Mike Pilavachi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Pilavachi |
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 Pilavachi in 2022 |
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| Born | 7 March 1958 in |
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| Church | Church of England |
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Michael Pilavachi, also known as Mike Pilavachi, was born in 1958. He is a British Christian leader and author. He helped start and used to lead a charity called Soul Survivor in Watford, England.
Pilavachi began the Soul Survivor summer festivals in 1993. These festivals happened every year until 2019. They grew very popular, with about 32,500 young people attending each year. Pilavachi was known for encouraging young people to connect with the Holy Spirit. He and others later started the Soul Survivor Church in Watford, where he served as a pastor.
In 2023, Pilavachi was suspended from his church work. This happened while concerns about his actions were being investigated. He later resigned from his role at Soul Survivor Watford. The investigation found that Pilavachi had misused his position of power. This led to unsuitable relationships and activities with young men. These activities included wrestling matches and inappropriate physical contact.
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Mike Pilavachi's Ministry
Soul Survivor Festivals
The Soul Survivor summer festivals began in 1993. Pilavachi was inspired to create a festival for young people. He wanted them to experience a lively form of Christianity. Early festivals were supported by St Andrew's Church in Chorleywood. They were held at the Bath and West showground.
A group from St Andrew's later started a permanent Soul Survivor church in Watford. Pilavachi became its pastor. During the summer festivals, Pilavachi encouraged young people to interact with the Holy Spirit.
The festivals continued yearly until 2019. Pilavachi announced that the Soul Survivor conference would end. The team felt it was time to stop. In its final year, about 32,500 young people attended. They came over three separate week-long festivals.
Church Leadership Role
Pilavachi trained to become a priest at St Mellitus College in London. He became a deacon in the Church of England in 2012. He was ordained a priest the following year. He worked at St Peter's Church, Watford, starting in 2012. In 2016, he was made an honorary canon of St Albans Cathedral.
Investigation and Findings
In April 2023, Soul Survivor Watford announced that Pilavachi had "stepped back from all ministry." This was due to concerns about his past actions. These concerns were investigated by the Church of England and the diocese of St Albans. More recent concerns also came to light. Pilavachi resigned from the Soul Survivor charity in April.
Newspapers reported on the concerns. They mentioned inappropriate communication and relationships with young adults. These young people were involved in a Christian project called Soul61. Reports described unsuitable physical activities. These included wrestling matches and inappropriate physical contact. Many people shared concerns over a long period. Some concerns dated back to 2004.
Pilavachi was suspended from the Soul Survivor charity in May. In July, he resigned as Associate Pastor of the Soul Survivor Church. He stated that his presence might hinder the church's healing process. He also asked for forgiveness from anyone he had hurt.
In September 2023, the Church of England investigation finished. It confirmed the accusations of inappropriate physical contact and wrestling. It also found that Pilavachi had misused his power. Pilavachi resigned his permission to minister in the Church of England. This meant he could no longer serve as a priest. A formal complaint was also made about how he spoke to someone vulnerable. In January 2024, he received a written warning for his conduct. By September 2024, he was no longer allowed to be a priest.
Later, Soul Survivor asked a law firm to do an independent report. This report was published in September 2024. It confirmed reports of unsuitable physical activities and pressuring people. It also suggested that his fame in the church might have contributed to his behavior not being stopped sooner.
A former worship leader at Soul Survivor, Matt Redman, released a documentary. It shared his difficult experiences with Pilavachi.
Personal Life
In 2020, Pilavachi was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. This was for his work with young people. As of September 2023, he still holds this award.
Pilavachi has said that being unmarried allowed him to do certain work. He felt he could not have balanced it with having a family.
Books by Mike Pilavachi
- Live the Life (1998)
- Walking with a stranger, discovering God (1999)
- My first trousers, growing up with God (1999)
- For the audience of one, the soul survivor guide to worship (1999)
- Weeping before an empty tomb, struggling with God (1999)
- Afterlife, facing the future with God (2000)
- Life, death (and everything in between) (2001)
- Wasteland?, encountering God in the desert (2003)
- When Necessary Use Words, Changing Lives Through Worship, Justice and Evangelism (2007)
- Storylines: tracing threads that run through the Bible (2008)
- Life Beneath the Surface, Thoughts on a Deeper Spiritual Life (2011)
- Storylines, your map to understanding the Bible (2013)
- Everyday Supernatural: Living A Spirit-Led Life Without Being Weird (2016)
- Lifelines: sound advice from the heroes of the faith (2018)
