DeGroot stated bankruptcy filings confirmed Visser’s company owed around $800,000 to about several people in Maranatha or their particular enterprises, like the Thompsons. DeGroot additionally given paperwork of Thompson’s financial loans to Visser’s people.
Thompson stated when he understood that Visser wasn’t going to pay him straight back, he registered a lawsuit against Visser and the church to try and recover their money. (Thompson stated their attorney suggested suing for $one million because plaintiffs 
ordinarily bring half the things they ask and Thompson could happen legal charges.)
Thompson put he and Visser never achieved funds as Zacharias’ suit alleged. Instead, Thompson said the guy fell the suit because Visser moved bankrupt.
Thompson said the guy could have however pursued the fit against the church and also the denomination. But rather, the guy and Lori Anne made a decision to run in the CRC denomination to deliver responsibility.
a€?Significant monetary Distressa€?
Both Brad Thompson and Ian deGroot chuckled as I expected if Thompson was at a€?significant economic distressa€? after their so-called a€?settlementa€? along with his pastor, as Zacharias’ suit alleges.
In the same way, Tamara Battiste, Lori Anne Thompson’s aunt, stated: a€?Thompson is a millionaire . . . They do not wanted revenue. They’ve got never needed cash.a€?
Taxation statements the Thompsons gave reveal that from 2010-2017, the Thompsons produced between $193,000-$552,000 each of those decades. In 2017-the year the Thompsons delivered the need page to Zacharias- the couple generated $443,000.
The happy couple furthermore provided nicely to causes and ministries during those age. In 2015, the Thompsons contributed significantly more than $102,000 to charity. In 2016 and 2017, the couple contributed about $50,000/year to foundation.
James look, CEO of UCB Canada-the premier Christian broadcasting community in Canada-said Brad Thompson is certainly UCB Canada’s major followers prior to 2017.
Quest stated Thompson sponsored the airtime for Ravi Zacharias’ broadcast regimen on UCB Canada. Search asserted that’s exactly why Thompson ended up being invited to sponsor a table within luncheon in which Brad and Lori Anne fulfilled Zacharias.
Over time, Hunt said he’s gotten to see Thompson better and expressed your as an a€?honorable guya€? and a€?someone of stability.a€?
The reason why the Requirements Page?
a€?As Lori Anne and I also learned more and more predation and brushing therefore the level of subjects that predators posses . . . we understood we had a moral obligation, or a godly obligations, before the Lord, not to do-nothing,a€? Brad stated.
Brad said the happy couple weighed a number of options. One, is going directly to the board of Ravi Zacharias Foreign Ministries (RZIM). But the couple rapidly dismissed the theory because they thought Ravi Zacharias, his wife, with his child, Sarah-who’s today Chief Executive Officer of RZIM-were all members of RZIM’s board.
RZIM no longer posts the labels of the panel members. However, in 2014, whenever RZIM past released an IRS type 990, Zacharias, their wife, along with his child, Sarah, comprise from the panel. We attained out repeatedly to RZIM, asking who had been on the board in 2017, but RZIM decided not to address my concern.
Thompson mentioned the guy and Lori Anne furthermore considered visiting the nyc hours or some other big book. Nevertheless partners determined against they because the guy said both of them are experiencing mind of committing suicide and mightn’t handle the general public embarrassment that could push.
But the couple mentioned they performed release their statements to several writers because they are positive word won’t wide spread to their unique home town in Ontario.
Yet Thompson said he and Lori Anne both thought the only method to render Zacharias need them really would be to deliver the demand page. He stated their particular attorney, tag Bryant, proposed the $5 million figure additionally the couple reliable their view.