RAVI ZACHARIAS PRAISES WORD FAITH PREACHER JOYCE MEYER

By on Dec 18, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Features, Joyce Meyer

UPDATE: EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO RAVI ZACHARIAS DOESN’T ADDRESS WHY ZACHARIAS PRAISES JOYCE MEYER. Perhaps this all begins to make more sense now because in this piece you’ll also get to meet “Rev.” Margaret Manning, an apologist for the RZIM speaking team.

I’ve pointed out many times now that as a general rule, and a courtesy, we do not publish email without the permission of the sender.

At the same time, all email sent to AM and Christian Research Network is considered the property of Apprising Ministries so we may indeed publish unsolicited email for the purposes of edification.

Such is the case here. Out of respect, I have changed the name to protect privacy. For the record, I’m the author of the post in question. In other words, that makes me one of those “professional Christian critics.”

I begin with the reader of AM’s initial exchange with RZIM. This will then be followed by the exchange between myself and the AM reader:

Hello,

I am writing because today I had watched a video of Ravi on the Apprising Ministries website at RAVI ZACHARIAS: WORD FAITH PREACHER JOYCE MEYER “SUCH A GREAT BIBLE TEACHER” GOD IS USING.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing so I then checked the Joyce Meyer website and the show from today he calls Joyce Meyer a “great Bible teacher”.

I was rendered kind of speechless. I have great respect for Ravi, listening to him often. It was with shock to find out he was on her show. But then to call her a great Bible teacher.

Is Ravi now endorsing Joyce Meyer? By saying what he said about her and being on her show is, in itself, an endorsement. This is a serious thing. What is he doing?

Respectfully in Christ,

“Adrian”

——– Original Message ——–

Subject: Response to Meyers comments
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2012 11:39:05 -0500
From: Rick Manafo
To: “Adrian”

Hi “Adrian,”

While we do not usually entertain many of the comments we receive on blog postings. We feel that a person is entitled to his or her opinion as there is great diversity in the kingdom.

My point: There is great diversity In the kingdom.

Joyce Meyers has devoted her life to the preaching of the word. She may be more eccentric than some and more charismatic than some feel comfortable with, but she has served the
kingdom well in her capacity with her gifting.

In that snippet, Ravi was referring to a verse of scripture to which he realized she must have taught on many times. Great doesn’t mean “best” or always “right”. But she has been faithful.

I could call people who write blogs like the one you mentioned  “great critics of evangelical Christian leaders.” What does the word “great” mean in that context? Does that mean I necessarily agree with them?

Does that mean that one is right in their assessment of every situation? It probably means that one has devoted themselves to it more than others and that only someone with that devotion could
turn a 2.5 second turn of a phrase into a such a “great” issue.

Joyce had Ravi on to discuss the issue of Truth … Ravi’s kind of good at that. If you watch the interviews in their entirety you will see the Ravi’s heart and the reason he  was invited: To discuss truth.

We should have more problems with the make-up job they did on Ravi than with Ravi’s comments.

Ravi has also been criticized for preaching at Temple Square … But realize that he only took the invitation if he could speak on the topic of his choosing which was all about “The Uniqueness of Christ”.

When I speak to people who have friends and loved ones who are Mormon, they can’t wait to get the CD’s to share them with their Mormon friends. The only people I know who have trouble with it are professional Christian critics.

If you enjoy Ravi, keep enjoying. Trust that he is serving God faithfully. Trust that he gets the opportunities he does with political leaders all over the world because of his gentleness. He never shies away from the Truth of the gospel. He just has a unique gift in communicating it to others in a way that validates not what they believe, but who they are as people that God loves.

So peace to you as we celebrate the coming of the One who ate with sinners and tax-collectors and turned the tables on religious expectations.

Sincerely,

Rick Manafo

Rick Manafo | Programming/Events
RZIM Canada | 50 Gervais Dr. Toronto, Ontario M3C 1Z3
p: 416 385 9199  c: 416 729 9045  | www.rzim.ca

From: “Adrian”
Subject: Ravi Zacharias on Joyce Meyer

Message Body:

Hello,

I read and watched the blog post.  Have you contacted Ravi’s ministry to get a response from them about this?

I emailed them my concern and they appeared to come from the position that being on Joyce Meyer is kind of like him preaching in a Mormon temple, etc – he goes where he’s invited and speaks on what he chooses.

Their response was quite concerning because they made no mention of her heretical teachings.  Here’s the beginning of their email:

While we do not usually entertain many of the comments we receive on blog postings.

We feel that a person is entitled to his or her opinion as there is great diversity in the kingdom.

My point: There is great diversity In the kingdom. Joyce Meyers has devoted her life to the preaching of the word.

She may be more eccentric than some and more charismatic than some feel comfortable with, but she has served the kingdom well in her capacity with her gifting.

I still can’t believe he said that about her.

In Christ,

“Adrian”
—
This mail is sent via contact form on Apprising Ministries https://www.apprising.org/

Hello “Adrian,”

Thank you for contacting Apprising Ministries. Please know there was no offense taken and I received this as written from a point of sincere concern.

I’m responding in the tone of two people talking about issues over coffee. I just put all of this up front due to the coldness of the written language, which lacks the ability to distinguish inflections, etc.

Below you referred to RAVI ZACHARIAS: WORD FAITH PREACHER JOYCE MEYER “SUCH A GREAT BIBLE TEACHER” GOD IS USING and asked if I’d contacted Ravi’s ministry to get a response from them.

No, at this time I haven’t. In fact, as I later said in CHURCH SPARKS OUTRAGE WITH CLAIM JESUS SHOULD “COME OUT” I figured their response would be along the lines of just because Ravi was on her show does not mean he endorses all she teaches.

However, as I can see by what you shared below that the RZIM representative apparently told you about Joyce Meyer, it’s even worse than I expected. For them to say she’s involved in “preaching the word” and “has served the kingdom well” is an endorsement of Meyer.

May the Lord protect us and keep us as the Day fast approaches.

Sincerely in Christ,

Ken Silva, pastor-teacher

President
Apprising Ministries
Ezekiel 3:7-14

Gen. Ed.
Christian Research Network
2 Corinthians 11:12-15

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