RZIM has not earned credibility with victims, Weitnauer said. It is really sad that such an acclaimed speaker has allegedly found wanting on so many fronts- sexual misconduct, financial irregularities and lying about his credentials. According to public records, the owner of the home at the address was Gate Project LLC whose organizer is RZIM CFO Jeanette Chuquiure. Frankly, I believe these women and find their allegations to be credible.. 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. February 25, 2023 . If sin is overlooked a few times, we tend to continue in sin!. Amen. The wife of leading apologist and academic, Ravi Zacharias, has said that her husband is experiencing significant pain after undergoing surgery on his spine . Zacharias is unlikely to have "groomed" a 40 year-old adult. As a believer from India I am especially pained because we Indian Christians were so proud of his achievements and we followed him with dedication. The fact of the matter is religion has long been a means for hucksters to get rich. Yet, many credible allegations were raised about Zacharias when he was alive. She went on to describe how she found receipts dating back to 1980s, money, pain medications, watches and photographs. You are very brave in the face of much criticism. But confession, repentance and a path to restoration seem to be missing here! Ironically, Ravis disgraced name is fitting for such a disgraceful organization. Ravi's widow deserves to stay in that home. I contacted C&MA spokesman Peter Burgo for the denominations side of the story. "There is absolutely no way that Ravi is guilty as charged, convicted, cancelled and executed, some even going so far as to claim that he never knew the Lord," Margie wrote in an email to her friends. 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. Scroll down to WARNING. Moreover, Margaret has beautiful ocean-blue eyes and white hair. Mon Mar 01 2021. Nathan Zacharias, son of the late disgraced apologist Ravi Zacharias, has posted his first blog in seven months to explain that his recent silence is not due to him having changed his mind about his . We like to think there are some people (Christian leaders included) beyond certain sins. I think we need a total apology and total transparency, Max Baker-Hytch, an RZIM speaker who also teaches philosophy at Oxford University, told CT. Im afraid we wont really admit to the corporate complicity and the toxic loyalty culture.. Though RZIM has hired a firm to investigate the spa allegations, whats telling is RZIMs recent statement, labeling the accusations false.. Ravi Zacharias was laid to rest on Thursday, May 21, in a private ceremony in Georgia. I dont think anyone would have thought consciously in their head, Oh, Ravis reputation is more important than victims of sexual abuse, Baker-Hytch said, but I think that has sometimes been the impression that the leaderships words and actions have created.. Another daughter, Naomi Zachariasdirector of Wellspring International, the stated beneficiary of one of Zacharias spas where abuse allegedly occurredwas paid nearly $150,000. The main problem, though, is with us following so-called Christian celebrities instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. First, Zacharias was accused over the years of claiming academic credentials that he hadnt earned. Ravi sold his house (different address) in 2019. While their investigation is not complete, the firm reports that they "have found significant, credible evidence that Mr. Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of . I think I, and others, without awareness, expected Ravi to be more than human, Davis wrote. This was in addition to the $3.1 million Harvest paid MacDonald in private accounts over a three-year period, and the $1.2 million MacDonald received in deferred compensation. Nathan Zacharias Uncategorized April 22, 2021 - family's personal website. Later documents I obtained indicate that the $700,000 home Ravi and Margie Zacharias occupied the past several years was bought in 2018 by an LLC managed by an RZIM executive. However, he said he could not attest to whether or not that documentation was received.. Yes, Ravi has passed away, but his ministry had an effect on millions of people all around the world. . We anticipate that this investigation will address many of the questions and concerns members of the team are raising, Davis wrote in an email to all staff before the public announcement on December 23, and we commit to addressing these with you at the appropriate time, after the investigation is complete.. The couple had three children, Sarah, Nathan and Naomi. Because it is the right thing to do. Many must have noticed and yet kept quiet, especially his own colleagues so all of RZIM is guilty of hiding lies and all are beneficiaries financially. It took a prophet to make him see his sin. 