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I think it's long past time that evangelicals addressed the elephant in the room.
There is a large number of popular speakers and authors--ostensibly conservative and otherwise orthodox--whose books line the shelves of clergy and laymen alike, who were/are utter frauds.
There is a large number of popular speakers and authors--ostensibly conservative and otherwise orthodox--whose books line the shelves of clergy and laymen alike, who were/are utter frauds.
I'll name two.
Ravi Zacharias was a fraud.
Iain Campbell was a fraud.
I don't care that they championed Christian viewpoints.
I don't care that others benefited from their speaking and writings.
They were frauds. 100% phony.
Ravi Zacharias was a fraud.
Iain Campbell was a fraud.
I don't care that they championed Christian viewpoints.
I don't care that others benefited from their speaking and writings.
They were frauds. 100% phony.
Ladies and gentlemen, listen up.
Promoting false doctrine is not the only way to be a false teacher. Fact is, you can teach sound doctrine, you can preach moving sermons, and the masses may even benefit from your teaching and preaching.
And ***YOU*** CAN STILL BE A FRAUD.
Promoting false doctrine is not the only way to be a false teacher. Fact is, you can teach sound doctrine, you can preach moving sermons, and the masses may even benefit from your teaching and preaching.
And ***YOU*** CAN STILL BE A FRAUD.
If Ravi thought his preaching and writing would save him from having sexually-abused multiple women--shutting one of them down with an NDA--and even killing a baby for his own nefarious purposes (leaving a teenager with the PTSD baggage)--then he clung to a gospel < THE Gospel.
If Ravi thought that his flowery rhetorical presentation of the Gospel would overshadow his building an empire based on self-promotion rooted in academic fraud and personal embellishment, then he clung to a gospel < THE Gospel.
If Ravi thought that the approval he received from other evangelical high-fliers would save him from his darkest, most sordid atrocities (which include sexual abuse and complicity in murder), then he clung to a gospel < THE Gospel.
The way he lived was not congruent with what he preached and taught.
And while all of us have SOME incongruence, the problem is this: faced with that reality, his response was one of Image Repair and silence rather than repentance and brokenness.
And while all of us have SOME incongruence, the problem is this: faced with that reality, his response was one of Image Repair and silence rather than repentance and brokenness.
And let that be a question for you: confronted with your sin, what is YOUR response?
Do you own it, confess it, apologize, ask forgiveness, and strive to "go and sin no more"?
Or do you double down, attack, make yourself the victim, or justify your actions?
Do you own it, confess it, apologize, ask forgiveness, and strive to "go and sin no more"?
Or do you double down, attack, make yourself the victim, or justify your actions?
I've seen pastors leave their wives--and children--for other women. And in at least one of those cases, the pastor sought to justify his action.
Iain Campbell was like that, too. He was a renowned teacher and preacher in Reformed circles.
And for almost his entire ministry life, he carried on multiple affairs.
When confronted with that, he wouldn't even apologize to his wife; instead choosing suicide.
And for almost his entire ministry life, he carried on multiple affairs.
When confronted with that, he wouldn't even apologize to his wife; instead choosing suicide.
No, I'm not suggesting that suicide, adultery, sexual abuse, or abortion are unpardonable sins. They aren't.
The Atonement is wonderful. The Gospel is a game-changer for all who receive it.
The Atonement is wonderful. The Gospel is a game-changer for all who receive it.
What I AM suggesting, though, is that as we read II Peter 2, we need to understand that this the admonition about false teachers is not restricted to false doctrine.
Living a debauched life is ALSO something that Peter called out as a characteristic of such wolves.
Living a debauched life is ALSO something that Peter called out as a characteristic of such wolves.
I'm also calling attention to the Law of Sowing and Reaping.
If you force a teenager to have an abortion, you are kidding yourself if you think you are immune from the fallout by virtue of your VIP status.
If you force a teenager to have an abortion, you are kidding yourself if you think you are immune from the fallout by virtue of your VIP status.
If you sexually abuse one or more people, you are kidding yourself if you think you are immune from the fallout by virtue of your VIP status.
Fact is, NONE of us will ever pull one on God.
You can fool me. You can fool others. You can even fool yourself.
But God is never fooled.
You can fool me. You can fool others. You can even fool yourself.
But God is never fooled.
The question for you: do you fear God?.
I am thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice. I'm also of the mind that He is God and I am not.
Among the most important lessons I've learned in life is that IT'S NEVER GOOD TO BE PRESUMPTUOUS.
I am thankful for Jesus and His sacrifice. I'm also of the mind that He is God and I am not.
Among the most important lessons I've learned in life is that IT'S NEVER GOOD TO BE PRESUMPTUOUS.
As for Ravi Zacharias and Iain Campbell?
I don't see any public evidence that either of them feared God. While I sure hope they did, if anything their double lives tell me the opposite.
I don't see any public evidence that either of them feared God. While I sure hope they did, if anything their double lives tell me the opposite.
But what does that say about the evangelical world?
For years, evangelicals trusted men like Bill Hybels, Jack Hyles, James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Tullian Tchividjian, Darrin Patrick, C.J. Mahaney, Joshua Harris, and yes...Ravi Zacharias.
For years, evangelicals trusted men like Bill Hybels, Jack Hyles, James MacDonald, Mark Driscoll, Perry Noble, Tullian Tchividjian, Darrin Patrick, C.J. Mahaney, Joshua Harris, and yes...Ravi Zacharias.
Every one of them was either sexually abusive, and/or profoundly abusive in their leadership styles, and/or complicit in the coverup of abuses.
(And there are more I could name.)
And yet they continue to garner substantial followings, if not continued respect from the masses.
(And there are more I could name.)
And yet they continue to garner substantial followings, if not continued respect from the masses.
I know folks who, for years, SWORE by such high-fliers.
Reports of heavyhanded leadership from Sovereign Grace were often dismissed.
The Denhollanders were ostracized from their church for pointing out the sexual abuse coverup at CLC.
Reports of heavyhanded leadership from Sovereign Grace were often dismissed.
The Denhollanders were ostracized from their church for pointing out the sexual abuse coverup at CLC.
But one by one, the big scandals hit the fan: Mars Hill, Covenant Life/Sovereign Grace, Tullian Tchividjian, Perry Noble, Darrin Patrick, High Point/Andy Savage, Ravi Zacharias, Bill Hybels/Willow Creek, James MacDonald, Joshua Harris, more Willow Creek (Bilezikian), etc.
Every time those scandals hit, the word from the top evangelical leaders was tepid if not one of silence. No contrition. No introspection regarding the culture they helped create.
Now, w/in the last 3 weeks, we have scandals that would make Bakker, Swaggart, and Tilton look like Eagle Scouts: the Falwells at @LibertyU, and the late Ravi Zacharias regarding his "health spas". Both have major implications on the larger Body.
I cannot answer for what Big Evangelical does or doesn't do. YOU need to answer for YOU.
Do not sweep this under the rug.
Read it, fume, rage, and feel the pain.
And remember that the victims felt--and continue to feel--much worse pain.
Do not sweep this under the rug.
Read it, fume, rage, and feel the pain.
And remember that the victims felt--and continue to feel--much worse pain.
And when you're done raging and fuming, let's reconsider the whole charisma-based lens by which we assess ministers, scholars, apologists, writers, and others whom we esteem.
