Controversy
McCauley has been a controversial figure in South Africa.
Rhema Ministries has been accused of being a proponent of the prosperity gospel. McCauley has led a controversial lifestyle, with many alleging that he leads a millionaire’s lifestyle.
McCauley has defended himself on numerous occasions with the argument that he only earns the salary of a chief executive of a medium-sized company.
The location and construction of the church at the corner of Rabie and Hans Schoeman streets in Randpark Ridge also caused controversy with vehement objections from local residents.
McCauley’s greatest controversy came with the divorce from his first wife Lyndie in 2000. According to the ministry, Lyndie McCauley instituted divorce proceedings for which the ministry believed she had no biblical grounds.
The divorce caused a large portion of the then congregation to depart from the church. Shortly after the divorce, McCauley became romantically involved with a two-time divorcee, Zelda Ireland, whom he married in July 2001.
In January 2010, Rhema Bible Church announced that McCauley and Ireland had separated and that divorce proceedings had been instituted by Ireland.
After being divorced for over 2 years, McCauley and Ireland remarried in November, 2013 at a ceremony described as “very modest and low-key” in Muldersdrift outside Johannesburg.
In 2009 McCauley caused waves politically when he invited the then unelected President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, to speak at a Sunday morning meeting. This led to accusations of political bias.
When Zuma took office in 2009, McCauley formed a new interfaith organization called the National Interfaith Leadership Council (NILC) which subsequently merged with the National Religious Leaders Forum (NRLF) to form the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) in 2011.[
McCauley and the interfaith organizations he represents have publicly defended Zuma and the ANC government on several highly controversial matters.
Source: Ray McCauley – Wikipedia
