered there is one glaring problem…….what does he plan to do for restoration and restitution. Talk is cheap if not followed by action. I don’t believe his desire to help rebuild the church is credible. He needs to remove himself completely and examine himself before the Lord and rebuild his own soul before he can help rebuild the church.

  17. The WHY of it all is explained by the Milgram study from 1963. It showed people will blindly follow and obey the directives of those seen as in authority. Everyone handed James the authority. It was misplaced and now has been taken back.

  18. “I apologize for vilifying people outside Harvest who tried to bring issues to light. Please forgive me.”

    Specific, personal apologies are necessary.

  19. 1) the words of apology are appreciated and long overdue.

    2) The apology does not undue what has already taken place nor does it provide ANY basis that future decisions or actions will change. It is not reasonable to trust that the past pattern of hapless and unethical decision making and judgment will change with the composition of the named interim board. Any future decisions and actions by the interim board will be coming from the same group who are largely responsible for putting HBC in this situation in the first place. And they are the protectors and defenders of the former Sr Pastor. These are absolutely the last people that should be in the position to be making crucial decisions going forward for Harvest considering their long history of failure, intentional cover-up and neglect.

    Dan as well as the others named to the interim board should have the courage they have not previously shown and resign. To a person they are disqualified for the position they have been appointed to.

  20. Dan,
    Forgive my personal skepticism. I don’t wish to disparage your public apology at all. I know that it wasn’t an easy thing to do and I believe that it speaks volumes about your true character.

    Here’s the thing though brother, you admitted to being an elder for 6 plus years and you ran in the highest levels of this church. You know so much and while it’s true there is only one that you actually need to apologize to (it’s not me) it is time for you to tell everything that you know and out those who have been manipulating us all for so long.

    If you truly want to see this church heal and continue on, Don’t let the spin Doctors at Harvest fool the caring people who called HBC their church home anymore.

    Force them to reveal everything by telling what you know. It’s the right thing to do and the time is now.

    The delusion that somehow HBC can get past this Mega-scandal by simply replacing a few key members is just not going to work.

    Don’t allow James and Rick, et. al get away with it,

    I sincerely pray that God’s righteousness rules the day now and that you and any other good and decent elders at HBC do the right thing.

    1. Apologies and seeking forgiveness are the result of authentic repentance, not the start. Repentance includes naming the sin (sin of pride, anger, lust, etc). Ambiguous apologies don’t always prove that confession of sin has been made. 1 John 1:9 is such a great promise. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I pray Dan does not miss out on the precious promise that Jesus will not only forgive him but cleanse and purify him by side-stepping authentic confession of sin, both to God and to the people he sinned against. I pray he has done that but I think we, as the Church, need to be sure we understand confession of sin and repentance for the sake of the cleansing we all need, personally and corporately.

      I feel if he had gone to the former 3 ex-communicated elders first to confess before doing it publicly, it would have meant more, but that is my own personal observation. Again, when we sin against someone, shouldn’t we be going to them personally in brokenness and humility first?

      I am not judging Dan’s heart. That’s God’s to do. I actually think he is sincere in his words but we can and should learn from this every step of the way.

      Lastly, Dan you stated that up until a few weeks ago you found it a privilege to serve as an elder almost as if you were unaware of the sin happening within the leadership of the church or that you were ok with it. You stated that due to things that have recently come to light, you have rethought your involvement. And yet, your apologies encompassed things from years past. It’s all a bit confusing. I’m sure you are a great man but I think we need to be crying out to the Lord to raise up men that have the discernment, courage and ability to think and act biblically as they lead our churches. Elders are the overseers of the flock and the flock needs that from each of you.

  21. Julie, thanks for reporting a wee bit of light in this very dark story.Dan George’s letter seems like an honest confession of a heart that has been really humbled.It appears Dan is willing to admit and own his part in the cover up.Wow – so proud of Dan and know wonder Dan was really yelled at in the lobby! So standing with Dan and Kim too and we get this is probably gonna cost them a lot, as it did many of us former leaders at Harvest.The Harvest family will probably blame Satan for your truthful confession of your sin and the sin in the leadership that you are no longer willing to cover! Though we truly believe this is an uncovering and cutting down of sin – this is truly a good work of our Holy Lord, working to lay low the pride and sin at Harvest. A cutting down a”Weathering Work of the Holy Spirit “as Charles Spurgeon called it! Today was reading Psalm37 praying these verses and praying the Holy Spirit brings more conviction.Bill and Vicki Stevenson

  22. Thank you, Mr. Dan! Thank you for your apology.

    After hearing so many things that have made so many say “Ugh. Just ugh,” this is heartening,

    He Can make the dry bones live!
    I am confident our Father can convict and restore Harvest into the Church He wills.

    Heal, Oh Father!
    Amen.

  23. Thank you for doing this Dan, you have no idea how healing this will be for people. I recently came out of a different church where they were doing the same type of things…protecting the church and elders at all costs, instead of listening to hurting members of their congregation. Reading this has been healing for me. God does not call us to protect the church at all costs. God calls us to truthfulness and love. Love does not mean staying quiet. Love means speaking up and acknowledging sin and hoping for repentance. I appreciate Dan’s statements tremendously…but there is so much more that is needed in order for healing to come to Harvest members that have been so badly abused. I am praying that the Lord leads you all faithfully and that hearts of the congregation and prior members that have been closed and bitter would soften and forgive and heal. God is always good, even when men that are supposed to represent him are not.

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