At a hearing last October, I discovered I’m the cause of disgraced pastor James MacDonald’s alleged PTSD. And according to a psychological evaluation presented by MacDonald’s legal team, this PTSD is to blame for MacDonald allegedly assaulting a 59-year-old woman last March.
“Once the woman in the car in front of him got out of the car and moved towards him in an angry and agitated state, the years of traumatic memories of being vilified by Julie Roys rushed back to him and triggered a fight or flight response,” MacDonald’s psych evaluation states. “Feeling powerless and misunderstood and essentially trapped in his truck, he got out of the vehicle to fight back against his accuser.”
MacDonald is facing felony assault charges for this incident in Coronado, California, which reportedly left his victim hospitalized for 21 days. But at last October’s hearing, a judge bought the prima facie evidence that MacDonald has PTSD and ruled he is eligible for a mental health diversion. If granted, the charges against MacDonald would be dismissed, pending successful completion of a treatment program.
I have thought all along that MacDonald’s alleged PTSD is a bit too convenient. But this week, I received an invitation by MacDonald’s lawyer that confirmed my suspicions.
In a text, my lawyer wrote: “Just talked to MacDonald’s lawyer. His client proposes 2 meetings: The first meeting will be off the record for you 2 to sit down to see if you’re on the same page. The second meeting would be on the record, but you get to ask the questions.”
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Apparently, MacDonald thinks he has some evidence that will convince me of his innocence in some regard. Yet the time to talk was years ago, when I sought comment from MacDonald for the articles I was writing.
But this is so ironic. MacDonald claims I triggered his PTSD, yet invites me to not just one—but two face-to-face meetings! Either he’s a glutton for punishment, or he’s lying about his PTSD. Based on MacDonald’s past behavior, I’m leaning toward the latter.
Either way, I have no desire to be in the same room with a man who argues he can assault a woman with impunity.
In case you’re new to this saga, MacDonald pastored a multisite megachurch in the Chicago area for more than 30 years but was fired in 2019 for “engaging in conduct contrary and harmful to the best interests of the church.”
I had been reporting on MacDonald’s alleged bullying, pattern of “deceitfulness and manipulation,” and alleged financial misconduct for months.
But the final straw was when Chicago shock-jock Mancow Muller aired a hot mic recording of MacDonald joking about planting child pornography on the computer of an executive at Christianity Today and repeatedly mocking me. For many, it was a shocking window into the vile heart of this man who claimed to be a spiritual leader. But for me, it was simply confirmation of the bad character numerous sources, once close to MacDonald, had described.
Yet what’s most pertinent to MacDonald’s current claim that PTSD caused his recent violent outburst is MacDonald’s well-established pattern of alleged violence that predates his diagnosis.
As I reported previously, witnesses say MacDonald once used a butter knife to repeatedly stab a picture of a former Harvest pastor in front of 15 to 20 close associates to “get his point across.”
He also reportedly displayed a “pattern of uncontrolled anger” while teaching high school students at Harvest Christian Academy, allegedly calling them names and threatening them physically.
A former employee at Camp Harvest in Michigan once told me he saw MacDonald shoot a deer at “point-blank range” and said MacDonald didn’t stop shooting until he was out of ammunition.
But the most disturbing story I reported concerned MacDonald allegedly trying to hire a hitman twice to kill someone.
As bad as those incidents are, recently released depositions from MacDonald’s defamation lawsuit against Muller reveal there’s even more.
In the deposition of former Harvest Bible Chapel Chairman of the Board Dave Corning, Corning confirms an incident where MacDonald became enraged and threw books at a former assistant, hitting her in the eye.
Corning also tells of a time when MacDonald allegedly pushed an audio technician off the deck at MacDonald’s house because the man asked MacDonald to pay him. According to Corning, MacDonald injured the man so badly he needed medical attention.
All of these violent incidents happened well before I began reporting on MacDonald in December 2018—and well before his alleged PTSD. The truth is MacDonald has long been a danger to people around him. And it was just a matter of time before someone got seriously hurt.
But now, because of a very suspect PTSD diagnosis, MacDonald may escape prosecution. I pray that doesn’t happen.
On Wednesday, both the prosecution and MacDonald’s defense will put their mental health experts on the stand at an evidentiary hearing.
I pray the truth about MacDonald’s well-established character and behavior becomes clear and the judge rejects MacDonald’s mental health diversion. For decades, this man has been making excuses for the harm he’s caused others. And it’s time he finally receives justice.
Julie Roys is a veteran investigative reporter and founder of The Roys Report. She also previously hosted a national talk show on the Moody Radio Network, called Up for Debate, and has worked as a TV reporter for a CBS affiliate. Her articles have appeared in numerous periodicals.
