It took a prophet to make him see his sin. They could all be lying. It strikes against our credibility.. Trust us, Weitnauer told CT. Its really clear what kind of person Ravi was. Why are our leaders living so differently than Jesus lived? Three incidents have shaken staff members trust in Zacharias and RZIM leadership in recent years. Other family members made public statements attacking those who would criticize Zacharias. When sin is exposed In evangelical circlestruth is rarely appreciated, accepted, or commended. Jessica Lea August 12, 2022. The C&MAs investigation reportedly included a review of all available documents. Yet the Thompsons say the C&MA didnt request any documentation from them. It is suspicious that these sexual allegations come out years later and we prosecute someone in public media, declaring someone guilty until proven innocent. .. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS) Three-time Dove-winning musician, Fernando Ortegawho just lost his mother, Eva Pacheco Ortega, age 93reflects on the passing of Ravi Zacharias. Friday, February 17, 2023 . In Cover-Up in the Kingdom, Baughman devotes an entire chapter to Ravis Enablers at God Inc. These enablers include Zacharias publisher, prominent evangelical seminaries, and some speakers at RZIM who surely noticed Zacharias deceptive practices. Especially so for Ravi's wife, Margie, and family. Doing so is not cruel. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Zachariass daughter, RZIM CEO Sarah Davis, promised to release the full results of an ongoing independent investigation. She and her husband have now, as a result of these ladies, come out publicly, about two days ago to address their side of the story after having signed an NDA with Ravi. After listing all she had found, she said: "All of this is to tell you what I did not find: no suspicious financial documents, no financial or real estate arrangements that I did not know about. I believe the women who have come forward, Amy Orr-Ewing, a senior vice president with RZIM and the ministrys first full-time female apologist, told CT. I am so grieved at what these brave individuals have described and the courage it has taken for them to even start to reveal their stories.. In an email to her extended family, Margie Zacharias defended her husband, saying that after . Sin is not the problem here. However, since the release of the report Margie had stayed silent and only their son Nathan Zacharias had spoken out defending Ravi. Julie, can you say why you think they lived at the Gate Project house for several years? Although, Ravi Zacharias was Anglican, which is not generally included under the umbrella of . Im not committing to this interpretation of events but I thinks its a possibility. ], Subscribe to CT I recently emailed Jake Lapp, ECFA compliance team lead, informing him that RZIM does not disclose its board members and asking if that practice complies with ECFA standards. Ravi Zacharias' Death At 74. AD . Margie Zacharias wrote a letter defending her late husband Ravi Zacharias. Nathan Zacharias, son of the late apologist Ravi Zacharias, said he will continue to defend his father's name and legacy with whatever force necessary. In all-staff meetings held between the start of October and the Christmas break in 2020, top leaders impugned the outlets reporting the allegations, speculated about the possibility of elaborate conspiracies to attack Zachariass reputation, prayed against demonic forces, and asked the staff to trust them and the law firm they hired. The law firm RZIM hired for the investigation, Miller & Martin, is telling, as well. (M)any credible allegations were raised about Zacharias when he was alive. [ This article is also available in They refrained from doing so until two days ago. RZIM's 990s also state that RZIM provided a "housing allowance or residence for personal use" to Ravi and Margie Zacharias. RZIM also maintained a revocable rabbi trust for Zacharias, which in 2018 was valued at $1.6 million. It makes me realize often we put so much stock and faith into these souls who are mere mortals. margie zacharias evicted. The publication of the preliminary report from the outside investigative team and RZIMs official acknowledgement of evidence of sexual misconduct indicate the ministry will take the charges more seriously than it has in the past. ), Nice to see some Indian believers speak up for truth, reminding me of that glorious time when all ethnicities will worship God together before His throne. And his daughter, Sarah Davis (now CEO of RZIM) served as a director. However, he said he could not attest to whether or not that documentation was received.. The couple added that during the only conversation they had with the C&MA, General Counsel Gary Friesen told them that the sexting matter was a he said she said situation and the truth of the matter could not be known. Facebook Twitter RSS. Margie explained she also "found the bag of crosses he gave to every therapist who helped him and which have been used against him, called expensive gifts used to bribe or "groom"I'm not even sure what that is" and added that she and her children also have one as Ravi used them to "open a conversation about the Lord" and "were not intended to convey a special or romantic interest.". She concluded her email affirming her confidence on her husband's innocence. Yet, Thompson told me RZIM never contacted her or asked for any documentation. Members and non members need to be able to appoint the board that is changed every five years Only GOD can be their comfort," says Rev Edmund Chan. Culture. He was 74. Teammates pushing for a fuller reckoning at RZIM said they were quickly persuaded the investigation would be far-reaching and thorough. "We spoke with many witnesses, both within and outside RZIM, who saw the question of . Who knew two nonverbal rocks had so