Luke MacDonald describes himself as a pastor who’s excited to share “Good News in the Neighborhood”—a slogan he’s emblazoned on an entire merchandise line of hats, hoodies, and T-shirts.
But some who knew MacDonald during his time at Harvest Bible Chapel say he’s just as much of a bully as his father—disgraced celebrity preacher, James MacDonald. They recount bizarre stories of Luke MacDonald urinating in meetings, throwing chairs in a rage, and failing to report abuse of a minor in Harvest’s youth ministry.
MacDonald—a former executive pastor at Harvest and current associate pastor at Faithful Central Bible Church in Los Angeles—announced last week he’s returning to Chicago to plant a church.
Yet some former Harvest members and staff say MacDonald isn’t fit to serve in any church and they’re alarmed at his return.
Urinating in Meetings
Alex George—whose father, Dan George, was an elder at Harvest—told me that Luke MacDonald urinated into a cup during a job interview George had with MacDonald in December 2012.
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George said that at the time, Luke was in charge of all youth ministry at Harvest and George was a paid part-time youth worker interviewing for a full-time position with Harvest’s junior high ministry.
George said the meeting took place in Luke MacDonald’s office as Luke sat behind his desk and George was seated on the opposite side. George said that while MacDonald was explaining to George that he was going to get the position, MacDonald took a cup off the top of his desk. Then, George said he heard what sounded like MacDonald urinating in the cup.
“I asked him, ‘Are you peeing in that cup?’ To which he said, ‘Yeah,’ pretty nonchalantly, and moved on as if it wasn’t an issue,” George recounted.
George said MacDonald then put the cup of urine on his desk and commented that he could make George do anything he wanted George to do. George said he responded by saying “no” and laughing nervously.
George said he did not get the full-time position, and soon afterwards, he was fired from his part-time position, as well.
Don Hampton, a former contractor hired to help Harvest with a capital campaign, said he had a similar experience with Luke MacDonald in 2015.
Hampton said in the middle of a meeting with MacDonald and four others, MacDonald got up and started pacing back and forth. He then went into an adjacent bathroom, urinated in the toilet while continuing to converse with the door open, and then reentered the room like nothing had happened, Hampton said.
“I’m looking at the other faces in the room, wondering ‘Is this normal?’” Hampton said.
In addition to that incident, Hampton said that several times, MacDonald called him at home and was “berating and verbally abusive.” Hampton said MacDonald would cuss on the phone and talk about other staff members with whom he was upset.
I reached out to Luke MacDonald repeatedly seeking comment, but he did not respond.
“You Suck”
Kevin Rowan—whose father, Jim Rowan, was an elder at Harvest—told me he’s so traumatized from the abuse he received from Luke and his brother, Landon MacDonald, that his counselor has likened his condition to PTSD.
Landon MacDonald was the youth pastor at Harvest, but resigned with Luke shortly after James MacDonald was fired. Landon currently is executive pastor of youth ministries at Cornerstone Church in Arizona.
Rowan said he first started attending Harvest around 2004, when he was 16, and volunteered as a musician leading worship with 4th and 5th graders. Rowan said Luke MacDonald would often cut him down, telling him, for example, that he had a “sh-t voice,” “would never lead worship” on the main stage, and “you suck.”
Rowan added that Harvest maintained a “fear-based culture.” And because Luke and Landon were sons of James MacDonald, no one dared confront Luke or Landon when they behaved badly, which was often.
“The big thing is just the way they talked about people,” Rowan said, “the way they treated people—even in just conversations. . . . It’s like playing a game: ‘We can get whoever we want to do whatever we want. No one has value unless we assign it.’”
But Rowan said he was “enamored” with Harvest at the time, so he put up with the belittling behavior.
By college, Rowan said he had risen in the ranks and was playing electric guitar on Harvest’s main stage under Luke MacDonald’s direction. But the experience was grueling, Rowan said, and Luke MacDonald continued to be abusive.
Rowan said that one time, MacDonald called him in a pinch and begged him to take off work for a week and help lead worship at Camp Harvest, Harvest’s youth camp in Michigan.
Rowan reluctantly agreed, and said when he arrived, MacDonald began belittling him.
“From the moment I got there, Luke started saying stuff to me like, ‘Hey, Rowan, you better not suck. You better not play like a p-ssy this week,’ just over and over again,” Rowan said.
