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On today’s program, a fifth person is arrested after a South Carolina church allowed a registered sex offender to work near children, and hid it from parents. We’ll have details.

Plus, at least two new breakoff denominations are forming over divisions within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. We’ll take a look.

And, the 50 largest media ministries in the MinistryWatch database.

But first, a well-known pastor is now facing serious criminal charges involving a minor. Kenneth Baldwin is the former senior pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia. He’s now been arrested in Pennsylvania on 13 criminal counts, including unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of a minor.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Henry Durand, Fiona Andre, Richard Levey, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to the Christian Index and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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In today’s extra episode, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

Here are some links to resources mentioned in today’s episode:

According to The Conversation, “A trove of recent articles bemoan the collapse in recreational reading among younger Americans, with COVID-related reading declines, artificial intelligence and social media often described as causes.” You can find the complete article here.

John Stonestreet and Tim Padgett have done us a service by speaking out strongly against sports gambling, which has become a scourge on the nation and threatens to ruin fair play in sports. They write, “A recently released report shows a clear correlation between legalized gambling and gambling addiction. While this should surprise absolutely no one, there is further evidence that the explosion of legalized sports gambling was a bad idea.”

All these factors may play a role, but a new article by the Institute for Family Studies suggests that the quality of relationships is a key factor. Laurie DeRose highlights the recent research indicating that people who want children are more likely to have them if they are in high-quality relationships.

To hear Warren’s recent conversation with Malcolm Guite, click here.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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For more than two decades, if you wanted to know what was really happening inside America’s megachurches, one name has consistently risen to the top: Dr. Warren Bird. Along with sociologist Scott Thumma, Bird has conducted the most comprehensive longitudinal research ever undertaken on the nation’s largest Protestant churches. Their latest study for the Hartford Institute for Religion Research is called “Megachurch Resurgence.” It reveals a surprising story: after the disruptions of the pandemic, America’s megachurches aren’t simply surviving—they’ve staged a remarkable resurgence, with new findings on attendance, finances, church planting, diversity, leadership, and the future of large congregations. Today we’ll unpack what those numbers mean—and why they matter for the broader American church. And, we have a link to the complete study here.

Warren Bird is one of the nation’s leading researchers on church leadership and congregational trends. He earned his Ph.D. in the sociology of religion from Fordham University, has authored or co-authored more than 35 books and dozens of major research reports, and has spent years helping church leaders understand what makes healthy ministries flourish. His partnership with Scott Thumma has produced the definitive series of megachurch studies dating back to 2000, making him one of the most respected voices on this important and often misunderstood corner of American Christianity.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Florida mom has been sentenced to prison after impersonating the father of a Camp Mystic flood victim. She used that fake identity to launch a GoFundMe campaign. We’ll have details.

Plus, Focus on the Family launches the search for its next president. Jim Daly’s retirement is on the horizon after more than 20 years at the helm. We’ll take a look.

And, charitable giving last year topped $600 billion, outpacing inflation for the second year in a row. But…Religion saw the slowest growth.

But first, a New York City megachurch says goodbye to its founding pastor. Four months ago, Fount Church’s board said an outside investigation cleared its founding pastors of financial wrongdoing. Now, founding pastor Josh Kelsey has left the church. He’s permanently relocating to Australia.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Michaela Estruth, Bob Smietana, Diana Chandler, Tony Mator, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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In today’s extra episode, Christina Darnell talks with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

They include:

Lancaster Bible College has been reaccredited.
Planned Parenthood releases its annual report. You can find the 2024-2025 annual report here.
Allen Levi’s book Theo of Golden continues to be a publishing phenomenon. (Here’s an interview Warren did with Allen before he was famous.)
Warren and Christina discuss Ryan Burge’s recent article about three misconceptions people have about data.
People are finally beginning to pay attention to the coming population collapse and its consequences. Glenn Stanton wrote an excellent analysis of new United Nations data, and his conclusions are sobering.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a judge sides with Texas megachurch Second Baptist Houston in a lawsuit brought by current and former members. The judge says the constitutional principle of religious freedom shields the church — but the plaintiffs’ attorney says that should not be a get-out-of-jail free card.” We’ll have details.

Plus, last month, the United Methodist Church dropped Asbury Theological Seminary from its list of approved schools due to its stance on biblical marriage — which could put two other seminaries in its cross hairs. We’ll take a look.

And, a new survey reveals that American’s confidence in the church is near or at an all-time low.

But first, three church leaders in South Carolina are facing criminal charges after being accused of hiding a registered sex offender’s role around kids. The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office laid it out at a news conference this week. Sheriff Carter Weaver said his office opened an investigation into Pawleys Island Community Church on July 12th, after officials learned about a man named Warren Perry, and his access to children.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Laura Erlanson, Tony Mator, Aaron Earls, Warren Smith, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

A special thanks to Lifeway Research and Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Thank you for listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” Today, we discuss retirement, biblical generosity, and the legacy of J.I. Packer.

If you have not discovered our YouTube channel, check it out here. We now have nearly 200 videos there, and they have attracted tens of thousands of views. Subscribe, like, and share to spread the word about our work.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Donor-advised funds (DAFs) may be the greatest innovation in American philanthropy in the last generation. DAFs solve real problems. They allow donors to contribute appreciated assets without triggering capital gains taxes. They simplify recordkeeping. They help families think strategically about generosity. Those are real-world benefits. But there are also real-world problems that need to be fixed. Before we get to solutions, though, a little history is in order.

The good news is this problem is not all that difficult to solve, though it will take significant political will. Three reforms deserve serious consideration.

First, Congress should require that assets contributed to donor-advised funds be distributed within a reasonable period. I would suggest three to five years. But any limit — 10 or 15 years — would be better than no limit at all. Such a limit would preserve flexibility while ensuring that charitable dollars eventually accomplish charitable purposes.

Second, DAF sponsors should publish far more detailed information about inactive accounts, median payout rates, and how long assets remain before grants are recommended. Better transparency would reward sponsors that encourage active generosity while strengthening public trust.

Third, Christian donors should treat donor-advised funds as conduits rather than warehouses. This recommendation is particularly aimed at Christian foundations. The National Christian Foundation has seen its assets under management double in the past five years, to $6 billion. Waterstone, another large Christian foundation, now has nearly $1 billion under management, also doubling in the past five years. The Signatry has grown tenfold during that time, from $81 million in assets to more than $800 million. MinistryWatch tracks 29 Christian foundations, and almost all of them have experienced dramatic growth.

Charitable dollars help no one while the money sits in investment accounts — except for the highly paid executives who manage those accounts.

Donor-advised funds remain a valuable tool. But tools exist to accomplish work. They are not ends in themselves. The measure of Christian stewardship has never been how much we reserve for charity. It has always been how faithfully we put those resources to work.

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On today’s program, pastor and former religious liberty celebrity Saeed Abedini loses the custody battle over his 5-year-old daughter after being accused of abducting the child from her mother. We’ll have details.

And, embattled pastor Greg Locke tells his church that federal investigators stormed his home weeks ago, claiming they had received reports of financial mismanagement. We’ll take a look.

Plus, the donation of Green Mountain College campus in Vermont falls through — instead it’s been sold to a Florida evangelist with plans to launch “Z University.”

But first, a well-known Christian conservative businessman has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud. Edwin Brant Frost IV could face up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors are calling it a massive, multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme. Frost owned a now-defunct Georgia company called First Liberty Building & Loan. Starting in 2014, he promised investors returns of 8% to 18% on short-term business loans. And investors trusted him — partly because of his Christian reputation.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

The San Francisco Chronicle has yet another article about the so-called Great Wealth Transfer.

According to the article, the “term [was] popularized by a 2024 report from market research firm Cerulli Associates. The broad idea is that, over the next two decades, as baby boomers journey to the great postwar subdivision in the sky, they will bequeath $124 trillion in assets — leaving $105 trillion to their children and $18 trillion to charities.”

Christina

You said this was “yet” another article. Do you think this story is overblown?

Warren

If you detect a bit of weariness in my tone, it is not because I don’t believe in the Great Wealth Transfer. It is coming, but it is always coming. It is not an event. It’s a process. A generation doesn’t die in a day, or a year. It dies over the course of a generation, and as long as the population and the economy keep growing, EVERY generation’s wealth will be greater than the previous generation. That’s the simple logic of the situation, but journalists breathlessly try to turn the Great Wealth Transfer into news every few months.

Christina

That said, you are here promoting the story and the idea yourself.

Warren

Touche! The Chronicle article is interesting, and I recommend it. And to all our readers: make sure you take our Philanthropy Assessment. It will give you some simple, actionable steps to make sure that your wealth ends up where you want it to go.

Christina

Warren, you’ve said that one of the most persistent myths in Christian world is the myth that the ranks of the Catholic Church is swelling with ex-evangelicals.

Warren

It’s not happening. Data guru Ryan Burge has pointed out that when there’s movement, it’s more often from Catholic to evangelical. Burge this week published a treasure trove of data from Detroit Catholics that further documents the decline of Catholicism in the U.S. Among his observations: “In 2011, the average weekend Mass attendance in the archdiocese was about 231,000 people. That dropped below 200,000 by 2015, it declined to 163,000 by 2019. The most recent data that these workbooks provide is from 2024, when Mass attendance was just under 140,000. According to their own reports, the Catholic Church in Detroit is recording an attendance decline of 4% per year.”

Christina

A lot of folks might say that Detroit is an anomaly. It’s been a city in decline.

Warren

That’s a myth, too.

And if you are thinking, “Yeah, well, that’s Detroit. The city is dying.” Burge says that’s an old narrative. The population of Detroit rose during that same period.

Christina

A headline in The Jerusalem Post grabbed your attention this week.

Warren

It did. That headline is: “Why 800 million Evangelical Christians stand with Israel in an age of rising antisemitism.”

It grabbed me because there are nowhere near 800 million evangelicals in the world. The most respected source for global Christian demographics is the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. It puts the number at around 400 million.

Christina

Well, maybe that headline was the product of an over-zealous headline writer.

Warren

I thought that too. Then I read the first line of the editorial, by Greg Denham, pastor of Rise Church in San Marcos, California and the founder of the Pastors Alliance for Israel. The headline merely echoed the first sentence in his essay: “At a time of rising anti-Israel sentiment, anti-Zionism, and antisemitism, it is worth asking why nearly 800 million Evangelical Christians continue to stand firmly with the nation of Israel.”

It is a good question. It would be a better question if he got his facts right. That might cause readers to care more about his answer.

Christina

While we’re on the subject, a new survey indicates Americans are souring on Israel.

Warren

The most recent of Pew Research survey, unveiled on Thursday, July 9, found that most U.S. adults – 62 percent — now view the Israeli government unfavorably, a nearly 20-point shift from 2022, when only 43 percent said the same. By the way, I’m a big supporter of Israel. I’ve visited there twice. But if you don’t think recent events in the Middle East aren’t having a major impact on the world’s opinion of Israel, you’re not paying attention.

Christina

Warren, I know you’re a history buff, and you noted in your “Signs and Wonders” column this week that last week was John Calvin’s birthday. He was born on July 9, 1509.

Warren

He wrote the first draft of his book Institutes of the Christian Religion when he was 26 years old. Many people marvel that he wrote a book that helped change the course of history at such a young age. But he revised it regularly over the years, and the version we read today is a version he published at age 50. This work was significant in shaping Protestant theology and was initially published in Latin while he was in exile in Basel, Switzerland.

Christina

Warren, let’s close today with a recent column by Aaron Renn about the Boy Scouts of America.

Warren

The Boy Scouts of America, one of the great institutions of civil society in the history of this country, is now a shell of its former self, and its prospects are not bright. For an up-to-date assessment of what is happening with what is now called Scouting America, I recommend Aaron Renn’s recent column, which you can find here. A preview: “The Scouts have responded by doing basically what mainline Protestantism and any number of other institutions did. It evacuated its traditional religious core, adopted standard issue liberal positions du jour, and started allowing girls to join (in the way the mainlines allowed female clergy). This isn’t likely to work out any better for them than it did for the mainline churches.”

Christina

Any closing thoughts before we go?

Warren

If you have not discovered our YouTube channel, check it out here. We now have 200 videos there, and they have attracted tens of thousands of views. Subscribe, like, and share to spread the word about our work.

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA episode, I share some thoughts about my friend Robert Sloan, who served for a decade as president of Baylor University and then two decades as president of Houston Christian University.

To read a written version of this episode, click here.

To read Houston Christian University’s document “Ten Pillars 2030: HCU’s Vision and Core Convictions, click here.

For a comprehensive examination of Sloan’s tenure at Baylor, read The Baylor Project: Can A Protestant University Be a First-Class Research Institution and Preserve Its Soul? edited by Barry G. Hankins and Donald D. Schmeltekopf.

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On today’s program, one of the women accusing Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard of sexual misconduct has been dropped from the case for gathering evidence illegally. We’ll have details.

Plus, a hard look at child safety policies at Christian schools. What actually happens when a child reports abuse? We’ll take a look.

And, ministries we recommend donors NOT give to.

But first, a church vote in the Texas, Fort Worth area has failed to restore a pastor who allowed his son — a registered sex offender — to serve as a contractor at the church’s affiliated K-through-12 school. Members of Heritage Baptist Church voted 101 to 79 to rehire Pastor Eric Crawford. That’s 56 percent in favor. But the church’s bylaws require a 75 percent threshold. So Crawford is not returning to the pulpit.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Robert Mineo, Neva Piombino, Jessice Eturralde, Adelle Banks, and Makella Knowles.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

One of my “must reads” is Phil Cooke. His observations about media and leadership and lots of other topics are always short, sharp, and wise. If you’re a regular listener to the podcast, you know that I’ve had him on the program before.

Christina

And today you’re recommending his latest article, “When the Wheels Come Off: Why Leaders Fail in a Crisis.”

Warren

He says a crisis reveals a leader’s true character. He advises leaders in crisis to “protect trust more than reputation.” He says, “Too many leaders try to preserve appearances. Strong leaders preserve credibility. Sometimes that means admitting mistakes publicly. The moment you stop communicating is the moment you start losing trust. Here’s the hard truth: People rarely remember the crisis itself. They remember how the leader behaved. In normal seasons, leadership is strategy. In a crisis, leadership is all about character.”

Christina

Next up is a significant new statement from the European Evangelical Alliance. Our work here at MinistryWatch focuses mostly on the U.S. Why did you want to feature this news from the EEA?

Warren

Being an evangelical in Europe is a bit different than here in the United States. For one thing, evangelicals in Europe are relatively small in number. The European Evangelical Alliance claims to represent some 23 million evangelical Christians on the continent with more than 450 million people. The U.S., by comparison, has about 40 million evangelicals in a country with about 350 million people. Perhaps because European evangelicals are so much smaller in number, their aspirations for political power are more measured, you might say more modest. The EEA recently attempted, in a new document, to clarify the ‘identity and role’ of evangelicals in public life.

Christina

And you think that American evangelicals have a lot to learn from it.

Warren

I do. Among other features of the document is an explicit attempt by European evangelicals to distance themselves from American evangelicals. “We oppose any political movement that undermines democratic accountability or treats any group of people as less than fully human,” the EEA says. “Evangelicals in Europe do not seek political privilege or dominance, do support a pluralistic and civil public square, do respect democratic institutions, rule of law, and human rights.” Further, they “reject coercion, manipulation, and the misuse of religion in politics.”

By the way, you can read the entire statement for yourself. We have a link to it in today’s show notes.

Christina

A new proposal by the Trump Administration caught your attention this week.

Warren

The federal government is considering a really bad idea. According to WORLD, “Public comment closed last Friday for a proposed Trump administration policy to combat government information leaks. The proposal would require all federal employees—in agencies ranging from the CIA to the Education Department—to sign a nondisclosure agreement.”

Christina

WORLD wrote a lenghy and balanced report on this topic, which we’ll link to in today’s show notes. But, until our listeners get a chance to read it, what else does the article say?

Warren

It says that “According to the Office of Personnel Management, the government-wide NDA wouldn’t create new secrecy rules or increase penalties, but it would keep sensitive information secure. Violating the NDA could result in dismissal or legal penalties, the draft reads, and the agreement extends five years after federal employment ends.”

Christina

Free speech advocates and libertarian groups are up in arms about this proposed rule.

Warren

The conservative/libertarian Cato Institute has spoken out against the new rule. A coalition of roughly two dozen organizations—including journalism, transparency, and civil liberties groups—sent a joint letter arguing the rule would “silence public employees” and infringe First Amendment rights.

Christina

Here at MinistryWatch, we oppose non-disclosure agreements in general.

Warren

We do, and this one is a particularly bad idea, overbroad and a direct threat to transparency and limited government initiatives.

By the way, the new proposal attracted some 30,000 comments, which you can search and read here.

Christina

Christianity Today’s Bonnie Kristian recently did a penetrating interview with Tyler Johnson, a former pastor who now serves as chief impact officer at Come Near, the organization now responsible for He Gets Us.

Warren

I’ve never been a fan of the He Gets Us campaigns and approach, but the organizations and the philanthropists behind the campaign – including the Green Family of Hobby Lobby fame – have spent so much money in Christian media that criticism of the campaign in major Christian outlets has been muted. No one wants to derail the gravy train. That is why I give CT some credit for this interview, which asks challenging questions and does not accept cliches for answers.

Christina

Finally, Warren, a couple of remembrances, one of Robert Sloan, the president of Houston Baptist University, who died this week. The other is of Henry Hazlitt, who died more than 30 years ago.

Warren

First, Robert Sloan. I first met Robert B. Sloan at a meeting of conservative activists in 2006, right about the time he took over as president of Houston Baptist University. A few years later, I helped organize an event at HBU featuring Dr. Sloan, Marvin Olasky, and Ted Cruz. I had deep admiration for him and this news that he has died is a bit of a gut punch. He made a huge contribution to Christian higher education, and he has left many proteges who will carry on his work. That said, there are a few people I have known in my life who I think were uniquely gifted and called for their cultural moment. Chuck Colson was one. Bill Armstrong was another. Robert Sloan was one of those men. He will be missed by me and by many. You can read more about him here.

Christina

And Henry Hazlitt.

Warren

Henry Hazlitt was a journalist, syndicated columnist, and one of the big brains of the 20th century. He died on this date (July 9) in 1993. His book `Economics in One Lesson was for many years the book I would recommend to anyone who wanted to read just ONE book on economics. If you are a parent or grandparent, I recommend getting this book. It will help you explain economics to your children.

Christina

Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

I am in Albuquerque next month. If you live in the Land of Enchantment, one of my favorite states, reach out to me. I would love to share a meal or a cup of coffee with you. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

We’d love to have your financial support as we approach our fiscal year end. Just go to www.ministrywatch.com/donate

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you’ve spent much time in the worlds of poetry, faith, or the imagination, you’ve almost certainly encountered the work of Malcolm Guite. He’s one of those rare figures who moves comfortably between the academy, the church, and the arts. Guite is an Anglican priest, acclaimed poet, singer-songwriter, and Life Fellow of Girton College, where he served as chaplain for seventeen years.”

Over the years, he has become one of today’s most influential voices exploring the intersection of literature, beauty, and Christian faith through books such as Faith, Hope and Poetry, Lifting the Veil, Mariner, and his beloved collections of sonnets inspired by the church year.

His newest work is Galahad and the Holy Grail, a fresh retelling of one of the greatest stories in the Arthurian tradition. Rather than simply retelling an old legend, Guite invites readers into a richly imagined spiritual journey that explores courage, purity, sacrifice, and the deep human longing for God. Written in narrative verse, the book combines the musicality of poetry with the momentum of an epic adventure, making an ancient story feel remarkably fresh and relevant for modern readers.

One of the delights of this project is that Galahad and the Holy Grail isn’t confined to the printed page. Guite has also taken the work on the road, performing it before live audiences in churches, theaters, and literary festivals. Those performances blend storytelling, dramatic reading, and music in a way that recalls the medieval tradition of poems being heard as well as read. Audience response has been enthusiastic, with many listeners discovering that the oral performance brings new depth and emotion to the story.

Today we’ll talk with Malcolm Guite about the enduring power of the Grail legend, why ancient stories still matter, how poetry helps us recover wonder, and what Galahad’s quest can teach us about our own search for truth, beauty, and grace. I think you’ll enjoy this conversation.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host, Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

William Bennett famously said, “The plural of anecdotes is not data.” Journalists who write about religion often forget that reality.

Christina

The latest example came from Carson Daly of the Today Show. He wants us to believe that young people are packing Catholic Churches, and they are leading a Catholic resurgence in this country. But you’re not buying it.

Warren

I’m not. The data tell a different story.

I turned to the 2023–24 Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, based on nearly 37,000 randomly selected American adults, for a reality check.

Among its findings: About 19 percent of U.S. adults identify as Catholic, unchanged since 2014 — but well below historical levels. Even more telling: 43 percent of Americans raised Catholic no longer identify as Catholic. Only 1.5 percent of American adults have become Catholic after being raised in another religion or with no religion. Catholics have experienced the largest net losses of any major Christian tradition through religious switching.

Christina

What about young people? That seemed to be the focus of the Carson Daly piece.

Warren

It was, but even among young people, the data don’t support that conclusion.

Among Americans ages 18–24, 12 percent have left Catholicism, while only 1 percent have converted into it. Pew concluded there is “no clear evidence” of a nationwide religious revival among young adults.

Christina

Why has this revival narrative been so persistent. We’ve been seeing it in the Protestant church as well.

Warren

Journalists want to find unusual stories. The slow secularization of religion over the past 50 years is not unusual. It’s been told, and journalists are looking for a new story.

As the old saying, “Dog bites man” is not a story. “Man bites dog” is a story. As for the Catholic resurgence story? Well, to torture the metaphor: “That dog won’t hunt.” Carson Daly might be able to find a parish whose young adult Mass grows from 50 to 400 people, but that does not make up for the thousands of parishes experiencing gradual (and sometimes significant) decline.

Christina

Years ago, David Letterman had a routine that he called “Stupid Pet Tricks.” The first story we did, plus the next one, might qualify this episode of the podcast for its own “Stupid Media Tricks” segment.

Warren

You’re right. This week saw another significant media story that caused me to wonder.

In this case, veteran National Public Radio Supreme Court reporter Nina Totenberg wrote a story that Justice Samuel Alito had retired.

Christina

And, to be clear, Justice Alito has not retired.

Warren

That’s right. But the story that he had retired made it through NPR’s editing process and onto the website before someone discovered the mistake. And, of course, if it makes it to one website, the algorithms soon have it everywhere.

Christina

About an hour after publication, NPR retracted the story, issued a correction, and apologized. But the damage had been done.

Warren

To be fair, the damage was not severe – except, perhaps, to the credibility of NPR. But it does provide a lesson in how modern media work.

Charlie Warzel, writing for The Atlantic, does a fascinating post-mortem on the episode, saying the error highlights several habits of modern journalism that are pathological. Among them: “That a breakneck news cycle is forcing even the best reporters and editors to move too fast, that modern beat reporting itself has become too consumed with being first to report stories.” Warzel’s story is a smart look at how the journalistic sausage is made. I recommend it. You can find a link in today’s show notes.

Christina

Our next story is also a media story, of sorts.

Warren

I had not thought of it that way, but I think you’re right.

Our friend Joseph Slife forwarded me a story that Michigan’s Cornerstone University was offering a degree that could be completed “100%” on a smartphone.

Christina

Warren, did you check the date on that story. Are you sure it’s not an April Fools Day prank?

Warren

I did check, because that was my first thought.

Alas, it is not. According to The College Fix, “Cornerstone University, located in Grand Rapids, is offering an associate degree and bachelor’s degree in strategic business management along with a master’s in organizational leadership through its new program. Students pay a fixed rate of $2,400 per four-month term or $3,750 for graduate level work. The intended audience is working adults.”

Christina

That’s pretty cheap, and – as a working adult – I couldn’t imagine trying to get to a nearby college a couple of nights a week for classes.

Warren

I get that. 100 percent. I am not a Luddite. I use my iPhone for a lot of things – including learning. YouTube videos have helped me learn new licks on the guitar, have helped me repair my toilet, and have helped me gain new insights into the human condition.

Christina

But learning via iPhone is a different experience than face-to-face, in classroom learning.

Warren

That’s exactly right. Especially from a wise and well-qualified teacher, in a community with other learners who are grappling with the same ideas — both in class, but also around the dinner table in the dining hall.

Christina

So what you’re saying is that virtual learning is not worthless. It is just different.

Warren

I do not oppose colleges offering programs virtually, but to offer accredited degrees that carry all the prestige and credentialing power of an in-person degree…well…that is just bearing false witness.

Christina

Let’s conclude today with news that the Texas State Board of Education passed a new required reading list that includes Bible passages.

Warren

On Friday, June 26, the Republican-controlled board voted 9-5-1 to approve a first-of-its-kind list that will affect more than 5 million public school students. Required readings for younger students include illustrated Old Testament stories such as Noah’s Ark and David and Goliath. By upper elementary school, students read New Testament passages about Jesus’ teachings and parables. Middle school and high school lessons pair scriptural themes with classic literature.

Christina

Most Christian groups are praising this decision. But you say…not so fast.

Warren

I will have to say that net-net I am glad they are reading the Bible in the classroom. You simply cannot understand most of Western literature – from Dante to Shakespeare to Faulkner to Eliot – without some biblical literacy. And I know that there are a lot of great public school teachers who will handle these texts with care and respect.

Christina

I sense a big fat…however…coming on.

Warren

Ha. So I’ll say it. However…

I do wonder what will happen when you put scripture into the hands of militantly secularized teachers, and you give them a platform to air their grievances. They may be forced to read the bible, but what if the teacher spends the rest of the class presenting arguments for its unreliability?

Christina

So are you opposed to reading the Bible in classrooms?

Warren

Absolutely not. I’m very much in favor of it, but I do wonder how it’s going to be taught. I would recommend that parents in Texas remain vigilant. Time will tell whether this was a positive innovation for the classroom, or one full of unintended consequences. Until then, though, I know that “God’s word will not return void.” So, I trust that the positive impact of scripture reading will be greater than any efforts to undermine it.

Christina

Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

We’d love to have your financial support as we approach our fiscal year end. Just go to www.ministrywatch.com/donate

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Evangelical Christians should earnestly hope for, pray for, and work for revival. Maybe that’s why we’re always looking for and too often declaring, with only limited evidence, that revival has broken out. We want it to be true, so we declare it to be true with just the slightest encouragement.

We should also not be ignorant to the fact that many purveyors of revival talk have financial incentives. If I can say that God is at work here, and you should support the work that God is doing, that provides a powerful and sometimes manipulative message that will separate well-meaning but naïve Christians from their money. Revival talk sells books, fills auditoriums and arenas, and causes donations to flow.

And while we do not want to quench the spirit (to use biblical language), we should be clear-eyed and discerning when we hear people talk of revival. And we’ve been hearing a lot lately that America is experiencing revival. Kenneth Copeland has repeatedly declared that America is entering a season of revival. On his broadcasts and at ministers’ conferences, he has described the nation as being on the verge of “the greatest awakening” and has tied it to his own prophetic announcements.

Mario Murillo has been one of the strongest proponents of the “America is in revival” narrative. He argues that mass tent meetings, conversions in California and elsewhere, and openness among young people indicate that the country is already experiencing a “Third Great Awakening.” Lance Wallnau has likewise said that America is experiencing a spiritual awakening, often linking it with political developments and what he describes as a national “reformation.”

But people who study religion say…not so fast. Today, I have one of the godfathers of Christian polling and survey work on the program, George Barna, and we address the question directly: Is America experiencing a revival. His thoughts on the subject may surprise you.

George Barna is one of the best-known researchers of religion and culture in the United States. He founded the Barna Research Group in 1984, pioneering the use of survey research to measure Americans’ religious beliefs, church attendance, worldview, and cultural trends. After selling the Barna Group in 2009, he launched several research initiatives focused on faith and public life. Today, Barna serves as Professor of Cultural Research at Arizona Christian University, where he is Director of Research for the university’s Cultural Research Center. He is also Senior Research Fellow for the Center for Biblical Worldview at the Family Research Council and the author or co-author of more than 60 books on faith, culture, leadership, and worldview.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host, Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a former Truett McConnell president is suing, claiming the university breached his employment contract when it fired him amid claims that he mishandled sexual abuse allegations. We’ll take a look.

And, Ed Young retired as pastor of Second Baptist Church of Houston after nearly 50 years. Now, he’s launched a new teaching ministry drawing from his decades of sermons and writings. But church members say the new ministry’s formation raises questions about who controls the church’s assets. We’ll have details.

Plus, former Iranian prisoner Saeed Abedini — an international symbol of a Christian being persecuted for his faith — is being accused of abducting his 5-year-old daughter.

But first, Barnabas Aid — a ministry that serves persecuted Christians around the world — is now under direct oversight by regulators in the United Kingdom. The Charity Commission of England and Wales appointed two interim managers on June 19th — removing the charity’s trustees from governance entirely. The commission named Edwina Turner and Catherine Gibbon of Anthony Collins LLP to the role.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Henry Durand, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Christina Darnell, and Jessica Eturralde.

A special thanks to The Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

The Episcopal Church Center in Midtown Manhattan, commonly referred to as “815” because of its street address, 815 Second Ave., is for sale.For critics of the church, the building became a symbol of the bureaucracy and isolation of the denomination’s leadership.

Christina

Its sale now represents the continued decline of the denomination.

Warren

“We’ve done a detailed analysis about the best use of the building, with consultants and architects,” Chief Financial Officer Chris Lacovara said in a church news release. “We occupy a fraction of the Church Center space now, and the conclusion is that we don’t need to own and occupy a building in midtown Manhattan.”

Christina

The building is 12 stories high and has about 146,000 square feet of office space.

Warren

In 1965, the Episcopal Church had about 3.4 million people. Today, membership is officially listed at about 1.5 million, but less than a half-million attend Episcopal Churches on any given Sunday.

Christina

Next up, new data from Lifeway, but you have some concerns.

Warren

I do. I am a big data guy, but recent research from Lifeway does not pass my sniff test. Lifeway says that Gen Z adults who are regular churchgoers attend church at greater rates than other age cohorts.

Christina

So…regular church attend church regularly? Seems like you wouldn’t need a survey to come to that conclusion.

Warren

Exactly. The premise of the survey is strange. It is like saying, “In Texas, there are a high percentage of Texans.”

Secondly, the Gen Z result is a serious outlier. “While the median churchgoer in each generation attends four worship services each month, the average Gen Z churchgoer attends a worship service at their church 6.2 times a month,” a statement from Lifeway said. This compares with “4.8 times for millennials, 5.1 for Gen X and 4.5 for baby boomers and older. This implies that while the typical Gen Z churchgoer attends at a similar frequency to other generations, there is a portion of young adults who attend at much higher rates.”

Christina

But other data we’ve reported on suggest that Gen Z is in fact not more religious. So what’s going on here?

Warren

The evidence increasingly suggests not a broad-based Gen Z revival, but a “committed remnant” phenomenon—fewer young adults in church, but those who are there are often attending with greater frequency and intentionality than previous generations of young adults.

Christina

Moving on…. Alliance of Responsible Citizenship (ARC) is meeting in London this week.

Warren

ARC claims to be an international movement of conservative thinkers, political leaders, business executives, academics, journalists, and religious leaders that seeks to renew the cultural, moral, and institutional foundations of Western civilization.

Christina

Founded in 2023 by figures including Jordan Peterson and Philippa Stroud, ARC describes its mission as helping to “re-lay the foundations of our civilization” by promoting responsibility, free institutions, strong families, economic opportunity, and a renewed sense of cultural confidence.

Warren

About 4,000 are gathered, from more than 85 countries. Many observers have dubbed it the “Conservative Davos” or the “anti-woke Davos.” Among this year’s speakers are Boris Johnson, Jordan Peterson, Arthur Brooks, Andy Crouch, Eric Metaxas, and Ross Douthat.

Christina

For Christians, ARC is particularly notable because Christian faith is not merely a side topic but a recurring theme.

Warren

Evangelical, Catholic, and Orthodox leaders are prominent participants, reflecting ARC’s belief that cultural renewal requires moral and spiritual renewal as well. Rod Dreher has been posting all week from London, and some of his posts have been pretty humorous. A nerd’s view from the cool kids’ table, you might say. You can find one of those posts here.

Christina

As we have reported here at MinistryWatch, Bethany Christian Services, one of the nation’s largest adoption and foster care organizations, has reaffirmed its commitment to a biblical sexual ethic.

Warren

This reaffirmation requires staff, board members and foster and adoptive families to “personally agree and adhere to” a belief statement that defines marriage as “a covenant between one man and one woman.”

Christina

Katy Faust, a conservative activist who believes same-sex couples should not be parents, celebrated the change. On X, Faust said it was evidence that the “vibe shift” is having a “measurable impact.”

Warren

It is too early for me to declare a “vibe shift,” but I hope she is right. In any case, it is likely not to impact adoption and foster care efforts much, since the number of LGBTQ+ folk who adopt children are small. According to the Williams Institute, about 35,000 same-sex couples are raising adopted children. That is certainly significant, but the significance diminishes when you consider that about 1.8 million children in the U.S., between 2 and 3 percent of all children, are living with adoptive parents.

Supporting Faust’s claim of a “vibe shift” is a recent Gallup survey suggesting that 65 percent of Americans still favor legal same-sex marriage, but that’s six percentage points fewer than its peak in 2022-2023. Similarly, the percentage of Americans who view gay or lesbian relations and gender transitions as morally acceptable have fallen since the early 2020s.

Christina

Finally, we have some good news here at MinistryWatch.

Warren

I am pleased to let you know that MinistryWatch has received a grant from the Fund for Investigative Journalism to help us with investigative reporting in the coming year.

Christina

The FIJ is a nonprofit organization founded in 1969 that supports in-depth, public-interest investigative reporting by providing grants, editorial guidance, and legal assistance to journalists.

Warren

Its mission is to help reporters pursue stories that expose corruption, wrongdoing, abuses of power, and other issues of significant public concern that might otherwise go uncovered. Over its history, FIJ has awarded thousands of grants to freelance and staff journalists, helping launch investigations that have appeared in major outlets such as The New York Times, ProPublica, NPR, Frontline, The Washington Post, and many regional news organizations. The organization is widely regarded as one of the leading philanthropic supporters of investigative journalism in the United States.

Christina

Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

We’d love to have your financial support as we approach our fiscal year end. Just go to www.ministrywatch.com/donate

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith shares observations from a trip he recently made to Knoxville, Tennessee, to observe the 10-year anniversary of The Colson Center for Christian Worldview. The Colson Center has grown to become one of the most consequential Christian organizations in the nation. Warren explains how and why.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Assemblies of God is disputing liability in abuse cases — claiming local church autonomy shields it from the Daniel Savala sex abuse lawsuits.

And, a movement to void nondisclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse is gaining ground — on both the local and national levels. The laws limiting NDAs are called Trey’s Laws. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has, after years of turmoil, officially regained its accreditation status.

But first, Sean Feucht Ministries is fighting back against a lawsuit — and it’s using the First Amendment to do it. It argues a $250,000 lawsuit filed against it should be dismissed because of what’s called the “church autonomy doctrine.” It protects religious institutions from lawsuits that would require courts to wade into matters of faith and doctrine.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Marci Seither, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Microfinancing is taking a beating in the media these days.

In the 1990s and 2000s, microfinancing was all the rage. The basic idea was to give entrepreneurs who could not qualify for loans at traditional banks an opportunity to take out a small loan to finance income producing activities.

Christina

Women could buy sewing machines and take in tailoring and alteration work to support her family. Men could buy motorcycles to take them to job sites or pick up trucks to start a hauling or construction business.

Warren

That’s exactly the idea.

But new reporting by the Wall Street Journal questions the effectiveness of such microfinancing activities. It is also interesting that Christian ministries who got on the microfinancing bandwagon (Opportunity International, Hope International, Five Talents, and others) are now pivoting to savings groups, financial literacy, and broader economic development because the evidence for traditional microcredit has been more mixed than early advocates expected.

Christina

Something else that’s been in the news this week has been Steven Spielberg’s new movie “Disclosure Day.”

Warren

The new movie is being touted as a “takedown” of Christianity. Spielberg suggested that the discovery of extraterrestrial life would create a crisis for the Christian faith.

Christina

But a lot of Christian apologists have weighed in on this question and they say that’s not accurate.

Warren

That is right. I’ve got to confess that I’m skeptical of extraterrestrial life on other planets, at least life on any planets within reach. There’s some evidence of water on the moon and on Mars, so we might find some type of organism there, and that would be interesting. But I think we can see deeply enough into space to suggest that there’s nothing significant nearby.

Christina

But even if there was, nothing about Christian doctrine would be challenged by the discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Warren

I think that’s right. Christians from C.S. Lewis to Larry Norman (in his song “Unidentified Flying Object”) have written about this idea, and it is interesting but innocuous in terms of its threat to Christianity.

A more troubling aspect of Spielberg’s film, according to Rod Dreher, is its overt Gnosticism, and ancient heresy that keeps getting re-heated and half-baked by modernists and post-modernists.

Christina

So what is Gnosticism?

Warren

Gnosticism is a collection of ancient religious movements that taught that salvation comes through secret spiritual knowledge (gnosis) that awakens the divine spark within humans and frees them from the material world.

To read Dreher’s critique of the film, click here. My friends John Stonestreet and Tim Padget over at The Colson Center have also written intelligently about this movie. You can find their commentary at www.BreakPoint.org.

By the way, the film is getting decent reviews and is performing well at the box office, taking in $44 million its first weekend, against a $110 million production budget.

Christina

This week marks the anniversary of the death of someone you hold in high regard. Can you tell us about John Dyer?

Warren

If you find self-promoting (and, too often, self-destructive) Christian celebrities distasteful, John Dyer could be your palate cleanser. He lived in the 1800s, and he helped bring Christianity to the American West as a Methodist circuit riding preacher. A church he founded in the resort town of Breckenridge is still in operation. He also ended up in the Colorado Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame. To find out why, read this piece, which I wrote a year ago, but which I call your attention to this week because it is the 125th anniversary of his death.

Christina

And you’ve been turning your eye toward Europe this week. Why?

Warren

Culturally speaking, things are strange in Europe right now. Birth rates are plummeting there even more than here. This fact will have profound economic and societal implications in the years ahead.

I visited Spain 15 years ago and wrote about what I saw there for WORLD Magazine. (And here.) Here are the headlines from that story: Large, gorgeous, empty churches, an economy that lacked confidence, and conservative political parties hunkered down.

Christina

But that was, as you said, 15 years ago. Today, things have changed somewhat.

Warren

The economy is better, though not great. Center-right conservatives, represented by the Partido Popular, have been overtaken by the far-right Vox party.

I started thinking about this when I read that Franklin Graham recently did a crusade in Madrid that attracted 10,000 people. That sounds like a lot until you realize that the musician Bad Bunny attracted 60,000 on the same night. Read my friend Bruce Bower’s account of what is happening in Spain here.

Christina

Another high-profile event this week was the UFC fights at the White House. Do you have any thoughts about that?

Warren

Christians often talk about the “good, true, and beautiful” as if they are separate things. They are not, these three qualities are unitary, of-a-piece. Something cannot be really TRUE or GOOD unless it is also BEAUTIFUL. Something that is ugly or banal aesthetically is also, to that extent, also less true and less good. These are ideas to consider as we assess the events of June 14, which was — in my view — another “wag the dog” spectacle designed to distract the masses. Juvenal had a phrase for it: panem et circenses. Bread and circuses. He also said that such spectacles were a sign of a nation in decline.

Christina

Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

We’d love to have your financial support as we approach our fiscal year end. Just go to www.ministrywatch.com/donate

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today’s guest is Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief, one of the world’s largest Christian humanitarian organizations. Serving in nearly 20 countries and across the United States, World Relief works at the intersection of disaster response, refugee resettlement, economic development, and church-based ministry, partnering with local congregations to serve vulnerable communities around the globe.

Myal has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Lehigh University, and a master’s degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. Before becoming president in 2021, Myal had already spent fourteen years at World Relief, much of it in leadership positions, helping guide the organization’s international programs and strategy. He has worked extensively in some of the world’s most challenging environments, focusing on issues such as poverty alleviation, forced migration, community resilience, and the role of local churches in sustainable development.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Christian curriculum publisher Orange has released investigation findings after its founder was accused of sexual misconduct—and it’s highlighting key lessons other ministries can learn. We’ll take a look.

Plus, the 2026 annual meeting for the Southern Baptist Convention was this week, putting some core tensions on display. From sexual abuse reforms to immigration and women preachers, Southern Baptists faced defining votes. We’ll have details.

And, two big ministry acquisitions to announce—Salem Media Group and Phoenix Seminary.

But first, Bethel Church in Redding, California, is cutting ties with four big-name ministry leaders. Bethel says it will no longer platform Todd Bentley, Mike Bickle, Shawn Bolz, or Bob Hartley.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Etturalde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Last Friday, just days before the Southern Baptist Convention gathered for its annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, SBC megachurch Pastor Jack Grahamsaid in a social media post that the SBC has never had a “systematic sexual abuse crisis” and described what prompted a 2021 independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions as a “reckless hoax.”

Christina

Speaking of reckless, given all the evidence for serious issues in the SBC, that seems a pretty reckless thing to say.

Warren

Agreed. I have met Jack Graham a few times, and he seemed like a normal guy. I clearly missed the signs.

This statement is so dislocated from reality as to make my head swim.

Christina

The Houston Chronicle documented nearly 400 cases of sexual abuse in Texas alone. The Guidepost Report on the SBC found hundreds more.

Warren

Graham’s view seems to be that the problem was not systematic and was instead a function of how large the SBC is (“a few bad apples”). Even if that was true (and I do not think it was), the failure to respond quickly and adequately to survivors was surely systematic, a product of the culture of the SBC. That said, the SBC has, in recent years, taken solid steps toward reform. I applaud the denomination for that. But Graham’s comments are not helping.

Christina

While we’re on the subject of the Southern Baptist Convention, the SBC has released new demographic information, and Ryan Burge has analyzed it.

Warren

Here’s a passage from one of his recent weekly newsletters: “I’ve said this on many occasions, but the rise of the SBC from 1945 through 1990 will never ever be replicated again in the history of American religion.”

The SBC peaked at $16.2 million in 2006. Today it has about 12.3 million. This 25 percent decline in a generation is due to a lot of factors, including a general secularization of culture. But to claim that the sex abuse scandals played no role strains credulity.

Christina

The Southern Baptist Convention is meeting this week, but the SBC is not the only thing in the news.

Warren

That’s right. A new study is out from Communio and the Institute for Family Studies. Among the findings: “Children raised in homes where faith is discussed regularly are more than twice as likely to attend church and say religion is very important to them when they become adults.”

The study is called Passing the Torch: How Faith Moves Across Generations, and it claims to be the “most comprehensive examination to date of how parents successfully pass on faith to the next generation.”

The report also found that when both parents attend church weekly, 41 percent of children do the same in adulthood, compared to 29 percent when only one parent attends. Children who report a strong relationship with both parents are 97 percent more likely of believing in God as adults than those with weaker parental relationships.

Christina

We do not often cover the Catholic Church, but a story from our hometown of Charlotte caught your attention this week.

Warren

Prosecutors say a Catholic Charities employee in Charlotte embezzled and laundered money by using a business credit card. The damage was more than $13,000. Leah Stewart, age 46, was arrested in late April. She faces felony charges over the unauthorized credit card charges. We do not cover Catholic charities much, but this one was in my hometown, so I could not help but notice. Also, it gives me another opportunity to note that we can learn from this situation. To find out how your organization can put safeguards in place to avoid financial fraud, click here.

Christina

And our last story is a bit of good news.

Warren

That’s right. There’s so much news about people doing bad things, it’s nice sometimes to catch people doing good things, especially when they happen to be friends.

Christina

And one of them is right here in Charlotte.

Warren

That would be Rod Culbertson. He has “graduated” to emeritus status at Reformed Theological Seminary here in Charlotte after a long and distinguished career as a pastor, campus minister with Reformed University Fellowship, and a longtime professor at RTS. “Emeritus” is what you call someone who has retired but who does not believe in retirement as a biblical category!

Christina

And who’s the other one.

Maria Montserrat Alvarado, the current president and COO of U.S.-based Catholic media giant EWTN News, will lead the Vatican’s communication office, the Vatican announced Tuesday (June 2).

Montse, as I know her, is not yet 40 years of age, and she will be the youngest person to lead a Vatican dicastery in recent memory and the first woman who is not a religious sister to be a Vatican prefect, a task historically reserved for cardinals.

When I first met Montse, nearly 20 years ago, she was barely in her 20s and working for The Becket Fund, the religious liberty legal organization. We have reported on their work often here at MinistryWatch. It was clear even then she was a rising star. Indeed, in 2017 she became the Executive Director there.

So, Montse and Rod, I will be praying for you both as you enter news seasons of life and ministry.

Christina

Warren, we need to wrap things up here. Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

I’m in Colorado Springs and Denver this week. I’ll be doing a reader lunch in the Springs on Thursday and in Denver on Friday. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

I also want to mention that June is the end of our fiscal year. We’ve had a good year, so far, but we still have about $45,000 that we need to raise between now and June 30. If that number sounds huge, I’d like to remind you that the average gift to MinistryWatch is less than $100. But they add up. If you have been listening to us here on the podcast for a while, but have never given, I’d like to ask you to consider a gift so MinistryWatch can continue our work. Just go to www.MinistryWatch.com/donate

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I hope you’ll join Warren and me again on Friday. We’ll be bringing you the news of the week, from a MinistryWatch perspective.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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MinistryWatch has long been a proponent of what some call the “New Paradigm” of missions. This New Paradigm has several components, but at its core is the notion that well-trained indigenous missionaries are better positioned to evangelize their neighbors than American missionaries who come from thousands of miles away with little knowledge of the language or culture of the people they hope to evangelize.

The Institute for Great Commission Research (IGCR) at California Baptist University recently released “Missional Imagination: How the Next Generation Understands Missions.” Among the “top line” findings of this landmark study is this: “Supporting local Christians in their context is seen as the most trusted model of missions.”

The study continued, “This preference reflects a strong concern for cultural legitimacy, partnership, and long-term witness, and signals a shift away from models centered on external control, short-term intervention, or visibility.”

The man who led that study is my guest today. Dr. Matthew Niermann serves as Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts & Design at California Baptist University. Niermann serves as a director of the Lausanne Movement and editor of the State of the Great Commission Report prepared for the 4th Global Congress in Seoul, Korea in 2024.
Niermann holds a Ph.D. in Architectural Design from the University of Michigan, M.A. Apologetics from BIOLA, M.A. Theology and Th.M. of Missiology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Trey Falwell — the son of former Liberty University president Jerry Falwell Jr. — is suing the school, claiming he is owed $1.75 million in unpaid wages. We’ll have details. And, an Ohio pastor resigned from his post amid allegations of financial misdealings, leaving the church in a state of upheaval…a year later, members are still waiting for answers, and an audit. We’ll take a look.

Plus, a Georgia pastor lovingly dubbed ‘The Autism Pastor’ has died at age 47…and SBC seminary president Al Mohler shares his own health update.

But first, Samaritan’s Purse is opening an Ebola field hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Kathryn Post, Kim Roberts, Henry Durand, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Etturalde.

A special thanks to The Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Ministry Brands, the leading provider of church management software and online giving solutions, has opened a new corporate headquarters in a suburb of Atlanta.

Christina

Warren, it’s not like you to be taken in by a corporate press release. What caught your attention about this move?

Warren

A statement announcing the opening said the company has “upwards of 700 employees across the United States and Ireland, including 54 in the Atlanta area.” Ministry Brands says it has more than 90,000 churches and non-profit organization customers and facilitates more than $6.45 billion in charitable giving annually. That’s a huge business, focused just on churches and ministries. I’ve asked the president for an interview, and – to their credit – they’re going to give me one. So stay tuned for more information about this organization.

Christina

If you cover religion, like we do here at MinistryWatch, one of the big events of the year is coming up, and that’s the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in Orlando.

Warren

Stay tuned to MinistryWatch for our coverage of the event. The annual meeting is often an opportunity for other meetings to happen, and one that caught my attention was one hosted by the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP).

Stand Up: Standing for Vulnerable Adults Against Abuse and Exploitation” is a ticketed luncheon on Tuesday, June 9, during the annual meeting. The event is sponsored by the SBC Executive Committee’s Abuse Prevention & Response Department, led by Jeff Dalrymple.

Christina

The luncheon will convene ministry leaders, disability advocates, and abuse-prevention experts to address a crisis the Church can no longer afford to overlook.

Warren

To learn more about this important topic, check out this article by Dalrymple, whose daughter has autism. It highlights important issues all churches – not just those in the SBC – need to face.

Christina

We normally don’t report about ourselves, but our MinistryWatch database has hit a milestone.

Warren

We’ll soon be looking for another name for the MinistryWatch 1000 database, because just passed the 1500 mark, representing $55 billion in annual revenue. We hope to have 2000 ministries in the database by the end of the year. If you don’t use “The Database,” as we call it, check it out here.

Christina

We have a story that is adjacent to our database.

Warren

MinistryWatch rates a ministry’s efficiency and transparency, but rating a ministry’s effectiveness has been an elusive measure for us and for others. We can measure how much a ministry spends on fundraising, but how can you really measure whether a discipleship ministry causes people to grow spiritually? Or whether an evangelism ministry who claims people made “decisions” for Christ are following up, and that those people are still following Christ a year or a decade later? Coming up with ways to measure ministry effectiveness is sort of the “Holy Grail” for people in my business.

Christina

I’m guessing that’s why you were fascinated by news from World Vision that they were making the attempt to create such a measurement.

Warren

They are calling it the “Hope and Love Measure,” and they claim it is the first “validated tool to quantify how children experience God’s love.” I must confess that I remain apprehensive, but fascinated. You can read more about that new tool here. And stay tuned: I’m interviewing World Vision President Edgar Sandoval later this week, and we’ll take a deeper dive into this tool in a future episode of the MinistryWatch podcast.

Christina

Among the bigger news stories of the week was Pope Leo’s new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas last week.

Warren

He made the announcement surrounded by AI experts, including Anthropic co-founder Chris Olah.

My friends at AXIS, who I often turn to for succinct translations of cultural events through a biblical lens, said, “The pope spoke of the need to ‘disarm’ artificial intelligence so it might become a tool to promote the common good. He insisted that, although the Church won’t always have ‘technical answers,’ it does bring the wisdom that ‘every person is unique and irreplaceable, a free and intelligent subject with a conscience, capable of seeking God, serving one another, caring for our common home.’ His call was for AI to be developed in such a way that these human realities are served, instead of being displaced. And yes, at one point, he did quote Gandalf.” For the full (42,000-word) text, click here.

Christina

Warren, we need to wrap things up here. Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

I was in Knoxville last week attending an event hosted by my former colleagues and good friends at The Colson Center for Christian Worldview. I was able to connect with MinistryWatch readers and listeners. I’ll be in Denver and Colorado Springs in next week. Let me know if you would like to join me for lunch. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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For 50 years, the pro-life movement was united in a common goal: overturn Roe v. Wade. Today, the movement is splintering over questions of funding, accountability, and strategy. In this EXTRA episode, Warren Smith offers advice to the movement to keep it moving forward in the years ahead…forward toward the goal of making abortion not just illegal, but unthinkable.

To read Warren’s “Editor’s Notebook” on which this episode is based, click here.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a new lawsuit claims that church leaders participated in a $200 million ‘sham’ drug program. We’ll take a look.

Plus, sports gambling. Online sports betting continues to explode, causing all kinds of fallout…but many churches have decided it’s not a battle worth fighting. We’ll have details.

And, this week’s look at private jet usage by pastors and ministries.

But first, the lawsuit against McLean Bible Church lives to see another day. A Virginia appellate court has decided that a civil case against David Platt’s McLean Bible Church can continue.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

I subscribe to Kate Bowler’s Substack and read this week that she had spoken at Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City. When she wrote that this United Methodist congregation had 25,000 members, I was a bit incredulous.

Christina

United Methodist churches do not usually grow that large, especially these days.

Warren

So, I did some fact-checking, and she is right, though most online sources also say that weekly attendance at the church is closer to 6,000. Still, that is big. The church is centrist in theology and has so far managed to stay in the United Methodist Church without suffering a meltdown in attendance, though its growth has flattened in recent years. I am going to keep my eye on the church. It will be an interesting bellwether for the future of the UMC.

Christina

Moving on, there’s a leadership transition coming up at a significant Christian organization.

Warren

After nearly six years of service, Kevin Van Horne has stepped down as Executive Director of International Fellowship of Evangelical Students/ USA. His last day was Friday, May 15, 2026. According to a statement from the organization, “Kevin led IFES/USA through a season of significant change, helping to serve our global fellowship and partners well. We are deeply grateful for his leadership and for the ways God has worked through him.” Dave Shepherd (Director of Finance) has been appointed to serve as Interim Executive Director. IFES was a MinistryWatch Shining Light Award winner in 2023 and has maintained excellent ratings from us since then.

Christina

Warren, I know you are always interested in demographics and statistics. But something special caught your attention this week.

Warren

That’s right, and before I say what that was, let me as some rhetorical questions.

What is the most significant problem facing America and the world? Nuclear winter? Global warming? Artificial intelligence? I would submit for your consideration the coming depopulation of the earth. For at least 30 years, most reputable demographers have been saying that the world population growth is slowing and will likely top out soon. By the year 2100 the world will be in the midst of a significant population decline.

Christina

And one thing that caught your attention is just how much this population decline will impact all areas of life on earth.

Warren

That’s right. This decline will have enormous implications for every aspect of life. Cities built for millions of people will disappear, leaving a rotting infrastructure. Economic growth will be impossible. We are already seeing towns in the Midwest and West disappear. That trend will accelerate.

Christina

I’ve got to admit, Warren, that that sounds a bit melodramatic.

Warren

I think it’s fair to be skeptical, but population demographics is one area of social science that has pretty sound prediction models. Birth rates have fallen to record lows, and they don’t change that much from year to year. So it’s actually pretty easy to predict what the population will be in the future. And the numbers don’t look good.

But if these predictions seem a bit melodramatic to you, I suggest reading a new article from The Atlantic, The Great Depopulation. A world with a shrinking and aging population will offer great opportunities for ministry, but for almost every country on the planet, it will be a culturally wrenching reality.

Christina

On May 17, an event called ReDedicate 250 brought speakers to the National Mall in Washington. The speakers included Eric Metaxas, Mark Driscoll, Sean Feucht, and Greg Locke – all men we’ve written about here at MinistsryWatch.

Warren

That’s right. They are a part of what some are now calling the Dissident Christian Right.

Christina

What does that mean?

Warren

They are not quite Christian Nationalist, but not mainstream evangelical, either. Most assessments have judged the event as kind of a bust. A few thousand people attended, but DCR pundits had predicted many more. For example, The Christian Post reported that Robert Jeffress predicted the gathering “could be the nation’s largest religious gathering in more than 50 years.” It is not clear what the attendance figures for this event forbode for the DCR movement, but the weak attendance was a surprise to me and to many who have been following the movement.

Christina

And there was a notable passing last week.

Warren

My friend Bob Woodson died last week at the age of 89. If you do not know about Bob’s life and the legacy he leaves behind, I recommend reading John Stonestreet’s excellent tribute. It was an honor for me to be a part of the Colson Center team that presented Bob with a Wilberforce Award in 2018. He was sui generis. One of one. I will miss him personally, and our country will miss his leadership. I helped arrange a trip for him to The King’s College in 2010 to do a live interview with Marvin Olasky. That interview is worth a listen, and you can find it here.

Christina

Warren, you’ve mentioned before, that you are a fan of Carey Nieuwhof’s leadership podcast. This week he dropped one of his most personal episodes ever.

Warren

He recounts how, about 20 years ago, he experienced a period of profound burnout. It is part of a two-part series on how to avoid burning out. I strongly recommend it. You can find the first episode here.

Christina

Warren, we need to wrap things up here. Any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

I’ll be in Knoxville this week attending an event hosted by my former colleagues and good friends at The Colson Center for Christian Worldview. If you’d like to have lunch with me on Friday, let me hear from you. I’ll be doing similar lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs in June. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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American institutions are facing a crisis in confidence. Those institutions include religious institutions.

That’s why it seems to me that now is a good time to talk about TRUST. How does one build trust? How is trust maintained? What happens when trust is betrayed? How do we know who we should trust?

That’s why I thought a primer on the mechanics of trust would be helpful. That’s the topic of today’s podcast.

To see the “75 Red Flags” document mentioned in today’s episode, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Central Indiana Teen Challenge—associated with the widely known Adult & Teen Challenge addiction recovery ministry—is facing allegations of trafficking and forced labor. Nine young women have filed a lawsuit claiming they were victims of abuse. We’ll have details.

And, a look inside Zoe Ministries. Led by self-proclaimed “Master Prophet” E. Bernard Jordan, the ministry operates a digital pipeline for prophecy and donations while offering limited transparency.

Plus, the value of a volunteer. A new report says the value of a volunteer hour has jumped to $36.14, surpassing the rise of inflation.

But first televangelist James Robison died this week at age 82. He was a friend of politicians and key figure in the Moral Majority movement…who later led a humanitarian organization. James Robison is also the founder of Life Outreach International, a TV and evangelistic ministry. It also works in humanitarian aid, drilling water wells and providing disaster relief.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Mark Wingfield, Kim Roberts, Jessica Etturalde, Richard Levey, Paul Clolery, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to Baptist News Global and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Fidelity Charitable has released an interesting study. Among the findings: “Most pre-retiree and retiree givers (ages 50-80) are committed to giving and avidly supporting their favorite causes. Of the donors surveyed, over half of pre-retirees (56%) and retirees (59%) gave $1,000 or more—and 17% of all donors gave $5,000 or more—to IRS-qualified charities in 2023.”

Christina

Fidelity Charitable may think that level of support is “avid,” but it sounds pretty anemic to me.

Warren

It is. Retirees and so-called “pre-retirees” both give far less than the biblical tithe, or 10 percent of their income, taken in the aggregate. That said, working people in their 50s and 60s are often in their peak earning years, and often have their home paid for and their kids through school, so there is some evidence that they are giving more, just not a lot more relative to their income.

Christina

Any other interesting findings in this study?

Warren

The Fidelity study found that “more than three-quarters of these pre-retirees and retirees (78%) say that charitable giving plays a significant or pretty important role in their lives” and “almost one-quarter of pre-retirees and retirees (24%) say charitable giving is much more important than other financial priorities.”

