#rzim

[musicgoon]

Book Review: Celebrities for Jesus, by Katelyn Beaty

What should we think about Christian celebrities? In Celebrities for Jesus, Katelyn Beaty shows how personas, platforms, and profits are hurting the Church. 

Mass Media

In just over 200 pages, this book warns how the medium of the Gospel can change the message of the gospel. Celebrity feeds on mass media and turns icons into idols. Beaty says that the gospel is always mediated, but Christ’s model is relational love. This is a fast and informative read, giving you much to think about as you think about the way Christian celebrity influences your own walk with God.

The book begins by comparing fame with celebrity and the dangers that come with celebrity Christians. Billy Graham contributed to the problem of celebrity with an individualistic gospel, an embrace of mass media, and friendship with celebrities. But Graham also showed spiritual health outside of the spotlight. He invested in institutions, empowering others to fulfill and carry our good works. He also acknowledge his early success and celebrity, while safeguarding against the temptations of money, sex, and power. Beaty knows that there must be a better way.

Celebrity Temptations

Beaty goes on to showcase three temptations of Christian celebrity. Ravi Zacharias abused his power, and we see that power must be stewarded. Mark Driscoll had a way with words, and this led to powerful preaching but also anger and pride. Carl Lentz lived a lavish lifestyle, calling for financial accountable transparency. Institutions, such as RZIM, are also capable of these temptations. This is a revelatory book that is not afraid to tell of the sins that come with Christian celebrity culture.

I was most fascinated to read Beaty’s insights in the world of Christian book publishing. Chasing platforms is a main problem, and her words come with weight: “I can’t genuinely encourage most people to enter Christian book publishing.” While she sees that value of Christian books, she also sees how it adds “jet fuel” to the problem of Christian celebrity. Media is unique in that it takes words and ideas beyond the confines of time and place. Creating profit for publishers comes at the cost of outsourcing discipleship, authentic relationships, and everyday integrity -- especially when it comes to the problem of plagiarism.

Living Icons

There is even a cost of celebrity for the celebrity. Creating personas and loneliness for leaders must be combated with humility and accountability. Media gives a feeling of intimacy, but these are not real relationships. After looking at the supposed conversions of Kanye West, Bob Dylan, and Justin Bieber, Beaty suggests we stop our fixation on cultural credibility and instead pursue ordinary faithfulness. 

Towards the end of the book, Beaty cites Colossians 1:15, stating: “What makes Christianity — more specifically, Christ — real to me are the people in my life who are living icons.” I am motivated to fight the temptation to be relevant, spectacular; and powerful. I am challenged to pursue a hidden life of faithfulness with deep friendships. The power of the gospel is not in larger-than-life personas and elevated platforms, but in faith as small as a mustard seed.

I received a media copy of Celebrities for Jesus and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.

[diariodigitalcristiano]

Ministerio dirigido por la hija de Ravi Zacharias cierra después de menos de un año

En octubre de 2021, se anunció que Sarah Davis, la CEO de RZIM y la hija de Ravi Zacharias, dejaba la organización asediada para comenzar un nuevo ministerio de apologética.

Menos de un año después, se ha cerrado, con un mensaje en las redes sociales explicando "actualmente, creemos que Dios nos está guiando a prepararnos para el cierre de la organización. Esta decisión no fue fácil, pero buscamos ser buenos administradores del tiempo, el dinero y los recursos que se nos confían. Dado nuestro pequeño equipo y los crecientes desafíos financieros que tenemos por delante, creemos que esta es la decisión y el momento correctos".

El grupo nunca ganó atracción, con la mayoría de sus publicaciones de Facebook y transmisiones de video en vivo que reciben uno o dos me gusta y compartidos, y con frecuencia ninguno. Lo mismo ocurre con su canal de YouTube, cuyas vistas fueron escasas.

Ruth Malhotra, ex gerente de relaciones públicas de RZIM, se mostró muy escéptica cuando lighten (Encounter) se lanzó inicialmente, señalando que estaba compuesta por ex empleados de RZIM y financiada con dinero de RZIM, y probablemente propagaría las mismas tendencias destructivas que su antigua organización.