Rowan finally confronted MacDonald and threatened to leave. MacDonald then became enraged and “started swearing and taking the chairs from the worship center and throwing them,” Rowan said. He added that Landon “started raising his hands and kind of doing the same thing and they stormed off.”
“They (Luke and Landon) were treating me terribly,” Rowan said. “And yet they were claiming they were pastors, and they care for me, right? . . . I became a nail sticking on the floor, and they were trying to hammer me down.”
Rowan left Harvest around 2015. But to this day, he says he has stress dreams about Luke and Landon MacDonald.
“When you’re a 16-year-old and trying to find your identity and you have all this sh-t you’re dealing with from a church . . . that stuff messes with you at your core,” Rowan said.
I reached out to Landon MacDonald for comment about these and other accounts, but he did not respond.
Failed to Report Abuse
Nicholas Cozzi, who also began attending Harvest when he was 16, said he endured a constant barrage of jokes at his expense from both Luke and Landon MacDonald. But Cozzi said what really disturbed him is that he told both Luke and Landon about verbal and physical abuse he was experiencing, but neither one ever reported it.
Cozzi declined to provide any more details about the abuse on the record.
“I would tell Luke and Landon about that and they just made fun of me,” Cozzi said.
Cozzi said that at the time, Luke was in charge of all youth ministry at Harvest and Landon was the senior high pastor.
In Illinois, pastors are mandated by law to report incidents of abuse.
I reached out to both Luke and Landon and specifically asked them about reporting the abuse, but neither one responded.
Cozzi also told me about pool parties with Harvest youth that Landon MacDonald hosted at James MacDonald’s former home in Inverness. Cozzi said there was often open alcohol at the parties but said he didn’t know if anyone under-age ever drank.
Alex George said he remembers attending Landon’s parties, as well, and said he also saw open alcohol at parties. George said the parties would often go into the wee hours of the morning, as late as 3 or 4 a.m., and sometimes Luke would drop by.
Deceit and Spin
According to R.T. Maldaner, a campus pastor who left Harvest in 2018, Luke MacDonald was key to the command and control of Harvest under James MacDonald. Maldaner said Luke referred to Harvest as the “family business”—a term former Harvest elder Dan Marquardt said he heard Luke use, as well.
Maldaner said Luke MacDonald once told him that he wrote Harvest’s elder updates. According to texts I obtained by Randy Williams, former chairman of Harvest’s executive committee, these updates were sometimes tools of deceit and manipulation.
Williams wrote about an elder update in November 2017, which addressed allegations that Harvest had stolen $2 million from Harvest Bible Fellowship (Harvest’s former church planting network): “This update and all that it represents is beyond my comprehension of anything but an attempt to run a cult and control the masses.”
Also, as I reported in 2018, Maldaner said Luke MacDonald became abusive towards him when Maldaner decided to plant a church near Harvest’s Elgin campus soon after Maldaner left Harvest.
Maldaner said that on his last Sunday at Harvest, MacDonald approached him after the service and accused him of recruiting people for his church plant. Maldaner said that when he denied recruiting anybody, Luke became angry and called Maldaner a “liar” and a “bad pastor” in front of his 6-year-old daughter and bystanders in Harvest’s auditorium.
When asked in 2018 about the incident, Luke responded that the details of his conversation with Maldaner “are not a matter of public discussion and are covered in love.”
Luke MacDonald has never publicly admitted to any wrongdoing at Harvest. In his resignation letter, MacDonald wrote that his “professional dream has always been to one day grow to be the Senior Pastor of the church.” MacDonald added that even after his father was fired, “I was hopeful that with enough humility and time that could still happen.”
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64 Responses
Just when you think you’ve heard it all—I’m sure enough sycophants remain in Chicago to start up a franchise.
This is almost unbelievable, and yet it’s happening.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Wonderful family of sociopaths!
Jim Jones? David Koresh? Benny Hind? Creflo Dollar? Reverend Ike?Warren Jeffs?Aimee Semple MacPherson? These “ FALSE PROPHETS” using “ Religion” as a MASSIVE Money $CAM! “ Wolves in Sheep’s clothing!”
I do not quite think that is the right diagnosis. A man who starts seriously looking for a hitman certainly qualifies as a psychopath in my book. The children are malignant narcissists, although they could graduate up to pyschopaths if they start talking about killing people. Sociopaths are gangbangers and people who learned to be hardened criminals which is something a little different. Todd Bentley with his background growing up in a gang is certainly a sociopath.