Christina

Retirees are also spending more time as volunteers.

Warren

“In the last year, over two-thirds of pre-retirees (71%) and over half of retirees (55%) volunteered,” the report said. “Nearly 9 in 10 retired respondents who currently volunteer agree that volunteering is a way to remain active (88%) and connected (91%).”

Christina

Let’s shift gears. The Anglican Church in North America has been in the news lately because of its chaplain corps. There was an ugly split a few months ago. But today, some good news.

Warren

Rear Admiral Carey H. Cash, an ACNA (Anglican Church in North America) chaplain, is the new Chief of Chaplains for the United States Navy Chaplain Corps. Rear Admiral Cash will provide spiritual leadership and pastoral oversight for Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard personnel and their families, strengthening spiritual readiness, moral resilience, and compassionate care in the midst of the unique challenges and demands of military service.

Christina

Warren, I already know that you are sucker for data and lists. Forbes magazine has a new list out, its annual list of billionaires. What can that list say, and what does it mean?

Warren

The new annual list from Forbes says there are now 3,428 billionaires on Earth. In 1987, the year Forbes started keeping track, the list had 140 names. The list included more than 400 new entries to the list.

The growth of rich and super-rich motivated Washington Governor Bob Ferguson to sign into law the state’s first income tax of any kind — a 9.9% “millionaires’ tax” on income over $1 million.

Christina

And even some Christian groups are chiming in the subject.

Warren

The Christian online journal Mere Orthodoxy has an interesting analysis of the list. Its conclusion: the current wealth inequality is unjust.

Christina

But you disagree with most of the conclusions of this article.

Warren

I do. Most of the billionaires are rich because of their ownership in companies that create tens of millions of jobs. And there is that most important and overlooked fact of all in this conversation, and that is that we all die, and none of us take it with us. Most if not all the billionaires on the Forbes list got there because they built companies and stewarded them over time. Their personal wealth is usually incidental to the wealth they have created for others.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I think – as the Bible teaches – that those with wealth have much greater responsibilities. To whom much is given, much is expected. And the Bible has special condemnation for those of us who have wealth and yet ignore the poor, or structural injustices. But to make a blanket statement about the inherent injustice of wealth are painting with too broad a brush, and are ignoring many wealthy yet honorable people of the Bible.

But, in a spirit of equanimity, here is the article. You can decide for yourself if its arguments hold water.

Christina

I also know you cover the world of journalism. And there have been some changes in the conservative journalism space.

Warren

The Daily Wire, after having its day in the sun, appears to be on the decline. The online magazine Puck recently reported a “sudden, precipitous decline of Ben Shapiro’s Daily Wire,” with “sweeping layoffs and a steep drop-off in audience.”

Christina

On the other hand, the more even-handed Dispatch seems to be thriving.

Warren

I was particularly pleased to hear that The Dispatch had promoted my friend Michael Reneau to Executive Editor. According to a statement from The Dispatch, “Michael got his start in local journalism in East Tennessee, rising through the ranks to serve as editor of The Greeneville Sun before moving to national journalism, and eventually serving as editor of WORLD Magazine.”

Christina

You wrapped up your Signs and Wonders column this week with a few statistics from THINQ.

Warren

I was stopped in my tracks by some recent factoids from my friends at THINQ, the Nashville-based ministry led by Gabe Lyons. Among their gleanings: 23.7% of all Christian clergy in the U.S. are women, up from 2.3% in 1960. (Axios). And almost a quarter of American women aged 60 and over (24.3%) are on antidepressants. (CDC) You can sign up for THINQ’s email bulletins here.

Christina

You’re recording today from Dallas. That’s the latest stop in what seems to be a lot of travel this spring.

Warren

I have had a lot of travel, but I’m not suffering. It has been tiring, but a lot of fun. It was a delight to meet with about 25 MinistryWatch supporters in Dallas this week. It is always fun to tell our story, but to tell it to such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience is even more fun.

We will be doing similar events in upcoming weeks in Knoxville, Denver, and Colorado Springs. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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A new study suggests that if Christian missions organizations want to stay relevant in the 21st century, they must adopt this New Paradigm.

For most Christians in the United States, that challenge is difficult to hear, but if the new IGCR study is right, it is a challenge we must meet if American missionary efforts are to stay relevant in the 21st century.

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On today’s program, Minnesota pastors—a husband and wife team—have been accused by the Attorney General’s Office of misusing more than $2 million of ministry funds for personal use. We’ll take a look.

And, author and speaker Jada Edwards on how her journey to radical generosity reshaped her marriage, ministry, and faith. We’ll have details.

Plus, Daystar TV co-founder Joni Lamb dies after health complications. She was 65.

But first, the FBI has charged a woman with threatening federal agents involved in the prosecution of David E. Taylor and his Kingdom of God Global Church.

Before we leave today, I want to mention that I’m in Nashville for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association’s annual meeting, and MinistryWatch received four awards for excellence this year. Stories by me, by Kim Roberts, by Tony Mator won individual prizes. And MinistryWatch as a whole won an award for overall excellence. I just want to thank the entire staff here at MinistryWatch for their excellent work, and I want to thank you, our listeners, readers, and donors, for making our work possible.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Etturalde, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Dan Burrell, Stacey Horton, and Bob Smietana.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Christian colleges are facing a federal challenge.

Emily Belz is reporting for Christianity Today that a new Department of Education regulation “could crater” the programs of Christian colleges.

Belz writes, “The regulation would label a bachelor’s or master’s program a “failure” if its graduates do not earn more than their peers without the degree. Students in these ‘failing’ programs would be ineligible for federal financial aid.”

Christina

Why should Christian colleges be held to a lower standard than other colleges?

Warren

They shouldn’t, but the Christian colleges are saying that this is not an apples-to-apples comparison.

The graduates of engineering or accounting programs at Christian colleges should be compared to engineering and mathematics graduates of secular schools.

But religious and theological studies students are not going into these fields for the money, and they don’t have true analogs in secular schools. The new regulation essentially punishes students for their commitment to a ministry career. The Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities and the Association for Biblical Higher Education are fighting the new rules.

Christina

On May 4, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said the abortion inducing drug mifepristone – used in nearly two-thirds of U.S. abortions – can continue to be prescribed via telehealth, dispensed at retail pharmacies, and delivered to patients in the mail.

Warren

This is a huge setback for the pro-life cause. The Dispatch has provided a helpful “explainer” of what is going on now, especially at the states. Bottom line: thirteen states ban abortion entirely, but with telemedicine, abortions continue in those states. To see the status in all fifty states, click here.

Christina

Speaking of abortion, Ryan Burge injects some data into the conversation.

Warren

He has some graphs showing that support for abortion has gone up over the past 50 years, even among evangelicals. In some cases, support has gone up significantly. But that rise masks an important fact. From about 1997 until about 2007, support for abortion went down. Burge does not track the number of actual abortions, but they went down too.

Christina

So, what happened in 2007?

Warren

The iPhone. Facebook. Twitter. Correlation does not mean causality. But lots of social theorists from Jean Twenge to Jonathan Haidt have suggested that around 2007 is when we stopped talking to each other, and we retreated into our digital foxholes and started lobbing mortars at those in other foxholes. We used to persuade in the public square. Now, we pummel. The public square has become the scene of a cage fight. Whatever you think of my theory, I do suggest you check out Ryan Burge’s data, which you can find here.

Christina

Colorado Springs has long been the mecca for Christian ministries, but in recent years there are signs that the city is losing its appeal.

Warren

The latest sign is the announcement that the pro-life organization Save The Storks is moving from The Springs to Dallas.

The organization said in a statement that the move was “strategic,” to “centralize operations and expand support for women nationwide.”

Christina

They’re not the first to leave.

Warren

CauseIQ estimates that about 20 ministries have moved or shut down in Colorado Springs in the past five years. In 2020, the Christian and Missionary Alliance national headquarters left Colorado Springs and moved to Columbus, Ohio, to be nearer the majority of its churches.

Colorado Springs is still home to Focus on the Family, Compassion International, The Navigators, Young Life, and other major ministries, but as the city does not have a major airport, and – with traffic – downtown Colorado Springs can be two hours from the Denver airport.

Christina

We normally don’t report about ourselves, but we have a few updates this week.

Warren

I was recently on Christianity Today’s podcast The Bulletin. It was my second appearance in as many months. If you do not subscribe to The Bulletin, you can listen here. I also wanted to let you know that MinistryWatch has won recognition for our work from the Evangelical Press Association. Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, and I won awards at the annual meeting in Nashville. I also wanted to mention that we may need to re-name the MinistryWatch 1000 database. As of this week, we now have 1500 ministries in the database, representing more than $55 billion in annual revenue. Thanks to Kim Roberts, Rod Pitzer, Rob Martin, Stephen duBarry for their contributions to growing our database.

Christina

In fact, you and I are both in Nashville this week for the EPA conference. You’ll be on the road next week, too.

Warren

Readers in Dallas, Colorado Springs, and Denver. I will also be in Dallas next week, and I will be holding a lunch for readers. I will be Knoxville later in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I will be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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After a four-year streak of tightening wallets, evangelicals’ giving habits have at last held steady, according to a new study by Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts.

The survey of over 1,000 evangelical Protestants found the average respondent’s generosity level remained virtually unchanged from 2024 to 2025. Compared to 2020, however, the latest numbers show a 31% drop in giving to churches and charities as a percentage of household income. Just 10% of respondents gave nothing to any organization or individual.

“There has been little change over the past year, which is at least some good news. But when you consider the average evangelical Protestant gives away just 2.2% of household income, that good news is a pretty small ray of sunshine in an otherwise cloudy day,” the researchers noted in their report, The Generosity Landscape: How Evangelicals Give.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On this week’s program, embattled Kanakuk Kamps CEO Joe White announced he will retire at the end of this summer. We’ll have details.

Plus, Ligonier Ministries is under scrutiny after it announced that Stephen Nichols, one of its teaching fellows, would be leaving his role. This, around the same time he was excommunicated from St. Andrew’s Chapel. We’ll take a look at the fallout.

And, with many eyes on Iran, one ministry with boots on the ground is encouraging Iranian Christians and sharing the gospel with Muslims affected by the war.

But first, a court has ruled that the Chicago-area church led by well-known pastor Dane Ortlund illegally fired an employee back in 2021.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Stacey Horton, Erik Tryggestad, Bob Smietana, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) has formally asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate comments aired by Jimmy Kimmel during the April 23, 2026, broadcast of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Kimmel’s comments were, as a lot of his comments are, thoroughly tasteless. But if they are not protected speech, clearly covered by the First Amendment, then we are all in trouble.

Christina

And you think it is particularly ironic that the NRB is filing this complaint.

Warren

I do, because the NRB claims to be a champion of free speech. The organization claims to be a “nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators” whose mission is to “protect the free speech rights of our members to speak Biblical truth by advocating those rights in governmental, corporate, and media sectors.” But in recent years, some of its largest members, and the organization itself, has been little more than an unpaid public relations arm for the Republican Party.

Christina

There was also news this week about a little-known arena of pro-life work: embryo adoption, sometimes called “snowflake adoption.”

Warren

The National Embryo Donation Center (NEDC) just announced the addition of two new affiliate clinics, bringing its embryo adoption and donation services closer to families across the country. Dr. Craig Sweet of Embryo Donation International, will serve as the NEDC’s affiliate physician in Fort Myers, Florida, and Dr. Valerie Shavell & her physician partners of The Fertility Center will serve in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with each performing frozen embryo transfers for NEDC patients in their respective regions.

Christina

Embryo adoption is often described as a “life-affirming” option because it gives embryos a chance to be born rather than destroyed. Embryos have been donated from all 50 states.

Warren

Recipients have traveled from across the United States, U.S. territories, and about a dozen foreign countries, including as far away as China, to participate in the program. The NEDC’s website is www.embryodonation.org.

Christina

We have another abortion related story this week.

Warren

In the years since Roe was overturned, the number of abortions has grown to record levels, with two-thirds of them being chemical abortions.

Christina

The recent Supreme Court decision restoring abortion pill access via telehealth is another huge blow to the pro-life movement, erasing any gains made by the overturning of Roe.

Warren

This seems a good moment to state what should be obvious, and that is that we will not eliminate abortion by passing laws. We will eliminate abortions when we change the hearts and minds of Americans about abortion. That means persuading people who disagree with us, not beating them into submission to achieve political goals that do not make a difference. Beating people up makes them less likely, not more likely, to listen to you. Thus endeth the lesson.

Christina

Southern Baptists released new membership data this week.

Warren

Southern Baptist churches saw sustained growth in attendance and baptisms, but the two-decade membership decline continued in 2025, according to a statement from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). Total SBC membership fell by more than 3 percent from 2024 to 2025, dipping to 12,331,954, according to the Annual Church Profile (ACP) compiled by Lifeway Research in cooperation with Baptist state conventions.

Christina

Fewer members belong to Southern Baptist congregations, but more people are attending worship services and small groups and are being baptized. That seems contradictory.

Warren

It does. These seemingly contradictory data probably reflect efforts by the SBC in recent years to clean up their roles. They were listing people as members who were, in some cases, dead or who had long since joined other churches.

There’s also probably a bit of generational difference in attitudes relative to church membership and attendance. Older generations are more likely to be members but not attend. Younger generations are more likely to attend for longer periods before becoming members.

Christina

On average, nearly 4.5 million people attend a Southern Baptist church each week, while more than 2.6 million participate in a small group Bible study or Sunday School class—both up more than 3% compared to 2024 and up for the fourth consecutive year.

Warren

Meanwhile, the number of baptisms increased by nearly 5 percent to well over a quarter of a million, marking five consecutive years of growth and surpassing pre-COVID levels.

Christina

Any final thoughts before you go?

Warren

It was great to visit with readers and donors in Los Angeles and Jacksonville recently. I will be speaking at the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Nashville next week, and I will be holding a reader lunch in Franklin. For precise location, send me an email at wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

I will also be in Dallas and Knoxville later in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I will be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the podcast. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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By Warren Cole Smith

Megachurches are not going away, of course. But data in recent years suggest their growth and numbers are leveling out, and possibly even declining. In 1970, the United States had less than 20 protestant megachurches, churches with more than 2,000 in weekly attendance. Today, that number is close to 2,000, a 100-fold increase. However, this number has been mostly unchanged for the past 10 years. In other words, after a period of explosive growth from 1970 to about 2010, the growth in the number of megachurches, and the number of people who attend them, seems to have stagnated.

Outreach Magazine publishes an annual list of the fastest growing churches in America, and the largest churches in America. I recently compared the most recent list to the list from 2006 — 20 years ago. My analysis was not comprehensive, but it was fascinating.

For example, the largest church on the 2006 list was Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, pastored by Joel Osteen. In 2006 and 2026, the attendance listed was 45,000. No growth whatsoever over a 20-year period.

The No. 2 church on the 2006 list was Florida’s Without Walls International Church, led by Randy White, the former husband of Prosperity Gospel preacher and Trump advisor Paula White. Without Walls had 23,900 attendees in 2006. Today, that church is not on the list. It sold its facility in 2011 following the divorce of Randy and Paula White, not to mention other public scandals. Today, the church still exists, but attendance figures are hard to come by. Attendance is likely in the hundreds or — at most —low thousands. Not the tens of thousands of its heyday.

The No. 3 church on the 2006 church is the Second Baptist Church of Houston, which listed attendance of 22,266 in 2006 and still has attendance of 19,564 today. That is a slight decline over the past two decades, but Second Baptist is still a substantial church and a force in the Houston area.

Rounding out the Top Five on the 2006 list are New Birth Missionary Baptist Church (22,000) and Willow Creek Church (21,500). Both churches have been wracked by scandal and are now much smaller today than then.

In short, not one of the Top Five churches of 2006 grew in the intervening decades, and three of the five had very public scandals that precipitated dramatic declines.

I do not want to overstate my case. As William Bennett famously said, “The plural of anecdote is not data.” I am sharing anecdotes, not data — or at least, not all the data. I will be the first to admit that.

And I can think of a couple of good counterarguments to my thesis that the Age of the Megachurch is over.

First, while these churches have declined, others have emerged, and some of them are very large indeed. For example, Life.Church of Edmond, Okla., led by Craig Groeschel, now claims 85,000 attendees. That makes it the largest church in the nation. Church of the Highlands of Birmingham, Ala., is led by Chris Hodges. That church claims 60,000 attendees. And Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria, Ariz., is both the No. 3 church on this year’s list and it remains one of the fastest growing churches in the country, with 54,142 in weekly attendance.

However, it is worth noting that all three of these churches are multi-site churches. Life.Church has more than 45 physical locations. Church of the Highlands has at least 27 locations. Christ’s Church of the Valley has more than 18 physical locations. The multisite phenomenon was rare in 2006 and nonexistent in 1970. It is obvious that if these multisite churches were not aggregating numbers from dozens of sites, their numbers would be much less eye-popping.

The growth in multi-site churches, and the anemic growth in the number of megachurches also make obvious that American infatuation with megachurches seems to be in decline.

Ryan Burge, my “go to guy” when it comes to church data, notes that the median size of a church in America is about 70 people. Put plainly, the nation’s megachurches attract about five to seven million people each week. But non-megachurches attract 10 times that many — 50 to 70 million people.

In other words, the megachurch is not now, nor has it ever been, representative of the church experience in the United States. Megachurches feel dominant because they receive media attention, and they can invest in radio, television, and other mass media. But that is an illusion.

Will these trends continue? The answer to that question is, likely, “yes.”

First, lots of church leaders, even those in the church growth movement, are growing tired of the megachurch and multisite model. Here at MinistryWatch, we have written about Watermark Church, which abandoned its multisite model in 2021. Most of those sites became independent churches, and they are now thriving. Some of these independent churches have themselves planted churches.

Mark Dever, pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., is someone who has never embraced either the megachurch or the multisite model. His church has intentionally stayed relatively small, less than 1,000 in weekly attendance, and it has been equally intentional about planting churches in the D.C. area. So far, CHBC has helped plant or revitalize more than a dozen churches in the surrounding area.

Secondly, it is important to note that the megachurch is at least as much a cultural phenomenon as it is a spiritual phenomenon. Megachurches are the brainchild of Baby Boomers and the post-World War II industrialization of America and the world. That is why I often refer to the “Evangelical Industrial Complex” to describe what has happened to religious life since the 1970s. The industrial model, with its features of scale and mass production, has proven damaging to the mission of the church, and it has lost its appeal to subsequent generations, who value community and relationships. We can now see that evangelicalism’s industrial model is good at empire building, but not as good at kingdom building.

So, to return to the question that started this conversation: Is the Age of the Megachurch over? The answer to that question may be that it really never was. The sturm und drang of the megachurch movement has turned out to be just what Goethe’s famous expression suggests: overwrought, full of passion, but fleeting. Megachurches will not disappear, but after a half-century of observation, we can say that the legacy of the megachurch is mixed, and includes scandal, spiritual deconstruction, and cynicism.

In short, becoming a megachurch is no longer the goal to which even church growth advocates aspire. Many faithful Christians are discovering the wisdom found along the Old Paths, and they can say with conviction E.F Schumacher might admire: “small is beautiful.”

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Newsboys co-founder Wes Campbell and the band’s musicians are suing multiple defendants for defamation related to stories about former lead singer Michael Tait. Defendants include World Vision, MercyMe, and reporter Julie Roys. We’ll have details.

Plus, police uncovered a multi-year fraud scheme that siphoned more than $3.8 million from a church in New York. We look at lessons churches can take away from this case.

And, a new report shows that church attendance is up for the first time in decades. The growth is not enough to erase earlier declines—but it is noteworthy. We’ll take a look.

But first, another vendor is suing Benny Hinn Ministries for unpaid bills. For years, Benny Hinn Ministries has struggled to pay its debts. Now, another one of its creditors has taken legal action.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Stacey Horton, Erik Tryggestad, Bob Smietana, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

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The True Charity Network held its annual conference last week in Jacksonville, Florida. The conference demonstrated once again that this group is on the forefront of reforming the way the church does charity in the United States.

James Whitford and his wife Marsha are the co-founders of True Charity. I will not belabor their story, as we have told it before here at MinistryWatch.

One of the highlights of last week’s conference was the presentation of the Waypoint Awards. Waypoint Award winners are ministries that have embraced the True Charity model of providing care that is not merely transactional, but truly transformational. This year’s winners are:

ANEW Ministries. This Indiana ministry helps mothers during crisis but continues to work with them through the tough times to get them to a place of true flourishing. It says it “prioritizes being with rather than doing for.” It believes true transformation comes in the context of relationships. (That is a common theme of the True Charity Network.)

Skylark Clinic is a pregnancy resource center in southeast Georgia with three locations and a mobile facility. Skylark offers ultrasound, pregnancy testing, and STD testing. It also has programs for fathers and an “Earn While You Learn” program that allows participants to complete learning modules that earn them points that will pay for maternity/baby items from the organization’s Boutique. Skylark says its goal is not just to help young families through a crisis, but to ask these families, “What does a flourishing future look like for you?”

Joshua’s Place started in the basement of a small house in South Lebanon, Ohio, in 2008. Originally a Free Store Food Pantry with a relational approach, 10 volunteers, and serving just 15 families, the organization has grown to 500 volunteers serving in five school districts. Joshua’s Place offers after school programs and a monthly “Serve Saturday” that brings local churches into a relationship with the people the ministry serves.

Also honored with True Charity’s Excellence in Charity Award was a ministry from Brunswick, Georgia, called Saved by Grace, a residential work program for men.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Bethel Church commissions a third-party investigation into clergy sexual abuse allegations against the church’s Prophetic Ministry Director Ben Armstrong. We’ll have details.

Plus, charities were left with major donation losses when the fundraising platform Flipcase declared bankruptcy—while owing charity groups over $29 million. We’ll take a look.

And, a new report shows that evangelical giving has leveled out after a steep decline…the report also tracked online giving and spiritual engagement.

But first, recent events at Baylor University have sparked concern from Texas Baptists. Baptists with the Baptist General Convention of Texas are going to take a hard look at their relationship with Baylor at this year’s meeting. Concerns relate to two recent events approved by Baylor and hosted by student groups. The first is the student-led Turning Point USA event. And the other alternative event is the LGBTQ-affirming “All Are Neighbors” event. Both events were scheduled to take place on Wednesday this week in separate locations on campus.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kendall Lyons, Faith Pratt, Eric Black, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

A special thanks to Baptist Standard for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m not an avid bird watcher, but I’ve long been interested in the way birds intervene in our lives, our stories, our cultural myths. Think about the story of the raven and the dove in the Genesis account of the flood. Or the use of the dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus said that the foxes have their dens and the birds have their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head to rest. He commanded us to consider the sparrows if we are to learn about the Kingdom of God. One of the most famous stories in western literature is a story told by the Venerable Bede more than a thousand years ago. He tells the story of a bird fleeing a storm and darkness by flying into a great hall. The bird then flies out the other side. The Venerable Bede says that the time the bird spent in the hall was like the span of our lives. Short, and surrounded by mystery. But the Christian story tells us what is beyond the boundaries of our lives, This story is credited with playing a major role in the Christianization of England.

The lessons of birds have concerned Pastor Kevin Burrell for years. And he has written a new book about his adventures with theology and with birds. Considering Sparrows: What Birds Teach us About Who We Are, Where We Are Going, and the Joy of Following Jesus. I love this book, and I am delighted to have Kevin on the program to talk about it.

Kevin Burrell is the co-lead Pastor of StoneBridge Church Community in Charlotte, North Carolina. An avid birder, Kevin’s pastoral heart and avian interests united with the formation of his blog, Ornitheology, where he utilizes birds as illustrations of the Christian life. He lives in Charlotte with his wife Beverly, three children, and five birdfeeders.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On this week’s program, a church child care director has been charged with stealing $500,000 from a Georgia United Methodist Church. Investigators went so far as to call it a ‘criminal enterprise’—and because of it, the church was forced to shut its doors. We’ll have details.

Plus, war in the Middle East has led to a humanitarian crisis for the Lebanese people caught in the crossfire. MinistryWatch reporter Tony Mator rounded up a number of Christian aid organizations rushing to help. We’ll take a look.

And, last year’s deadly Texas floods have led to safety legislation intended to increase safety for campers. But measures meant to make camps safer may instead cause some to close permanently.

But first, Elevation Church increases the number of its campuses across the country. Meanwhile, tithes and attendance are decreasing.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Scott Barkley, Tony Mator, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

A special thanks to Baptist Press and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina, was one of the charter members with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Now, 47 years later, it has left the ECFA. Meanwhile, another scandal-plagued megachurch has also resigned its membership with the ECFA, this time while under review. We’ll take a look at both cases.

Also, almost two years after being stripped of ordination by the Anglican Church, a former bishop is back in ministry. We’ll have details.

And, a Christian school ministry drops from a 5-Star rating for its financial efficiency down to 1 star.

But first, Dad’s Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio, that has been fighting for its right to provide temporary shelter to homeless persons, has finally reached a conclusion to its ongoing legal battle.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Do non-profits contribute to the decline of cities?

Aaron Renn, whose ideas I usually find nourishing, asked that question and came up with what I think is the wrong answer.

Christina

He said they did.

Warren

That’s right, but I think this is one of the rare times his analysis is flawed.

He has an analysis of leadership development in Indianapolis and has (tentatively) concluded that the rise of non-profits could be contributing to the decline of American cities.

I recommend his analysis to you, even though I find it flawed in a number of ways. He is right to note that the number of non-profits has grown dramatically in the past few decades.

Christina

There are about 2 million non-profits in the country today, a huge increase in just the past decade.

Warren

That’s right. And it’s also true that many cities have non-profit leadership and “economic development” programs.

But the analysis fails to note that most American cities have seen a remarkable revitalization over that period. The real crisis in America today is not the decline of cities, but the decline of small towns and the hollowing out of rural America as young people move into the cities that Renn says are in decline. Non-profits are not the problem. Renn, a clear thinker, has nonetheless in this case confused correlation with causation. One of the reasons for the growth of non-profits is their effectiveness in providing solutions to the problems Renn rightly identifies.

Christina

We’ve got links to Renn’s study and other resources that might help with this issue in today’s show notes.

Warren, you took a look at artificial intelligence this week. What did you learn?

Warren

A new study by Tufts University has identified which cities will be most affected by the growth of artificial intelligence. Not surprisingly, San Jose, Calif., home of Silicon Valley, will see the greatest impact. Washington, D.C., comes in at Number 2.

Christina

You can see the complete study in the show notes. But what does this have to do with ministries, and stewardship?

Warren

Fundraising executives and program managers – which includes a lot of non-profit jobs — are among the jobs to be most affected by the growth of AI.

And, by the way, the job expected to be impacted the most, Christina, is journalism. So buckle up!

Christina

The Washington Post had a provocative article about growth in the Catholic Church, but you found the article to be wanting.

Warren

I did.

The Washington Post headline proclaimed it knew “Why Catholicism is drawing in Gen Z men.” The answer: “Young men in their 20s and 30s are increasingly drawn to the Catholic Church as they seek truth, beauty and, yes, girlfriends.”

The only problem: It is not true. At least not true generally. Ryan Burge, who tracks religion statistics, says that the Catholic Church is in decline. Further, weekly church attendance among practicing Catholics is in freefall. According to Burge, “There’s absolutely an uptick in new converts in the last few years. [But] even after these increases, the overall numbers are still significantly down from 2000.” To add insult to injury, more Catholics are becoming evangelicals than vice versa. The Washington Post article has seen a few anecdotes and confused them with data.

Christina

But the article noted that one Catholic diocese in Ohio had grown by 2000 people. That sounds like growth.

Warren

It does, but Burge noted that a single protestant megachurch in Ohio had grown by 2000 people. And not just one, but two churches. So it’s important to put that growth in context.

Christina

While we’re fact checking and myth busting this week, you have another myth to deconstruct.

Warren

It’s what I call the “Overhead Myth.” That’s the idea that non-profits should have as little overhead as possible.

Christina

What’s wrong with trying to reduce overhead expenses?

Warren

Nothing…within reason.

An interesting article at Candid (Guidestar) asserts that “every business pays for overhead, like salaries, rent, and technology, but this doesn’t solely determine whether they are seen as successful.” The article asks, “So why are nonprofits judged differently?” It goes on to say, “The overhead myth states that organizations that spend less on overhead are more effective. But this thinking puts nonprofits at a disadvantage.” The article has a point. The bigger issue is not reducing overhead to zero, but being accountable, transparent, and efficient. I recommend all donors and ministry leaders read this article, which you can find in today’s show notes.

Christina

Finally, Warren, I know a lot of our listeners have been following the Artemis moon mission. There’s a faith angle to this story.

Warren

My friend Bobby Ross, Jr., has written a great article about Victor Glover, the pilot of the Artemis II ship currently coming home from the moon. Glover is active in Southeast Church of Christ in the Houston suburb of Friendswood, Texas. His elder flew to Florida to witness the liftoff of the Artemis mission. To read a 2021 interview with Glover in which he discusses his faith, and taking communion in space, again, go to day’s show notes.

Christina

Any final notes before we go?

Warren

I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April. I’ll be speaking at the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Nashville in June. I’ll also be in Dallas and Knoxville in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I’ll be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

And since we were talking about the Overhead Myth, it’s probably worth mentioning again that you have written about our rating system, and that article might be helpful for those wanting to dig deeper into this issue.

Warren

That’s right. I’ve written about the pros and cons of rating systems, and explained why – despite the cons – we think rating ministries is important. But how you do it matters. I’ll have a link to an article explaining our rating system in today’s show notes.

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, I read a lot of books about money, stewardship, philanthropy, and related topics. That’s probably not a surprise. After all, that’s what we do here. These topics are our “beat.”

But I don’t often run across a book like John Coleman’s new book Good Money: Six Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose. I can honestly say that this is the best book I’ve read on this topic in a very long time. That’s why I’m excited to have John on the program today.

What makes this book different is that it starts by talking about such ideas as purpose, calling, happiness, and flourishing – both individual flourishing and human flourishing generally. How can money, and our approach to money, contribute to what God is doing in the world? Along the way, John takes a hard look at work and retirement. Why do we work, and is retirement even a biblical category? We’ll discuss these questions and more in today’s podcast.

John Coleman is an investor, writer, and speaker. He is the co-CEO of Sovereign’s Capital, which invests in public equities, private equity, and venture capital. He has prior experience at McKinsey & Company, Invesco, and Bridgewater Associates.

As I mentioned in today’s program, we are offering John’s book Good Money as our thank you gift for the month of April. If you’d like to receive your own copy so you can explore the ideas we discussed today more deeply, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Robert Morris is released from jail after serving 6 months behind bars. The former megachurch pastor released a statement apologizing to Cindy Clemishire, who he abused when she was just 12 years old. We’ll take a look.

And, a Christian school teacher has been charged for using AI to create child sexual abuse materials using the faces of his students. We look at steps parents can take to protect their children.

Plus, red kettle rebound. The Salvation Army released numbers from the 2025 holiday season, and they showed an uptick in both in-person and online donations.

But first, the Presbyterian Church in America is speaking out in defense of Stephen Nichols after St. Andrew’s Chapel publicly excommunicated him.

A special thanks to The Nonprofit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

Military chaplains will no longer indicate their rank on their uniforms, according to a new order from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegspeth. People I’ve talked with tell me they generally think that’s a good thing. Enlisted personnel might be intimidated to talk with chaplains about deeply personal issues if they know that chaplain is a senior officer. Progressive groups opposing the move include Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation.

Christina

Up next, a new study by Pew found that nearly 98 percent of U.S. adults live within range of at least one religious radio station.

Warren

And that about 25 percent of all AM/FM stations are dedicated to religious programming.

The U.S. has about 4,000 religious stations and about half of American adults spend at least some time each week listening to religious audio content, including radio, podcasts, and streaming, and – this is one of the most interesting findings – about 39 percent of listeners are non-Christians.

Christina

I guess it’s a good thing that non-Christians are listening to Christian programming.

Warren

It is good, but there is also another side to that coin. A lot of Christian radio stations have started programing for that non-Christian audience. You’ll hear branding like “Safe for the Entire Family” rather than distinctly Christian branding and programming. Some people think this trend has watered down Christian radio. Christian writer David Murrow says “Safe for the Entire Family” has made Christian radio boring and risk-free. He advocates for edgier music on music stations, and more teaching and talk.

Christina

While we’re on the subject of media, a new movie out now is getting a lot of buzz from Christian commentators – and it’s not a Christian movie.

Warren

I haven’t seen the new Ryan Gosling movie Project Hail Mary, but people I respect are giving it great reviews.

Aaron Renn says, “In an era of male loneliness and confusing messages about manhood, Project Hail Mary models problem-solving, purpose, and fatherly strength without apology.” Brett McCracken, writing for The Gospel Coalition, says it offers the “good, clean fun moviegoers have missed.” McCracken concludes, “Project Hail Mary doesn’t preach the gospel. But it makes virtue look good. It makes selflessness, sacrifice, and duty attractive. If the movie is a huge hit—and I expect it will be—perhaps Hollywood will take the hint. We’re not in postmodernism anymore. Goodness, truth, and beauty are attributes we want in art again. Really, they’re what we’ve always wanted.”

Christina

Is the movie a hit?

Warren

It is. The movie opened at number 1 in the U.S. and held that position through its second week. So far, worldwide box office is around $300 million. That’s a huge hit by any reasonable standard.

Christina

Warren, you read an article this week that caught your attention.

Warren

I commend to you an article by my friends John Stonestreet and Tim Padgett of The Colson Center. I’ll link to it in the show notes. They share the hard truth that neither political party has a right to the pro-life label these days. Of the Democrats they say, abortion is not merely a plank in the progressive party’s platform. It is the chief commitment of the worldview that dominates America. It is, for many, a sacrament to recognize, enshrine, and honor autonomy. Abortion is not merely a legal right of a decadent society. It is a rite of worship, specifically a way to worship the idols of self, state, and sex.”

Christina

But they don’t let the Republicans off the hook, either.

Warren

They write, “The GOP was once a prolife party, but now openly endorses chemical abortion and unregulated IVF, the two most common ways to kill preborn children in America.” They conclude, “There is no such thing as a Christian not called, to some degree, to oppose abortion and defend preborn lives. We need not attend every march or express every outrage. We must, however, protect every vulnerable life, support every vulnerable mother and father, and advance the Christian understanding of human dignity every chance we are given.”

Christina

Our final story today is about the ministry rating systems. An organization called Charity Watch wrote an article that found fault with Charity Navigator’s rating system.

Warren

Charity Watch found fault with the 4-Star rating that Charity Navigator gave to OUR Rescue, formerly Operation Underground Railroad. I won’t get into the weeds of their analysis here except to say that Charity Watch is right. OUR Rescue should not have a 4-Star rating.

Christina

That’s why MinistryWatch gives OUR Rescue a 1-Star rating, our lowest score for financial efficiency.

Warren

Christina

Any final notes before we go?

Warren

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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We consider our ratings of ministries to be one of the most important things we do. It is also unique. No other organization rates Christian ministries, taking into account financial efficiency, board governance, transparency, and other issues.

In today’s EXTRA episode, I explain our rating system. Here are a few resources I mention in today’s program:

For a more complete explanation of our Financial Efficiency Rating, click here.

For a fuller explanation of our Transparency Grade, click here.

For a fuller explanation of our Donor Confidence Score, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more turmoil at St. Andrew’s Chapel in Florida—the church started by R.C. Sproul. Allegations surface as the church grapples with the fallout of recent excommunications. We’ll have details.

And, World Water Day was last week, and that prompted us to look at ministries that are in the clean water business. Which ones should you support? We’ll take a look.

Plus, former Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines died last week at 68 after a bout with cancer. He led one of the SBC’s largest churches for nearly two decades.

But first, a former PCA pastor was sentenced this month to 30 years in prison for abusing a minor.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Isaac Wood, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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As you can read elsewhere on MinistryWatch, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is now 25 years old. Despite the good intentions of those who founded it, the office – like many government entities – has outlived its usefulness and needs to end.

Resources mentioned in today’s program:

David Kuo’s 2006 book Tempting Faith.

2001 Cato commentary “The Federalist Case Against Faith-Based Initiatives” by Robert Levy.

2001 Cato briefing paper “Corrupting Charity: Why Government Should Not Fund Faith-Based Charities” by Michael Tanner.

Richard Land, longtime president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and now Executive Editor of The Christian Post expressed strong reservations, famously warning that government “shekels” would bring “government’s shackles.”

Marvin Olasky, a key intellectual figure behind “compassionate conservatism” and an advisor to George W. Bush during his Texas governorship, played a role in conceptualizing the original Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, as early as 2002 began to have concerns about the office.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction

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On today’s program, Angelus Temple in Los Angeles—widely considered the first U.S. megachurch—has replaced its longtime pastors Matthew and Caroline Barnett. The announcement came after a sabbatical turned into a permanent separation. We’ll have details.

And, current news often leads to urgent fundraising pleas—but is your money going where you think it’s going? A recent example sought money to get Bibles to Iran, and prompted MinistryWatch to take a deeper look.

Also, the latest list from the MinistryWatch 1000 database—a look at ministries that do not file a Form 990. That list is getting longer, and why it matters.

But first, former New Life Church pastor Brady Boyd is starting his own church services less than 5 miles from his old church.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks, and Jessica Eturralde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

James Talarico, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, is using religious language to appeal to moderate voters. Conservative and Christian commentators have rightly called out Talarico for trying to make the Bible say what it clearly doesn’t say. I especially commend to you this article by my friends and former colleagues John Stonestreet and Tim Padgett.

Christina

We’ll have a link to that article in today’s show notes.

Warren

That’s great. I hope a lot of our listeners will read that piece.

The bad news, though, is that it is likely that Talarico will likely fool a lot of people whose faith has been poorly formed, or non-Christians who nonetheless want to appear faith friendly. It doesn’t help that the GOP has chosen prosperity gospel spokespeople such as Paula White to carry their banner. I think critiques of Talarico’s heresies would have more credibility if those critics had also been on record calling out prosperity gospel heresies. (Just for the record, Stonestreet has.

Christina

Again, we’ll link to an article he wrote, a critique of White and the prosperity gospel, in today’s show notes, here.)

Warren

Again, I’m glad, because I think both articles taken together are a good reminder that heresies pull us away from the gospel from all directions, not just from one or two.

Christina

Warren, the next item was of particular interest to us, since we work for one of the publishers the article talks about.

Warren

Axios published an article this saying “Smaller web publishers, with 1,000–10,000 daily page views, are experiencing the most precipitous traffic declines in the AI era, according to new Chartbeat data.” Artificial intelligence has meant that more people are getting answers to questions directly from AI and not by clicking on the results of Google searches.

Christina

My own experience confirms that. I’m using AI more and more.

Warren

Me, too. When I “google” something, I often don’t click on the links anymore, but just read the two or three sentence AI generated answer.

Christina

But that’s hurt the traffic of small publishers.

Warren

It has. Axios continues: Over the past two years, referral traffic from traditional search engines has declined by 60% for small publishers, compared with 47% for medium-sized publishers and 22% for large publishers, per Chartbeat. Medium-sized publishers are outlets with 10,000–100,000 daily page views, on average. Large publishers are those with more than 100,000 daily page views on average.”

Christina

For the record, MinistryWatch fits into the “medium” category, and we have seen our page views go up steadily over the past two years.

Warren

Last year, we had about 4-million-page views on our site. This year, we are on track for about 4.5 million.

Christina

We write a lot about the state of evangelicalism here at MinistryWatch, and there’s now a new book out that critiques evangelicalism as a movement consumed by conspiracy theories.

Warren

You’re right. We do write a lot about the overall state of evangelicalism. I have my own issues with evangelicalism. I even wrote a book about it! (A Lover’s Quarrel With The Evangelical Church.)

One of the reasons I wrote that book was my concern that most critiques of evangelicalism were from those who had no real interest in the church’s health and restoration. They were merely ham-fisted attempts to take down the church. Jared Stacy’s new book Reality In Ruins,unfortunately, fits into that category. That’s why I was delighted to read Bonnie Kristian’s lengthy and thoughtful review of the book at Christianity Today.

She does a fantastic job dismantling the exaggerated arguments of the book while, at the same time, acknowledging that what Jared Stacy describes is indeed true of some of the darker corners of the evangelical movement.

While We’re At It. Check out Bonnie Kristian’s Substack. It’s one of the few “blogs” (Is Substack a blog? Are blogs still a thing?) that I read from beginning to end.

Christina

We also note a passing this week.

Warren

You may have heard that Paul Ehrlich died last week. He was 93. Ehrlich made news in the 1960s called The Population Bomb, which predicted widespread starvation and war as a result of overpopulation. Liberals used the book to promote abortion, contraception, and homosexuality as an “evolutionary adaptation” to procreative unions.

Christina

Ehrlich turned out to be spectacularly wrong about this and many other matters.

Warren

The real reason for population growth in the 20th century was the worldwide increase in living standards and lifespan. As population expert Steven Moshertold me, “The reason the population grew was not because we were breeding like rabbits, but because we were no longer dying like flies.” But we’ve likely reached the end of longevity increases, so if birthrates stay the same, look for population declines in most countries in the world in the decades ahead. That’s already happening in much of Europe.

Christina

You also note this week that shopping malls are making a comeback.

Warren

Shopping malls have been distressed for the past decade or more, with many of them closing down or being repurposed.

But my friends at Axis, a Christian ministry that helps parents keep an eye on youth culture and how it’s affecting kids, noted this week that “Gen Z is driving a resurgence in mall shopping, with many malls redesigning public spaces to be more “photogenic” and social-media friendly, as well as popular online stores like Edikted opening brick-and-mortar locations.”

Christina

Is this an anomaly or a new direction?

Warren

It may be too early to tell. But it could be the 2.0 version of the social media era, an era that provides an antidote to social media isolation with a dose of 80s and 90s mall culture.

Christina

Any final notes before we go?

Warren

I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Nashville in May, where I’ll be speaking to the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. And I’ll be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs, Colorado, in June. I will be doing reader lunches in all three cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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In this week’s EXTRA episode, we talk about unsung heroes. We want to tell more of their stories here at MinistryWatch.

I do not want you to think we are getting soft. We will continue to engage in the fact-based analysis and deeply reported accountability journalism we have always done. But we would like to include more stories featuring below-the-radar Christian leaders serving faithfully in communities all over the country. So, drop me a line. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

I cannot wait to hear your stories.

For a link to a transcript of today’s episode, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, 22 plaintiffs who say they were abused at a Christian children’s homes in Romania are suing Harvest Christian Fellowship—who sponsored the children’s homes—and its famous pastor, Greg Laurie, claiming the church knew about the abuse and could have stopped it.

Plus, are Donor Advised Funds right for you—things you should consider before choosing.

And, a businessman is looking to donate a historic college campus to a ministry focused on “spiritual revival of our Christian faith.”

Also, Beth Moore will be ending her popular Living Proof events in 2027.

But first, a Virginia judge has ruled that a discrimination lawsuit against Liberty University can move forward.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Fredrick Nzwili, Bob Smietana, and Jessica Eturralde.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christina

Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.

In today’s extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”

So, Warren, what’s up first?

Warren

This week, I’ve been thinking a bit about Lonnie Frisbee, one of the more interesting and tragic figures of American Evangelicalism was Lonnie Frisbee.

Christina

He was a key figure in the so-called “Jesus Revolution” of the 1970s, and he helped found two church movements still around today: Calvary Chapel and Vineyard Churches.

Warren

That’s right. He influenced John Wimber, Greg Laurie, and many others. He died this week (March 12) in 1993 of AIDS.

But before he died, he had an outsized impact on the Jesus Revolution, both for good and for ill. I won’t go into his biography here, but if you check out my “Signs and Wonders” column this week, I have a link to a longer story I did about him a few years ago. It will be in the show notes for today’s program.

To read more about Frisbee and the mark he left on American Evangelicalism, click here.

Christina

You’ve also been thinking about Kazakhstan this week.

Warren

Yes, it might sound strange, but I am paying attention to Kazakhstan this week.

Christina

That seems kind of random. Is there a reason?

Warren

They vote on Friday on a new constitution, the third constitution since 1993. Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world by land mass. And within Kazakhstan is the largest lake in the world, the Caspian Sea, which is not a sea at all, but a massive lake the size of the state of Montana.

Christina

But for all its size, it has only about 20 million people.

Warren

A long-time Soviet satellite, it is an independent nation with a sizable Christian population – about 20 percent. However, it is a country that has a history of human rights, free speech, and civil liberties violations. Critics say the new constitution will further consolidate power with the country’s chief executive. Christian ministries operating in Kazakhstan include the Kazakhstan Baptist Union, Youth for Christ, Salvation Army, Operation Mobilization, and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

Christina

Another event happening this week is a bit outside of MinistryWatch’s normal coverage, but is a huge cultural event. That’s the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.

Warren

South by Southwest, commonly called “South by,” is one of the largest tech, movie, music, and culture events in the country. It regularly draws 120,000 to Austin, Texas. I covered SXSW for WORLD and was always able to find some explicitly Christian events going on.

Last year, there was a significant faith component to the proceedings. Silicon Valley Christian hosted SVC at SXSW. It was the largest explicitly Christian gathering at South by this year. Last year’s event included a “keynote conversation” with actor Zachary Levi, cultural conversations about Christianity in tech spaces, and music, including musicians Matt Maher and For King and Country.

The details on this year’s event are vague, though its Sunday worship service appears still to be on. Christian artists appearing at South by this week include Mission and Sam Llanes.

Christina

South by Southwest has a significant technology component. In fact, it was at South by that Twitter was first rolled out, in the early 2000s. From those beginnings, social media has gone on to take over the world in many ways.

Warren

That’s right, but now new laws are attempting to limit social media, especially in the lives of young people. One of those new laws was recently passed in Virginia.

Christina

But WORLD Magazine reports that a federal judge on Feb. 27 temporarily paused enforcement of the Virginia law.

Warren

The law would limit minors under 16 to one hour of screen time per social media platform per day.” The law was supported by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the state’s attorney general, and an overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Virginia legislature.

Christina

Nonetheless, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles sided with NetChoice, an industry trade group representing YouTube, Google, X, Netflix, and other platforms.

Warren

The judge said the law violated First Amendment free speech protections. Giles said the 2025 law “burdens more speech than necessary as it requires all persons to verify their age before accessing speech that is protected for everyone.” The state has appealed the ruling.

Christina

And there’s more trouble in the Anglican Church in North America.

Warren

ACNA appointed Bishop Julian Dobbs to be its acting archbishop back in November, when Archbishop Steve Wood was credibly charged with sexual harassment of one of his employees.

Now, old accusations that Dobbs misappropriated $47,862 have been raised by one of his rivals, Bishop Derek Jones.

Christina

Jones left ACNA a few months ago following a controversy over his leadership of the military chaplains. He has formed a new denomination called the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church.

Warren

Dobbs is now suing Jones for defamation. Dobbs says the disputed sum is $3,750, and the money was not misappropriated, but temporarily put into the wrong back account. The mistake was caught and quickly corrected. Former Archbishop Foley Beach backs up Dobbs’ version of the story. Dobbs asked a federal court in Alabama to order Bishop Derek Jones to pay compensatory and punitive damages.

Christina

That brings us to the end of this week’s conversation. Any final notes before we go?

Warren

A few. Did you know I also write fiction? I published a novel back in 2017, and I’m working on a new novel now. The Blacklist, an influential community of screenwriters and novelists, is featuring my novel-in-progress Up The American on its site this week. If you want to read the excerpt they are publishing, I’ll link to it in today’s show notes.

I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Dallas in May. I will be doing reader lunches in both cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

Christina

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, with my co-host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s Extra episode, some reflections on the life of former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. Ben Sasse spoke plainly when he announced his cancer diagnosis a couple of weeks ago. In his public letter announcing the diagnosis, Sasse wrote: “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.” But, as Sasse reminds us, we are going to die one day, and we should let that knowledge burn away the idols in our lives and teach us how to live. His candor, his clear-eyed but hopeful posture toward death, offers lessons for us all.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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CHRISTINA
Hello, everyone, I’m Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch, and today we’re
inaugurating a new feature here on the MinistryWatch podcast. Here’s Warren Smith, the
President of MinistryWatch, to explain.

WARREN
That’s right, Christina.
For the past couple of years, I’ve been writing a column called “Signs and Wonders.”
“Signs and Wonders” is a column that shares thoughts on news items that either do not rise to the
level of a news story for MinistryWatch or are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal
charity and philanthropy “beat.” My goal with the column was to be punchy, opinionated, and
not to worry much about being slightly off brand.

CHRISTINA
And that approach has worked. Your “Signs and Wonders” column is often among our top ten
stories of the week.

WARREN
So, after talking with you about that, we decided to do this audio version of the column. We
won’t be posting this on the website. After all, the “Signs and Wonders” column itself is already
there, but we will be dropping this into the podcast feed each week, and we hope you enjoy it.

CHRISTINA
So what’s up first?

WARREN
This week, the National Religious Broadcasters became the Pro-War Religious Broadcasters.
It is not clear to me why the National Religious Broadcasters felt a need to issue a statement in
support of Trump’s War this morning, but it did. I will not reprint it here. You can find it online if
you are so inclined.

CHRISTINA
But it appears that the NRB might have outkicked its coverage, as they say in football.

WARREN
That’s right. The Associated Press reports this week that even among the president’s hardcore
media supporters there is division. It will be interesting to see of MAGA media faithful
remain…well…faithful. As up Wednesday, the American death toll is up to six people. The total
death toll has topped 800.

CHRISTINA
We don’t cover a lot of international news here at MinistryWatch, but you wanted to highlight
the worsening situation in Nigeria.

WARREN
The situation in Nigeria is not getting as much attention in the U.S. as it deserves. Islamic
radicals are trying to impose Sharia law to a large swath of the country, and local residents are
resisting. What is happening in Nigeria could erupt into a larger conflict.

CHRISTINA
Nigeria has more than 230 million people, with Christians making up 40% of the
population.

WARREN
If what is happening in Nigeria explodes into a full-blown religious war, the consequences could
be devastating. More than a dozen Christian ministries, including Cru, Samaritan’s Purse,
Compassion International, World Vision, and SIM International have a presence in the country.

CHRISTINA
Closer to home, you’ve turned your attention to Christian romance novels.

WARREN
I was interested in and mildly frustrated by an article in Christianity Today about Christian
romance writer Jeannette Oke. The 91-year-old author has sold more than 30 million copies of
her soapy, sentimental books.

CHRISTINA
Several of them have been turned into Hallmark movies.

WARREN

I was interested because the story was well-written and fact filled. I was frustrated because the
story failed to note that the romance genre has killed serious fiction in this country. Some reports
say romance novels account for 30 percent of adult fiction sales. Maybe I’m just getting old
and crotchety, but — in my view — “Christian Romance Novel” is an oxymoron. The
sentimentality of a “romance novel” are in active war against the realism of true Christian
fiction. Can you imagine a Christian publisher today bringing out Flannery O’Connor or Wendell
Berry or Walker Percy?

CHRISTINA
Warren, let’s pivot and talk about a controversy involving the beloved Minneapolis preacher and
ministry leader John Piper.

WARREN
He stirred social media last week by tweeting a Bible verse. That Bible verse is Leviticus 19:34.
“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love
him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”

CHRISTINA
But what seemed to generate the controversy was a one line comment he added.

WARREN
He then added this comment: “Christians know the miserable bondage we were all in.”

CHRISTINA
The post has (so far) gotten 1.9 million views and about 2000 comments. So why do you think
the tweet got so much attention?

WARREN
The tweet is controversial because our current immigration policy is polarizing. Some of Piper’s
critics have included Calvary Chapel Chino Hills pastor Jack Hibbs and James Lasher of
Charisma Magazine. One of my more perceptive readers, Salvatore Luiso, emailed me that it
was “sadly ironic” that Piper is being criticized for taking a Bible verse out of context by people
in the charismatic movement who engage in “absurd interpretations of Bible verses taken out of
context.” He has a point.

CHRISTINA
Speaking of the charismatic movement, Paula White-Cain is at it again.

WARREN

At a conference in Florida called the Unleashed Conference, covered by Christian Leader, she
urged attendees last week to give a “sacrificial seed…out of obedience to God, and she tied their
giving to spiritual breakthroughs.”

CHRISTINA
The 2026 Unleashed Conference took place in late February, and featured speakers including
former Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Anglican priest Calvin Robinson.

WARREN
In other words, people who should have known better than to associate with Paula White-Cain,
who was investigated by Sen. Charles Grassley a dozen years ago.

CHRISTINA
Can you give us a taste of what she said?

WARREN
Yes, here is a taste of White’s message: “How many of you want to be a blessing?” she asked.
“Because I’m telling you, there’s an anointing of release right now. I want $100,000 to come in. I
want $100,000. There are ten people that could give $10,000. There’s a hundred people that
could give $1,000. Get a check, make it payable to Paula White Ministries,” said White-Cain. “If
you say, ‘I don’t have it,’ give a $100. Bring up a sacrificial seed.”
To which I can only add: Stay as far away as possible from this charlatan’s theology.

CHRISTINA
Warren, I’ve noticed in your social media feeds you often remember fallen military heroes. And
this week you are remembering John Chapman. Who was he?

WARREN
John Chapman died in combat on this date in 2002. He was the first Airman awarded the Medal
of Honor since the Vietnam War. If you don't know about him, check out this article. I highly
recommend taking some time with it. It is the powerful story of a true American hero. And, I
might add, the battle which cost him his life and for which he got the Medal of Honor, was
captured on video by a drone that was flying over the battle to provide support. The video can be
found on social media and it is done tastefully. It’s not graphic. And I recommend finding it and
getting a more immersive understanding of this hero’s story. I should add that Chapman was a
husband, father, and a committed Christian as well.

CHRISTINA

Any closing thoughts?

WARREN
I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be
in Los Angeles in April and Dallas in May. I will be doing reader lunches in both cities. Let me
know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com.

CHRISTINA
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Christina Darnell, with my co-host
Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Global Outreach Developments International—which goes by the name G.O.D. International—is in the hot seat after a lawsuit claims the Nashville-based ministry and its former leader engaged in sex trafficking and forced labor. We’ll have details.

Also, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is rolling out its new LeaderCare standard—we have compiled practical steps to help ministries develop their own plan and come into compliance with the new standard.

Plus, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz proposes taking Trey’s Law to the federal level, making non-disclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse unenforceable. And, U.S. Foreign Missions faces a time of upheaval—although elsewhere, cross-cultural ministry remains robust.

But first, a prominent North Carolina pastor and leader with the Acts 29 Network has been removed from leadership after confessing to an ‘inappropriate relationship.’ Tyler Jones is vice president for Acts 29 and founder of Vintage Church in Raleigh, N.C. Last month, he confessed the inappropriate relationship to the Vintage Church elders…who then voted to remove Jones from his role, effective immediately. Acts 29 also dismissed him from his VP position.

A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

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Today on the podcast, I’m pleased to welcome Dr. Clint Pressley. Dr. Pressley has been serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, since his election in June 2024 — and he was reelected to a second term in June 2025. That means, of course, that he is coming to the end of his tenure as president, and I wanted to sit down with him to reflect on his time as president, and to look at some of the issues facing the SBC and evangelicalism in general.

Before stepping into this national leadership role, Clint Pressley has spent decades in pastoral ministry, most notably as the senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has faithfully shepherded his congregation since 2011. His journey in ministry began in his youth and has taken him across multiple states and church contexts — from Mississippi to Alabama and back to North Carolina — shaping a pastoral heart deeply grounded in Scripture and committed to gospel proclamation.

A graduate of Wofford College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Pressley has also served in key denominational capacities for years, including as vice president of the SBC and as a trustee and former chairman of the board for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Beyond his leadership roles, he is known for emphasizing unity, doctrinal fidelity, and mission focus within the convention. Today, he joins us to reflect on his vision for Southern Baptists, the challenges and opportunities facing the church, and what it means to lead with conviction rooted in faith.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, families who lost children at Camp Mystic last year are suing Texas state officials for licensing the camp despite its lack of an evacuation plan. We’ll have details.

And, fundraising on commission—it may seem like a win-win scenario, but experts say the ethical issues outweigh any benefits. We’ll take a look.

Plus, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is closing down one of its central hubs where Methodists have been assembling relief kits since 1996 to send across the country after disasters.

But first, more controversy at Bethel Church in Redding, California.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Isaac Wood, David Roach, Diana Chandler, and Makella Knowles.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I started getting emails from Elizabeth Carlock Phillips in February of 2021 – five years ago this month. She wanted to tell me about sex abuse and the coverup of abuse at Kanakuk Kamps. That conversation began MinistryWatch’s five-year journey (so far) to cover Kanakuk, Trey’s Law, the use of non-disclosure agreements in Christian environments, and related issues. In today’s episode, Warren Smith talks about the woman behind the movement.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a judge has denied the request of two Gateway Church elders who were seeking to be dismissed from a defamation lawsuit filed by Robert Morris’ sexual abuse victim, Cindy Clemishire. We’ll have details.

Also, three seminaries and one Christian college have partnered with Kanakuk Institute to train Christian leaders—but abuse advocates are crying foul, saying the partnership could send the wrong message, potentially glossing over Kanakuk’s checkered past.

Plus, a new study shows that despite federal funding cuts, most nonprofits are still reporting a revenue increase. And, Best Christian Workplaces champions 310 faith-based organizations.

But first, another Christian college has announced that it’s closing its doors at the end of this school year.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Two weeks ago, I was in Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay area of California, to attend a meeting about artificial intelligence and missions. I entered the meeting with a lot of questions, and some of those questions remain – plus a few new ones.

But I also got a lot of answers, and I’m excited about what the future holds. Give a listen, and I think you will be too.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sued a small church in California for legal title to its property—but that small church is fighting back. We’ll have details.

And, a hacker drained $85,000 from an Oklahoma church’s bank account. Then in North Dakota, a woman was indicted for stealing over $600,000 from a church she worked at. Both cases highlight why ordinary access to church finances can equal extraordinary losses—and the need for tightening protocols.

Also, six months ago, Barnabas Aid came under scrutiny for accusations of financial mismanagement. Now, under new leadership, the ministry is working hard to turn things around. Plus, Bible Study Fellowship prepares its new headquarters in Grapevine, Texas.