much to say? My prayer has been that the truth about these matters will be known, Davis said in a written statement to CT on Tuesday evening. Its actually stupid to misuse the name of the most famous university in the world. I can not imagine being marginalized & silenced & ignored by such a seemingly prestigious brother in Christ there are no winners here (but thankfully, our Lord & His Gospel did get preached, in spite of sin). Because it is the right thing to do. Ravi sold his house (different address) in 2019. We invent ways of managing sin! All accusations need to be revealed investigation carried out or the people who dont investigate be liable. If our process is seen as circling the wagons around Ravi, then those in positions of influence within Christian ministries and churches who are sexually abusing vulnerable people will see that they can get away with it, Gilman said. Over the past three months, CT interviewed seven current and two former RZIM speakers and staff in five countries. Nathan Zacharias, Ravi's son, has started a blog called "Defending Ravi", in which he takes issue with a number of the assertions made . We like to think there are some people (Christian leaders included) beyond certain sins. Theyd meet in his office to work on projects.. Ironically, Ravis disgraced name is fitting for such a disgraceful organization. . But to make this happen, we need your help. RZIM says it 'does not agree' with entire explosive Guidepost report, but vows to 'learn' from mistakes. Certainly, anyone whos read Steve Baughmans 2018 book, Cover-Up in the Kingdom, can see that Zacharias exaggerated his credentials and outright lied about being an Oxford professor. Because we all sin and fall. Jessica Lea August 12, 2022. We also reviewed Mr. Zacharias's electronic devices and found evidence of text- and email-based relationships . The credibility of the recent allegations led them to scrutinize RZIMs statements about Zachariass settlement of a 2017 lawsuit with the woman who said he groomed her into sending him sexually explicit messages. How would you think it would not be noticed. "I have written this because I feel it is important that you, his family, know what I know, know what I have found and not found, so that you may have confidence to continue to love and respect the man you knew, and that you may know that he was the man you knew. "He could never have kept a secret like they are alleging (alleging, I say, as there is not one whit of evidence to support what they are . Very difficult to read but, I agree, essential in order to hold the many who are responsible to the standards of biblical principles we are supposedly dedicated to. Some staff members argue the $36 million global ministrybuilt on the late apologists reputation for faith and truthcould become a model for dealing with scandal or could be another example of an institution preserving its power at the cost of its Christian witness. He was involved in Christian apologetics for a period spanning more than forty years. The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. You can unsubscribe anytime. She responded that RZIM will not confirm their address and did not answer my question. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. More power to you Julie because I know how tough it can be to do stories of powerful people. But as Christians we should know that every person is capable of committing the most horrendous crimes given different circumstances. Why are you putting words in my mouth? said Allberry, according to people who attended the meeting. This news comes late for the victims and for this I will forever be sorry.. Yet donors should be aware that the ECFA often merely gives a false sense of security, rather than truly holding its members accountable. It is because I knew him and because there is absolutely no evidence to support anything contrary," she continued. How foolish are we :(. Excellent post Julie. But Ravi obviously resonated with it. WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHOSE LIVE WERE DESTROYED?? I say this with all due respect because it was hard for me to believe too until I took the time to read these articles and listen to her broadcast with Steve. No Celebrities Except Jesus: How Asbury Protected the Revival, After Pushing for UMC Unity, Former Bishop Joins New Denomination, The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, evasiveness, misinformation, and intimidation, With Gossip of the Gospel, the Church Grows in Nepal. That concerted pressure may salvage the ministry if they can get cooperation from the people at the head, said L. T. Jeyachandran, former executive director of the Asia-Pacific branch of RZIM from 2001 to 2012. Sometimes leaders would invoke Zachariass reputation, saying, But thats Ravi, suggesting he was above reproach. Zacharias solicited and received photos until a few months before his death in May 2020 at age 74. At an online all-staff meeting in mid-October, however, RZIM speaker Sam Allberry, who officiated at Zachariass graveside service, asked why ministry teammates had been included in the official denial. In her Tuesday statement, Davis was willing to admit she and others in leadership had made mistakes. In this video, I share 3 THINGS NOBODY ELSE SEEMS TO BE WILLING TO SAY when it comes to Margie and what she is walking through.