The investigation did not find any evidence that RZIM leadership or staff knew about Zachariass sexual misconduct. 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. In addition to damning personal testimony, the Miller & Martin investigation also found that RZIM used ministry funds to financially support women Ravi Zacharias abused, who in turn, felt indebted to Zacharias. Inspite of my strong views of Ravi Zacharias being guilty I can honestly say I would LOVE to be found wrong and it turns out to totally false about Ravi Zacharias! https://rzim.org.za/. Now it is clear that, offstage, the man so long admired by Christians around the world abused numerous women and manipulated those around him to turn a blind eye. As far as she could tell, this atheist blogger was the only one who cared that Zacharias had sexually abused people and gotten away with it. On July 31, 2017, Mr. Zacharias filed a federal lawsuit against the woman. Praying for Margie that her eyes may be opened- praying for the victims as I am sure they are reeling from this email laced with denial and continued abusive assumptions. I have and am forgiving them both as they continue to deny and have now disowned me. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. No One Knows. We believe not only the women who made their allegations public but also additional women who had not previously made public allegations against Ravi but whose identities and stories were uncovered during the investigation, the statement said. These two dont want to live in the same world as us. I had to explain how those things work too. I have posted the statement of sorrow and regret by the board of RZIM Africa below: The board of directors denied Ravis legacy but not financial legacy he left. But here are my feelings. She would never tell anyone including the born conceived and born through that criminal act! When the woman read about what happened to Lori Anne Thompson, she recognized what had happened to that woman was what had happened to her. However, the explanation simply says that the trust is "for the . Zacharias rose . His wife stood up for him at that trial! That he was completely innocent! Apparently that was the last straw as he threw a fit, yelling for me to stop. Merciful and Just God, we come to you in this time of need. Many more layoffs are expected soon. One woman told the investigators that after he arranged for the ministry to provide her with financial support, he required sex from her. She called it rape. , even though it had been promised to her after her husbands death for as long as she wanted to live there. Margie Zacharias Dismisses Miller & Martin's Report It is no doubt shocking and distressing to consider claims that one's spouse was a sexual predator. All of whom stand to gain monetarily in big way! Now it is the victims chance to be heard. We actually hoped she would be tell the name of her oldest daughters dad. In its statement released with the report, the RZIM board acknowledged the failure and apologized to Lori Anne Thompson. That woman went on to send him nude pictures as well. She has always had a passion for the written word and has been writing professionally for the past five years. That is what we want to see. Thanks! As a woman that has endured the pain of having an unfaithful spouse I can empathize with what Margie is going through, and at the same time feel angered by her words on behalf of the victims. One year on from the death of disgraced evangelist Ravi Zacharias, his daughter Sarah and son Nathan released dramatically different public statements about the sexual misconduct allegations against their father. In addition to finding nothing incriminating in Ravis belongings, Margie said that she could not believe the allegations against her husband because of what she had personally observed about his spiritual life. Fernando Ortega and Ravi Zacharias. The late apologists estate refused investigators requests to lift a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) to allow the Thompsons to speak about what happened. In a three-part installment last week from The Roys Report, the website of independent investigative journalist Julie Roys, new testimonies and emails were released . 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. Even a limited review of Zachariass old devices revealed contacts for more than 200 massage therapists in the US and Asia and hundreds of images of young women, including some that showed the women naked. God also is in your side. Out of the depths we cry to you, O Lord. Michael Ramsden did not build RZIM. After Zacharias died, his massage therapist reported to Sarah DavisRavi and Margie Zacharias daughteralong with Margie Zacharias and only five other RZIM employees. While Ravi Zacharias was alive, his massage therapist reported directly to Ravi Zacharias. I believe each of us bear a degree of responsibility for what weve all been blind to, what weve unwittingly enabled, what weve not spoken against, and what weve allowed to go on and continue, Sam Allberry, one of the speakers, told colleagues in the UK. Davis stepped down as chair of the board, handing the reins over to Chris Blattner, a retired energy company executive and major donor from Minnesota. The ministry Zacharias founded, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), issued a statement calling the accusations "false." Teach us to sit with the pain wrought by the systems and structures of Christian ministry organizations that seem to lend themselves time and again to gross abuses of power, moral negligence, and ethical abandon. