King Charles has stripped the founder of Soul Survivor, Mike Pilavachi, of his MBE. 

The disgraced Church leader was given the honour from the Queen in 2020 "for services to young people through the Christian youth ministry Soul Survivor".

In 2023, an investigation by the Church of England National Safeguarding Team and the diocese of St Albans found the 66-year-old had used his power in the Church to forge inappropriate relationships with young men, including massaging boys.

It also concluded he had abused his position as a spiritual leader to control people.

In the same year, Pilavachi resigned as a Church of England minister.

Last month, a report by Durham University, titled Resetting the Balance: Listening to Testimonies of Harm in the Mike Pilavachi Case, found that the Church should learn more lessons from the case, including adopting a "healthy scepticism" for claims about the work and presence of God.

The report also stated the voices of survivors and victims “have not received sufficient attention thus far” and aimed to redress that.

Its findings come largely from interviews with eight of the victims.

“Many believed that [Pilavachi] was anointed and, as such, had privileged access to God," it reads.

In 2024, an independent report into Pilavachi and Soul Survivor was published by Fiona Scolding KC, which found failings in addressing concerns about Pilavachi's behaviour. It also looked more broadly at the culture, governance and safeguarding in the Soul Survivor movement.

At its height, Soul Survivor drew up to 30,000 young people annually to worship and teaching events.