But first, Agape Flights, a Christian aviation ministry, lost contact with one of its planes last Thursday. The next day, search and rescue teams found the plane crashed in the Haitian mountains. No one on board survived the crash.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Scott Barkley, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you have studied what it means to have a Christian worldview or – for that matter – you have just studied the Bible, you know that it all begins with the creation story. “In the beginning, God created.”

And if we are made in God’s image, that means we are creative, too, and a part of our maturity in Christ is to more fully live into that mandate to be creators. And I don’t just mean what some call “creative” professions, such as music, literature, and other arts. I mean woodworkers, homemakers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and plumbers.

We are hearing more talk about creativity in recent years. Sometimes it takes the form of organizations committed to Christians and the arts. The Rabbit Room, co-founded by Andrew Peterson is an example. The International Arts Movement, founded by Makoto Fujimura is another. Andy Crouch’s work with Praxis also comes to mind.

But I have never heard anyone approach this topic in quite the way my guest today, Jim Edwards, has. His book “To Invent is Divine” examines human creativity as it relates to property rights – all within the framework of a Judeo-Christian principles of stewardship and ownership. He looks at America’s patent system and how laws protecting intellectual property have encouraged creativity. He is also concerned, however, that those laws are eroding and the principles of intellectual property protection are weakening in an era of artificial intelligence.

Jim Edwards has a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. He has had a long career in public policy and intellectual property consulting. He was a Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute, and in 2017 was honored with the Eagle Award from the Eagle Forum’s Education and Legal Defense Fund.

I had this conversation with Jim via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, WaterStone is being sued by a client who claims that the donor-advised fund cut him off from his family’s account. The results of this case could have larger implications for the rights of donors and other donor advised funds. We’ll have details.

Also, the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign is back for the 2026 Super Bowl—but under new leadership, this year’s ad is less political, more personal. We’ll take a look.

And, a new study shows that American donors think they’re a whole lot more generous than they actually are. Plus, the Christian Broadcasting Network announced job cuts this week as part of a larger ‘workforce realignment.’

But first, The president of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was arrested last week for child pornography.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Isaac Wood, Marci Seither, Stacey Horton, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

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On today’s program, a report reveals past sexual abuse among the Christian scouting program, the Royal Rangers. Now, the Assemblies of God—who heads up the group—is being criticized for not providing adequate safeguards. We’ll have details.

And, the popular Passion Conference attracted some 60-thousand young people to its flagship event earlier this month, bringing in millions of dollars —but a deep dive into the ministry’s financials shows a lack of transparency in how that money is being used. We’ll take a look.

Plus, one week ago, tens of thousands of pro-lifers flooded the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the 2026 March for Life. But just how unified is the pro-life movement? We’ll try to answer that question.

But first, the Jesus Film has become one of the most widely viewed films ever, having been used by missionaries for decades to share the gospel. Now, the Jesus Film Project is shifting away from in-person relationships and is focusing on digital products.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Diana Chandler, Jessica Eturralde, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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This is a question that should be vital for Christians, especially since the Great Commission makes growing Christianity one of most important concerns.

But do we really know?

In today’s episode, Warren Smith says we know the answer to this question. It’s hiding in plain sight. It is this: The church grows when we are fruitful and multiply, and when we raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

It really is as simple as that.

To read a script of today’s podcast episode, click here.

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On today’s program, Cities Church in Minneapolis is considering legal options after protestors stormed its church service Sunday in response to the government’s immigration measures in the city. We’ll have details.

And, philanthropists are turning to family offices to manage their wealth—but what are they, why have they grown so much in the past decade, and how will it impact ministries? We’ll take a look.

Plus, Missouri passed a law to hold boarding schools accountable after several were shut down over allegations of neglect and abuse. Now, another ministry is fighting that law, saying its broad requirements are infringing on its religious freedom.

But first, Apologia Church in Arizona is suing a former member for defamation. The former member made videos, claiming church leadership mishandled confidential marriage counseling information.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you have been a reader of MinistryWatch over the years, you probably know about GRACE. GRACE is an acronym that stands for Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments. GRACE is also a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing, addressing, and responding to abuse within Christian institutions. Founded to support survivors and promote accountability, GRACE provides independent investigations, consulting, training, and educational resources for churches, schools, ministries, and nonprofit organizations. Its work emphasizes trauma-informed care, best practices for safeguarding, and ethical leadership. By combining professional expertise with a survivor-centered approach, GRACE seeks to help Christian organizations confront abuse honestly, care well for victims, and create safer environments that reflect integrity, transparency, and respect for human dignity.

We have used GRACE resources often in our work here at MinistryWatch. Now, GRACE has a new president. The former president, Pete Singer, who has been a guest of this program, died last May, and after a nationwide search, the group named a new president, Laura Thien, who is my guest today.

Laura Thien brings more than eighteen years of service to survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, and other trauma—experience that spans work in adoptions, clinical practice, and victim advocacy, and non-profit Board leadership. For many years, she provided support and treatment for survivors of sexual trauma at Julie Valentine Center, a community-based sexual trauma recovery center and CAC (Child Advocacy Center) in Greenville, SC. Laura has a distinguished history of non-profit board leadership, having served as Chairperson for the board of directors for GRACE, Julie Valentine Center, and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Advisory Board. She has also served on the board of directors of the South Carolina Network of Child Advocacy Centers.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

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We know how to solve some of our nation’s most intractable problems, but will we?

In this Extra episode, Warren Smith examines President Trump’s decision to cut $2 billion to nonprofits, some of them faith-based organizations, that deal with mental health and addiction recovery issues. And this his reversal on Wednesday, when the administration restored those grants.

It is not yet clear what impact the 48 hours of chaos will have. But they provide us an opportunity to have a national conversation regarding what kind of help actually helps.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

To read a transcript of this episode, with links to resources mentioned, click here.

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On today’s program, the pastor of Arise Vineyard in California has resigned after old allegations resurfaced of inappropriate behavior. We’ll have details.

And, medical debt continues to be a growing burden for many American families—but churches are partnering to help pay it off. We’ll take a look.

Plus, a Baptist news publication is sued for defamation by a former college professor who says he was falsely accused of sexual abuse.

But first, a Florida woman is charged for impersonating the father of a Camp Mystic victim to raise money through a GoFundMe page. The complaint identifies Maitlin White, who used Matthew Childress’ name and his daughter’s picture to start a GoFund Me campaign to raise money. Childress lost his daughter Chloe during the July 4 floods that swept through Camp Mystic last year, killing 27 campers and counselors.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Joseph Abboud, Kelly Van Duine—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Chimes, the student-run news publication for Biola University, for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to MinistryWatch know that one of the things we like to do here is celebrate what I sometimes call the “non-celebrity” Christian leader. We’ve seen so many of the toxic effects of celebrity leadership that we sometimes forget that it’s a choice, and that it is possible to pursue our calling without pursuing celebrity.

A group of people I admire for their approach to their art is a group of artists and others in Nashville associated with The Rabbit Room. These people include Andrew Peterson, who I have had on this podcast and my predecessor podcast at WORLD Magazine three or four times. But he has many fellow travelers in the Nashville music scene, including Andrew Osenga, who was a recent guest on the program, but also Randall Goodgame, Douglas McKelvey, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock, Steve Taylor, John Mays – all of whom have been guests on this program.

But man guy I’ve been wanting to talk with for years is…finally…my guest today. That man is Ben Shive.

If you have even a passing knowledge of the Christian music scene, you probably know who Ben is. He has been involved in almost all of Andrew Peterson’s music for the past 25 years, co-writing his hit “Is He Worthy?” He was also a co-writer on Keith & Kristyn Getty’s “Christ Is All in All.” He has produced music for Peterson and the Gettys, for JJ Heller, Dave Barnes, and MercyMe, and he won a Dove Award for his work with Brandon Heath. You can hear his playing and arrangements on the songs of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Chris Tomlin.

I wanted to talk with Ben about his work, of course, but also what it was like to be a part of a creative community, and what it takes to hold that community together for decades. We had our conversation via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Still, seeing a Christian leader fall is discouraging. For some it can be devastating. That is why thinking deeply about these stories is important, and ultimately good for us and the church.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Kingdom of God Global Church—the church founded and led by self-proclaimed apostle David E. Taylor—is asking the U.S. government to return assets it seized in its investigation against its embattled pastor. We’ll have details.

And, as more pastors are facing criminal charges for not reporting abuse, MinistryWatch took a deep dive into mandatory reporting laws—what are they, how have they evolved, and what do church leaders need to know.

Plus, our annual list of highly paid ministry executives.

But first, Philip Yancey, a beloved evangelical author and speaker, is withdrawing from public ministry after confessing a long-term affair.

To read all the stories in today’s podcast, go to www.MinistryWatch.com

Click here to read “Are We Paying Our Ministry Leaders Too Much?”

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Tony Mator, Steve Rabey—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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MinistryWatch has published more than 30,000 words about ACNA in the past five years, and many of those words have come from Kathryn Post.

Kathryn Post is a reporter for RNS and she has done a great job covering a number of controversies in the young and growing denomination. Her words have appeared in outlets including The Washington Post, Sojourners, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, and – of course – MinistryWatch. Post joined RNS full-time in 2021. She holds a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School and bachelor’s degrees in writing and political science from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Every year, for the past six years, I have presented a forward-looking, three-year strategic plan to the board of directors of MinistryWatch. That plan has not always been perfect. In fact, it has never been perfect. Circumstances change. New funding sources become available, or they dry up. Opportunities and barriers arise. These annual exercises in strategic planning have made real to me a lesson from a 1957 speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”

One of the values of a plan is that it produces accountability. A plan is a commitment to accomplish certain things in the year ahead, or at least to attempt them. Plans keep us from wandering. They keep us focused. That’s why I enjoy the planning process, and it’s one reason I want to share certain aspects of our plans for 2026 with you today. I cannot promise you we will accomplish everything in our plan, but I can promise you these are the things I will focus on this year—and I believe they will make MinistryWatch more effective, and will help make you a more faithful steward of the resources God has entrusted to you.

Expansion of the MinistryWatch 1000 Database. Six years ago, we had less than 500 ministries in our database. Today we have about 1,350 ministries, representing more than $51 billion in annual revenue. The vast majority of our readers tell us they use this database to help them make giving decisions. A third of our readers say they have changed their giving decisions based on the information in our database. That’s real impact, and we want to see that impact grow. Therefore, our goal is to expand our database to 2,000 ministries by the end of 2026. We believe our database is what truly differentiates us from other investigative journalism and “watchdog” organizations, and we intend to “lean in” to that unique asset in 2026.

Increased Use of Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become all the rage. But MinistryWatch has been using some primitive forms of AI for years. The algorithms of our database and rating systems utilize the principles of AI. We believe that AI presents ethical and practical considerations, but they are considerations journalists have already been dealing with for years — issues such as attribution, plagiarism, and fact-checking. So we are not afraid of AI, and we intend to use it more in the year ahead. We have already developed an AI assessment tool, and we recently published our first story using an AI assist. The growth of AI is inevitable. Using it will not be an option. Our goal will be to use it well and responsibly.

Personalized Giving Portfolio. We hope to roll out this year a new capability in our database, and that is the ability to customize your giving portfolio. You will soon be able to create your own list of ministries — ministries you want to follow, or ministries to which you currently give — and you will receive email notifications of any change in their ratings. We plan to build an app that will allow you to carry this capability around on your smartphone.

Podcast Improvements. I love podcasts, but one of the things I have noticed is that podcasts are everywhere. Worldwide, there are now more than 4 million active podcasts. I’m guessing that you, like me, are getting pickier about what you listen to. I now subscribe to a lot of podcasts, but I don’t listen to every episode. That said, I continue to subscribe because I still listen to every second or third episode, and it costs me nothing to skip an episode I’m not interested in. That’s why in 2026 MinistryWatch will be producing more episodes. Last year we published about 120 episodes. This year we hope to publish 135 to 150 episodes. You might not like them all, but if you are a regular listener, we believe this increase in content will give you more choices. Oh, and no hard feelings if you don’t listen to them all!

More Long Form Print Content. We published nearly 900 stories at MinistryWatch in 2025. In 2026, I don’t expect that number will increase significantly, but we do plan to publish longer pieces. Journalism is supposed to provide the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” for events happening in the world. However, the internet is much better at the “what” than it is at the “why.” Providing the “why” provides judgment, discernment, wisdom. These qualities are in short supply or — even when they exist — are often hard to find amidst the banal, the trivial, and the misinformation. We want MinistryWatch to be a place you can trust not just for the “what,” but for the “how” and “why.” To that end, look for more “explainers” and more “guides to giving” of the kind that we published on sex-trafficking this year.

A few things about MinistryWatch won’t change. We remain committed to being independent, free to users, and — most importantly — guided by a biblical understanding of the world.

If this sounds attractive to you…c’mon along. I believe 2026 will be an exciting year.

TO OUR LISTENERS: The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. Do you know of a story that will help us fulfill our mission, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? If so, please email us at info@ministrywatch.com.

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On today’s special year-end episode, Natasha Cowden and Warren Smith look at the top 25 stories of the year as voted on by you, the MinistryWatch reader. These are the stories that got the top number of page views for the year.

Of course, the number of page views is not the only way to measure the impact of a story. So Warren will be sprinkling in some commentary throughout the episode that we hope will put some of these stories in a larger context.

We’ll also talk about a few surprises in this year’s list. For example, the Robert Morris story did not make this list at all. We did a lot of reporting on Robert Morris this year, but the most read story on Morris came in at #48 on our list. Also, the Dave Ramsey story – our number one story — got more than 200,000 page views, which is by far the most page views an individual story has ever gotten here at MinistryWatch.

Speaking of numbers, we have some metrics related to MinistryWatch. Our website got four million page views this year. That is by far the most page views we have seen in our 26-year history. I also wanted to mention that Kim Roberts wrote eleven of the 25 stories on this year’s list, and I wanted to commend her for her excellent reporting this year. Christina Darnell, our managing editor, edited every single one of the nearly 900 stories that went on our website this year, and she compiled this year’s Top 25 list.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. To see this complete list, along with links to the original stories, just go to MinistryWatch.com.

Until next year, may God bless you.

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Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, it really cuts into the work schedule of the last two weeks of the year. But we didn’t want to go two full weeks without sharing some content on the podcast. I mean, after all, you can’t watch football non-stop, right?

So this week and next we’ll be re-airing a couple of episodes from years past that you may have missed, especially if you are a new listener to the podcast. On today’s program, we’re re-airing a podcast from the summer of 2023 with Rusty and Carol Leonard, the founders of MinistryWatch. I recorded this conversation with them on the occasion of MinistryWatch’s 25th anniversary. We’re now almost two years farther on, but MinistryWatch’s origin story, and Rusty and Carol’s testimony of faithfulness, not to mention God’s faithfulness in sustaining this ministry, are more relevant and – to me – more encouraging than ever.

So, with no further introduction, here’s the original podcast episode from June 14, 2023, in its entirety.

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Regular readers of MinistryWatch know that I’m a bit of a Ryan Burge fan-boy. His weekly Substack column, “Graphs About Religion,” is required reading for me. I cite it often in my weekly “Signs and Wonders” column. That’s why I’m kind of geeking out today, now that we finally have him on the podcast.

The occasion for this get-together is his new book. It’s called The Vanishing Church: How The Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us. I’ve got to admit that when I saw the title of this book, I thought to myself, “I’m not sure the hollowing out of moderate congregations is such a bad thing.” Jesus himself didn’t have much use for lukewarm Christians. But I have to admit that, after reading Ryan’s book, I have – well – moderated my position on moderate congregations. At least…moderately. As you’ll hear, I push back on Ryan’s thesis a bit, and as I think you will also hear, this was a lively and respectful conversation.

Ryan Burge is a professor of practice at The Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. He previously taught at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author of several previous books, including his 2023 book The Great Dechurching, which may have been my onramp to Ryan’s work. In addition to writing his weekly Substack column, which I just mentioned, he is also a regular contributor to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and other publications. He has appeared on CBS News’ flagship program 60 Minutes, and has been cited by countless other news programs, podcasts, and news articles. We had this conversation via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. If you are listening to this program during the week we dropped it, MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thanks for making MinistryWatch a part of your holiday festivities.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the judicial commission of the Anglican Church in North America has handed down its long-awaited verdict in the months-long trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch. And that verdict is, “Not Guilty.” We’ll have details.

And, International Servants has been making big claims about its decades of ministry work in Belize—but verifying those claims has proven more difficult. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Elevation Church—the North Carolina-based megachurch led by Steven Furtick—has announced the launch of Elevation College.

But first, St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, has officially voted to leave the Presbyterian Church in America. The church, originally led by Dr. R.C. Sproul, joined the PCA in 2023. It first considered a vote to leave this summer, but delayed the vote while referring the matter to the church’s board of elders, also known as its session, to study the situation and return with a recommendation. Its lead pastor, Burk Parsons, was suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the PCA in June after being found guilty by a church judicial commission of three charges related to, among other things, a “domineering” and “intimidating” leadership style, which included accusations of bullying and slander.

A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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We live in a polarized world today, and one of the hallmarks of that polarization is the tendency to fight what we are against. That’s sometimes necessary, of course. But often fighting what we are against distracts us from clearly understanding and simply saying what we are for.

That tendency shows up in our conversations about gender and sexuality. We are pretty good, or at least pretty loud, at saying what we are against, but not as effective at articulating a coherent vision of gender and sexuality that is not merely combative, but also convincing.

Elizabeth Urbanowicz understands that our children are watching, and that’s one of the reasons I found her book Helping Your Kids Know God’s Good Design to be so helpful. It’s a book designed for parents – and grandparents – who want to speak into the lives of their children and grandchildren in formative, constructive ways. This book is not a bunch of do’s and don’t’s, but is full of how’s and why’s.

I’ve got to confess that I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Urbanowicz for a few years now. I first met her when I was at the Colson Center. That was probably seven or eight years ago. Her small business, Foundation Worldview, has grown steadily over the past few years, providing curriculum material for Christian schools and homeschoolers. She has a lot of videos and other resources online, and I recommend them to you.

We had this conversation via zoom. She spoke to me from her home in Georgia.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Department of Justice is suing the founder of Life Surge, Joe Johnson, for his alleged part in a scheme to cheat the government out of over $46 million in taxes through abusive bargain sale transactions. We’ll take a look.

And, a new report reveals the final moments of missionaries Alex and Serena Wurm before their plane crashed on a trip to deliver aid to Jamaica. We’ll have details.

Plus, two reports that detail reasons for cautious optimism. One shows that the decline of religion in America has stalled. Another, that Christian giving in America is on the rebound.

But first, abuse lawsuits are piling up against Pastor Greg Laurie and his Harvest Christian Fellowship, bringing the total number of lawsuits to 12. The original lawsuit was filed in September by two men claiming that Paul Havsgaard abused them at a children’s shelter in Bucharest, Romania. Allegations include children being tied to radiators, being made to kneel down on walnut shells, being touched inappropriately, and being “pimped out” for sex. The number of litigants has now risen to 12. The law firm representing the survivors said in a news release in September that it expects 23 former residents of the children’s home to bring complaints.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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We have heard a lot of discussion in the past few years about Christian Nationalism. But for all the talk, the books, and the social media traffic, there’s less clarity than ever around the term. But one of the worst outcomes we have seen amidst this talk has been a dismissal of what my guest today, Daniel Darling, calls Christian patriotism.

While Dan Darling rejects what is often a virulent and anti-Christian version of Christian Nationalism, he writes in a new book that patriotism isn’t optional for Christians. He explains that God himself defines the time and place in which we live and gave us a command to love our neighbors. Loving our country and getting involved in the political, social, cultural, and civic lives of our nation are essential duties.

Dan Darling is uniquely qualified to talk about these issues. He is a pastor and the author of several books, including The Dignity Revolution, which is one that had a big impact on me. He currently serves as the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a fellow at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also a columnist for WORLD Magazine and a contributor to USA Today.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith explains our Donor Confidence Score and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the DCS and about the MinistryWatch 1000 database.

Some of the links mentioned in today’s program include:

You can find the ministry you’re looking for by clicking here.

A growing number of Christian ministries do not file a Form 990. I have written about this trend here.

We welcome feedback from donors and ministry leaders regarding individual ministry ratings, or regarding our overall rating system. We have made adjustments over the years based on this feedback. If you have comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at wsmith@ministrywatch.com

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On today’s program, The Skit Guys is calling it a wrap after nearly 3 decades of ministry because one of the co-founders admitted to ‘moral failure.’ We’ll have details.

And, an Arizona church got the green light to resume its food distribution ministry after the city of San Luis had attempted to shut it down, citing zoning violations. We’ll take a look.

Plus, the results from our fall survey of top ministry executives from some of the largest ministries in the U-S. Many ministry executives fear a recession is on the way.

But first, a well-known reformed Baptist pastor resigned from his post. Samuel Renihan has confessed to adultery and resigned from his position at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He was ordained by the church in 2012.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith.

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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We’ve entered year-end giving season, and you’re likely to see a lot of emails in your in-box promoting matching or challenge gifts.

What are matching gifts? How do they differ from challenge gifts? Are they legitimate fundraising tools, and do they make a difference? MinistryWatch attempts to briefly answer these questions in this special EXTRA episode.

Here are a few resources mentioned on today’s program:

According to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability: “Using challenge and matching gifts as a part of your fundraising program can be very effective. As in all fundraising communications, truthfulness is a hallmark (ECFA Standard 7.1) as are appeals that do not create unrealistic donor expectations (ECFA Standard 7.2).”

The data suggest that matching gifts are. Philanthropy Works said just declaring a matching gift increases giving by 19 percent. It said a match increases the likelihood that an individual gives by 22 percent.

But some Christian organizations report much higher results. In one recent experiment done by the consulting firm NextAfter with its client Alliance Defending Freedom, a matching gift resulted in a dramatic increase – more than 87 percent — in the effectiveness of its email communications. (You can dig into the details of that study here.)

Note, however, that a similar study done with Museum of the Bible yielded a significantly different result: an increase in about 50 percent. (You can read more about that experiment here.) This result is obviously much lower, but it’s important to note that even this very different result indicates that matching gifts make a real difference.

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Earlier this year I heard Doug Cobb speak about the organization he leads, The Finishing Fund, and I was intrigued. The Finishing Fund is like a venture capital fund for evangelical work around the world. Like a venture capital fund in the secular space, it doesn’t fully fund a work, but provides seed capital to get the work started. It works through partners “on the ground” in some of the most remote and hostile areas on the planet.

I liked what I heard for a variety of reasons that are important to us here at MinistryWatch. For one, The Finishing Fund exercised a high degree of accountability and transparency. It was nimble. It could fund a group in weeks or months, and if the projects went well, it could make follow-on investments. And, equally important, if things were not working out, it could pull the plug on that project just as quickly.

I wanted to have Doug on the program to discuss this innovative model for missions and philanthropy. He’s my guest today.

Doug Cobb is himself a major investor in the Fund and volunteers as its managing partner. An entrepreneur from Louisville, Kentucky, Doug has been working with Finishing the Task and the Issachar Initiative for a decade. We had this conversation via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith.

And I’d like to remind you that we are in the midst of our year-end fundraising campaign. Here at MinistryWatch we get more than a third, nearly 40 percent, of our budget in the past two months of the year. For us, that means about $190,000. If you are able to contribute, click here.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to MinistryWatch know that I’m a music fan. Even though music is not really a part of our work here, I can’t help but let it seep into some of the podcast episodes. That’s why I’m delighted to have as my guest on the program today Andrew Osenga. If you know anything about Christian music, you have probably heard Andrew. In addition to more than a dozen albums under his own name, he was the founder and lead singer for The Normals, an alternative Christian rock band that made a big mark on the genre in the early 2000s. He also served as vocalist and guitarist for Caedmon’s Call. He’s also written for, played on, or produced albums by lots of other Christian artists, including Andrew Peterson.

But it’s not his music that has him on the program today. Andrew Osenga has written a new book, and it’s beautiful. How To Remember: Forgotten Pathways to an Authentic Faith is an honest look at himself, the church, and the world. I found it nourishing and I think you’ll find this conversation I had with Andrew nourishing as well.

Andrew Osenga lives and works – when he is not on the road – in Nashville Tennessee. We had this conversation via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Duluth Vineyard cleared Interim Pastor John Kliewer of misconduct after an investigation found him innocent…but his wife is crying foul, saying Kliewer was forced to sign an NDA as part of his settlement agreement. We’ll have details.

And, a look at where the My Faith Votes is today a year after its former CEO Jason Yates was charged with the possession of child sexual abuse materials.

Plus, another next installment in our occasional series on radical generosity.

But first, the Anglican Church in North America has suspended Archbishop Steve Wood after more than 140 clergy signed an open letter calling for his inhibition.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kathryn Post, Kim Roberts, Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Daniel Ritchie, Marci Seither, Tony Mator, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Capitol Hill Baptist Church, located just blocks away from the center of American power, has a rich 150-year history. Its members have participated in significant world events, advocated for religious freedoms, and spoken out against the moral failings of the times. There’s no doubt this church has had a unique impact on evangelicalism from a significant location. But these lively characters and their unique experiences only tell part of this engaging narrative.

Through real-life stories, A Light on the Hill reveals how God works through church bodies and remains faithful during times of uncertainty. Exploring themes such as pastoral ministry, faithfulness, courage, racial reconciliation, church and politics, and more, this book will help readers see the long-term effects of faithful church ministries. Ultimately they will be encouraged to invest in a local church and preserve the gospel for the next generation.

I’m delighted to have the book’s author, Caleb Morell on the program today. Caleb Morell (MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is an assistant pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and a doctoral student in historical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He lives with his wife and three children on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Moody Bible Institute is suing the Chicago Public School system for excluding its students from the student-teaching program due to its religious hiring practices. We’ll take a look.

Plus, a second woman has come forward claiming ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood sexually harassed her. We’ll have details.

And, a new partnership shows how artificial intelligence is transforming Bible translation.

But first, families of the children who died at Camp Mystic after the July 4 floods have filed a lawsuit against the camp. The lawsuit accuses the camp of negligence, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and liability based on inviting the victims onto the camp property then breaching its duty of care to them.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Kathryn Post, Isaac Wood, and Makella Knowles.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The day before Veterans Day this year is another holiday, less known to the public but celebrated religiously by those in the Marine Corps. That day, November 10, is the Marine Corps birthday.

On today’s extra episode, I remember our veterans and the ministries that serve them.

Stick around to the end for the names of a few ministries that serve active-duty military, veterans, and their families.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, an Oklahoma pastor was fired after reporting missing church funds—this, despite the fact that he followed denominational rules in raising his concerns. Now, his bishop has been arrested for embezzlement. We’ll take a look.

And, Gen Z is bringing a new paradigm to traditional missions. A new report examines what they value—and what they don’t. We’ll have details.

Plus, churches and ministries are working to fill in the gap as SNAP benefits continue to be unpredictable amid the government shutdown.

But first, ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood is taking a leave of absence amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church in North America, is taking a voluntary leave of absence in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism. Those allegations will be investigated by a 10-person Board of Inquiry, made up of ACNA clergy and laypeople, that will assess whether there are reasonable grounds to initiate a church trial.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Daniel Ritchie, Aaron Earls, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a small but mighty denomination. As I have written elsewhere, Anglicanism has the potential to breathe new life into the evangelical movement.

But the denomination is facing challenges on many fronts, some of them self-inflicted. Archbishop Steve Wood, the senior leader of ACNA, has been credibly accused of sexual harassment and other offenses. Another bishop, Stewart Ruch, is currently facing a church trial for his handling of a sex offender in his diocese. Bishop Derek Jones, who has led the military chaplain corps, is now behind a rancorous attempt to leave ACNA and take more than 300 chaplains with him.

All of the current controversies — those involving Archbishop Wood and Bishops Ruch and Jones — have also highlighted the inadequacy of the church’s canons to deal with matters of conflict and discipline. Over the past few years, MinistryWatch has covered several scandals in the denomination, and the process has been tentative and clunky at almost every level.

For example, ACNA first made formal charges against Bishop Stewart Ruch — known as a “presentment” — in December of 2022, three years ago. After many fits and starts (some of which you can read about here), the trial finally took place this week, and we still don’t have a verdict. I have heard from credible sources that the cost of the trial will exceed a million dollars.

More than a year ago, just before ACNA’s provincial meeting in Latrobe, Penn., I wrote what I think the denomination should do to graduate from organizational adolescence into adulthood.

Those recommendations included:

Make a final decision on women’s ordination.
Eliminate non-geographical dioceses, including Church for the Sake of Others.
Revise and expand the canons of ACNA.
Pick a leader with a strong arm and a velvet touch.
Issue a clear statement on sexual issues.

Perhaps the biggest fumble, though, was ACNA’s selection of a new archbishop. Not only has he proven himself to be not up to the task, he has become a part of the problem. Even if he is found “not guilty” of the presentment against him, the process itself has already been damaging to him and the church. That is why I would add one more recommendation to the list above: Steve Wood should resign as archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America.

There is no way forward for him that doesn’t do further damage to the church. If he is exonerated of the charges in the presentment, many in ACNA who already distrust his leadership and the inadequacy of the canons will cite that exoneration as proof of a rigged system. If he is found guilty, he is unfit to serve.

I continue to believe that ACNA has great promise. The 15 years of its existence — especially when considered in the long arc of church history — is but a moment. Anglicanism offers much to the world, and to evangelicalism in particular.

But it must face this moment with decisiveness and integrity. ACNA faces an existential crisis that grows more acute by the day, and before Anglicanism can save evangelicalism, it must first save itself.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, an Ohio ministry dedicated to addiction recovery is being used for alleged misuse of funds. The Ohio Attorney General says Lamb’s House hasn’t served any charitable purpose since at least 2017. We’ll have details.

Plus, with a growing number of children being diagnosed with autism, churches are developing strategies to make their families more comfortable—and their spaces more accommodating. We’ll take a look.

And, when donors give their money to special programs, they usually expect all their money to be used accordingly. But how much is actually used for overhead costs?

But first, Samaritan’s Purse is set to play a larger role in Gaza aid distribution as the embattled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is being phased out. The Rev. Franklin Graham confirmed Oct. 25 that Samaritan’s Purse, the international humanitarian relief organization he heads, is ramping up its role in delivering aid to Gaza.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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There’s been a lot of talk about revival lately.

On today’s EXTRA episode, Warren Smith asks some important questions: What’s going on in America today? What do the facts say? Also, what are the signs of true revival, and are we seeing those signs in American life.

Here are some links I mentioned in today’s program:

Ryan Burge seems particularly skeptical of a Gen Z revival. In July, he wrote that there was “zero convincing evidence” that Gen Z was returning to religion. He said that 38% of Gen Zers never attend church, compared to 31% of Millennials when they were that age.

Jonathan Edwards wrote about revival: A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1746) and The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (1741).

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On today’s program, Federal officials have declined to file charges against Olivet University. The Christian school in California has faced accusations of human labor trafficking and visa fraud—accusations the school denies. We’ll have details.

Plus, both news and scandal from the Anglican church. After the Church of England appointed Sarah Mullaly as its next bishop of Canterbury, another network of Anglican leaders have announced they are cutting ties with Canterbury and laying claim to the Anglican Communion. Just days later the archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Steve Wood, faces accusations of misconduct.

And, church experts have predicted that 100 thousand churches might close in coming years—we get an update on that number, and ask what it means for churches moving forward.

But first, a Christian campus group wins in court after a Texas law tried to ban ‘expressive activities’ at night.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Jessica Eturralde, Fredrick Nzwili, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Peter Greer, the CEO of Hope International, started noticing a disturbing trend among his fellow ministry leaders. Too few of them finished their lives and careers well. He observed many of the succumb to moral failure, oversee organizations with substantial financial or governance issues, or have other major problems. He started asking…why? And is it possible to prevent this tendency toward personal and organizational drift.

Many of you probably know his book Mission Drift, which looks at this problem from an organizational perspective. His latest book hits close to home for many of us. It looks at personal drift. But his book How Leaders Lose Their Way, co-written with Jill Heisey, is not just a diagnosis. It also prescribes a cure. In fact, the subtitle of the book And How To Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen To You may be the main reason I wanted to have Peter on the podcast. I can tell you that I personally found this book nourishing, and I would love to see every ministry in the country buy a copy of this book for their CEOs and board members.

Peter Greer is likely no stranger to MinistryWatch listeners and readers. In addition to serving as president and CEO of Hope International, a global, Christ-centered development organization operating in 20 countries, his books on leadership have made him one of my “go to” guys when I want to understand best practices at both the personal and organizational levels.

By the way, I hope you’ll stick around till the end of the program. I’ll share with you how you can get your own copy of this book.

His new book How Leaders Lose Their Way: And How To Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen to You is our donor premium for the month of October. That means that if you make a donation of any size during October, we’ll send you this book as our thank you gift. To make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, musician Sean Feucht and pastor Rob McCoy are joining forces for The Courageous Christianity Tour in honor of the late Charlie Kirk. Feucht has been accused in recent months of major moral, ethical, and financial failures. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Contemporary Christian Music legend Amy Grant and her family have settled a case over her great-grandfather’s Nashville church. We’ll have details.

And, MinistryWatch each month tracks revenue for some of the largest Christian ministries in the country. A record 10-months of flat revenue could signal rough waters ahead for the economy.

But first, Daniel Akin announced this week his plans to retire from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary after leading the SBC school for 22 years.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, we often report on organizations in crisis. One of the things that continues to interest me about these situations is the way Christian organizations respond to these crises. Some of them do a good job of staying in front of the crisis, or at least attempting to do so. But others are either caught by surprise, don’t know what to do, or do the wrong thing. They seem to have forgotten the lessons of the Watergate scandal that happened more than 50 years ago. One of the key lessons from that era has become almost a cliché in the world of journalism and public relations. And that lesson is this: “It ain’t the crime, it’s the cover-up that will get you.”

A case study in how to handle a PR crisis showed up a few months ago when the CEO of the technology company Astronomer was caught at a Coldplay concert with a woman who was not his wife. A “fan cam” video went viral, and the result was that CEO getting fired from his job. The incident ignited a national conversation about morality among leaders, as well as the appropriate way for an organization to handle such a crisis.

Phil Cooke wrote about that. Phil has been on the program before, and he’s become one of my “go to guys” when it comes to ministry leadership issues, especially when they concern media and communications.

Phil Cooke is a working producer who spent many years in Hollywood. He also has a Ph. D. in theology. He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America.

Here are some links I promised in today’s program:

For past episodes I’ve done with Phil, click here.

To see Phil’s website, click here.

To read Phil’s article on the Astonomer CEO, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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In October of 1948, Billy Graham and his ministry team — Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson — held evangelistic meetings in Modesto, Calif. These men gathered in their spare time to write what Barrows came to call the “Modesto Manifesto.” That document outlined the standards they would follow regarding “financial integrity, sexual morality, publicity, and partnership with the local church.”

However, the organizations led by Billy Graham’s son Franklin recently withdrew from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) because they did not want the ECFA to act as “moral police” for the evangelical world.

In today’s Extra episode, Warren Smith explains why this is a bad idea.

To read a transcript of today’s episode, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Its sister ministry, Samaritan’s Purse, joined soon after. Now, both ministries have voluntarily resigned due to a newly added leadership requirement. We’ll have details.

And, pro-life ministries continue to adjust to a post-Roe world. MinistryWatch senior reporter Kim Roberts took a deep dive into where the pro-life movement stands now.

Plus, the Church of England names its first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. The appointment was ratified by King Charles III last week.

But first, Tony Evans will not be returning to lead his Dallas megachurch after completing a year-long restoration process due to an undisclosed sin.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Adelle Banks, Kim Roberts, Isaac Wood, Greg Teffertiller, Daniel Ritchie, Tony Mator, Danika Kirka, Brian Melley, Yonat Shimron, Barry Bowen, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The Trinity Foundation for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Canon Press, the publishing arm of Pastor Douglas Wilson’s ministry, made an unsolicited and unsuccessful offer to buy Christianity Today(CT) for $10 million. CT responded by saying the magazine “is not for sale and has never been for sale.”

That has gotten Warren Smith thinking about the dissident right and the role of journalism.

Here is a link I mentioned in today’s program: Warren’s review of the 2024 book “Shepherds for Sale.”

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Regular listeners to this podcast, or regular readers of MinistryWatch, know that we have spent a lot of time covering Christian education. The reasons for our coverage are many. Christian colleges are among the largest Christian institutions in the country, taking in billions of dollars each year. Secondly, what happens in Christian colleges and seminaries often directly affects the church. So even if you don’t have kids in college now, or ever, your life and your church will be impacted by what is going on at Christian and secular colleges in this country. Thirdly, higher education – including Christian higher education – is in the midst of a tremendous transition. Demographics, technology, and a national conversation happening now about the value of a college education are all causing Christian colleges to face challenges they have never faced before.

That’s one reason I wanted to talk with Dr. Ed Stetzer. Ed Stetzer is the Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and he has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. More to the point for our conversation today, he helps lead one of the few institutions of Christian higher education that is growing. I wanted to ask him why, and how, that was happening.

Thanks for tuning in today to my conversation with Ed Stetzer. In addition to all the things I mentioned about Ed at the top of the program, he is also Regional Director for Lausanne North America, is the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, an investigation dug into abuse allegations at IHOP-KC—and now a pastoral team charged with making recommendations based on that investigation has determined Mike Bickle is ‘permanently disqualified’ from church office. We’ll take a look.

And, a sexual abuse lawsuit against the missionary agency Ethnos360 has been dismissed.

Plus, remembering Voddie Baucham, who passed away last week.

But first, Camp Mystic has announced plans to partially reopen next summer—and not everyone is happy about it. Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in the July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River in Texas, has said it plans to host camps next summer.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Greg Teffertiller, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Paul McNulty has had at least three careers. After graduating from law school, he spent 20 years in public service, rising to the top levels of the U.S. Department of Justice. Then he moved to one of the nation’s – some might say the world’s – top law firms. But service was in his blood, and in 2014 he became president of his alma mater, Grove City College. He has just retired from that position, after an 11 year stint.

At a time when lots of colleges are shutting down, Grove City – under McNulty’s leadership – has thrived. I asked Paul to be on the program today to do a retrospective of his career, and our conversation ranges widely, from his time in government, to the death of his son due to cancer in 2012, and his involvement with Keith and Kristyn Getty and their efforts to bring theologically rich and musically excellent hymns to the modern church.

But the center of our conversation today is a discussion about the challenges facing higher education, and how Christian colleges can meet those challenges.

Paul McNulty spoke to me from his home in Charleston, South Carolina.

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In 2015 I sat down with Voddie Baucham and had a wide-ranging conversation. We talked about homeschooling, what it means to be a man, the duties of fatherhood, and Brazilian jui-jitsu!

On today’s podcast, I share with you excerpts of that conversation.

To read an edited transcript of our 2015 conversation, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, has refused to reveal the salaries of its pastors—even to its own board of elders. But a new whistleblower report shows that at least three of its pastors receive compensation that’s raising eyebrows. We’ll take a look.

Plus, the use of celebrities to promote causes is not new—but ministries are increasingly turning to social media influencers to tout their missions. We look at their uses—and misuses—plus cautions to consider.

And, former SBC professor David Sills drops his defamation suit against the late Jennifer Lyell, who accused him of sexual abuse before her death this summer. Meanwhile, other SBC-related defendants in the case are seeking summary judgment.

Finally, we’ll have an update on the health of popular speaker Christopher Yuan, who was injured in an accident this week.

But first, military chaplains are attempting to leave the Anglican Church in North America en masse.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Tony Mator, Diana Chandler, Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Justin Murff is one of those guys I turn to when I want to sort out what is going on in the world. He has been, or is currently, an Anglican priest, a media executive, and advocate for religious freedom, a former Southern Baptist pastor, and a whole lot more. His innovative work has reshaped how faith communities engage unreached or poorly reached people groups in the digital age.

Currently, He is the Canon for Global Affairs to the General Secretary of GAFCON, the global fellowship of confessing Anglicans, which is a network of conservative Anglican provinces from around the world. He is also Canon for the Middle East and North Africa for ACNA, the Anglican Church in North America. On point for our conversation today, Justin also leads the Digital Church Network, helping to create opportunities for people in restricted nations to connect with the body of Christ.

In past lives he has been the Chief Development Officer for the Parental Rights Foundation, and official envoy to the Vatican for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). His passion for bridging cultural divides led him to serve as Executive Director of the MENA Collective, a digital initiative that empowered over 150 ministries across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan.

I had this conversation with Justin via zoom. He was at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christian ministries, especially Christian broadcasters, should pay attention to the Jimmy Kimmel situation. What’s happening to Kimmel now could be happening to Greg Laurie, David Jeremiah, Alistair Begg, Erwin Lutzer, or dozens of other broadcasters in a future administration.

The Wall Street Journal I reference in this episode can be found here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, an anti-trafficking group based in North Carolina is being accused of exploiting the very women it is supposed to be helping. We’ll take a look.

And, World Vision’s CEO discusses humanitarian work in a post USAID world. We’ll have details.

Plus, factors that are forcing pastors to quit the ministry.

But first, eight leaders at the House of Prayer Christian Church in Georgia have been indicted for fraud and tax charges for defrauding banks through real estate schemes and funneling veterans’ benefits to its seminary. The indictment, unsealed on September 10, revealed that eight men associated with the church were charged with various crimes, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and assisting in filing a false tax return.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Makella Knowles, Tony Mator, Stacey Horton, Fiona André, Kenzie James, Aaron Earls—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The death of Charlie Kirk has caused a lot of soul searching by those on the left and the right, as it should. Al Mohler, writing for WORLD, said, “Every generation has its own formative moments. Yesterday is now one of those days.”Charlie Kirk changed over the years. His near-permanent scowl, perhaps a young man’s attempt to be taken seriously, was replaced with a nearly perpetual smile, and regular outbursts of laughter. You could see in him joy, and compassion. He had the mind and the quick wit to bludgeon opponents, but a close look at his videos from more recent years shows someone who asks more questions than answers. Many of the videos you can find of Charlie on the Internet end with him smiling at an opponent who had just talked himself into a circle.In a fascinating interview he gave with the Deseret News just weeks before his death, he said, “I could talk about religion all day long.”The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Texas court is considering sanctions against the South Texas Assemblies of God for refusing to provide documents in a case related to its Chi Alpha college ministry. The denomination has been accused of allowing a convicted sexual predator to continue serving with college students. We’ll have details.Plus, anti-trafficking group Unlikely Heroes has been accused of misusing a $100-thousand grant—the private foundation who issued the grant has just acquired the ministry’s assets after Unlikely Heroes filed for bankruptcy. We’ll take a look.And, anti-gambling groups led by church leaders succeeds in blocking a casino from opening in its Arkansas community. It accomplished that by partnering with another nearby casino who was motivated by a desire to limit competition.But first, Charlie Kirk died after being shot at a Utah college event. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Makella Knowles, Tony Mator, Stacey Horton, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Warren Smith has one of his periodic “lightning round” talks with Michael Reneau of The Dispatch. This time, they dig into celebrity Christians, including Jen Hatmaker, Doug Wilson, Chip and Joanna Gaines, and others. They also discuss how Tim Keller is sort of an antidote to that, the “anti-celebrity celebrity.They also discuss recent articles at The Dispatch regarding artificial intelligence, and a whole lot more. We mention a couple of articles in the program. Here are links:Patrick McNamara on AIBonnie Kristian’s article on Private Religion Joseph Polidoro’s article on Creative DestructionBefore joining The Dispatch, Michael Reneau was the editor of WORLD Magazine. He also served as editor of the award-winning paper The Greenville Sun, based in Greenville, Tennessee. He is married and he and his wife have four children.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, our mission is to help Christian donors become true stewards. We provide resources to help you become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to you. If you’ve been around MinistryWatch for a while, that means we help you to give wisely and faithfully.But for most Christians, even generous Christians, the amount of money they give away is just a fraction of the amount of money they invest. Christians invest in the stock market, in mutual funds, through their 401-k, and elsewhere. What about those funds? Do they reflect biblical stewardship?Robin John has thought deeply about these questions. He is the co-founder of Eventide, an asset management firm dedicated to honoring God and investing in companies that create compelling value for the common good. He has put some of these ideas in writing in a new book, The Good Investor: How Your Work Can Confront Injustice, Love Your Neighbor, and Bring Healing to the World.To get your own copy of The Good Investor, click here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Assemblies of God South Texas Ministry Network has discovered financial misconduct among its ranks. This is the same Assemblies of God network plagued by Chi Alpha sexual abuse scandals. We’ll have details.And, a ministry helping Christians escape ‘high control’ churches…the group encourages believers to rebuild—not deconstruct—their faith.Plus, the American Bible Society is issuing thousands of dollars in grants to Christian colleges to fund the development of an A-I assistant and YouTube shows—all to boost Gen Z engagement with the Bible.But first, a Christian school in Tennessee has demoted its newly hired principal after parents discovered he had left his former school for hiring a convicted sex offender to work on school grounds.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Stacey Horton, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Isaac Wood, and Adelle Banks.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Catchisms are, quite simply, question-and-answer summaries of the faith.For centuries Christians have catechisms to teach the fundamentals of the faith, and to disciple new believers. The Westminster Catechism, the Heidelberg Catechism, Luther’s Catechism, and others have been used by Christians since the Reformation.But some so-called “low church” traditions – Baptists, non-denominational evangelical churches, and others – don’t have a strong tradition of using catechisms. And even those denominations that have catechisms as part of their tradition – Presbyterians, Anglicans, Lutherans, and others – don’t use catechisms as they have in years past.Trevin Wax and Thomas West want to see a resurgence in the use of catechisms, and they’ve written one that they think can be used by folks who are not used to using the catechisms of the past. They call their new book The Gospel Way Catechism, and it includes 50 basic questions about the Christian faith, provides short direct answers, and then provides a bit of commentary and scripture to help you understand the answer.Trevin Wax is vice president of research and resource development at the North American Mission Board and a visiting professor at Cedarville University. I’ve had Trevin on the podcast before, and I always find myself nourished by what he has to say. His co-author, Thomas West, is pastor of Nashville First Baptist Church and the founder and former pastor of Redeemer Queen’s Park in London.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, David E. Taylor—the self-appointed apostle of Kingdom of God Global Church and head of Joshua Media Ministries—was arrested this week for forced labor and money laundering. If convicted, he could face more than 20 years in prison. We’ll have details.And, a Kentucky church has encouraged their members to check books out of their local library, and not return them—ever. The books, many of them geared toward children, promote LGBTQ lifestyles, and the church is framing the thefts as an act of civil disobedience. We’ll take a look.Plus, Dauphin Way Baptist Church used to be the largest Baptist church in Alabama. Now, it is selling its property and plans to downsize.But first, a PCA church in Newport Beach, California, is reeling after one of its elders was arrested for sexual assault. Redeemer Church of Orange County in Newport Beach, California, a 325-member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), informed its congregation last week that one of its elders, Michael Maxwell, had been arrested by Irvine police for sexual crimes against a minor. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Yonat Shimron, Mark Wingfield, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, David E. Taylor—the self-appointed apostle of Kingdom of God Global Church and head of Joshua Media Ministries—was arrested this week for forced labor and money laundering. If convicted, he could face more than 20 years in prison. We’ll have details.And, a Kentucky church has encouraged their members to check books out of their local library, and not return them—ever. The books, many of them geared toward children, promote LGBTQ lifestyles, and the church is framing the thefts as an act of civil disobedience. We’ll take a look.Plus, Dauphin Way Baptist Church used to be the largest Baptist church in Alabama. Now, it is selling its property and plans to downsize.Natasha:But first, a PCA church in Newport Beach, California, is reeling after one of its elders was arrested for sexual assault.Warren:Redeemer Church of Orange County in Newport Beach, California, a 325-member congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), informed its congregation last week that one of its elders, Michael Maxwell, had been arrested by Irvine police for sexual crimes against a minor.Natasha:What are the charges?Warren:Hahne was charged on August 19 with 18 felony counts of sexual assault against the victim over the course of seven years. He is scheduled to be arraigned on September 12, according to the L.A. Times.Natasha: How has the church responded?Warren:Maxwell has been removed from his position as an elder and will no longer be allowed to act in any ministry or leadership capacity at Redeemer. He has also been suspended from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.The alleged abuse did not take place at Redeemer nor at any other ministry or event associated with the church.Nevertheless, Redeemer has secured the services of G.R.A.C.E. (Godly Response to Abuse in a Christian Environment) as it works through the process of dealing with Maxwell and the accusations against him. Redeemer has requested that GRACE perform an independent audit of the church processes, policies, and leadership.Natasha: Next, a forced labor and money laundering case involving a ministry we’ve been covering here at...

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James C. Dobson, a psychologist, political activist, and author who championed Christian pro-family values on his popular radio shows and in his bestselling books, died Thursday. He was 89.Here are a few links I mention in today’s EXTRA episode.In 2022, I wrote an appreciation of Dr. Dobson for MinistryWatch, when he announced his retirement from full time work.Paul Batura, who worked with Dr. Dobson for many years as a senior executive at Focus on the Family, posted a long tribute to him on Facebook. I recommend the entire post (which you can find here).The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a former employee sues Liberty University, claiming she was given heavier work loads, less pay, and was passed over for promotions. In the end, she claims she was fired for being a whistleblower. We’ll have details.Plus, email scams are targeting churches…in some cases, scammers pose as pastors seeking donations. How can churches and members protect themselves? We take a look.Also, the Southern Baptist Convention launches a new abuse helpline.We’ll also have a remembrance of Dr. James Dobson, who died on Thursday.First, a lawsuit leveled against Grand Canyon Education has been dropped.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Daniel Ritchie, Yonat Shimron, Isaac Wood, Jessica Eturralde, Laura Erlanson, and Aaron Earls.A special thanks to Lifeway Research and Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden this week, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, a former employee sues Liberty University, claiming she was given heavier work loads, less pay, and was passed over for promotions. In the end, she claims she was fired for being a whistleblower. We’ll have details.Plus, email scams are targeting churches…in some cases, scammers pose as pastors seeking donations. How can churches and members protect themselves? We take a look.And, the Southern Baptist Convention launches a new abuse helpline.We’ll also have a remembrance of Dr. James Dobson, who died on Thursday.Christina:But first, a lawsuit leveled against Grand Canyon Education has been dropped.Warren:The Federal Trade Commission first brought the lawsuit during the Biden Administration, claiming Grand Canyon Education—which is the for-profit marketing arm of Grand Canyon University—misled prospective students about how much it would cost to complete their doctoral programs.Christina:Also, in November, Grand Canyon secured another victory after the court found that the Education Department had used the wrong standard when it denied the university’s application for nonprofit status in 2019.All that led to last week, when the Federal Trade Commission formally dismissed their case.Warren:That’s right. In a statement, the F-T-C said the case presented “consumers very little upside relative to the cost of pursuing it to completion, especially given the developments chronicled above.”They said it would be “imprudent to continue expending Commission resources on a lost cause.”Christina:Grand Canyon Education praised the decision.Warren:They did. Grand Canyon University President Brian Mueller—who is also president of Grand Canyon Education—says the accusations against them have always been false.Christina:Still, Grand Canyon University isn’t out of the woods yet. A civil case brought by former doctoral students is still ongoing in federal court.Warren:In June 2024, Tanner Smith and Qimin Wang are two plaintiffs—both former students who claim they were lied to about the cost of the doctoral programs.They say they were both required to take continuation courses that added over $8,000 to the cost of their degree programs.Christina:Our next story takes us to Liberty University, who is facing a discrimination and wrongful termination lawsuit from a former employee.Warren:Erika Woolfolk, a black woman, worked as a civil rights investigator in Liberty’s Office of Equity and Compliance for Title IX. She is a graduate of the school and worked there from 2014 to 2024.She filed a lawsuit on August 12,

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When the Soviet Union collapsed, Frances Fukuyama famously declared that we had reached the “end of history.” He meant that the big arguments, the major ideological struggles, were now all in the past, and that liberal democracy would prevail from then on. The rest would be just cordial arguments about policy.That peaceful kingdom has obviously not come to pass. Some might argue that Fukuyama’s core thesis is still true. Liberal democracy lacks a coherent, universal rival. No alternative ideology has matched its global appeal or institutional resilience. Even authoritarian regimes adopt democratic trappings (e.g., elections in Russia) to gain legitimacy, implicitly acknowledging liberal democracy’s normative power.That said, Fukuyama clearly underestimated internal challenges within democracies—polarization, disinformation, and inequality—evident in events like the U.S. Capitol riot or Brexit. These weaken the system’s appeal and stability. While history may not have “ended,” liberal democracy remains a dominant, yet contested, paradigm. Its triumph is neither inevitable nor complete, as cultural, economic, and political forces continue to shape ideological battles globally.These are some of the issues that Hunter Baker looks at in his new book Postliberal Protestants: Baptists Between Obergefell and Christian Nationalism. And, if you’re not Baptist, don’t be turned off by the sub-title. Baker argues – I think convincingly – that the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest protestant denomination in the country, is in some ways a proxy for all of evangelicalism. I think he’s mostly right, and that’s why I think his book should be read not just by Baptists, but by all Christian leaders who want to have a role in shaping important public conversations in the 2020s and beyond. Also, Hunter Baker’s argument for religious liberty – a cause long championed by Southern Baptists – is one that I think bears particular attention in this era in which we’ve seen a resurgence of religious intolerance both in the United States and around the world.Hunter Baker has both a law degree and a Ph.D., and he’s the provost and dean of faculty at North Greenville University, in South Carolina. He is the author of four books, and you may have seen his byline at WORLD Magazine, where he is a frequent contributor to WORLD Opinions. In a spirit of full disclosure, I should also say that Hunter is a friend, someone I turn to regularly for counsel and fellowship.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA Episode, Warren Smith discusses new research from Ryan Burge on “exvangelicals.” Burge’s conclusion: The movement is “way overblown.”To read a transcript of today’s episode, click here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, World Vision prevails in court after it was sued for discrimination. The ruling protects the ministry’s right to hire based on its religious beliefs. We’ll have details.And, a seminary professor accused of sexual misconduct resigned from Concordia Seminary, and is now hired by an independent seminary…raising questions about what background and reference checks seminaries conduct in its hiring process.Plus, a new study shows that Americans’ trust in the church is rebounding—slightly—after dropping to an all-time low in recent years. We’ll take a look.But first, a pro-life clinic in Colorado has been cleared by the court to continue offering abortion pill reversal treatments.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Makella Knowles, Christin Fejervary, Aaron Earls—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Lifeway Research and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden this week, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, World Vision prevails in court after it was sued for discrimination. The ruling protects the ministry’s right to hire based on its religious beliefs. We’ll have details.And, a seminary professor accused of sexual misconduct resigned from Concordia Seminary, and is now hired by an independent seminary…raising questions about what background and reference checks seminaries conduct in its hiring process.Plus, a new study shows that Americans’ trust in the church is rebounding—slightly—after dropping to an all-time low in recent years. We’ll take a look.Christina:But first, a pro-life clinic in Colorado has been cleared by the court to continue offering abortion pill reversal treatments.Warren:Two years ago, Colorado enacted a law making it illegal for doctors and nurses to help women who had changed their mind after taking chemical abortion pills. The law threatened professional discipline for practitioners who use progesterone to reverse the abortion attempt and try to save the baby’s life.Christina:A Catholic pro-life clinic called Bella Health and Wellness challenged the law in federal court.Warren:That’s right. In October 2023, Bella Health won a temporary injunction blocking the law from applying to them—but earlier this month, the court made it permanent.Christina:Becket Fund Senior Counsel Rebekah Ricketts told MinistryWatch that during the course of the legal proceedings—so, the last two years or so—16 babies’ lives have been saved.Warren:She also said this case is the first court decision in the country to recognize the religious protection for doctors and nurses administering progesterone for abortion pill reversal.Christina:You said the court blocked the bill for Bella Health specifically…will this not apply to other pro-life groups?Warren:That’s a good question. The injunction is technically limited to Bella Health and Wellness because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting injunctions…but Ricketts told us that, practically, it would still apply to any religiously-motivated practitioners in Colorado who want to administer progesterone for abortion pill reversal, Ricketts said.Ricketts also hopes the judge’s reasoning and decision will guide other courts around the country who might encounter the same issue. Cases involving abortion pill reversal are currently pending in California and New York.Christina:In our next story, another ministry prevails in court.Warren:

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Here at MinistryWatch we measure a lot of things. We measure financial efficiency. Simply explained, that’s the amount of money that goes to ministry vs. the amount of money. We grade ministries based on their transparency. Our Donor Confidence Score takes into account more than a dozen factors before providing an overall score designed to help you decide whether to give to a ministry or not.One of the most vexing problems we face in the work we do is the problem of measuring ministry effectiveness. We can measure how much money goes to an evangelistic effort, but how do you really measure true conversions. You can count decision cards, or hands raised, or baptisms, but how do you measure love, joy, and peace? If you give money to a child sponsorship program, you get a photo of the little boy or girl, but do you really know what happened to him or her? At age 20 or 25 or 30, is that little girl you prayed for and donated money for…is she OK? Is she following Jesus? Most ministries, even very good ones, struggle with these sorts of measurements.My guest today, Nathan Mayo, doesn’t have all the answers, but Nathan and the group he helps lead, True Charity, has been asking these tough questions for years, and he has some interesting things to say on the subject. If you’ve been around MinistryWatch for a while, you know that I’m a big fan of True Charity. It’s founder James Whitford, has been a guest on the program, and we’ve quoted him and others from True Charity in many of our stories.That’s why I’m excited to have Nathan Mayo on the program today. Nathan earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Upon completion of his military service as a Captain, Nathan and his wife, Abigail, spent two years in Haiti building up a network of Haitian-run churches and schools before moving to Missouri to join True Charity in 2020. Nathan is inspired by solving challenging problems with data and translating the insights of experts into applications for practitioners.Here's the giving guide I mentioned in the program:https://www.truecharity.us/giving-guide/The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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The producers of the new season of “Shiny Happy People” have taken a page out of the Geraldo Rivera School of Journalism.To read a transcript of today’s podcast, click here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a third prosecutor has been appointed in the trial of Anglican Church in North America Bishop Stewart Ruch after the first two resigned. The Bishop is on trial with the denomination for welcoming abusers into the church, and minimizing the needs of abuse survivors.A North Carolina church was the victim of an online scam that stole nearly $800 thousand from their new building fund. That was two years ago—we’ll look at where the church is now.Plus, Brent Leatherwood resigns from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, just one year after being fired…then unfired. Leatherwood led the agency for four contentious years. We’ll have details.First, the defense attorney in a lawsuit involving T.D. Jakes has been sanctioned by the court for using artificial intelligence in the preparation of court documents.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Daniel Ritchie, Bob Smietana, Katie Ruth Bowes, and Isaac Wood.A special thanks to the Biblical Recorder and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden this week, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, a third prosecutor has been appointed in the trial of Anglican Church in North America Bishop Stewart Ruch after the first two resigned. The Bishop is on trial with the denomination for welcoming abusers into the church, and minimizing the needs of abuse survivors.And, a North Carolina church was the victim of an online scam that stole nearly $800 thousand from their new building fund. That was two years ago—we’ll look at where the church is now.Plus, Brent Leatherwood resigns from the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, just one year after being fired…then unfired. Leatherwood led the agency for four contentious years. We’ll have details.Christina:But first, the defense attorney in a lawsuit involving T.D. Jakes has been sanctioned by the court for using artificial intelligence in the preparation of court documents.Warren:The attorney is Tyrone Blackburn, and he was defending Duane Youngblood in a defamation lawsuit filed by TD Jakes.Blackburn has been sanctioned by a federal court because he presented documents that contained material fabricated by artificial intelligence.U.S. District Court Judge William Stickman ordered Blackburn to pay over $76-thousand in fees to cover expenses Jakes had to pay to defend himself against the “AI-generated hallucinations and other misrepresentations in Defendant’s motion to dismiss briefing.”Christina:Last year, Duane Youngblood accused Jakes of attempted sexual assault. Jakes has maintained his innocence and filed a defamation lawsuit against Youngblood in November 2024.Jakes noted that Youngblood is on parole after felony convictions for sexual assault and corruption of minors.Warren:According to a statement provided to Dallas Morning News, Blackburn said he purchased an A-I program because he doesn’t employ paralegals and most of his current clients are pro bono. The A-I program generated its own legal prompts and motions, and contained false quotes and case law.Before he could fix the A-I generated errors, Youngblood asked him to leave the case.Christina:But the judge essentially told him that wasn’t an excuse—that he was fully responsible for the accuracy of his legal briefs, regardless of who—or what—contributed to it. It was Blackburn’s signature on the document.Warren:Right.