Ese parece ser el caso. Lighten concluye señalando que si bien esta temporada fue más corta de lo que esperaban, su sitio web, canal de YouTube e Instagram "permanecerán activos durante el próximo año con la esperanza de que otros vean el contenido y estén equipados y alentados".

#noticia #noticias #diario digital #tiempos finales #noticias cristianas #diario noticias #ultimas noticias #ultimos tiempos #biblia #apostasia

[jumbo10]

Ravi Zacharias was a Liar, Sexual Pervert and Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.

Ravi Zacharias was a Liar, Sexual Pervert and Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing.

This Report Proves itbyTHEWEEFLEAFebruary 13, 2021 Premier Christianity asked me to write a report on the report from RZIM re the allegations against Ravi Zacharias. It was painful to read. And it was the last thing I wanted to write about. But given that I had said we should not comment, until the evidence was in – and now the evidence is in – I agreed to write this article. You can read the…

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[caandydosvale]

ahahah Renegade Zim ahahahaha

I hated the sketch so much, but i ended up liking the final project.

#iz #invader zim #renegade zim #rzim #bh dib #bounty hunter dib #dib membrane #zim #dib #au #alternative universe #i am so tired #why do i keep forgetting to post my things #he's sexy

[qui-qui-quee]

I apologize if I came across as insensitive earlier today. That was not my intention. The case against Zacharias is compelling. I was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt because he is no longer able to receive a trial, and because it seems like a lot of Christians have been shaken by this whole thing. I also think that the timing of that article is strange, but I won't discuss it further in that thread now that I know it's bothered you.

I understand and your apology is accepted. I’m not taking this against you but I need you to understand why this bothered me and why it’s so important that we navigate these things with absolute care and decisiveness. And that there are greater, darker implications to what’s happening with the Church now that are far more sinister than we’ve ever thought to consider.

I have been aware of this issue since 2017 when Ravi originally came out with his statement regarding the emails. And I originally believed him when he said he was being slandered/extorted thereby giving him the benefit of the doubt all the way up until his death. And yes initially, I also had doubts about Thompson’s narrative/accusations that came out in early 2020 after his death because there just wasn’t enough information at the time to make a complete judgment and I also initially thought this was just their way to get attention (or perhaps I was also playing the ignorant, optimistic one because Ravi held such an impact in my life). 

Now I know you would never have known that about me and I’m not faulting you for that, but to say that the timing of the article is strange comes off to me as a hint that you think this could all be some sort of persecutory campaign against figureheads and misdirection for “bigger things” which is off the mark, to put it kindly. I have no idea who you were referring to in your comments by the way, hence why it bothered me so much you’d even bring them up when this had nothing to do with whoever you were talking about. It wasn’t just insensitive, it was completely beside the point and tangential to the issue.

There’s enough compelling evidence and multiple witnesses. This has nothing to do with the other issues going on in non-Christian communities, though you can say these are moments of reckoning for sin, whenever a person is outed to be an abuser. I personally wish you’d gone and double-checked first before even considering the possibility that these abuses didn’t happen, to make sure such doubts are even founded before making those comments in the first place (and so I wouldn’t have to link all those posts just to prove that what I’m talking about is legit) 😕

The timing of the article is irrelevant at this point, because this issue has actually been going on for years now. It isn’t strange at all that CT reported on it because RZIM and an independent investigatory body they brought in came out with a full report and have been dealing with this for at least a good half of 2020. In fact there was already a preliminary report released in December 2020 from the same investigatory group hinting at the compelling evidence of sexual abuse.

To say he will no longer receive a trial is also false. The fact is he had numerous chances to repent, to stand trial and/or prove his innocence. But each and every time, he was hard-headed and angrily dismissed the doubts from those close to him, and refused to come clean or display any kind of remorse or even substantial proof that he was being slandered or the allegations were wrong. He hid and denied any hint of his actions from his family and his staff very very well all the way up until his death, which is frankly even more egregious to me than him getting caught while he was alive. The fact that he’s dead is almost a mercy to him and him only. 

