Some of the best known speakers in the RZIM (Ravi Zacharias International Ministries) team have joined those speaking out on the poor response by the leadership to criticism of their founder the late Ravi Zacharias.
Sam Allberry, a global speaker fror RZIM has endorsed a letter by Dr. Max Baker-Hytch, a senior tutor with RZIM’s OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and a lecturer at Wycliffe Hall – a private hall of the University of Oxford that called for RZIM to consider reparations for the women who have accused Zacharias of sexual misconduct at a spa he owned. The letter also deals with earlier scandals involving sexting and inflating credentials.
Sam Allberry is the author of a numerous books, including Why Bother With Church?, James For You, the bestselling Is God Anti-Gay? and most recently 7 Myths About Singleness.
what can only happen through transparency, confession and repentance. It is clear there needs to be an investigation into how RZIM has handled all these allegations, not least because of RZIM’s longstanding motto that “no question is off limits.” 2/2
— Sam Allberry (@SamAllberry) December 20, 2020
Allberry is joined by Daniel Gilman an itinerant speaker for RZIM, who references a woman, Lori Anne Thompson, who with her husband was at the centre of the sexting allegation against Zacharias. The Baker-Hytch letter documents $250,000 changing hands between RZIM and Thompson and her husband – as part of a settlement of a lawsuit Zacharias bought against the couple. This contradicted the official RZIM narrative.
I believe @LoriAnneThomps2. She is courageous, credible, and deserves to be thanked for not giving up and refusing to be silenced in her journey to hold @RaviZacharias and @RZIMhq accountable.
Lori Anne’s voice needs to be heard and her experience told.
— Daniel Gilman (@DanielGilmanHQ) December 20, 2020
Eye-witness testimony of marginalized women about a man who can not be interviewed are at the heart of our case for the resurrection of Jesus. If such testimony is credible, I am compelled to believe the spa allegations against @RaviZacharias
— Daniel Gilman (@DanielGilmanHQ) December 20, 2020
Gilman joined RZIM having previously served as the Director for Human Rights Projects at Canada’s Parliament. In that capacity, Daniel’s mandate was to help politicians make a concrete difference against exploitation and abuse.
With Max Baker-Hytch, Allberry, Australia’s Jordan Thyer, Gilman is a well credentialed RZIM insider, and it appears that the very talented and well credentialed team at RZIM is demanding change. and a thorough investigation and response to the allegations against Ravi Zacharias. It is notable that those speaking out come from the UK arm of RZIM along with Canada and Australia. The US branch of RZIM is influenced by a board which includes people with a pro Trump position. This factor is missing from the places where the protests are coming from.
Pray
Some prayer points to help
Pray for the whistleblowers, the RZIM leaders and the staffers protesting their response. Pray for those who have come to christ through RZIM.