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. Pocket. All three companies are registered in England & Wales with a registered office address of Unit 6 April Court, Sybron Way, Crowborough, TN6 3DZ. Zacharias was the author of more than thirty books on Christianity, He also hosted the radio . Other teammates have called out inconsistency in Zachariass own response to the lawsuit. How would you think it would not be noticed. During one staff meeting, an assistant pointed out that people in leadership knew this was a false statement when Zacharias said it. All churches and ministers need more accountability what we see too much board members close friends with pastor and board members for life this needs to change in every church. Wow that is even more damnable. Instead, its behaving like an organization that has something to hide. She also found cards that therapists had sent "thanking him for the blessing he was to them, for his encouragement to them, for leading them into a deeper walk with the Lord or being instrumental in bringing them to the Lord". Thank you, PD7 for such a wise response and for expressing kindness to those who said they were hurt. December 23, 2020. Sorry, your web browser is not capable of supporting the features required by this website. People who didnt know him might believe the liesbut not those who knew him well., That sense of defensiveness does not appear to have limited the scope of the investigation conducted by the law firm Miller & Martin. The advice and recommendations were not well received. Previously, staff accepted official explanations and dismissals. We will not notify you again about this until you next restart your browser. The full weight of this now rests on the board and the leadership of RZIM who repeated Ravis denials, said Rio Summers, an associate producer for RZIM global media and an executive assistant to Ramsden before he became president. 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. Fernando Ortega and Ravi Zacharias. She has said the abuse she suffered went far beyond the images Zacharias mischaracterized as unsolicited. Staff members who believe her allegations want RZIM to review how the ministry handled the claims and are charging leadership with complicity in Zachariass cover-up. If we do, then the scandals in evangelicalism will only increase. It makes me realize often we put so much stock and faith into these souls who are mere mortals. She married Bernard Wilbur Keach Jr. on 7 April 1945, in Orange, Florida, United States. Read it here. A man lives a life of integrity for 74 years, and people will still believe lies that are wholly incompatible with who he was. She was a police officer for 30+ years. As Christians, now isnt the time to put our heads in the sand and we have to be more concerned about standing up for what is TRUE, calling out hypocrites, and most importantly, representing Christ well (albeit imperfectly). In his autobiography Ravi claims that he was chosen to preach at his graduation from the Ontario Bible College in April of 1972. Similarly, Reynolds uses a bra of size 38B and shoes of size 6. 01743091) with two fully-owned trading subsidiaries: Premier Christian Communications Ltd (no. Gilman, Allberry, and others have sought advice from Rachael Denhollander, advocate and author of What Is a Girl Worth? The board apparently cleared Zacharias of any wrongdoing without ever having access to all the correspondence, Baker-Hytch said. The law firm RZIM hired for the investigation, Miller & Martin, is telling, as well. Senior RZIM leaders and board members (whose names are not made public) now face pressure from within the ministry to demonstrate a new commitment to accountability. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. Margie Zacharias, is she in denial or protecting something else? We invent ways of managing sin! This is whole issue with Ravi and the board of RZIM is a BIG DEAL. At the very least, with all the medication he was on at the end and his hallucinations something would have come out if something were there," the email continued. Sin is not the problem here. But that wasnt true. . Sometimes leaders would invoke Zachariass reputation, saying, But thats Ravi, suggesting he was above reproach. (They were like me: if I had watched the video without Stackhouses perspective, I would have been impressed with what Ravi had said. The Justice from above you mention, might it perhaps manifest ascancer? "I am trying to formulate a response to the [report] and [the RZIM] board statement . But while Zacharias was being upheld as the gold standard, no one was willing to look at these practices or hold the board accountable. Earlier this year, the findings of an investigation commissioned by RZIM and carried out by law firm Miller & Martin, confirmed that Ravi Zacharias engaged in "sexting, unwanted touching, spiritual abuse, and rape". Legally, they then had a right to break the NDA to counter everything he said about them. In a staff devotional meeting before Christmas, Margie ZachariasRavis widow and the chief culture officer at RZIMassured everyone that the ministrys donors are letting us know loudly and clearly that they are still with us, according to multiple people in attendance. The conservative voice and Christian content are being silenced more and more. This is not Justice from above, but human media titillation. A number of ministry teammates believe the fault doesnt lie only with Zacharias, but also with the top ministry officials who supported a culture that allowed him to abuse women without any fear of being challenged and encouraged the casual dismissal of allegations against him. Zacharias' wife, Margie, has so far refused to release Thompson from the NDA, she said in January. Baker-Hytch said that, ahead of the announcement before Christmas, there was a building sense of powerlessness among team members who dont think their questions were being answered