Guest Post: An open letter to Evangelical leaders in the UK

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This post has been written by three people. Two are individuals who have reported their experiences with Mike Pilavachi to investigators, one is an individual who was abused within a different Christian context.

Dear UK Evangelical Leaders,

Over the past 30 years, numerous high profile individuals and organisations, not least the Church of England, have given Mike Pilavachi a platform, publicly endorsing his ministry and securing his status as one of the most influential British Evangelical leaders of our time.

The far-reaching influence of Soul Survivor ministries is unquestionable. Over the duration of its existence, the festival was an instrumental part of the journey of faith for a whole generation of Christians. Beyond these major annual events, the influence of Soul Survivor was extended through its local events, its publishing and music label, and its gap year and leadership training programmes. Mike Pilavachi was at the heart of all of this.

As news of the allegations against Mike Pilavachi spreads, it is beginning to shatter a generation, and will no doubt lead many to a point of spiritual crisis. For us, and for thousands like us, it is a devastating blow. Few Evangelical leaders seem to be publicly offering solace, support, or advice about what to do when the man they have publicly endorsed and celebrated falls, crushing young people’s (and older people’s) lives and faith in the process.

Now in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, many of those who grew up attending the festivals have been left reeling from this news. Some will be hearing of these allegations for the first time; others – ourselves included – will be involved much more closely than we would like to be. For many of us, though, some of our most formative faith experiences are connected to Soul Survivor and are now having to be reframed in light of these allegations. It is truly overwhelming.

It has raised complex questions for so many of us:

• How can we reconcile the tangible experiences of God we had at Soul Survivor festivals with this news?
• Could Mike Pilavachi have been a conduit for God and abusive at the same time? 
• If we cannot trust someone who God seems to have used mightily, who can we trust?

Also hard to take on board has been that the allegations are not simply about one individual’s abuse of power. They are about an institution’s abuse of power as well. As revealed in the Telegraph, Mike Pilavachi’s behaviour was allegedly an “open secret”. We can personally attest to the truth of this statement.

Whether we like it or not, in his position of authority, Mike Pilavachi is for many a representative of the Church. As such, his behaviour affects perceptions of it. When allegations are brought against leaders with this much power, institutional responses really matter.

The silence of Evangelical leaders in the face of these allegations is a problem, particularly for those of us affected by church-related abuse and trauma. This is because the act of silencing is often a key contributor to trauma, and therefore silence from leaders such as yourselves can be re-traumatising for us. As Gender Justice specialist, Natalie Collins (whose website this is) explains, for victims, the silencing connected with trauma might be something that is externally imposed by others: “through being disbelieved, humiliated, threatened, punished or through being met with indifference, institutional failure or minimisation, denial or blame.” Or it might be self-imposed: “we want [trauma] to be manageable and minor, we blame ourselves, we feel unworthy, we doubt anyone cares enough to listen, we are too exhausted/unwell/isolated to speak.” In relation to Mike Pilavachi specifically, some of us have been silenced in this way for more than twenty years.

Silence in the face of these allegations is also a more widespread problem. If you are a Christian leader with a profile, your silence is communicating to a generation in crisis that we are on our own.

But it doesn’t have to be like this. We are looking to you to speak out and help us navigate this situation. We are not trying to vilify you. We realise that it is painful for you, too, to learn that such serious allegations have been brought against someone you may know personally and love deeply. But the reality is, personal relationships aside, you occupy a rare space right now – a space where you could be a voice of hope and healing, as a generation is in turmoil. 

If you don’t speak into this situation, sceptics will anyway, and their voices will not be fruitful in fostering healthy dialogue and discipleship. Our question to you, is whether you will choose to be agents of healing or re-traumatisation?

Sincerely,

Soul Survivors and Those Who Are Hurting

If you have any information that could help the investigation, please contact Judith Renton, Ian Bowles or Anthony Clarke at the National Safeguarding Team at safeguarding@churchofengland.org or you can call Christian safeguarding organsiation ThirtyOne:Eight on 0303 003 1111 or email them at info@thirtyoneeight.org to get guidance or support with this situation or any other safeguarding concern you have.

Previous blogs:

1. The Problem with Statements; Mike Pilavachi, Soul Survivor, and the importance of independence
2. Firm Foundations: on statements, silencing and Soul Survivor
3. Holy Saturday and Soul Survivor
4. Guest Blog: Soul Survivor’s Elephant Navigating Service
5. A Suggested Statement about Soul Survivor
6. Silence, Soul Survivor and pushing things under the rug
7. Soul Survivor and anything that needs to come into the light
8. Guest Post: An Open Letter to Evangelical Leaders in the UK
9. Soul Survivor and Those Who Are Late to the Conversation
10. Soul Survivor and those who are late to the conversation
11. The Soul Survivor Situation – A Timeline
12. Guest Blog: Dear Pete Greig
13. We are all implicated subjects
14. Trampling on the Little Ones
15. Woe to you, religious leaders
16. Guest Post: New Frontiers and Mike Pilavachi