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Church Buys Heroin
A Call for Accountability in the Church
Pastors don't buy street heroin with church money & pretend to be doctors. I am calling for the resignation of Art Lucier.
Disclaimer: The following reflects my personal commentary and theological opinion, supported by publicly available videos, documented testimonies, firsthand accounts, and statements made directly by Art Lucier.
The Tragic Story of Angel
Dear Beloved Community,
I write to you with a heavy heart as I reflect on the tragic story of a young woman who lost her battle with addiction. She needed compassionate, professional help to support her in moving away from sex work and trauma.
As we remember her, let us also keep in our thoughts and prayers all those who are struggling with similar issues.
In light of her story, we need to pay attention to the actions of Mr. Art Lucier, who is often called a "prophet."
We must come together to highlight the serious dangers of street drugs, especially given Canada’s ongoing opioid crisis. For the safety of our church community and everyone involved with Harvest Ministries International, R.R.A., and the Battle for Canada movement, I respectfully call for Mr. Lucier to resign from all his positions of influence within the church.
It is concerning to hear Mr. Lucier admit to being involved with street heroin and his troubling claim "I would do it again." This creates a clear danger for individuals and our entire community. We can no longer ignore the risk of overdose that comes from this behavior.
I also ask Mr. Lucier to remove his YouTube video called "The Day I Brought Home a Hooker." This video, and others, spread misunderstandings about important issues affecting many people in society. I urge him to remove any content that misrepresents my ministry or spreads falsehood and mockery.
The Tragic Story of Angel
At first, I reached out to Mr. Lucier privately in hopes of resolving these issues. However, after seeing his public mockery and the false information he shared on social media, I felt it was necessary to express my concerns in this open letter.
This letter might not have been needed if Mr. Lucier had taken down his video. His many videos attacking my street ministry are still available on social media, leading to the loss of friends and financial supporters due to his smear campaign against me.
In closing, I offer my forgiveness to Mr. Art Lucier and pray for God’s guidance in his life. May we all, as a community, work together to bring healing and hope, supporting one another on our faith journeys.
In Christ’s love,
Brother John Elving
Teena Marie Pridham—Art Lucier’s Social-Media Defender Caught Admitting She Buys Street Heroin for Addicts-May/2025
Teena Marie Pridham, an outspoken supporter of controversial preacher Art Lucier, has posted a startling confession on Facebook: she and other “outreach leaders” regularly purchase street heroin for people in withdrawal while they wait for a detox bed.
By openly funding and delivering an illicit, fentanyl-laden supply, Pridham is committing trafficking under Canada’s Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and courting potential manslaughter charges if any dose turns deadly.
Her actions bypass doctors and medically supervised withdrawal protocols, substituting ad-hoc street deals for evidence-based care and putting every recipient in mortal danger.
Equally disturbing, Lucier himself has already confessed to the same practice—and even pretended to be a doctor for three days while “dosing” an addict. Together, their admissions expose a reckless pattern of unlawful and unlicensed interventions masquerading as ministry.
Good intentions do not neutralize the lethal risks or legal liabilities of trafficking toxic narcotics, and spiritual titles offer no shield against the catastrophic consequences of playing doctor on the streets.
Joe Pauloski’s Testimony – April 9, 2025
"My personal firsthand experience of Angel’s story is very heartbreaking. I loved Angel. My heart has always been for the lost and those on the streets. I remember many services where I cried at the altar because I couldn’t stand the thought of these precious, hurting people being left behind."
Joe first met Angel during street ministry. He felt an intense prompting from God that she needed to come off the streets. He told her directly, “God wants you off the streets. God wants to help you.”
Later, Joe saw Angel at a church event — completely transformed, clean, dressed well. She was coming back to Kitimat with their group. Joe cried tears of joy, believing he had witnessed a miracle.
But behind the scenes, things were not as they seemed.
Joe says leadership was “sorely unprepared” to help someone like Angel. On the drive back to Kitimat, street heroin was purchased to help her through withdrawals. Joe was told Angel overdosed—possibly more than once. Art Lucier allegedly performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
As time went on, Angel faded from the church. Joe later heard reports of her looking very ill. What appeared to be a pregnancy turned out to be liver failure. She died from related complications.
“She deserved better. She deserved a good life… as does everyone who suffers the way she did. It still rips me apart. I thought that was God’s will, but now I don’t know.”
Joe believes Angel should have been placed in a hospital, under medical supervision, not self-medicating or withdrawing without professional help.
