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Former RZIM Leaders ‘Not Fit To Be in Ministry,’ Says Team of Apologists

“Multiple former RZIM employees consider themselves to have been spiritually abused by Ramsden, (Davis) Phillips, and Murray,” note the apologists. “In addition, these employees strongly believe that all three are disqualified from ministry and leadership positions.”

Report Calls for RZIM Leaders To Repent

The report also calls out the executive committee of the RZIM board, saying it “egregiously failed in its duties.” Members failed to hold Zacharias accountable, failed the organization and its donors, and exhibited no “signs of repentance,” the report says.

About Phillips, who is Zacharias’ daughter, the apologists acknowledge she “was in a terrible position” and “has been traumatized by the actions of her father.” They credit her with sharing an additional accusation with another investigative team but say that doesn’t excuse “her own behavior toward RZIM employees.”

About Ramsden, the report alleges that he failed to “correct the record” when he learned he had given incorrect information to RZIM staff and the public. Such omissions by the SLT “occurred on more than one occasion,” the report states.

The report credits Murray with making “some efforts toward reconciling with a couple of former employees since we first confronted him more than a year ago.” But, the apologists add, so far those efforts “fall short of the biblical requirements for Christian leaders.”

The apologists conclude that Phillips, Ramsden, and Murray “have not displayed a godly sorrow nor demonstrated the fruit consistent with repentance for their actions. They have acknowledged that ‘mistakes were made’ but have not specifically owned their actions or expressed remorse to those they hurt. Nor have they repaired the damage they have caused.”

They add: “It grieves us to come to this conclusion as we have relationships with some of these individuals spanning decades.” Their hope, say the apologists, is that the leaders will “seek counseling with someone skilled in the area of spiritual abuse, and move forward in genuine repentance.”

Church Leaders will update this article with any responses from or statements by the SLT.