Hebrews 12:1-2 instructs us let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith Galatians 6:9 encourages us, lets not become discouraged in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not become weary.. The twist, however, is that strapped to his chest was a mock explosive device. Soon after we were rescued, Irene, Lana and I were brought to a different location, the New Tribes Missionary Boarding Home. Dear CCF Family, It is with heavy hearts that we release this response to the final report of Ravi Zacharias' sexual misconduct. But the Lord has other. In 1997, CCF's worship services transferred to St. Francis Square in Ortigas Center. But as successive headlines chronicle revelations of moral failings among Hillsong leadership, accusations of abuse, toxic internal structures, pastors stepping down, and congregations leaving the denomination, some worship leaders are questioning whether the musical fruit of such a ministry belongs in their own churches. She grew up in a Christian Family full of love and compassion but something heartbreaking happened in her life that tested her faith to the core. More Hillsong pastors step down following leader's resignation, doc release. It seemed like a black hole in the timeline of my life when I was 15. What a tender description of Gods love for us! Beware of justifying our own sin. Our Worship Is Turning Praise into Secular Profit, How Bethel and Hillsong Took Over Our Worship Sets, After My Dad Died, God Didnt Answer My Anguish, Complete access to articles on ChristianityToday.com, Over 120 years of magazine archives plus full access to all of CTs online archives. Jesus Brought Relief. Creflo Dollar . Davis, in an email obtained by the AP, wrote to RZIM staff on Dec. 23 acknowledging that the developments were likely to have caused grief, confusion, disillusionment and anger and asking that they refrain from speaking to the media while the investigation is underway. PHONE: 213-413-4130. In John 16:33 (New Living Translation), Jesus said: I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Christ's Commission Fellowship (CCF) is a non-denominational church founded by Dr. Peter Tan-Chi, based in the Philippines. I was raped and sexually abused on my very own bed by a total of seven men. Won't be surprised if the church leadership gets involved in some sort of scandal in the future. My real life is hidden in You. However, I claimed promises like Jeremiah 29:11. We need to heed Gods clear warnings. The truth is there are still many God-fearing leaders who are faithfully serving the Lord. // March 23, 2019, 12:35 pm, "God's love brought me through the valley His love also gave me the capacity to forgive and the boldness to declare what He has done. What began as a home Bible study in 1983 with a few unchurched couples has now grown to over 122 local and international satellites, and to which millions are tuning in worldwide. Its common to lose hope when you go through sexual abuse, molestation, incest or rape. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); one who forms opinions on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority, or established belief; one who doubts or denies religious dogma. Get the best from CT editors, delivered straight to your inbox! They told me to make everything seem like it was okay. From what I hear from friends and critics (I stay away from social media, etc), there have been a lot of conclusions drawn from my decision to speak at The Send conference as well as other venues, Chan, the author of Crazy Love, wrote in the statement. RZIM's Open Letter: https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/board-statementThere is help and hope available. After a four-month investigation and years of allegations, a report now details the sexual misconduct and abuse of world-renowned Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. Who is Apollo Quiboloy and what is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church? Such information about nonprofits is normally accessible to the public via IRS Form 990s, but RZIM has not disclosed a Form 990 since 2015; Malhotra said it became exempt from filing after asking the IRS to reclassify it as an association of churches., The boards continued secrecy, not only to the employees they oversee, but also to the public who rightly want full accountability, has irreparably damaged the boards credibility, Baker-Hytch wrote Dec. 20. Irene and Lana had arrived at 7pm as planned, with no clue that they were walking into a nightmare. However, RZIM hired an Atlanta law firm, Miller & Martin, in October to conduct an independent investigation. But we became each others strong supporters, especially when we felt like others could not understand what we were going through. With over 60,000 gathered at Camping World Stadium, the 10-hour Feb. 23 event was hosted by Youth With A Mission, Christ for All Nations, and Engle. Here is what God says about Himself: Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? How can you write this article and criticize this pastor when you also mock the important figures of another religion (Catholics)? Unlike singing an old hymn that may be doctrinally sound but have been written by someone with questionable theology, singing Hillsong or Bethel songs, he argued, lends credence to the active ministry of two influential churches. Top Podcasts In Religion & Spirituality 2021 Filipino Freethinkers. Joy Tan-Chi Mendoza The Ravi Zacharias Case: 14 Foundational