Mike Pilavachi

A Christian youth festival founder who had been given an award by the Archbishop of Canterbury has been suspended for allegedly giving full body massages to young men. Mike Pilavachi (left and right), the founder of Soul Survivor Anglican Church and a religious camping festival, was banned from the ministry last night after being caught wrestling with young men and giving them 'oil massages' in their underwear. It comes after he resigned from all related charity boards after the Church's probation into the allegations came. The allegations were investigated by the Church of England's national safeguarding staff and the St Albans safeguarding team in Hertfordshire. 'It's clear that this more important move should have been made earlier, and we should have taken steps to rectify it now.'

An MBE-awarded Christian youth festival founder (left) who was accused of giving 'inappropriate massages' has resigned from the charity he founded. Ministry officials have already disclosed that they are investigating the'safeguarding' allegations made against Rev. Mike Pilavachi (right), who founded the Soul Survivor series of summer festivals. He stepped down from his directorship of Soul Survivor on April 4 according to a company website, according to company records.

The Rev Canon Mike Pilavachi (left and right), who founded the Soul Survivor festival, said they are looking at the'safeguarding' allegations against him. In a letter sent to a congregation in Watford, where he is senior pastor, the move was confirmed. The allegations pertain to 'non-recent' cases, and there is no evidence that the case was related to a 'criminal probe' or a'clergy discipline lawsuit,' according to the investigators. Rev Canon Pilavachi is also known to have had "inappropriate intimate relationships" with young people exposed to the Soul61 program, a Christian gap year initiative that prepares young adults as disciples.