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Margie Zacharias and 3 Things NOBODY IS SAYING00:48 Margies Situation01:50 Everybody is saying the SAME OLD THING02:49 Grieving TWO Deaths03:51 Margies Email06:55 Kindness Goes A LONG WAY07:40 Margie is NOT Under Investigation09:39 PLEASE Get Her Name RIGHT!Links to IMPORTANT INFORMATION about Ravi Zacharias: Watch My Other Videos (Playlist) covering Ravi and RZIM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSEf9rdeRfA\u0026list=PLudNbPfaNC_F1mY7eP4WB_WbnWaL8VK0f Miller \u0026 Martin Report: https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/board-statement Margie's FULL EMAIL: https://defendingravi.com/** GEAR I USE ** Camera: https://amzn.to/2LnsLsp (Amazon) Lens: https://amzn.to/3qne0of (Amazon) Microphone: https://amzn.to/2XzXEfs (Amazon) Boom Stand: https://amzn.to/38GUkWb (Amazon) Lighting: https://amzn.to/2LlYvhx (Amazon) SD Memory Card: https://amzn.to/38IGySQ (Amazon) Teleprompter: https://amzn.to/3c1j3GT (Amazon) (When available, affiliate links are used -- thanks for supporting the channel!) According to ECFAs standard on governance, an independent person is defined in part as someone who is not an employee of the organization or related by blood or marriage to staff members or other board members.. The two Married in May 1972. He also said, however, that if the investigation proved the worst allegations were true, that wouldnt be fatal for the ministry. . This is like strike three.. https://www.openbible.info/topics/exposing_false_teachers, Correction regarding reclassification since there have been several incorrect dates reported: We better fear the almighty God of the universe! Asked why she stayed for so long, Malhotra said she felt complicit in a culture that enabled abusive . According to Allberry, there has been evasiveness, misinformation, and intimidation. Gilman asked a question about how RZIMs initial denial had characterized victims of sexual abuse and was told by a supervisor that he should reconsider whether RZIM was a good fit for him anymore. At Premier Christian News, we believe in the power of faith and truth to combat fake news and opinion pieces. The 2015 form 990 also states that RZIM provided a "housing allowance or residence for personal use" to Ravi and Margie Zacharias. Thank you. And while extending olive branches to various branches of Christianity is not inherently bad, questions arise when one goes beyond protestant walls. And they have interviewed multiple members of RZIM staff in multi-hour sessions, asking about Zachariass personal history, his extensive travel schedule, and the culture of the board and leadership. The main problem, though, is with us following so-called Christian celebrities instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thats because Ive already observed that large compensation packages present no problem for ECFA. I somehow stumbled on this website and article and I had no idea. I believe they were encouraged to speak out now by knowing their were others from the spa. Other teammates have called out inconsistency in Zachariass own response to the lawsuit. The investigators interim report said that we were given broad discretion and authority to follow leads into other sexual misconduct that might arise, and that is exactly what we have done.. Ravis business partner apologized for not stopping Ravi. I understand your concern for fairness, etc., yet I have been reading about Mr. Zachariass authenticity problems for a few years before his recent illness & death. The global Christian ministry founded by the late Ravi Zacharias said Wednesday it will suspend fundraising, lay off 60% of its staff and overhaul its mission in the wake of revelations that he engaged in sexual misconduct with massage therapists and carried on many amorous extramarital relationships via texts and email. Thank you for doing this incredibly distasteful and painful work. Though RZIM has hired a firm to investigate the spa allegations, whats telling is RZIMs recent statement, labeling the accusations false.. I am saddened by this whole sordid mess. On the positive side, Julie and Steve are bringing to light issues that may never have been exposed. Certainly Kepes, who wanted his loan repaid, would have extra incentive to make sure Naomi and Drew remained employed by RZIM. They said they have agreed to speak out in order that other women who have dealt with this with Ravi would know they were not alone; that they believed them because it had happened to them as well. Further, Renolds has a body measurement of around 42-34-40 inches. how much do models get paid per show; ma rmv ignition interlock department phone number CT has also reviewed more than a dozen internal documents and detailed notes of multiple meetings, which reveal growing frustration and escalating pressure as staff members attempted to force a full reckoning with what they see as an institutional failure. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT. RZIM Confirms Ravi Zachariass Sexual Misconduct, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. 10:40 CET. well thought out and presented.it is sad but all these so called mega ministries suck up the money to give those involved enriched lifestyles,.obviously James McDonald being one. It almost gets to the point where we deify them. margie zacharias home. Were going to find out what happened. But rather than rigorously investigate them, his namesake organization spun cleverly worded statements . Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. In a staff devotional meeting before Christmas, Margie ZachariasRavi's widow and the chief culture officer at RZIMassured everyone that the ministry's donors are "letting us know . The teammates pushing for more accountability were surprised and encouraged that RZIM officially admitted the allegations were credible, but were only cautiously optimistic about what comes next. Maybe it makes us feel better about ourselves? wrote Robert Drew McNeil, ex-husband of Zachariass daughter Naomi and former director of the RZIM Academy, on Twitter in mid-October. The firm has been accused of fraud and appears to have little expertise in sexual harassment and abuse cases. While this may be true, I think its irresponsible to accuse one who cannot defend against the allegations, said someone on Facebook. It was blaringly apparent that Mr. Z did not