The church is under fire.
A woman has accused Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, led by John MacArthur, of subjecting her to church discipline after she sought to separate from her reportedly abusive husband.
In July, Lorraine Zielinski’s name was publicly disclosed during a church communion service as someone undergoing church discipline related to her separation. She reported that last month, Grace approved her for the fourth step of their church discipline process, which involves social ostracism. Zielinski criticized the church’s handling of her situation, claiming in an August email to church leaders that Grace had defamed her and improperly enforced discipline.
Zielinski recounted feeling mistreated during marriage counseling sessions at Grace, stating that her concerns were often dismissed and that she was frequently made to feel belittled. Her medical condition, involving brain lesions, was exacerbated by the stress of these meetings, and she claimed that her health concerns were disregarded by the pastors. Despite her lawyer’s advice, she chose not to file for divorce, but her husband did so, later indicating plans to remarry, which Zielinski said was initially overlooked by the church.
After her husband left their home, Zielinski alleged that a Grace pastor insisted he return, disregarding her and her daughter’s safety. She also argued that her public disciplining was unjust since she had resigned her membership from Grace in December 2023 due to dissatisfaction with how her marital issues were handled. Zielinski expressed that she had initially sought reconciliation under appropriate conditions and had even recommended other churches for counseling after losing trust in Grace.
Zielinski noted a perceived gender bias at Grace, where men’s statements were accepted as truth while women’s concerns were often dismissed. She confirmed in a recent interview that she had moved away and is not in contact with her estranged husband. She is still processing the events and has not yet decided whether to pursue legal action.
The Christian Post reached out to Grace Community Church for comment but received no response. The church’s website emphasizes a strong stance against divorce, citing it only as a last resort under severe circumstances. Past controversies include a 2002 incident where MacArthur reportedly shamed a mother who sought separation from her husband, David Gray, a former GCC teacher convicted of child molestation. Additionally, former elder Hohn Cho’s complaint to the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) about Grace’s counseling practices led to the removal of Grace Pastor Bill Shannon from the ACBC’s list of approved counselors last year.