Ray McCauley

==Controversy==
McCauley has been a controversial figure in South Africa.

Rhema Ministries has been accused of being a proponent of the [[prosperity theology|prosperity gospel]].<ref name=Howden /><ref>{{cite news|title=Rhema rakes in millions |url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-03-20-rhema-rakes-in-millions |date=20 March 2009 |publisher=mg.co.za |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=Tolsi>{{cite news|last=Tolsi |first=Niren |title=For church and country |url=http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-11-13-for-church-and-country |publisher=mg.co.za|date=13 November 2009 |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref>

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.<ref name=Tolsi /><ref>{{cite web|last=Meintjies |first=Marvin |title=McCauley critics are racists, says Rhema man |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/mccauley-critics-are-racists-says-rhema-man-1.70495#.UKyQN-Q3uz4 |date=27 July 2001 |publisher=iol.co.za |accessdate=21 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Don't mention the money |url=http://free.financialmail.co.za/07/1221/cover/coverstoryb.htm |date=21 December 2007 |last=Smith |first=Nicky |publisher=financialmail.co.za |accessdate=20 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120715042628/http://free.financialmail.co.za/07/1221/cover/coverstoryb.htm |archivedate=15 July 2012 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Flock deserts shepherd Ray on his wedding day |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=ct2001072820401877R500580 |date=28 July 2001 |publisher=iol.co.za|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref> In January 2010, Rhema Bible Church announced that McCauley and Ireland had separated and that divorce proceedings had been instituted by Ireland.<ref>{{cite news|title=Zelda and Ray Mccauley to divorce |url=http://mg.co.za/article/2010-01-29-zelda-and-ray-mccauley-to-divorce |publisher=mg.co.za |date=29 January 2010 |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite news|title=McCauley goes down the aisle again |url=http://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/love-sex/marriage/mccauley-goes-down-the-aisle-again-1.1614340 |publisher=iol.co.za |date=29 November 2013 |accessdate=29 November 2013}}</ref>

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.<ref name=Howden /><ref>{{cite news|author1=Ella Smook |author2=Gill Gifford |author3=Baldwin Ndaba |author4=Botho Molosankwe |title=Rhema Church denies endorsing Zuma |url=http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Top%20Stories&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20090316105307365C913038 |date=16 March 2009 |publisher=iol.co.za|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Republic of South Africa President Jacob Zuma meets National Interfaith Leaders |url=http://www.info.gov.za/speech/DynamicAction?pageid=461&sid=3493&tid=3638 |publisher=info.gov.za|date=11 August 2009|accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=SACC excluded from interfaith council |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/sacc-excluded-from-interfaith-council-1.455696#.UKt-HuQ3uz4 |date=19 August 2009 |publisher=iol.co.za |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Minutes of Proceedings of National Assembly |url=http://www.parliament.gov.za/live/commonrepository/Processed/20110915/363723_1.pdf |date=13 September 2011 |publisher=parliament.gov.za |accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref> McCauley and the interfaith organizations he represents have publicly defended Zuma and the ANC government on several highly controversial matters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Forgive Zuma, say Interfaith leaders |url=http://www.citypress.co.za/SouthAfrica/News/Forgive-Zuma-say-Interfaith-leaders-20100209 |publisher=citypress.co.za|date=9 February 2010|accessdate=21 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Greyvenstein |first=Ray |title=McCauley's anti-'Spear' tirade is not so sharp |url=http://www.iol.co.za/the-star/mccauley-s-anti-spear-tirade-is-not-so-sharp-1.1314417#.UKykCeQ3uz5 |publisher=iol.co.za|date=8 June 2012|accessdate=21 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Religions have no e-toll mandate |url=http://www.citizen.co.za/citizen/content/en/citizen/opinion-leaders?oid=326209&sn=Detail&pid=146826&Religions-have-no-e-toll-mandate-- |date=5 October 2012|publisher=citizen.co.za|accessdate=19 November 2012}}</ref>

McCauley has also been a strong opponent of [[LGBT rights in South Africa|gay rights]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ray McCauley takes aim at gay rights|url=http://www.rainbowuct.org/content/ray-mccauley-takes-aim-gay-rights|publisher=rainbowuct.org|accessdate=20 November 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306094228/http://www.rainbowuct.org/content/ray-mccauley-takes-aim-gay-rights|archivedate=6 March 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Rossouw|first=Mandy|title=Zuma's new God squad wants liberal laws to go |url=http://mg.co.za/article/2009-09-11-zumas-new-god-squad-wants-liberal-laws-to-go |date=11 September 2009 |publisher=mg.co.za|accessdate=20 November 2012}}</ref>