Singer-songwriter Matt Redman has called the Scolding report on Soul Survivor founder Mike Pilavachi “a step in the right direction.”
The popular worship leader, who was mentored by Pilavachi for years and was the first public figure to speak out about the abuse he experienced under his leadership, acknowledged that while the report won’t “answer all of the questions or heal all of the wounds,” it “brings light”.
"It’s disillusioning when a leader entrusted with representing the heart of God ends up causing harm to those under their care. It’s equally troubling when a culture develops which enables that behavior to go unchallenged - and in the case of Mike Pilavachi and Soul Survivor, that happened for decades," Redman wrote on social media platform X.
"This new report, just released, seeks to discover how that happened. It’s not going to answer all of the questions or heal all of the wounds, but moments like this, bringing light, are a step in the right direction," he added.
Last year, after allegations of safeguarding failures by Pilavachi surfaced, Redman shared that he had spent “years trying to fully heal” from his time at Soul Survivor. He revealed that both he and his wife, Beth, had previously reported being “mistreated” but were “ignored, patronised, or gaslit by those in leadership”.
Following several accusations, the National Safeguarding Team (NST) together with the Diocese of St Albans carried out an internal investigation which found Pilavachi had used his spiritual authority to control others, leading to inappropriate relationships and behaviour with young men.
The findings prompted Soul Survivor Watford to commission Fiona Scolding KC to conduct an independent review of the culture and practices at Soul Survivor Watford during Pilavachi's leadership.
In an exclusive interview with Premier’s Soul Survivors Podcast, Matt and Beth discussed the challenge of reconciling Soul Survivor’s success with Pilavachi’s harmful actions but encouraged people to “hold on to the good” of the movement. Reflecting on Pilavachi’s repeated avoidance of addressing concerns, Redman noted that Pilavachi had “many opportunities along the way to change,” but “nothing was done.”
The couple also published a video titled Let There Be Light, where Matt detailed his experience under Pilavachi's leadership, describing how the former youth leader would wrestle with him in a “hidden room in the church” after making him recount his childhood sexual abuse.
The Fiona Scolding KC report found that Pilavachi manipulated, controlled, and mistreated young people for decades—engaging in inappropriate behaviour such as giving private massages to young men and coercing them into wrestling. The report also dedicated a section to Redman’s mistreatment and confirmed “serious failures of child protection".
The worship leader concluded his statement by saying: “The Church isn’t always a safe space, but when we’re at our best, we still believe it can be the most nurturing place of all. Sending much love today from Beth and me—and praying for all those, who like us, continue to be impacted by these events. Let there continue to be light.”