Mike Pilavachi

Pilavachi was one of three senior pastors of the Soul Survivor church, Watford, which he founded in 1993 alongside worship leader Matt Redman.[1] A former accountant, he then became a youth worker at St Andrew's, Chorleywood, a Church of England church in Hertfordshire influential in the charismatic evangelical tradition. Two ministers of St Andrew's, David Pytches and Barry Kissell, launched the New Wine Christian family conferences.[2]

In response to the large number of young people attending the New Wine conferences, Pilavachi launched Soul Survivor in the summer of 1993.[3] The event became a 5 day-long charismatic Christian festival aimed at young people, the first of which attracted 1,896 delegates. Under Pilavachi's leadership, the event grew to accommodate around 30,000 people over four weeks, alongside a fifth week, Momentum, aimed at those in their twenties and thirties. Matt Redman, who had attended Pilavachi's youth club at St Andrews Church of England Chorleywood, was a worship leader at early Soul Survivor camps. Redman returned as a worship leader in 2011. In summer 2014, a fifth week of the festival was held in Scotland.[4]

In May 2018, Pilavachi announced that the Soul Survivor conference would be ending after the summer events of 2019.[5]

Pilavachi has written several books on Christianity including Soul Survivor (with Nicky Gumbel, 2004), Live the Life (with Craig Borlaise, 2001), Storylines: Tracing the Threads of the Bible and most recently, “Everyday Supernatural: Living A Spirit-Led Life Without Being Weird”, which he co-authored with friend and colleague Andy Croft.

Pilavachi helped run the international evangelistic event, Soul in the City, London in 2004 and Soul in the City Durban in 2009. He was also one of the founders of the Hope 08 project,[6] an initiative of the churches of Britain and Ireland which sought to demonstrate Christian faith in action.

He trained for ordination at St Mellitus College, an Anglican theological college. He was made a deacon in the Church of England at St Albans Abbey on 1 July 2012, and ordained a priest the following year.[7] He served a curacy at St Peter's Church, Watford in the Diocese of St Albans from 2012, and was made an honorary canon of St Albans Cathedral in 2016.[7]

Following ordination, Pilavachi continued to lead the Soul Survivor church in Watford, latterly swapping positions with former associate leader Andy Croft.

On 3 April 2023, it was announced that Pilavachi had stepped back from all ministry while what were originally described as "non-recent safeguarding concerns" were investigated.[8] It was stressed that "the police are not involved; this is not a criminal investigation and Mike has not been suspended."[9]

On 4 April, The Daily Telegraph revealed that the allegations related to "inappropriate massages" and "inappropriate intimate relationships" with young adults involved in the Soul61 scheme, a Christian gap year project.[10]

On 11 April, The Daily Telegraph revealed he had resigned as director of the Soul Survivor charity on 4 April.[11]

On 28 April, it was revealed that more recent safeguarding concerns had come to light, with the Soul Survivor update noting: "Whilst it does not appear these recent allegations include physical contact they are no less significant because of that".[12]

On 1 May 2023, The Daily Telegraph published a further story with claims from alleged victims and former Soul Survivor staff members, stating, "A number also claim that they were encouraged to receive full-body oil massages in their underwear while being straddled by Rev Canon Pilavachi in his bedroom, as well as vigorous wrestling matches that could last as long as 20 minutes at a time – sometimes in church".[13][14]

On 12 May 2023, Paul Martin, founder of Soul Survivor USA, spoke about earlier reports of allegations. He had informed the Soul Survivor leadership of "allegations of some sort about Mike's relationship with young interns" in 2002. He heard in 2004 that further "concerns regarding alleged inappropriate behaviour" had been raised with the UK leadership.[15] In addition, former staff members described being part of "a "conveyor belt" of young, athletic, attractive men - usually aged around 18 to 21 from broken homes or with traumatic childhoods."[15]

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced on 16 May 2023 that the investigation had his "full support". This came after a report in The Daily Telegraph that some alleged victims had low confidence in the Church of England's internal inquiry and did not trust the church to "mark its own homework", as well as criticism of Welby for not commenting on the allegations sooner.[16]