or their concerns taken seriously. She denies all claims of abuse by her late husband. I dont remember him sharing how he felt ashamed about his private sins anywhere publicly. And a few months after his death, CT reported allegations that he had sexually harassed multiple massage therapists whom he employed. https://www.openbible.info/topics/exposing_false_teachers, Correction regarding reclassification since there have been several incorrect dates reported: You can unsubscribe anytime. In May 1972, Zacharias married Margaret "Margie" Reynolds, whom he met at his church's youth group. When he asked about the discrepancy, RZIM leadership told Baker-Hytch that all the correspondence meant everything that exists and is in circulation.. . We urge you to sign up to receive our FREE need to read articles. As Baker-Hytch and other teammates in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Spain, South Africa, and the United States first started thinking the new allegations against Zacharias might be true, they also questioned the way RZIM leaders managed the previous scandals. "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 . We value our integrity and have sacrificed to preserve it. In 2015, three Zacharias family members sat on RZIMs board. Over the past three months, CT interviewed seven current and two former RZIM speakers and staff in five countries. The question I think to start with is Is it possible for Ravi to be guilty?. My heart longs to see the RZIM board and leadership publicly repent.. He used their confidentially shared stories to allegedly exploit him. 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. 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. She said they believed Zacharias when he denied accusations, and they didnt ask some tough questions when they should have. He was 74. When I can fact-check the assertions the leadership has made, it has really disturbed me, Baker-Hytch said. Looks like RZIM and the Zacharias family, with their secret board, bought themselves a fine law firm to abet their ongoing cover-up of sin in a sham investigation as they obstinately persist in their impenitent ways to their own demise, all the while reimbursing themselves with exorbitant salaries and perks from their donors. Im so sorry for Lori Anne and her husband and anyone else betrayed by and hurt by RZ. margie zacharias home. It opens with this: We confirmed one of the three accounts described in the Christianity Today article and found significant evidence of sexual misconduct involving additional massage therapists. The suggestion that I or my agnostic and moslem friends and relatives are on sin-level par with Ravi is beyond insulting. It strikes against our credibility.. 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.". The wife of the late apologist Ravi Zacharias defended him against the allegations that shocked the Christian world and forced the Ravi Zacharias International Ministry (RZIM) to reorganize.. 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.. margie zacharias home. 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. Baker-Hytch wrote a letter and was pressured to revise it or amend it before it was ultimately leaked to Roys, who posted the letter online. Facing increased internal pressure, leaders have started to discuss a period of prayer and fasting to follow the final report. This is like strike three.. RELATED: Report: Ravi Zacharias was guilty of sexual misconduct, RZIM board apologizes. There should be a much larger system of accountability, especially in mega churches. Other family members made public statements attacking those who would criticize Zacharias. 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. He evicted cigarette vending and game machines at . Even now, after revelation of shocking sexual abuse and harassment allegations by massage therapists at spas Zacharias co-owned, RZIM seems bent on denial. 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. No Comments . Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. margie zacharias evicted margie zacharias evicted. Culture. So, before the results of any independent investigation, RZIM apparently has made up its mind. Since its not an ongoing problem, and he surely wont do it again, Im not sure I see the relevance, said another. 7). Unresolved: Release in which this issue/RFE will be addressed. In this tiny planet we think we can micromanage our affairs! Email From My Mom. Ravi Zacharias' Death At 74. Management of the spa Ravi co-owned *was* notified at the time by one of his massage therapists. 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. He was 74. (Source: Facebook) Confident that Ravi Zacharias' "legacy will be restored," some Zacharias family members are using the late apologist's social media platform to raise money for a new nonprofit . Those whose live were destroyed by the perpetrator are ignored completely. Gilman has also asked RZIM to make a clear statement that allegations arent invalid if people come forward after the person theyre accusing has died, since many victims dont feel safe until then. 12:23 pm CDT. Teammates pushing for a fuller reckoning at RZIM said they were quickly persuaded the investigation would be far-reaching and thorough. The founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries died on Thursday at his home in Atlanta at the age of 74. Yes. Not all of the spa allegations were but everything else was and at least the one spa allegation wasthe one where the woman was *fired* for going to management. .. He said he safeguarded his marriage by following the Billy Graham Rule and never spending time alone with a woman who wasnt his wife or daughter. We have seen this too often. CRN has a list of professing Christians to mark and avoid (Rom 16:17-18). But maybe, he never confessed his sins publicly. 