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72 Responses
About 35 years ago when we attended a Bible Conference was the first time we heard James MacDonald preach. In the middle of his sermon he suddenly told everyone to close their eyes and pray. There was a disabled man making a bit of noise so when our collected eyes were allegedly closed, he pointed to the young man for him to be removed. After that he went on speaking in his maligning way… but that’s for another time.
No surprise. Those of us who grew up in this world, sat as children at the table after services as the grown-ups talked remember how the Big Guy everyone admired was also suprisingly and weirdly irreverant in private–but also made everyone laugh. My pastor dad, embarrassed, would later say, “well, god uses the weaker vessel…” But he never outed them, until, finally in denominational administration, it was his duty to do so (even then, silence prevailed and few knew of consequences–nor would they believe it). Thank you Julie Roys, for holding truth to power every single day.
(I finally left it all several ago, well into adulthood, but I never stop thinking about how light ‘accountability’ in the church truly is. It is, in fact, frightening. Keep up the noble work. I love that MacDonald is blaming you for HIS assault. You are renting free in his head. Well done.)
Lee File i hope your experience didn’t shipwreck your faith. Ive been through the same but “God is true tho every man be found a liar”
One of my questions is how did this man pastor for so long being the way he is? It was because he organized his life and ministry to protect himself. It was probably a living hell to disagree with him in a board meeting. Another question I have is concerning the philosophy of ministry he and other control freak pastors have. Is the CEO ministry model biblical? Is it conducive to a healthy outcome? Now there is no doubt this model can produce numbers. Pastor Driscoll was run out of a church he founded in Seattle and is now has grown a church in Arizona. But does Jesus look for numbers only? I don’t believe He does.
So, back in 2001 or so, I was the editor of Worship Leader magazine. And one day, after we had published something on an area of theology that James MacDonald took issue with, he phoned me up and started to berate me on theological lines. I am not exactly a stooge, and have a couple of pieces of paper that suggest I know what I am talking about. So, I nicely told him that he was dead wrong, and all that I had done was offer a different perspective alongside the classical evangelical fare.
He then hung up with me and phoned my boss. And tried to get me fired.
My boss came in to my office in a panic, and told me we needed to offer a retraction. What for? I said. Did you even read the article? I covered both sides of it, and simply offered an alternative way of looking at things. And by the way, who the hell is James MacDonald and why are you listening to him in the first place? I then got a laundry list of what a big shot MacDonald was at the time. To which I reiterated, … why are we listening to this guy? Because he has a big church? Seriously?
No retraction was given. And I kept my job.
When all this stuff came forward about James MacDonald…you can imagine the thoughts that ran through my head.
Sorry, I don’t get it. I’ve been listening to JM for 20 years and as someone who was raised Catholic, he has helped me so much to understand the Bible. He is a Bible teacher. He has a very unique and effective way, getting his point across sometimes yelling, and with some degree of aggressiveness masterful at engaging his audience, he could teach a class on how to teach anything effectively. He is not pretentious at all, but he is human and I’m sure he’s made his mistakes like all the rest of us. That’s what forgiveness is about. I just love this man. I’m sure God loves him too. All of this has led him to the work he is doing now which is so badly needed. I know he will be able to help so many, nobody wants to do the work he is doing now, it’s too hard. Wish him well.
A letter I wrote to James MacDonald in June 2021 that I feel is appropriate to share here. I never received a response.
James,
When the news of everything came out about you, I couldn’t help but be reminded of a day when I was passing through the Chicago land area from Michigan. I didn’t have much time, but I chose to seek you out to personally thank you for the impact that your ministry had had on my life.
I stopped at your home to offer you words of thanks and encouragement! Your wife Kathi met me at the door, and then went to get you. Upon arriving at the door, you proceeded to approach me aggressively and without even allowing me to explain the purpose of my spontaneous visit, you insisted that I get off of your property. You backed me away all the way to my car.
Having been so positively impacted by your ministry up until this visit, for years, I have wrestled with the incongruence of this exchange with you.
As time went on, I observed how your public life had changed, and how you were accepting more and more of the praise and admonition, versus redirecting it toward our father in heaven.
It wasn’t until the various accusations came out that I was able to put everything together.
James, You’ve clearly been blessed by God in your ministry.
I’m sorry that your human brokenness and pride has undone so much of the good that your early ministry provided.
I pray that you can recognize your brokenness, and accept personal responsibility for your pridefulness, poor choices and hurtful actions, so that perhaps; God may once again use you in powerful ways.
In Christ,
Kurt Z
I hope he is charged appropriately for grievous misconduct. And he looks like he’s mental all right. But NOT ptsd from Jule Roys. 🙄 Has any more come of this since September?