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If you are a regular reader of MinistryWatch, and you appreciate our approach to the news, you should know about Bob Case.In fact, if you read WORLD Magazine, or Christianity Today, or The Dispatch, or any of dozens of other news outlets, you have – whether you know it or not – been influenced by Bob Case.Robert Allen Case II is one of the unsung heroes in the development of Christian news outlets over the past 30 years, in part because of his co-founding and leadership of World Journalism Institute, whose graduates are at all the news outlets I mentioned above, and many more besides.Bob died July 15. He was 81 years old.Today, I share a bit of his life and legacy.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, conservative leader Jason Yates, who was the former CEO of My Faith Votes, has pleaded guilty to the possession of child sexual abuse material. We’ll have details.President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill…school choice advocates welcome a provision in the bill that includes a private school tax credit…but the impact on Christian education remains uncertain. We’ll take a look.Plus, The King’s College in New York City. After years of financial woes and false restarts, the school has shut down—for good, this time.First, a Texas court says a lawsuit against Bill Gothard and the Institute for Basic Life Principles can move forward. The Texas Supreme Court ruled on June 27 that a lawsuit against the Institute for Basic Life Principles (IBLP) and its founder Bill Gothard could continue, despite the defendants’ petition to dismiss the lawsuit under the First Amendment and the Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Tony Mator, Kathryn Post, Clemente Lisi, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to the Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel, the church founded by RC Sproul and now led by controversial pastor Burke Parsons, delays its long-awaited vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America. We’ll have details.The murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We’ll take a look.Plus, two years ago, Child Evangelism Fellowship set a goal of reaching 100 million children a year with the gospel through its ministry initiatives. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts checked in for an update.First, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Henry Durand, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to the Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel, the church founded by RC Sproul and now led by controversial pastor Burke Parsons, delays its long-awaited vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America. We’ll have details.And, the murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We’ll take a look.Plus, two years ago, Child Evangelism Fellowship set a goal of reaching 100 million children a year with the gospel through its ministry initiatives. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts checked in for an update.Natasha:But first, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch.Warren:Brady Boyd, who resigned as lead pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June, has started a new ministry — Psalm 68 Ministries.Psalm 68 Ministries says its mission is to serve widows, orphans and the forgotten, as well as ministry leaders.Natasha:Boyd had served at Gateway Church, founded by Robert Morris, from 2001 to 2007. He claimed he didn’t know that Morris had allegedly abused Cindy Clemishire when she was 12 years old.Warren: New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22, that the elders believed Boyd’s insistence that he didn’t know Clemishire’s age was untrue. It is the primary reason the elders asked Boyd to step down.Natasha:Next, St. Andrew’s Chapel delays vote on leaving PCA.Warren: St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, was scheduled to vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) on Sunday, July 20.Instead, in something of a surprise move, the congregation referred the matter to the church’s board of elders, also known as its session, to study the situation and return with a recommendation.Natasha: St. Andrew’s was originally formed as an independent congregation in 1997 with Dr. R.C. Sproul as its founding pastor. It then joined the PCA in 2023.Warren:Its pastors are ordained by and members of the Central Florida Presbytery.In June, a judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery found St. Andrew’s Senior Pastor Burk Parsons guilty of three charges and indefinitely suspended him from the duties of teaching elder in the PCA. He has appealed the judgment. Parsons is also a teaching fellow with Ligonier Ministries.The St. Andrew’s session is expected to report back about the decision to leave the PCA...

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In a recent court filing, the IRS said the-so called Johnson Amendment, which bars all nonprofits from being involved in political campaigns, should not apply to political speech during religious services.The IRS decision still awaits a judge’s approval, but – if it comes – it will be a major victory for the Trump Administration and the fulfillment of a promise to at least one segment of his political base. Trump made the repeal of the Johnson Amendment an important part of his stump speech to religious groups at least since 2016. I was in a meeting in Trump Tower that year with Trump and about forty other evangelical leaders. In that meeting, Trump seemed tentative about many of the issues that energized the people in his conference room that day. But about the Johnson Amendment, he was abundantly clear. “I’m going to do that for you,” he said.There is, however, another perspective. The perspective that repeal of the Johnson Amendment is a bad idea and will result in bad actors using religious groups as a mere front for political activism. It is a perspective I hold, and I’d like to share a few thoughts with you today.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Have you noticed that we live in contentious times? I certainly have. Our politics is polarized. Even our church life is too often contentious and ideological, with positions being driven as much by tribalism as by Scripture or a principled theology. Why is there so much conflict today, and is there a way out of it?Amanda Ripley thinks there is. She’s an investigative journalist who has written for Slate, The Atlantic, and many other publications. She is also trained in conflict mediation, and she teaches other journalists how to cover high conflict situations in a professional and ethical way.Her book High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out came out in 2021, but I am just discovering it, and when I read it – a few months ago – I thought it explained a lot of what is going on today in the world of media, politics, and religion. Amanda Ripley doesn’t write for Christian audiences, per se, and she draws on traditions that are not explicitly Christian for many of her examples and lessons. That said, I found this book to be both enlightening and nourishing, and I think you’ll enjoy this conversation with her.Amanda Ripley spoke to me from her home in the Washington, DC, area, and I spoke with her from Covenant College, on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where I was speaking to students at Summit Ministries.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host, Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel is facing questions over its lack of financial transparency. Members say church leaders refuse to share budget details. Now, the local presbytery is involved. We’ll have details.And, the I-R-S now says churches CAN endorse politicians—this, despite the so-called Johnson Amendment…a law that threatens to remove a ministry’s non-profit status if it makes political endorsements. The move comes as the I-R-S hopes to settle a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters. We’ll take a look.Plus, John MacArthur—megachurch pastor and voice of ‘Grace to You’—has died at the age of 86.But first, a well-known Christian businessman has been charged in heading up a $140M ponzi scheme.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, and Jack Jenkins. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, Georgia.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Mooresville, North Carolina, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel is facing questions over its lack of financial transparency. Members say church leaders refuse to share budget details. Now, the local presbytery is involved. We’ll have details.And, the I-R-S now says churches CAN endorse politicians—this, despite the so-called Johnson Amendment…a law that threatens to remove a ministry’s non-profit status if it makes political endorsements. The move comes as the I-R-S hopes to settle a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters. We’ll take a look.Plus, John MacArthur—megachurch pastor and voice of ‘Grace to You’—has died at the age of 86.Christina:But first, a well-known Christian businessman has been charged in heading up a $140M ponzi scheme.Warren:The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against Edwin Brant Frost IV…the founder and owner of First Liberty Building and Loan in Georgia.The S-E-C claims Frost headed up a Ponzi scheme that cheated about 300 investors out of at least $140 million.Frost—a well-known conservative Christian businessman—once ran the presidential campaign for Pat Robertson in Georgia. He apparently used his church and conservative political connections to fund his scheme.Christina:The complaint alleges that between 2014 and 2025 Frost offered investors promissory notes and loan participation agreements with 18 percent returns. He used new investor funds to make payments to existing investors.Warren:The S-E-C also claims Frost used investor funds for his personal use—including making over $2.4 million in credit card payments, paying more than $335,000 to a rare coin dealer, and spending $230,000 on vacations.Christina:Frost was also actively involved in politics, apparently making $570,000 in political donations.Brad Raffensperger, Georgia Secretary of State, is urging candidates and political committees to return any campaign contributions they received from Frost.Warren:Conservative commentators praised the Frosts. Hugh Hewitt has even compared the elder Frost to the main character of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” calling him “Georgia’s George Bailey,” according to Christianity Today.The S-E-C is also seeking emergency relief, including freezing assets.In a statement released by his lawyer to the New York Times, Frost apologized: “I take full responsibility for my actions and am resolved to spend the rest of my life trying to repay as much as I can to the many people I misled and let down.”Christina:Warren, our next story takes us back to Sanford, Florida,

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If you are listening to this podcast, I’m guessing religion plays an important role in your life. It certainly does in mine. That’s why I was a little put off by the title of Christian Smith’s new book Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America. Religion is certainly not obsolete in my life.But I must say: After reading the book, and after having the conversation with him that you are about to hear, I think he may be right. Of course, a great deal hinges on how you define such words as “traditional faith” and “obsolete.” We’ll talk about that in today’s conversation. But even if he is not right in his overarching premise, a great many of the facts and details of his argument are worth consideration. James Davison Hunter, the elder statesman in the field of the sociology of religion has called Why Religion Went Obsolete an “era-defining book.” I completely agree with this assessment, and I recommend this book. And I hope this brief conversation with Christian Smith that I’m sharing with you will motivate you to go out and get it, read it, and discuss it with the folks in your church.Christian Smith is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. His previous books include Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, a book in which he coined the phrase “moralistic therapeutic deism” to describe the religious belief of young people. It’s a phrase that has become a part of the religious lexicon. Christian Smith spoke to me via zoom from his home in South Bend, Indiana.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school’s president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We’ll have details.And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members.Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren’t ready to use it for everything.Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area.First, a former member is suing John MacArthur’s megachurch for how it handled church discipline.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jim Vertigo, John Seewer, Jessica Eturralde, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school’s president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We’ll have details.And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members.Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren’t ready to use it for everything.Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area.Natasha:But first, a former member is suing John MacArthur’s megachurch for how it handled church discipline.Warren:In a complaint filed Thursday (July 3) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, lawyers for Lorraine Zielinski said she went to leaders at the megachurch in LA’s Sun Valley neighborhood, where MacArthur is the longtime pastor, seeking counseling for her troubled marriage and was told her conversations would be kept confidential.According to the complaint, she told counselors she was afraid for her safety and the safety of her daughter, alleging that her then-husband was physically abusive. Her lawyers said church leaders pressured Zielinski to drop her request for a legal separation.When Zielinski tried to resign as a church member, pastors put her under church discipline for failing to follow their counsel, according to the complaint. They also allegedly told her to either come to a meeting with church pastors or details of her counseling would be made public to the congregation.Natasha:What happened?Warren:According to the complaint. “When Plaintiff did not attend the meeting, GCC made good on its threat and shared information gained through confidential communications relating to her marriage with GCC membership,” “GCC also misrepresented parts of these communications, painting Plaintiff as a bad actor in the marriage and the party at fault for the marital dispute. GCC also omitted Plaintiff’s husband’s desire to remarry and dissolve the marriage.”Natasha: Church members were also allegedly asked to pressure Zielenski to submit to church leaders and to reconcile with her husband, according to the complaint.Warren:Lawyers for Zielenski said the church violated her right to privacy and her right to free association, disclosed private facts, painted her in a false light, breached confidentiality and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.Grace Community Church did not reply to a request for co...

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In this week’s “Extra” episode, Warren discusses the history of McLean Bible Church and the tenure of David Platt. Does he deserve the criticism he has received? Warren’s answer: Platt is not perfect, but the “conflict entrepreneurs” at his church have produced more heat than light.A few links mentioned in today’s program:Stories about McLean Bible Church or David Platt.In the past week, the church released a 35-page report telling its side of the story.I have read the entire report, and I strongly recommend that anyone with an interest in this matter should do the same. If reading the entire report is more than you want, MinistryWatch has a summary here.The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them.With a mission like that, it’s easy to see why Dana and Bill Wichterman’s new book got my attention. The book is Stewards Not Owners: The Joy of Aligning Your Money With Your Faith. Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books about this topic, from Randy Alcorn’s Money, Possessions and Eternity to Jay Richards’ Money, Greed, and God. Other books I often recommend on the topic of stewardship include When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett, and Marvin Olasky’s The Tragedy of American Compassion. These books are classics of the genre. But I honestly think that Dana and Bill’s new book is the book I would recommend to someone who wants to read just one book on the topic. Their new book is relatively short and highly readable, but it doesn’t “dumb down” the deep biblical principles involved. Also, it includes lots of stories of men and women who have lived out the principles they espouse. Those stories make the book come alive, and make the abstract principles seem credible and achievable.Bill Wichterman has spent his career in law and politics, including as Special Assistant to the President in the White House. Bill is the author of the book Dying to Live: Finding Joy In Giving Yourself to God, and the influential essay “The Culture: Upstream from Politics.” He is co-founder of Wedgwood Circle and board president of Faith and Law. Bill holds an M.A. in Political Theory from The Catholic University of America.Dana works for Impact Foundation (Impactfoundation.org), a donor-advised fund specializing in helping Christians align their charitable capital with their unique calling to partner with Kingdom-oriented for-profit companies.Their new book is Stewards Not Owners: The Joy of Aligning Your Money With Your Faith.And, as I promised earlier, we have a way for you to get your own copy of this book. Bill and Dana have donated nearly 200 books to MinistryWatch, and we are going to make them available to you for a gift of any size during the month of July. So, if you would like your own copy of this book, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. We’ll get your book in the mail immediately.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, we have become all too familiar with the allure and the dangers of celebrity preachers. One of the things you will here me say often is that we humans are not meant to be celebrities. We’re not wired for it. Celebrityhood is a condition that wars against the health of our soul.And yet…we Americans, and American evangelicals in particular, have an addiction to celebrities. To use the words from the Joni Mitchell song, our star-making machinery keeps spitting them out. And when these celebrities burn out, or meltdown, we brush them aside and make more. Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Ravi Zacharias, Mark Driscoll, Jimmy Swaggart, Bill Hybels. How much time do you have, because this list could go on and on.All of this is why Molly Worthen’s new book caught my attention. It’s called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Molly is one of those rare academics – she’s a professor at the University of North Carolina – who writes in readable, compelling ways. And her discussion of what she calls charisma, which she says differs from celebrity or charm, is fascinating and has opened up my eyes to new ways of seeing some of the characteristics of the modern evangelical church.If Molly Worthen’s name sounds familiar to you, it could be because I’ve cited her often in my own work. Her book Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, was helpful to me when it was published ten years ago. I should also add that since the publication of that first book, Molly Worthen herself has had a conversion experience and now counts herself as a born-again Christian. I ask her about that near the end of this conversation, and I would invite you to stick around to the end to hear her interesting and – to my way of thinking – encouraging personal story.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris’ tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse. We’ll have details.Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We’ll take a look.And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag.But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kristen Parker, Shannon Cuthrell, Paul Clolery, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to The Banner and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris’ tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse. We’ll have details.Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We’ll take a look.And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag.Natasha:But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair.Warren:Williams, a Christian YouTuber who once reached 90K+ subscribers, runs the "All Things Theology" channel under the handle @Kdubtru. His content spans topics like Christian hip hop, church culture insights, and in-depth sermon critiques.Natasha:In May, Heritage Grace Community Church in Frisco, Texas, announced that it was disciplining Williams, stating he no longer has their endorsement due to his alleged engagement in an adulterous online relationship, which has caused him to seek a divorce from his wife.Warren: Williams has responded to the public criticisms in a video titled "Let's talk about it…" In the video, he admitted to having an emotional affair and expressed remorse and repentance. He denied rumors of leaving his marriage and adopted son (Micah) to pursue a romantic relationship with another woman.Natasha: Moving on,Brady Boyd, senior pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, resigned his position last week after it became clear he misled the congregation regarding his knowledge of former Gateway Pastor Robert Morris’s alleged abuse of Cindy Clemishire.Warren:Boyd, who served at Gateway Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as an associate pastor and elder from 2001 to 2007, said as recently as June 8 that, until last year, he was unaware that Clemishire was 12 when the abuse began.“I worked alongside him. I had no reason to believe he had any kind of character issues,” Boyd told the congregation, according to ChurchLeaders. “He did confide in me he’d had a moral failure when he was 20 years old. That’s really all the details he shared.”Natasha: New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22,

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Sometimes, in the midst of the nuance, complexity, and confusion of everyday life, it’s good to return to first principles.That’s exactly what Glenn Packiam has done with his new book What Is A Christian, Anyway? The title of this book poses a simple and obvious question that the modern (post-modern? Post-postmodern?) church sometimes forgets. Packiam reminds us that this question is an old one, and that it has a clear and beautiful answer: The Nicene Creed. This book gently walks the reader through the Nicene Creed, explaining it line by line. In the church I attend, the Anglican Church, we recite the Nicene Creed most Sundays in our service, so I’ve recited it thousands of times, and I’ve even studied it. But I found Glenn’s new book both intellectually and spiritually nourishing, and I’m glad to have him on the program to discuss it.By the way, this is not the first time I have interviewed Glenn Packiam. To read or listen to my 2019 interview with Packiam, click here.Glenn Packiam is a pastor, author, and practical theologian, who currently serves as the lead pastor of RockHarbor Church, in Costa Mesa, California. Prior to taking on this role, he served as associate senior pastor at New Life Church (newlifechurch.org) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and as the lead pastor of New Life Downtown, a congregation of New Life Church.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details.And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in.Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida.But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adelle Banks, Clemente Lisi, and Brittany Smith.A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details.And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in.Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida.Natasha:But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges.Warren:Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).At a public meeting on June 12, the judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery announced the decision. The defense told the commission it plans to appeal.Natasha:What was he convicted of?Warren:Specifically, Parsons was unanimously found guilty on three charges of “being harsh, ungentle, and unkind to those under his care or with whom he interacts”; “not being a humble servant leader but instead ‘lording it over others’ (i.e, autocratic) and being domineering, contentious, and quarrelsome/pugnacious in his leadership so that those in his care and in his ‘leadership orbit’ were intimidated, bullied, and/or afraid”; and “slandering and/or demeaning other servants and churches of our Lord.”He was found not guilty on two other charges, which were not specifically listed in the report.Natasha: According to the judicial commission’s report, Parsons’ trial was held between May 12 and 28 and included over 55 witnesses and 45 hours of proceedings.Warren: Parsons is indefinitely suspended from his duties as a teaching elder, including preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and participating in church courts.

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Michael Tait. Robert Morris. Mark Driscoll. Ravi Zacharias. Are you tired of celebrity preachers?I am, and I think that’s why the story of John Dyer fascinates me. My guess is that you’ve never heard of him. But I have come to learn that he played a significant role in the spread of the Gospel in Colorado and throughout the Mountain West, and his life has some lessons for us today, especially in this age of celebrity.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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The evangelical church is a mess. If you believe the surveys, more than forty million Americans have “de-churched” in the past 25 years. That is why it is a good thing Brad Edwards reminds us why the Body of Christ still matters. Trevin Wax, whose opinion I value in such matters, has called The Reason for Church “one of the most important books of the year.” I agree. It is a clear-eyed apologetic for the church, and it is also a love letter to the church, especially the local church, where the real “churching” takes place.All of this is why I’m pleased to have Brad Edwards on the program today. Brad is a church planter and pastor of The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado, where he lives with his wife Hannah and their two sons. He is a regular contributor to Mere Orthodoxy and The Gospel Coalition, two of my favorite publications. Brad spoke to me via zoom from his home in Colorado.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Amy Morris at Harper Collins for helping me arrange this interview.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Christian music artist Michael Tait admits to living a “double life” after accusations surfaced that he had sexually groomed and assaulted multiple young men over the course of a decade. We’ll take a look.And, Southern Baptist abuse survivor died last week after a brief illness, sending shock waves through the community of abuse reform advocates. Before her death, she took part in a deposition, publicly revealing details of her abuse by an SBC leader. We’ll have details.Plus, pro-Israel evangelical Johnnie Moore is named chair of a Gaza aid group.But first, the trustees of Truett McConnell University have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor—and placed its president on leave under suspicions that he had helped cover it up. Truett McConnell University President Emir Caner has been placed on administrative leave following a special called meeting of TMU trustees Friday (June 6). The school, affiliated with Georgia Baptists, has been embroiled in controversy following allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Laura Erlanson, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Christian music artist Michael Tait admits to living a “double life” after accusations surfaced that he had sexually groomed and assaulted multiple young men over the course of a decade. We’ll take a look.And, Southern Baptist abuse survivor died last week after a brief illness, sending shock waves through the community of abuse reform advocates. Before her death, she took part in a deposition, publicly revealing details of her abuse by an SBC leader. We’ll have details.Plus, pro-Israel evangelical Johnnie Moore is named chair of a Gaza aid group.Natasha:But first, the trustees of Truett McConnell University have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor—and placed its president on leave under suspicions that he had helped cover it up.Warren:Truett McConnell University President Emir Caner has been placed on administrative leave following a special called meeting of TMU trustees Friday (June 6). The school, affiliated with Georgia Baptists, has been embroiled in controversy following allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor.Natasha:The school also launched a third-party investigation.Warren:The school hired Richard Hyde with Phoenix Research, and it has installed John Yarbrough, TMU’s director of alumni and public policy, as acting president.Natasha:TMU alumna Hayle Swinson went forward last week with allegations that former TMU professor Bradley Reynolds groomed her and sexually abused her while she was a student athlete.Warren:Reynolds was employed at the school until February 2024 after Swinson went to police.Reynolds allegedly sent hundreds of emails and text messages to Swinson over a long period of time, some of them sexually explicit.It is unclear whether school administrators knew about Reynolds’ behavior before 2024.Natasha:Next, breaking news from the Christian Music world.Warren: Days after an investigation revealed allegations of sexual assault against Christian musician Michael Tait,

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A couple of months ago I attended the True Charity conference in Huntsville, Alabama. One of the speakers there was my guest today, Megan Rose, the founder and CEO of a Florida-based ministry called Better Together.Megan got my attention almost right away because of her personal story. I’m not going to give it away here except to say that you have to trust me on this. You want to keep listening if for no other reason than to hear that.But the robust policy and practical content of her message also arrested me. My wife and I have been foster parents here in the state of North Carolina, and Megan said out loud what we had learned, and that is that the foster care system in this country is broken, and it is broken in ways that merely having more Christian foster parents won’t fix. Megan articulated that reality in ways that made sense to me.That’s why I’m excited to have her on the program today. She had this conversation with me via zoom from her home in Naples, Florida.You can learn more about Better together by clicking here.Jeff McIntosh produced today’s program. Heidi Allums provided graphic and technical support.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, ministry leader Sean Feucht is being accused of moral, ethical, and financial failure by former leaders of his various nonprofits. The accusers issued a formal statement this week detailing their accusations and are calling for an independent investigation.And, with the construction of a new school campus, Pastor Doug Wilson’s empire continues to grow in Idaho. We’ll take a look.Plus, Tim Dalrymple is leaving his role at Christianity Today to take the helm of the John Templeton Foundation.But first, Robert Morris is pushing back on Gateway Church’s claims that they didn’t know the details of his sexual abuse of Cindy Clemishire.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Jack Jenkins, Tracy Simmons, Bob Smietana, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, ministry leader Sean Feucht is being accused of moral, ethical, and financial failure by former leaders of his various nonprofits. The accusers issued a formal statement this week detailing their accusations and are calling for an independent investigation.And, with the construction of a new school campus, Pastor Doug Wilson’s empire continues to grow in Idaho. We’ll take a look.Plus, Tim Dalrymple is leaving his role at Christianity Today to take the helm of the John Templeton Foundation.Natasha:But first, Robert Morris is pushing back on Gateway Church’s claims that they didn’t know the details of his sexual abuse of Cindy Clemishire.Warren:According to court documents filed by Morris in Tarrant County, Morris asserted that Gateway elders “knew the facts pertaining to Pastor Morris’s admittedly highly inappropriate relationship with [Clemishire] as early as 2005 and most certainly by August of 2007.” The court documents are part of his effort to seek Christian arbitration in settling the dispute over his retirement benefits.Natasha: One of the issues of contention between Gateway and Morris has been whether they knew Clemishire was just 12 years old when Morris began abusing her.Warren:Morris pointed to a demand letter written by Clemishire’s attorney, now Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, in 2007 that referred to the sexual assaults beginning when Clemishire was just 12 years old. He said the board of elders received a copy of the letter at the time it was written.Drummond secured an indictment against Morris in Oklahoma for five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child.Natasha:So why is Morris bringing all of this up now?Warren:In his court filings, Morris said he was bringing this documentation of Gateway’s knowledge to light due to the church’s “repeatedly and misleadingly accusing Pastor Morris of lacking transparency” and “public blame shifting.”In his most recent court filing, Morris says he still stands ready to mediate and sent such an offer on May 19, stating, “Morris will agree to mediate the case in Tarrant County provided that such mediation take place with all due haste.”He asked the court to order the parties to mediation and to grant his request to compel the parties to arbitration before the Institute for Christian Conciliation.Natasha:Next, a musician and ministry leader has been accused by former employees.Warren:Five former leaders of groups associated with Sean Feucht have issued a formal statement bringing to light what they call “longstanding and serious moral, ethical, financial,

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WarrenHello, everyone. I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.On today’s episode, I’m pleased to have Kim Roberts on the program. If you are a regular reader of MinistryWatch, you know Kim’s name. She is MinistryWatch’s most prolific contributor, and – more to the point today – she is also the manager of MinistryWatch’s quarterly survey of Christian ministry executives.Kim, welcome to the program, and let’s begin with some basic mechanics about the survey.KimWe have more than 1000 ministries in our database, and we send our survey mostly to the CEOs of those organizations. How that we’ve been at this a while, we typically get more than 100 responses, which we feel like is enough to give us a flavor for what these ministry executives are thinking.We’ve been conducting this quarterly survey since October 2022, so nearly three years.WarrenWe ask a lot of the same questions quarter after quarter, so we can see if sentiment is changing on issues like the state of the economy and the financial health of their own organizations. But we also usually ask one or two new questions each quarter. One of the questions we’ve been asking for the past quarter or two has been about Donald Trump.We asked the ministry executives if they thought President Trump’s policies would have a positive or negative impact on their work. What did you learn?KimAbout 27% of Christian ministry leaders told MinistryWatch they believe the Trump administration’s policies will have a negative impact on the organization they lead or the work they do. This is an increase from 19% who gave the same answer in our January survey.WarrenOK, so that’s an 8 percent increase. Significant, but not huge.KimNot huge, but you get a more complete picture when you look at the percentage of executives who are optimistic about Trump’s policies.In January, nearly 55% of respondents were optimistic that the new administration’s policies would have a positive impact. That has dropped to 38% in this month’s survey. That’s a 17 percent drop, which is much more significant.WarrenOne of the questions we ask every quarter is one about revenue. Any changes?KimAccording to the survey respondents, revenue has not increased over the last 12 months as much as it had previously. Only about 16% saw an increase of at least 10% or more in revenue — down from about 21% of respondents in January.WarrenAbout 21% saw their revenue remain flat in that same period. That result is similar to the survey results from July.KimWe also asked a related question about whether ministry leaders believe a recession is on the horizon for the U.S. economy. Leaders are not as optimistic about the state of the nation’s economy as they were in January, with 49% responding that they do not think the U.S. will enter a recession in the next year, down from 62% in January. A majority of leaders — 51% — believe the economy is already in a recession or will enter one in the next six months to a year.WarrenDespite their predictions of a recession, ministry leaders are optimistic their revenue will grow over the next 12 months.KimThat’s right. A majority — 51.4% — believe their revenue will grow between 1% and 10% over the next year, and a healthy 19% believe it will grow by more than 10%. About 21% believe their revenue will remain flat.WarrenOK, so ministry leaders are optimistic, but they still cite fundraising as the primary challenge they face in leading their ministry. As in January, about 50% of ministry executives cited fundraising as their biggest challenge.KimWhen we first began the survey in October 2022, finding and keeping qualified staff was a persistently challenging situation faced by ministry leaders. While it remains a challenge cited by about 25% of respondents in this quarter’s survey, it is down from over 40% when the survey began.WarrenA couple of questions that we’ve been asking for a while showed some...

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In 1985, Neil Postman published Amusing Ourselves to Death. That means this year is the 40th birthday of this landmark book.And in that 40 years, Postman’s troubling prophesies have mostly come true. Screens have reshaped our minds, our relationships, and our culture. Ivan Mesa and Brett McCracken say that “social media and smartphones have brought an appetite for distraction, an epidemic of loneliness, and increased rates of mental health challenges.Their new book, Scrolling Ourselves to Death, is a collection of essays by them and many others who have studied not only Neil Postman’s book, but also the culture – examining both through a Christian worldview lens. Both Postman’s original book, and this new book celebrating Postman, have much to offer Christians today, and I’m delighted to have both Brett and Ivan on the podcast.Brett McCracken is a senior editor for The Gospel Coalition and the author of many excellent books, including one of my recent favorites, The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World. Ivan Mesa ha a PhD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the editorial director for The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Gateway Church has named a new senior pastor. The appointment comes a year after child sexual abuse accusations surfaced against founding pastor Robert Morris. We’ll have details.And, the Department of Justice is suing a city in Idaho for discriminating against Christ the Redeemer Church—a church plant of Doug Wilson’s Christ Church. The church has been seeking a permit to meet in an old bank building—a request the city has denied. We’ll take a look.Plus, Gereld Duane Rollins—who sued SBC legend Paul Pressler for sexual abuse—has died. His lawsuit sparked a Southern Baptist abuse reckoning.But first, Fuller Seminary reaffirms its stance on biblical sexuality. The board of Fuller, a leading evangelical seminary voted to affirm its long-standing stance on biblical marriage and human sexuality during its May meeting. But an email to supporters May 22 caused confusion. The email defined the biblical and historical understanding of biblical sexuality as “a union between a man and a woman and sexual intimacy within the context of that union.” But in the same email, the seminary’s president also acknowledged that some “faithful” Christian denominations “have come to affirm other covenantal forms of relationship,” an unusual stance for an evangelical seminary.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, and Laura Erlanson.A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Gateway Church has named a new senior pastor. The appointment comes a year after child sexual abuse accusations surfaced against founding pastor Robert Morris. We’ll have details.And, the Department of Justice is suing a city in Idaho for discriminating against Christ the Redeemer Church—a church plant of Doug Wilson’s Christ Church. The church has been seeking a permit to meet in an old bank building—a request the city has denied. We’ll take a look.Plus, Gereld Duane Rollins—who sued SBC legend Paul Pressler for sexual abuse—has died. His lawsuit sparked a Southern Baptist abuse reckoning.Natasha:But first, Fuller Seminary reaffirms its stance on biblical sexuality.Warren:The board of Fuller, a leading evangelical seminary voted to affirm its long-standing stance on biblical marriage and human sexuality during its May meeting.In an email to supporters May 22, Fuller caused confusion. The email defined the biblical and historical understanding of biblical sexuality as “a union between a man and a woman and sexual intimacy within the context of that union.”But in the same email, the seminary’s president also acknowledged that some “faithful” Christian denominations “have come to affirm other covenantal forms of relationship,” an unusual stance for an evangelical seminary.Natasha:The acknowledgment that denominations can disagree on the issue and remain faithful led to an online firestorm about whether married gay students who belong to so-called “affirming” denominations might be allowed at the school. Or what will happen to faculty who affirm same-sex marriage.Warren: When asked how the comments about affirming Christians might affect the seminary’s ban on LBGTQ relationships for students, a spokesperson confirmed there was no official change to policy.“The board has made no changes to Fuller’s Community Standards, which all students commit to adhere to upon enrollment, and which states Fuller’s belief that ‘sexual union m...

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I was recently trying to remember the first time I met S.D. (Sam) Smith, the creator of the wildly popular Green Ember books. I think it was at a homeschool conference a decade ago, back when I was working at The Colson Center. I noticed that one of the booths in the exhibit hall was crowded with kids and their parents. It was Sam’s booth, and the kids were going just crazy in their enthusiasm for Sam’s “rabbits with swords,” the heroic and delightful characters who are the stars of the Green Ember books.Since then, Sam’s Green Ember books – plus other series that we’ll talk about today – have sold more than 1.5 million books. Sam’s brother Josiah is a key partner in the cottage industry that the Smiths have created, and his son – also named Josiah – is now a co-writer of the Jack Zulu books.I’m also pleased to say that Sam has become a good friend, so this conversation might get a little free-wheeling. We talk about writing the Green Ember and Jack Zulu books, a kickstarter campaign that has already raised more than $200,000 for a video game based on one of the characters in the Green Ember series, and why he has chosen to stay in West Virginia when conventional wisdom says he might have an easier time of it if he moved to Nashville, New York, or one of the other so-called “cultural centers” in the country. I think you’ll find Sam’s perspective both encouraging and challenging.We had this conversation via zoom.That brings to a close my conversation with S.D. (Sam) Smith. You can find out more about Sam and his work at www.sdsmith.com. By the way, since Sam and I spoke, his kickstarter campaign has significantly exceeded its $200,000 goal. Congratulations to Sam and his team on this milestone.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Liberty University reached a settlement with disgraced former President Jerry Falwell Jr. last year, but the terms of that settlement were only disclosed this week. We’ll have details.And, Bob Jones University names a new president just a month after its current leader announced he is stepping back. Many alumni aren’t happy with the choice. We’ll explain why.Plus, beloved Bible study author Kay Arthur has died at 91. We’ll look back at the ministry founder’s life.But first, police close its investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Daystar. The police department investigating accusations that sexual abuse was covered up by Daystar Television Network’s founding family, Joni and Marcus Lamb, has announced it is closing the investigation. According to the Colleyville Police Department in North Texas, the allegations were thoroughly investigated over the last year and a half, but no one will be charged in the matter.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Liberty University reached a settlement with disgraced former President Jerry Falwell Jr. last year, but the terms of that settlement were only disclosed this week. We’ll have details.And, Bob Jones University names a new president just a month after its current leader announced he is stepping back. Many alumni aren’t happy with the choice. We’ll explain why.Plus, beloved Bible study author Kay Arthur has died at 91. We’ll look back at the ministry founder’s life.Natasha:But first, Police close its investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Daystar.Warren:The police department investigating accusations that sexual abuse was covered up by Daystar Television Network’s founding family, Joni and Marcus Lamb, has announced it is closing the investigation.According to the Colleyville Police Department in North Texas, the allegations were thoroughly investigated over the last year and a half, but no one will be charged in the matter.Dara Nelson, Colleyville Police Department’s public information officer, in a statement. “The case is closed with no charges filed. In Texas, there is no statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child. If any new evidence emerges in this case, it will be thoroughly investigated,” she added.Natasha:Warren, can you briefly give us a little more background to this story?Warren:Last fall, Jonathan Lamb, son of Daystar founders Marcus and Joni Lamb, and his wife, Suzy, publicly accused Daystar leaders of covering up abuse involving their daughter from several years prior.The couple accused a Lamb family member, identified as “Pete,” of the abuse. Pete submitted to two lie detector tests, and no evidence was ever produced implicating him in the abuse, according to a statement on Daystar’s website.Both “Pete” and Daystar denied any wrongdoing.Natasha:But the family isn’t convinced.Warren:In a post on X, Suzy Lamb called the investigation closure “a formality,” adding that victims of abuse often take years to speak up. She also said “Pete” was not exonerated of the alleged abuse.“When our child is ready to speak – she will and the case will be wide open again,” Suzy Lamb wrote. “Till then we rest and trust God to bring justice.”

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On today’s program, Warren Smith talks with Michael Reneau of The Dispatch about his new column “Dispatch Faith.” They also unpack the mission of The Dispatch, his role there, the state of American journalism, and a whole lot more.Before joining The Dispatch, Michael Reneau was the editor of WORLD Magazine. He also served as editor of the award-winning paper The Greenville Sun, based in Greenville, Tennessee. He is married and he and his wife have four children.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

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If you are a conservative, Bible-believing Christian, there’s a lot to like about the Rev. Calvin Robinson. Raised in England, he stood up to the liberalism of the Church of England and, as a result, that church would not ordain him. He is a powerful communicator who puts his gifts in service of pro-life causes, the sanctity of marriage, and other important issues.Then there’s the “other” Calvin Robinson. If you’ve been following the news about Robinson this week, you probably know that Calvin Robinson, too. That Calvin Robinson is an agent provocateur. He made what appeared to be a Nazi-like salute at a pro-life event in January. He has been fired or suspended from media and ministry jobs. This Calvin Robinson is a guy who seems to be in love with the spotlight, but not at all in love with those in authority over him telling him what to do.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. The host is Warren Smith.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Calvin Robinson was dismissed by the Anglican Catholic Church earlier this year after making a nazi-like salute at a pro-life summit. This week, another denomination has restored him to service…but not without pushback. We’ll have details.The Episcopal Church is ending its partnership with the U.S. after refusing to settle refugees from South Africa. We’ll take a look.Plus, long-time Carolina University President Charles Petitt passed away last week. His two-decade tenure transformed the small North Carolina school.First, influential Calvinist pastor has been suspended from his church over multiple fake social media accounts he ran where he criticized pastors and elders in his inner circle.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Bruce Barron, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Illinois Baptist and Bruce Barron for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Calvin Robinson was dismissed by the Anglican Catholic Church earlier this year after making a nazi-like salute at a pro-life summit. This week, another denomination has restored him to service…but not without pushback. We’ll have details.And, the Episcopal Church is ending its partnership with the U.S. after refusing to settle refugees from South Africa. We’ll take a look.Plus, long-time Carolina University President Charles Petitt passed away last week. His two-decade tenure transformed the small North Carolina school.Natasha:But first, influential Calvinist pastor has been suspended from his church over multiple fake social media accounts he ran where he criticized pastors and elders in his inner circle.Warren:Josh Buice, founder of the G3 Conference and pastor of Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, Georgia, was placed on indefinite leave last week after church leaders “uncovered irrefutable evidence that Dr. Buice has, for the past three years, operated at least four anonymous social media accounts, two anonymous email addresses, and two Substack platforms.”According to a statement from the church. “These accounts were used to publicly and anonymously slander numerous Christian leaders, including faithful pastors (some of whom have spoken at G3 conferences), several PMBC elders, and others,”“These actions were not only sinful in nature but deeply divisive, causing unnecessary suspicion and strife within the body of Christ, and particularly within the eldership of PMBC.”Natasha:Buice has also resigned as president of G3, which was founded in 2019 and brought in $2.3 million in revenue for the 2023 calendar year, according to its public IRS financial disclosures.The group grew out of a conference started by Buice in 2013 — the name G3 stands for “Gospel, Grace, Glory.” The group claimed its annual conference drew 6,500 people in 2021, according to the G3 website.Warren:The board of G3 has canceled the group’s annual conference, which had been planned for September, and promised full refunds.Natasha:So who was he criticizing?Warren: Buice especially criticized former Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore and Bible teacher Beth Moore (not related) for allegedly promoting liberal ideas in the church, as well as former SBC President Ed Litton for alleged sermon plagiarism.He has also apparently been running anonymous social media accounts that criticized other pastors...

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I went on a road trip this week from my home in Charlotte, N.C., through Nashville to Branson, Mo., where I spoke at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. From there I drove home through Terre Haute and Indianapolis, Ind., and Beckley, W.Va. In 72 hours, I put in more than 1800 miles.It wasn’t all windshield time. I stopped for meetings all along the way, and I learned that real, life-changing and culture-changing work is happening in places that are not New York or Washington, or Los Angeles. Here’s what I learned….The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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You don’t see a lot of mergers in the Christian ministry space, but one recent merger caught our eye here at MinistryWatch. That merger was between CareNet and ICU Mobile. We thought it would be good to have Roland Warren back on the program to explain why and how this merger occurred.Regular listeners to the program will remember that we had Roland on the show last year to discuss his book The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must Be Pro Abundant Life. I’ll have a link to that program in today’s show notes.But for those who missed that program, or who have forgotten, Roland Warren has been the president of Care Net, the nation’s largest network of pregnancy resource centers, for more than a decade. He’s been an advocate for the unborn for much longer than that. Roland Warren has also helped bring fathers into the pro-life conversation, in part because of a tenure as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, a post he held before coming to Care Net.I’ve interviewed Roland Warren many times over the years, including twice for my “Listening In” podcast, a podcast I did for a decade for WORLD News Group. I’ll include links to those interviews in today’s show notes.Those links are here and here.Today, though, we focus on the merger with CareNet and ICU Mobile because it’s an example of what I think more ministries should consider, and that is a strategic merger with other like-minded organizations. I think Roland has some interesting insights regarding the why and how to make such mergers possible.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Milestone Church in North Texas announced this week it is expanding its campuses by absorbing Cross Timbers Church in nearby Argyle. Cross Timbers has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the forced resignation of its senior pastor. We’ll have details.Plus, prominent evangelical leaders petition President Trump to allow Afghan refugees to remain in the U.S. Refugees face arrest, torture, and possibly death by the Taliban if deported back to Afghanistan. We’ll take a look.A new survey shows the number of donors continued to drop in 2024…but revenue from overall donations rose.But first, Ethnos 360—one of the largest missionary agencies in the country—has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Paul Colliery, Brittany Smith and Warren Smith.A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Milestone Church in North Texas announced this week it is expanding its campuses by absorbing Cross Timbers Church in nearby Argyle. Cross Timbers has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the forced resignation of its senior pastor. We’ll have details.Plus, prominent evangelical leaders petition President Trump to allow Afghan refugees to remain in the U.S. Refugees face arrest, torture, and possibly death by the Taliban if deported back to Afghanistan. We’ll take a look.And, a new survey shows the number of donors continued to drop in 2024…but revenue from overall donations rose.Natasha:But first, Ethnos 360—one of the largest missionary agencies in the country—has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia.Warren:Kayla McClain, 25, claims she was abused by an Ethnos360 missionary, Nate Horling, between 2005 and 2010.Her lawsuit asserts claims against Ethnos 360 for negligence, negligent training and supervision, fraud in the inducement, and vicarious liability for the alleged abuse committed by Horling.Boz Tchividjian, the attorney representing McClain, is also founder of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE). said in a statement to MinistryWatch. “Once again, Ethnos360 faces a lawsuit for failing to protect a child from sexual abuse — and for its deeply inadequate response when the survivor courageously came forward,”“Our client, like far too many others, was not kept safe. But through this legal action, she is now seeking the accountability and justice that were long denied to her,” he said.Natasha:What happened?Warren: In 2005, McClain’s parents served as missionaries with Ethnos360 in Indonesia after completing their missionary training.While there, Kayla McClain became acquainted with the Horlings, another missionary family living in the same housing area provided by Ethnos360. The Horlings had a daughter the same age as McClain.According to court filings, McClain often felt uncomfortable around Nate Horling, who would stroke her hair and give her prolonged full-body hugs. McClain also claims Horling showed her lewd pictures and videos of children in the Ethnos360 office while she sat on his lap and he touched her inappropriately. And in 2009 she was raped by HorlingNatasha:And this was just one of multiple cases within Ethnos 360 the lawsuit a...

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Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 30, 2025, about whether Oklahoma can operate the nation’s first faith-based charter school. If the Supreme Court decides their way, St. Isidore of Seville would be a virtual, K-12 school run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa.We should note that a lot of conservatives are with St. Isidore. Alliance Defending Freedom’s Jim Campbell was one of the attorneys arguing on behalf of the Oklahoma charter board and the school. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican supporter of St. Isidore, said the case “stands to be one of the most significant religious and education freedom decisions in our lifetime.” The conservative legal group Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case, also in favor of St. Isidore.But not everyone – even on the conservative and Christian side of the aisle — is so enthusiastic. David Dockery is the president of the International Alliance for Christian Education. He told MinistryWatch, “IACE does not have an official position on the St Isidore case since we do not have full agreement on this matter among those who serve on the Board.”Dan Burrell is a longtime Christian education leader. Today he serves as a pastor in Charlotte, N.C., and the chairman of the board of MinistryWatch. His experience includes a tenure as president of the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. He was also a faculty member at Liberty University’s graduate school of education. Burrell said he was “pretty strongly opposed” to government-funded religious schools.

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On today’s program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We’ll have details.And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination’s leftward drift.Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look.But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter’s House. T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter’s House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church’s leaders, Christianity Today reported.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Mark Wingfield, Tyler Hummel, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We’ll have details.And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination’s leftward drift.Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look.Natasha:But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter’s House.Warren:T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter’s House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church’s leaders, Christianity Today reported.Jakes, age 67, told the Potter’s House congregation the news on Sunday, April 27, saying, “I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and that you be sheep without a shepherd.”Natasha: Last month, Jakes revealed in an interview on NBC’s Today Show that he suffered a massive heart attack in November.Warren: Sarah Jakes Roberts and husband Toure’ Roberts are expected to take over as senior pastors in July when the church celebrates its anniversary, but plans for the current assistant pastors to take the lead have been in the works for a few years, Jakes said. He will remain as chairman of the church’s board.The Roberts couple currently lead One: A Potter’s House Church in Los Angeles. Toure’ Roberts founded One in 2004. Sarah Jakes Roberts is the founder of Women Evolve, a conference for women to be held in Atlanta later this summer.Natasha:Our next story also pertains to pastoral succession – but this one isn’t as positiveWarren: Pastoral succession, megachurch wealth and family dynasties combine in a lawsuit filed against Second Baptist Church of Houston and its leaders April 15.The Southern Baptist congregation is the 17th largest church in America, according to Outreach magazine, with average weekly attendance of 19,735 in 2024.

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In the Great Commission of Matthew 28, Jesus plainly told his disciples to go to all parts of the world and make disciples. And for 2000 years, Christians have done that, and God has blessed that work. Today, mature Christian believers on every continent in the world.That’s why some Christian leaders are re-thinking what it means to “go.” My guest today, Aaron Baart, is one of them. He got involved in foreign missions in 2007 and discovered that Godly, mature Christ-followers are already living and ministering in many of the places we Americans are sending missionaries. Why not support them?That insight has put Aaron in the forefront of what I call the “New Missions Paradigm.” We’ve written a good bit about it here at MinistryWatch, and Aaron and his colleagues at Dordt University in Iowa have now produced a new six-part video series called “Missions Upside Down.” I’ve watched it. I recommend it, and on today’s program Aaron is joining me to talk about it.Aaron Baart is an alumnus of Dordt who came back to serve on campus in 2010. As the Chief of Staff, Baart coordinates strategic efforts among the senior leadership team, is Dordt’s legal liaison, and leads the Crisis Management Team. He also serves as Dean of Chapel, providing oversight for the Campus Ministries staff that helps students develop spiritually through worship, service, missions, and discipleship initiatives.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you don’t live day-to-day in the world of finance or philanthropy, you might not have heard of the Great Generational Wealth Transfer. It’s the notion that in the next 20 or so years, as much as $90 trillion will transfer from the current generation that holds these assets to the next generation.MinistryWatch provides a database of the largest ministries in the nation, with lots of free data at your disposal. As a friend of mine often says (with a touch of irony), “We live in the future now. We can have nice things.” We may not live in the future, but we do live in a world where being uninformed is not an excuse. Dig in, ask tough questions, and give wisely.You can find recent examples of our “Generous Living” series here and here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire was the subject of an independent investigation late last year. The findings of that report have now been released, allegedly finding that Brown DID engage in misconduct with two women who were not his wife. We’ll have details.And, is Bob Jones University facing closure? The school’s president says no—but alumni aren’t so sure. We’ll take a closer look.Plus, The Salvation Army in Denver is embroiled in protests, violence, and a failed $3 million bid to provide housing to the city’s homeless population. The ministry says the city is using it as a ‘scapegoat’ even as it faces an overwhelming homelessness crisis.But first, a female victim has joined the fray in suing Kanakuk Kamps for negligence after she was abused by former staffer Peter Newman when she was just 9 years old.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, and Brittany Smith.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire was the subject of an independent investigation late last year. The findings of that report have now been released, allegedly finding that Brown DID engage in misconduct with two women who were not his wife. We’ll have details.And, is Bob Jones University facing closure? The school’s president says no—but alumni aren’t so sure. We’ll take a closer look.Plus, The Salvation Army in Denver is embroiled in protests, violence, and a failed $3 million bid to provide housing to the city’s homeless population. The ministry says the city is using it as a ‘scapegoat’ even as it faces an overwhelming homelessness crisis.Natasha:But first, a female victim has joined the fray in suing Kanakuk Kamps for negligence after she was abused by former staffer Peter Newman when she was just 9 years old.Warren:The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe due to the sensitive nature of the allegations, filed suit on Monday, April 14 against Kanakuk Heritage, Kanakuk Ministries, KUKORP, and Joe White for negligent retention, negligent supervision, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and sexual battery. The lawsuit was filed in Taney County, Missouri, where Kanakuk is located.This is the first known female victim of Newman to come forward with a lawsuit, according to a press release by Monsees & Mayer, the law firm representing the plaintiff.The plaintiff alleges she was sexually molested by Peter Newman in 2008 when she was just 9 years old and attending K-Kountry, one of the summer camp programs for 6- to 11-year-old children.Natasha:I know these cases are extremely sensitive for the victims but why didn’t she bring the lawsuit sooner?Warren:According to the lawsuit, Doe’s memory of the events was repressed until December 2024 when she regained the memories of abuse and began to question Kanakuk’s conduct and responsibility for Newman’s actions.Missouri’s law allows for a pause of the statute of limitations related to childhood sexual abuse when memory of the abuse was repressed.Natasha:Our next story brings to light more unfortunate newsWarren:An independent investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire “concluded that Brown’s actions toward the two females were inappropriate and unacceptable for his leadership position within the ministry.”Brown was accused of sexual misconduct by crossing physical boundaries with a 21-year-old woman,

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The music industry has been in something of a mess over the past two decades. Digital platforms have come and gone and come again, completely reshaping – and then reshaping again – the economic model of the music industry. The Christian music industry has had to undergo all these changes plus more: the rise of the worship genre, the growth of such radio juggernauts as K-Love and Salem, and the economic pressures these innovations have placed on the rest of the industry to conform or die. And the worship genre itself has shaped the way the church worships – whether we like it or not.Through all these changes, a small but influential music label in Nashville has not just survived, but it has thrived. That label is Centricity, and it owes much of its success to my guest today, John Mays. John is one of the co-founders of the label, and he has retained the title of President of A&R. And if you don’t know what that means, stay tuned. John will explain.John Mays began his career as a musician, playing bass for some of the early bands in the CCM genre, first as a road dog, then as a session player. He worked for industry leader Word Records early in his career. With Word, Centricity, and others, he has been influential in the careers of artists such as Cindy Morgan, Point of Grace, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Andrew Peterson, and many more. John is currently working with Peterson, Jason Gray, and Lauren Daigle, among the two dozen or so artists currently on the Centricity label.John had this conversation with me from his home near Nashville.A special word before we go. I’m a bit of a music guy. I find music to be nourishing spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Contemporary Christian Music and Christian radio also have an outsized impact on the evangelical movement. So from time to time, we’ll feature musicians on the MinistryWatch podcast. To hear recent interviews I’ve done with Charlie Peacock, Fernando Ortega, Andrew Peterson, and others, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “Podcast” button at the top of the page.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to PR guy extraordinaire Rick Hoganson for helping me arrange this interview with John Mays.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Last week, nearly 300 ministry leaders who make up the True Charity Network gathered in Huntsville, Alabama. I was there. On this episode, I discuss what I saw and heard.To learn more about Watered Gardens and James Whitford, click here.Here are some of the checklists – called “Model Action Plans” — published by The True Charity Network.

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On today’s program we have internationally recognized psychologies and trauma scholar Diane Langberg. She has come face to face with the trauma of sexual abuse, trafficking, domestic violence, and rape – and its cover up. And she has encountered all of them within the Christian community and the church.In her book When the Church Harms God’s People, Langberg diagnoses how Christian communities often choose to protect their institutions rather than the victims of harm, and she discusses what we can do about it.Diane Langberg has a Ph.D from Temple University, and she has chaired the advisory board of the American Association of Christian Counselors. She has written a number of books, books which have been translated into eleven languages.To receive your own copy of her book, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. If you make a gift of any size to MinistryWatch during April 2025, we’ll send you this book as our thank you gift.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he’s served as president of the school for less than a year. We’ll have details.Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We’ll take a look.Plus, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university.But first, Pastor Rodney Finch’s Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it’s for real. Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association’s (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret. After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adam Macinnis, Marci Seither, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to byFaith Online for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he’s served as president of the school for less than a year. We’ll have details.And, Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We’ll take a look.And Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university.Natasha:But first, Pastor Rodney Finch’s Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it’s for real.Warren:Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association’s (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret.After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board.Natasha: As MinistryWatch reported, the church then closed its doors late last year and began liquidating assets through estate sales. Now, the entire three-lot property, which includes two buildings totaling about 40,000 square feet, has been sold for $7 million.Warren: According to a deed filed with Wake County, the church was purchased on February 21 by a local LLC called LIWSP Apex, whose articles of organization indicate it was formed just two days prior. In a letter of no objection by the state assistant attorney general’s office, the buyer is identified as Longleaf Industrial, LLC, a real estate development company owned by former NHL hockey player Tim Brent.Calvary Chapel Cary board member Steve Youell, a real estate agent in Florida, confirmed to MinistryWatch that the church sold for $7 ...

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Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi and Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world.Both Amy and Al have been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic language spoken by more than 11 million people.More than three years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021.But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned. And that’s what we are doing today.The very fact that Al and Amy and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past four years or so, I’ve written about 50 articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to some of those articles in today’s show notes.I encourage you to check them out: https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/

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On today’s program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt’s claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We’ll have details.Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims.And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump’s mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters.But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adele M. Banks, Fiona Andre, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Skylar Laird, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to South Carolina Daily Gazette for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt’s claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We’ll have details.Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims.And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump’s mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters.Natasha:But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children.Warren:A jury says a Fort Worth pastor is liable for $124 million in damages in a sexual assault civil case—following a settlement that included giving the church property to his victims.In 2017, police arrested and indicted Jose Francisco Bernal for allegedly sexually assaulting two girls in his church's youth department at Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia (Tabernacle of Life) Pentecostal Church. The women, sisters who are now adults, claim Bernal repeatedly sexually assaulted them since they were 7 years old.Natasha:The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the trial's progress until September 2022. Prosecutors dismissed the charges after a mistrial. The jury deliberated over 10 hours and could not reach a verdict.Warren:But two years after Bernal's arrest on June 4, 2019, one of the women filed a separate lawsuit against Bernal through the Tarrant County District Court.The survivors also named two churches in their lawsuit: Bernal’s Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia in Fort Worth and Tabernaculo de Vida in Dallas. Both churches are part of United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), and the Fort Worth location is the daughter church of the Dallas church.Natasha: What’s happened to the churches?Warren:In 2023, the churches settled by agreeing to pay $100,000 and transferring ownership of the Forth Worth church pr...

