When spiritual leaders fall.

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Edify

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2021
1,555
652
113
#81
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/rzimmedia.rzim.org/assets/downloads/Update_March_FINAL.pdf contains the following:

An Update from RZIM Sarah Davis, CEO Last month, the RZIM Board of Directors released the full report of the investigation into Ravi Zacharias’s sexual abuse and their accompanying open letter. We continue to grieve deeply for the victims who have been treated in ways that are completely antithetical to the gospel. We also painfully and increasingly recognize organizational failures that have occurred and the repentance that needs to take place in both heart and action. This is the first of periodic updates that we plan to release in order to share with you the steps we are taking as we seek to walk a path of repentance, restitution, learning, and serving.

As the Board stated in its previous letter, one of our key priorities at this time is to undergo a thorough and fully independent assessment from the management/compliance consulting firm Guidepost Solutions. We want to understand all areas of unhealth in our organization so that we can take that learning and do everything we can to prevent any kind of abuse in the future. Guidepost will be evaluating our structures, culture, policies, processes, finances, and practices, including the handling of any former abuse allegations.

This process with Guidepost has now begun and we expect it to last for several months. In order to respect the process, we do not plan to comment on any recommendations being made until the process has been completed.

As the Guidepost process continues, there are a number of developments that we would like to communicate in recognition of the need for concrete steps and corrective measures at this time:
  • Our top priority right now is the process of care, justice, and restitution for all who have been victimized by Ravi’s abuse. Rachael Denhollander has been retained to serve as a confidential liaison with survivors and to help guide this process. Survivors or their legal counsel, advocate, or representative may reach out to her confidentially at rjd.requests@gmail.com.
  • We invite anyone to provide reporting information or file complaints to Guidepost through any of these options:
1. You may go to RZIM.org and click on www.lighthouse-services.com/RZIM to report information online.

2. Call 855-222-0621 for English language calls from the U.S. and Canada.

3. Call 800-216-1288 for Spanish language calls from U.S. and Canada.

4. Call 01-800-681-5340 for Spanish language calls from Mexico.

5. Call 855-725-0002 for French language calls from Canada.

6. Send an email to reports@lighthouse-services.com and specify RZIM in the subject line.

7. Fax to 215-689-3885 and specify it is regarding RZIM.

  • We encourage any survivors of abuse or harassment who wish to provide information about their experiences to contact Guidepost in any of the ways laid out above. Your identity will remain confidential with Guidepost, or you may remain anonymous at your discretion. We also encourage any current or former employees, or other witnesses, who may have relevant information to share regarding RZIM’s culture, processes, or practices to reach out to Guidepost.
  • We are in the process of taking down Ravi’s content from our website and social media platforms, including publications, videos, and other forms of content, and we intend to change the name of the organization. Effective immediately, we are also discontinuing the use of “The Zacharias Institute” brand.
  • Out of respect for anyone who resigned from RZIM for reasons of conscience during the Miller & Martin investigation, we will be offering to them the same severance that we are currently offering to those who take voluntary redundancy.
We expect to be able to update on some additional decisions and next steps in the near future. For now, we anticipate that significant lessons will be learned in all areas of the ministry and are grateful for all who have helped us to begin this process. We are praying for the courage to pursue repentance and to have learners’ hearts, and we are trusting in God’s guidance in the days ahead.


There you go. That should stop the accusations of the smear campaign.

Just the facts, sir/ma'am just the facts.
 
G

Godsgirl83

Guest
#83
Graham met with many presidents because:
1. He was very popular
2. They were all freemasons whom he met with in the oval office.
It's not about me, so quit being mad at me for telling the truth.
You know, Graham meeting with many presidents COULDN'T possibly be because he was well known evangelist and that maybe JUST maybe the Lord was using him to reach those people in higher places that the average person wouldn't be able to go to......
do you know what things the Lord had Graham speak to these people in private?
:unsure: you know, what are the chances you or I would be invited to go and sit and spend the afternoon with a president, let alone be able to share the gospel with them???

Lets go a little further with this.........
how many well know evangelist/ministers have children who went on in ministry that are NOT riding on dad/grandpas name?
Billy Graham has a living legacy that continues to actually preach the gosepl (unlike SOME who have piggy backed off a name to make wealth.....)
Not to mention that his son (who is NOT riding off daddy's name) is the ONLY well known evangelist/minister to STAND UP and CALL ATTENTION to the dangers of passing the Equality Act............
 

CS1

Well-known member
May 23, 2012
13,003
4,315
113
#84
You know, Graham meeting with many presidents COULDN'T possibly be because he was well known evangelist and that maybe JUST maybe the Lord was using him to reach those people in higher places that the average person wouldn't be able to go to......
do you know what things the Lord had Graham speak to these people in private?
:unsure: you know, what are the chances you or I would be invited to go and sit and spend the afternoon with a president, let alone be able to share the gospel with them???

