New Wine trustee Bishop Jill Duff: ‘I’m sad Mike Pilavachi hasn’t apologised’

An independent review into the links between Mike Pilavachi and New Wine has found that senior leaders at New Wine failed to ensure that Pilavachi was fit for youth ministry. Premier’s Kelly Valencia speaks to Rt Rev Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster and chair of trustees of New Wine, about the findings

In September 2023, the Church of England’s National Safeguarding Team concluded that Soul Survivor leader, Mike Pilavachi, used his spiritual authority to “control” people, and this led to inappropriate relationships, including “massaging of young male interns”. 

A statement made by New Wine in the following days led to allegations that the organisation was “trying to minimise the relationship between New Wine and Mike Pilavachi”, leading the charity to apologise, and announce their own independent investigation. Fiona Scolding KC – who also conducted the independent investigation for Soul Survivor Watford - was instructed to explore ”the nature and extent” of their relationship with Mike Pilavachi and Soul Survivor, and ”to ascertain if there were allegations about his conduct at any New Wine events”.