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. RZIM says it 'does not agree' with entire explosive Guidepost report, but vows to 'learn' from mistakes. Ravi is Innocent! I do delete comments like these that just call names and are inflammatory. I hope that she and the children can find healing and acceptance so that they do not continue to question and hurt the other victims of Ravis transgressions. Yet Thompson and her husband, Brad, were unable to participate in the recent investigation themselves. Zacharias said in a 2018 blog post, in which he again referenced the similarities between the couples wedding and the royal wedding, that he felt his wife was a beautiful blend of the Irish and Scottish. Zacharias said in the post that the couple was married in Windsor, Ontario with their wedding reception taking place at a Howard Johnsons. On February 18, the board of RZIM Canada released a statement announcing their intention to close operations. And I can understand how hard it would it be to accept a report like that! I am shocked how easily the Christian community was persuaded that Ravi was guilty. May the Lord get the glory for all of this! Not an acknowledgement. The case was settled in November 2017. Well I reread it and to be honest I am more convinced of his guilt not less! Sounds like the final diehards (Margie, Nathan, and Sara) circling the wagons and readying themselves in the Ravifurher bunker. Ugh. And I would like to say that I have reread the report from MILLER & MARTIN today. Either Sara has no integrity by saying things she did not believe or she fully believes the report after reviewing the evidence. Zacharias is unlikely to have "groomed" a 40 year-old adult. Zacharias' wife, Margie, has so . Zacharias engaged in what was at least an extramarital emotional affair with a woman not his wife. Oh, how I wish Ravi repented here!. Ravi Zacharias' wife, Margie, has also spoken out in defense of her late . The purpose being to make a statement to the public under the guise of a private family letter in order to add credibility to her narrative. I feel that some actually WANT Ravi either guilty or innocent. No one? They want only steal money and followers of RZIM and scratch Ravis popularity to make money. And I guess when the company owns the house, they can tell you when to move. On May 6, Zacharias paid tribute to his wife on the eve of their wedding anniversary tweeting, 48 years ago she gave me her hand in marriage. I actually think that both Margie and Nathan (Im following Nathans blog) are making good points. Zacharia after migrating to Canada with his family attended Ontario Bible College (now Tyndale University) where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1972. For the sake of justice and truth, please, tell your side of this story to the world. The investigation confirmed that Zacharias lied about not being alone with a woman other than his wife or daughters. As an abuse survivor from my pastor father, my mother is steeped in denial as well- she through me under the bus to be complicit to the crimes of her husband because acknowledging the truth would rock her world to dust. Ravi isnt here to defend himself, and he deserves a defense to be heard. RZIM changed course and hired Miller & Martin in early October, after several speakers said they found the allegations credible and demanded the ministry do a real and reputable investigation. But paper and document shredders can take care of stuff you dont want anyone else to see! In her email, Margie Zacharias also reveals that shes recently moved out of her home because RZIM had told her that she had to vacate it. Like the Pharisees, Ravi, Margie, Nathan, and others in Zacharias, Inc. have some head knowledge, but in their practical lives are gross, abusive, lying, money-grubbing hypocrites whose evil deeds continue to be brought to light. why was it thought degenerate of him to play cricket? 9. 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So I am not impressed with Mrs. Margie Zacharias email! That's a separate issue from the investigation at hand.) Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. In March 2020, a spokesperson for Zacharias announced that he had been diagnosed with sarcoma, rare cancer that affects the bone and soft tissue. . It also shows the ministry provided little to no accountability for its namesake and founder. The RZIM boards statement acknowledges that it has fallen gravely short and expresses regret that we allowed our misplaced trust in Ravi to result in him having less oversight and accountability than would have been wise and loving.. His ministry, preparing to downsize in the wake of a new investigation, expresses regret for misplaced trust in a leader who used his esteem to conceal his sexual misconduct. In its statement released . . Powered by. The couple had three children, Sarah, Nathan and Naomi. But Zacharias, who has been married to his wife Margie for 45 years, said what started with friendly correspondence after meeting a couple at a speaking event in Canada escalated when the wife started sending 'extremely inappropriate pictures of herself unsolicited'. 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. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. . Zacharias founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in 1984, and "launched a global team of nearly 100 Christian scholars and authors who continue to speak, resource, train and address the . Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. Nathan Zacharias, Ravi's son, has started a blog called "Defending Ravi", in which he takes issue with a number of the assertions made . This gave me a sick feeling in my gut- as if this was the most important thing to her. Teach us to sit with the pain of the many women who have been broken and wounded by the devastating actions of Ravi Zacharias. CRN has a list of professing Christians to mark and avoid (Rom 16:17-18). She even went and stayed with her oldest daughter who was conceived in rape. I will keep you posted from time to time. . You may have been blocked by both of them, which would hide their accounts from you. Davis wrote in a ministry-wide email that RZIM asked for a modification to the NDA for the purpose of the investigation, but the organization has no authority over the estate, which is controlled by her mother, Margie Zacharias. It is with profound grief that we recognize that because we did not believe the Thompsons and both privately and publicly perpetuated a false narrative, they were slandered for years and their suffering was greatly prolonged and intensified. And why would her own firm cheat its most famous employees widow