Lets go a little further with this.........
how many well know evangelist/ministers have children who went on in ministry that are NOT riding on dad/grandpas name?
Billy Graham has a living legacy that continues to actually preach the gosepl (unlike SOME who have piggy backed off a name to make wealth.....)
Not to mention that his son (who is NOT riding off daddy's name) is the ONLY well known evangelist/minister to STAND UP and CALL ATTENTION to the dangers of passing the Equality Act............

The Graham family is not perfect they too were saved by grace. Evangelist Billy Graham's children are serving the Lord. I thank God for Billy Graham I was saved at a Crusade he had in San Jose California at Spartan stadium in 1981.
 

Pam

New member
Mar 4, 2021
9
3
3
#85
The scandal surrounding the late Ravi Zacharias and RZIM is heartbreaking and a blow to the body of Christ. He was a well recognized and respected american apologist whose legacy will be one of shame and disgrace. The scriptures admonish us in this wise Numbers 32:23 " But if you will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out." I sympathize with the victims and pray they may find the forgiveness that will set them free from the anquish, guilt and shame one can experience as a result of the physical/sexual violation occured upon them.

The question is where does the church go from here? The church will continue to go towards the goal set forth by God, so I quess the next question is were does the Body of Christ go from here? To answer that we must take a hard look at it's membership. Think about that until I get back to you.
I see that Edify has posted the update concerning RZIM and the reworking of the entire ministry. which I was informed of via an e-mail from the Christian Post I do endorse the content of the plan thus far, under the watchful eye and guidance of those listed in the article.

That does not suggest that I condone the doings of Ravi Zacharias, I do not. The article won't silence the smear campaign. People globally have been affected by this tramatic event,. Some will never stop talking about it, some may walk away from the faith, some may even consider harming themselves. Great damage has been done and we cant pray it away. I do understand that whether we like it or not, the scripture says that all things work according to the council of Gods will. Satan meant this entire event for Evil but God will certainly use it for GOOD. We the believer must rest on that as painful as it may be.

Ravi was a man of great intellect, though it turns out that he was a wolf in sheeps clothing. God is not going to let the truths that he taught become a lie because he was. He will use the truth of what he taught and who he taught to and for his glory. That is the reason why I endorse the continuation of the ministry through those who he tutored. He taught many to think critically and give an answer for the hope that is in us.

To those who have suffered sexual abuse, or rape at the his behest. Know that myself and many others are praying for you as well as all victums of sex crimes, recognize your hurt and pain and do not take it lightly. By me highlighting gifts God equipped him with by no means say that I believe him to be innocent of what he's been found guilty of.

Another truism is that as believers we are called to forgive, as hard as that can be we must. I had to accept that the hard way. Forgiveness benefits not the offender but the offended. There is power, strength and freedom in forgiveness even if it it takes you a life time. God knows the suffering of the human heart, mind, body and soul that rest in unforgiveness. It will literally destroy you.

That being said lets get back to my question, where does the Body of Christ go from here and suggested we take a look at the membership. The Body of Christ, the spiritual organism that comprise all the members that make up his body, that's you me and all believers.

As a result of what has come to light the members of the Body of Christ have been deeply affected by what has transpired there is sorrow, anger and disbelief. Even the questioning of one's own faith. Some may be asking is this, we called christianity worth it. Unbelievers everywhere who are aware of this occurance and past travisties that have happend among those who profess to be christians are placing another feather in their caps. Satan has given them reason not excuse, to believe that the christian faith and all christians are a sham.........To be continued
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#86
hmm

thing is a lot of sexual abused victims can ONLY speak out one their abuser is dead. If they did while he was alive, they would be pilloried.
and the more rich and powerful a person is, the more they can afford a slick lawyer to defend their case if it ever goes to trial or bribe someone to stay silent.

It is a crime to sexually abuse someone you know. Not a weakness, not a failing, a CRIME.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#87
I remember a case where a local SCHOOL PRINCIPAL had porn on his computer and was apparently grooming children.

now why would anyone not speak up about that. Children of course would be afraid to tell someone especially if he was well respected and youd never think a principal would do anything like that.

Now he is in jail and of course struck off the school register. This doest mean that all school principals are child abusers, but you need to be vigilant. If he died and people suddenly started calling out his crimes well then so what, people WILL remember that abuse, they dont forget something like that even years later.

This happened with another high school boarding school that had abuse going back 40-50 years.
It can happen anywhere, in families, in churches, workplaces. I dont think its a reflection on christians, but a lot of people pretend to be christians, which is a problem cos its just like warned in the bible, wolves in sheeps clothing is the ones you have to watch out for.