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On today’s EXTRA episode Warren Smith explains why he thinks Christian ministries should not have endowments. He says the Internal Revenue Service recognizes 1.9 million organizations as tax-exempt. Of these, more than a million of them are “religious” organizations. For almost all of them, an endowment is a bad idea.To read Karen Houghton’s piece on why she thinks ministries should have endowments, click here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor. And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We’ll take a closer look at the church’s 2024 annual report. Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We’ll have details.But first, more churches are leaving what’s known as ‘the Network,’ led by Steve Morgan. Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor.And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We’ll take a closer look at the church’s 2024 annual report.Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We’ll have details.Natasha:But first, more churches are leaving what’s known as ‘the Network,’ led by Steve Morgan.Warren:Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites.MinistryWatch began reporting about Morgan in 2022 when a watchdog group called “Leaving the Network” issued an eight-point “call to action,” including an independent investigation of the group.Morgan, who was originally part of the Vineyard Association of Churches, left that group in 2006 and formed his own network. At one point, the network included 26 churches in the U.S., U.K., and Taiwan. Morgan is still the lead pastor of Joshua Church in Austin, Texas.Natasha:Why were churches leaving?Warren:One of the concerns that “Leaving the Network” has raised is that Morgan was arrested in 1987 for aggravated criminal sodomy of a minor, but his case was diverted. The group believes Morgan’s past has been concealed from members and leaders in the network of churches.Natasha:Eleven churches no longer appear to be affiliated with the Network. MinistryWatch reported about four — Isaiah Church, Vine Church, North Pines Church, and Hosea Church — last fall. Now seven more have indicated in some way that they are no longer part of the Network.Warren: Brookfield Church in Athens, Ohio: Cedar Heights Church in State College, Penn.: Mountain Heights Church in Morgantown, W.V.: Oaks Church in Muncie, Ind.: South Grove Church in Athens, Ga.: Vida Springs Church in Gainesville, Fla.: Christland Church in College Station, Texas:Natasha: Next, Willow Creek’s Pastor steps down.Warren:David Dummitt, who became pastor of Willow Creek Church at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,

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On today’s “Extra” podcast, we discuss Amanda Ripley’s excellent 2021 book High Conflict, and I share some principles for becoming a discerning consumer of news in this partisan and polarized media environment.Today’s podcast episode is based on my “Editor’s Notebook” from last Friday, which you can read here.The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We’ll have details. And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan’s Purse. We’ll take a look. Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it.But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Ed Stych, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We’ll have details.And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan’s Purse. We’ll take a look.Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it.Natasha:But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman.Warren:Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance.On March 12, in his first tweet on X since before the scandal broke, Lawson addressed his followers in a nearly 500-word tweet."It is with a shattered heart that I write this letter. I have sinned grievously against the Lord, against my wife, my family, and against countless numbers of you by having a sinful relationship with a woman not my wife," the tweet began.Natasha: In September 2024, Trinity Bible Church of Dallas removed Lawson, their lead pastor of six years, after he admitted to church elders that he was having an "inappropriate relationship" with a woman. Before joining Trinity in 2018, Lawson was a pastor for over 40 years, leading churches in Arkansas and Alabama.Warren:Lawson formerly served as professor of preaching and dean of D.Min. studies at The Master's Seminary (TMS) and was a frequent preacher at John MacArthur's Grace Community Church (GCC) and its conferences. Lawson is also the founder of OnePassion Ministries, executive editor of Expositor Magazine (a ministry of OnePassion), and author of 33 books.Natasha: Next, Robert Morris turns himself in to authorities.Warren: Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, turned himself in on charges of lewd acts with children on Monday, March 17.Morris was indicted by a grand jury in Oklahoma last week on five charges of lewd or indecent acts with children.Natasha: The charges stem for allegations brought by Cindy Clemishire last year.Warren: Clemishire has accused Morris of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years old. Morris was allegedly a 21-year-old visiting evangelist. He was married, and he and his wife had a young child.Morris resigned after the allegations became public through Clemishire’s account published by The Wartburg Watch on June 14,

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It has been a rough couple of decades for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, but the school seems to have turned a corner and is headed in a new, positive direction. If the saga of SWBTS does indeed have a happy ending, or at least a thriving next chapter, a good bit of the credit can be attributed to one man: Dr. David Dockery.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you.LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S PROGRAM:Dr. Russell DildayThomas Kidd’s excellent work, especially The Baptists In America, which he co-wrote with Barry Hankins.Mark Wingfield’s recent article “How Southwestern Seminary Is Bouncing Back From Financial Catastrophe” .20 years of detailed financial audits.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination’s handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We’ll take a look.Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration’s defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We’ll have details.But first, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program are Mark A. Kellner, Laura Erlanson, Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Erik Tryggestad, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adelle M. Banks, Ed Stych, and Brittany Smith.A special thanks to Baptist Press and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination’s handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We’ll take a look.Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration’s defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We’ll have details.Natasha:But first, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts.Warren:Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is asking Americans to donate money to send leather-bound Bibles into Sooner State public school classrooms, now that the state legislature nixed a funding request.Walters told MinistryWatch in a telephone interview he has created the BiblesforOklahoma.com website, where $59.99 “God Bless The USA” Bibles can be purchased for schools.Natasha:The controversial volume pairs the King James Version of the Bible with the texts of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. It also reproduces handwritten lyrics to Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA.”Warren:Walters’s fundraising move launched less than 24 hours after Oklahoma’s Senate Appropriations Committee failed to recommend his budgetary request for $3 million to purchase Bibles for classrooms — and an additional $5 million to pay for potential litigation over the move.State Sen. Nancy Boren (D-Norman) told MinistryWatch she objects not only to the dollar amount requested but also to combining the Scriptures and America’s founding documents in a single volume.Natasha: Others have offered alternative options, but Walters didn’t seem interestedWarren:The state senator, a Church of Christ member and an Abilene Christian University graduate, also said Gov. Kevin Stritt reminded people there’s a free smartphone app — YouBible — that’s created in Oklahoma. Boren also said other people were willing to donate “like, the real Bible, not the ‘Trump Bible,’ for free, and [Walters] didn’t want that.”The Oklahoma Supreme Court also as problems with Walter’s plan. The conservative court has temporarily blocked Walter’s attempt at fundraising, at least for now.Natasha: Next,

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Here at MinistryWatch I have witnessed a tragic phenomenon over and over again. A youngperson begins the Christian life with passion and enthusiasm. But if that person doesn’t put downan anchor in the Gospel, he begins to drift. Before long, that young person finds himself, orherself, broken apart on the rocks, wondering, “How did this happen?” If that person was aleader in the church, the damage can spread far and wide.My guest today, Jared Wilson, says Scripture can answer the question “How did this happen?”He points to Hebrews 2:1 as a key. “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what wehave heard, lest we drift away from it.”His new book is called “Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel.” I’vegot to say that I have been looking forward to this book and my conversation with Jared, in partbecause I believe the topic is so vital, but also because I’ve been following Jared on social mediafor a while and have found him to be one of the increasingly rare sane voices there. So it was apleasure to settle in to this conversation with him.Jared C. Wilson is assistant professor of pastoral ministry and author in residence at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City. He is also pastor for preaching and the director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church, a Kansas City suburb.I’d like to remind you that during the month of March we are asking our regular listeners and readers to prayerfully consider becoming a monthly supporter of MinistryWatch. Monthly supporters play a special and badly needed role here at MinistryWatch. They give us a certain baseline of support that we know we can count on every month. That is a tremendous help in our planning. I also want to mention that as a monthly supporter you will receive ALL the donor premiums we offer during the year. To become a monthly supporter, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Amy Morris at Zondervan, as wellas my assistant Carley Southerland, for arranging my interview with Jared Wilson.Please join me again on Friday when Natasha Cowden and I review the news of the week that we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch.Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We’ll take a look.And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don’t survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions.And, we’ve released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants. But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We’ll take a look.And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don’t survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions.And, we’ve released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants.Natasha:But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand.Warren:On March 3, the Justice Department section for the Western District of Pennsylvania filed a statement of interest supporting the Hope Rising Community Church in its lawsuit against the Borough of Clarion.The church has outgrown its current facilities and wants to expand using a facility in the city’s commercial district. While Clarion allows nonreligious assemblies in the commercial district, such as theaters, the city would not approve the church’s zoning use variance request. Officials from the city allegedly said they didn’t “need any more churches” because of the loss of property taxes.Natasha:Hope Rising Community Church filed its lawsuit in November alleging the city was violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law that protects houses of worship from discrimination in zoning.When Clarion filed a motion to dismiss the church’s claim, the Justice Department intervened.Warren: The city argued the church had not suffered any concrete injury as a result of Clarion’s actions, the DOJ argued that the city’s zoning code has “stymied [the church’s] efforts to buy and develop the only suitable property for the church in Clarion.”As of March 2024, the DOJ had opened over 155 formal investigations and filed nearly 30 lawsuits related to RLUIPA’s Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) land use provisions, and had filed 36 “friend-of-the-court” briefs addressing the interpretation and application of RLUIPA in privately-filed lawsuits.Natasha:Next, The Trump Administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies.Warren:President Donald Trump’s administration is making moves to shutter a decades-old partnership between the government and a group of mostly religious organizations to resettle refugees, with the State Department abruptly canceling grant agreements with all the agencies despite ongoing legal battles.On Wednesday (Feb. 26), refugee resettlement organizations, such as Church World Service, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the U.S.

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Bruce Bruinsma believes that 30 years is a long time to do nothing. He also says that this is precisely what a lot of Christian retirees do.The average lifespan of an American is about 78 years. But if that’s average, many live much longer. About 2 percent of Americans – more than 6 million people – are 85 or older. And more than 50 percent of Americans retire before the age of 65.Bruinsma believes we need a retirement reformation. We need to create an expectation that older people can make vital contributions to our churches, to Christian ministries, and to our communities. We shouldn’t segregate them in their own Sunday school classes, or send them off on Christian themed bus trips. They should play an active, leadership role in our churches.Promoting this message is what he has done with his retirement. Bruce Bruinsma is 83 years old, and still full steam ahead with ministry work. It was a pleasure to talk with him about why and how we can create a retirement reformation.To learn more about his organization, Retirement Reformation, just go to RetirementReformation.org

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On today’s program, Dr. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew’s Chapelwhere he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We’ll have details.And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We’ll take a look.Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bethany Starin, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren: On today’s program, Dr. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew’s Chapel, where he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We’ll have details.And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We’ll take a look.Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.Natasha:But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation.Warren:A former professor and investigator at Liberty University has filed a federal lawsuit against the school and its leaders for discrimination and retaliation under Title IX, the Uniformed Services Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and the Virginia Whistleblower Protection Law.Peter Brake is a Liberty graduate and an attorney who served for over 20 years as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate. He was employed in 2019 as a full-time Civil Rights Investigator in Liberty’s Office of Equity and Compliance/Title IX and as an adjunct professor.While employed at Liberty, Brake took a 3½-year leave of absence starting in January 2020 to serve active duty with the U.S. Army. He had moved to reserve military duty at this point.Natasha:What happened?Warren:According to the lawsuit, Brake’s absence was referred to by Liberty administrators as a “problem” because they were required to hold his position while he served in the U.S. Army.Upon his return in October 2023, Brake claims he suffered discrimination in violation of the USERRA.Brake also claims he was fired after making “good faith reports” about violations of Title IX and the Clery Act at Liberty.Natasha: In November 2023, Brake claims he told Liberty President Dondi Costin about the Title IX office ignoring grievance procedure requirements, noting that some cases had been sitting idle for a year without resolution.Warren:In an email exchange with Costin, Costin allegedly assured Brake that “your leadership understands that retaliation is not allowed around here, so don’t give that possibility another thought.”After Liberty reached a settlement agreement of $14 million for Clery Act violations, Brake said he reported more violations. He was then allegedly subjected to a “humiliating and unusual interrogation” by Liberty’s human resources department and other harassment.In May, Brake filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against Liberty and filed a Title IX complaint. Brake was fired in June.

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Over the past two weeks I have traveled to Southern California and Colorado Springs – two areas that have long been considered evangelical “hot spots.” Some have even irreverently called Colorado Springs the evangelical “mecca.” That trip impressed on me that even in the arena of ministry headquarters, a sense of place matters.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Charlie Peacock is a Billboard chart-topping, six-time Grammy Award-winning music producer whose recordings now exceed 25 million album sales. Billboard named him one of the 500 most important producers in popular music history.He has held executive positions at EMI and SONY/ATV and he founded the Universal Music Group imprint re:think. He helped launch The Lone Bellow, Switchfoot, and The Civil Wars. And now, he has a new book, Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music.These credentials make Charlie podcast-worthy in just about any format that is interested in the intersection of Christianity and pop culture. But one of the reasons I wanted to have Charlie on the program today is that he’s one of the most thoughtful guys I know when it comes to issues of fame and its pitfalls, vocation and work, and creativity. It was a special treat for me to get to spend this time with Charlie Peacock, and I hope you find it special, too.Charlie spoke to me from his studio in Nashville.He has a new book, Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music. I highly recommend it.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, another congregation is leaving the Hillsong fold…leaving only 5 Hillsong churches in the U-S. We’ll have details.And, T.D. Jakes filed an affidavit in response to allegations that he made sexual advances toward two other ministers decades ago. We’ll take a look.Plus, the Presbyterian Church in America issued an apology and removed a webpage with advice on how immigrants can avoid being detained.But first, after months of turmoil, Calvary Chapel Cary in North Carolina is closing. Months after Calvary Chapel Cary discovered its lead pastor, Rodney Finch, had secretly listed the church for sale, the 9.8-acre property in Apex, North Carolina, is back on the market, and weekly services have ceased. The real estate scandal was not Finch’s first controversy. Rather, it brought to a boil years of tensions and demands for greater transparency and accountability. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adele Banks, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you today from Colorado Springs, Colorado.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, another congregation is leaving the Hillsong fold…leaving only 5 Hillsong churches in the U-S. We’ll have details.And, T.D. Jakes filed an affidavit in response to allegations that he made sexual advances toward two other ministers decades ago. We’ll take a look.Plus, the Presbyterian Church in America issued an apology and removed a webpage with advice on how immigrants can avoid being detained.Natasha:But first, after months of turmoil, Calvary Chapel Cary in North Carolina is closing.Warren:Months after Calvary Chapel Cary discovered its lead pastor, Rodney Finch, had secretly listed the church for sale, the 9.8-acre property in Apex, North Carolina, is back on the market, and weekly services have ceased.The real estate scandal was not Finch’s first controversy. Rather, it brought to a boil years of tensions and demands for greater transparency and accountability.Natasha:As MinistryWatch previously reported, Finch hid a years’ long drug addiction and pushed the board to secretly cover $50,000 of a luxury rehabilitation program with church funds.Warren:But then he left the program early without telling anyone. Between 2012 and 2017, he aggressively solicited restricted funds to build a new church, but the work was never started, and funds were secretly put toward other purposes.In addition, Finch has faced multiple abuse allegations by family members.Natasha: Next, another church is splitting from HillsongWarren:Hillsong San Francisco is splitting from Hillsong Church and becoming an independent congregation, Hillsong Global Senior Pastor Phil Dooley announced during the online broadcast Sunday, Feb. 16.Natasha: Since 2020, 11 churches have left the Hillsong fold as scandals have emerged involving multiple Hillsong leaders. Only five Hillsong congregations remain in the U.S.: New York City, Boston, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Orange County.Warren:Hillsong founder Brian Houston resigned in 2022 following the discovery of inappropriate texts sent to a staff member and time he had spent in a woman’s hotel room during a conference.Houston was also accused of lavish spending and misuse of funds. In December 2023, he and his wife Bobbie announced plans to launch a new church.Carl Lentz, who led Hillsong NYC, was fired in 2020 after he admitted to an extramarital affair. In May 2023,

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Last week, on my trip to Southern California, I learned about a model for collaboration and funding ministries that is slowing growing across the country.That model is the brainchild of The Barnabas Group. That’s a group of Christian businesspeople and philanthropists – called “partners” who pay $2100 a year to be a part of the group. Those dues pay for quarterly meetings where the partners gather to hear Christian ministries tell their story. Over the past 25 years, The Barnabas Group has helped more than a thousand Christian ministries learn the power of having a network.

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On today’s program, two former leaders from Archegos Capital Management have dropped their financial claims against disgraced Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang. Why did they drop out, and what does that mean for the other staff members hoping to collect $32 million? We’ll have details.And, the controversial ‘He Gets Us’ ads showcased its message again at Sunday’s Super Bowl game. After critics last year labeled the ads too political, this year’s version was decidedly less so. We’ll take a look.Plus, Mission Aviation Fellowship co-founder Jack Hemmings dies at 103…in 2024, he became the oldest pilot to fly a spitfire.But first, a second minister is accusing megachurch pastor and author T.D. Jakes of sexual abuse.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Adelle Banks, Tony Mator, Kathryn Post, Marissa Greene, Mark A. Kellner, Kim Roberts, Zach Rivas, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you today from Newport Beach, California.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, two former leaders from Archegos Capital Management have dropped their financial claims against disgraced Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang. Why did they drop out, and what does that mean for the other staff members hoping to collect $32 million? We’ll have details.And, the controversial ‘He Gets Us’ ads showcased its message again at Sunday’s Super Bowl game. After critics last year labeled the ads too political, this year’s version was decidedly less so. We’ll take a look.Plus, Mission Aviation Fellowship co-founder Jack Hemmings dies at 103…in 2024, he became the oldest pilot to fly a spitfire.Natasha:But first, a second minister is accusing megachurch pastor and author T-D Jakes of sexual abuse.Warren:The Rev. Richard Edwin Youngblood, the brother of a minister who has accused Bishop T.D. Jakes of sexual misconduct, has made his own accusation against Jakes, claiming the Texas megachurch leader climbed into bed with him on a church business trip.The claims were made in a legal filing responding to a defamation lawsuit Jakes brought in November against Youngblood’s younger brother, Duane Youngblood, a Pennsylvania man who made allegations against Jakes in two 2024 interviews.Natasha:What was that lawsuit about?Warren:Jakes’ suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, includes denials by Jakes that Jakes tried to groom and sexually abuse him. The suit also said the younger Youngblood is a parolee after convictions for sexual assault and corruption of minors.Duane Youngblood has sought a court’s dismissal of Jakes’ suit.Richard Youngblood was among six people who signed sworn affidavits included in the January filing that testified that they had heard Duane Youngblood describe the alleged misconduct by Jakes.Natasha:Next, a case has been dropped against Bill Hwang.The hard task of discerning victims from victimizers continues in a fraud case that shook two typically unrelated worlds—Wall Street and Christian ministry.Warren:In late January, two former Archegos Capital Management leaders withdrew their bids against company founder Bill Hwang. They were among about 20 staff members seeking to collect $32 million of a more than $9 billion judgment against Hwang.Natasha:Bloomberg reports that Archegos’ former co-CEO Andy Mills and trader Daiki Taniguchi dropped out after government prosecutors characterized them and a third claim...

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Conservatives, Christian conservatives in particular, have always had a troubled and inconsistent relationship with the idea of government funding flowing to non-profits and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs).The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

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Every church should be a safe space for everyone who comes in. Every church should also be equipping people to confront the powers of darkness and help those in trouble. Unfortunately, far too many churches are unsafe internally, which leaves them unprepared to confront external dangers. An unsafe church creates a toxic environment that works against the gospel. A safe church is battle-ready to combat the worst of the world’s problems. Make My Church Safe by respected pastor, Sam Rainer, is designed to be a brief and general overview of the best practices regarding church safety for a broad audience.Sam Rainer serves as president of Church Answers. He is the co-founder of Rainer Publishing, and he also serves as lead pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Southwest Florida. Sam has written hundreds of articles for several publications. He is a frequent conference speaker on church health issues. Sam holds a BS in Finance and Marketing from the University of South Carolina, an MA in Missiology from Southern Seminary, and a PhD in Leadership Studies at Dallas Baptist University.Thanks for joining us today. If you like what you are hearing on the MinistryWatch podcast, please like and rate us on your podcast app. Or, you can go old school, and simply tell a friend.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith, and I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for another episode of the MinistryWatch podcast.

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On today’s program, an independent investigation into the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and its founder Mike Bickle was released this week…finding 17 cases of abuse leveled against him.Samaritan’s Purse dodges the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. Other ministries—especially those working to resettle refugees—aren’t faring as well, however…many face furloughs as they scramble to support the thousands of refugees already in the United States depending on them for rent and basic necessities. We’ll take a look.And, the 50 largest relief and development ministries in the MinistryWatch database.But first, Church of the Highlands founding pastor Chris Hodges announced Sunday that he is stepping down as lead pastor. Hodges planted Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2001, and has seen explosive growth in its 24 years. According to Outreach 100, about 60,000 congregants attend the worship services on a given weekend, making it the second largest church in the nation in attendance. Hodges made his announcement Sunday (Feb. 2), the same day the church celebrated its 24th anniversary. Hodges said Mark Pettus will step into the role of lead pastor, and he will take on the role as founding pastor.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Mark Wingfield, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Adelle Banks, Kim Roberts, Mark Kellner, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Baptist News Global and the Baptist Paper for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, an independent investigation into the International House of Prayer in Kansas City and its founder Mike Bickle was released this week…finding 17 cases of abuse leveled against him.Samaritan’s Purse dodges the Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid. Other ministries—especially those working to resettle refugees—aren’t faring as well, however…many face furloughs as they scramble to support the thousands of refugees already in the United States depending on them for rent and basic necessities. We’ll take a look.And, the 50 largest relief and development ministries in the MinistryWatch database.Natasha:But first, Church of the Highlands founding pastor Chris Hodges announced Sunday that he is stepping down as lead pastor.Warren:Hodges planted Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2001, and has seen explosive growth in its 24 years. According to Outreach 100, about 60,000 congregants attend the worship services on a given weekend, making it the second largest church in the nation in attendance.Hodges made his announcement Sunday (Feb. 2), the same day the church celebrated its 24th anniversary. Hodges said Mark Pettus will step into the role of lead pastor, and he will take on the role as founding pastor.Natasha:What does he plan to do next?Warren:Hodges said he would increase his efforts at Highlands College as chancellor.Hodges said he’s not retiring, and he’s not burned out, but he has reached a state in life in which he wants to empower other leaders.Natasha:Next, the report is out, detailing abuse by IHOP KC founder, Mike Bickle.Warren:Mike Bickle, the influential founder of the International House of Prayer, a global missionary group, committed sexual abuse or misconduct involving at least 17 survivors, according to an independent report released Monday (Feb. 3).

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By Warren Cole SmithOn today’s podcast episode, we think through the relationship between Christian charity and the role of government in helping the poor.Here are the articles I mentioned in today’s podcast:Did Evangelicals Break Haiti?“Faith-Based FEMA” To The Rescue…AGAINThe producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time…may God bless you.

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If you are a regular reader of MinistryWatch, you know that we write a lot about ministries that care for the least and the lost in our culture. The Bible is clear that care for the poor should be one of chief concerns as Christians, but helping the poor in ways that are actually helpful is not easy. The issues are complex, and solutions require wisdom and discernment.One of the smartest, and most compassionate, people working in this field is my guest today, James Whitford. Whitford earned his doctorate from the University of Kansas Medical Center before he and his wife, Marsha, founded Watered Gardens Ministries in 2000. Watered Gardens has been on the forefront of the “effective compassion” movement for more than a decade. In 2019 it won WORLD Magazine’s “Hope Award for Effective Compassion.” Whitford and Watered Gardens take no government funds, and they put Scripture front and center in their work. Whitford says that true freedom and dignity cannot flourish if people are trapped in dependence – whether than dependence is on alcohol, drugs – or the government.Whitford has taken the lessons he learned at Watered Gardens and created True Charity, a network of like-minded organizations (now numbering more than 200), that champions the “resurgence of civil society in the fight against poverty.”James has a new book out. It’s called The Crisis of Dependency: How Our Efforts to Solve Poverty Are Trapping People In It And What We Can do To Foster Freedom Instead. I’ve been a fan of James Whitford for a couple of years, and now I’ve become a big fan of this book. I think every Christian donor who cares about helping the poor should have this book. And if you will stay tuned until the end of the program, I’ll let you know how you can get your own copy.But until then, here’s my interview with James Whitford.That brings to a close my interview with James Whitford. His new book is The Crisis of Dependency: How Our Efforts to Solve Poverty Are Trapping People In It And What We Can do To Foster Freedom Instead. We are making this book our donor premium for the month of February. That means that if you give a gift of any size to MinistryWatch, we’ll send you a copy of this book as our thank-you gift. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We technical, database, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, and others. I’m your host, Warren Smith. I hope you will join me again on Friday, when Natasha Cowden and I will bring you our take on the news of the week from MinistryWatch.Until then…may God bless you.

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On today’s program, The King’s College in New York City shut its doors in 2023 under a mountain of debt—now, it’s launching a ‘go-forward plan’ in an effort to reopen. We’ll have details.And, a ministry in the U-K is urging Christians to stop giving to orphanages…and instead give to organizations that focus on family-based care. But when it comes to effective orphan care, is that the best way forward? We reached out to U-S based ministries to get their take.Plus, a NC church is shutting its doors…and is leveraging an IRS mandate to donate its assets to more than 75 charities.But first…a group of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey is asking the Supreme Court to consider its case in protecting donor information. First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider its case about the state asking it to disclose information about its donors.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Elizabeth Coffee, Nathan Mayo, Tony Mator, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged, Baptist Press, The Living Church, and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, The King’s College in New York City shut its doors in 2023 under a mountain of debt—now, it’s launching a ‘go-forward plan’ in an effort to reopen. We’ll have details.And, a ministry in the U-K is urging Christians to stop giving to orphanages…and instead give to organizations that focus on family-based care. But when it comes to effective orphan care, is that the best way forward? We reached out to U-S based ministries to get their take.Plus, a NC church is shutting its doors…and is leveraging an IRS mandate to donate its assets to more than 75 charities.Natasha:But first…a group of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey is asking the Supreme Court to consider its case in protecting donor information.Warren:First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider its case about the state asking it to disclose information about its donors.In November 2023, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin demanded that First Choice turn over many documents, including information it provides to clients, statements about abortion pill reversal, documents about personnel and outside organizations with which it works, and donor information.Natasha: Platkin has openly expressed his hostility toward pregnancy centers. He issued a consumer alert—drafted with the help of Planned Parenthood—complaining that such centers do not provide or refer for abortion. He also signed an open letter pledging to take legal action against pregnancy centers.Warren:Alliance Defending Freedom, on behalf of First Choice, challenged the attorney general’s subpoena based on the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. The subpoena chills the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech, the brief argues.The federal courts dismissed the case, claiming it was not ripe until the state court enforced the subpoena. The attorney general then filed an enforcement action in state court.There is a split in the U.S. Courts of Appeal about how to handle this question of whether a state investigatory claim has to be adjudicated in state court before a federal court has jurisdiction.Natasha:Next, an update from The King’s College.Warren:The King’s College – the four-year school forced to shut i...

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On today’s “Extra” episode, Warren Smith reads an excerpt from his recently published book, A Lover’s Quarrel With The Evangelical Church.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the lawsuit against Kanakuk Kamps brought by Logan Yandell has been dismissed. Yandell was a former camper who was sexually abused at the camp by leader Pete Newman. We’ll take a look. Also, in the next episode of our Generous Living series, a story about how $4 an hour changed the life trajectory of a young mom. And, Pastors and Planes—after tracking planes owned by more than 40 ministries, who was the biggest user of private aircraft…and how much did it cost donors?But first, an Ohio pastor has been found guilty of criminal charges for providing temporary shelter to homeless people in his community. Dad’s Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio, has been battling with the city since last winter to provide shelter to homeless persons in the area. Now, the pastor, Chris Avell, has been found guilty in municipal court of a criminal charge related to a fire code violation, fined $200, and given a 60-day suspended sentence.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Elizabeth Coffee, Nathan Mayo, Tony Mator, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Echoes Magazine for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, the lawsuit against Kanakuk Kamps brought by Logan Yandell has been dismissed. Yandell was a former camper who was sexually abused at the camp by leader Pete Newman. We’ll take a look.Also, in the next episode of our Generous Living series, a story about how $4 an hour changed the life trajectory of a young mom.And, Pastors and Planes—after tracking planes owned by more than 40 ministries, who was the biggest user of private aircraft…and how much did it cost donors?Natasha:But first, an Ohio pastor has been found guilty of criminal charges for providing temporary shelter to homeless people in his community.Warren:Dad’s Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio, has been battling with the city since last winter to provide shelter to homeless persons in the area.Now, the pastor, Chris Avell, has been found guilty in municipal court of a criminal charge related to a fire code violation, fined $200, and given a 60-day suspended sentence.The sentence is stayed pending an appeal by Avell, who is represented by First Liberty, a nonprofit law firm that defends religious liberty, and two other law firms.Natasha:What’s been the main issue for Dad’s place?Warren:According to First Liberty, the Bryan city officials are demanding that Dad’s Place install an expensive fire suppression system even though it does not place similar requirements on all of its motels, most of its apartment complexes, and even a senior living facility.Natasha:Next, the latest from Kanakuk Kamps.Warren:The lawsuit brought by former camper Logan Yandell against Kanakuk Kamps has been dismissed.Missouri Judge Raymond Gross granted the defendants’ motion for summary judgment because he said the claims were time-barred and because Yandell could not “establish actionable fraud or civil conspiracy against these defendants.”The judge dismissed all of Yandell’s claims for relief.Natasha:What’s the background to Yandell’s story?Warren:Yandell is a Kanakuk camp sexual abuse survivor who filed a lawsuit against the camp in 2022. He was sexually abused by former Kanakuk employee Peter Newman, who is currently serving two life prison sentences plus 30 years for his abuse convictions.Yandell reached a settlement agreement with Kanakuk in 2010...

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A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned in this column that you would see some subtle changes here at MinistryWatch in 2025.One of those changes would be in the way we cover stories that relate to what we might call the “brokenness” in the world. It’s not enough simply to say what happened. We want to do a better job of saying why and how something happened, and to be more explicit about the lessons that we can learn from that story.We published a couple of examples of that approach in the past two weeks. I’d like to talk about them today.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Joyce Meyer joins a slew of popular televangelists who have pulled their programs from Daystar Television Network amid accusations the network’s president Joni Lamb covered up the sexual abuse of her granddaughter. We’ll have details.Also, a long-time employee of a Florida church was sentenced to 2 years in prison for embezzling almost $1 million…the church is speaking out now with lessons it has learned. We’ll take a look.And, legendary coach and founder of Promise Keepers, Bill McCartney, has died after a long battle with dementia. At its height in the 1990s, Promise Keepers drew millions of men to its events.But first, a Pennsylvania pastor has been suspended by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church after he and his church tried to leave the denomination.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.MANUSCRIPT:FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Joyce Meyer joins a slew of popular televangelists who have pulled their programs from Daystar Television Network amid accusations the network’s president Joni Lamb covered up the sexual abuse of her granddaughter. We’ll have details.Also, a long-time employee of a Florida church was sentenced to 2 years in prison for embezzling almost $1 million…the church is speaking out now with lessons it has learned. We’ll take a look.And, legendary coach and founder of Promise Keepers, Bill McCartney, has died after a long battle with dementia. At its height in the 1990s, Promise Keepers drew millions of men to its events.Natasha:But first, a Pennsylvania pastor has been suspended by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church after he and his church tried to leave the denomination.Warren:Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church (BHPC) is a Pittsburgh-area church and has been seeking to dissolve its affiliation and exit the denomination for over a year.The church and presbytery have been at loggerheads over several issues, not the least of which is the roll of voting members entitled to participate in an exit vote.The Presbytery of the Alleghenies brought charges against Pastor Nate Devlin and the elders of BHPC, the trial of which began in November. The judicial commission encouraged BHPC and the presbytery to attempt mediation.Natasha:But they couldn’t reach a resolution so they went to trialWarren:The trial occurred on January 11,According to the presbytery’s judicial commission, Devlin was “convicted by sufficient proof of the sins of contempt and immorality” and suspended from his office as teaching elder until he demonstrates repentance, including publicly acknowledging his “wrongdoing” and removing posts and other communications that “disparage” fellow teaching and ruling elders.Devlin’s suspension began Tuesday (Jan 14).Natasha:What was his reaction?Warren:Devlin told MinistryWatch. “It is unprecedented that a presbytery would try a pastor and the entire church session,” He said he felt compelled to see the trial through and “bear witness to the truth.”In their closing statement at the trial, Devlin and the BHPC session said, “[W]e have consistently acted in good faith, driven by a deep love for our church, and we are not guilty of the charges against us.”Natasha:Next, televangelists are pausing their programs on Daystar.Warren:

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MinistryWatch’s annual lists of highly paid executives, just published, are among our most read posts of the year. They also generate the most questions and comments. I’m going to take this EXTRA episode to answer some of these questions, and to ask a few of my own.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you!

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On today’s program, Orange—a church curriculum publisher who faced its share of scandal last year—announces plans to merge with another organization. We’ll have details.Also, an Atlanta Church gives $100 million to missions. We’ll take a look.And, Sean Feucht Ministries’ transparency grade drops to an “F”—and its Donor Confidence Score plunges to a 21…out of 100.But first, Grace Community Church responds to rumors that pastor John MacArthur is on the verge of death. California megachurch pastor and author John MacArthur remains in the hospital undergoing tests as he recovers from a difficult year of health issues, including a heart-valve replacement. On Sunday, Grace Community Church elder updated the congregation, where MacArthur has pastored since 1969.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to The NonProfit Times and Generous Giving for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. Happy New Year and welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast!Warren:On today’s program, Orange—a church curriculum publisher who faced its share of scandal last year—announces plans to merge with another organization. We’ll have details.Also, an Atlanta Church gives $100 million to missions. We’ll take a look.And, Sean Feucht Ministries’ transparency grade drops to an “F”—and its Donor Confidence Score plunges to a 21…out of 100.Natasha: But first, Grace Community Church responds to rumors that pastor John MacArthur is on the verge of death.Warren:California megachurch pastor and author John MacArthur remains in the hospital undergoing tests as he recovers from a difficult year of health issues, including a heart-valve replacement.On Sunday, Grace Community Church elder updated the congregation, where MacArthur has pastored since 1969.The church announced that he had three surgeries in the second half of 2024 and his recovery has been slower than expected, with occasional setbacks affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys.Doctors have not yet discovered any single root cause for these diverse troubles, and Pastor John has been hospitalized for the past two weeks, undergoing tests and treatments.”Natasha:Those unknowns have sparked some rumors.Warren:Last week, Grace to You Executive Director Phil Johnson posted a social media update in response to rumors circulating that MacArthur was in a hospital dying. “John IS currently hospitalized, and the persistence of these symptoms is a concern,” Johnson said.“But the suggestion that he has been handed over to palliative care is a sinister lie, concocted by this pernicious character who has been lying about JM and GCC for 5+ years. Ignore him.”MacArthur has been known to keep health issues private and within a closed circle—a sentiment Johnson echoed. “Those who need to know more details do know,” he said. “There's no conspiracy by the elders at GCC to keep people from hearing information they need to know.”Natasha:Next up: the latest with Orange.Warren:Orange, the Christian curriculum company that hosts one of the country’s most prominent family ministry conferences, is merging with Amazing Life Foundation.Amazing Life Foundation is an umbrella organization for several other products, such as Amazing Kids and the BSide App, designed to equip churches with tools and content.Orange and Amazing Life will “operate with shared oversight,” but Orange will maintain its existing staff and operations...

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Here at MinistryWatch we are energized by the pro-life issue. I’ve been writing about the pro-life issue myself for more than 40 years, and John Stonestreet and I included a chapter on the life issue in our book Restoring All Things. The MinistryWatch 1000 database includes a category for pro-life organizations, and I would personally encourage all of our listeners to get active in local pro-life organizations. I would also encourage you to make the life issue a part of your giving priorities.That said, I’ve also noticed that all is not well in the pro-life ecosystem. There is much infighting and disagreement over priorities. Those who have placed their trust in politics have had to contend with the reality that the number of abortions in America have actually gone up since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. On the other hand, those who have ignored politics have had no part in the pro-life victories that we have seen in at least 14 states.On today’s program I unpack some of these issues with someone who calls himself an “abortion abolitionist.” Bradley Pierce is a constitutional attorney who has drafted legislation in more than 30 states supporting self-defense and parental rights, as well as civil liberties and the right to life. He leads the Foundation to Abolish Abortion and is the executive producer of the video series “Abortion Free,” which you can find on YouTube.He spoke to me via zoom from his office near Austin, Texas.Thanks for joining us today.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Welcome to the first podcast of 2025!2024 was a good year for MinistryWatch. We have much to celebrate, and to thank God for. Still, I learned a long time ago that in a dynamic media, cultural, and economic environment, it is important not to be complacent. That’s why I wanted to give you a “peek under the hood” at some of the things that I think MinistryWatch could do better in the year ahead. More “Enterprise” Journalism. I think breaking news has its place, but MinistryWatch doesn’t want to be one of a half-dozen news organizations trying to be the first outlet to bring you an inconsequential news story. We want to cover significant stories, with added value and context. We want to be the place that connects the dots, that gives you not just the “what” but the “why.” Our coverage of Bible translation organizations, “trend stories” such as the growing use of donor-advised funds and the increase in the number of ministries that fail to file Form 990s, are examples of this kind of “enterprise” journalism. Look for more such coverage in the year ahead. More Data-Driven Journalism. As I’ve already said, our database makes MinistryWatch unique. That’s why we want to curate more stories from our rich data storehouse in the year ahead. We already do monthly lists and “Ministry Spotlights” that highlight important changes in our database, not to mention our “Weekly Review” that highlights all the changes in the database for that week. In the year ahead we hope to highlight these anomalies and changes and help you see their significance. More Podcast Content. We currently do a weekly roundup of the news, as well as an interview of an interesting newsmaker each week on the MinistryWatch podcast. Beginning no later than the second quarter, we hope to increase to three episodes a week, adding both more interviews and more commentary. Again, our goal will be to context and meaning to what is going on in the news.For those of you who have been on this journey with us over the past five years: Thank You. For those of you who are just discovering MinistryWatch: Welcome Aboard!We pray that, in God’s good providence, our best years are still ahead of us.The producer for today’s podcast is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Chateauroux Fellowship claims to connect billionaires with Christian ministries…but we were not able to confirm with any ministries that they had received any of the funds. We’ll have details. And, a small reformed denomination commissioned a report by Guidepost solutions to investigate handling of sexual abuse cases…then it reversed its decision. We’ll take a look at what happened.Plus, a new study finds that Christians are the most charitable…and the happiest.But first, California revokes Olivet University’s approval to operate—but the school says it plans to stay open anyway.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Scott Bauer, Tony Mator, Heather Hahn, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Baptist Press and United Methodist News for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, and wishing you a merry Christmas!Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Chateauroux Fellowship claims to connect billionaires with Christian ministries…but we were not able to confirm with any ministries that they had received any of the funds. We’ll have details.And, a small reformed denomination commissioned a report by Guidepost solutions to investigate handling of sexual abuse cases…then it reversed its decision. We’ll take a look at what happened.Plus, a new study finds that Christians are the most charitable…and the happiest.Natasha:But first, California revokes Olivet University’s approval to operate—but the school says it plans to stay open anyway.Warren:The California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education has ordered that Olivet University’s approval to operate be revoked. The order also requires the school to pay $64,432 to cover the costs of the investigation and prosecution.Because of this action, Olivet must cease enrolling new students and must propose a planned “teach out” current students.Natasha:What’s the background to Olivet?Warren:Olivet, founded by controversial figure David Jang, was approved to operate by the state in 2005, but that approval expired in 2014 and has not been renewed.In March 2023, a complaint was filed against Olivet, seeking a revocation or suspension of its approval to operate. It included 14 reasons the state should revoke the approval, including failing to include a face-to-face instructional component, failing to provide all the courses included in the approval, failing to have necessary evaluations of faculty, and failing to demonstrate that Olivet has required financial resources.Last year, a group of former Olivet students sued Jang and the university, claiming they were part of an international labor trafficking scheme run by Jang and his disciples.According to reporting by Newsweek, Olivet University is also under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for money laundering, human trafficking, and visa fraud.By the way, every time we write about Olivet University, we get emails asking if this is the same as Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. It is not. The two schools are not related in any way.Natasha:What’s our next story?Warren:If the plan of the Chateauroux Fellowship and its director Christian Thomas Lee comes to pass as promised, it would likely be the largest philanthropic initiative aimed at Christian ministries in American history.According to the group’s own website,

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A lot of us have misgivings about social media. We use it, but we somehow have a sense that we use it too much, and we have a growing body of research suggesting that it’s bad for young people.Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts have a new study out called “Helpful or Harmful? Evangelicals and Social Media.” On today’s podcast, we unpack the results of that survey with one of its authors, Mark Driestadt. He’s the president of Infinity Concepts and someone I’ve come to know and respect over the past few years as one of the “wise men” in ministry fundraising, marketing and communications. Regular listeners to the podcast may remember that I’ve had Mark on the program before because, well, he’s consistently done interesting and helpful work.That’s why, Mark, I’m delighted to welcome you back to the program.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith. I hope you’ll join me again on Friday when we do our regular round up of the week’s news with my co-host Natasha Cowden. Until then, may God bless you.Get your free copy of the study here.

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On today’s program, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details.And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now.Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look.But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, David Fairchild, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Juicy Ecumenism for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT: FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details.And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now.Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look.Natasha:But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter.Warren:An Ohio judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Dad’s Place and its pastor Chris Avell, preventing the church from using its first floor to shelter homeless people, even as temperatures are expected to plummet later this week.Dad’s Place and Avell have been involved in a dispute with Bryan, Ohio, since last year over whether it can open the first floor of the church in a business district to allow homeless persons to escape the cold.In January, a federal district court issued an order “forbidding [the city] from enforcing any alleged violations of the City’s zoning or fire codes without the court’s approval or the church’s agreement.”Natasha:What happened?Warren:The City of Bryan and the church, through its counsel at First Liberty Institute, tried to resolve their differences, but negotiations broke down in April.In July 2024, the federal court denied Dad’s Place request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the city from enforcing its fire regulations against the church.Then in September a three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the church’s appeal of the district court’s decision.Now, Ohio Judge J.T. Stelzer has issued an injunction preventing the church from offering its building for use by homeless persons in the city.Natasha: What happens next?Warren:Dad’s Place remains in violation of several fire safety code regulations, including failure to install a sprinkler system, said Stelzer.The decision also pointed to two other shelters near Dad’s Place that utilize their second floors as temporary residences to shelter the city’s needy and homeless residents while in “full compliance with the city’s fire code and zoning ordinances.”

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We have a special treat on today’s program, and that’s a conversation with musician and songwriter Fernando Ortega.Fernando Ortega is one of my favorites, in part because he takes both the theology and the traditions of the church seriously in his music. Both his original music, such as “This Good Day,” and his interpretations of many traditional hymns and songs, such as "Give Me Jesus", "Be Thou My Vision" and "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty", are known for their rich musical and theological palette. Fernando Ortega is, in short, someone I think the church needs today.However, we haven’t seen him in a while. His last album, which I argue might have been the best of his career, was 2017’s “The Crucifixion of Jesus.” But now he’s back. He has a new EP called “For All The Saints.” I’ve heard it. It’s beautiful, and I’m delighted to have these new songs out there in the world, and equally delighted to have Fernando on the program.Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, near the banks of the Rio Grande, which is where he lives today. He started learning piano at eight years of age. His family lived in Chimayó, New Mexico, for eight generations, a legacy cited as an influence on his music. Fernando had this conversation with me from his home in Albuquerque.His new EP is “For All The Saints,” and I encourage you to check it out on all your favorite streaming platforms.Thanks to Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program, and for Rick Hoganson for his help in arranging this interview. I hope you’ll join me on Friday, with my co-host Natasha Cowden, when we return with our weekly roundup of the stories we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch.Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, MorningStar Fellowship Church in South Carolina reaches a settlement with York County after a decade-long dispute over Heritage Tower—a building originally owned by Jim Bakker’s Praise the Lord Ministries. We’ll have details.And, Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang was sentenced for a $10 billion fraud. We’ll take a look.Plus, another Christian college is on the ropes. Saint Augustine’s University in North Carolina slashes its workforce by 50% in its fight to retain accreditation.But first, a week after suffering a dangerous health incident during a Sunday morning church service, Bishop T.D. Jakes updated his congregation via live video. “Many of you don’t realize that you’re looking at a miracle,” Bishop T.D. Jakes said in a live video message to the congregation on Sunday (Dec. 1). “I faced a life-threatening calamity, was rushed to the ICU unit. I had emergency surgery. Survived this surgery” He said. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Adelle Banks, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Paul Clolery, and Brittany Smith.A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, MorningStar Fellowship Church in South Carolina reaches a settlement with York County after a decade-long dispute over Heritage Tower—a building originally owned by Jim Bakker’s Praise the Lord Ministries. We’ll have details.And, Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang was sentenced for a $10 BILLION fraud. We’ll take a look.Plus, Saint Augustine’s University in North Carolina slashes its workforce by 50% in its fight to retain accreditation.Natasha:But first, a week after suffering a dangerous health incident during a Sunday morning church service, Bishop T.D. Jakes updated his congregation via live video.Warren:“Many of you don’t realize that you’re looking at a miracle,” Bishop T.D. Jakes said in a live video message to the congregation on Sunday (Dec. 1). “I faced a life-threatening calamity, was rushed to the ICU unit. I had emergency surgery. Survived this surgery” He said.Natasha:What happened?Warren: Jakes, 67, an evangelist, author and business executive, suffered what his church initially called “a slight health incident” during the Nov. 24 worship service at The Potter’s House. At that time, about a dozen people rushed to his side after he lowered his microphone and was shaking in his seat.In the seven-minute video he said he would be following doctor’s orders to rest.Jakes, whose remarks were also posted on his Instagram page, said he was not in pain and is in good spirits.“I didn’t want you to be worried about me,” he told his congregation, expressing thanks for their prayers and support. “I’m trying to be obedient to what the doctor said [to] do, in terms of just taking a few weeks to just heal and recover and relax and just reflect.”Natasha:And he has a lot to reflect on these days.Warren:Yes. Lawyers for Jakes filed a defamation lawsuit the day after the medical incident, saying another minister, Duane Youngblood, had falsely accused him of attempted sexual assault. The suit linked the accusations to Jakes’ health.“Youngblood’s intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes,” reads the suit.Natasha: Who is Youngblood?Warren:Duane Youngblood, 57, a Pennsylvania man who Jakes’ suit notes is on parole after felony convictions for sexual ass...

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On today’s EXTRA episode I take a look at MinistryWatch’s annual “Shining Light” awardees. These are ministries that earned the top rating in the three categories MinistryWatch evaluates: financial efficiency, transparency, and overall donor confidence.Only 18 of the more than 1000 ministries in the MinistryWatch database made the list this year. They are truly the “best of the best.” We hope you will use this list as your guide to year-end giving.You can see the complete list here.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you!

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On today’s program, a former member of Village Church of Bartlett in Illinois is suing the church for defamation after the pastor allegedly accused her of an affair. Another family who supported the victim was also excommunicated. We’ll have details.And, last year, Texas Christians provided Thanksgiving dinner to a group of Ukrainian refugees. This year, those same refugees thanked the Texas church with a festive feast of their own. We’ll take a look.Plus, Tony Campolo, sociologist and famed ‘Red Letter Christian,’ has died at 89.But first, donations to Gateway Church has taken a nosedive following scandals there, signaling tough decisions ahead. Gateway Church outside of Dallas is facing more issues after the church was shaken by allegations of sexual abuse by founding pastor Robert Morris. According to a video leaked on social media, elder Kenneth Fambro said the church’s offering receipts are down 35-40%.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Neva Rae Fox, Bobby Ross Jr., Bob Smietana, Tessa Sanchez, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to The Living Christian, The Christian Chronicle, and Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from West Palm Beach, Florida,Natasha:And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, a former member of Village Church of Bartlett in Illinois is suing the church for defamation after the pastor allegedly accused her of an affair. Another family who supported the victim was also excommunicated. We’ll have details.And, last year, Texas Christians provided Thanksgiving dinner to a group of Ukrainian refugees. This year, those same refugees thanked the Texas church with a festive feast of their own. We’ll take a look.Plus, Tony Campolo, sociologist and famed ‘Red Letter Christian,’ has died at 89.Natasha:But first, donations to Gateway Church has taken a nosedive following scandals there, signaling tough decisions ahead.Warren:Gateway Church outside of Dallas is facing more issues after the church was shaken by allegations of sexual abuse by founding pastor Robert Morris. According to a video leaked on social media, elder Kenneth Fambro said the church’s tithe receipts are down 35-40%.In June, allegations of Morris’s sexual abuse of Cindy Clemishire, 54, in the 1980s starting when she was only 12 years old led to his resignation.Natasha: Since then, Gateway has faced other challenges and resignations.Warren:That’s right.The church canceled its annual Gateway Conference as the “congregation and staff are in the midst of navigating Robert Morris’ resignation and the emotions surrounding it.”In August, a lawsuit was filed in Tarrant County, Texas, alleging a member of the Gateway Church youth group sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl also attending the church youth group.Gateway recently settled another lawsuit that accused church leadership of covering up the alleged sexual abuse of a child by a member of the congregation in March 2018.And Executive Pastor Kemtal Glasgow was removed in August from his position for a “moral issue.”Natasha: There have also been questions about money, but Gateway is working hard to make positive changesWarren:In an effort to increase transparency and accountability, Gateway is conducting a comprehensive financial audit and is “making significant changes to its bylaws” so it can become a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.Some of the changes include eliminating the office of “apostolic e...

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Christian ministries need volunteers. Christian retirees need purpose and meaning. It’s a match that models for the world the Kingdom of God.Articles or other resources mentioned in today’s podcast:Article in Yahoo Finance explaining a trend among rich older Americans to pay millions of dollars to get into luxury retirement campuses.A recent article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review noted that in 19th century America every major aspect of daily life was age integrated.Bruce Bruinsma has been a champion of what he calls a “Retirement Reformation.” Bruinsma says he is “on a mission to shake up our ‘me-centered’ retirement culture, and inject God-given purpose, joy, and real contentment into the Golden Years.” Bruinsma says, “When asked what they plan to do in retirement, most people say: “Nothing!” They’re clear about what they’re retiring FROM — but not what they’re retiring TO.” He goes on to say, “Thirty years is a long time to do nothing.”Since “retiring” again from The Colson Center, Steve Verleye has become a mentor and coach to other Christian entrepreneurs part of an organization called C-12, which is itself quietly making its mark as a networking and support group for Christian businesspeople.Evangelical pastor and theologian John Piper’s famous “Seashell Sermon.”

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On today’s program, the wife of slain missionary Beau Shroyer has been arrested in connection with his death—investigators suspect she hired the man she was having an affair with to kill her husband. We’ll have details.And, a Pennsylvania church trying to disassociate from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has been charged for sharing information with MinistryWatch. We’ll take a look.Plus, South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller—whose wife Mica Miller died by suicide earlier this year—has been hit with an assault charge just days after FBI raided his house.But first, the Church of England head Justice Welby has resigned over his handling of a sexual abuse case. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Danica Kirka, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Marissa Greene, Shannon Cuthrell, and Brittany Smith.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT FIRST SEGMENTWarren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden this week, also coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren: On today’s program, the wife of slain missionary Beau Shroyer has been arrested in connection with his death—investigators suspect she hired the man she was having an affair with to kill her husband. We’ll have details.And, a Pennsylvania church trying to disassociate from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has been charged for sharing information with MinistryWatch. We’ll take a look.Plus, South Carolina pastor John-Paul Miller—whose wife Mica Miller died by suicide earlier this year—has been hit with an assault charge just days after FBI raided his house.Christina: But first, the Church of England head Justice Welby has resigned over his handling of a sexual abuse case.Warren: Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, head of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion, resigned Tuesday.The resignation came after an investigation found that he failed to tell police about serial physical and sexual abuse by a volunteer at Christian summer camps as soon as he became aware of it.Pressure on Welby had been building since Thursday, when release of the inquiry’s findings kindled anger about a lack of accountability at the highest reaches of the church.Welby’s resignation comes against the backdrop of widespread historical sexual abuse in the Church of England. A 2022 report by the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse found that the Church of England had become “a place where abusers could hide.”Christina: Welby’s supporters had argued that he had been instrumental in changing the culture of the church since he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013.Warren:But it was an investigation into crimes that began long before that date that ultimately led to his downfall.The church on Thursday released the results of an independent investigation into Smyth, who sexually, psychologically and physically abused about 30 boys and young men in the United Kingdom and 85 in Africa beginning in the 1970s.The 251-page report of the Makin Review concluded that Welby failed to report Smyth to authorities when he was informed of the abuse in August 2013, soon after he became Archbishop of Canterbury.Christina:Our next story is a sad and strange tale involving American missionaries in Angola.Warren:Investigators suspect the wife of a slain missionary in the West African country of Angola was the "mastermind" of his killing and was having an affair with one of the men...

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Randall Goodgame is one of my favorite people. For one thing, he is unfailingly nice, one of the nicest guys I know. And he’s enormously talented. He began his musical career while still an undergraduate in the 1990s playing keyboards for a southern rock band called Black Creek that had regional success and developed a cult following even though it released only a single live album. But, man, that album rocks. Randall’s senior thesis at Birmingham Southern College was an account of his year on the road with the band.

From there he released a couple of independent solo albums before finding success as a songwriter for such Christian artists as Andrew Peterson, Caedmon’s Call, and Jason Gray. As an artist, he toured with these artists as well as Jars of Clay.

His career took yet another turn when he collaborated with Andrew Peterson to produce a children’s album called “Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies.” This album led to more “Slugs and Bugs” albums, albums that combine a high artistic sensibility with solid biblical teaching. His album “Sing The Bible with Slugs and Bugs” takes Bible verses – not paraphrases, but word for word Scripture – and sets them to music.

The success of that album led to his latest project, “Scripture Hymnal.” Scripture Hymnal contains more than 100 Bible passages set to music. The book has sheet music, and a link to fully produced versions of every song in the book. It’s really a massive project, and one that is sure to have a big impact on the church and take its place in a growing movement of modern hymn writing we are seeing today.

It was a pleasure to talk with Randall Goodgame. We had this conversation last week, via zoom. He joined me from his studio near Nashville.

That brings to a close my interview with Randall Goodgame. His newest project is ”Scripture Hymnal.” I’ve got a copy of it myself, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Jason Yates—the former president of the Christian advocacy group My Faith Votes—has been charged with possession of child pornography. We’ll have details.

Plus, Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA is rallying young people to become active in politics by establishing chapters on Christian college campuses. We’ll take a look.

And, results from our quarterly survey of ministry leaders—revenue decline remains the top ministry challenge.

But first, Gateway Church has removed four of its elders over former pastor Robert Morris’ sexual abuse scandal. Four elders at Gateway Church, whose senior pastor Robert Morris stepped down earlier this year, have been removed after the results of a law firm’s investigation of sexual abuse allegations against the pastor were announced in a sermon on Sunday (Nov. 3).

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, James Russell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, Jason Yates—the former president of the Christian advocacy group My Faith Votes—has been charged with possession of child pornography. We’ll have details.

Plus, Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA is rallying young people to become active in politics by establishing chapters on Christian college campuses. We’ll take a look.

And, results from our quarterly survey of ministry leaders—revenue decline remains the top ministry challenge.

Natasha:

But first, Gateway Church has removed four of its elders over former pastor Robert Morris’ sexual abuse scandal.

Warren:

Four elders at Gateway Church, whose senior pastor Robert Morris stepped down earlier this year, have been removed after the results of a law firm’s investigation of sexual abuse allegations against the pastor were announced in a sermon on Sunday (Nov. 3).

The removals are the latest responses by one of the country’s largest evangelical Christian churches to allegations brought by Cindy Clemishire in June that Gateway’s founding pastor, Robert Morris, 63, had molested her in the 1980s, when Morris was in his 20s and she was 12.

Natasha:

Soon afterward, also in June, the church retained law firm Haynes and Boone to conduct an investigation, what did they find?

Warren:

Church elder Tra Willbanks announced on Sunday, the investigation found that all but three elders had been aware of Morris’ history with Clemishire, now 54, and her age at the time of the alleged abuse.

While Willbanks declined to identify the elders who were removed, the names of elders Jeremy Carrasco, Kevin Grove, Gayland Lawshe and Thomas Miller no longer appear on the church website, according to multiple news accounts.

Natasha:

The investigation’s results also prompted reforms to Gateway’s leadership structure and bylaws.

Warren:

Church staff will no longer serve as elders. Willbanks said, “We must bring this level of independence and objectivity to our eldership, and it has been lacking in the years past,”

The summer’s allegations prompted state legislators to call for changing the statute of limitations for sexual assault, harsher penalties for mandatory reporters who fail to follow up on accusations and reforming nondisclosure agreements for sexual abuse survivors. Secular and religious advocacy organizations have been pushing for such reforms, as well as the elimination of the use of nondisclosure agreements in sexual assault cases.

Natasha:

Next, Former MY Faith Votes CEO has been charged with serious crimes.

Warren:

Jason C. Yates, the former CEO of My Faith Votes, has been charged with eight felony counts of possession of child pornography.

Each of the eight charges, filed in McLeod County, Minnesota, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000. Yates has a prior conviction and is a registered predatory offender.

According to court records, Yates was released on his own recognizance on November 4. As a condition of his release, he is to have no contact with persons under the age of 18.

Natasha:

How did this come to light?

Warren:

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension began its investigation into Yates’ alleged crimes on July 31.

The probable cause statement also includes descriptions of eight of the images, which allegedly include children between 5 and 7 years of age.

In September, officers met with Yates, and he admitted to having a prior conviction for child pornography that had been expunged.

Natasha:

Sadly we have a similar story from Texas.

Warren:

A former volunteer youth leader at Beltway Park Church, a multi-site large Southern Baptist congregation in Abilene, Texas, has been charged with possession of child pornography.

Natasha:

What’s has happened since?

Warren:

At the time of reporting, Goff was being held in the Taylor County jail on $100,000 bond.

Beltway learned about Goff’s actions in June 2024 and immediately contacted the proper authorities, according to the letter sent to the congregation by the lead pastor.

Goff had been a youth volunteer for about three years, starting in 2022. He passed a routine background check before he became an active volunteer, the letter said, and again in 2024 as part of the routine background check protocol.

“[W]e currently have no indication that any minors from our church were involved in any inappropriate activity with this former volunteer,” Beltway Park’s letter stated. “We have tremendous grief for any children in any location who may be proven to have been harmed by this person’s actions.”

Natasha:

Let’s look at one more story before our break.

Warren:

The principal of a now-closed Missouri boarding school that has been the subject of abuse allegations has been charged with sex crimes involving a former student.

Craig Wesley Smith Jr., who was the principal of Lighthouse Christian Academy in Piedmont, was charged with forcible sodomy and attempted forcible rape, according to ABC News.

According to allegations in the probable cause statement, Smith told the girl he would kill her and “make it look like she committed suicide” if she told anyone about the abuse.

Natasha:

And this isn’t the first time Smith has been accused.

Warren:

A 2009 federal lawsuit also accused Smith of sex acts with an unnamed female student, but it isn’t clear if that alleged victim is the same one involved in the present criminal case.

Natasha:

Multiple people at that school have been accused of abuse.

Warren:

In March 2024, the Musgraves were arrested on first-degree kidnapping and abuse charges. However, on October 15, a Wayne County judge dismissed the charges.

Caleb Sandoval, son of the school’s director Julio Sandoval, was also charged with abuse of a child for injuring a 15-year-old boy while boxing. In July, he pleaded guilty and was given five years of probation.

ABM Ministries closed Lighthouse Christian Academy in March after the Musgraves’ arrests and the Missouri Department of Social Services began investigating whether the boarding school effectively addressed calls to an abuse hotline about the facility in the past.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, the next in our series highlighting a group engaged in the ‘new paradigm’ of missions…training local missionaries to reach their own people.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

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SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break.

Warren:

This is another in the MinistryWatch series highlighting groups engaged in the “new paradigm” in missions: equipping near-culture missionaries to reach their own people.

Christians are operating a general store in northern Nigeria “under the nose” of terrorist group Boko Haram, reaching their neighbors with the Gospel and hosting a worship service in their store’s back room.

They are indigenous or near-culture disciple makers who have been trained under a model developed by Global Disciples.

For 28 years, Global Disciples has been committed to training indigenous or near-culture leaders to make Christian disciples among their own people.

Natasha:

How do they do that?