God gave him multiple chances to stand trial and he chose not to take them. So God allowed these things to happen, allowed the truth to come out without giving Zacharias a chance to deny it now. 

Ravi had his chances and he blew them all. And it’s costing him his ministry and witness.

This is entirely different from just one person saying a bad thing about another person and then turning a mob against them with zero proof of any wrongdoing. When you have multiple witnesses and victims, phone evidence, letters, etc, you really ought to be more compelled that they’re telling the truth, rather than immediately assuming the possibility of persecutory campaigns.

I’m sorry if my words come out as harsh and indeed, I know you meant well. But this is a time when we need to face the facts that sin costs FAR more than we can ever bargain for and be humbled by that instead of going off and complaining about how we’re being persecuted. Instead of focusing more on whether a non-Christian is getting the justice they deserve (which God promises they will), we need to start being more accountable to each other as a Church body. 

There are simply too many cases of fallen leaders for us to keep doubting survivors too. The string of scandals should tell us there is something terribly wrong with our system if it is so easily abused, and that no man, no person is ever exempt from falling into terrible sin, no matter how good they appear to us. 

I withheld my judgment in mid-2020. I’m making it now. 

#qooky speaks #ravi zacharias #rzim #strictlynofrills #sorry for going off #but im also tired of all this focus on nonChristians

[coochiequeens]

NEW YORK (AP) — Ravi Zacharias, who died in May after a high-profile career leading a global Christian ministry, engaged in sexual misconduct with massage therapists and carried on many amorous extramarital relationships via text message and email, according to a scathing, in-depth report from a law firm hired by the ministry.

Five of the therapists said Zacharias touched them inappropriately, and one said she was raped, according to the report. It said investigators searching Zacharias’ mobile devices found more than 200 photographs of younger women, including nude images of a salon employee in Malaysia.

In blunt terms, the report by Atlanta-based Miller & Martin said Zacharias had lied in claiming in 2017 that “I have never engaged in any inappropriate behavior of any kind.”

Coinciding with the report’s release on Thursday, the board of directors of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries issued a statement of “corporate repentance.” The board apologized for earlier statements that belittled accusers and pledged steps to support victims, combat abuse and harassment, and reassess the management structure, which is overseen by Zacharias’ eldest daughter, ministry CEO Sarah Davis.

“We are devastated by what the investigation has shown and are filled with sorrow for the women who were hurt by this terrible abuse,” the board said.

Zacharias, who died of cancer at the age of 74, was a widely popular author and speaker, with many celebrities and prominent Christian leaders among his admirers. Then-Vice President Mike Pence spoke at his memorial service in May, lauding him as a great evangelist “armed with intellect, girded with truth and love.”

Zacharias founded his international ministry, known as RZIM, in 1984, with a mission to engage in “Christian apologetics” — defending Christianity with powerful intellectual arguments. Based in suburban Atlanta, RZIM has operations in about 20 countries and a roster of scores of traveling speakers.

In recent months, the organization has been plunged into crisis, precipitated by a Sept. 29 article in the evangelical publication Christianity Today. The article asserted that over a period of about five years, Zacharias sexually harassed three women who worked as massage therapists at two day spas he co-owned in an Atlanta suburb.

RZIM’s leadership initially challenged the claims, asserting that the allegations “do not in any way comport with the man we knew for decades — we believe them to be false.”

However, it hired Martin & Miller in October, which in turn engaged the services of a private investigation firm comprising former federal law enforcement officers. The law firm said more than 50 people, including more than a dozen massage therapists, were interviewed, and investigators were able to access data from four mobile devices used by Zacharias.......

Another older white man abused hiss religious authority to abuse women. At least he's dead.

