Your insights are really good, if you're dealing with a pastor who is NOT a Dark Triad personality and wants to live a life of integrity.

Sadly, in RZ's case, it appears that his Dark Triad streak was evident early on in his ministry. https://twitter.com/haguejason/status/1344011159129575424

And THAT is the problem with guys like RZ: they are NOT seeking to live as they call you to live. While they may preach otherwise sound doctrine, there is > 1 way to be a false teacher. Licentious, perverse, debauched lifestyles are another way to get there.

And guys like RZ? They will compartmentalize this well. This is why it is critical that governing boards take their responsibilities as watchdogs seriously.

As the saying goes, you CANNOT afford to be afraid to see what you see.

But more importantly, the issue is what you DO when you see it.

There were red flags that popped up over the years: @raviscam blew the lid on RZ's credentials/vitae fraud--which were outright lies.

That alone is a firing offense in every place I've ever worked. In higher-ed, academic integrity is sacrosanct. Even in the business world, falsifying credentials is a lapse of ethics that will get you terminated.

But RZIM's board let him skate. They even shut down @raviscam and maligned him.

What they failed to get: that fraud was a big red

This is why companies will fire employees for that kind of fraud: what might seem like a small lapse in integrity early in one's career, will manifest itself into a multi-million dollar criminal offense if you let him climb that ladder with impunity.

But instead, RZIM's board let him charm them, they dismissed Steve as a naysayer, they let RZ skate.

Then, when the sexting scandal broke, they let him lie his way out, and refused to accept the elephant in the room that was ing all over the floor.

They let him malign her as an extortionist (even though extortion is a federal crime and there was no prosecution). They bought his narrative of her sending unsolicited nude photos, even though he stipulated to facts in his court case, which undermined that narrative.

They let him skate, even though the "settlement" included an NDA that was designed to protect HIM.

None of them asked why HE would need to be protected from facts?

And when Julie Anne Smith broke the forced abortion story--with damning receipts--RZIM didn't even answer it.

There was always a reason for minimizing, denial, attacking, even outright ignoring, obvious red flags.

Even without the spa story, I just named three instances of obvious integrity problems, and RZIM let their Dear Leader skate--each time--while maligning their critics.

Meanwhile, Big Evangelical media and leadership turned and looked the other way.

All this is to address the questions: how do you see a predator? And how do you stop him?

The answer in the first case: you have to be looking. You cannot be taken in by his charm. When you see something, you must accept that you saw what you saw & not ignore it.

As for how to stop him, I'll spell it out in one word: transparency.

DO NOT HIDE ANYTHING.
LET THE WORLD SEE THE REAL LEADER.

Every big-name Big Eva who went down, was brought down by courageous whistleblowers who went public.

We need their courage.

But you--the rank and filer--also have a part in this: you need to stand with the ones telling the truth.

This helps breed courage.

In the 3 years of #churchtoo, almost every victim I've talked to had this fundamental concern: they were worried that few would believe them and most would ignore them, thus heaping further damage on them.

Think about everyone who told the truth about Bill Hybels.

Think about everyone who told the truth about Ravi Zacharias.

Think about those 700 SBC victims who were discarded by the @SBCExecComm.

You, the rank-and-filer, can make a difference here. You can stick up for the victims; you can encourage them when they are hurting; if they need exigent help--and you are friends with them--then you can help them find a professional.

U can also learn the hard truth that every one of them has in common. You know what it is?

Bad guys NEVER "look" bad. The socially-akward man--that would be me--isn't your problem; it's the affable, charismatic, well-educated leader that everyone loves: he's your biggest threat.

The more charisma they have, the more your radar should be tuned. The more likeable and eloquent they are, the closer you need to watch.

As I said, if you see something, you saw it. Do something.