The Last 639 Days Since Mike Pilavachi Resigned From Soul Survivor: A Chronicle of Denial, Delay, and Deception
It has been 639 days since Mike Pilavachi - once considered a spiritual giant within charismatic evangelical circles - resigned from his role at Soul Survivor Watford amid a mounting safeguarding scandal.
Since then, a disturbing pattern has unfolded: a slow drip of non-answers, carefully controlled statements, a reshuffling of internal players, and a clear reluctance to reckon with the depth of the damage.
If you thought this would be a season of repentance, radical transparency, and true reformation, you would have been gravely mistaken!
The Timeline Leading to Mike Pilavachi’s Resignation
The cracks had been visible for years - reports of "discipleship" that involved power imbalances, inappropriate physical contact, massages, and wrestling with young men. For years, whispers were silenced under the sheer weight of Pilavachi’s fame and reputation.
When survivors finally came forward publicly in early 2023, a formal investigation was launched by the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team and the Diocese of St Albans. Their conclusion was damning:
Pilavachi abused his spiritual authority over many years.
He engaged in inappropriate physical relationships with young men under the guise of mentorship. They stopped short of calling it sexual abuse.
He created a toxic culture of fear, secrecy, and control.
In July 2023, Pilavachi finally resigned but not before posting a deeply misguided Facebook statement, suggesting he was stepping down to allow the church to "heal," without admitting any wrongdoing, without an ounce of true repentance, and still centring himself rather than his victims.
Even worse, prominent Christian leaders rallied to his defence, offering sickening public tributes. Terry Virgo, founder of Newfrontiers, posted a public message praising Pilavachi, only later, after severe backlash, issuing a half-hearted apology. Similarly, evangelist J. John publicly expressed support for Pilavachi during the unfolding scandal, a move that drew criticism for its insensitivity to the victims' experiences. These endorsements from influential figures not only undermined the gravity of the allegations but also contributed to a culture that prioritised institutional reputation over survivor support.
Defending the abuser over the abused isn't a mistake. It's a choice.
What Has Happened Since Pilavachi Resigned?
You might expect that a scandal of this magnitude would lead to a complete overhaul of Soul Survivor Watford.
But what we have seen instead can only be described as damage control - not genuine repentance and learning.
A so-called "independent" review was commissioned - commissioned and paid for by the organisation under the spotlight, with very little visible survivor engagement or public accountability.
A series of muted statements were posted to Soul Survivor Watford’s website - careful, lawyered-up, and designed more to protect the institution than to tell the truth.
Services continued almost immediately, with no clear, ongoing acknowledgment of the depth of the crisis, and no major visible changes to church culture.
Survivors were largely left without signposting to adequate support. The website offered minimal guidance, and the onus fell on external organisations to pick up the pieces.
Public engagement has been non-existent. Soul Survivor has hidden behind PR firms, sanitised statements, and screens - refusing open forums, refusing survivor-led meetings, refusing even to hold their leadership publicly accountable.
Hope that "business as usual" would smother the scandal into silence has been the true strategy.
Leadership Changes: A Shell Game
When Andy Croft (Senior Pastor and long-time associate of Pilavachi) resigned in November 2023, it was framed with platitudes. Although he was reportedly “cleared” to return to ministry, Croft said he was "deeply impacted" by the scandal and needed to step back.
But nowhere - nowhere - was there a clear and heartfelt acknowledgment of his complicity, his failures to act, or what he knew and when he knew it.
Why was Andy allowed to walk away without facing public questions?
Worse still, Soul Survivor promised fresh leadership “seeking to recruit somebody from outside of our church so as to bring in fresh perspectives” But in May 2024, they appointed Rev. Simon Nicholls - someone who had been deeply involved with Soul Survivor for years, including time as a Soul61 gap year student.
Same DNA. Same culture. Different badge.
Instead of a bold reset, they simply reshuffled insiders and hoped no one would notice.
The Hard Questions No One at Soul Survivor Wants to Answer
Why was there no immediate, public apology to survivors after the safeguarding findings were published?
Why was there no open forum for survivors to share their stories publicly, with church leadership listening in repentance?
Why was a new leader with strong Soul Survivor ties appointed after promises of external oversight?
Why does Soul Survivor’s website still lack clear, front-and-centre survivor support resources?
Why have so few leaders taken personal responsibility for their roles in the culture of abuse?
What Needs to Happen Now
If Soul Survivor Watford has any hope of ever regaining trust - honesty, I don’t think it even should - here’s what must happen:
Full public confession by every leader who worked closely with Mike Pilavachi, detailing what they knew, when they knew it, and why they failed to act.
Third-party survivor-led accountability processes, not internal reviews masked as independent investigations.
Complete removal of leadership with any deep ties to the old regime.
Ongoing public survivor support services, with visible resources offered directly on their website and through all communications.
A halt to services if necessary, until true repentance and rebuilding occur, because “business as usual” is spiritual abuse when trust has been destroyed.
An acknowledgment that shutting down Soul Survivor Watford entirely must remain on the table if the systemic rot is too deep to cure.
Justice must accompany compassion. Accountability must accompany forgiveness.
Anything less than full transparency is complicity.
Have They Done Enough?
This one is easy to answer. No. Not by a long shot.
Words are cheap. Survivors deserve action, not PR-crafted apologies.
Should Soul Survivor Watford and Soul Survivor Be Shut Down?
If they cannot gut the leadership and change the culture fundamentally, then yes - it must be shut down. No ministry, no matter how historic or beloved, is worth more than the safety, dignity, and healing of God's people.
Jesus does not protect institutions.
He protects the vulnerable.
And right now, Soul Survivor Watford and Soul Survivor looks more like a business clinging to survival than a church broken in repentance.