#RZIM #Ravi Zacharias #abusive men #Christian ministry

[moralfoundation]

It's a Wonderful Life-A Slice of Infinity-RZIM

It’s a Wonderful Life-A Slice of Infinity-RZIM

“I know what I’m going to do for the next year, and the next year, and the year after that…I’m going to shake the dust off of this crummy old town and I’m going to see the world.”(1) Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life is the classic film of Christmas holiday fare. It’s ubiquity on the airwaves belies its dismal performance at the box office when it was first released just after World War II.(2)…

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#apologetics #christianity #english #god #jesuschrist #moralfoundation #morality #morallife #morals #ravizacharias #religion #rzim #scripture #shoriluke #worldview

[idratherdreamofjune]

Another Slice of Infinity article by Jill Carattini.

#Jill Carattini #theology #RZIM #my favorite so far #link

[wisdomfish]

When God is Silent

#john njoroge #christianity #when god is silent #apologetics #rzim

[candid-beiley]

#FoodForThought . . . . . . . . . #JESUSisLORD #JESUSCHRIST #ravizacharias #rzim #TrueLove #lovelife #quoteoftheday #bestoftheday #photooftheday #inspiringquote #inspirational #inspiration #word #christianity #christians #foodforthesoul #truth #faith #joy #love #hope #peace #prayers #blessed #blessings #drravizacharias #beilzdevotion https://www.instagram.com/p/BsXA4k-lqkJ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ianuhzkwe96w

#foodforthought #jesusislord #jesuschrist #ravizacharias #rzim #truelove #lovelife #quoteoftheday #bestoftheday #photooftheday #inspiringquote #inspirational #inspiration #word #christianity #christians #foodforthesoul #truth #faith #joy #love #hope #peace #prayers #blessed #blessings #drravizacharias #beilzdevotion

[foreverheloves-blog]

An Atheist is better at smelling rotten eggs than laying good ones.

#Atheists #Atheism #FOREVERHELOVES #Ravi Zacharias #RZIM #Religion

[eternityinview-posts]

Watch and Pray

Over the previous couple of months, in addition to working on a new book, I have been enjoying the warm summer months here in Pennsylvania, sitting outside while catching up on some back issues of World and Decision magazines. Much of what I have read is encouraging and thought-provoking. But I can’t help feeling disheartened regarding the recent downfall of RZIM, the former ministry of Ravi…

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#God #Jesus #ministry #philosophy #prayer #Raxi Zacharius #religion #RZIM #spiritual warfare #temptation

[wound-dresser-fan]

Standing on Bedrock

During these tense days, and (sometimes) sleepless nights, I am so thankful that the Word of God is the bedrock for my life. I was having another one of those “sleepless nights,” so this morning, I got up at 3:30 a.m. and picked up my bible. I wanted to plant my feet someplace where I could stand with confidence–on something solid, that would reassure me, that I not only can walk confidently in…

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#authority #Elevation Worship #gospel #legacy #Psalm 27 #Ravi Zacharias #RZIM

[paulkattupalli]

Josh McDowell's Dirty Mind: Abdu Murray on Ravi Zacharias & Margie's life

Josh McDowell’s Dirty Mind: Abdu Murray on Ravi Zacharias & Margie’s life

Welcome to Defender’s Voice. This is Dr.Paul. Thank you for joining us today. Before you forget, subscribe to our channel. Please send me your questions to [email protected]. Visit our website www.doctorpaul.org to subscribe to our podcast.  Today’s question is, Is it appropriate to ask Abdu about Ravi and Margie’s sex life? Brian sent me this video in which Abdu Murray was interviewed by Sean…

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#Abdu Murray #Josh McDowell #Ravi Zacharias #RZIM #Steve Baughman

[cisnerosandsmithcolumn]

How many people perish each day because they follow Christ? What are you prepared to do if faced with martyrdom?

rzimmedia.rzim.org/JT/JT20180425.mp3

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#apologetics #awake #Christian #christian counseling #christian meditation #Cisneros and Smith column #college #faith #Georgia #global #intellectual #just thinking #listen #mankind #rzim

[qui-qui-quee]

As someone who looked up to Ravi and saw him as one of my biggest intellectual inspirations (and I honestly still do, if only in the intellectual and thinking aspect of things), I ask that you all read this article. Read this article in its entirety.

Do not skim. Do not skip lines. 

Read. Every. Single. Word.

#qooky speaks #christianity #rzim #ravi zacharias