it’s not really that valuable as someone said above – they have lots more money to do this kind of thing than the critics do to defend themselves against them.

exactly.

True, that. One attempted S.L.A.P.P that didn’t silence.

The Elephants Debt responds to the dropping of the lawsuit with an open letter and are asking for public repentance. They don’t hesitate to outline what those public steps would look like.

https://theelephantsdebt.com/2019/01/08/an-open-letter-to-james-macdonald-and-the-elders-of-harvest-bible-chapel/

“But barring these public acts of contrition, please understand that your words will not be received as anything other than another cynical ploy to manage your public image.”

Today, Julie Roys didn’t hesitate to tackle allegations in the lawsuit about her, and she states that more information will be forthcoming.
http://julieroys.com/response-harvests-lawsuit-time-confess-repent-resign/

“Also obtained through subpoena was a text from James MacDonald concerning the validity of claims that Harvest Bible Chapel knowingly misspent funds from Harvest Bible Fellowship, the church’s former church planting network that MacDonald dissolved in 2017. (I’ll be publishing more on that soon.)”

Sadly true, I suspect.

I doubt they have learned anything other than having their dirty laundry aired in public wouldn’t go well for them.

The purpose was never to win. It was to punish the critics and send a message: mess with us, and we’ll hurt you.

The critics have already had to spend money & time hiring a lawyer and going to court. Even with the case dropped, they are in the red.

The wealthy donors and business owners and CEO’s might not like getting publicly connected to a church in the midst of a scandal.

” We receive these outcomes as God’s direction…”

Did not they ask him (little h on purpose) in the beginning, what changed?

In a way I wished it would continue for this very thing. I can’t believe they did not count the cost of this before they fired the shot and/or if this action was so important they were not willing to endure the heat. I’m guessing there are things here that will never come out that would simply ruin this church for ever.

As far as the scriptures in the elders statement… I’m not sure but I think context was not applied when used.

Enter Ms. Streisand.

One would hope (against hope) that the elders might be willing to spend some time in serious reflection and prayer considering why it took a ruling by a court for them to discern God’s direction.