Born in India in the 1940s, Ravi’s religious upbringing was an eclectic blend of both spirituality and superstition. Although his parents were nominally Christian, they did not have a personal faith in Christ and their routine involved attending the temple during festive occasions as well as consulting palmists from time to time.
As he grew up, Ravi felt a growing sense of emptiness in his life, which culminated in an attempt to take his own life at the age of 17. Ravi was fortunate to survive and as he slowly recovered in hospital, he experienced a radical transformation that would dramatically alter the course of his life. As his mother read to him from John’s gospel he was stunned by the words: ‘Because I live you also will live’. After meditating over these words he decided to commit his life to Christ and soon became gripped by a new-found hunger to discover the truth – a desire that would sustain him throughout his life. He felt a burning need to learn more about God and, when he returned to full health, he began to immerse himself in studying the gospel.
His family emigrated to Canada in 1966 and, after attending Bible College, Ravi became an itinerant preacher. Evangelism was Ravi’s driving passion and as he spoke in many different settings, he began to realise the desperate need for a ministry that was able to proclaim the gospel effectively in a cynical world. In particular, he desired to reach the happy thinking sceptic and to help them address their objections about Christianity so that they could see the cross, clearly and unhindered. In 1984, this ministry became a reality when a Christian couple who shared this same vision offered to provide the means to establish Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). (http://www.rzim.eu/biography-ravi-zacharias)
Ravi Zacharias ministry grew bigger and bigger. He's been speaking and reaching to many nations. What a powerful God we serve.
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