Warren:

Founder Galen Burkholder said that rather than sending western missionaries to plant churches, Global Disciples works with a local cluster of churches to develop a training program for their own people to be near-culture disciple makers. Then the new converts want to gather and grow spiritually so they establish churches.

According to Global Disciples, 2,500 disciple makers were trained around the world by the nearly 3,500 active training programs operating in 76 countries around the world last year. More than 69,000 new believers were reached with the Gospel based on the efforts of the over 25,000 disciple makers that have been trained in these programs.

Natasha:

That’s amazing! What areas are they serving?

Warren:

Some of the most active discipleship training programs are in Africa and South Asia, often in some of the least-reached areas. For instance, Global Disciples has 231 training programs across the country of Myanmar and are reaching people with the Gospel in remote villages.

In the MinistryWatch database, Global Disciples has a 3-star financial efficiency rating, an A transparency grade, and a high donor confidence score of 98

Natasha:

Next, is the latest for Charlie Kirk’s Turning point USA.

Warren:

Charlie Kirk’s fall 2024 “You’re Being Brainwashed” tour is an effort to help students “challenge left-wing indoctrination on college campuses.” TPUSA has already signed up nearly 800 college chapters, but the event at GCU, established by Baptists but now calling itself interdenominational, is part of Kirk’s recent push to populate evangelical Christian campuses with TPUSA chapters.

Since 2020, TPUSA chapters have appeared at more than 45 Christian colleges or universities, at least 35 of them affiliated with the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, the largest association of Christian schools.

Natasha:

What do these groups do?

Warren:

Students at Christian colleges who have launched or joined TPUSA chapters said in interviews this fall that the group helps build community and gives them a place to discuss conservative values.

Many TPUSA Christian college chapters have hosted debate watch parties and have plans for election night gatherings. At Liberty, local and federal politicians are expected to attend the chapter’s formal election night gala.

According to Matt Boedy, a professor of religious rhetoric at the University of North Georgia, TPUSA’s “star-studded” conferences, big-name speakers and viral political debates make TPUSA a more attractive option than a College Republicans chapter.

The TPUSA’s funding. Tax filings from June 2023 showed that TPUSA took in $81.7 million, up from $2.05 million in 2015.

Natasha:

Next, a Pro-Life Charity Watchlist Warns About Some Christian Ministries.

Warren:

The American Life League (ALL) has renewed and revamped its Charity Watchlist over the last year to provide potential pro-life donors with information about the pro-life positions and/or values of well-known charitable organizations.

Currently, the list evaluates over 150 organizations on their pro-life positions through their websites, confirmed news reports, and correspondence. ALL chooses the charities it evaluates based on inquiries and requests it receives, and it updates the watchlist regularly. Nearly 125,000 users have viewed the Charity Watchlist so far this year, Katie Brown, ALL’s national director told MinistryWatch.

Natasha:

A lot of evangelical ministries got failing grades. Why?

Warren:

We asked ALL and pro-life leader Scott Klusendorf about ALL’s list and some of the ratings.

Klusendorf said, “Generally speaking, any pro-life group that does not follow ALL’s Catholic teachings is not going to get a favorable rating from them. My own opinion is that ALL is more of a Catholic watchdog group than a pro-life one.”

Natasha:

One difference between Catholics and many evangelicals surrounds the issue of contraception.

Warren:

Klusendorf said he thinks it’s damaging to make contraceptive policy an acid test for pro-life advocacy, distinguishing between contraception that prevents pregnancy and abortion that intentionally kills another human being.

That said, Some of the Christian ministries in the MinistryWatch database that are rated green by ALL are American Heritage Girls, Barnabas Aid, Food for the Poor, and Mercy Chefs.

Natasha:

What about the groups that failed the ALL test?

Warren:

Groups rated red include ChildFund, Christian Appalachian Project, Compassion International, Heifer International, Mercy Ships, Salvation Army, and YMCA.

According to ALL, ChildFund educates children about contraception, abortion, and LGBTQ rights.

Compassion International does not support abortion nor supply contraception, but ALL says it still “promotes contraception” and educates women about “natural contraception” as a form of family planning.

Mercy Ships gets a red rating from ALL because it will perform tubal ligations on women “if a patient’s doctor thinks that pregnancy would be dangerous to the health of the mother and only in accordance with the fistula repair surgeries they perform.”

In the MinistryWatch database, ALL receives the highest financial efficiency rating of five stars, a D transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 63 out of 100, meaning donors should give with caution.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

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THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

While high inflation and a slow economic recovery strain Americans’ wallets, the post-pandemic years have been a boon for family foundations.

A new survey conducted by the National Center for Family Philanthropy suggests that since 2020, the percentage of foundations with assets of $10 million or more has nearly doubled.

However, the survey found that while “family foundations’ asset sizes have increased…there has only been a small increase in payout rates, leaving a great deal of inactive capital.”

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

Nearly 10% of Christian ministry leaders told MinistryWatch their ministry’s revenue has declined more than 10% over the last 12 months. That represents the highest response we have received showing a decrease in revenue since beginning the survey in October 2022.

In July’s survey, about 8% of ministry executives told MinistryWatch their revenue had fallen by greater than 10%.

Fundraising remains the largest challenge cited by 36% of ministry executives, not a surprising result given the reports of declining revenue.

As we’ve reported in the past, more women are at the helm of Christian ministries than those leading secular businesses. According to Investopedia, in 2023 there were 52 women leading Fortune 500 companies, just breaking the 10% mark.

Natasha:

Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

This week, Pioneer Bible Translators’ overall MinistryWatch rating rose from 1 star to 2 stars.

Pioneer is a translation organization based out of Dallas. According to its website, “The goal of Pioneer Bible Translators isn’t just translation, but transformation. We bring people to Jesus through Bible translation and church planting, combined with discipleship, incarnational ministry, and the use of translated Scripture.”

The organization’s Donor Confidence Score (DCS) is 62 – “Exercise Caution.” It lost points in this category due to its board structure and overall efficiency rating, which is less than three stars. MinistryWatch requires an organization to have a board between 5 and 11 members. Pioneer has 16 board members.

In 2023, Pioneer Bible Translators had a revenue of $22.2 million and its total expenses were $20 million.

According to its 2023 Annual Report, the organization has published “5 complete Bibles and 24 New Testaments since 1976.”

Natasha:

And who did Christina Darnell highlight in our Ministries Making a Difference column?

Warren:

Last month, Children’s Relief International dispatched a team to North Carolina to assist in Hurricane Helene relief efforts by conducting welfare checks, delivering supplies, removing fallen trees, and praying with survivors.

Children’s Relief International has 4 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 93.

Members of Mecklenburg Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, made 99 meals in October to give to foster families. The church’s children’s ministry, MecKidz, started Fill the Freezer for Foster Families in 2022 as one of its fall monthly missions. In the three years MecKidz has done the month-long initiative, it has collected about 250 freezer meals. The church provides “meal kits”—an aluminum pan, recipe, and information about fostering for both kids and adults—for families to use in making the meals, and the church distributes them to organizations and families within the foster/adoptive community.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: November 14. Ask me Anything.

Year end fundraising. Please be generous.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, James Russell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you’ve been around me for a while, you know that I’m a fan of Roland Warren.

He’s been the president of Care Net, the nation’s largest network of pregnancy resource centers, for more than a decade. He’s been an advocate for the unborn for much longer than that. Roland Warren has also helped bring fathers into the pro-life conversation, in part because of a tenure as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, a post he held before coming to Care Net.

I’ve interviewed Roland Warren many times over the years, including twice for my “Listening In” podcast, a podcast I did for a decade for WORLD News Group. I’ll include links to those interviews in today’s show notes.

Those links are here and here.

I have gone back to Roland again and again because…well…he always has something interesting and provocative to say. And that’s certainly the case today. We’re discussing his new book The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must be Pro Abundant Life. I found this book to be challenging and encouraging and I think you’ll find our conversation to be so, too.

Roland Warren has degrees from Princeton University and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and he’s the author of many books on fatherhood and the prolife movement. We had this conversation via zoom last week.

Thanks to Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a lawsuit against Hillsdale College has been dismissed after students alleging they were raped sued the college for Title 9 violations. We’ll have details.

And, the nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment—known as GRACE for short—turns 20 years old. We’ll look back at where they started—and where they’re going.

Plus, those subscriptions you forgot your paying for?…A new law will make it easy for you to unsubscribe, but it could also impact the recurring gifts to Christian ministries.

But first, Operation Underground Railroad…who continues distancing itself from its embroiled founder Tim Ballard…is moving its headquarters. Operation Underground Railroad Rescue is moving its headquarters from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to reporting by Twin Cities Business.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Paul Clolery, Richard Levey, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, a lawsuit against Hillsdale College has been dismissed after students alleging they were raped sued the college for Title 9 violations. We’ll have details.

And, the nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment—known as GRACE for short—turns 20 years old. We’ll look back at where they started—and where they’re going.

Plus, those subscriptions you forgot your paying for?…World Vision is encouraging donors to cancel those and give to people in need around the world. They’re calling it Subscribe to World Change. We’ll take a look.

Natasha:

But first, Operation Underground Railroad…who continues distancing itself from its embroiled founder Tim Ballard…is moving its headquarters.

Warren:

Operation Underground Railroad Rescue is moving its headquarters from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, according to reporting by Twin Cities Business.

Tammy Lee, OUR Rescue CEO said about Minneapolis. “There is such a strong foundation here, in the legal community as well as the philanthropic community and the survivor support community,”

The global headquarters’ relocation is planned for January 2025. Lee also said the mission of the organization will adjust to focus more on domestic trafficking and rescues.

Natasha:

How do they plan to do that?

Warren:

Lee said, “In this coming year, we’re going to be building out direct services for survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation,” “We’re also looking at supporting key populations that are really underserved, looking at the indigenous populations and partnerships with other non-governmental organizations to do that work.”

Lee joined OUR Rescue as CEO in February 2024 with the task of rebuilding and rebranding the organization.

OUR Rescue was founded by former homeland security agent Tim Ballard in 2013 as Operation Underground Railroad. In April, Lee and the board renamed the group OUR Rescue.

In the MinistryWatch database, Operation Underground Railroad has a 1-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 45, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving to this group.

Natasha:

Next up, A lawsuit against Hillsdale college has been dismissed

Warren:

Last October, one present and one former student of Hillsdale College filed a federal lawsuit alleging the institution failed to adequately investigate their claims of rape and misrepresented how safe they would be on campus.

Hillsdale prevailed in getting the lawsuit dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering last month.

According to the lawsuit, Grace Chen, a current Hillsdale student, claimed she was raped by a fellow student in November 2021 in a Hillsdale dormitory. Danielle Villarreal, a former Hillsdale student, claimed she was raped by a fellow student in August 2021. Both women reported the assaults to members of Hillsdale administration.

Natasha:

What happened next?

Warren:

Well, Chen and Villarreal asserted that Hillsdale had failed to comply with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any program that received federal funding. Hillsdale argued that it is not subject to Title IX because it does not accept federal funds at the school.

The plaintiffs asserted that Hillsdale receives a federal benefit by way of its tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code and therefore ought to be subject to Title IX.

Natasha:

How did the court respond?

Warren:

The court disagreed, however, concluding that “Defendant’s § 501(c)(3) status does not implicate the terms of Title IX’s proposed contract with educational institutions” and dismissed the claims under Title IX.

Because the plaintiffs had already amended their complaint once, the court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning they cannot bring the claim again.

The plaintiffs have filed a notice of appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

In the MinistryWatch database, Hillsdale College has a 1-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of only 30, meaning donors should withhold giving.

Natasha:

Our next story is also in the world of Christian academics.

Warren:

After what Fuller Theological Seminary called “a comprehensive and deliberate review of alleged misconduct,” it has fired associate professor Vince Bantu.

According to Christianity Today, Bantu’s termination came five months after members of his accountability group reached out to the seminary with claims that Bantu was secretly married to a second wife and had engaged in sexual misconduct.

Fuller hired an outside investigator to conduct the inquiry, but the seminary did not disclose the results.

Natasha:

When was his termination?

Warren:

On Wednesday, October 23, Fuller President David Emmanuel Goatley sent an email to its students announcing Bantu’s termination.

The seminary’s message did not include the exact reasons for Bantu’s termination, but said, “Fuller Seminary has high expectations and standards of conduct for all members of our community, especially for those in positions of authority.”

Bantu has taught church history and Black theology through Fuller’s online program and at its Houston campus since 2019.

The accountability group also contacted Meachum School of Haymanot where Bantu serves as president. According to a statement on the school’s website, Bantu has been placed on leave.

“We, the Meachum community, have been disheartened by these allegations, yet we take them seriously. As promised, investigations are under way,” the statement says.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return GRACE celebrates 20 years of equipping the church to prevent and properly deal with abuse.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, GRACE celebrates 20 years.

Warren:

Attorney and sexual abuse advocate Boz Tchividjian founded the Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) in 2004 to equip faith communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse more effectively. According to the GRACE website, the organization “exists to equip the Church with a vision for authentic community, where responsibility, accountability, and compassion are second nature and caring for children and adult survivors of abuse are non-negotiable.”

As part of its anniversary, GRACE held an online panel, bringing together the original GRACE visionaries to discuss its mission and impact over the last two decades.

Natasha:

What were some highlights?

Warren:

Tchividjian recounted how he and others came together with a vision to address abuse within faith communities. Tchividjian, grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham, described how he experienced a significant disconnect between the ideal of a faith community as a place of refuge and the reality he observed as a prosecutor, where faith institutions often failed to protect victims of abuse.

Natasha:

Tchividjian stepped down as executive director of the organization in 2019 to return to full-time law to directly assist survivors of sexual abuse, but has remained supportive in the ministry.

Warren:

Boz Tchividjian also noted a shift in the church’s approach to abuse, with some progress in recognizing child abuse issues but a widespread lack of awareness around adult clergy abuse

Tchividjian said many are leaving traditional church institutions due to perceived corruption and lack of accountability, making it crucial for GRACE to adapt its mission to reach these communities outside formal church settings.

The conversation closed with a call for the church to “convert to Christianity” by embracing Jesus’ radical message of caring for the vulnerable.

Natasha:

Next, new FTC rules could aid donors in opting out.

Warren:

Nonprofit managers are scrambling to get clarity on how to proceed regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) new “click to cancel” provisions requiring businesses to make it easier for consumers to cancel enrollment in recurring billing, such as memberships.

In the case of nonprofits, it could mean anything from making it easier to cancel recurring gifts, to getting out of gym memberships or membership of any type to any pausing ongoing donor relationships. Most of the final rule’s provisions will go into effect 180 days after it is published in the Federal Register.

While nonprofits are referred to in the FTC rules as not being directly impacted, businesses with which nonprofits contract are subject to the regulations.

Natasha:

Can you tell us what The new rules prohibit?

Misrepresenting any material facts while using negative option marketing;
Require sellers to provide important information before obtaining consumers’ billing information and charging them; and,
Require sellers to get consumers’ informed consent to the negative option features before charging them.

The final rule is part of the FTC’s ongoing review of its 1973 Negative Option Rule, which agency officials said is being modernized to combat unfair or deceptive practices related to subscriptions, memberships, and other recurring-payment programs in an increasingly digital economy.

Natasha:

How does this impact nonprofits?

Warren:

Nonprofit managers contacted by The NonProfit Times did not know the ramifications of the new rules. None would speak on the record but only for background when contacted. The challenge, they said, was formulating language that would not entice a donor to no longer allow monthly debiting of a credit card for donation.

A poll conducted by C+R Research found that the average consumer underestimates their monthly spending on subscription services at only $86, while actually spending $219 a month, more than 2.5 times their initial estimate. At the same time, 42% of consumers admit they’ve stopped using a subscription service but forgot they were still paying for it.

Natasha: Next, a church musician and youth pastor gets sentence to 50 years.

Warren:

Authorities have sentenced a former youth pastor to 50 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing four minors, including impregnating a 14-year-old girl.

According to the Ellis County District Attorney, Marvin Scales, 53, of Waxahachie, Texas, pleaded guilty to two counts of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child. The investigation began after a local hospital alerted police that a 14-year-old girl was in labor. According to hospital staff, Scales was present with the child and was “overly involved” in the delivery process.

Detectives obtained a warrant for the baby’s DNA and confirmed that Scales was the biological father.

Natasha:

And there’s more to this story.

Warren:

The DA’s statement says Scales had acted as a youth pastor at a local church. Once the congregation learned about the first victim, more victims came forward, the press release says.

He often took the congregation’s children on overnight trips and let the children sleep over at this house. Victims disclosed that Scales would regularly have sex with them on these trips and overnight stays, according to the statement.

The release also notes that Scales installed a security system at his home. Scales used the security system to record a collection of his sexual assaults, which led law enforcement to discover more of Scales’ victims.

Natasha:

This was also not Scales’ first crime against children.

Warren:

Authorities said a simple background check would have alerted church leaders to his past crimes of sexual abuse.

Scales has been a registered sex offender in Texas since 2006 when authorities sentenced him to 10 years in prison for abusing an 11-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl back in 1998.

While the press release states Scales was a youth pastor at a local church, it does not disclose the church’s name. Several people claiming to be associated with the alleged church commented on social media that Scales was not a youth pastor but an active musician at the church.

MinistryWatch contacted the church requesting clarification on Scales’s association. At the time of publication, we had yet to hear back.

Scales is not eligible for parole and must serve all 50 years of his sentence.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

A new study from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy found that giving declines due to the Covid pandemic were much steeper than originally forecast.

The Giving Environment: Giving During Times of Uncertainty found that the share of Americans who give to charity declined from 50.9% in 2018 to 46.9% in 2020, following the onset of the pandemic.

This drop was part of a longer term decline in giving. In 2000 about two thirds of households gave to charity.

The study results showed a significant increase in the average amount given by donor households, which increased from $2,792 in pre-pandemic years to $3,116 in 2020, an increase of 11.6%.

Natasha:

What’s Next?

Warren:

It’s a new month, which means we have some new lists.

We’ve got a list of the 50 largest Christian ministries in the MinistryWatch database based on their revenue, which ranges from $77 million to $1.5 billion.

This list does not include colleges and universities nor Christian foundations. You can find the list of the largest Christian colleges and universities in the front page of the website, posted Friday morning.

These 50 Christian ministries represent a total of about $14.3 billion in annual revenue, and is based on revenue from the most recently available Form 990 from the IRS.

The top five groups remained essentially the same as last year. Please note that MinistryWatch removed last year’s 4th largest group, Catholic Relief Services, from the database because it is not an evangelical organization.

Several groups moved into the top 10 this year: Convoy of Hope moved from 11th to 6th, Mercy Corps from 12th to 7th, and Feed the Children from 13th to 8th. All of these fall under the “Relief and Development” category.

World Relief and YMCA of the USA were some of the “biggest movers” this year. World Relief’s revenue grew by about $36 million to over $163 million, moving it up to number 22 on this list from 35 last year.

YMCA of the USA moved 14 spots because its revenue grew from $118.5 million last year to almost $153 million this year.

Three other notable jumps were Wycliffe Bible Translators, which jumped seven spots from 21st to 14th and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which jumped 16 spots from 33rd to 17th. Gideons International also moved up 10 spots. None of these groups file Form 990s, but we gathered updated revenue numbers from their ECFA profiles, which likely accounts for their large movement.

To learn more about these institutions, click on the ministry’s name and read the complete MinistryWatch profile on this organization.

ALSO, AD LIB: Mention Top 10 list.

Natasha:

And who did Christina Darnell highlight in our Ministries Making a Difference column?

Warren:

Christian World Outreach operates two Feminine Training Centers in Haiti, where inflation is compounded by crushing gang violence and rampant poverty. Women in Le Jeune and Mirabalais can learn sewing, cosmetology, baking, cooking and handcrafts (the center in Port-au-prince closed temporarily for safety reasons). The women also hear the Gospel. The women pay what they can to participate, but there are scholarships available, also.

Churches from various denominations in the Irwin, Pennsylvania, area have partnered to offer free home repairs through the nonprofit The Carpenter’s Apprentice. Nazarenes, Presbyterians, Methodists, Assemblies of God, and Catholics work arm in arm to build decks and patios, and repair stairs for residents who have filled out an application. All projects are funded by donations.

KFUO Radio in St. Louis turns 100 this year. Launched in December 1924 from a cramped attic room on the campus of Concordia Seminary, KFUO has since grown from limited programs and air time to national coverage spreading “The Gospel Voice,” including its flagship show “The Lutheran Hour.” In the 1990’s KFUO fought and won a lawsuit defending its right to hire employees with knowledge of Lutheran doctrine.

This fall, Palm Beach Atlantic University in West Palm Beach, Florida, celebrated its third consecutive year of record-breaking enrollment. More than 950 first-year traditional undergraduate students enrolled in the 2024-2025 year, bringing overall enrollment to 4,147 students. In June, the 56-year-old university also ranked third in the country for application growth, compared with pre-COVID numbers. PBA has 3 stars and a “C” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 68 (“Give With Confidence”).

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: November 14. Ask Me Anything.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Paul Clolery, Richard Levey, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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In an era of celebrity and platform, it’s easy to forget that God uses the “least and the lost” to advance His Kingdom.

The men and women I discuss in today’s podcast are not media celebrities. They don’t have “platforms” or book deals. But they have been quietly going about the business of the Kingdom of God. At MinistryWatch we often report on Christian leaders behaving badly. Sometimes it’s right and proper to pause and recognize those men and women who have quietly been engaged in what Eugene Peterson calls “long obedience in the same direction.”

May we all be encouraged by their lives and – more importantly – may be all go and do likewise.

To read this story, click here.

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On today’s program, Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation after six women accuse him of sexual assault. We’ll have details.

And, MinistryWatch reporter Marci Seither visits Joni & Friends in Tennessee as the ministry ships off hundreds of donated wheelchairs. They head to a prison, where inmates are repairing the equipment, even as they work to repair their own lives.

Also, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference announces the launch of new health initiatives, including mental health and financial health. We’ll take a look.

But first, relatives and scholars of Dietrich Bonhoeffer have issued a warning to Eric Metaxas and others, accusing them of misusing his legacy for political reasons.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Brittany Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from our nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation after six women accuse him of sexual assault. We’ll have details.

Also, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference announces the launch of new health initiatives, including mental health and financial health. We’ll take a look.

Natasha:

But first, relatives and scholars of Dietrich Bonhoeffer have issued a warning to Eric Metaxas and others, accusing them of misusing his legacy for political reasons.

Warren:

In recent years, author and radio host Eric Metaxas and other conservative Christian supporters of Donald Trump have compared themselves to the famed German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer — who was put to death, in part, for participating in a plan to assassinate Adolph Hitler.

In a recent interview on Flashpoint, a Christian television talk show on the Victory network, both Metaxas — author of a bestselling biography of Bonhoeffer — and the show’s host called the current election a “Bonhoeffer moment” and urged Christians to rise up and oppose evil.

His newest book, “Religionless Christianity” — a phrase used by Bonhoeffer — describes America’s current politics as a spiritual war and sign of the end times.

Natasha:

A group of Bonhoeffer scholars — and the theologian’s descendants — have had enough.

Warren:

In a statement issued Friday (Oct. 18) members of the International Bonhoeffer Society called on Metaxas and others to stop comparing the current election to the rise of the Nazis. The statement, in particular, called out Metaxas for social media posts featuring a gun and a Bible and his support of Jan. 6 rioters.

“This portrayal glorifies violence and draws inappropriate analogies between our political system and that of Nazi Germany,” the scholars said in a statement, which has been signed by more than 800 Bonhoeffer scholars and other Christian leaders.

Natasha:

What prompted the statement?

Warren:

In part by the upcoming release of a new Bonhoeffer biopic, which will be out in theaters in late November. One of the posters for the film shows Bonhoeffer with a gun, and a trailer for the film shows his involvement in the plot to kill Hitler. Some of the early social media tweets about the film included messages about the “battle against tyranny” and a line from the trailer, “My country was invaded from within.”

During Metaxas’ Victory Channel interview, the trailer for the movie — which is being distributed by Angel Studios, was shown and afterward Metaxas and other guests urged Christians to wake up to the evil of their political enemies.

Natasha:

But Bonhoeffer’s family has come forward about the film

Warren:

In an interview for a German news publication, relatives of Bonhoeffer criticized that depiction of the theologian. Relatives also released a statement Friday rejecting the idea that Bonhoeffer would have embraced Christian nationalism.

Family members said in a statement passed on by Bonhoeffer scholars. “He would never have seen himself anywhere near the right-wing extremist, violent movements that are trying to appropriate him today. On the contrary, he would have criticized these very attitudes.”

Natasha:

Next up, OUR founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation.

Warren:

Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad and subject of the anti-trafficking movie “Sound of Freedom” has filed a defamation lawsuit against six women who accused him of sexual misconduct and assault.

In his lawsuit, Ballard, who is married with nine children, calls the women’s accusations a “vicious onslaught of false allegations.”

Natasha:

What happened?

Warren:

Five women filed suit against Ballard in October 2023, accusing him of sexual assault and claiming he used psychological and spiritual manipulation to coerce them into sexual contact.

Ballard claims he waited for nearly a year for his accusers to “withdraw their false claims” and now “reluctantly” brings the lawsuit.

The lawsuit addresses each of the women’s allegations against him.

Ballard is no longer with Operation Underground Railroad. He left the organization before “Sound of Freedom” was released, and moved his anti-trafficking efforts to the SPEAR Fund.

According to its most recent IRS Form 990, the SPEAR Fund had about $1.25 million in revenue and $1.39 million in expenses, meaning it operated at a deficit of nearly $150,000.

Natasha:

Next, a Michigan based youth & music director has been fired and arrested for Child Sexual Abuse Crimes.

Warren:

Zachary Radcliff, 29, the former youth and music director at Oakwood Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan, was arraigned on October 20 for 11 felony charges, including criminal sexual conduct, child sexual abuse, and the use of a computer or the internet to commit a crime.

Radcliff, the son of Oakwood’s Senior Pastor Frank Radcliff, had served at the church for almost eight years, the elder Radcliff told MinistryWatch.

Natasha:

What was the churches’ reaction to the news?

Warren:

In a statement, the church said it was recently made aware of “disturbing news” about Zach Radcliff. “We realized while talking to him that there was more to the situation than was being expressed. He was suspended with pay on October 3rd, pending further investigation.”

Immediately after the church was provided with “more information,” Frank Radcliff said, “Zach was terminated from his job, without pay effective Saturday, October 12th.”

The church said it alerted state police alongside other families involved. Leaders also said they are not fully aware of the extent of Zach Radcliff’s alleged crimes, but they are cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.

If Zach Radcliff is found guilty of first degree criminal sexual conduct, he could face life in prison.

According to the Michigan Courts website, Zach Radcliff is being held on a $3 million bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for October 31.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return…the American Dream encourages us to seek and hoard wealth. But one couple has rejected that notion, and embraced a counter cultural approach to generous living.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, a couple who has taken the principle of compounding interest and applied it to generosity.

Warren:

It’s the story of David and Keelie Luttrell. And it’s the next story in our series on radical generosity.

For as long as he could remember, David was fascinated with money and how to grow what you had, earn more of it, and invest it in order to have more in the future.

David was not new to the world of finance. David’s dad, D. Scott Luttrell, was a successful money manager who founded the LCM Group in Dallas, Texas, over 30 years ago with a mission statement emphasizing “being a good steward of our God given resources and manag[ing] them with excellence.”

David is the co-founder of Dallas-based Christian giving collaboration, the Ambassadors Club. There’s a lot to this story that we can’t explore here, but if you are interested in giving cooperatives, or if you want to see other stories in the “Generous Living” series, hit MinistryWatch.com or look for a link in today’s show notes.

Natasha:

Next, a story of how wheelchairs are impacting the world.

Warren:

Volunteers for Joni and Friends in Knoxville, Tennessee, waited on Monday, September 30 outside the commercial building where donated wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches had been stored.

A group of young men from University of Tennessee’s Sigma Chi Fraternity lifted equipment into the truck and carefully arranged the load that would soon be heading to the South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton, Tennessee.

Natasha:

Since 1979, Joni and Friends, the organization started by Joni Eareckson Tada after a diving accident left her a quadriplegic, have advocated for those living with disabilities and their families. Part of their thriving global ministry includes their “Wheels for the World” program where over 235,000 wheelchairs have been donated, restored to like-new condition, and given to those in need in less resourced countries.

Warren:

Donated wheelchairs and mobility equipment are dropped off at offices or through collection events and stored until they can be shipped to one of the program’s restoration centers located in prisons within the United States. Once there, inmates who have applied to work in the program begin to clean and restore the equipment. When a wheelchair project is complete, inmates sign their name on a “Given in love by Joni and Friends” sticker they place on the wheelchair.

Natasha:

That’s beautiful.

Warren:

It is, and not just for those receiving the wheelchairs. Mike Gaura, supervisor of Joni and Friends Domestic Operations. “Every time I go into a prison where inmates are working on the wheelchairs, I hear how the program is impacting them. “Restoring a wheelchair or a walker for someone else restores something deep in the soul of those putting in the work. They have an opportunity to give back to someone in need.”

Gaura makes sure that after each distribution, a poster with photos and stories about the wheelchair recipients is sent back to those who labored in the effort.

The World Heath Organization estimates that 80 million people are in need of a wheelchair, yet only 5-35% have access to one, depending on the country they live in.

Natasha:

Let’s look at one more story before our next break

Warren:

It’s a reminder that even though Hurricane Helene is no longer much in the news, the recovery efforts will take months, even years.

Last Sunday (Oct. 13), worshippers returned to Biltmore Church, a megachurch in Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time in person after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina. It was bittersweet, said Bruce Frank, the church’s pastor. People were glad to be together, even as many are still grieving. “There is a lot of loss,” Frank said simply in his sermon.

Among the lost were Nora and Michael Drye, lay leaders at Biltmore, and their 7-year-old grandson, Micah, who became trapped on their roof and drowned in Helene’s flooding. Others in the church had lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods.

Natasha:

Biltmore church has done a lot to support their community through this tragedy

Warren:

Church members have rallied to support those affected, offering their parking lot to disaster relief groups and state workers and organizing drive-by centers where people can pick up water, ice, diapers and food for those affected by the disaster.

The church is also collecting donations through a website they created called 828Strong, named for the area code for Asheville and nearby communities.

The coming months, Frank said, will be like a “stay-at-home mission trip” for church members, as they’ll be helping others near home. Biltmore church is working closely with North Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief. Volunteers have already cooked more than 100,000 meals in the church parking lot.

Natasha:

And other disaster relief groups are busy in the region as well

Warren:

Two hours away, in Boone, North Carolina, staff and volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse has been working to clear debris, set up water filtration systems and deliver food and other supplies by helicopter to communities cut off by the storm.

In rural communities the group has set up some 50 Starlink kits to restore internet service and has furnished generators to supply power. “We’ve also set up oxygen shelters,” said Graham, for patients unable to receive their usual supplies, “and refilled more than 1,000 oxygen tanks.”

So far, more than 16,000 volunteers have shown up to help, with more expected. The group is working at sites from Georgia to Florida in Helene recovery, as well as close to home in North Carolina. More help will be needed in the months to come, said Graham.

Natasha:

What other groups are serving the area?

Warren:

The Salvation Army, has sent relief workers to Florida to respond to Milton, where it has served nearly 6,000 meals to residents affected by the hurricane so far through 20 mobile feeding units. It has served more than 400,000 meals in communities affected by Helene. The group also plans to assist with long-term recovery.

Todd Unzicker, executive director of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, said that so far, more than 2,000 of its volunteers have been deployed to assist with recovery from Helene, but he is telling churches and volunteers who are ready to help right now that there is plenty of work ahead.

“The challenge is saying, hold on,” he said. “We are going to need you a month from now and six months from now.”

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

First, news for ministries with a ‘Donate’ button on their website.

Warren:

Ministries who have a “Donate Now” button on their website should evaluate whether they may need to register in each of the 38 states and District of Columbia with a charitable solicitation law.

According to a webinar hosted by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Don Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues, the “Donate Now” button that is ubiquitous in the Christian charity world may trigger the registration requirement.

Attorney Karl Emerson, who advises charities on compliance with state charitable solicitation statutes, recommends that charities start by checking to see if their home state has a charitable registration statute.

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

Latino evangelical pastors met on Tuesday (Oct. 15) to hear about a new mental health initiative launched by the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference’s Center for Ministerial Health.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the organization’s president said The Center for Ministerial Health is the first of three new centers that will form a new structure for the Hispanic network of thousands of evangelical congregations, many of them Pentecostal or charismatic.

At next year’s leadership summit, the organization plans to launch the Center for Public Policy, which will be based in Washington, D.C., and then a year later, it plans to debut the Center for Kingdom Collaboration, with a focus on uniting different Christian organizations.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

Wycliffe Bible Translation Foundation, a ministry of Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently saw its MinistryWatch rating rise from 2 Stars to 3 Stars, and its Donor Confidence Score rise from 45 to 60, which is still an “Exercise Caution” designation.

Its Transparency Grade remains a C because it does not release its Form 990s to the public.

According to the foundation’s Guidestar profile, it is not required to file a Form 990 because it is classified as a “religious organization” with the IRS.

The organization does release audited financials on its website. In 2023, the audited financials show a revenue of $27.4 million and total expenses of $50.5 million.

Regardless, both Wycliffe Bible Translation Foundation and Wycliffe Bible Translators saw a drop in revenue and a rise in expenses in 2023.

According to Wycliffe Bible Translator’s ECFA profile, in 2023 the organization had a revenue of $278.4 million with its expenses totaling $307.4 million.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: October 24. Understanding MinistryWatch’s Rating System.

Faith Based Fraud

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Brittany Smith.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

Most Christians who are active in church have been in this situation before. You’ve just listened to a compelling presentation about a need in some far-away corner of the world. Or perhaps it was a television program, or a commercial on your favorite Christian radio station. The need seems so great, and the story tugs at your heart strings. I’ve never heard of this organization before, but maybe it’s the Holy Spirit prompting me to give. What should I do?

Hello, everyone, I’m Warren Smith, the president of MinistryWatch. And I think it is biblical to test the spirits, to make sure that the spirit moving you is actually the Holy Spirit. That’s why an article I saw in Christianity Today magazine by my guest today, Anthony Sytsma, caught my attention. It’s called “God Calls Me To Give. But to Everyone?” He has some guidance for us on how to test whether that tug we are feeling is actually from God…or from some clever advertising executives.

Anthony Sytsma is himself a missionary, so he’s not trying to discourage giving. In fact, he believes, as do I, that when we have confidence in our giving decisions, we’ll actually give more.

If you’d like to read his article in Christianity Today, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

On today’s program, Cru will stop using its current LGBTQ training program for staff by the end of this year. The change comes after facing accusations that the long-time campus ministry is compromising on biblical sexuality. We’ll have details.

Meanwhile, United Methodist churches in Liberia face protests and unrest as it deals with the fallout of the global denomination’s shift on LGBTQ issues. We’ll take a look.

And, American pastors are burned out and exhausted—but experts say that can change.

But first, a group of people affiliated with Morningstar church in South Carolina are calling for founder Rick Joyner’s resignation—and Joyner is not having it. A group of former MorningStar church members, students, and staff members have signed an open statement calling for MorningStar founder Rick Joyner to resign, among other accountability measures.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, where I’m attending a conference on Bible translation.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

Meanwhile, United Methodist churches in Liberia face protests and unrest as it deals with the fallout of the global denomination’s shift on LGBTQ issues. We’ll take a look.

And, American pastors are burned out and exhausted—but experts say that can change.

Natasha:

But first, a group of people affiliated with Morningstar church in South Carolina are calling for founder Rick Joyner’s resignation—and Joyner is not having it.

Warren:

A group of former MorningStar church members, students, and staff members have signed an open statement calling for MorningStar founder Rick Joyner to resign, among other accountability measures.

The statement, published by MorningStar Accountability Now on September 23, follows the filing of three lawsuits by victims who alleged child sexual abuse by Erickson Lee during MorningStar programs. The lawsuits also seek to hold the ministry liable for not preventing the alleged abuse.

Natasha:

How has the founder responded?

Warren:

In an email on October 5 to Emily Elston, a leader of the MorningStar Accountability Now group, Joyner said, “I am the one God gave to raise up MorningStar, and I will not abandon my post except by His clearly revealed will.”

The accountability statement has over 200 named signatories, some of whom are former teachers at the church’s Comenius School for Creative Leadership, as well as church attendees, Morningstar staff, and others affiliated with the Morningstar School of Ministry.

Natasha:

In addition to calling for Joyner’s resignation, the statement also calls for an independent audit of the MorningStar board, the credentials of its members, and its policies and procedures.

Warren:

MorningStar does not file an informational Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service where the board members’ names would be listed, nor does it have them easily accessible on its ministry website.

The accountability statement also calls for an independent audit of the ministry’s child protection policies and for the audit results to be released publicly.

The statement says MorningStar should implement mandatory training on sexual abuse against minors for all staff and volunteers who interact with children.

Natasha:

On September 24, MorningStar’s leadership released a statement saying they “stand with the victims” and are “fully committed to their healing and restoration.”

Warren:

The statement claims MorningStar is working with independent third-party investigators to examine its policies and practices. It does not name the investigators.

The ministry also claims to operate with “strong safeguards, including mandated training and compliance with legal standards.”

In response to criticism of its leadership, MorningStar said it is committed to accountability, integrity, and learning from past “challenges and failures,” but added that it will “resist unjust or unfounded accusations.” Again, no specific “unfounded accusations” were identified.

Natasha:

Next, Cru discontinues LGBTQ training program for staff.

Warren:

Battered by months of criticisms for controversial staff guidance on how to handle LGBTQ-identifying students, Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) will be removing its Compassionate and Faithful curriculum by the end of the year, according to reporting by WORLD.

In a leaked recording of a Sept. 26 staff meeting, Keith Johnson, Cru’s director of theological education and development, said “Our plan going forward is to integrate our LGBT+ equipping into existing developmental venues. Going forward, we think it’s increasingly important for us to speak in our own theological voice.”

Later, Johnson told WORLD that weaving sexuality training into Cru’s Institute of Biblical Studies for new staff and interns is the logical next step now that most current staff have already completed the training.

Natasha:

What was their curriculum like?

Warren:

Development of the Compassionate and Faithful curriculum began in 2021 in response to the skyrocketing number of college students identifying as LGBTQ. At one time, it reportedly included at least 13 videos by author and podcaster Preston Sprinkle. While Sprinkle affirms biblical marriage, he also advocates addressing LGBTQ individuals by their preferred pronouns and supports the “gay Christian” label for believers who struggle with same-sex attraction.

Natasha:

But critics were quick to respond.

Warren:

Ex-lesbian women’s studies professor Rosaria Butterfield and two former Cru employees, Uriah and Marissa Mundell, are among those who have spoken out.

The Mundells lost their jobs after publicly criticizing the training program and its push for “pronoun hospitality.” Butterfield called out Cru by name as a moral compromiser during her convocation address to about 10,000 Liberty University students in November 2023.

In the leaked audio, Johnson reiterated Cru’s commitment to the Gospel and biblical sexuality, but still did not explain the training changes and mixed messages that followed the public condemnation from Butterfield, or what the new lessons might look like.

Natasha:

Our next story involves Christian refugees.

Warren:

The U.S. resettled more Christians fleeing persecution in fiscal year 2024 than it has since 2016, Open Doors and World Relief said in a report unveiled Oct. 14 as insight for policymakers and voters weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential elections.

The nonpartisan groups reported the numbers of refugees and asylum seekers the U.S. has accepted in recent decades, including Christians and others fleeing religious persecution, and explored how U.S. presidential platform policies will impact the ability of those persecuted for their faith to find refuge here after the November elections.

Natasha:

And what are their thoughts on that?

Warren:

World Relief President and CEO Myal Greene said, “President Trump has pledged to suspend the refugee admissions program, but we also hope that this report will be something that raises voices and attention to this issue, and will persuade him to change his mind if he’s elected.”

Natasha:

We have also seen that the Biden-Harris administration implemented very significant restrictions on the asylum program.

Warren:

That’s right. Both groups were clear in emphasizing that the report remained nonpartisan. Both administrations had done some things well, and both administrations had fallen short in significant ways, according to the report.

Open Doors U.S. President Ryan Brown pointed out the increasing need for the U.S. to provide a safe haven for Christians fleeing persecution, as the organization’s annual World Watch List has noted a multiyear trend of increasingly violent persecution that forces Christians to flee their homelands.

He encouraged voters not to confuse the issue of border security with asylum and refugee access.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, unrest breaks out in Liberian churches as they struggle to determine where they stand with a denomination they disagree with over gender and sexuality.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, unrest breaks out in United Methodist churches in Liberia.

Warren:

The United Methodist Church in Liberia has been roiled in recent days over its position on marriage for same-sex couples after the global denomination, based in the United States, voted to strike a 40-year-old condemnation of homosexuality from its governing document.

Clergy and lay members of the 150,000-member Liberian church have been calling for a special session of the annual conference to take a vote on the U.S. church’s decision, but Bishop Samuel Jerome Quire, the resident bishop of the Liberia Area, has refused, citing the importance of maintaining unity in the Liberian church.

Natasha:

Last week, Quire suspended a number of pastors and elders who have persistently asked for the special assembly.

Warren:

The tensions escalated Sunday (Oct.13), when protests broke out at the New Georgia United Methodist Church in Monrovia over the suspension of the Rev. Leo Mason, the church’s senior pastor and an outspoken proponent of traditional marriage. The protests spread to other churches in the capital, prompting riot police to intervene.

Quire later explained the protests were triggered by rumors that he was to go to New Georgia to preside at a wedding between two men. He was due there to install a new pastor.

Natasha:

Why are things so tense?

Warren:

The bishop said the issue of same-sex marriage has been lingering since the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, April 23-May 3, removed language banning LGBTQ clergy and restrictions on same-sex marriage from the church’s Book of Discipline.

The General Conference also passed measures to restructure the denomination, giving each region greater equity in tailoring church life to its own customs and traditions, including an amendment that awards equal standing to its worldwide regions, including Africa, Europe, the Philippines and the United States.

Natasha:

Did that restructuring help ease the concerns for the African church?

Warren:

Quire said he had explained the General Conference’s decisions to church leaders at the time and urged the denomination’s membership in Liberia to remain calm. But many members want a special session to determine the Liberian area’s relationship with the global denomination.

Regarding churches that have threatened in writing to break away from the Liberian church, Quire said: “They have forgotten their identity. … No local church has the right to remove itself from the United Methodist Church. They have no authority.”

Natasha:

While churches within the U-M-C continue to divide over its issues, two churches in Washington are overcoming decades of disagreement to merge into one body.

Warren:

Across the U.S., churches are closing or merging by force — no longer able to maintain membership numbers or funds to support their buildings and staff.

But for Northside and Sunrise, that wasn’t the case. Both congregations were doing fine financially, Instead, their union was by choice, borne out of a love for each other and a desire to combine their strengths — and put aside their differences — to point more people to Jesus.

Natasha:

Can you share a little background on what brought them to this new point?

Warren:

In early 2020, newly hired Northside preacher Henry Holub — a graduate of Abilene Christian University — reached out to Sunrise preacher Troy Burns, just looking for a “preaching buddy” to talk to. Holub and Burns’ relationship led Northside and Sunrise to host their first event together, a trunk-or-treat, in 2021. They began to cooperate more and more, holding a joint Vacation Bible School, a sweetheart banquet, a picnic, a fall festival and a breakfast for the nearby elementary school.

As members of both congregations became friendlier toward each other, they began to notice each had complementary strengths and weaknesses, Payne said.

Natasha:

Eventually, the leadership from both churches decided to address what they called the elephant in the room: merging to become one church. Some members had already started asking about the possibility.

Warren:

They held their first service last Sunday. The benefits they cited included the ability to fully staff Bible classes for adults and children, twice as many volunteers for church responsibilities, increasing outreach to the neighborhood and providing “a tremendous witness to the world” of Christian unity.

Natasha:

While we’ve been talking about churches – experts weigh in on why so many pastors are burned out and exhausted.

Warren:

The decline of organized religion, the aftermath of a worldwide pandemic, political polarization — and the burden of caring for their congregation’s soul — have left many pastors feeling burned out and wondering how long they can hang on.

The title of a 2024 report from the Hartford Institute for Research summed up what pastors are saying: “I’m Exhausted All the Time.”

Natasha:

Why is that?
Warren:Scott Thumma, director of the Hartford Institute said that Racial divides and political issues have disrupted faith communities, which have undermined the relationship between religious leaders and their congregations, leading to clergy burnout and discouragement.

Natasha:

And mental health is really challenging for pastors

Warren:

While burnout and poor mental health for clergy may often be gradual, the recovery process requires a lot more intentionality, said Rae Jean Proeschold-Bell, director of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative at Duke University.

That’s why it’s important for pastors to monitor feelings of being overwhelmed so they can be addressed before becoming a larger issue.

Natasha:

What can pastors do to keep themselves healthy and refreshed?

Warren:

Making plans for incorporating intentional practices can help pastors decrease stress and regain spiritual well-being. During the pandemic, the Duke Clergy Health Initiative partnered with the United Methodist Church for a study on mindfulness practices.

Clergy took eight classes on mindfulness techniques. They participated, on average, for 28 minutes a day for six months. They saw a reduction in stress and an improvement in their heart rate variability — the heart’s ability to recover.

Proeschold-Bell recommended that clergy try a practice called the Daily Examen, which has been practiced by Catholics and other contemplative Christians.

Other intentional practices include exercise, taking time to eat nourishing foods and getting enough sleep. Experts say, The most important thing is taking time away from work and its stressors so clergy can connect and meet their physical and psychological needs.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

The MinistryWatch Index inched up slightly during September but has remained mostly flat for the third month in a row.

That said, the less than .2 percent increase represents a new record for the index, which tracks revenue for 38 large Christian ministries in the nation. On October 1, the revenue of these ministries was approximately $9.9 billion.

Though there was no growth during September, this number represents 8 percent year-to-date, and up about 10.6 percent from its February low this year.

Though the organizations in the MinistryWatch Index have continued to grow this year, almost all of that growth took place in the first six seven months of the year. And this year’s growth significantly lags last year’s rise. In 2023 the Index grew 24.1 percent. The relatively slow growth of the MinistryWatch Index for 2024 could suggest concern about the future of the economy.

All the major indices have seen significant volatility this year. The Dow has seen two corrections this year greater than five percent, and the NASDAQ fell 12 percent from mid-July to early August, though it has since recovered most of those losses.

Natasha:

What’s Next?

Warren:

MinistryWatch, in collaboration with the Trinity Foundation, each month publishes a list of the private planes belonging to pastors and Christian ministries.

The list also includes basic information about their usage by pastors and ministries.

This month’s list is below. Here are a few highlights:

The Trinity Foundation currently tracks 65 ministries that have airplanes.
During September, these planes made a total of 495 flights. This is a significant increase over August total of 428.
Operating costs were approximately $2 million for the month. These costs do not include the cost of the plane itself.
Liberty University remains the biggest user of private aircraft. It typically holds that position month in and month out. Liberty University has an aviation program that uses aircraft for training purposes. We do not include these aircraft in this list.
The Assemblies of God denomination came in a close second, with 29 flight segments.

If you find this information interesting or helpful, you might want to follow The Trinity Foundation’s daily X feed. You can find that account, @PastorPlanes, here.)

But we think that for most people this monthly list will be more digestible and easier to read.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

Chosen People Ministries, based in New York City, recently saw a drop in its Donor Confidence Score—falling from a 56 to a 51, which means “Exercise Caution.”

The organization does not release Form 990s and does not make its audited financial statements available to the public.

“We’re organized under the IRS as a church—our letter says we’re exempt from preparing a 990, so we don’t have one to disclose,” Chosen People’s CFO David Lee told MinistryWatch. “[Our] audited reports are available if anyone asks, we will release it to them.”

Chosen People is part of a growing number of ministries that have petitioned the IRS to be reclassified as a church, although Lee says that in their 130 years of ministry, they have always been classified as a church under the IRS. “We have congregations, we do mission work,” he wrote.

According to limited financial information from its ECFA profile, in 2023 the organization brought in revenue of $21.6 million, and its total expenses were $19.2 million. The ministry also has $27.1 million in net assets.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: October 24. Understanding MinistryWatch’s Rating System.

Faith Based Fraud

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Diana Chandler, Fredrick Nzwili, Calvin Cockrell, Genevieve Charles, Brittany Smith—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Baptist Press and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

Christian ministries and other non-profit organizations have played a huge, positive role in American culture. If you don’t believe me, just read Benjamin Franklin, Alexis de Tocqueville, Robert Bellah, Rodney Stark, Arthur Brooks…the list goes on. Because of the positive influence in our culture, our laws encourage their work. They are not required to pay taxes on revenue, and donors to them get tax advantages as well. In exchange for these advantages, we ask only a couple of things: First, that they actually do the good work they promise to do, and – secondly – that they disclose enough details about their work so that the donor public can confirm that. That disclosure is a Form 990, which all tax-exempt bodies except churches must file with the federal government.

However, churches are exempt from that requirement. That exemption makes some sense, since most churches are small and all of the donors to a local church were members of the church. Today, however, we live in an era of mega churches that are often the center of an ecosystem of related entities – both profit and non-profit. We also have religious advocacy groups that are claiming to be churches even though they don’t have regular services, don’t ordain clergy, don’t marry or bury their members, don’t do anything that we think of as the normal activity of a church. This state of affairs have led some – including those of us here at MinistryWatch – to believe that we need a new regimen of regulations and laws that update those written in another era.

Sharing some of these views is Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame. He and his coauthor Ellen Aprill have written a new paper outlining changes that need to happen to fix – or at least to bring a bit more up to date – the current situation.

Links to articles mentioned in today’s program.

https://ministrywatch.com/law-professor-advocates-changing-irs-definition-of-church-association-of-churches/

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4346286

https://theconversation.com/how-the-us-government-can-stop-churches-from-getting-treated-like-real-churches-by-the-irs-237922

That brings to a close my interview with Dr. Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame. We’ll have links to the articles we discussed today in the show notes for today’s program.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association threatens to sue after the group Evangelicals for Harris uses video of Billy Graham to make an anti-Trump ad. We’ll have details.

Plus, a storm is brewing within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church—some are asking if the denomination will stay true to its mission.

And, the leaders of Kanakuk Kamps are the defendants in a sexual abuse-related lawsuit. They tried to get parts of that lawsuit dismissed—and the court has handed down its decision. We’ll take a look.

But first, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Gateway Church and its former pastor Robert Morris. Gateway Church, headquartered in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, has been facing a multitude of allegations and controversies after Cindy Clemishire’s sexual abuse allegations against founding pastor Robert Morris led to his resignation. Now, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the church in federal court by members who are concerned about the stewardship of the money they contributed.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Marci Seither, Mallory Challis, Brittany Smith and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Generous Giving and Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association threatens to sue after the group Evangelicals for Harris uses video of Billy Graham to make an anti-Trump ad. We’ll have details.

Plus, a storm is brewing within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church—some are asking if the denomination will stay true to its mission.

Natasha:

But first, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Gateway Church and its former pastor Robert Morris.

Warren:

Gateway Church, headquartered in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, has been facing a multitude of allegations and controversies after Cindy Clemishire’s sexual abuse allegations against founding pastor Robert Morris led to his resignation.

Natasha:

Now, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the church in federal court by members who are concerned about the stewardship of the money they contributed.

Warren:

The lawsuit alleges that Morris and Gateway’s leadership represented that “15% of all tithe dollars would be distributed to global missions and Jewish ministry partners, encouraging church members to generously give toward these ends.”

The lawsuit states, Morris claimed in 2023 that Gateway had sent more than $25 million overseas.

The plaintiffs believe that was a misrepresentation, and they are seeking transparency about how the money was used.

In 2021, MinistryWatch reported about the network of ministries associated with Gateway Church—there was little financial and organizational transparency made available to the public.

A former executive pastor never witnessed more than $3 million annually in global missions contributions.

Natasha:

The plaintiffs claim that “Gateway refused to be transparent when trying to answer even simple questions about the use of tithing dollars.”

Warren:

Lead plaintiff Katherine Leach “has publicly and directly delivered a demand letter to Gateway for the return of her tithes pursuant to Gateway’s ‘money back guarantee.’ Gateway has not responded.”

The lawsuit asserts claims for misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of contract.

Natasha:

While we’re on the subject of Gateway, there has been a development in the story a different lawsuit.

Warren:

Clemishire testified before the Texas House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence on October 2 about declining a settlement offer by Morris’s lawyers in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). The committee was hearing testimony about civil NDAs in child sexual abuse settlements.

Clemishire’s story was made public on June 14.

Clemishire says Morris sexually abused her from 1982 through 1987, starting when she was 12 years old.

Clemishire told the committee she wasn’t just at the hearing to advocate for herself, but for the estimated 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse living in the United States.

Natasha:

Next, BGEA Threatens Lawsuit Over Political Ad, First, Warren, can you tell us what the ad is about?

Warren:

The ad begins with a clip of renowned evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham, declaring “But you must realize that in the last days, the times will be full of danger. Men will become utterly self-centered and greedy for money.”

Suddenly, a clip of former President Donald Trump is spliced in where he says: “My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy.”

For the next few seconds, the ad, which has racked up over 30 million views, flips between Graham’s 1988 sermon, contrasting his points with shots of Trump using violent language, claiming to be “the chosen one” and talking about kissing women without their consent.

Natasha:

That ad, the result of a $1 million ad campaign by Evangelicals for Harris, is now the subject of a potential lawsuit from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based nonprofit that supports the ministries of Billy Graham’s son and grandson.

Warren:

An Oct. 2 letter, sent from outside counsel and obtained by RNS, threatened to sue Evangelicals for Harris on the basis of copyright infringement.

In a statement to RNS, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said they do not generally comment on potential disputes, but they acknowledged having communicated with Evangelicals for Harris regarding their concerns about the “unauthorized, political use of BGEA’s copyrighted video,” and said they would continue to address the matter.

Natasha:

How did Evangelicals for Harris respond?

Warren:

Evangelicals for Harris released a statement saying “Franklin is scared of our ads because we do not tell people what to do or think. We merely hold Trump’s own words up to the light of Scripture, the necessity of repentance, and Biblical warnings against leaders exactly like Trump,” they wrote in a post on X.

The lawyers representing Evangelicals for Harris also released their formal legal response to the threatened lawsuit. Originally sent on Sept. 28, the letter asserts that the ad does not constitute copyright infringement or violate the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s right. They write that the public discussion of Trump’s moral failings is “essential First Amendment expression” and that the use of Billy Graham’s sermon is protected under the Copyright Act.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a story about radical giving—one couple cashes in their children’s college funds to invest in a greater future.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, a story about radical generosity.

Warren:

This story is one in a series we’ve done here at MinistryWatch over the years that highlight examples of, as you say, radical generosity.

This story is about the journey of Leslie and Jason White, who chose to cash in their children’s college funds to invest in their church’s expansion efforts.

After graduating Stanford the couple found a church home that met in a local hotel.

By 2010, the church had grown from one service to three with an additional service on Sunday evenings. One thing was obvious—they were outgrowing their space and needed expansion plans.

Instead of thinking of the building they viewed the project as “making space for lives to change.”

Jason said. “They asked us to come with a number of what you could contribute over the next few years.”

The Whites took the radical step to drain their children’s college fund, and put that money toward the church expansion instead.

Natasha:

Wow, that’s amazing.

Warren:

The church now has over 10,000 members across five different campuses. But that’s not the only growth the Whites have seen.

Natasha:

How so?

Warren:

“We’re seeing growth in our own marriage,” said Jason. “We’re seeing our kids get poured into, and we see all the things happening to the people around us.” And Leslie added. “When you plant the seed, you don’t know who will reap the benefit.”

Natasha:

In our next story, turmoil in an evangelical denomination.

Warren:

A storm is brewing in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) and a “meaningful group of churches” are considering other options, according to Pastor Nate Atwood, the pastor of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.

Atwood has been involved in the EPC since 1988 and held several leadership roles, including serving as moderator of the General Assembly. He says there is a “crisis of confidence in the current stated clerk, moderator, and leadership team” after an overture concerning same-sex-attracted pastors never made it to the floor of the General Assembly this summer.

Natasha:

Warren, can you provide a little background of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?

Warren:

According to Atwood, the original vision of the EPC when it was founded in 1981 was to be a Biblical, evangelical, constitutional, and Reformed denomination.

Recent events have raised questions about several of those commitments,

Natasha:

What events were those?

Warren:

One concerns sexual identity. The issue arose because Greg Johnson, the Presbyterian pastor of Memorial Presbyterian in St. Louis who says he is homosexual but celibate, left the Presbyterian Church in America in 2022.

Now his church wants to join the EPC. The question has divided the denomination.

Natasha:

And that’s not the only case causing controversy.

Warren:

According to the EPC Book of Government, once a church notifies its presbytery of its desire to leave, the “Presbytery shall take no action to dismiss, dissolve or divide the local church and its elders until all proceedings under this section…are fully completed.”

Beverly Heights, in Pennsylvania plans to leave the EPC and they are maintaining that this process is not being followed.

Beverly Heights filed a complaint with the EPC General Assembly explaining what it believed to be unconstitutional actions.

The church also filed a civil suit in Pennsylvania state court because it is incorporated as a nonprofit under Pennsylvania laws.

In March, the two parties met for a mediation and reached a verbal settlement. However, the church claims that when the presbytery sent the written agreement over, it significantly deviated from the previously agreed terms.

The issues remain unresolved.

Natasha:

What’s our next story?

Warren:

A church staff member at Revival City Church in the Dallas suburb of McKinney was arrested on a family violence charge, according to reporting by WFAA.

David Scarberry, 53, serves as the evangelistic outreach leader for Revival City. He leads teams in evangelistic outreach efforts in McKinney each Wednesday, the church website says.

According to the police report obtained by WFAA, Scarberry was arrested on a charge of continuous family violence. It is not clear from the arrest who Scarberry’s victim was.

Natasha:

What does that charge mean?

Warren:

A charge of continuous family violence, according to the Texas Penal Code, applies when a person, during a period of 12 months or less, assaults a family member. It is a third degree felony.

Scarberry was released from the Collin County jail on a bond. Scarberry called the charges a “misunderstanding” and “false accusations.”

Natasha:

This is not Scarberry’s first run-in with the law.

Warren:

According to Oklahoma records obtained by KERA, Scarberry served a five-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of using an offensive weapon in a felony and two additional drug felonies in 2002.