At this point….with all the coverage this family has had….these sheep deserve to be fleeced if they attend a church under this leadership.
These people are disgusting
Agree these people are sociopaths. They have no comprehension of any wrong doing. They are oblivious to it. Hopefully more former high school ministry students will come forward.
A chip off the old block.
I wonder who would go to the new church—but they’re responsible for themselves.
I continue to be amazed at the adulation of individuals and for being in “ministry.” Most of us quietly serve in our churches without the T-shirt … something I commend to those who feel the need to be the star.
Amazing how gaslighting causes people to question what they are seeing with their own eyes!! The McDonalds did not operate in a vacuum. So much denial and active support required from church leaders and lay people to enable this behavior. The desire to be in the inner circle and part of this “movement” clearly caused people to turn a blind eye. The psychology of a cult is clearly in play, which is so counter to the seemingly orthodox teaching that Harvest was known for. A very cautionary tale!
Jen, I’ve wondered the same thing – how many people in leadership were enablers and turned a blind eye to behavior that was wrong and financial impropriety. Where was Joe Stowell? He had to have seen some of this behavior.
Joe Stowell probably knew but he didn’t say a peep. Real courage there. He just quit and got out of town like the rest of the Stowell clan.
Yup. Quit and let the rest of us get fleeced. I try not to judge, but let me say that I am angry that the Stowell family left town without saying a word. My husband and I gave a great deal of money and served faithfully at HBC. We were blind to the reality until TED started writing in 2012. Grateful to them for their courage.
Let’s not tarnish the name of a good man by slander and imagined allegations. Joe Stowell has shown himself as a man of God everywhere he has served
Mark,
If this tarnishes his reputation, so be it. People were being conned and the Stowell family had a backstage pass to the shenanigans, and left without saying a word.
Of course Stowell knowing about all and not saying anything to the rest of the flock is a sin of omission. I think Scriptures say something about that.
I don’t know what Stowell knew or didn’t know but I don’t think that is really the issue. We all have personal responsibility to determine how our investments are being used. Ask for financial reports, if the leadership is unwilling to be transparent, right there is a big red flag and find some place else to invest in God’s Kingdom. Do “due diligence.” On another level, God knows your heart and knows of your faithful service and it will be rewarded appropriately. Remember the story of the widow and her 2 coins. She invested in the temple in which she is giving to the Lord, even though the temple was hardly the epitome of righteousness. She didn’t have any other options for investing in God’s Kingdom. We do — many good smaller churches that are transparent and seeking God’s Kingdom and not their own.
Read Matt Stowell’s letter featured on the TED blog. The culture was “toxic and unholy” but he was paid a six figure salary as a young and inexperienced leader. Another member of the family and former HBC leader spoke out in the form of a parable. Specifically he chose the scorpion and the frog, which I interpret to mean that he signed on to work at HBC knowing that its leader was evil. Ask yourself why someone might do that. Now ask yourself what are some reasons one might remain silent.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Sorry, no free pass from me, Stowell Family.
Since there is little more that can be said about the boundarylessness of this tribe, I’d like to introduce a question/subject for discussion. I am not alone in wondering when demonic possession will be discussed. These creatures do not act like rational humans much-less Christians. Fortunately, I’ve never run into people this sociopathic (at least not in front of me), but many sects/religions (Christian) are starting to note signs of societal demonic infestation. Is their soul imprisoned or has their soul has already descended into the abyss and they are strictly vessels by unclean spirits? Have we approached the days, as in Noah’s time, when unclean spirits will interact freely with humanity in order to completely contaminate the race of man? And who better to begin with than so-called Christian leaders?
I submit we are dealing with apostates. See the book of Jude for clarification.
It may not be demonic possession so much as oppression, if genuine believers are concerned. 1 way to look at is the generational sin ties in a family (“cursed to the 3rd and 4th genration”) and unconfessed, or even rampant sin. Spiritual warfare-wise, this is an open invitation to oppression. These are considered demonic strongholds. Whether by pride or other sins. I think God is exposing the strongholds present in people and churches in hopes they will repent and come fully to Him.
From someone who has had some dealings with them, the devils are never the root of the problem. They have nothing until someone decides to do the opposite of what the Bible teaches and jumps into bed with them to cooperate with them. Then they keep making things worse even until a man starts looking for a hitman to kill his enemies. The road of narcissism has always led to death and Jesus clearly warns about that with the Pharisees. Yet there is much more out in our country that is just waiting to be exposed. God is doing so and will continue. Time for us to actually obey Him and the devils will have little ability to impact those who do.