out of owning her home, which she and Ravi surely owned at one time, even if on a mortgage it is usual for employers to NOT have any stance on how employees own or rent, and there were other office premises. According to RZIM organizational charts leaked to The Roys Report, the person who directed Touch of Hope was Ravi Zacharias personal massage therapist, who was well known to RZIM insiders. Jessica is a content editor for ChurchLeaders.com and the producer of The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. After the staff reductions and national splits, the team that remains will likely be some of the speakers who were closest to Zacharias and have well-established relationships with major donors. One thing did change, though. John Lennox, a Northern Irish mathematician and apologist who famously debated Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and other new atheists, has urged the UK branch of RZIM to separate. Gilman told CT he was deeply concerned the ministry he loved would choose to rebrand but not repent. A multimillion-dollar ministry built in one mans name and on his reputation would never admit the truth of his secrets, she thought. Margie Zacharias email was posted in a Facebook group called, Friends who like Ravi Zacharias. The email was also forwarded to me by a former RZIM director. He also maintained multiple phones at all times, kept them on a different wireless plan than RZIM, and never used the wireless network at the office. She resigned her position on staff and the . Not surprisingly, they didn't make a public statement about that. (3) And keep this in mind. Lennox withdrew from all association with RZIM the day after CT reported the spa allegations, but told British apologists he would happily work with them if they were to form an independent organization. The only area of the city that did not have garbage bags piled high was the airport. Heres a sample of one I deleted: You are a liar and a devil! (RNS) Popular Christian evangelist and apologist Ravi Zacharias died Tuesday morning (May 19) at age 74, a few months after being diagnosed with cancer. When I first heard about this, I was very upset and angry with Ravi Zacharias.. then as days went by, I got to thinking. And there is other possibilities too. After TGC Excerpt Stirs Controversy, Some Retract Endorsements for Book About Gods Vision for Sex, Amy Grant Reveals Bike Accident Nearly Took Her LifeIt Was Good for Me, Woke Transagenda Franklin Graham Denounces Hersheys Ad Featuring Trans Woman, In Florida, Latino Evangelicals Mobilize Against DeSantis Crackdown on Immigrants, Fight Together Not Against Each Other SBC Abuse Reform Task Force Member Urges Unity, Why the Deeper Truth About George Floyd and Derek Chauvin Must Matter to You, Mennonite Church USA Releases Radical Defund the Police? (Even if were not yet clear why Nathan and Naomi stayed in the firm so long.) she thought. Then he said they have a ton of cash due to an insurance policy on RZ. There is no battle. I pray about this situation and I am not convinced the evidence presented in the report proves Ravi was a sexual predator and a rapist. After all, whos paying the taxes on it? I do not believe what they are saying about Ravi, I have the highest respect for him. The Correspondence. This is a very difficult decision necessary only because of the situation we find ourselves in, she wrote. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. By now she has given her everything. We recognize the ongoing need for an apologetics-based approach to evangelism. Have any of the accusers filed civil or criminal law suits against RZIM? . Mon Mar 01 2021. (1) RZIM hired Miller and Martin as a result of what the stories going around about Ravi. The reporting also contains on-the-record corroboration . This week, she believes God answered her prayer. (2) The report Miller & Martin One of the massage therapists he groped, masturbated in front of, and asked for sexually explicit images watched in shock as the apologist was honored and celebrated on a livestream. In her letter, it sounded like she was implying people who take metamucil dont commit sex crimes. It is liabless to print such a report and they could easily sued for a false report! I think it happened in Gods perfect time, she said. Margie Zacharias, Ravi's widow, resigned from the board and the ministry in January, while her . She reached out to Baughman and then eventually spoke to Christianity Today about Zachariass spas, the women who worked there, and the abuse that happened behind closed doors. Margie says RZIM gave her 90 days notice to vacate her home. He got to keep his sinecure job but Ravi's wife, who was innocent in this whole ordeal, was shown the door. As CT previously reported, fights over complicity and accountability roiled the ministry for months as the investigation continued. #MothersDay #Repost @sarahdavisrzim Happy 48th Anniversary, @ravizacharias and Margie. Where would I be without Him? READ NEXT: Teenage Porn Star Controversy Rocks California High School, Margie Reynolds: Ravi Zacharias Survived By His Wife of 48 Years, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Answer:. Mock-scandalised evangelicals are replicating Ravis own errors in claiming to comment on Ravis salvation. Reynolds did stress that the couple did not take the fun out of religious festivals but would teach their children the real background behind the feasts. This weekend, evangelist Ravi Zacharias released a statement about allegations in a sexting scandal that prompted an extortion lawsuit. Scroll down to WARNING. I believe all of the women that have come forward and I also can believe that Margie probably did not find paper evidence of Ravis infidelity, (unfaithful spouses are often very careful to cover their tracks-especially if they have a lot to lose) but she is clearly in denial to refuse to accept the other evidence. The Canadian apologetics ministry also laid off four team members, including Daniel Gilman, a speaker who decided he believed the women who accused Zacharias of sexual abuse and vocally challenged RZIM leadership to acknowledge complicity.