I am amazed at some of the information you were able to obtain. She worked hard since the inception of that organization. He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.. Certainly Kepes, who wanted his loan repaid, would have extra incentive to make sure Naomi and Drew remained employed by RZIM. But as I grew in faith and knowledge, his many words and philosophical ramblings, which were devoid of scripture and sound doctrine, became like sounding brass and clanging cymbals. 103 Comments. 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. He used their confidentially shared stories to allegedly exploit him. Nathan Zacharias, Ravi's son, has started a blog called "Defending Ravi", in which he takes issue with a number of the assertions made . 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. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. Zacharias used tens of thousands of dollars of ministry funds dedicated to a "humanitarian effort" to pay four massage therapists, providing them housing, schooling, and monthly support for extended periods of time, according to investigators. Layoffs, Upheaval at Zacharias Ministry Roiled by Scandal. . That doesnt strike against their credibility. If the board staged a coverup, they shouldnt be managing anyones money or reputation. You are doing the right thing Julie. In an email to her extended family, Margie . We will not notify you again about this until you next restart your browser. You are very brave in the face of much criticism. Anyone who still donates to RZIM is foolish. Ravi Zacharias was laid to rest on Thursday, May 21, in a private ceremony in Georgia. 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.. 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. Two other Zacharias family membersNaomis husband at the time, Robert Drew McNeil, and Ravis son, Nathan Zachariaswere paid another $155,000. "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). Staff members were also told that the lawsuit was dismissed, only to later learn it had been settled with a payment of about $250,000, according to four people inside RZIM. 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. I wish I had seen/heard Zacharias response to your question. But most of these allegations were around when Ravi was alive. He tiptoed around that one too. I have been asking RZIM for the names of its board members and executive salaries since November 2019, but RZIM refuses to produce them. 287610) and as a company limited by guarantee (no. Introduced him to 1000s. Blessings. Photo from Ravi Zacharias on Facebook. The wife of the late Ravi Zacharias wrote an email to her family about her husband's alleged sexual abuse. ), 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. The question I think to start with is Is it possible for Ravi to be guilty?. For me personally, it is good to desire that I never become famous or rich beyond control. Didnt know that about the LLCs as I have searched for different pastors in the past. One check could be that I be open about my bank balances and assets. Sadly, the lack of accountability at RZIM and ECFA is rampant in evangelicalism. It almost gets to the point where we deify them. Ravi Zacharias' wife has Irish and Scottish ancestry but Reynolds never really opened about her . The question, they say, is whether RZIM will take responsibility for either not knowing about the abuse and failing to offer any accountability, or knowing about it and covering it up. He was 74. The attitude from the younger Zacharias is much of what is wrong with the approach Join us in this mission - donate today and make a difference! Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. "Many people have written in to ask if a quiet blog means something has changed," said . God bless. Fixed: Release in which this issue/RFE has been fixed.The release containing this fix may be available for download as an Early Access Release or a General Availability Release. But as Christians we should know that every person is capable of committing the most horrendous crimes given different circumstances. 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. Browse 60+ years of magazine archives and web exclusives. When CT reported in September that Zacharias had repeatedly exposed himself to, masturbated in front of, and groped women who worked at two Atlanta-area day spas he co-owned, the ministry initially respondedas it had to previous accusationsby flatly denying the allegations. The official statement did not, however, acknowledge any corporate responsibility. FILE - Images of Ravi Zacharias are displayed in the Passion City Church during a memorial . 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. By their accounts, the apologetics ministrycommitted to the fearless pursuit of the truthseemed at key moments to withhold information from staff, fudge the facts to be more favorable to Zacharias, and prioritize the protection of the founders reputation over everything else. The couple had three children, Sarah, Nathan and Naomi. He was alone with many women on staff, said Carson Weitnauer, a longtime staff member who worked in the Atlanta office until he resigned from RZIM on Monday after publishing an essay in the Christian Post about how he lost faith in Zacharias. I love you all. The leaderships message to us is Were above reproach. We also reviewed Mr. Zacharias's electronic devices and found evidence of text- and email-based relationships . Julie, can you say why you think they lived at the Gate Project house for several years? 