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Reverend Canon Mike Pilavachi was suspended for the first half of 2023 while the Church of England was investigating him. On Tuesday, July 11, the leader of Watford’s Soul Survivor Church resigned from his post as an associate pastor as the church terminated him with immediate effect.
He was charged with several counts of physical, psychological, and spiritual harassment; however, the exact nature of the allegations remains undisclosed.
Meanwhile, British pro-Christian leader, singer, songwriter, and author Matt Redman took to Twitter to share his solidarity with the victims of Mike Pilavachi and said:
“I feel particularly strongly on this issue as I myself experienced first-hand the harmful behaviors.”
Mike Pilavachi on the other hand also took to his social media accounts (now-deleted) and shared the reason behind his resignation. He said:
“The church needs to heal and I have realized that my continued presence will hinder that process.”
Mike Pilavachi allegedly “ignored, patronized, and gaslit” Matt Redman and others
Apart from the Soul Survivor Church in Watford, Mike Pilavachi was also the leader of the National Christian Youth Festival and several charity boards. He permanently stepped down from all his leadership roles as an investigation by the Church of England proved him responsible for several years of abuse.
However, the exact nature of the charges against him has not been revealed but BBC reports state that they were disciplinary matters relating to historical and recent allegations.
After stating that his resignation was because he felt he needed to step away from the church to, he also added in his now-deleted posts:
"I seek forgiveness from any whom I have hurt during the course of my ministry… I pray for God's blessing on the church. It has been a privilege and joy to serve these past 30 years."
The 65-year-old former pastor further continued by saying that this will be his final public comment regarding the matter at hand. Following his statement, another Christian leader Matt Redman tweeted his own experiences with Mike Pilavachi whom he met as a teenager.
The two-time Grammy Awards winner began by saying how he has maintained his silence for so long out of respect for those conducting the investigation against Mike Pilavachi and was trying to “trust the process.” However, Mike’s statement and social media reactions to it pushed him to come forward and narrate his own first-hand accounts.
“At this point in time, over a hundred people have reported being mistreated under Mike’s leadership, and the allegations cover a whole spectrum of harm – physical, psychological, and spiritual, etc.”
He further added how he can understand that many are having a hard time coming to terms with the accusations. He also stated how sure he was that there were still many out there who have had “meaningful and transformative experiences at Soul Survivor.” Having said that, he also acknowledged the victim and shared his sympathies with them.
Thereafter, Matt Redman narrated his own bad experiences with the church and its leadership and clarified how he spent years trying to fully heal from his time there and knew that such was the case for many people. He also mentioned how he and his wife (who was also part of Soul Survivor) directly testified against Pilavachi as part of the ongoing investigation.
But what made Redman upset was the fact that their mistreatment was previously “ignored, patronized, and gaslit” by the leadership who he believed often failed to execute care for the members.
“No one is expecting perfect leaders. Brokenness is part of our human condition. And we are all advocates for grace and redemption. But accountability is so key in these moments…”
Furthermore, he said that just because “a ministry is particularly fruitful” or “a leader is particularly gifted” should the authorities, particularly within a place of worship, turn a blind eye to the complaints of its devotees and their mistreatment in the hands of the church officials.
Matt Redman wrapped up by saying how grateful he was to the Church of England for conducting the investigation and shared their email id for anyone requiring assistance in the current matter. He closed his statement with a verse from the Holy Bible.
Earlier, on May 20, Soul Survivor announced the suspension of Mike Pilavachi. It also informed the members that the National Safeguarding Team (NST) governed by the Church of England was in charge of the investigation and would “continue as planned until it reaches a conclusion.”
The Church of England clarified that the investigation was not of a criminal nature, and the police acknowledged their awareness of the investigation but stated that no criminal complaints had been received. The NST (National Safeguarding Team) urged individuals to share any information or concerns they may have, emphasizing their commitment to a fair, honest, and transparent investigation.
Last month, however, the attorneys of many complainants said that their clients were unable to fully trust the Church of England’s investigation and wished for an independent agency to be appointed. Interestingly, apart from Mike Pilavachi, two other pastors were also suspended as part of the same investigation. Their current status remains unknown.