His ex-wife also filed a protective order against him in 1994 after Scarberry was arrested for assault and battery, KERA reported. The charges were later dropped.

According to its website, Revival City Church is part of the Bethel Leaders network and part of Andrew Wommack’s Ministers Association.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Motions filed by defendants Kanakuk and ACE American Insurance Co. to dismiss a recent amendment to Logan Yandell’s lawsuit against Kanakuk Kamps for civil conspiracy have been denied.

Yandell’s lawsuit alleges the defendants committed fraud against him by failing to adequately disclose and represent knowledge of sexual misconduct committed against children at the camp by serial child sex abuser Peter Newman, who just days ago was denied the opportunity for parole while serving his life sentence in Missouri.

An amendment made to the lawsuit earlier this year added charges of civil conspiracy, alleging the defendants named in the lawsuit, including Kanakuk Kamps and ACE Insurance Co., conspired together to commit these acts of fraud. It was this amendment that will now be allowed to be a part of the lawsuit going forward.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

This week, Adventures in Missions’ overall Transparency Grade fell from a C to a D because the organization does not file a Form 990.

According to its Guidestar profile, the nonprofit “is not required to file an annual return with the IRS because it is a church.”

Executive Director Seth Barnes told MinistryWatch the organization’s choice to change its IRS status was “not to escape accountability, but more about not having to go through the process with the government and seek accountability through other mechanisms.”

This includes being in good standing with the ECFA and cutting overhead costs.

Adventures in Missions does provide audited financial statements on its website, and Barnes said the organization’s 990s are available to donors upon request.

According to the ministry’s 2023 Annual Report, its revenue was $10.4 million and its total expenses were $10 million.

Limited financial information from Adventures in Missions’ ECFA profile shows a drop in revenue from 2021 to 2023—falling from $13.8 million to $10.4 million.

The organization’s website describes itself as an “interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship” through a number of programs, including short and long term missions trips, parent ministry, and The World Race. The World Race is an 11-month missions program for people ages 21-30. Participants travel to multiple countries around the world during their time in the program and serve with local ministry partners.

Natasha:

And who did we highlight in Ministries Making a Difference?

Warren:

(A roundup of ministries providing relief after Hurricane Helene)

Water Mission is setting up water treatment systems at multiple locations throughout Western North Carolina after the area was devastated by Hurricane Helene. The systems, spanning from Asheville to Boone, “take dirty water from a local source such as a river, and immediately treat it making it safe for drinking,” according to the ministry. The largest systems can provide safe water for up to 5,000 people a day. Water Mission has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database.

With clean water being a critical component of disaster relief, Samaritan’s Purse is also deploying water filtration systems in hard-hit areas of North Carolina. The systems, developed by Samaritan’s Purse engineers, can provide clean water for up to 10,000 people a day. The ministry has also flown relief supplies—infant hygiene kits, food, water, and medical supplies—on at least 19 helicopter operations. Volunteers with the Boone-based organization are doing what they do best—clearing debris, mudding out homes, and chainsawing trees. Samaritan’s Purse has 2 stars, an “A” transparency grade, but a 56 donor confidence score (“Exercise Caution”).

Convoy of Hope and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are partnering to provide thousands of Crisis Care Kits to victims of Hurricane Helene. Various Church of the Nazarene congregations in North Carolina are hosting Nazarene Disaster Response (NDR) teams to mobilize supplies and personnel and provide disaster relief. Convoy of Hope has 4 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 79. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest ratings in each of the three MinistryWatch categories.

Blessings International is preparing hygiene care kits, first aid kits, and medical supplies for first responders assisting with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Blessings International has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100.

Christian Relief Fund helped clear fallen trees and debris in Valdosta, Georgia, and is providing generators to assist with power outages in Asheville, North Carolina, delivering them via helicopter. CRF has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 97.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: October 24. Understanding MinistryWatch’s Rating System.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Marci Seither, Mallory Challis, Brittany Smith and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Generous Giving and Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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Darren Dochuk’s book Anointed With Oil: How Christianity and Crude Made Modern America has been out a couple of years. But I must confess that I discovered it only recently, and it has changed my perspective about a lot things I thought I knew about modern American Evangelicalism. As you will hear, he outlines how modern Protestantism split in the early 20th century into liberal and conservative factions. The liberal stream was made up mostly of the mainline protestant churches, and the conservative stream became what we know today is evangelicalism. However, what Dockuk adds to this conversation is an analysis of how both streams got funded -- by oil millionaires such as John D. Rockefeller on the left and J. Howard Pew and the Hunt Brothers on the right. He has caused me to believe that without these men and a very few others who funded their religious impulses, modern American religious life would look very different than it does today.Darren Dochuk is a professor of history at the University of Notre Dame, and his previous works include From Bible Belt to Sunbelt, a history of the rise of evangelical conservatism. That book won the John H. Dunning Prize from the American Historical Association. Darren Dochuk spoke to me from his office in South Bend, Indiana.I hope you’ll join me again on Friday when I’m joined by Natasha Cowden for our discussion of the week’s news.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you!

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On today’s program,, Christian ministries are on the forefront of relief efforts as cities in Western North Carolina grapple with loss after Hurricane Helene. We’ll take a look.And, a Georgia congregation locked out of their own building after splitting from its parent church. We’ll have details.Plus, the missions organization Ethnos 360 faces a lawsuit after a victim alleges that another missionary child abused her…and the ministry is continuing to allow the perpetrator access to other children.But first, the United Kingdom has launched an investigation into Barnabas Aid.The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Brittany Smith—and you, Warren.Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT FIRST SEGMENTWarren:Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Christina:And I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden, also coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.Warren:On today’s program, Christian ministries are on the forefront of relief efforts as cities in Western North Carolina grapple with loss after Hurricane Helene. We’ll take a look.And, a Georgia congregation locked out of their own building after splitting from its parent church. We’ll have details.Plus, the missions organization Ethnos360 faces a lawsuit after a victim alleges that another missionary child abused her…and the ministry is continuing to allow the perpetrator access to other children.Christina:But first, the United Kingdom has launched an investigation into Barnabas Aid.Warren:Barnabas Aid — also known as Barnabas Fund, which aids persecuted Christians — is being investigated by the Charity Commission in the United Kingdom. On Sept. 17, the commission opened a statutory inquiry into the ministry based on allegations of a “£15m ($20 million) hole in the finances of its global network,”Christina:Additionally, Barnabas Aid is almost three months late in filing its latest financial accounts, according to the Charity Commission’s website.Warren:In August, Patrick Sookdheo, founder of Barnabas Aid, was suspended from his role in the organization due to concerns about financial mismanagement and a toxic work culture.Noel Frost served as chief executive of the international organization, according to the Church Times. He also was removed from his position earlier this year due to allegations of misconduct and financial impropriety.A Barnabas spokesperson told The Telegraph the investigation is ongoing, and “if it reveals that there has been any financial wrongdoing, then we are committed to recovering it.”Christina:Barnabas Aid has offices in several countries, including the United States, and also has an international office called Nexcus International.Warren:Nexcus was previously called Christian Relief International (CRI), but the name was changed to enable Barnabas Aid to “provide aid to countries where Christianity is prohibited,” according to Barnabas Aid USA CEO Jeremy Frith.A letter dated August 14 by self-described interim international chief executive of Nexcus, Colin Bloom, said an independent investigation has found “serious and repeated contraventions of internal policies” and had brought “evidence of serious financial impropriety” to light.According to the Barnabas Aid website, Nexcus (formerly CRI) serves as the international office for all Barnabas Aid ministries worldwide. Nexcus is registered in the US, but has an office in the UK.Christina: Our next story hits close to home for us, Warren.In North Carolina, our neighbors to the west of Charlotte are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene,

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The Network is a group of churches started by Steve Morgan, a pastor who began his career as part of the Vineyard USA association of churches, but left that group to start his network of churches in 2006.

Until recently, the network had 26 member churches. Morgan is the lead pastor of Joshua Church in Austin, Texas. But in the past few months, families and even some churches have been speaking out about the practices of Morgan and The Network.

Today, we talk with reporter Kim Roberts, who has been covering The Network for MinistryWatch. Below is a transcript of that conversation.

Warren

Your story begins with a woman named Melanie and her estrangement from her daughter that she believes is because of The Network.

Before we talk more about Melanie, I want to mention that we use only her first name in today’s story. It is generally the practice of MinistryWatch to only use named sources. In this instance, because Melanie is trying to strike a balance between warning others and maintaining the possibility of reconciliation with her daughter, we agreed to only use her first name.

So, with that said, what can you tell me about Melanie’s story?

Kim

Melanie raised her children in a Christian home. So she was happy her daughter was getting involved in church while at college. But then she noticed their conversations change. Her daughter started to seem disconnected.

Warren

Then she really became disconnected.

Kim

She did. Melanie said that she hasn’t heard her daughter’s voice in two years. Her eldest daughter cut off contact with her on November 29, 2022, after Melanie expressed concerns about her daughter’s church and its practices. She sent her daughter a link to a website with stories of heartbreak from people affiliated with The Network.

Warren

Her daughter had joined Foundation Church, a Network church led by Justin Major, while she was a junior at Illinois State University.

Kim

That’s right, and this was not the first time she had disconnected from the family. Not long after her 21stbirthday in 2017, Melanie’s daughter announced she would be getting married to a young man she had just met. They were married within 10 days of meeting.

Six months later, Melanie received a text that her daughter and new son-in-law would need time to themselves and would have no contact with Melanie and her family for a year.

Warren

Melanie and her husband agreed to respect their daughter’s wishes and after about a year, they got together and things started to improve, Melanie said. What happened next?

Kim

In January 2020, Melanie helped after the arrival of her first grandbaby. While she loved spending time with her daughter and her family, Melanie was soon told not to send any text messages to her daughter without including her son-in-law also.

When she was in the area, Melanie asked to have lunch with her daughter but that was “not allowed.”

Warren

Despite the continued inexplicable boundaries and family strain, Melanie again helped when the second grandbaby arrived in May 2022. During the visit, Melanie said the two had good conversations, and she was optimistic that healing was occurring.

Kim

Then in October 2022, when Melanie was on her way to visit her father for his birthday, she offered to drop by so her eldest grandchild could sign the card to his great-grandfather.

Her daughter’s response was “upsetting” and “bizarre.” “I respectfully decline your request,” her daughter wrote in a text response, claiming the child didn’t know Melanie’s father.

Her daughter didn’t join the family Thanksgiving celebration that year and a few days later, Melanie shared her concerns about The Network of churches to which her daughter’s church belonged.

Warren

That was in 2022. And that’s her texts were blocked and communication ceased.

And in your story, Kim, you wrote something really interesting. Quoting Melanie, you wrote:

“I feel like if you have a close family, they will try to put a wedge there. They want to eliminate the family as a threat. The pastor becomes the father figure.”

Kim

That’s right, and that idea is a part of Melanie’s motivation to expose The Network.

Melanie began searching online and found similar stories. She wanted to warn others, so she created Families Against Cults on Campus (FACC). That effort includes a You Tube page with content about The Network, including testimonials.

Warren

The YouTube channel has gotten tens of thousands of views. So it is starting to get noticed.

What else can you tell me?

Kim

The leadership structure of Network churches and the alleged emphasis of the principle of “obeying your leaders in all things” is a red flag for the several dozen families who have joined FACC. They hope to stop the inflow of new recruits into Network churches, which are often planted near college campuses where they recruit members.

The FACC members have all been negatively impacted by connections to Network churches. In many cases, family members have cut off contact with them without explanation.

Warren

Can you give me another example?

Kim

Lori Hallatt is still hoping for a restored relationship with her son. She hasn’t had a conversation with him since May 2023 when he texted that he “needed distance” and would “reach out when ready.”

Warren

Lori Hallatt posted her testimonial on the Leaving The Network website. Can you read a portion of it?

Kim

She wrote this:

“I have come to discover in talking with others who have left the Network, this type of family division is not unique to my family; in fact it is quite prevalent. I have spent hours on the phone in recent weeks talking with other parents who have also been cut off from their family members who attend Network churches.”

Warren

And at least in this situation, there seems to be a bit of a break.

Kim

Now her son has reached out and asked his parents to come visit for a conversation on October 7. Hallatt will drive 10 hours in hopes that she can have a relationship with her son again.

Warren

Kim, I first heard about The Network when I got an email from a man named Andrew Lumpe. What can you tell me about his story?

Kim

Andrew Lumpe had been involved in three different Network churches since its inception. He had served in leadership roles, including serving on boards of elders.

In 2019 he raised concerns to leaders in The Network about Steve Morgan’s background. Morgan had been arrested for aggravated criminal sodomy in 1987 while serving as a youth leader for the Reformed Latter-Day Saints. The case against Morgan was ultimately diverted.

Lumpe said Network leadership declined to conduct an investigation, so he and his wife left. They were shunned by many previous friends.

Warren

Since leaving, Lumpe says he has learned of hundreds and even thousands of individuals who have been negatively impacted by The Network.

An online forum, Leaving the Network, was created to “platform the stories of those who have left Steve Morgan’s Network of Churches and to create a public record of the inner workings and history of The Network.”

Kim

The Leaving the Network group has heard from many families who noticed rapid changes in loved ones who became involved in a Network church. Examples include drastic personality changes, loss of interest in hobbies, significant financial commitment to the church, abrupt priority shifts, Network gatherings prioritized over family celebrations, and increased control of their lives by Network leaders.

Warren

This activism seems to be having an impact.

Kim

During the process of raising awareness about alleged problems in The Network, four churches have announced their departure from the Network of churches.

On August 31, Isaiah Church in Madison, Wisconsin, posted a statement saying it was formally disassociating from The Network because of an inability to resolve concerns about “leadership theology, church governance, and past decisions with network leadership.”

“It has come to the point that we believe we have exhausted all avenues and withdrawing from the network is the appropriate action for Isaiah Church due to our biblical convictions,” the statement continued.

Warren

On September 8, Vine Church in Carbondale, Illinois—a church founded by Morgan—posted a statement saying it would now be an independent, local church and no longer part of The Network.

The same day, North Pines Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan posted a similar statement that its board of overseers had “unanimously decided to end our affiliation with our prior church network.”

Kim

About a week later, a fourth church — Hosea Church in Raleigh, North Carolina — announced it had “lovingly ended [its] official association with that network due to differing theological positions regarding leadership and local church governance.”

Warren

The Leaving The Network group wasn’t wholly satisfied by these departures.

Kim

The Leaving the Network website said none of these churches addressed the “call to action” by former leaders from Network churches, which calls for an investigation into Morgan’s arrest, any potential victims of abuse, concealment, abusive systems, and leader behaviors.

Warren

Now, Kim, here at MinistryWatch, we try to get both sides of the story. Did you reach out to The Network and attempt to get its side?

Kim

MinistryWatch reached out to Joshua Church in Austin where Steve Morgan is lead pastor to ask for comment, but we did not receive a reply.

Warren

Kim, thanks for this fascinating story. And please keep us posted if you hear of any new developments.

Kim

Will do.

Warren

That brings to a close this EXTRA episode of the MinistryWatch podcast. As I mentioned earlier, this story about The Network came to us from Andrew Lumpe, a reader of MinistryWatch. If you have a story you’d like to see us cover, we’d like to hear from you. You can send your email to info@ministrywatch.com

Thanks to Kim Roberts for being with me on this week’s EXTRA episode.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, longtime pastor Steve Lawson was removed as pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas over an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with a woman…now, ministries are dropping the author and teaching fellow as ripples of his affair spread. We’ll take a look.

And, devastated families share stories of being cut off by adult children involved in The Network—an association of churches started by Steve Morgan. We’ll have details.

Plus, two prominent pastors announce their plans for retirement.

But first, Fuller Seminary Professor Vince Bantu is being accused of a secret second marriage. Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, the denominational seminary for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), acknowledged that former professor Vince Bantu engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a student during his tenure there.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Mallory Challis, G. Jeffrey MacDonald, Daniel Ritchie, Marci Seither, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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“Protect Children. Support Survivors. Protest Pete Newman’s Parole!” are the opening lines readers will see when they click on the new website, protestpetesparole.com.

As the September 25 parole hearing for serial child sexual abuser Peter Newman quickly approaches, survivors and advocates continue to call for support in urging the Missouri Department of Corrections Board and Parole to deny his possible release. Previously, survivors and advocates have urged concerned citizens to write letters to the parole board expressing their grievances regarding Newman’s crimes.

This new website reminds viewers of these instructions. It also offers viewers a way to fill out an online form to submit their letters directly to the parole board. The form includes the option to submit an editable pre-loaded statement or follow a template to craft your own.

In addition to letter-writing, the website also links to a petitionagainst Newman’s parole, which will be “submitted to the Missouri Parole Board as part of Newman’s hearing.”

Despite being sentenced to two life terms plus 30 years — a total of 90 years, with 30 counting for each life sentence — Newman is eligible for parole after serving just 15. This is the minimum portion of his sentence that must be completed, according to RSMo 217.690 which mandates that offenders serving multiple sentences totaling 45 or more years must complete at least 50% of one sentence before parole eligibility.

After a hearing, the parole board typically takes eight to 12 weeks to come to a decision. If Newman’s parole is denied, he will be eligible for a reconsideration hearing every one to five years until a release date is established. The new website reminds viewers that all evidence from the Sept. 25 hearing can be used in future hearings, including contributions to the petition as supporters continue to sign.

*Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here*.**

In the event Newman were to be granted parole, he would go to an offender treatment program for “approximately 12 months of therapy and a Sex Offender Assessment Process,” designed to help offenders reintegrate into regular society and prevent recidivism, the website explains.

However, survivors and advocates note concerns regarding his ability to avoid returning to abuse.

According to Elizabeth Carlock Phillips’ statement, while the prosecution estimates Newman’s victim count to be in the hundreds, “clinical experts estimate (the count) to be between 2,000 and 5,000 due to the patterns of his perpetration, (his) amount of unfettered access and time with children year-round and the victim count known at sentencing.” She argues the impact of his crimes is far deeper than a simple felony charge, calling him a “murderer” who “butchered the souls of boys with his deceit and abuse, some even to their graves.”

Phillips’ submitted her statement on behalf of her late brother, Trey Carlock, who died by suicide due to the traumatic effects of his abuse by Newman. She says Trey was “silenced to his grave” by Newman’s abuse compounded by further civil litigations, which included a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

This article was originally published by Baptist News Global. It is reprinted with permission.

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Giving is down among evangelical Christians, according to a new study by Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research.

The study—called The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity— found that 61% of evangelicals say they gave to their church in the last 12 months. That is down 13 percentage points from 2021 when 74% reported giving to their local congregation.

On today’s podcast, we unpack the results of that survey with one of its authors, Mark Driestadt. He’s the president of Infinity Concepts and someone I’ve come to know and respect over the past few years as one of the “wise men” in ministry fundraising, marketing and communications. Here’s our conversation, which we had via zoom last week.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the former president of Bible Society of India has been arrested for financial corruption related to his position at another ministry…raising questions about how he handled finances at the Bible Society. We’ll take a look.

And, an Illinois pastor has made it his mission to provide his community access to healthy food…by setting up a low-cost grocery store in a food desert.

Also, Alistair Begg announces his 20-25 retirement.

But first, Morningstar Fellowship Church in South Carolina is facing two more lawsuits that are alleging sexual abuse. Two more lawsuits have been filed against MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, S.C., and its leaders for not reporting sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bethany Starin, Tony Mator, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

And, an Illinois pastor has made it his mission to provide his community access to healthy food…by setting up a low-cost grocery store in a food desert.

Also, Alistair Begg announces his 20-25 retirement.

Natasha:

But first, Morningstar Fellowship Church in South Carolina is facing two more lawsuits that are alleging sexual abuse.

Warren:

Two more lawsuits have been filed against MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, S.C., and its leaders for not reporting sexual abuse allegations to law enforcement.

A previous lawsuit was filed on August 7 against MorningStar and its leaders alleging that Erickson Lee used his access to children through the church’s “Young Special Forces” program to groom and eventually abuse children in the church.

Lee was arrested in May on charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and on September 5 entered into an offered plea deal to serve nine years in prison, according to Randy Hood, attorney for the plaintiffs.

Natasha:

What are these new lawsuits?

Warren:

Two more alleged victims have come forward to seek accountability for their abuse from Morningstar Fellowship Church and its leaders.

All of the lawsuits have been filed anonymously by John Doe #1, John Doe #2, and John Doe #3 who are now over age 18, but were 13 years old when the alleged abuse began.

Leaders named in the lawsuit include Rick Joyner, David Yarns, and Erickson Lee’s father, Douglas Lee, who was the former head of security for the church.

“This is about accountability and responsibility,” Hood said. “Churches have to create policies and procedures to protect children. They need to monitor and supervise people who are over children.”

Natasha:

Because of previous allegations of sexual assault at MorningStar in the early 2000s, the lawsuits claim that Joyner, Yarns, and Lee knew of the risks and had a duty and opportunity to protect vulnerable children from being exploited and abused while participating in the youth programs at MorningStar.

Warren:

Instead, the lawsuit asserts, the leadership ignored “signs of provision of alcohol and pornography to minors and signs of sexual exploitation or abuse of minors by church staff, members, or volunteers.”

The claims against MorningStar and its leadership are for negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, civil conspiracy, and the intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress.

Natasha:

Next, an official associated with the Bible Society of India was arrested for financial corruption.

Warren:

Last September, Anglican Bishop P.C. Singh, who served as the president of the Bible Society of India from 2019-2022, was arrested for criminal breach of trust, cheating, forging documents, and criminal conspiracy while transferring the government land given on lease to the Church of North India.

Singh is accused of selling land that didn’t belong to him for 30 million Rupees ($360,000) then keeping the money. He was later arrested again for money laundering charges. Singh was removed from leadership in the Church of North India in 2022.

Natasha:

How is that linked to the Bible Society?

Warren:

Rev. Chittranjan Polson, who served as auxiliary secretary for the Allahabad Auxiliary of the BSI, is uneasy about Singh’s former leadership role at BSI and whether he and his associate B.K. Patnaik might have been part of covering up financial irregularities Polson discovered while examining the auxiliary’s finances. According to social media posted by BSI, Singh was first elected as its president in 2019.

Polson brought these irregularities and concerns to the attention of the United Bible Societies (UBS) in July 2023. He reached out again in June of this year.

He says his service at the BSI auxiliary was terminated after he raised his concerns about the alleged corruption.

Natasha:

Did the United Bible Societies respond?

Warren:

After several requests over the course of a few weeks, UBS told MinistryWatch that “there has been no indication or evidence of financial misconduct involving BSI funds that would have triggered any internal reviews, either by the BSI or UBS…The BSI operates under a constitutionally established leadership structure, where the General Secretary, as Chief Executive Officer, is solely responsible for overseeing financial and administrative matters.”

UBS clarified that Singh’s position as president was honorary only with no financial authority at BSI but was removed from that position “after the controversy surrounding him became public,” which was in 2022.

Natasha:

Next up, a pastor has been sentenced for Fraud.

Warren:

A federal jury has sentenced Miracle Mansion CEO Michael Mandel Baldwin to two years of prison for using the mansion project to front an investment scheme.

On August 20, the jury sentenced Baldwin, 55, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on charges of wire and securities fraud.

Natasha:

Can you give us some background?

Warren:

In October 2021, authorities arrested Baldwin for allegedly swindling members of a Charlotte, N.C., church out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. According to the indictment, he used that money to fund his personal lifestyle.

Court records say that Baldwin deceitfully obtained over $740,000 from investors by promising to use their funds for the development of the Miracle Mansion, including purchasing land.

According to court records, Baldwin misled prospective investors and victims by claiming that high-ranking administrators at Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby, as well as The Kennedy Center, had approved and backed Miracle Mansion. High-ranking officials from Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A, on the other hand, testified during the trial that they were unaware of Baldwin and his idea and did not endorse it, refuting Baldwin’s allegations.

While operating as the Miracle Mansion’s CEO, Baldwin was working as the assistant pastor and musical director for Crossroads Baptist Church in Northern Virginia, where his brother is senior pastor and his father is the church’s founder and pastor emeritus.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Heavenly Square Grocery fills a gap in an Illinois food desert.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break…

Warren:

When you walk into Heavenly Square Grocery in Danville, Illinois, you’ll notice three things: it’s clean, everyone is friendly, and the food is priced fairly.

Heavenly Grocery opened its doors this past spring, on May 1, in a part of Vermilion County that’s considered a food desert.

Pastor Thomas Miller, pastor of New Life Church of Faith, which owns the shopping center where Heavenly Square Grocery is located said “There are 11,000 people in a 2-mile radius of our location, and they have no access to healthy food,” “The purpose for this location was that we saw a big need to support the community.”

Natasha:

Timothy Meneely, medical director of Carle Medical Office Center at The Riverfront in Danville. Noted that Illinois has 102 counties and Vermilion County ranks at 100 in the state for health outcomes. This grocery store is trying to make it easier to access healthy food for those who need it most.

Warren:

In addition to the grocery store, there is now a community garden, a mobile market that drives through main sections of the county, and a kids program that educates about health and diet.

They even worked with distributors to get Heavenly Square Grocery re-zoned, so pricing was lowered appropriately for the area’s needs.

Once Heavenly Square Grocery is turning a profit, Miller said he plans to use those funds to open a restaurant or a laundry mat, something that provides support to the community.

Natasha:

Our next story involves a defamation case

Warren:

The Supreme Court of Texas heard oral arguments this week related to the case of plaintiff Jane Roe suing Southwestern Baptist Seminary and its former President Paige Patterson for defamation related to a sexual assault she reportedly suffered in 2015.

Roe claims Paige Patterson provided false and defamatory information about her in an attempt to “defend [his] reputation” that were then produced in three separate publications.

The case was filed in federal district court, but on appeal the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit certified two questions about Texas state law for the state’s highest civil appellate court to answer.

Natasha:

What are the questions?

Warren:

Can a person who supplies defamatory material for publication be liable for defamation?

If so, can a defamation plaintiff survive summary judgment by presenting evidence that a defendant was involved in preparing a defamatory publication, without identifying any specific statements made by the defendant?

Natasha:

What’s the background to this case?

Warren:

Roe was a student at Southwestern in 2015 when she claims to have reported an attack and rape on campus to then-President Paige Patterson. Issues about how Patterson’s comments about women and his handling of sexual assault charges eventually led to his termination as the seminary president.

There’s a lot more on this story and how the oral arguments and counterpoints to the two questions in our full story so I’d encourage you, if you’re interested to check it out on MinistryWatch.com

The Texas Supreme Court will send its opinion of these two questions to the Fifth Circuit for use in its review of the underlying federal case. The Texas Supreme Court will not decide the case on its merits.

Natasha:

Next, a southern California pastor has been arrested for child sex abuse.

Warren:

For three years, police in Ontario, California, had their sites on a local pastor suspected of child sexual assault, but lacked enough evidence to act.

Then in July, another alleged victim came forward.

On Sept. 5, police made their move, and as ChurchLeaders.com reports, 47-year-old Jose Alcides Vasquez was arrested at his home about 50 miles away in Menifee.

The eight charges against Vasquez include lewd and lascivious behavior with a child under 14, aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14, oral copulation with a child under 16, and two counts each of oral copulation with a child under 10 and sodomy of a child under 10.

The abuses allegedly occurred at Vasquez’ former residence in Ontario, and police believe he may have other victims.

Vasquez surrendered without incident and is being held on $500,000 bail at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

Natasha:

Our next story has a similar theme.

Warren:

A Colorado Springs pastor MinistryWatch reported on a year ago has been sentenced and is serving time in prison.

Last September, investigators discovered that Jonathan Shaheen, 31, was exchanging explicit images of and with two underage girls—one 9 years old and the other 5 years old—through the girl’s mother, who was once his lover.

According to the arrest affidavit, Shaheen expressed interest in having sexual intercourse with the two children, as well as their mother, who texted the photos to Shaheen.

In 2022, police traced the texts to Shaheen while investigating the mother and her partner in New Mexico for exploiting children.

Natasha:

So what happened with that case:

Warren:

Judge Jill Brady sentenced Shaheen to two years in the Department of Corrections with a mandatory three-year parole upon release. He is not currently listed as a sex offender.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Truth for Life radio Bible teacher Alistair Begg announced his retirement as senior pastor of Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio.

Begg, 72, broke the news to his congregation Sunday, Sept. 8, giving a projected end date of Sept. 14, 2025.

The Scottish-born evangelical, well known for his radio broadcasts syndicated on over 1,800 networks across North America, explained the early announcement is intended “to make it clear [it] is not precipitous.” He also said the advance notice will help his “ambition to pass the baton safely into the hands of my successor” and will give the church “time to adjust to the prospect of and to prepare in a timely way for what this transition will mean.”

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

Like other Americans, pastors are deciding who they’ll vote for in the November election.

Compared to previous elections, however, they’re much more hesitant to share their preference.

Almost all U.S. Protestant pastors (97%) plan to vote in the 2024 presidential election, according to a Lifeway Research study conducted Aug. 8-Sept. 3, 2024. But almost a quarter (23%) refused to answer the question of whom they’ll cast their ballot for.

Natasha:

But that means three-quarters of them did answer. What did they say?

Warren:

Among those who plan to vote and shared their preference, 50% say former President Donald Trump is their choice, while a quarter (24%) back Vice President Kamala Harris and 23% are undecided. No third-party candidate garnered more than 1% support.

Self-identified evangelical pastors are more likely to vote for Trump (61%), while half of mainline Protestant pastors (50%) say they support Harris.

Half of U.S. Protestant pastors (50%) say they are either a registered member or consider themselves to be a part of the Republican party. One in 5 (18%) are Democrats, and 25% say they’re independent.

Natasha:

Next up is MinistryWatch’s August Index.

Warren:

The MinistryWatch Index inched up slightly in August but has remained mostly flat this summer.

That said, the less than 1 percent increase, to 156, represents a new record for the index, which tracks revenue for 38 of the largest Christian ministries in the nation. On August 1, the revenue of these ministries was $9.9 billion.

Though there was no growth during July, this number represents 10.6 percent year-to-date.

Though the organizations in the MinistryWatch Index have continued to grow this year, that growth significantly lags last year’s rise. In 2023 the Index grew 24.1 percent. The relatively slow growth of the MinistryWatch Index for 2024 could suggest concern about the future of the economy.

A recent survey conducted by MinistryWatch of ministry executives found that fundraising has now replaced finding and recruiting staff as their top leadership concern. This concern seems well-founded. A recent survey found that giving by evangelicals is down.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

Orange, a children’s ministry that develops curriculum for churches, saw its Ministry Watch Donor Confidence Score (DCS) drop to a 55 this week. That takes it out of the “Give With Confidence” category and lowers it to the “Give With Caution.”

The DCS is based on 20 questions about how a ministry operates. Questions are weighted, and answers help determine a ministry’s overall score. Orange lost DCS points, in part, because it is not a member of the ECFA and does not have “at least four independent board members for every non-independent member.”

Natasha:

Those are not the only reasons to exercise caution, are they?

Warren:

In addition, the ministry has been in the news this year due to sexual abuse allegations against its founder Reggie Joiner. Back in April, both Joiner and CEO Kristen Ivy resigned unexpectedly from the organization—with Ivy disclosing a past inappropriate relationship with Joiner. A month after the resignation, Ivy accused Joiner of “clergy sexual abuse.”

In 2023, the ministry had a revenue of $27.2 million and its total expenses were $28.5 million. According to its 990s, Orange has spent more than it has made three of the last five years.

In 2023, Reggie Joiner collected a salary of $462,292, and Kristen Ivy received a salary of $357,709. Its board chair, Joel Manby, was paid $93,465.

Natasha:

And who did we highlight in Ministries Making a Difference?

Warren:

Highland Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, has opened its Wellness Center to the community on Mondays as an urgent care. Volunteer medical professionals offer services free of charge to treat non-life-threatening conditions, regardless of whether or not patients have health insurance. The church’s Wellness Center also offers courses in finance, ESL, citizenship, and birthing classes.

The Sunset International Bible Institute’s Adventures in Missions (AIM) program has partnered with Ultimate Escape to provide counseling on sexual trauma for young adults training to become missionaries. Steve and Holly Holladay—both of whom were victims of sexual abuse themselves—started Ultimate Escape in 2004 to address addictive sexual behaviors in teens, but have since expanded the ministry to help people of all ages with an added focus on sexual trauma.

Two foundations and a corporation are investing in Water Mission to help launch a professional water utility in Uganda. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, the Stone Family Foundation, and Georg Fischer Corporation are collaborating to provide safe water access to rural communities in the country’s Luuka District, where just 9% of people have access to safely managed drinking water services. Water Mission has 4 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 100.

Ministries of Jesus raised $67,640 through its benefit golf scramble last month. MOJ provides holistic care to people in Oklahoma through medical care, dental clinics, licensed counseling, social services, and more. Ministries of Jesus has 5 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 98.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

8 Tales of Transformation

Webinar: Introduction to Intelligent Giving with Al Mueller of Excellence in Giving.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bethany Starin, Tony Mator, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

The Supreme Court of Texas heard oral arguments this week related to the potentially precedent-setting case of plaintiff Jane Roe suing Southwestern Baptist Seminary and its former President Paige Patterson for defamation related to a sexual assault she reportedly suffered in 2015.

Roe claims Paige Patterson provided false and defamatory information about her in an attempt to “defend [his] reputation” that were then produced in three separate publications.

The questions facing the Texas Supreme Court are:

Can a person who supplies defamatory material for publication be liable for defamation?
If so, can a defamation plaintiff survive summary judgment by presenting evidence that a defendant was involved in preparing a defamatory publication, without identifying any specific statements made by the defendant?

The claims of defamation arose out of a series of three publications — the “Untold Truth” article, a “Release of Facts” by Patterson’s attorney Shelby Sharpe, and a donor letter supporting Patterson’s reinstatement — that were designed to “control the narrative and defend Patterson’s reputation.” Allegedly, Patterson provided defamatory information about Roe that was included in the publications.

Roe says that statements claiming she lied about her rape, engaged in sexual activities in seminary buildings, and provided nude photos to the man who raped her are all false and defamatory.

The federal district court granted summary judgment to the defendants on the defamation claims. The Fifth Circuit accepted the case for review on appeal and posed the questions about state law to the Texas Supreme Court.

During the oral arguments, the plaintiff’s attorney argued for an affirmative answer to the first question concerning the liability of one supplying defamatory material for publication. Attorney Sheila Haddock said the question answers itself — that supplying or communicating defamatory material is equivalent to publishing it.

She went on to explain, in answer to a justice’s question, that a person is also liable for defamation if they could reasonably expect that his or her statements would be repeated or published.

Some of the justices pushed back on that argument, seeking to determine the limits of what would be reasonably foreseeable.

Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.

The plaintiff also argued that they need not provide a “specific statement” made by the defendant, such as a word-for-word quotation or tape recording, but could provide evidence identifying the “substance and meaning” of the defamatory statement by the defendant.

In response to the reasonable foreseeability issue raised by the plaintiff, the defendant’s attorney Travis Jones argued that a person should only be liable for defamation if he is involved with or exercises some control over the publication of the defamatory material. He argued that even financially contributing to the publication of defamatory material might not be enough to make a person liable.

Jones also argued that the court should balance free speech concerns with the reputational impact of defamation upon the plaintiff. He encouraged the court to adopt a standard that the person being held liable must intend, authorize, or know the republication of the defamatory material would occur.

He also claimed the plaintiff did not present evidence that Patterson or agents under his control made defamatory statements that were then published.

In response to Jones’ claim that Roe did not present evidence that Patterson’s agents had participated in providing defamatory material, Haddock noted that Patterson’s chief of staff Scott Colter and his attorney were involved in writing two of the three defamatory publications.

She also pointed to a string of emails within two weeks of the donor letter’s publication that showed Colter’s engagement in developing the content of the letter.

View Details

Here are some of the resources mentioned in today’s EXTRA episode:

A recent defense of public schools appeared in Christianity Today, written by Stefani McDade, the magazine’s theology editor. She cited popular writer and speaker Jen Wilkin, who has made faith-led arguments in favor of public education.
Here at MinistryWatch, we take an active interest in Christian education. We include Christian schools and colleges in our database. We think they are vital institutions, with the power to advance God’s kingdom and the mission of the church.

View Details

On today’s program, Bethany Christian Services is suing Michigan for religious discrimination after the state denied its contracts to resettle refugee families. We’ll have details.

And, as we recognize another solemn anniversary of 9/11, we look at one ministry helping military heroes win the war back at home.

Plus, a new survey shows that giving to churches and charities is down—by a lot.

But first, China has closed its foreign adoption program, leaving families devastated. The decision announced on September 5 by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning brings the 30-year program to an end, with exceptions for international residents adopting blood relatives or stepchildren. The program officially ended August 28.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Bobby Ross Jr., Paul Clolery, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, Bethany Christian Services is suing Michigan for religious discrimination after the state denied its contracts to resettle refugee families. We’ll have details.

And, as we recognize another solemn anniversary of 9/11, we look at one ministry helping military heroes win the war back at home.

Plus, a new survey shows that giving to churches and charities is down—by a lot. We’ll take a look.

Natasha:

But first, China has closed its foreign adoption program, leaving families devastated.

Warren:

The decision announced on September 5 by Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning brings the 30-year program to an end, with exceptions for international residents adopting blood relatives or stepchildren. The program officially ended August 28.

Natasha:

What’s going to happen for families who were in the process of adopting?

Warren:

The State Department is “seeking written clarification from the [People’s Republic of China] authorities regarding the impact on intercountry adoption cases already in process and will maintain close communication with Adoption Service Providers and prospective adoptive parents.”

Lifeline Children’s Services, the largest evangelical adoption ministry in the U.S., had about 48 families who had been matched with Chinese children and were in shock and disbelief at the news.

Several of the families had met the children and spent time with them in their homes through a hosting program put on by Lifeline.

Joshua Zhong and Lily Nie, two Chinese immigrants who founded Cherish Children Adoption International (CCAI), the largest adoption agency for Chinese children said China’s program for international adoption was considered a model for the world with more transparency and less corruption than others. It had been praised by the United States government.

Natasha:

What’s going to happen to the orphans in China?

Warren:

Zhong doesn’t know whether they will receive the appropriate counseling, especially those who were expecting to be adopted.

The Chinese program is better equipped with resources than it was 30 years ago. CCAI will continue its charitable efforts, including childcare, foster care, medical services, educational funds, and disaster relief to help the thousands of abandoned children in China.

Natasha:

Next, Bethany Christian Services sues the state of Michigan.

Warren:

Bethany Christian Services has filed a federal lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and the Office of Global Michigan (OGM) for discriminating against it because of its religious hiring practices.

According to Bethany, the state denied its contracts to resettle refugee families and place unaccompanied minors in foster homes for the first time since it began contracting with the state in 1981.

In a press statement the group said, “By denying funding for Bethany’s refugee-resettlement services, Michigan officials are blocking critical social services to vulnerable children and families, and jeopardizing jobs at Bethany.

Natasha:

In 2023, Bethany reported helping over 600 refugees and immigrants and placed around 300 unaccompanied minor refugees in foster families in the state.

Warren:

But this year, the State of Michigan began denying contracts to Bethany. According to Bethany’s General Counsel Nhung Hurst, the state implemented a new requirement requiring organizations to hire people from all religions.

Hurst said contracts with Michigan dating back decades have never included this requirement and that no other organizations were affected by the new provision.

Natasha:

Why is Bethany affected?

Warren:

Bethany requires its employees to agree to its statement of faith, which is a restatement of the Apostles’ Creed, a summary of beliefs used by Christians around the world.

Hurst said, “Federal law is clear, and the courts have repeatedly affirmed that faith-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations, like ours, can hire staff and select leaders who share the organization’s faith mission. Federal law affirms that Muslim nonprofits can hire Muslims; Jewish nonprofits can hire people of Jewish faith; and Christian nonprofits can hire Christians,”

Natasha:

And Bethany tried to find a resolution before filing this lawsuit.

Warren:

Bethany said it made 19 attempts to discuss the situation with the OGM and also prayed for a resolution. After they were unsuccessful, Bethany asked the federal court to intervene and enjoin the OGM from ending the existing contracts until a final resolution of its religious discrimination claims can be reached.

Natasha:

Speaking of lawsuits, our next story involves one filed by an 18-year-old.

Warren:

Another lawsuit against the leaders of Circle of Hope Girls Ranch and Boarding School alleging multiple instances of abuse was filed this week in federal court in Missouri, this time by the youngest person yet to take action.

The lawsuit is brought under the pseudonym Jane Doe DA, who is currently 18, against Stephanie and Boyd Householder and Circle of Hope. It also names Jeff Ables, the pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Springfield as a defendant.

Natasha:

Can you remind us what’s happened so far with Circle of Hope?

Warren:

The boarding school for troubled girls closed in September 2020 after former students and even the daughter of the school’s founders reported an atmosphere of abuse. Stephanie Householder’s felony trial for child abuse and neglect is currently scheduled for October 28. Boyd Householder died in June from cardiac arrest.

Natasha:

This new lawsuit contains some strong allegations.

Warren:

Jane Doe DA claims in the lawsuit that she was subjected to physical, mental, and sexual abuse in 2019 and 2020, starting when she was only 13 years old. She is seeking $75 million in damages.

The lawsuit contains allegations of sex trafficking, involuntarily servitude, and fraud. It claims Circle of Hope established a hierarchical system that allowed students to punish one another.

the court documents state that “She lived in fear for the entire time she was at Circle of Hope and suffers anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other psychological issues to this day.”

Natasha:

Ables, a former board director for Circle of Hope, is named in the lawsuit for failing to report the abuse even after the Householder’s daughter, Amanda, directly reported it to him in 2008.

Warren:

Instead of reporting the alleged abuse to authorities, Ables is accused of telling the Householders about Amanda’s allegations for which she was punished.

Amanda Householder sued her parents in 2022, alleging they made her perform forced labor, beat her for their own sexual gratification, force-fed her until she vomited, and made her impose punishments on other students at the boarding school.

According to the lawsuit, Ables allegedly “hid children” at the church to prevent the Department of Family Services and Children’s Division from investigating complaints against Circle of Hope.

Ables has been the pastor at Berean Baptist Church since October 2000.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a ministry helping military heroes with PTSD who are still fighting a war at home.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, every day an estimated 22 U-S veterans die by suicide—SOF Missions is working to change that.

Warren:

Wednesday marked the 23rd anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that propelled the United States into two decades of war.

A 20-year military veteran — first with the Marine Corps and later with the Air Force — Damon Friedman knows firsthand about the war’s long-lasting effects.

As he tells it, “The cost of the war on terror was paid by my wife and kids.”

After contemplating suicide, Friedman finally got the help he needed — body, mind and soul.

While still in the Air Force, he — along with his wife Dayna — started a faith-based nonprofit called SOF Missions. The SOF stands for “Shield of Faith.”

Natasha:

What does SOF Missions do?

Warren:

For a few years, SOF Missions focused on international mission work, such as medical clinics, food distributions and orphanages.

But in 2016, the Friedmans, who live in the Tampa area, changed the emphasis. Now SOF Missions exclusively helps veterans who — like Damon — struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and other challenges from military service.

Natasha:

So far, SOF Missions has raised about $10 million and helped more than 300 veterans through its intensive “Be Resilient” clinics and retreats.

Warren:

At those retreats, About 30 health care practitioners work with the veterans during their time in Florida — typically five-day visits — and then follow up after their return home.

Damon said of the approach. “We do head to toe, bumper to bumper — psychological, social, physical, cognitive, spiritual care,”

Natasha:

How does this tie in with 9/11?

Warren:

Retired Army Capt. John Arroyo, a 20-year military veteran, deployed twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. Said,“On 9/11, so many people joined the service because they wanted to fight for their nation,” “And so now, what SOF Missions is doing is helping them fight in their home — helping them get their mental health back, helping them get their physical health back — because they were willing to sacrifice.”

Natasha:

September is deaf awareness month, and MinistryWatch is highlighting the work of several ministries that are committed to bringing the Gospel to the deaf community.

Warren:

It is widely believed that out of the world’s population of between 150 and 250 million deaf persons, only 2% are professing Christians, making them one of the largest unreached people groups in the world.

According to Mark Lowenstein, Pioneer Bible Translators director of deaf programs, the challenges in reaching the deaf community are several: they are scattered, they are often looked down upon as cursed, parents often abandon them, and not many people make the effort to communicate with them in sign language. Additionally, there are at least 350 unique sign languages in the world.

So we wanted to feature a few ministries we think are worthy of support.

Natasha:

Who’s on the list?

Warren:

Deaf Bible Society’s mission is “to provide the Bible by video in the world’s many sign languages.” It says there is only one sign language with a full bible translation, but 15% have access to some portion of the Bible. Deaf Bible Society is involved in 78 translation projects and has created an online platform and app with sign language videos of Scripture. In the MinistryWatch database, Deaf Bible Society an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100.

We have others on the list, including some we think you should NOT give to because they are not transparent with their financial information. You can see our list at MinistryWatch.com

Natasha:

Next, scandal closes down a Canadian church.

Warren:

Leaders of The Meeting House, a Toronto area megachurch with multiple locations and once one of the largest congregations in Canada, has shut down its public ministry, becoming a consortium of smaller congregations.

“It is with sadness that we are required to bring the public-facing ministry of The Meeting House to an end as of August 29,” according to a statement posted on the church’s website.

Natasha:

What’s going to happen with their campuses?

Warren:

The church’s remote sites will be rebranded as the “BIC Church Collective,” a group of nine congregations that share preaching as well as back-office support. Details of the new collective, which is part of the Be In Christ denomination, were scant.

Natasha:

What was the catalyst for this change?

Warren:

The launch of the new collective comes as The Meeting House congregants continue to reckon with the fallout from abuse allegations against its former longtime pastor, Bruxy Cavey. In late 2021, Cavey was accused of sexual misconduct and resigned a few months later. A church investigation later alleged that his conduct had been abusive. The Meeting House also disclosed that an investigation found 38 cases of reported misconduct involving four pastors at the church.

In his 25 years of leadership, Cavey had grown The Meeting House, which was founded as Upper Oaks Community Church, into a congregation of more than 5,000 meetings in 19 satellite campuses and more than 200 home groups, according to The Walrus.

Cavey has admitted what he called moral failings but has denied committing any crime. “I don’t believe I failed legally,” he said in July after one of the charges against him was stayed.

The Meeting House still faces legal troubles despite the end of its public ministries. The church is facing several lawsuits filed in the wake of the abuse allegations.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Giving is down among evangelical Christians, according to a new study by Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research.

The study—called The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity— found that 61% of evangelicals say they gave to their church in the last 12 months. That is down 13% from 2021 when 74% reported giving to their local congregation.

Additionally, fewer evangelical Christians are giving to Christian ministries or charities outside their church. In 2024, only 50% reported giving to a ministry, down from 58% in 2021.

According to the research, non-white donors are giving more to church and charities. Their generosity as a percentage of their income rose by 8%.

“Evangelicals of color have remained more steadfast in their church giving than have [w]hite evangelicals,” the report says.

Among the most generous givers, according to the study, are those who regularly read and study the Bible, pray, attend worship, and attend church small groups. They are about twice as likely to give to charity and three times as likely to give to church when compared with those who infrequently or never engage in spiritual activities.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

Eight Days of Hope (EDOH), a national disaster relief organization, saw a significant shift in its overall Ministry Watch efficiency rating this month, moving from 5 stars to 1 star.

The efficiency rating is based on three categories: fund acquisition, resource allocation and asset utilization.

The organization’s fund acquisition rating is 1 star, partly due to an increase in its fundraising costs. From 2022 to 2023, the organization’s fundraising cost ratio grew from 1% to 11%. The Relief and Development sector median is 6%.

EDOH also saw a sharp increase in the “General and Admin ratio” category, jumping from 1% to 16%, affecting its overall resource allocation rating.

In addition, from 2020 to 2023, the organization’s assets grew from $7.5 million to $11.8 million.

Natasha:

And who did we highlight in Ministries Making a Difference?

Warren:

Members of Rochester Church of Christ in Rochester, New York, have been handing out free coffee and prayer at their local weekend farmer’s market throughout the summer. With a covered table set under a tent, members prepare coffee for passersby and offer personal prayer. Volunteers do not accept donations, but share information on Sunday services if asked. They’ve prayed with people concerning general concerns, such as the election, as well as personal challenges, including a veteran struggling with PTSD.

International Mission Board and Wycliffe Bible Translators have collaborated with almost 100 organizations and churches to translate Bible stories into more than 75 new deaf languages around the world. Wycliffe Bible Translators has 4 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 88.

Africa New Life Ministries International was launched in 2001 in response to the devastation caused by the Rwandan genocide in 1994. Since then, Rwandan staff have worked to rebuild their community through holistic care, including education, vocational training, survivor counseling, and medical care. In 2023, 788 students graduated high school, 1,077 pastors and students were trained at the Africa College of Theology, 5.4 million meals were provided through schools and programs, and 72,901 patients received care at the Dream Medical Center Hospital. Africa New Life Ministries has 3 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 98.

Christian Community Action in Lewisville, Texas, was recently certified by the Best Christian Workplaces as “sharing a common commitment to workplace health and employee engagement.” CCA works to care for the poor in its community through three main areas—rescue, relief, and restoration. CCA has 2 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 85.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

8 Tales of Transformation

Webinar: Introduction to Intelligent Giving with Al Mueller of Excellence in Giving.

CORRECTION: I made a mistake on last week’s podcast that I’d like to correct. I said that Trinity International University is in Columbia, South Carolina. That was a mistake. Trinity International University is in Deerfield, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Apologies to Trinity International University, and to Columbia International University, which is in Columbia, South Carolina. And thanks to Ben Bradbury and other listeners who emailed me to graciously point out my mistake.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Bobby Ross Jr., Paul Clolery, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

(RNS) — A group of evangelical broadcasters is suing the Internal Revenue Service over the Johnson Amendment, a tax law that bars nonprofits from supporting political candidates.

National Religious Broadcasters convention attendees await Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. (RNS photo/Bob Smietana)

Lawyers for the National Religious Broadcasters, along with two Baptist churches and a conservative group called Intercessors for America, argue in their suit that the ban on engaging in politics restricts their freedom of speech and freedom of religion. They further argue that the IRS ignores the politicking of some charities, while threatening to punish others.

In particular, lawyers for the groups claim that newspapers and other news outlets that have become nonprofits in recent years, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, endorse candidates. Why can’t churches or other Christian groups, they want to know, do the same?

“Plaintiffs believe that nonprofit newspapers have a clear constitutional right to make such endorsements or statements,” read the complaint filed Wednesday (Aug. 28) in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Texas, Tyler Division. “Plaintiffs simply contend that they should also have the same freedom of speech.”

The lawsuit is the latest challenge to the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 law that has long been the bane of conservative groups and, in particular, preachers seeking to become more involved in politics. The ban on taking sides in campaigns — including endorsements or campaign contributions — applies to nonprofits that fall under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

For years Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group, organized “pulpit freedom” Sundays designed to have preachers violate IRS rules by endorsing candidates from the pulpit. As president, Donald Trump signed an executive order designed to give more leeway under IRS rules.

The current lawsuit pitches its argument toward similar religious freedom principles. “For too long, churches have been instructed to remain silent on pressing matters of conscience and conviction during election season or risk their 501(c)(3) status,” said NRB President Troy A. Miller in a statement announcing the lawsuit.

But the growing number of nonprofit newsrooms has added a new twist to the arguments over the Johnson Amendment that has to do with fairness. Those newsrooms, the complaint argues, should be required to abide by the same rules as other charities.

Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.

“Hundreds of newspapers are organized under § 501(c)(3), and yet many openly endorse political candidates,” lawyers for NRB and its co-plaintiff argued in their complaint. “Others make statements about political candidates that constitute forbidden statements under the IRS’ interpretation of the statutory prohibition against supporting or opposing candidates.”

The Institute for Nonprofit News, with about 450 member organizations, including RNS, does not accept members that endorse candidates.

“Nonprofit news organizations do not endorse candidates and, under IRS guidelines, should not favor any candidate for public office in coverage or other action,” the INN’s guidelines for members state.

Karen Rundlet, the CEO and executive director of the INN, told RNS in an email that grants made to nonprofits often bar those funds from being used for political activity.

The complaint points specifically to the Inquirer’s candidate endorsements, as well as articles critical of candidates in other nonprofit publications from 2012 to the present, claiming all violated IRS rules with impunity.

While nonprofit newspapers such as the Salt Lake Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times no longer make political endorsements, the Inquirer does, in part because it has a different ownership structure.

“The Philadelphia Inquirer is owned by the nonprofit Lenfest Institute for Journalism, but the newspaper remains a for-profit public-benefit corporation,” Jim Friedlich, CEO of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, told RNS in an email. “As a for-profit entity, The Philadelphia Inquirer is permitted to publish political endorsements, as it has for decades. It does so following thoughtful research on candidate policy positions, qualifications, integrity, and track record.”

In their complaint, lawyers for the NRB and its fellow plaintiffs said that, despite the Inquirer’s structure, dollars from a nonprofit are funding political endorsements.

A spokesman for the IRS declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. The NRB did not respond to a series of questions from RNS about the lawsuit.

Darryll K. Jones, a professor of law at Florida A&M University who blogs about nonprofit law, agrees that the IRS is allowing the Lenfest Institute to “have its cake and eat it too,” he said by email.

“Other exempt charities can farm out their political speech to subsidiary organizations without diminishing their tax-exempt efforts,” he said. “Churches cannot do so because farming out political activity necessarily diminishes or even precludes the accomplishment of the church’s tax-exempt and (oh, by the way) constitutionally protected effort.”

If the IRS refused to bite on ADF’s pulpit actions, said Jones, it is because the IRS likely knows the Johnson Amendment would not hold up on constitutional grounds. On their part, many nonprofits appreciate the rule, Jones said, because the restriction keeps them out of politics.

“They can say, look, we’re not going to be involved in that. We’re not going to be involved in politics. We are out here to do our charitable deeds, and we don’t want to be on one side or the other,” Jones said.

Jones believes courts are likely to dismiss most of the NRB’s claims, especially its due process and equal protection assertions, which he said obscure the main point of their lawsuit.

But, he said, “Once you get through all the unnecessary weeds, the complaint makes a legally irresistible argument, the logic of which can’t possibly be avoided.”

He added that politicking by nonprofits would likely have negative outcomes. “Everybody’s going to do it, and then there’ll be sort of a race to the bottom,” he said.

A 2019 survey from Pew Research found that Americans would prefer to keep religion and politics separate. Nearly two-thirds (63%) want houses of worship to stay out of politics, while three-quarters (76%) say churches and other congregations should not endorse candidates.

The NRB hosted Donald Trump at its annual convention in Nashville this past February, where the former president promised to return Christians to power if elected for a second term. Before Trump spoke, Miller told those in the audience that the group was hosting a presidential forum and that the speakers did not represent the official views of the NRB.

The former president appealed to religious broadcasters to join his side.

“If I get in, you’re going to be using that power at a level that you’ve never used before,” Trump told a gathering of National Religious Broadcasters at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.

View Details

Here are some resources mentioned in this podcast episode:

For a written version of this commentary, click here.
Click here for my reporting on the Lakeland Outpouring for WORLD.
I investigated more than a dozen so-called “miracles” here.
Click here to read more about spiritual abuse.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

On today’s program, Morningstar Ministries is undergoing a leadership shakeup…after its CEO resigned, allegations of sexual misconduct began to arise. We’ll have details.

And, many Christian colleges have fallen on hard times. But a Christian university in Georgia has been trying out new ways to grow enrollment…and it appears to be working. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Trinity International University is on the look out for a new president….just six months after its current president took the reins.

But first, the National Religious Broadcasters is suing the IRS over the Johnson Amendment.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Chris Moon, Tony Mator, and Brittany Smith.

A special thanks to the Christian Standard for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, Morningstar Ministries is undergoing a leadership shakeup…after its CEO resigned, allegations of sexual misconduct began to arise. We’ll have details.

And, many Christian colleges have fallen on hard times. But a Christian university in Georgia has been trying out new ways to grow enrollment…and it appears to be working. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Trinity International University is on the look out for a new president….just six months after its current president took the reins.

Natasha:

But first, the National Religious Broadcasters is suing the I-R-S over the Johnson Amendment..

Warren:

A group of evangelical broadcasters is suing the Internal Revenue Service over the Johnson Amendment, a tax law that bars nonprofits from supporting political candidates.

Natasha:

Do they have examples to support their claim?

Warren:

Lawyers for the groups claim that newspapers and other news outlets that have become nonprofits in recent years, such as the Philadelphia Inquirer, endorse candidates. Why can’t churches or other Christian groups, they want to know, do the same?

Natasha:

Warren:

The current lawsuit pitches its argument toward religious freedom principles.

A spokesman for the IRS declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. The NRB did not respond to a series of questions from RNS about the lawsuit.

Natasha:

Next, the president of MorningStar Ministries, a prominent charismatic ministry just outside of Charlotte, has resigned.

Warren:

Chris Reed, president and CEO of MorningStar Ministries in Fort Mill, S.C., tendered his resignation last week because he “didn’t want to be leading the ministry in a case against four victims who were abused as children by a volunteer.”

A lawsuit filed in South Carolina state court on August 7 alleges that Morningstar Fellowship Church created a youth program involving overnight events and campouts and allowed Erickson Lee, a relative of one of the church youth program leaders, access to minor males who he allegedly sexually exploited and abused.

Natasha:

Reed said that resigning was a tough and painful choice, but that it was “not a fight [he] wanted to fight.”

Warren:

But after his resignation came reports of alleged sexual misconduct by Reed in 2021 when he was preparing to become leader of MorningStar Ministries.

Reed, who is married and has six children, admitted to sending “terrible texts” and kissing another woman, but that “there was no sexual encounter.”

According to the woman, Reed initiated contact with her in November 2021 through private Facebook messages. He gave her his personal cell number, which led to texting and meetups in Reed’s van.

Natasha:

What’s going to happen with MorningStar now?

Warren:

In the wake of Reed’s resignation, Rick Joyner, who founded MorningStar Ministries, is taking over as CEO and president. He said in a statement to the congregation on September 1 that Reed’s resignation came as a shock.

Joyner also confirmed that he and the board of MorningStar were told about Reed’s “transgression” at the time of his elevation to leadership.

He said both the woman and Reed admitted to wrongdoing, but both said there was no physical contact.