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. There have already been internal discussions about changing the name and rebranding. In an email to her extended family, Margie Zacharias defended her husband, saying that after . "I am trying to formulate a response to the [report] and [the RZIM] board statement . Each of the Ravi crises have reminded people of the previous crises and forced people to revisit them, Baker-Hytch said. 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. Margaret Reynolds is the wife of Ravi Zacharias. Why are our leaders living so differently than Jesus lived? RZIM leadership, for its part, has asked for more time to do the right thing. Some teammates have asked that RZIM put out a call for other victims to come forwardand promise safety to any who do. That in itself is rather disconcerting. They are quick to discredit those who might come forward (see their slowness in responding to allegations regarding their Mamou boarding school in Africa) with stories of mistreatment or abuse. 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. Ravi sold his house (different address) in 2019. Thank you, PD7 for such a wise response and for expressing kindness to those who said they were hurt. margie zacharias evicted margie zacharias evicted. CRN offers a lifeline to conservative people of faith. Will Maule, Faithwire. And then they all humble-brag about it, and use it to advance careers and income streams that are all linked together and mutually dependent. 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. 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. April 21, 2021. Thank you. Margie Zacharias, the wife of the late apologist Ravi Zacharias, said she doesn't believe that her husband was guilty of spiritual and sexual abuse. What we do know is there are multiple women, about 6 from the past and Lori from recently who are alleging inappropriate sexual behavior. As a journalist I can see that Julie has done an incredible job at investigating this story. Yet, Thompson told me RZIM never contacted her or asked for any documentation. Thats because Ive already observed that large compensation packages present no problem for ECFA. Because we all sin and fall. There should be a much larger system of accountability, especially in mega churches. Its likely, then, that RZIMs investigation will not be an attempt to discover the truth, but rather a ruse to justify a foregone conclusion. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. The founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries died on Thursday at his home in Atlanta at the age of 74. 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". In her Tuesday statement, Davis was willing to admit she and others in leadership had made mistakes. Do share this story to encourage others to pray too. 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. Attended his Hyderabad and Delhi conference, truth-at-life and footprints workshops. Its clear there was a lot of complicity at this organization.. At Premier Christian News, we believe in the power of faith and truth to combat fake news and opinion pieces. :(. Why are you putting words in my mouth? said Allberry, according to people who attended the meeting. I am deeply saddened by all of this and more by the fact that many Christians would rather not have their Christian celebrities reputations tarnished. When Margie Georgia Zacharias was born on 14 February 1926, in Lake Butler, Union, Florida, United States, her father, Angel Demetrius Zacharias, was 46 and her mother, Pearl Geneva Marshburn, was 41. True, false, God knows. margie zacharias evicted. 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. Their daughter, Sarah, received more than $216,000. 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. 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. But that wasnt true. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. They were the parents of at least 1 son. Indonesian. Three incidents have shaken staff members trust in Zacharias and RZIM leadership in recent years. One I did hear (via YT) was his response to basically the same question at Texas A&M. Given the 2017 sexting allegations, I asked Malhotra in January 2020 whether RZIM had already disbursed the full trust to Zacharias and under what conditions the trust could be revoked. 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!) 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. (M)any credible allegations were raised about Zacharias when he was alive. Dennis, You havent done your homework. Private devotion, community service, and entertainment arent what the local congregation is for. Ravi Zacharias built a reputation for fearless pursuit of the truth. The loan raises a significant conflict of interest issue. Just appreciating your humble response PD7 which is beautiful to see. The loss of a loved one is always heartbreaking, but the notion of them resting in peace gives . Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! This is whole issue with Ravi and the board of RZIM is a BIG DEAL. 01743091) with two fully-owned trading subsidiaries: Premier Christian Communications Ltd (no. I did not find it at all graceful though and it felt more like he was wading through quicksand. Because it is the right thing to do. But rather than rigorously investigate them, his namesake organization spun cleverly worded statements . His statement is Biblically illiterate and poorly reasoned. Inside Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), staff wondered for months whether the worlds largest apologetics ministry would be willing to tell the truth about its famous namesake. Great comment. 