want to engage in any sort of clarification or defense or admittance of wrong-doing/sin. "He could never have kept a secret like they are alleging (alleging, I say, as there is not one whit of evidence to support what they are saying)," said Margie in an email that her son, Nathan, published on his blog . Sorry, your web browser is not capable of supporting the features required by this website. Memorized many of his jokes, quotes and even sermons. ), I get your point Scottie. But some began to openly reject that narrativefirst within the ministry, then publicly. Baker-Hytch recalled that RZIM leadership said board members had reviewed all the emails and text exchanges between Zacharias and the woman. The idea of a 70 year-old "grooming" a middle-aged married woman is absurd. When I started to think, He might be guilty, I wanted to know, how can I bring the truth to light and not be part of the problem, Gilman said. Today is both a vindication and a reminder to continue in our pursuit of truth, Summers said after the December 23 statement. Margie Zacharias, the widow of the disgraced apologist Ravi Zachariasand former board member and chief cultural officer for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)has broken her silence regarding her late husband's alleged sexual abuse. They expect Miller & Martins final report to be horrific.. The loan raises a significant conflict of interest issue. No suspicious letters or cards of a romantic nature from anyone but me. The attitude from the younger Zacharias is much of what is wrong with the approach After the allegations emerged, Davis and president Michael Ramsden repeatedly assured staff members that they would not cover anything up. Introduced him to 1000s. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. The founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries died on Thursday at his home in Atlanta at the age of 74. Since its not an ongoing problem, and he surely wont do it again, Im not sure I see the relevance, said another. The question I think to start with is Is it possible for Ravi to be guilty?. I didnt bother to ask Lapp about the Zacharias family receiving more than $1 million or about Ravis $1.6 million rabbi trust and housing allowance. His wife, Margie, served as vice-chairman. In christian culture the concern ALL the concern is for the perpetrator. The culture of RZIM is adulation and unquestioning loyalty. He was 74. I understand being suspicious but until youve read the articles and listened to the podcast and seen the evidence that Julie has uncovered, you will not discover the truth. We have simply asked for patience until the investigation is concluded so that we can do these things, as fully and meaningfully as possible.. They have pressed RZIM leaders to bring Denhollander in to consult on the ministrys response to the report and take other steps to communicate a strong commitment to victims of sexual abuse. Zacharias was the author of more than thirty books on Christianity, He also hosted the radio . let the perp fend for himself. In her email, Margie Zacharias explains how she started going through Ravi's belongings as she was given 90 days by RZIM to leave their house and "wanted to be certain that nothing was left of Ravi that anyone could take and twist and create a story to use against him". As The Roys Report reported in October, the house in which Ravi and Margie Zacharias lived was bought in 2018 by an LLC managed by an RZIM executive. Baker-Hytch later learned from one board member and an outside adviser that they had only reviewed some of the correspondencea binder of selected and printed out messages. This increasingly vocal group pushed back against the institutions official narrative, first with questions during staff meetings, then with letters to leadership and the board, and then with public statements when they felt their concerns were not being taken seriously. There were also the inflated scholarly credentials that he lied about. There have already been internal discussions about changing the name and rebranding. Zacharias is unlikely to have "groomed" a 40 year-old adult. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. However, Nathan Zacharias, explained on Instagram that his mum had asked him to publish the email on his blog 'Defending Ravi', so they "can ensure the content remains accurate". The investigators have also looked at Zachariass personal and business travel to probe potential misconduct overseas. (They were like me: if I had watched the video without Stackhouses perspective, I would have been impressed with what Ravi had said. RZIMs December 23 statement, summarizing preliminary findings from an outside investigation, marked the first time the ministry acknowledged sexual misconduct by its founder, who died in May at the age of 74. Yes, we are all capable of wrongdoing, but Ravis willful choices put him in an exceptionally despicable league which most human beings would not stoop to, let alone be able to even imagine. We cannot say we stand for the truth and then look the other way when our favorite ministry or leader is implicated in wrongdoing. The suggestion that I or my agnostic and moslem friends and relatives are on sin-level par with Ravi is beyond insulting. She was fired. "In short, I want you, his family, to know beyond a shadow of doubt that I found not one suspicious receipt, letter, card, expenditureabsolutely nothing to support the claims being made or the charges against him." A man lives a life of integrity for 74 years, and people will still believe lies that are wholly incompatible with who he was. Then, days before Christmas, RZIM officially recognized substantial evidence that Zacharias sexually abused multiple women. She was a police officer for 30+ years. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? It was revolting and made me want to vomit.