ˌɔn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi sˈɪkstiːn, tˈuː θˈaʊzənd nˈaɪntiːn, mˈæk dˈɑːnəld tˈʊk æn "ɪndˈɛfɪnət sɐbˈæɾɪkəl fɹʌm ˈɔːl pɹˈiːtʃɪŋ ænd lˈiːdɚʃˌɪp," sˈeɪɪŋ ɪn ɐ stˈeɪtmənt ðæt hiː hˈæz "...bˈæɾəld sˈaɪkəlz ʌv ɪndʒˈʌstɪs, hˈɜːt, ˈæŋɡɚ, ænd fˈɪɹ wˌɪtʃ hæv wˈuːndᵻd ˈʌðɚz wɪðˌaʊt kˈɔːz", ænd ðæt æz ɐ ɹɪzˈʌlt hiː hˈæz  "...kˈæɹid ɡɹˈeɪt ʃˈeɪm ɐbˌaʊt ðɪs pˈætɚn ɪn sˈɜːʔn̩ ɹᵻlˈeɪʃənʃˌɪps ðæt kæn ˈoʊnli biː kˈɔːld sˈɪn.
On January 16, 2019, MacDonald took an "indefinite sabbatical from all preaching and leadership," saying in a statement that he has "...battled cycles of injustice, hurt, anger, and fear which have wounded others without cause", and that as a result he has  "...carried great shame about this pattern in certain relationships that can only be called sin.