Is Brad and Lori Anne Thompson extortionists exactly who entrapped Ravi Zacharias in a sexting scandal for monetary gain? Or, are they victims of Zacharias-an alleged intimate predator, just who preemptively charged them whenever they tried to hold Zacharias accountable?

This question for you is central to a 2017 sexting scandal involving Zacharias and Lori Anne Thompson, and assessing new facts reported in Parts One and component a couple of this show.

Yet an item of research that relatively contradicts this story is a demand page the couple’s attorney during the time, .

The page said that Zacharias had a€?caused irreparable harm to the Thompson family.a€? Therefore reported that rather than a€?protracted and public lawsuit,a€? the Thompsons would sign a release of Zacharias and his ministry for a€?the amount of $5 million cash.a€?

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Four months later, Zacharias answered with a federal lawsuit, accusing the Thompsons of a€?coaxing him into an inappropriate internet based relationshipa€? included in a months-long design to extort funds from him.

One, they mentioned that Brad Thompson got formerly sued a pastor with his chapel, saying that the pastor have put his situation to coerce Mr. Thompson into making a€?ill-advised financing and opportunities.a€? According to Zacharias’ suit, Thompson terminated his suit resistant to the pastor in 2010 a€?after the people inserted into a settlement.a€?

Furthermore, Zacharias’ suit alleged that a€?sometime following settlement, the Thompsons started experiencing considerable financial worry,a€? therefore supplying additional motive with their alleged extortion strategy.

However, a closer examination of these happenings, as well as the circumstances around all of them, casts doubt on boasts in Zacharias’ suit.

The Lawsuit Versus Maranatha

In 2008, Brad Thompson, a commercial contractor and business owner, sued Pastor John Visser and Maranatha Christian Reformed Church (CRC) in Belleville, Ontario, for pretty much $one million in damages.

According to Christianity Today’s 2017 post regarding the sexting scandal, the suit got fallen. Therefore the a€?pastor was briefly suspended, but their chapel and denomination in the end stood by him.a€?

Visser’s denomination wouldn’t stand-by your. They simply provided him a 90-day suspension, in the place of deposing him, which was the suggestion regarding the CRC’s Judicial signal panel, which investigated Visser in 2012.

The CRC Synod determined that Visser ended up being a€?guilty of abuse of company of a minister .a€? And regarding the Thompsons, the Synod discovered that a€?Pastor Visser abused their company for unsuitable finishes and/or self-interest by soliciting and/or letting a counselee . . . to purchase companies that (Visser) and his awesome group possessed.a€?

Eventually, the denomination allowed Visser to return toward pastorate, but merely after posting on denomination’s requirements that Visser discover outdoors supervision for his counseling ministry.

Betrayed Trust, Component Three: Ravi Zacharias Said Accusers in Sexting Scandal Comprise Extortionists, But Facts Indicates Or Else

I spoke with Brad Thompson as to what taken place between him and Visser. (Though Brad said the guy and Lori Anne couldn’t talk about her commitment with Zacharias because of their NDA, the guy stated he and Lori Anne are liberated to speak about anything. They even can speak about specific accusations Zacharias made in his 2017 report about them.)

Brad said both the guy and Lori Anne concerned Christ as grownups from damaged experiences, and had been drawn to Visser’s chapel because of its healing ministry and a€?heavy shepherdinga€? product. (Lori Anne features written most detailed towards few’s experience at the girl site.)

Brad mentioned both the guy and Lori Anne went to Visser for sessions. And Brad said it absolutely was in the context of this counseling relationship that Visser coaxed Brad into loaning him money over repeatedly.