I would argue your point here Deb and submit they are not necessarily demon possessed but the result of a broken family. Granted the boys have proven to be mean, deceitful and vindictive, but what would you expect from growing up in their home. I’m not approaching this from the angle to excuse them, but to say this is predictable and expected behavior based on what has been modeled for them.
Jesus warns of this in 2 Peter 2:22 “They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.” Clearly nothing has changed at Harvest
The apple does not far from the tree.
Looks like one of James MacDonald’s evil spawn wants to set up his franchise business suckering a bunch of marks into being giving units for his criminal enterprise. And the evangelicals will fall for it hook, link, and sinker.
Why I am not surprised?
Franchise is the perfect word!
This doesn’t surprise me in the least bit. Luke was always massively arrogant and is the type of guy who you’d pass in the hallway, say hello, and he’d keep on walking without saying anything in return. This happened to me personally no less than 5 times during my tenure at Harvest. Landon was always kind, however, so it surprises me to hear him included in this. But Luke has no business leading anything and is obviously riding the coat tails of his father. He’d last one day in Corporate America (that isn’t a mega church).
The same happened to me numerous times, as well as others. Sadly, it became a running joke. “Just Passed Luke in the hallway . Guess what he said?” NOTHING!????
Many people — including those who consider themselves ‘free’ and indomitable — deeply crave domination and control. Sociopathic leaders like the MacDonalds, Driscolls and Trumps exploit these deeply broken people and build empires on their backs. It’s depressing and infuriating. Having grown up in a fundamentalist home and church, I encountered people who either were or aspired to be like James MacDonald. I always rebelled against that kind of control, and like Rowan, I was pounded down. But I got out. I look back at horror at those of my brethren who never escaped and sorrow at those who left, but had to completely abandon their faith to do so.
I’m going to be blunt here – The MacDonalds should be “run out on a rail!” Seriously, what a disgrace they are to the Body of Christ.
I kind of have to wonder, why Luke is leaving Los Angeles in the first place, and returning here, to the Chicago area. I’m sure there’s a larger story behind it. Anyway, I hope his church plant is a dismal failure in that I pray for the protection of those who may be taken in by him. Luke and his father and his brother do not belong in the ministry of God’s church any more than a pack of baboons. He needs a job? Okay then, give them a mop and a broom.
I just feel so badly for Kathy MacDonald. I wonder what she goes through?
She is complicit.
At best
Kinda like Carmella Soprano. She enjoyed the lifestyle paid for by her husband’s “sanitation” business. ????
More junior high and high school ministry students must come forward. It is very clear the individuals who were mentioned in this article had the courage. If they came forward so can you.
Don’t feel sorry for Kathy lol! I follow her on social media and she is very proud of her ‘boys’.
One would wonder if anyone in the family could possibly be saved. How awful to think so many of us sat under an unregenerate, wicked man’s preaching for so many years.
I agree Mike. It is frightening to think of how James and his gang pulled the long con for so long and that we were a part of the church. This is a sign of the times as these demons have infiltrated God’s house. Jesus said we will know them by their fruit. Well their fruit is corrupt and evil! Thank God he allowed this truth to come out and see these wolves in sheep’s clothing. So sad!
No different than Eva Braun, Evita Peron, and Imelda Marcos IMO.
https://www.garbc.org/commentary/the-dangers-of-the-celebrity-pastor-syndrome/
Luke MacDonald is NOT and never was a celebrity pastor. Luke started out as a worship leader at his dad’s church. He has no vocal talent what so ever. It was really quite brutal to listen to him sing. His preaching skills are no better. Luke has zero track record of filling the pews.
I second that Jimmy! The funniest thing I heard was when Luke said people compared him to Justin Timberlake. Talk about delusional!
I think he was definitely projecting his own insecurities when he belittled Rowan’s singing ability. Typical narcissist. What’s the saying about when a narcissist criticizes you it’s a self-reflection?
Remember Eli, Hophni & Phineas?
Kevin was a great musician and as more talent in his pinky toe than Luke ever had
I think you are missing the boat on the JT comparisons. Its wasn’t because of the voice. It was the curly hair. He looked at one point like a fat, poor man’s JT haha.
Once a bully, always a bully. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see MacDonald filing a round of SLAPP lawsuits to intimidate his critics into silence.
