I’ve pointed out many times now that as a general rule, and a courtesy, we do not publish email without the permission of the sender.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

In this case the following exchange is published with the permission of the AM reader who sent it to me. This concerns the story I began covering in Ravi Zacharias: Word Faith Preacher Joyce Meyer “Such A Great Bible Teacher” God Is Using.

The next development came when another reader of Apprising Ministries sent me an email response they’d received from RZIM spokesman Rick Manafo, which I shared in Ravi Zacharias Praises Word Faith Preacher Joyce Meyer.

As you can see in that post Manafo, speaking for RZIM, defends Meyer aiming some ad hominem towards me telling us she “has served the kingdom well in her capacity with her gifting.” RZIM has declined to answer Apprising Ministries’ Letter To RZIM Re. Ravi Zacharias Praising Joyce Meyer.

So, following is the email from the AM reader, which is then answered by Julie Moore, “Executive Assistant to Dr. Ravi Zacharias,” after being forwarded on to her by “Rev.” Margaret Manning:

Margaret Manning earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with honor, from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, before going on to earn her Masters of Divinity degree, summa cum laude, from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts.

Prior to working at RZIM as part of the writing team, Margaret served in pastoral roles focusing on teaching, discipleship, spiritual formation, and pastoral care and counseling. She is an ordained minister and enjoys reading and research in topics related to world religions, philosophical theology, science and faith, biblical hermeneutics, and theology in the arts.

Rev. Manning is passionate about communicating the gospel in ways that engage both heart and mind. Her warm and relational teaching style in addressing the critical intersection between Christian faith and life highlights her unique emphasis on conversational apologetics. (source)

You might recall that “Rev.” Manning, an associate writer and apologist on the RZIM speaking team, was the one responsible for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Defending Universalist Henri Nouwen And Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism.

Notice Moore neglects to deal with why Ravi Zacharias felt the need to praise Word Faith prosperity preacher Joyce Meyer e.g. as “such a great Bible teacher.” Imagine how the audience Moore tells us Zacharias wanted to reach reacted.

For the widely respected evangelical apologist Ravi Zacharias has now affirmed for them that Meyer, a rebel against the final authority of God’s Word, is someone they should be listening to:

—–Original Message—–
From: Benenz Hitchcock
Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 10:03 AM
To: RZIM General Delivery
Subject: Why endorse Joyce Meyer?

I have a question in reference of the latest video posted by joyce meyer and living everyday life. I own the book that you edited: Kingdom of the Cults and i have to ask why you endorse joyce meyer?

In that book you and walter martin call out cults like mormonism and jehovah’s witnesses. However do you not think that prosperity gospel is not heresy? It is clear in her teachings that she believes in prosperity and the power of a humans words.

So, again i ask you why you endorse joyce meyer? Also, you say that she is a great Bible teacher. She claims to NOT be a sinner. Where in the Bible does it say that? If she would be a Bible teacher she would have seen that she is a sinner.

She also claims to be a pastor. Again, if she would have read Scripture (1 Timothy 3) she would see that the pastoral office is to not be held by a female.

-Benenz

———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Julie Moore
Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012
Subject: Why endorse Joyce Meyer?
To: [Berenz Hitchcock]

Good morning, Benenz.  Thank you so much for taking the time to write to us regarding Dr. Zacharias’ recent appearance on the Joyce Meyer Show.

We deeply appreciate your concern, and want you to know that Ravi struggles as well with these invitations. However, Joyce Meyer’s program is watched by millions in India where she is quite popular.

She also does an enormous amount of charitable work there. Many from our India team asked Ravi if he would do this so that the Indian audience could hear the more apologetic side of the Christian faith and thereby pick up some of Ravi’s material which speaks more directly to them.

A large percentage of her audience would be Hindu, Muslim or Sikh, and his goal was to reach them. We ask for your understanding and prayer for Ravi. He turns down scores of invitations for the very concerns you have raised.

His goal is always to present the Gospel with integrity and exclusivity. Sometimes the settings are not his desired ones, but his goal remains the same. We share some of your concerns and just ask for your kind understanding on why he accepted this invitation.

May God bless you and thank you for writing.

Julie Moore
Executive Assistant to Dr. Ravi Zacharias

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