In this post I will share the story of Bonnie Brztowski's abuse by James Macdonald, pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows, Illinois, USA. (He has since been fired).
For 12 years Bonnie worked as an administrative assistant at Harvest Bible Chapel's Rolling Meadow, IL, Campus. She had a difficult marriage and had started to receive counseling from the church after she and her husband had separated.
Bonnie: "The counseling my husband and I receivd was very one-sided. Rather than focusing on my husband's abusive and manipulative behaviour, the counseling focused on my lack of compassion, the anger I had towards my husband and the "obvious break" in my relationship with God."
Bonnie: "I was told that my separation from my husband was unbiblical and that I needed to live with him again. I was, furthermore told that I was to submit to him as head of the home, trust God and suffer just as Jesus did for me."
Bonnie: "Harvest upheld the belief that I was to submit to my husband regardless of how I felt."
Bonnie: "The general message that Harvest communicated to me was: "You are the strong one. You are the committed Christian. You have the strength to do this, to suffer. It's the woman's responsibility to fix her marriage by her obedience to Christ."
Bonnie: "I felt isolated and unprotected at Harvest. Other women who underwent counseling at Harvest, have said that they felt pressured to remain with abusive husbands and submit to them. Moreover, Harvest leaders ignored the signs of their abuse and failed to hold their abuser accountable."
Read Part Two HERE
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