Rumor has it, the only reason Luke stayed in California to begin with, was because he signed a 3 year agreement with the church, and if he decided to leave early, he would have to pay half of it back. He never wanted to be there in the first place. It was the only church that offered him a job (because his Dad made a phone call for him).
I’ve heard Luke say things in meetings over the years that no one would be able to get away with if they didn’t have the MacDonald name. He not only had a filthy mouth, but was spiteful, and always made sure everyone felt below him. He definitely didn’t have the heart of a pastor, more of an amateur tyrant.
Curious if the stories about his gambling addiction, visits from women, and slipping into people’s beds at night will ever come out.
If anyone’s ever interested in supporting his ministry though, they can buy a $40 trucker hat on his website. Seems like a good deal.
Anybody interceding for this family and Luke’s kids? Or Luke?
Why must his father’s wickedness, or the family sin continue to warp another generation? Or hurt more people?
Luke seems deeply wounded and hurt. He can stay in those sins or repent and get genuine healing from Christ and be made new.
Lord, open their eyes and turn to from their sin to You, so that the enemy has no more reason or an open door to hurt this family or anyone through their sin. Bring them to repentance and to yourself.
Amen.
Regarding those who pledge unconditional support: I feel like “church” leaders like this make mean men in the pews feel like they can be saved without any fruit. They can straddle the fence with one foot in the world that really controls them and the other foot in the “church” where they can get a free pass and justify their behavior.
“R” good point. That is why John MacArthur wrote The Gospel According to Jesus. To respond to the “free grace” heresy – essentially anything is justified as long as you prayed the prayer or went down an aisle. Bonhoeffer also referred to it as cheap grace
Given John MacArthur’s recent lunacy of him and his cult followes at Grace Community Church regarding COVID-19, you may want cite a different author.
If I saw anyone who works with kids or youth do any one of these things in a youth ministry I work in, just one time, I would make sure they were thrown to the street and never work in ministry again. Hopefully this family can get honest work digging ditches or flipping burgers and that Jesus saves them from the eternal fire of hell. Is there a bigger lesson the church can learn, other than none of these three MacDonalds should be allowed in ministry ever again? What does it tell us that such things can happen repeatedly over a long period of time in a church that appears to outsiders to be a solid functional evangelical church? Their pastor was on Moody radio after all, right? That what for years seemed to be one of Chicagoland’s beacons of Christianity turned out to be a functional cult led by wolves in sheep’s clothing? There is a reason for the phrase “bully pulpit.” When you have such a thing as a pulpit it will naturally attract bullies. Even pastors or other Christian leaders I would generally describe as good shepherds and would not label wolves I have seen use the pulpit in a bullying way at times or noticed them have too big an ego to accept any form of constructive criticism. What can the church do to guard against bully wolves finding in church pulpits the satisfaction their evil hearts desire or to mitigate that temptation good pastors have to engage in bullying behavior? What can churches do to prevent a situation in which nobody would dare stand up to those who hold leadership or power? Other comments fault the Stowells for not speaking out. That criticism rings true. I mean they can be commended for getting out and not going along with that corruption and in the case of one Stowell speaking out eventually, but clearly they should have done more sooner. When you stand up to the person with the pulpit they can use that pulpit to manipulate popular opinion to discredit you, to make people believe the truth you speak is just a false accusation and to then make false accusations against you. That’s one reason I appreciate Julie Roys so much. She did not bend or break to the pressure one faces when speaking truth to power. She lost her job at Moody for it. And it seems God has called her to fill a role the church has been in great need of.
Yes,
Ms. Roy took a big financial hit.
People are often afraid to speak up because they want their paycheck and o not want to lose their job. There can be serious repercussions and most people to want to to pay the price. Oftentimes you do not understand how deep you are enmeshed in the toxic culture until after you leave and have time to heal.
Bill Gothard was a big influence in churches and most people did not have a clue. As a teenager I sensed something was not quite right but I was not able to fully discern the situation and much information was withheld from the public.
While some may not be able to save much during these times, it is good to save up to 3-9 months pay, so that if the time comes, you can confront the toxic leadership and move on.
Ravi Zacharias is another example. His ministry brought in millions of dollars per year and many benefited professionally from being a part of his ministry. All these years he was pampered and not held to account. How many people knew about his dark side? Years ago there were professors speaking out against his misuse of titles. No one did anything accept act as apologists for him. Even the publishers were in on it.
It truly talks a person of integrity to stand up to the Evangelical Industrial Machine.