03422292). Daniel Gilman, a Canadian-based RZIM speaker, told CT his concern is that the ministry will rebrand but not repent. Indonesian. Some teammates have suggested leaders and board members need to be dismissed, the ministry needs to distance itself from living members of the Zacharias family, and RZIM should offer financial compensation to Zachariass victims. Hi. Members and non members need to be able to appoint the board that is changed every five years Margie Zacharias wrote a letter defending her late husband Ravi Zacharias. Yet some are arguing that such investigations and reporting are pointless and even cruel, given that the famous apologist has passed away. I am very impressed with your investigative articles and how you present all angles. Julie, can you say why you think they lived at the Gate Project house for several years? 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". This enabled RZIM to stop filing IRS form 990s, which reveal the salaries of an organizations top executives, as well the identities of its board members. Miller & Martin investigators are still interviewing people and pursuing leads. Much of the response seemed intent on avoiding responsibility. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Yet donors should be aware that the ECFA often merely gives a false sense of security, rather than truly holding its members accountable. After the allegations emerged, Davis and president Michael Ramsden repeatedly assured staff members that they would not cover anything up. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries CEO Sarah Davis announced the . But as Christians we should know that every person is capable of committing the most horrendous crimes given different circumstances. Meanwhile, Zacharias Trust, the UK branch of RZIM, has officially called for a commitment to reform radically the governance, leadership and accountability of the RZIM organisation.. How foolish are we :(. We cannot say we stand for the truth and then look the other way when our favorite ministry or leader is implicated in wrongdoing. However, the explanation simply says that the trust is for the purpose of paying disbursed compensation to the founder upon retirement, death, or disability and is revocable. The recent crisis has prompted staff members to revisit previous scandals. They had three children, Sarah, Nathan, and Naomi. This is mentioned in the couples divorce settlement, which was filed over the summer. There is something terribly disturbing about this pic. Because we all sin and fall. The attitude from the younger Zacharias is much of what is wrong with the approach Ravi epitomizes what has been going on for years now. Excellent post Julie. In an email to her friends, released by her son Nathan, Margie explained that she did not find any evidence to prove that the accusations thrown against her husband are true. He tiptoed around that one too. Ravi Zacharias built a reputation for fearless pursuit of the truth. She also used the opportunity to praise her husband for being a great example and a man filled with the Spirit of God.. Margaret Reynolds is the wife of Ravi Zacharias. The official statement did not, however, acknowledge any corporate responsibility. To donate, click here. I somehow stumbled on this website and article and I had no idea. Others at RZIMfrom people who keep the Atlanta headquarters running to top-level apologistsalso started to speak out, persuaded by the reporting in CT and World magazine that the accusations were serious and credible. On the positive side, Julie and Steve are bringing to light issues that may never have been exposed. Recent allegations concerning Ravi Zacharias have shocked the evangelical world and prompted two investigationsone by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and one by the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), the denomination that ordained Zacharias. It has been an horrendous year for the wife of Ravi Zacharias, who has not only had to deal with the death of her husband, but also a full blown investigation into sexual abuse allegations. If the C&MA conducted a valid investigation in 2018, the denomination should be willing to disclose details about its investigation and publish its findings. The efforts could lead to significant changes to the ministry, following the release of the full investigative report. We were missionaries with the C&MA and found them to be both secretive and protective of their leaders, while not being afraid of who they wounded along the way. March 10, 2021 10:28 PM. God bless. Trust us, Weitnauer told CT. Its really clear what kind of person Ravi was. I wish I had seen/heard Zacharias response to your question. The life of king David should be proof enough that even a man after Gods own heart can fall into deep sin and be blind to it. 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.
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