Pastor Mark Bryan of Harvest Church also known as Church of the Harvest: Stop BULLYING current & previous members.

Stop BULLYING current & previous members.

Greetings,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Pastor Mark Bryan of Harvest Church also known as Church of the Harvest.

----------------
Stop BULLYING current & previous members.

For over 15 years, Harvest Church has been ministering to the lives of believers and non-believers alike. During the course of this ministry, many lives have been impacted by the powerful and positive Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over time Mark Bryan’s teachings of controversial doctrine and practices have been spiritually abusing (bullying) those who attend and try to leave. There are a reported 155 adults and a total of 265 people that have left this church with similar complaints and accusations. Some of these accusations include:

·***Pastoral Authority that promotes the false teachings of the “covering” doctrine; laity is submitted to leaders; one is unprotected and subject to Satan’s attack when they are not “covered” by human authority; the pastor is the “voice of God to the church and if anything happened to the pastor, the people would be in a state of confusion. “ Ordained pastors of Harvest Church making statements to people leaving the church “that the only thing standing between them and the wrath of God,” are Mark and DD Bryan. This teaching and these actions place an intermediary between the believer and Christ and inadvertently raises the pastor to an idol status. Moreover, it diminishes the atonement of Christ’s work in the believer’s life.
·
***Compulsory Tithing as mandated by Old Testament Law, teaching with fear and manipulation that we are cursed and our prayers are hindered when we do not tithe.
·
***Gossip and Critical spirit; this is a practice justified by leaders where members are constantly being judged and critiqued on their “spiritual standing” based on small group attendance, corporate prayer attendance, being “covered” or “under” a leader’s authority. This information is consistently, by many witnesses, shared inappropriately with others.
·
***Nepotism, where the pastor’s wife and children are placed in paid positions and ordained as pastors before other, more qualified members, without any vote or qualification passed through the church membership.
·
***Labeling and severing relationships, by leaders, of others who have left the church as “the discontent, offended, rebellious, in sin or wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Some who leave are ostracized and warned as if they are leaving Christ for leaving this particular local church.
·
***Refusal to meet with some who have accusations against him. Two brothers in Christ that previously attended COH went to Mark Bryan’s house, to address issues and reconcile. They attempted this following a teaching by Mark Bryan, from the pulpit, to stop all things and go to your brother’s house to reconcile. He refused them and asked to set up an appointment and meet at his office. When one brother took a call from Mark Bryan, Mark discredited the other brother and tried to create division in the two that came to address him. He refused to meet with the other brother, because “he does not respect his authority as a pastor, is rebellious, and not submitted.” After refusing to meet with the plural of witnesses, a public campaign was started to motivate Mark Bryan to respond. After no response from this campaign, a certified letter was sent to Mark Bryan requesting a meeting to address the accusations and reconcile. Mark Bryan signed for the letter, but still has refused to meet with his brothers to reconcile.
·
***Physical abuse where a former members describes being kicked by Mark Bryan during a heated discussion.

While the list could easily extend, the reason we are pursuing this petition is to urge Mark Bryan to engage is his biblical duty as an ordained minister to stand approved and in right standing with the qualifications of the office he holds. Moreover, to bring recognition to the bullying that is occurring through his teachings and practices, as witness by over 150 adults who have chose to leave his ministry. God can restore all things, but it all hinges on one man willing enough to acknowledge that he could be in error and that more than 150 witnesses of the same issues, unaddressed in his character and ministry, is a tragedy for the Body of Christ. Our desire is to see Mark Bryan be humble enough to consider the abuse he is accused of, repent and seek God’s restoration to a ministry that could continue to be a blessing to the Body of Christ.

This church and the many others like it will only change if the voices of the beloved will rise up and say, this is not of God, the bible does not tell me to sit idly by when wrong is being done in the name of Christ. Be the voice, don’t let bullying in the church continue on.
----------------

Sincerely,

[Your name]