Late apologist’s ministry ‘heartbroken’ after investigation supports allegations
Preliminary reports from an independent investigator indicate late evangelical leader Ravi Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct, his ministry said in December. Zacharias, a renowned author and speaker, died in May 2020. After his death, Christianity Today reported three women who worked at day spas co-owned by Zacharias allege he sexually harassed them over a period of five years.
“This misconduct is deeply troubling and wholly inconsistent with the man Ravi Zacharias presented both publicly and privately to so many over more than four decades of public ministry,” the executive committee of the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries board of directors said in statement after the preliminary report. “We are heartbroken at learning this but feel it necessary to be transparent and to inform our staff, donors, and supporters at this time, even while the investigation continues.”
In COVID year, Americans trusted medical professionals and educators
Nurses, doctors, and teachers ranked highest in Gallup’s annual poll of how professions are viewed in terms of honesty and ethics. Nurses have topped the list every year since 2002 and received their highest score last year, with 89% of Americans ranking their ethics as very high or high. Doctors received a score of 77%, followed by grade school teachers with 75%.
The annual ranking reporting steady rankings for professions that fell farther down the list, including clergy (39%) and journalists (28%).
New COVID relief law aids charitable giving
The COVID-19 relief package signed into law by President Donald Trump Dec. 27 encourages charitable giving by including a cap of $300 above the standard deduction for charitable giving on federal income taxes. The move “is about far more than accounting,” said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. “This removes key obstacles to supporting those congregations and other nonprofit organizations that are at the forefront of serving the poor, the sick, and the vulnerable through the devastation of this pandemic and the resulting economic downturn.”
LifeWay finalizes sale of Ridgecrest Conference Center
A Baptist fixture in North Carolina has been sold to a group dedicated to its continued use to bring people to Christ. The Ridgecrest Foundation formed last year amid reports that Ridgecrest Conference Center and Summer Camps would be sold. LifeWay Christian Resources finalized the center’s sale to the Ridgecrest Foundation in December.
“We’ve been encouraged to learn of their heart to see lives impacted by the gospel,” said LifeWay President and CEO Ben Mandrell. “God has provided a steward for this incredible ministry that has been a place of spiritual awakening and renewal.”
Several faith-based films set for 2021 release
A sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” tops a long list of 2021 movies focused on faith. The film, which brings back director Mel Gibson and star Jim Caviezel, will focus on Jesus’ resurrection. Other faith-based movies expected this year include “Redeeming Love,” based on Francine River’s retelling of the book of Hosea, and “Jesus Revolution,” a recounting of the Jesus movement in 1970s California.
Sources: Baptist Press, RZIM.org, Gallup, Christian Post