Lessons However, he also informed them that something had happened to me and that they needed to talk to me. LUZON NORTH EAST HUB PASTOR, CCF SATELLITE PASTORS & LEADERS NORTH LUZON, EMMANUEL SALVADOR As we began sharing details with one another, exchanging our versions of the story, comforting and encouraging one another, it became clear that God had allowed us to be together in this. While other speakers at events can many times be friends of his or close acquaintances, there are others that he knows little about., This current experience has caused me to consider exercising more caution and to develop a team to help me research, Chan declared. Evangelicals. METRO EAST 2, CLUSTER HEAD, PASTOR ALEX MARCOS FILE - In this March 30, 2016 file photo, Ravi Zacharias, center, speaks during the Society of World Changers induction ceremony at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind. Hebrews 12:2 says fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith Christian leaders may sooner or later disappoint us. Regardless of who you are or where life has taken you thus far, you are more than welcome here. Today, I am happily married and blessed with five* children. Complete Guide to Christian Denominations: Understanding the History, Beliefs, and Differences by Ron Rhodes. They were heavily armed with guns and knives and forced their way in through the front door. Kimes, meanwhile, was tasked with working as a nanny, housekeeper, and personal assistant for Hillsong New York's co-founder, 42-year-old Lentz, and his wife, Laura. Currently, she is the author behind Teach with Joy (https://teachwithjoy.com), a popular site which celebrates the joys of marriage, parenting and home-schooling. God had allowed the hedge of safety to be opened, but we didnt want the evil one to claim victory over us. Always be willing to listen to correction. Writing on his blog, he said his faith in the organizations leadership has been shattered. Musicologists are very good at drawing up borders around the circumstances in which a piece of music was composed and the way the music itself goes, said Peter Mercer-Taylor, a professor at the University of Minnesota. Teach them what it means to be accountable. I was raped and sexually abused on my very own bed, in my bathroom, in my brothers room by a total of seven men. Shortly after being removed form the CCF board I wrote a 10-page report summarizing my grievances with CCF's management and sent it to Ed Briggs, the religion writer for the Richmond Times . It will be tragic and a waste if we do not try our best to learn from this incident. It might be costly but falling into sin is costlier. Give your family and other accountability partners permission to call your attention should they have any concerns about your behavior. For worship leaders worried about guilt by association, the financial connection between Hillsong and its music may be irreconcilable. I want to borrow once more the words of Joseph in Genesis 50:20, where he said: You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good.. Let us keep our eyes focused on Jesus. With corporate consolidation in worship music, more entities are invested in the songs sung on Sunday mornings. I agree with this comment. When we cannot understand the why, we must look to the Who. At that time Tracy Hansen took over where Albie left off. Later on, they met at the Asian Institute of Management for their first Sunday worship service and launched "Christ's Commission Foundation" in August 1984.[1][2]. LUZON SOUTH REGIONAL & VISAYAS, MANNY SALVADOR The Guardians chief pop critic Alexis Petridis wrote: You cant easily eradicate Jackson from history: too many people have too much of their lives bound up with his music. As 1 Timothy 1:5 puts it, the goal of our instruction is lovefrom a pure heart and agood conscience and a sincerefaith. We need to ask God to reveal to us the things that dishonor him. And the consequences of sin heartache, hardships, problems, pain and multiplied sorrows these are the enemies of hope. ICP LEADERSHIP DEVT COORDINATOR, WILSON GONZALES As quickly and as quietly as I could, I whispered to them through the gate: There are robbers in the house. Then I said loudly (so the robbers would hear me), Okay thanks, goodbye!. We likewise enjoin all of you in the world-wide CCF movement to pray for comfort and wisdom for Ravis family, the RZIM board and staff, and most of all for Gods immeasurable loving embrace to be upon those who were victims of Ravis misconduct. Or it came as a longing to return to the innocence of my childhood. While we cannot change this (at least not until Christ comes again), we can still have the peace He offers. All ministries belong to the One to whom we all ultimately serve: our Lord Jesus Christ. espaol, Allow your wife/husband access to your cell phones, computer, and social media. In the case of Hillsong, said Mercer-Taylor, the music will be handled as a commodity, subject to being unseated in the marketplace even if it has artistic or spiritual value. However, he doesnt normally ask event organizers who else will be speaking at a particular event. Some pastors who claim to be clean as a whistle, on the straight and narrow, and happily devoted to their godfearing wives have turned out to be lying, cheating, or caught with gay prostitutes. PASTORS & LEADERS, PASTOR JOEY GERONIMO Infamy and scandal Kho's promising career was interrupted when it was reported that Kho had tried to commit suicide in December 