“Where was the leadership? Maybe adults were in the room, but they weren’t heard. We needed wisdom. This tragedy was not inevitable. It could have been prevented.”
Respectfully addressing Art Lucier's public attacks, I seek to counter the disinformation against me.
False Claim of Denominational Bias
Art Lucier has publicly alleged in videos and in a church setting that I am aligned with one denominational church and harbor hatred for others. He has further accused me on social media of serving as a Catholic and being dishonest. These claims are utterly false.
As an interdenominational street pastor, my mission is to serve the entire Body of Christ without regard to denominational lines.
Such divisive accusations have alienated me from valuable relationships within the charismatic community, undermining the trust I have worked hard to build.
Baseless Allegation of Partnership with a Witch
Lucier has made the outrageous claim that I partnered with a witch. This accusation is unfounded and deeply offensive to my faith and ministry, which are rooted in Scripture and committed to the highest spiritual standards.
Such slanderous statements have cast unwarranted doubt on my character and work throughout Canada.
Misrepresentation of Ministry Practices
In several videos, Lucier falsely alleged that I oppose donations to churches and events, claiming I discourage people from supporting anything.
This is categorically untrue. I have hundreds of publicly available videos encouraging people to donate to local organizations, including churches, food banks, and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers.
These misrepresentations have unjustly damaged the perception of my ministry and caused significant financial losses.
Name-calling and Public Slander
Lucier has publicly referred to me as a “watchdog,” “critic,” and “fool” and has even questioned my mental health.
During a church gathering, he referred to me as “he's an ex-con.” While it is true that I have a criminal past, I have been free of criminal charges for 25 years and have lived a life transformed by God’s grace.
These statements are malicious, misleading, and intended to discredit my ministry and my personal testimony of redemption.
Deflection from Serious Allegations
I believe these defamatory attacks are an attempt to deflect from serious allegations involving Art Lucier, including the alleged purchase, transportation, and distribution of street heroin using church funds.
If proven, such actions would constitute egregious ethical violations and significant criminal offenses under Canadian law.
Legal and Financial Harm
The defamatory statements made by Art Lucier have:
It severely damaged my reputation within the charismatic community.
This led to substantial financial losses due to decreased support and donations.
Undermined the credibility and reach of my ministry in Canada.
Demand for Retraction
I demand that Art Lucier:
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Immediately cease and desist from making any further defamatory statements about me or my ministry.
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Issue a public retraction of all false statements made in videos, church settings, and on social media platforms.
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Provide a written apology acknowledging the harm caused by these statements.
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Publish this apology in video format on all social media platforms and Harvest Ministry International websites for no less than one year.
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At all future public events hosted by Harvest Ministry International, read a formal statement addressing the dangers of street heroin and awareness of Canada's National Opioid crisis.
Legal Notice
Should this matter proceed to litigation, I will exercise my legal rights during the discovery process to obtain the following:
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All private Correspondence: Emails, text messages, and other communications related to the defamatory claims and my ministry.
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All financial Records: Documentation, including receipts and transaction records, regarding the alleged purchase or handling of street heroin by Art Lucier or his church.
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All recordings: Any audio or video recordings that reference my ministry or the allegations.
Please note that I reserve the right to make any relevant records disclosed during discovery available to the public and media to ensure transparency and accountability.
Call for Resolution
While litigation is not my preferred course of action, I urge Art Lucier to comply with these demands to avoid further escalation. A peaceful resolution is in everyone’s best interest.
I trust this matter can be resolved without legal intervention, but I remain steadfast in my commitment to protect my reputation and the integrity of my ministry.
Sincerely,
Brother John Elving
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Wolf Depner, the journalist, mistakenly referred to my late brother, Ben, as transgender. This is not accurate. My brother was not transgender; it was one of his close friends who identified as such. I understand that errors can occur in reporting and hold no ill will toward Wolf. However, I want to clarify this to honor my brother's memory and accurately represent the truth.
Sincerely,
John Elving
Disclaimer: The content on this page is based on a combination of publicly available video recordings, documented firsthand testimonies, screenshots, and Art Lucier’s own statements, including his comments to my retraction letter.
All materials are presented for the purposes of accountability, religious critique, and theological commentary.
The conclusions expressed herein reflect my personal opinions and convictions as a Christian minister.
Nothing contained in this publication is intended, nor should it be interpreted, as a formal legal finding of guilt, criminal liability, or unlawful conduct.
All readers are encouraged to examine the referenced materials and reach their own conclusions.