My thoughts on Ravi Zacharias, a continuation of my previous post on failed leaders

               When I first heard that Ravi Zacharias was accused of sexual assault after his passing, I thought about that report that he was supposedly being extorted by a couple. I didn’t think it was true, and found it interesting that these accusations came after his death, where Ravi could not defend himself. However, after seeing the report from RZIM, and the extensive details provided from a supposed expedited study by a third party, I am following the evidence and agreeing with their conclusion, that Ravi Zacharias is a man who engaged in sexual harassment and assault of women.

              This being said, I had written a little on what we should do when high profile Christians mess up, like when John Crist admitted to having inappropriate relationships with female fans back in 2019. My same ideas apply here, that we should have a very tight watch on our leaders, and keep in mind that they are still human, and as fallible as the rest of us. As RZIM reported, Ravi kept multiple phones, would not use a company email that was subject to oversight, etc. I’m not sure how hard RZIM directors pushed Ravi to try and comply, but it seems like Ravi acted like a Christian “rock star” and thought he could act how he pleased because he felt he was responsible for the salvation of millions, rather than giving that glory to God. It’s very hard to work with an ego like that, so I hope RZIM takes this into account with their other speakers and holds them to much higher standards than they held with Ravi.

              I’m not sure how much I can contribute to this, because almost all of the apologists and theologians I follow have commented, but I do really love David Wood’s video on this topic, and this call for people who presume to lead to be transparent. As a professor at a Christian school and an apologist myself with even the small following I have, I want to take his challenge seriously and lay it out here again. I am a fallible man, I have issues with my temper and am working on methods to keep myself in check for the sake of myself, my family, and my students. I have had problems with pornography, and work as hard as I can to keep myself pure now for the sake of my wife and walk with Christ. I am also a man who thinks he knows best, and I struggle not only to let other people give their thoughts at times, but even to allow God into the picture to see what His plans are. I am saved by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but this process of sanctification is a lifelong journey. May I continue to walk this narrow path, and do not divert as we have seen Ravi do.

              I hope this short post helps those of you struggling with your walk, and may God bless you and have a good rest of your day.

References

https://www.apprenticeowlapologetics.com/2019/11/what-should-we-do-when-high-profile.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArlP-NuFCig&t=2631s

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