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. In this video, I share 3 THINGS . Allegations also arent discredited if the accusers remain anonymous, he said. 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. English. I also asked Lapp if ECFA would have a problem with three Zacharias family members serving on the board, two of whom were the top board officials. 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. Zacharias is unlikely to have "groomed" a 40 year-old adult. Supported This is mentioned in the 2015 990, as well as in a 2018 RZIM financial report I obtained. 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. Back then. She went on to describe how she found receipts dating back to 1980s, money, pain medications, watches and photographs. 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.. February 25, 2023 . 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". The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Fernando Ortega and Ravi Zacharias. Margaret happily married her late husband Ravi Zacharias. The board also should have interviewed Thompson and asked her for documentation. Im so sorry for Lori Anne and her husband and anyone else betrayed by and hurt by RZ. Zacharias had been battling sarcoma and died at his home in Atlanta on Tuesday, Ravi . I also recently discovered that Paul Kepesan RZIM board member in 2015loaned Naomi Zacharias and her former husband $332,000 to remodel a home the couple had purchased in 2015 for $495,000. Zachariass daughter, RZIM CEO Sarah Davis, promised to release the full results of an ongoing independent investigation. But this has become standard practice in evangelicalism. RZIM could clearly condemn the misconduct and move forward. For them, admitting the credibility of the allegations and making the investigative report public is just a start. It makes me realize often we put so much stock and faith into these souls who are mere mortals. 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. 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. Resolved: Release in which this issue/RFE has been resolved. I was not privy to any of the conversations nor any of the documentation . It took a prophet to make him see his sin. Margie Zacharias, Ravi's widow, resigned from the board and the ministry in January, while her daughter Sarah Davis stepped down as board chair but remains CEO. . 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. This is like strike three.. When I asked other follow-up questions about the call with the Thompsons and the documentation the C&MA reviewed, Burgo said he could not provide me with any additional information. The family of the late apologist Ravi Zacharias have continued to defend him despite an independent investigation confirming that he engaged in sexual and spiritual abuse over a number of years. Daniel Gilman, a Canadian-based RZIM speaker, told CT his concern is that the ministry will rebrand but not repent. To reiterate, my comment was directed not really to you, but to christian culture which has lost its marbles (ethical marbles, common sense marbles, im sure theres more but im seriously wondering did it ever had them to begin with). Since its not an ongoing problem, and he surely wont do it again, Im not sure I see the relevance, said another. It is suspicious that these sexual allegations come out years later and we prosecute someone in public media, declaring someone guilty until proven innocent. In May 1972, Zacharias married Margaret "Margie" Reynolds, whom he met at his church's youth group. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Stunningly, he replied that ECFAs standards do not require ECFA members to disclose who serves on their board. Any board worth its salt would have read Baughmans book. RZIM staff originally heard that the allegations against Zacharias were baseless attacks designed to hurt their gospel work. There was also the letter from the woman who had dated Ravis brother and at 16 was urged by Ravi to have an abortion. WHAT ABOUT THEIR RESTORATION?? But some began to openly reject that narrativefirst within the ministry, then publicly. 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. His wife, Margie, served as vice-chairman. 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.. After the allegations emerged, Davis and president Michael Ramsden repeatedly assured staff members that they would not cover anything up. While grateful that the ministry wont be issuing more sweeping denialsand that they wont be co-opted into statements dismissing allegations out of handthey are still pressuring RZIM to commit to corporate responsibility and serious institutional change. Margie Zacharias has broken her silence to defend her late husband, the apologist Ravi Zacharias, from sexual and spiritual abuse findings which caused Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) to reorganise. Find out more about how we safeguard your data and the types of organisations we work with in our. He told me that the C&MA did request documentation from Lori Anne Thompson. The law firm hired to investigate multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse by the late Ravi Zacharias has released an interim report. Sign up for our newsletter: Ravi Zacharias, who was born on March 26, 1946, in Chennai, India, died on May 19, 2020, surrounded by his loved ones. 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. Jesus will cut off the dead branches in the vine and throw them into the fire. 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.. 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.