2008. Franz Joseph Haydnan influential Austrian composer of the 18th centuryworked for an incredibly wealthy prince for 30 years. This is not exhaustive. The reality is that all of us go through trials and sufferings. I thought, Lord, they may be able to touch my body, but they cannot touch my spirit. Pastor JC has an AA and a BA in Business, is the founder of Sons Of Covenant . I knew that it was going to hurt them to hear it, but they had to hear it from me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. ptr Ricky has sent a letter of apology to the CCF leadership & staff for going to the party as BIN LADEN. Despair visited me without invitation. As we take a look at Ravis failure, we are reminded of people from the Bible like King David and Solomon who blatantly disobeyed God and yet were still used by God. In the process, the firm said, We have found significant, credible evidence that Mr. Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years., Some of that misconduct is consistent with and corroborative of that which is reported in the news recently, and some of the conduct we have uncovered is more serious, it added. What a comfort to hear their voices! That sentiment is strangely relevant to this very different situation. The 51-year-old popular preacher and author who co-founded Cornerstone Community Church in Simi Valley California issued a lengthy statement over the weekend in an attempt to refute any negative conclusions drawn from his decision to speak at The Send conference in Orlando in late February. Atty. By Tessa Wong. Sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay hinamon nanaman muli ni Bro. PASTOR AUMAR AGUILAR Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Atlanta-area megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar is one in a long line of prominent pastors to face accusations of wrongdoing. Along with a mock improvised explosive device, Pastor Sarthou can be seen in the photo wearing the traditional Arabic headdress called akeffiyeh. So it especially pains me seeing the numerous sex scandals pouring out of the evangelical church recently. Numbers 32:23 tells us, and be sure that your sin will find you out., 10. The entire world groans under the weight of sin. The Executive Pastor of one of the countrys largest Christian churches chose the outfit for their Churchs partys theme,Heroes and Villains.The photo shown here is a screen-capture of a now-deleted post on Instagram by Ickhoy de Leon, another CCF Pastor. Musicologists and critics have considered how we engage with songs produced by problematic composers for centuries, and revelations around contemporary artists like Michael Jackson and R. Kelly have also challenged how listeners engage with groundbreaking and chart-topping songs. Im going to spit back to you what one of you commented, PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH BROTHERS. I saw Irenes backpack torn open with her things scattered on the floor. Ravi Zacharias' Sexual Misconduct Confirmed By Independent Investigation 74,920 views Feb 12, 2021 After a four-month investigation and years of allegations, a re .more .more 366 Dislike Share. I often found myself in tears because my innocence and purity had been stolen. Published on December 4, 2020 12:47 PM. 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My humble advice is we dont have to understand everything or try to figure out everything. If Jesus is present in our lives, we do not have to be afraid, to worry, nor should we doubt that He will take care of us when trials and difficulties come. So I thought it might be helpful to explain some of my theological beliefs which have come under scrutiny as of late, as well as some of my practices/decisions.. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Founder Brian Houston left the church in March after a pair of investigations into his inappropriate behavior and awaits trial on charges he covered up abuse by his father. All rights reserved. LUZON CENTRAL 1 HUB OVERSEER, FULVIO MILLAN ,and It was not a call to come and prosper but rather the opposite a call to come and suffer. Sometimes, those borders are easy to draw. The Lord is a Giver. Pastor Timothy Ngwu of Vineyard Ministry of the Holy Trinity was also involved in a very messy scandal. In a statement posted online on Dec. 23, Thompson and her husband thanked RZIM employees who questioned the organizations handling of the case. For their Christmas party this year, Christs Commission Fellowship Executive Pastor Ricky Sarthou dressed up in traditional Arabic garments. DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRY, CCF BEYOND AND INTERNATIONAL CHURCH PLANTING (ICP) Since the explosion of the song Shout to the Lord in 1994, Sydney-based Hillsong has shaped worship in the US, particularly among Pentecostals and evangelicals. One measure of his stature in Christian circles: Vice President Mike Pence spoke at his memorial service, lauding him as a great evangelist armed with intellect, girded with truth and love.. NEW YORK (AP) A posthumous sexual misconduct scandal involving the man who founded, in his own name, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries has placed the global Christian organization in a wrenching predicament. Zacharias had been entangled in some previous controversies over how he had publicly described his academic credentials and over his claim, later challenged in legal proceedings, that he was the target of an extortion scheme related to