One of the largest apologetics ministries in the world – Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) – will go beyond changing its name to stopping its apologetics work altogether.  

Evangelical media outlet Christianity Today (CT), which first reported sexual harassment allegations against Ravi Zacharias in September last year, quoted RZIM’s Global CEO Sarah Davis as announcing to staff yesterday (March 10) that the ministry will become a grant-making charity instead.  

“RZIM cannot and should not continue to operate as an organization in its present form. Nor do we believe we can only rename the organization and move forward with ‘business as usual’,” said Davis, who is Zacharias’ daughter. She has led the ministry since his death in May last year of sarcoma. 

The change will mean that the former global US$36-million-a-year ministry plans to give grants to other organisations that fulfil its original purpose of defending the truth of the Gospel as well as organisations that care for victims of sexual abuse. 

Last month, RZIM released the full investigative report that confirmed allegations against the apologist dating back to 2004 and uncovered additional evidence of abuse continuing up until a few months before his death in May 2020. The ministry said it continues to grieve deeply for the victims who have been treated in ways that are completely antithetical to the Gospel, and increasingly recognise organisational failures that have occurred. 

Following the report, RZIM gave an update last week to share the steps that the organisation plans to take as it seeks to walk a path of “repentance, restitution, learning, and serving”. Its two priorities are to help the victims of abuse, and to thoroughly understand what has taken place in the organisation to prevent similar incidents from recurring. 

To those ends, it is currently undergoing a broad review of culture and structure by the consulting firm Guidepost Solutions. CT reported that Davis had told staff to expect layoffs of about 60% starting immediately, as well as leadership changes when the review is finished in four to six months. The organisation has almost 300 staffers, including apologists, in 15 offices worldwide.

RZIM has engaged victim-advocate Rachael Denhollander to serve as a confidential liaison with survivors and are asking other victims, should there be any more, to come forward. The ministry is also in the process of taking down its founder’s content from its website and social media platforms, including publications and videos. 

Singapore named in report

RZIM’s leadership has come under pressure for its handling of the charges against Ravi.

Top leaders in Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) in the US and Asia, including those in Singapore, have known about sexual misconduct and abuse allegations against Zacharias from as early as 2008, according to latest documents obtained by CT. 

According to CT, a team member had reported to the head of the Singapore board in 2008 that Zacharias was seen with a woman he was not related to in a Singapore hotel. Zacharias was holding her hand and appeared to be intimate with her. Zacharias dismissed it as a misunderstanding, and the ministry did not investigate, according to internal documents obtained by CT.

CT reported that, in a 2012 email which it obtained, the then-Singapore board chair wrote: “Directors agreed that derogative remarks of any kind by any of the parties must cease immediately as they do not glorify the Lord … We are of the same conviction that brothers should reconcile where there have been misunderstandings … The work of RZIM is making great impact on unbelievers and any public dispute will bring irreparable damage to parties concerned and the organization.” 

When asked yesterday for its comment on the report of Singapore’s role in handling the sexual misconduct allegations, the board of RZIM Singapore told Salt&Light that “at no time were concerns raised with board members regarding inappropriate behaviour between Ravi Zacharias and a woman he was not related to in a Singapore hotel in 2008″.

It acknowledged that there was one report in the period between 2008 and 2012 over Zacharias inappropriately holding the hand of a woman in public while crossing a street in Singapore. The board said it confronted Ravi for an explanation and he vehemently denied any wrongdoing. 

“The board’s trust in Ravi led to no further action being taken. With broken hearts, we now see this trust was completely misguided and misplaced, and we are sorry. There were no other situations or cases reported to the Singapore board at that time or subsequently, which raised any suspicion of wrong-doing,” said its spokesperson in its statement, released on March 10.  

The Singapore board added that “no email was ever written in this regard by any member of the board on this topic to any staff or other parties. We also did not launch a formal or informal review or investigation of any kind on whether a team member was spreading rumours about Ravi”. 

The board told Salt&Light that three members who were on the board at that time of the allegations remain on the RZIM Singapore Board currently.

Salt&Light understands that CT retrieved the alleged email from a source in Singapore and that the publication will be responding to RZIM Singapore’s latest statement.  

Leadership decisions globally 

RZIM’s 12 international offices are in the process of evaluating decisions about the future. 

RZIM Canada is closing down. The ministries in the UK and Latin America have each announced their plans to separate and establish independent apologetics organisations. 

RZIM Singapore said that it is going through a season of “prayer, lament and healing” in order to discern its plans moving forward.  

Similarly, RZIM Hong Kong and RZIM Asia-Pacific said it is prayerfully considering “all possible paths that would honour our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are in accordance with God’s will”. 

The latest statement from the Board of RZIM Hong Kong and RZIM Asia-Pacific said they “accept that Ravi’s travel to Asia formed a part of his significant wrongdoing and deception and (they) are deeply grieved and sorry for the hurt that (they) have enabled by placing (their) trust in him”. 

Two boards – that of RZIM Singapore and RZIM Hong Kong – oversee the work of RZIM Asia-Pacific.  

The board of RZIM Singapore reiterated their abhorrence of sexual misconduct and abuse and said they continue to grieve the damaging impact of Ravi’s behaviour on the women he hurt by his abuse. 

“Our top priority remains the process of care, justice, and restitution for all who have been victimized by Ravi’s abuse.” 

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