sexting and sexually explicit photos. However, Furtick's statement was captured via screenshot and reposted by Provost and Research Professor of . As calmly as I could, I said: Why would I tell them anything when I know you will kill us?. It speaks volumes to me and a lot of other people, Thrush said. The law firm summarized its investigation, which included dozens of interviews, as well as review of documents and electronic data. This organization has connected more than 130k people to churches. . Over the years, many things have been said about me that simply are not true. That is, until he was caught in a gay sex scandal in 2006. It is crucial that we be holy and humble, walk circumspectly, and practice accountability and authenticity. It is only happening because He has allowed it to. Let us accept the fact that if one member (of Christs body) suffers, all the members suffer with it (1 Corinthians 12:26). Pastor Phil speaks what he hears from the heart of the Father, these are truly what the Father wants His children to know and apply to their life. He admitted that in the past he has erred in calling out the false teachings of preachers and pastors. One of them said: Lets kill them now! And they all started waving their guns. They felt more comfortable about having my friends over, rather than me being out of the house. He wants to give us hope for the future eternal life, hope for today; peace, and hope for our past a new beginning. Should you have any further concerns, please get in touch with your Area or Satellite Pastor and/or Dgroup leader, and they will help process the situation with you. 1,706,805 people like this. Some booksellers have pulled Zacharias books from their offerings. Scripture reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), hence we should be careful not to trample on a fallen fellow soldier, even if in this case many will claim his wounds were self-inflicted. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is what sin does. Every dollar donated goes directly back into our editorial coverage. 13. She worked hard since the inception of that organization. The Ravi Zacharias Case: 14 Foundational Lessons. written by GOD TV February 15, 2019. Praise and Worship Service at CCF Center's Main Auditorium. I dont like the idea of a princely court or the concentration of wealth but the moral challenges dont linger in the work itself.. METRO EAST 4, CLUSTER HEAD, CCF SATELLITE PASTORS & LEADERS METRO SOUTH, CCF SATELLITE PASTORS & LEADERS METRO WEST. Unless the elders of my church direct me differently, I will continue to be found preaching in venues with those I disagree. You have entered an incorrect email address! About 15 minutes after the men left, I made out flashlights in the darkness just outside our front porch. He wrote, In no way do I endorse or turn a blind eye to the scandals that have rocked Hillsong in recent days and acknowledged some points of disagreement on ministry approaches. We use cookies on this site to improve your user experience. Mustering up the courage, I blurted out softly: Mom, Dad, I was raped.. He emphasized the orthodoxy of Hillsongs statement of faith and lyrics. Currently, four of the ten most popular worship songs sung in churches have come out of Hillsong (The Goodness of God, What a Beautiful Name, Who You Say I Am, and King Of Kings). When I saw them from the living room, I rushed out to meet them. Francis Chan speaking at the Exponential Conference on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at First Baptist Orlando in Orlando, Florida. 4. EAST ASIA MOVT COORDINATOR, PAOLO ZAGALA My family and I clung to Romans 8:28: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.. The Bible-believing world is severely saddened over the revelations of the sexual misconduct of Ravi Zacharias, the late founder of RZIM. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Rarely in my life have I had difficulty opening up to my parents, but this was one of those times when I did not know what to say. [4] CCF has satellite churches and small groups in other parts of the world, including North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia. Indeed, there is no such thing as a secret sin that we can consciously commit and hope to keep hidden in the shadows. When Christian leaders fall, the damage is tremendous. It enters the world as a commodity; it enters the world under a brand name, he said. And it takes grace to have this faith! (Jeff Morehead/The Chronicle-Tribune via AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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. There has been heavy pressure on RZIM from its British affiliate, the Zacharias Trust. Our sin may be different but just like what Jesus said in John 8:7, he who is without sin can cast the first stone, 9. 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning.. I looked to Gods love, goodness and sovereignty right after the rape. Its a major global force in worship music. The question becomes, What do you do when you have teams of young people who have worked really hard at what they do and are really good at it? Mercer-Taylor said. Admittedly, my selfish thought was, I hope they shoot me first. In disclosing the interim findings, the RZIM executive committee members described themselves as heartbroken and expressed remorse on behalf of those victimized by Zacharias. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17).
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