The board believed Reed and “put [him] in a restoration process” for about 18 months before he took the leadership role permanently.

Natasha:

This is not the first time that Morningstar Ministries has been embroiled in controversy.

Warren:

Ad lib.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Point University continues to see growing enrollment as other Christian colleges and universities struggle to stay afloat. What is their strategy and how is it working?

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, Point University is growing its enrollment through employer ‘subscription’ program.

Warren:

The college in West Point, Ga., has seen its total enrollment grow to roughly 2,400 students. Half of those students are part of Point’s “Elevate” program, which enables employers to pay a flat, monthly subscription fee to enable their workers to take online classes at Point for free.

Point’s total enrollment two years ago stood at about 1,500. Today, the Elevate program is the largest student program at Point University — followed by its dual-credit and traditional, on-campus programs.

Natasha:

How did they develop this program?

Warren:

Point University started its subscription program in the fall of 2022 with deals in place for 262 Chick-fil-A franchise owners in 38 states.

The plan enticed more than 700 Chick-fil-A employees to enroll during the first six months of the program. Students only had to pay for books and seek any federal grants for which they might qualify.

Point now has subscription agreements in place with multiple construction companies, including one with more than 500 employees. The program also is serving smaller telecom and broadband companies, as well as other employers.

Right now, Point has about 340 business contracts in place. Students have come to Point from 40 states through the program.

Natasha:

Other than chick-fil-a what kind of companies enroll?

Warren:

Participating companies mostly are in blue-collar industries and are privately-owned firms with 25 to 400 employees. Subscription rates can range from $6,000 to $80,000 per year, depending on the size of the company and the demographics of its workforce.

Among other things, Point considers the percentage of a company’s workers who don’t have college degrees.

Natasha:

Next, a Pastor has been Sentenced for paycheck protection program Loan Fraud and Money Laundering

Warren:

The pastor of Kingdom Tabernacle of Restoration Ministries in Washington, D.C., will serve 18 months in prison and two years of supervised release after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

Rudolph Brooks Jr. fraudulently obtained $3.5 million in Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans and then used the funds on personal expenses, including a 2018 Tesla Model 3 and property in Maryland.

Natasha:

How was he discovered?

Warren:

Brooks was arrested in April 2021 after law enforcement determined he diverted a $1.5-million PPP loan he had obtained for a business named Cars Direct for his personal expenses.

He also obtained other loans, including $1.8 million for Kingdom Tabernacle of Restoration Ministries and $200,000 for Madaro, LLC.

To obtain the loans, Brooks inflated employee numbers and average monthly payroll expenses on the loan applications.

Brooks was the sole signatory on each of the accounts where the loan money was deposited.

Natasha:

Our next story also covers fraud.

Warren:

The treasurer of a church’s charitable foundation pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. He was sentenced to more than seven years in prison last week, and ordered to pay restitution of over $1.7 million to various victims.

Thomas Calhoun Bain, a self-described stock trader, admitted that over the course of about six years when he had access to and authority over the charitable foundation’s bank accounts, he represented to the foundation that another entity (Entity B) engaged in gospel initiatives in keeping with the foundation’s mission.

The federal court documents did not name the church, charitable foundation, or Entity B; Bain lived in Dallas, Texas.

Natasha:

Because of Bain’s misrepresentations about Entity B, the foundation authorized 15 large monetary donations to it.

Warren:

Bain then misled Entity B into believing it should transfer the funds to his account for distribution to various charities.

Bain fraudulently obtained $1.4 million from the charitable foundation, none of which was used to support gospel-based initiatives.

Bain also admitted to defrauding investors from 2010 to 2022 through his company BainTrade. He represented himself as a “trader,” although he had no professional licenses, certification, training, or specific educational background in investing.

Instead of real investments, Bain engaged in a Ponzi-type scheme, using new investor funds to make distribution payments to prior investors.

He also used these funds toward his lifestyle expenses to imitate the appearance of a wealthy and successful “trader.”

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Just six months after beginning his tenure as the 17th president of Trinity International University, Kevin Kompelien announced the presidential seat is back on the market—a development he says was planned from the start.

In a public address posted Aug. 30 on TIU’s website, Kompelien explained that his intent to retire in the summer of 2025 carried over from his previous role as head of the Evangelical Free Church of America, TIU’s denominational affiliation.

Kompelien said. “When the TIU Board of Regents asked the EFCA Board of Directors to release me to serve as president of Trinity, it was with the understanding that my availability to serve either the EFCA or TIU in a full-time capacity was limited by my plans to retire in the summer of 2025,” “Since that transition in March, I have been clear about my personal plans and timeline with EFCA leaders, TEDS faculty and staff, and students.”

The next president will be TIU’s fifth since 2009, when Craig Williford was hired after the seat stood vacant for a time following the resignation of Greg Waybright, who served from 1995 to 2007. In June this year, Waybright was honored with the title of president emeritus.

Natasha:

Speaking of Christian colleges, we have our updated list of the 50 Largest Christian Colleges and Universities in the U-S.

Warren:

We do.

This list is compiled from the most recent data available from the Internal Revenue Service, which in all cases means we used 2023 data.

They are ranked by total revenue, and not by effectiveness, financial efficiency, or any other measure. That said, the Financial Efficiency rating and the Transparency Grade of the ministries are listed. We also listed the 2023 rank of each college.

Natasha:

Was there a lot of movement on the list?

Warren:

This list is usually fairly static from year to year. Indeed, the first six colleges remain unchanged from last year’s list. Grand Canyon University kept the top spot, narrowly topping Liberty University. There were no additions to the top 10 colleges, though Hillsdale moved from #8 to #7 and Samford fell from #7 to #10.

Natasha:

But there were a few changes farther down the list.

Warren:

There were.

Here are a few other significant changes:

Grove City College jumped from #47 to #38. This was the biggest jump on this year’s list.
Moody Bible Institute registered the biggest decline, falling from #11 to #40.
Dordt University made the Top 50 list for the first time, entering the list at #49.
Hardin-Simmons saw a revenue decline of $12 million and fell off the list.
Other colleges that made significant upward moves include Palm Beach Atlantic (25 to 20), Dallas Baptist (32 to 24), and Taylor University (39 to 33).
Colleges with significant drops in their rankings include Bethel University – Minnesota (22 to 35) and Ashland College (19 to 32).

You can see the entire list at MinistryWatch.com

Natasha:

That’s not the only new list on the website.

Warren:

We also have our top 10 stories for the month of August. If you missed out and need a quick refresh on what’s been happening in the world of Christian ministries over the past month, you can check out that list on the MinistryWatch website with links and quick summaries of each story.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

This week, the Tim Tebow Foundation’s (TTF) ratings changed in two different MinistryWatch categories. Its Financial Efficiency rating fell from 3 stars to 2 stars, prompting its Donor Confidence Score to drop from 95 to an 80 (still within the “Give With Confidence” tier).

MinistryWatch’s Financial Efficiency rating is based, in part, on Asset Utilization. Asset Utilization measures the way an organization uses its assets to further its programming and operations. An organization with fewer financial liabilities, like net assets or debt, will have a higher score.

As of 2022, the Tim Tebow Foundation has $44.5 million in net assets, giving it a 1-star Asset Utilization rating. This marks a significant increase from 2020, when the organization had $16.7 million in net assets.

Natasha:

Over the last few years, the organization, its revenue and expenses have jumped around significantly.

Warren:

From 2020 to 2021, its revenue spiked from $10.3 million to $40.1 million. It then dropped down to $21.9 million in 2022. Meanwhile, its expenses grew steadily from $8.1 million to $19.4 million between 2020 and 2022.

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., and founded by former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, the organization focuses on four main initiatives: Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation, Orphan Care + Prevention, Medical Needs and Special Needs Ministry.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

8 Tales of Transformation

Webinar: Introduction to Intelligent Giving with Al Mueller of Excellence in Giving.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Chris Moon, Tony Mator, and Brittany Smith.

A special thanks to the Christian Standard for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

For 2000 years Christians have heeded the call of The Great Commission to “go into all the world.” Christian missionaries have become some of the heroes of the faith, the subject of books, songs, and movies.

But we rarely hear about the children of these missionaries. In the past few years, stories of spiritual and sexual abuse of missionary kids have started making news. Sometimes, even when there is no abuse, there is neglect and isolation, as many missionary kids, or MKs, are shuttled off to boarding schools, or follow their parents from one missionary assignment to another, often having to leave friends and support structures behind. Recent research suggests that there are more than 425,000 Christian missionaries in the world today, and many hundreds of thousands of current and former missionary kids. Recent research suggests that MKs experience childhood trauma at a rate nearly twice that of kids raised in the United States. The result is that MKs are often left with questions about God and their own faith if their own commitment doesn’t match their missionary parents.

Joy Smalley was one of those missionary kids. Her parents were missionaries to Mongolia, and she was raised in conditions that at times compromised her safety and caused her to question her own faith. Ultimately, she did not reject her faith, and her story is one that evangelicals need to hear if we hope not only to be obedient to the Great Commission, but also to be obedient to Scripture’s commands to “suffer the children” in our midst, to protect them and raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Her book is Abraham’s Daughter: Healing Trauma from a Childhood in Missions. She spoke to me from her home in Tustin, California.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Please join me on Friday when Natasha Cowden and I recap the week’s news. Until then, may God bless you.

View Details

On today’s program, three years after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against the late apologist Ravi Zacharias, imploding his organization and his legacy, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries appears to remain in operation…with little to no transparency. We dug around for some answers.

Plus, a Knoxville-area ministry is restoring dignity and hope to its homeless population. We’ll take a look.

And, the latest from a recent survey on the state of church compensation. We’ll have details.

But first, the founder of Barnabas Aid has been forced to resign over allegations of financial mismanagement and a toxic work culture.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Marci Seither, Adelle Banks, Catherine Pepinster, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPTFIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

Plus, a Knoxville-area ministry is restoring dignity and hope to its homeless population. We’ll take a look.

And, the latest from a recent survey on the state of church compensation. We’ll have details.

Natasha:

But first, the founder of Barnabas Aid has been forced to resign over allegations of financial mismanagement and a toxic work culture.

Warren:

Patrick Sookhdeo, his wife Rosemarie, and two members of the United Kingdom board of trustees—Caroline Kerslake and Prasad Phillips—were suspended from leadership until an independent investigation can be completed.

While the U.S. affiliate and fundraising arm of Barnabas Aid, also known as Barnabas Fund, has a different CEO than the U.K. affiliate, the Sookhdeos, Kerslake, and Phillips are all listed as board members of Barnabas Aid in the U.S.A.

Natasha:

What happened??

Warren:

Following whistleblower complaints earlier this year, some members of the board began raising questions about the management of the charity and charity funds.

The statement Barnabas Aid said it appears the Sookhdeos were among those who failed to comply with the internal policies and created a “toxic work environment” that undermined the staff’s feeling that they could voice their concerns.

“In addition, we have also identified significant payments made to the founders (and to others close to them—including some Board Members/Trustees) which cannot be readily explained.

Ample opportunity has been provided to the founders to explain those transactions but sadly they have refused to cooperate,” the Barnabas Aid statement added.

Natasha:

This wasn’t the first time that the founders have been in the news

Warren:

Barnabas Founder Patrick Sookhdeo was found guilty in 2015 for one count of sexual assault and two counts of witness intimidation, charges Sookhdeo vehemently denies.

A few years later, in 2020, a UK employment tribunal found Sookhdeo guilty of condemning and shunning the ministry’s head of research, Dr. Martin Parsons. Barnabas said in a statement that at the time of the allegations, Sookhdeo was not working for Barnabas, but was working in its offices while carrying out his role for the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life.

In the MinistryWatch database, Barnabas Aid (USA) receives a four-star financial efficiency rating, an A transparency grade, and the highest donor confidence score of 100.

Natasha:

Next, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries still exists three years after allegations rocked its operations but it still lacks transparency

Warren:

After Ravi Zacharias’ death in 2020 and the subsequent investigation into sexual abuse allegations against him, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) suspended fundraising and lost many of its speakers and leaders.

Zacharias’ daughter Sarah (Davis) Phillips wrote in an email shared with MinistryWatch that RZIM planned to “transition to a grantmaking entity, much like a charitable foundation, which will support a variety of ministries, causes, and kingdom-building efforts. Specifically, we expect this new entity will make grants in two areas: furthering our original mission to preach the gospel through the questions of culture, and the prevention of and caring for victims of sexual abuse.”

Phillips resigned from her role as CEO of RZIM in October 2021 with plans to start a new organization. Eventually named Lighten Group, the ministry lasted less than a year before it announced its closure.

Natasha:

So is RZIM now a grantmaking ministry? What has happened to the assets entrusted to RZIM?

Warren:

MinistryWatch has looked into the continuing operations of RZIM and discovered it continues to exist, but with little transparency or accountability. RZIM still has a website, but no financial information or grant applications are posted there. It also has an operational phone system with a staff directory.

According to the Georgia Secretary of State’s website, RZIM filed its annual registration with the corporations division in 2023 for 2023 and 2024.

A MinistryWatch search did not turn up any certificate or articles of dissolution of RZIM in Georgia.

A building owned since 2016 by RZIM was sold earlier this year to Free Chapel for $14.5 million.

According to a blog post by son Nathan Zacharias, a $45-million life insurance policy existed on Ravi Zacharias’ life and was payable to RZIM.

Natasha:

Do we know what they’ve done with the money?

Warren:

MinistryWatch reached out to some former speakers and employees of RZIM to ask if they knew anything about grants given by the ministry. But none of them had any information to share

Abdu Murray, a former senior leader at RZIM, told MinistryWatch he has had no contact with the group since leaving in 2021. He did not respond to a specific question about whether he received any funding from RZIM for his new group, Embrace the Truth.

Natasha:

Next, a parsonage is for sale in Texas.

Warren:

A luxury 24-acre estate with six houses and 22 garage parking spaces may not meet most people’s definition of a parsonage.

But the tax code says otherwise—this one Texas home is turning heads after being listed on realtor.com for $15 million.

Located in a Houston suburb, the property is the home of Bishop I.V. Hilliard and his wife, Pastor Bridget Hilliard. It belongs to New Light Church (also known as New Light Christian Center Church), a multi-site, Word of Faith megachurch that the Hilliards founded in 1984f.

Natasha:

However, this is not the first time the Hilliards, who teach a form of the so-called Prosperity Gospel, have made headlines for their lavish lifestyle and use of church donations.

Warren:

In 2013, Bishop Hilliard, who has an estimated net worth of $22 million, sparked criticism with a fundraiser mailing that asked supporters to donate $52 each to replace the blades of his helicopter.

Natasha:

Did he stand by his words?

Warren:

Hilliard defended the letter, stressing the importance of the helicopter for serving the church’s six campuses and denying he had made any “bogus claims, prophecies or guarantees promising the donor will receive their dream mode of transportation in 52 days or 52 weeks.”

As to why the parsonage has been put on the market, no statement has been released.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a Knoxville-area rescue ministry pray that homeless people who walk through their doors will find not only a safe place to sleep at night, but peace in the gospel message.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, a ministry focused on restoring lives in Jesus’ name.

Warren:

In the 1960s, five pastors saw the need to create a place for Knoxville’s homeless population. What started as a place for men is now a refuge for men, women, and mothers with children. Over 1,000 meals are served daily; most nights, the dorm-style rooms with over 300 beds are full. Each bed is prayed over by volunteers from across Knoxville in the hope that those who sleep there will not only find rest for the night, but peace in the gospel message.

Natasha:

And they run the 89,000-square-foot center, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Warren:

And there’s a lot of work to be done – They do roughly 300 loads of laundry every day by 2:00. Then they do it all over again.

Thankfully, they don’t have to do the work alone. Volunteers continue to support the KARM center. In 2024, over 1,700 volunteers have contributed more than 10,000 hours.

KARM’s president and CEO, Danita McCartney, knows that despite KARM’s growth, its mission remains the same: to restore the lives of our homeless neighbors through Christ-centered support.

Natasha:

Next, a retirement settlement agreement in the AME

Warren:

The African Methodist Episcopal Church announced a settlement agreement with a number of its clergy who had sued the denomination, accusing it of mishandling their retirement funds.

The settlement, which must still be approved by a judge, came Monday (Aug. 26) as delegates to the AME Church General Conference are meeting in Columbus, Ohio, for their quadrennial meeting that concluded on Wednesday. Prior to and during the meeting, AME Church members were calling for action after the former director of the Department of Retirement Services, the Rev. Jerome Harris, and others were accused in a 2022 class-action litigation of a total loss of $90 million.

Natasha:

How much was the settlement?

Warren:

Douglass P. Selby, the AME Church’s general counsel said that The total of the settlement is $20 million.

This is a partial settlement subject to approval of the judge in the class-action case.

At the time the suit was filed, nearly 5,000 pastors, church elders, and other employees were affected.

AME Church officials, in their settlement announcement, repeated their pledge to do all they can to restore the retirement money.

Natasha:

In a similar line, a Methodist Pastor in Nebraska has been Sentenced for Embezzlement From Church.

Warren:

Joseph Schumacher, 43, was arrested in November for unauthorized use of a financial transaction device and theft by deception.

In June, he pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of attempted theft and was sentenced last week to consecutive 90-day sentences and 12 months of probation. He was also ordered to pay $6,740 in restitution.

Natasha:

How did he take the money?

Warren:

Bank statements from the Mitchell Methodist Church showed 32 unauthorized ATM withdrawals from the church account totaling over $8,000 during a period starting in 2021 and continuing through late 2023, the Star Herald reported.

The church also reportedly gave Schumacher a $4,500 check, which he cashed, to pay for schooling he never engaged in.

He served as a UMC pastor in Nebraska from 2017 until his arrest in November 2023.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s look at one more story before we take a break, what do you have?

Warren:

A former Christian school math teacher, who is now serving as a student pastor, has been charged with six counts of sexual battery with a student.

According to police, Norman Jermain Roberson, 36, is accused of engaging in an inappropriate relationship in 2015 with a 16 or 17-year-old student while he worked as a math teacher and director of musical programs at Fountain Inn Christian School in Fountain Inn, S.C. The alleged crimes took place between April and November 2015, according to a report by FOX Carolina.

Natasha:

Roberson was charged earlier this month by Laurens County Sheriff’s Office for similar incidents.

Warren:

And now faces six additional counts of sexual battery after an investigation. He is believed to have had illegal encounters in several locations in South Carolina, including Simpsonville, the city of Greenville, and Greenville County.

Roberson has worked as a youth pastor at Word of Life Church in Simpsonville since 2019, according to his LinkedIn profile. He also was a youth pastor at GoChurch in Greenville for two years before his time at Fountain Inn Christian School, where he claims he worked from March 2015 to June 2016. His profile also says he is married.

The investigation into Roberson’s alleged actions in 2015 remains ongoing by the Laurens County Sheriff’s Office.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Let me take you down to Strawberry Fields— no, not the memorial in New York’s Central Park to the former Beatle John Lennon, who was slain in Manhattan in 1980, but to the place that inspired his song, where the Salvation Army is conducting an experiment in mixing tourism with faith and social compassion.

The original Strawberry Field was a children’s home in Liverpool, just around the corner from John Lennon’s childhood home. It inspired the Beatles’ 1966 track “Strawberry Fields Forever,” penned by Lennon (who added an “s” to its name), as well as what may be one of the most innovative projects undertaken by the Salvation Army, the Christian anti-poverty movement founded in mid-1800s London.

Natasha:

How so?

Warren:

But the army has now deployed Strawberry Field’s connection to the Beatles to draw more visitors to fund its mission and encourage people who would never consider stepping inside a church to find out about Christianity.

The children’s home, closed in 2005, has been demolished. In its place is a new structure that contains a prayer space, a café, and an exhibition about Lennon and the Beatles that includes one of Lennon’s pianos. The building also houses a training project to help young people with special needs get into work.

There’s a whole lot more to this heartwarming story, I’d recommend reading the whole thing if you have a chance at MinistryWatch.com

Natasha:

What’s Next?

Warren:

According to the annual State of the Church Compensation Survey by ChurchSalary, the average church increased their staff salaries and benefits more than they expected in 2024.

In 2023, churches predicted they would increase personnel budgets by 4.5%, but the average actual increase turned out to be 4.9%. The greatest increase was seen in the cost of benefits.

When it comes to benefit spending increases, 59% of churches reported increases in their health care benefit spending while 34% said they increased retirement contributions for staff.

Nearly half of participating churches also plan to provide a 3.3% cost of living adjustment to staff in their 2025 budgets. They also expect the cost of benefits to increase by another 4.5% in the upcoming year.

Church Law & Tax division leader Matt Branaugh pointed out that, on April 23, the federal Department of Labor released a new minimum salary requirement for exempt employees that took effect on July 1. Another increase is scheduled for January 1, 2025.

The minimum annual salary for exempt employees increased from $35,568 to $43,888 on July 1 then is moving to $58,656 on January 1, 2025. Automatic increases every three years are scheduled to begin on July 1, 2027.

Natasha:

Who did Christina highlight in her Ministries Making a Difference column?

Warren:

The Word for the World is using AI called AiBT (artificial intelligence immersed Bible translation) to develop first drafts of the Bible in languages that do not have Scripture in their “heart language.” The new capabilities will fast track the process, accomplishing much of the initial translation work and getting it into the hands of indigenous Bible translators trained by the ministry who will then use “community and exegetical reviews and checks along with human Bible consultant reviews” to finish translating Scripture into their mother tongue. The Word for the World has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a 100 donor confidence score in the MinistryWatch database.

Natasha:

And there’s news from Nazarene Compassionate Ministries.

Warren:

The group mobilized a disaster response team to deploy to areas of the Philippines impacted by floods and a fatal landslide, local churches partnered with them to set up “Child-Friendly Spaces,” distribute relief goods, and minister to victims. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database—the highest score in each of the three categories.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar – How To Read A Form 990.

AI Text to Audio experiment on podcast.

Final days to donate and receive WORLD.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Marci Seither, Adelle Banks, Catherine Pepinster, and Christina Darnell.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

View Details

A luxury 24-acre estate with six houses and 22 garage parking spaces may not meet most people’s definition of a parsonage.

But the tax code says otherwise—this one Texas home is turning heads after being listed on realtor.com for $15 million.

The listing says the compound “boasts a lake stocked with trophy bass, a magazine worthy primary estate, five junior estates, a resort style pool with cabanas,” an office complex with a fitness center, and an owners’ suite with a 25-foot high ceiling, and its own private exercise room and jacuzzi tub. Other features include two wet bars, a banquet hall, a home theater, a hair salon, and a commercial-grade kitchen.

Appraised in 2023 at $7,966,887, the property would have incurred an estimated $152,168 in annual property taxes. But thanks to the parsonage tax exemption, the Hilliards and their church enjoy a tax liability most homeowners in their 28,000-member congregation can only dream of: zero.

According to The Christian Post, in 2021 an attorney representing New Light Church told the Houston Chronicle the tax exemption was justified because the estate is used as a minister’s retreat and conference center.

However, this is not the first time the Hilliards, who teach a form of the so-called Prosperity Gospel, have made headlines for their lavish lifestyle and use of church donations.

In 2013, Bishop Hilliard, who has an estimated net worth of $22 million, sparked criticism with a fundraiser mailing that asked supporters to donate $52 each to replace the blades of his helicopter.

“I heard that still small voice of the Holy Spirit say ‘tell your special partners who have special transportation needs’ and their obedience will release favor for their needs and desires,” the letter read. “I believe with all my heart this message is for you and your doing something today is the key to releasing this favor on your transportation situation! Send me the transportation need or dream you have by completing the online petition when you sow a $52.00 transportation favor seed believing in 52 days or 52 weeks you will experience breakthrough favor!”

But one vocal critic, Pastor Saiko Woods of the now defunct His Word, His Way Fellowship Church in Sugar Land, Texas, argued, “I’ve seen this man’s home. I’ve seen where he lives. You can’t tell me you don’t have $50,000 you can pay out of your own pocket.”

As to why the parsonage has been put on the market, no statement has been released.

New Light Church Parsonage / Realtor.com

In 2018, Bishop Hilliard passed the mantle of senior pastor to his daughter Irishea Hilliard, who lives across the street from him in a home valued at $4.7 million. Another daughter, Tiny Hilliard Egan, lives across the street in a house valued at about $4.15 million.

A third daughter, Kermeshea Hilliard Evans, is estranged from the family and wrote a memoir, Going to Church to Catch Hell, about growing up in the ministry.

According to New Light’s website, Bishop Hilliard and his wife continue to be active in the church, pursuing “passion projects” including Hilliard Faith University, Love City and B’s Girls. The bishop’s Facebook page indicates that he continues to do frequent speaking engagements, such as the recent Adventurous Faith seminar.

New Light Church was once named by Church Report magazine as one of America’s 50 most influential churches.

TO OUR READERS: Do you have a story idea, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? Please email us: info@ministrywatch.com

View Details

Many of our neighbors have succumbed to what the French philosopher Jacques Ellul called “the political illusion.” What is it, and what can we do to resist it?

Here are a couple of resources mentioned on today’s episode:

Ellul explained the “political illusion” in his 1965 book L’illusion politique. It was published in English in 1967.
To read my interview with Christopher Watkin, click here.)
According to a recent Gallup survey, a majority of Americans now believe abortion should be legal in all or most circumstances. That finding represents a significant shift in attitude in just the past few years.
To read about the pastor’s conference hosted by Turning Point USA, click on our report here.
To read a written version of this commentary, click here.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you!

View Details

On today’s program, Gateway Church in Dallas, Texas, continues to struggle in the aftermath of sexual abuse allegations against its founder Robert Morris—including NEW sexual abuse allegations, the cancellation of its annual Gateway conference, and more. We’ll look at the latest.

And, Megan Basham is under fire from fellow journalists for naming an alleged sexual assault victim in her new book ‘Shepherds for Sale.’ We’ll have details.

Plus, the largest seminaries in the U.S.

But first, election season is in full swing, and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is urging pastors to mobilize their churches for Trump.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Zach Rivas, Mallory Challis, Scott Barkley, Chloë-Arizona Fodor, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to Baptist Press, Baptist News Global, and the Institute on Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

And, Megan Basham is under fire from fellow journalists for naming an alleged sexual assault victim in her new book ‘Shepherds for Sale.’ We’ll have details.

Plus, the largest seminaries in the U-S.

Natasha:

But first, election season is in full swing, and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk is urging pastors to mobilize their churches for Trump.

Warren:

Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk pulled no punches in his keynote address to pastors gathered for a July 31-Aug. 2 political training conference in a Dallas, Texas, suburb.

His message: Pastors need to vote for Donald Trump, they need to become activists, and they need to mobilize their congregations to do likewise.

“There is only one way to save this country,” Kirk said. “Awake the beast that is the American church.”

A lot of online commentators said that Kirk had a lot of fun with the unintended irony of Kirk’s statement. They noted that in Scripture, the word “beast” is often used to describe Satan, while the preferred metaphors for describing the church in Scripture is not beast, but Bride of Christ or Body of Christ.

Natasha:

That wasn’t the only irony of this event.

Warren:

While the “Igniting the Remnant Pastors” conference was ostensibly nonpartisan the event provided a receptive audience for Kirk’s overt endorsement of Trump.

Natasha:

Tell us more about Kirk’s talk, I heard he talked tough and hurled some insults.

Warren:

He said, “The American church is a joke in this country,” he said. “It is a church filled with cowards and people that call themselves pastors but are really motivational speakers.

Natasha:

Next, the latest in the ongoing saga of Gateway Church

Warren:

Gateway Church, the Dallas-area megachurch started by Robert Morris, is facing additional sexual abuse allegations in addition to those revealed against Morris earlier this summer that led to his resignation.

Last week, a lawsuit was filed in Tarrant County, Texas, alleging a 17-year-old member of the Gateway Church youth group sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl also attending the church youth group.

The alleged assault took place in 2017.

Natasha:

The lawsuit names Gabriel Reece Snyder, now 25, and Gateway Church as defendants. It asserts that Gateway was negligent in failing to prevent the alleged assaults and is seeking over $1 million in damages.

Warren:

The alleged victim’s parents accuse Gateway of providing “little or no supervision” by the church’s “youth counselors, pastors, leaders, chaperones, or volunteers.”

According to the lawsuit, Snyder used “biblical beliefs and teachings of…Gateway’s pastor and ministers” to convince his alleged victim it was God’s will that she submit to him.

Natasha:

This isn’t the first time Snyder has been accused

Warren:

No, Snyder was convicted on a different offense of sexual assault of a child, and is currently serving prison time at the Hightower Unit in Dayton, Texas, with an anticipated release in October 2024, CBS News Texas reported.

The alleged victim, Julia Long, chose to reveal her identity and make her story public as part of her healing.

Natasha:

Gateway recently settled another, similar lawsuit.

Warren:

That lawsuit accused church leadership of covering up the alleged sexual abuse of a child by a member of the congregation in March 2018. The lawsuit, filed in 2020, also claimed that Gateway pastors encouraged members of the congregation to ostracize her and failed to inform law enforcement about the abuse.

Gateway said the events in the 2020 lawsuit did not occur on any Gateway campus nor at a Gateway event.

Natasha:

In light of the ongoing controversy regarding allegations against Morris, Gateway Church decided to cancel its annual conference.

Warren:

A statement on the confrence’s website reads: “We want to let you know that after much prayer and consideration, we have decided not to hold Gateway Conference in 2024. Our congregation and staff are in the midst of navigating Robert Morris’ resignation and the emotions surrounding it.”

The church apologized for the inconvenience and promised refunds to those already registered.

Natasha:

Warren, what’s our next story?

Warren:

A South Carolina woman faces charges after local police said she stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a church in Greenwood County, just south of Greenville.

Shelley Strickland, 54, was arrested Aug. 9 after confessing to stealing $404,414 from First Baptist Church of Ware Shoals, SC. She may face additional charges for theft at other nearby churches.

Natasha:

How’d she get access to the funds?

Warren:

The Ware Shoals Police Department said Strickland worked as the church’s financial secretary since 2017 and began her theft scheme in 2019 to pay for credit cards and personal expenses. Strickland took from many accounts, including the church’s emergency fund.

A pastor became aware of the issue when a new financial secretary reported discrepancies in the church’s finances. The scheme reportedly continued until February 2024.

Strickland’s husband, Mark Strickland, is pastor of First Damascus Baptist church in nearby Bradley, SC. The couple lives in a parsonage owned by the church.

If convicted, Shelley Strickland faces up to 10 years in prison.

Natasha:

Our next story has a similar theme.

Warren:

A former United Methodist pastor in Nebraska was sentenced for embezzling money from the church he pastored.

Joseph Schumacher, 43, was arrested in November for unauthorized use of a financial transaction device and theft by deception, according to KSID-FM.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Megan Basham named an alleged sexual assault victim in her New York Times bestselling book ‘Shepherds for Sale.’ Fellow journalists are pushing back, calling the move unethical.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break. Megan Basham is being criticized for naming Johnny Hunt’s sexual abuse accuser in her new book.

Warren:

Robert Downen, who was a key reporter about the SBC sex abuse scandal when he worked for the Houston Chronicle, criticized Basham for revealing the accuser’s name in her book, Shepherds for Sale”

Downen said that Apparently, Basham found the name in a court document where it was not redacted and chose to publish it.

Natasha:

Are their rules about sharing identity if it’s in a public document?

Warren:

According to the Society of Professional Journalist’s code of ethics, victims of sexual crimes should be “shown compassion” and treated with “heightened sensitivity.” It also calls on journalists to “recognize that legal access to information differs from an ethical justification to publish or broadcast.”

Downen argues that While Basham may have legally found the name of Hunt’s accuser, that doesn’t give her “a greenlight to abandon basic ethics. Nor do you get to abandon basic ethics because you find the allegations questionable, or you’ve decided that a victim is less of a victim than they say.”

Natasha:

How has Basham responded?

Warren:

Basham wrote on X that she had reasons for naming Hunt’s accusers.

She wrote: “I do think when you make public accusations (especially when you aren’t willing to take them to actual authorities like the police or a court) you should be obligated to stand behind them. Then your character and credibility can be evaluated as well. Anything else allows for a system of secret accusers who can enact character assassination while facing no scrutiny themselves.”

Basham did not respond to MinistryWatch’s question about whether she reached out to the Hunt accuser to ask permission or inform her that she’d be named in the book.

Natasha:

Next is the latest for Kanakuk Camps.

Warren:

Logan Yandell’s lawsuit alleging misdeeds by Kanakuk Kamps and other relevant entities, including ACE American Insurance Co., has been amended to include civil conspiracy claims.

Warren:

The amended lawsuit alleges that all defendants named in the lawsuit, including Kanakuk Kamps, ACE Insurance and all relevant entities, conspired individually and together to commit acts of fraud. The lawsuit says each defendant benefitted in some professional or financial way from the choice to make false claims to survivors and their families.

Natasha:

How do they argue that?

Warren:

Yandell alleges he and many other survivors who settled under false pretenses due to this civil conspiracy have suffered long-lasting damages.

Natasha:

Our next story is on a creative way to help refugees.

Warren:

While refugees’ initial days and months in America can be complex and filled with paperwork and immigration meetings, churches have learned there are direct, simple ways to meet needs.

Not long after it began six years ago, Living Hope Church in Columbus was helping deliver donated furniture on behalf of a group of non-profit organizations. It became apparent that the items were going toward a growing migrant population consisting of those from the Middle East and Central America.

Natasha:

And those immigrants have a lot of needs, how did they choose to help meet them?

Warren:

They opened a furniture store next to the church that now serves 12-20 families a month on average, It stays stocked through approximately 12 non- or for-profit groups, so it doesn’t cost the church.

Natasha:

How do they stock the store?

Warren:

Sometimes new mattresses arrive by way of a nonprofit donation. Coffeemakers and toasters get to the shelves through Walmart overstock. Recliners and other furniture items with small scratches or dents that prevent them from making the showroom floor are more than suitable for clients of the Living Hope ministry center.

Natasha:

They’re not the only church using their resources to help refugees.

Warren:

Further east, about 20 members of Pillar Church in Dumfries, Va., help with the English as a Second Language classes that benefit primarily those who have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban retook the country in 2021.

The people that church serves are not believers, but the time together has led to discussions about faith, as well as the creation of a multilingual, multiethnic service at the church.

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

Before the break, we shared about churches serving refugees in their own backyard. Now, the Pew Research Center has released data showing that nearly half of the world’s migrants are Christians.

Warren:

The world’s 280 million immigrants have greater shares of Christians than the general population, according to a new Pew Research Center study released Monday (Aug. 19).

While Christians make up about 30% of the world’s population, the world’s migrants are 47% Christian, according to the latest data collected in 2020.

Pew studied data from 270 censuses and surveys, estimating the religious composition of migrants from 95,696 combinations of 232 origin and destination countries and territories.

The most common path for Christian migrants is from Mexico to the U.S., Pew found. They are typically looking for jobs, improved safety or to reunite with family members.

Natasha:

What’s Next?

Warren:

In 2016 Chelsen Vicari reviewed figures collected by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) to compile a list of full-time student enrollment among accredited schools to get a better picture of the largest seminaries in the United States.

Reports from the 2023-24 academic year are now publicly available, prompting this follow-up piece. Some of the rankings have changed, but the trends Chelsen first identified in 2016 have continued.

Natasha:

How have things shifted?

Warren:

Liberty Theological Seminary now ranks largest with 4,050 full-time enrolled students and a headcount of 5,507 (the institution has a sizable online enrollment).

Fuller Theological Seminary, the largest seminary by enrollment in 2016, has dropped by more than half to 657 full-time enrolled students. It no longer ranks in the top 10 for FTE, and ranks 8th largest in headcount (1,614).

Baptist-affiliated schools, including Liberty, continue to have the largest enrollments. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Gateway Seminary all appear in the top 10.

All of the largest seminaries in the country are evangelical, and no mainline Protestant institutions rank in the top 10.

Natasha:

Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

This month, Good News Productions, International (GNPI) saw its Transparency Grade change from a C to a D.

The organization, headquartered in Joplin, Missouri, does not release a form 990 to the public.

According to its website, “GNPI creates relevant media to proclaim the Good News and empower Jesus followers to do the same. We do this through a network of international teams, who use all forms of media to reach the hearts of their people and multiply disciples across the globe.”

According to a limited financial profile with the ECFA, GNPI saw a significant jump in revenue between 2021 and 2022. In 2021, the ministry had revenue of $2.2 million; just a year later, its total revenue was $10.7 million.

Its net assets also rose from $1.4 million in 2020 to $10.9 million in 2023.

Tom Nutt, vice president of operations, told MinistryWatch the increase was from an “unexpected estate gift.”

GNPI does not post its financial information publicly.

Natasha:

And who did Christina highlight in her Ministries Making a Difference column?

Warren:

Uncharted Ministries is helping to pay off the debts of Christian families in Pakistan who have become enslaved to brickyard owners who promise freedom but, through high interest rates and deceptive bookkeeping, fail to deliver. So far, the ministry has helped free 21 families. Uncharted Ministries has 5 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 97.

Outreach Aid to the Americas (OAA) helped lead the International Hurricane Seminar 2024 in Mexico this spring, aimed at equipping airports to respond in natural disasters, including preparing for humanitarian aid reception and developing effective communication chains. The ministry serves “vulnerable communities in Central America and the Caribbean through relief assistance, development programs, and freedom of religion or belief advocacy.” OAA has 5 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 98.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar – How To Read A Form 990.

AI Text to Audio experiment on podcast.

Natasha:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Zach Rivas, Mallory Challis, Scott Barkley, Chloë-Arizona Fodor, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to Baptist Press, Baptist News Global, and the Institute on Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time,

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (BP) – It happens with a couch or mattress. It happens with two chairs facing each other across a table.

While refugees’ initial days and months in America can be complex and filled with paperwork and immigration meetings, churches have learned there are direct, simple ways to meet needs.

The white, middle-class community that Aaron Taylor, Living Hope’s pastor, had grown up in was rapidly changing.

Members of Living Hope Church in Columbus, Ohio, load items for its ministry center / Photo by Aaron Taylor

“There are pockets of these communities around with people moving in from all over the world, and it opened our eyes,” he said.

The need grew, and soon the church took it on as its own. It began with a question to their non-profit partners: What would they like to see available to the refugee population?

The answer was a furniture store.

“About five months after that, we opened a ministry center next to our church that now serves 12-20 families a month on average,” Taylor said. “It stays stocked through approximately 12 non- or for-profit groups, so it doesn’t cost the church.”

“When we step in, in many cases we’re able to provide the large items for, say, a two-bedroom apartment,” Taylor said. “It changes the game for families.”

One essential need has brought major benefits to children trying to acclimate to American schools.

“We’ve provided children with beds and have heard back from school counselors that the child came to their school and had low grades and was always tired. They would have a lot of emotions to process still,” Taylor said. “They’ll get a bed of their own and six or eight weeks later the counselors will say it isn’t the same kid. Their entire demeanor has shifted.”

Pastor Colby Garman said the benefits go both ways.

“The conversations with our people have brought another level of understanding [for the situation],” he said. “It puts a face on what is a challenging problem and what it’s like to build a new life in America.”

His wife Annie taught ESL for years in public schools and brought those concepts to the English immersion classes.

The people his church serves are not believers, but the time together has led to discussions about faith.

“Many of them had family members who were killed and they’re trying to figure out what’s next. It has become an open door for the Gospel,” said Garman, whose church lies just south of Washington, D.C., and is located near Marine Corps Base Quantico, where more than 3,700 Afghan refugees were received and cared for when the Taliban took over.

In Columbus, Taylor has seen similar benefits to his church stepping forward to help.

“It’s been good for us,” he said. “I remember [former SBC president] J.D. Greear asking years ago that if our church closed its doors, would the community know we were gone? This has been a good way for us to establish a presence for our church that is meeting a tangible need.

“It has also led us to become a multilingual, multiethnic church. We have people from seven nations. Our worship services are two languages. We’re starting to see the diversity of the community finally reflected in our church.”

This article was originally published by Baptist Press. It is reprinted with permission.

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Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Al has been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic language spoken by more than 11 million people.

More than three years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021.

But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned. And that’s what we are doing today.

The very fact that Al and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past four years or so, I’ve written about 50 articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to some of those articles in today’s show notes. I encourage you to check them out: https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/

I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

And if you donate in the month of August, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a digital subscription to WORLD Magazine. This subscription has a $50 value, but is yours with a donation of any size to MinistryWatch.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, new life breathed into a lawsuit against Dave Ramsey’s company. A former employee claims he was fired for not sharing Ramsey’s religious beliefs on how to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ll take a look at the court’s latest ruling in the case.

And, a Southern Baptist pastor in Florida faces a minimum sentence of life in prison without parole over harrowing child abuse allegations—but new state laws also mean the death penalty is on the table.

Also, Andrew Wommack announces plans to pass the baton to new leadership at Charis Bible College in Colorado.

But first, Gordon College was denied forgiveness on $7 million in COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program loans. It submitted an appeal, but in July a judge dismissed most of the college’s claims.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, and Brittany Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Also, Andrew Wommack announces plans to pass the baton to new leadership at Charis Bible College in Colorado.

But first, Gordon College was denied forgiveness on $7 million in COVID-era Paycheck Protection Program loans. It submitted an appeal, but in July a judge dismissed most of the college’s claims.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, and Brittany Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Former video editor claims he was fired for failing to follow Ramsey's faith-based beliefs on
how to deal with COVID-19 pandemic.

By Bob Smietana for Religion News Service

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of a former employee who claimed Ramsey Solutions,
the company run by Christian personal finance guru Dave Ramsey, discriminated against him
during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brad Amos, a former video editor at the Franklin, Tennessee-based company, sued Ramsey
Solutions in 2021, saying he was fired for not agreeing with Ramsey’s faith-based views about
how to respond to the pandemic.
During the pandemic, Dave Ramsey downplayed the risk of COVID-19, referred to those who
wear masks as “wusses,” barred employees from working at home and said his company would
be guided by faith not fear. Amos’ attorneys alleged that at the Lampo Group — which does
business as Ramsey Solutions — wearing a mask or social distancing was seen as “against the
will of God,” and employees were required to agree with Ramsey’s beliefs about the pandemic.

Attorneys for Amos also claimed that his faith, including Amos’ belief in the so-called Golden
Rule — doing unto others as you would have them do unto you — required him to mask, social
distance and comply with other CDC recommendations during the pandemic.
His insistence on doing so, Amos alleged, led to his firing.

“Amos says that his termination was based on his failure to submit to Lampo’s religious
practices and his expression of his own religious beliefs with regard to COVID measures. These
facts form the basis for Amos’s religious-discrimination claims,” according to a ruling from the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth District.

Amos’ attorney also claimed that Ramsey Solutions had committed fraud by allegedly lying to
him about the “cult-like” atmosphere at the company.

In December, a U.S. District Court had dismissed both the discrimination and fraud claims
before they went to trial, saying Amos had failed to show he was discriminated against.
In the lower court ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Eli Richardson wrote that “it is not enough
that a plaintiff’s sincerely held religious beliefs do not align with the religious beliefs that
underlie the employment policy (requirement) that the plaintiff was terminated for non-
complying with. Instead, the plaintiff needs to have alleged a religious belief that conflicts with
an employment requirement,” Richardson wrote.

On Thursday (Aug. 8), the Sixth Circuit ruled that the district court had erred in dismissing
Amos’ discrimination claim. The court ruled that federal law protects employees from
discrimination based on “religious non-conformity” — also known as reverse discrimination, or
requiring an employee to follow a religious belief or practice.

The Sixth Circuit Court also ruled that a belief in the Golden Rule qualified as a religious claim
and was protected from discrimination.

During the appeal, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a friend of the court
brief, urging the appeals court to reverse the lower court ruling — saying Amos had made a
plausible claim for religious discrimination.

The EEOC also argued that the term “reverse religious discrimination” was not accurate and said
the term “religious non-conformity” was more accurate in cases like the one involving Amos.
“As with all other types of religious-discrimination claims, the employer is accused of
discriminating against the employee on the basis of religion,” the EEOC wrote. “Here, however,
it is the employer’s religion that is the focus. But that doesn’t make the discrimination ‘reverse.’”

“We’re happy with the result and look forward to the opportunity to continue fighting for our
client,” Jonathan Street, an attorney for Amos, told RNS in a statement. The case will now return
to the lower district court for trial.

Ramsey Solutions did not respond to a request for comment.

The company’s lawyers, in a brief filed as part of the appeal, said the disagreement between the
company and Amos was about how to apply safety protocols. Religion, they argued, had nothing
to do with it.

“This lawsuit should never have been filed,” an attorney for Ramsey wrote. “At the heart of it is
an aggrieved employee who disagreed with his employer’s approach to the COVID-19
pandemic.”

Ramsey’s attorneys also argued that Amos had failed to make his religious discrimination claims
in a clear and timely manner and so those claims were invalid. “Because Plaintiff-Appellant
failed to plead reverse religious discrimination, it is not properly before the Court on appeal,”
Ramsey’s attorney argued.

Eugene Volokh, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford and a long-time UCLA law
professor, was skeptical about the Sixth District ruling. Volokh, who often discusses First
Amendment cases at “The Volokh Conspiracy,” his long-running legal blog, said that Amos
would have to prove that religion was at the heart of his trouble with Ramsey.

An employer, Volokh said, could have secular reasons for disagreeing with vaccine mandates or
other COVID-related restrictions. If that is the case, then religious discrimination is not involved.
Nor would it matter if an employer’s skepticism was motivated by religion.

He also said that most religious discrimination cases are more straightforward — for example, if
someone is fired for their religious identity or if an employer fails to offer an accommodation to
a religious employee for their religious practice.

Determining if a secular firing decision — a disagreement over COVID rules — was motivated
by religion is more complicated, he said. He said that the court may suspect that agreement on
COVID was used as a kind of religious test to screen out the wrong kinds of Christians.

“You don’t go along with our views on COVID — well that means to us that you are not our
kind of Christians,” said Volokh, speculating on what could constitute religious discrimination in
a case like this. “And therefore, we are really going to fire you because of that.”

That kind of approach would be harder to show but could constitute discrimination.

Ramsey Solutions has faced a series of lawsuits and controversies in recent years, including an
ongoing lawsuit filed by an unmarried employee who was fired after telling her boss she was
pregnant. In that case, Ramsey argued the employee was fired for breaking a rule that barred
unmarried employees from having sex — rather than for being pregnant.

The company is also dealing with a class-action lawsuit prompted by its ties to a troubled time-
share exit company.

Ramsey did get some legal good news this week. The appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling
dismissing Amos’ fraud claims. Amos had claimed leaders of Ramsey Solutions promised a
“drama-free” work environment and had dismissed concerns that Ramsey Solutions had a “cult-
like” work culture and was run more like a church than a company. Amos alleged he had moved
from California to Tennessee based on those assurances, which he later claimed were untrue.
The district court ruled that Amos knew there had been complaints about Ramsey Solutions but
did not do enough to vet those complaints. Instead, he had relied solely on assurances from
leaders at Ramsey Solutions.

“Amos even avers that he was put on notice that Lampo’s statements about the company were
potentially inaccurate,” the appeals court ruled. “According to his complaint, Amos’s only real
attempt to investigate or guard against rumors about Lampo’s workplace culture was to ask
Lampo employees about it.”

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Here at MinistryWatch, we constantly consume all kinds of media. We are constantly looking for stories, and we are constantly looking at how other media outlets handle the stories we cover. We ask: How can we add value to a story? Is this a story that fits our mission? Should we even cover this story at all?

Answering these questions is not always easy, but asking them and struggling with the answers have made me a better journalist and a better reader and viewer of other people’s work. In the process of asking these questions (and others, which I will highlight below), I have developed some thoughts about media bias that have been helpful to me and might be helpful to you, too. I have identified four forms of media bias – along with questions to help you avoid being seduced by them. On today’s episode, I will share them with you.

The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, after a slew of controversies, Southern Baptists chose a low-key leader. We take a closer look at new SBC President Clint Pressley. And, Pastors and politics—legally, what are churches and other Christian nonprofits allowed to do when it comes to this year’s presidential campaign?

We also highlight the results are in from our summer survey of top ministry executives. They tell us their biggest challenges—and hopes for the future.

But first, a former youth volunteer for Vineyard Church in Anaheim, California, has been sentenced to more than 120 years in prison.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Tiffany Stanley, Yonat Shimron, Anna Piela, and Brittany Smith.

A special thanks to the National Association of Evangelicals for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, Warren Smith shares a review he wrote for “The Dispatch” of Megan Basham’s new book Shepherds For Sale: How Evangelical Leaders Traded The Truth for a Leftist Agenda. The fundamental flaw of the book is that it fails to note that the real problem in evangelicalism is that pastors have succumbed to the populist right in far greater numbers than they have to the progressive left, and the consequences for the Gospel and the purity of the church have been far more consequential.

Warren unpacks these ideas in this week’s EXTRA episode.

To read the complete article, in The Dispatch, click here.

The producer of today’s episode is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Liberty University reaches a settlement with former president Jerry Falwell Jr. after years of back-and-forth lawsuits between the two parties. Now, they say they are putting the past behind them. We’ll have details.

A small university in North Carolina is beating the odds…while other Christian colleges face closure, this school is thriving. We take a look at what they’re doing.

Also, Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church released its annual report—the Charlotte-area church saw revenue of more than $108-million in 2023.

The leadership at Gateway Church continues its shakeup following revelations that its founding pastor Robert Morris abused a minor in the 1980s.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Yonat Shimron, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

COMPLETE MANUSCRIPT BELOW:

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren

And, a small university in North Carolina is beating the odds…while other Christian colleges face closure, this school is thriving. We take a look at what they’re doing.

Also, Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church released its annual report—the Charlotte-area church saw revenue of more than $108-million in 2023.

Natasha

But first, the leadership at Gateway Church continues its shakeup following revelations that its founding pastor Robert Morris abused a minor in the 1980s.

Warren:

Seven weeks after Robert Morris resigned from Gateway Church after Cindy Clemishire publicly claimed he abused her when she was 12 years old, Gateway has announced that Morris’ son, James Morris, is stepping away from the church.

James Morris was slated to take over church leadership after his father’s impending retirement in 2025. But after Clemishire’s claims went public, Robert Morris admitted “moral failure” with a “young lady” before resigning as the Texas megachurch’s lead pastor. Weeks later, James Morris and three other elders announced they would temporarily step down to allow room for a third-party investigation.

But last week, in a special announcement to the congregation, Gateway elder Tra Willbanks announced that James Morris and his wife, Bridgette Morris, had decided to permanently relinquish their positions at Gateway.

Natasha:

How did the congregation take that?

Warren:

Church attendees gave them a standing ovation. Then Willbanks said Gateway elders support James and Bridgette Morris’ desire to establish a church in the future.

I should mention that James and Bridgette Morris are not the only ones to have left in the fallout of Robert Morris’ resignation. According to the leadership pages on its website, Gateway has made additional changes to its staff and elder board. It removed former-felon-turned-Prison Ministry Campus Pastor Stephen Wilson after Wilson’s past sex charges from 2002 involving a minor became public.

Natasha:

Who is going to minister as the church moves forward?

Warren:

Willbanks informed congregants that Max Lucado, a popular author and teaching minister at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, and Swedish pastor Joakim Lundqvist, will be filling leadership roles at the church. Lucado will become the interim teaching pastor, preaching at Gateway about twice a month. Lundqvist will share preaching duties with Lucado and take on a pastoral role with staff.

Natasha:

Next, a Texas Pastor has stepped down due to “inappropriate” conduct, without being specific about the concerns.

Warren:

On Sunday, July 28, Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, about 30 miles north of Fort Worth, announced that its lead pastor Josiah Anthony would resign due to “inappropriate and hurtful” actions, WFAA reported.

The church clarified on Monday that the conduct “does not include any children, physical or sexual interactions or any illegal activity to our knowledge.”

Apparently, the church elders asked Anthony to resign and he agreed.

Natasha:

Is there any hint as to why he resigned?

Warren:

During the service, Cross Timbers elder John Chalk read a statement about Anthony’s resignation.

“Josiah has been in a prolonged and sustained season of struggle with his emotional and mental health which has been very painful for him and those around him,Throughout this struggle, some of Josiah’s decisions and actions were inappropriate and hurtful to current and former members of the [Cross Timbers] family and staff.”

Natasha:

Who will fill Anthony’s roll as pastor?

Warren:

Byron Copeland will serve as interim lead pastor. Before taking a position of executive pastor at Cross Timbers, Copeland worked at nearby Gateway Church.

Natasha:

There have been quite a few situations like this lately, one of course being the Morris story we just discussed what are some others?

Warren:

On July 7, Stonebriar Community Church, founded by Chuck Swindoll, dismissed former Associate Pastor Tony Cammarota, who “confessed to church leadership of a moral failure” according to an email obtained by the Dallas Morning News. Stonebriar did not provide details of the moral failure.

In June, well-known Dallas megachurch pastor Tony Evansstepped away from leading Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship due to “sin” he committed years ago. Evans, 74, was not specific about his actions but said they were not criminal. He will be “submitting to a healing and restoration process established by the elders.”

Natasha:

Next, the latest between Liberty University and Jerry Falwell Jr.

Warren:

Liberty University and its former president Jerry Falwell Jr. have reached an agreement to settle all outstanding disputes and lawsuits between the two parties.

While specifics of the agreement were not released, the statement said the two reached a mutual understanding about the retirement and severance Liberty will pay to Falwell.

In March 2023, Falwell sued the university for $8.5 million in retirement benefits he claimed they owed him.

The agreement also authorizes Liberty to use the name, image, and likeness of its founder, Jerry Falwell Sr.

Natasha:

There’s been a lot going on between the two- can you remind us of some of the recent history here.

Warren:

Last July, Falwell Jr. sued the university, accusing it of misappropriating “for itself” the name and image of Falwell Sr., the conservative Christian evangelist who co-founded the evangelical university in 1971.

In September, Falwell Jr. amended his complaint against Liberty, claiming the university’s board overlooked sexual misconduct by former leaders, including an unnamed former president, only to turn on Falwell Jr. when his life fell apart.

Following allegations that he and his wife had a years-long sexual relationship with a business associate, Falwell Jr. resigned from his post as Liberty’s president in August 2020.

Neither Falwell nor the university plan to answer any further questions about the settlement.

In the MinistryWatch database, Liberty University has a 2-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of only 34, meaning donors should withhold giving.

Natasha

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, the rise of Carolina University—how a 79-year-old institution rebooted itself.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, while many Christian colleges are failing, one small school in North Carolina appears to be beating the odds.

Warren:

A 79-year-old private institution in North Carolina appears to be an anomaly to the many Christian colleges forced to close recently. Carolina University’s enrollment has surged 29% this year, rising from 826 to 1,068 students. Its multilingual offerings and global recruitment have attracted scores of international students, who now make up about half of the student body. The university is also seeing success with its new career-oriented programs, including master’s degrees in data science and innovation, along with undergrad courses covering machine learning, artificial intelligence, esports and cybersecurity.

Natasha:

How’d they get to this place?

Warren:

Our full story goes into detail about their financial turn around but beyond that they’ve also had years of steady enrollment growth With long history of mergers. Since its founding in 1945, the school has absorbed seven colleges headed by Methodists, Moravians, Baptists, Anglicans, and Mennonites. Each merger brought a surge in students, faculty/staff, flagship programs, and financial resources, enabling Carolina University to sell campuses for far more than the obligations owed.

Natasha:

The school also focuses on what they call “Jobs of the Future”

Warren:

Years ago, the school made the call to only offer new degrees leading to a stable job market and high-paying salaries. Focusing on degrees that lead to jobs starting at $100,000 a year.

The school is already seeing success with this strategy, with data science rising the ranks as its fastest-growing program. Other longstanding programs, such as engineering and business, also maintain strong enrollment.

Carolina University’s legacy theology programs aren’t slowing down either. President Petitt said, “We’re training more pastors right now than we have at any other time in our history, even when we were a Bible college.”

Natasha:

That’s amazing! What are their goals for the future?

Warren:

They hope to expand enrollment to 1,500 over the next academic year. Their long-term target is 7,000 main-campus students and 70,000 online.

Natasha:

Next, a Historic Miami Church saved From Foreclosure

Warren:

Nearly a year ago, MinistryWatch reported that one of Miami’s oldest black churches had just weeks to repay a $1.6-million mortgage that its former pastor had taken out in the church’s name.

St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, has roots dating back to 1906. But last year, the church announced that parts of the historic church could “close forever” unless they were to raise enough money to pay off a mountain of debt incurred under its former pastor.

Natasha:

So what changed things?

Warren:

Three days before the church’s historic property was to be sold in foreclosure, the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency (SEOPW CRA) purchased it, allowing the loan to be paid off and granting repurchase rights to the church.

The CRA secured the auxiliary buildings, parking area, and fellowship hall roughly 72 hours before the property’s scheduled auction. The agreement allowed the church to lease those buildings for $1 each year.

St. John’s Baptist Church, according to the city’s historic preservation website, is one of the only Art Deco-style religious buildings in Miami-Dade County and a rare example of the style in Overtown, the heart of Miami’s historic African-American community.

Natasha:

Our next story comes from my home state of Colorado.

Warren:

The Rock church in Castle Rock, Colo., succeeded in obtaining a preliminary injunction that will allow it to operate an “on-site temporary shelter ministry” consistent with its religious beliefs.

On July 19, U.S. District Judge Daniel Domenico issued the preliminary injunction in favor of the church after the city charged the church with zoning violations because the temporary shelters were not an allowed use.

According to court documents, two shelters, a trailer, and an RV are parked over 400 feet from the neighboring residential areas and have been used as temporary shelters since 2018.

Natasha:

How did the decision come down?

Warren:

The court found The Rock was entitled to an injunction because of the protection afforded it under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), which prohibits a city from enforcing land use regulations in a way that impose a “substantial burden” on the religious exercise of a church.

During the time that The Rock has been prohibited from using its temporary shelters, it has had to turn away homeless families in need. On the contrary, “The [t]own has not argued at this time that it would suffer any actual, material harm by allowing families to stay in the [c]hurch’s two mobile homes,” the order reads.

The church noted—and the city did not dispute—that it “has never experienced any public-safety or other related issues while carrying out this ministry, even as it has temporarily housed numerous individuals and small families.”

Natasha:

Next, the latest for the Church of the Nazarenes

Warren:

A Church of the Nazarene court has found one of its most prominent theologians guilty of affirming and advocating for the approval and inclusion of members who openly identify as LGBTQ, contrary to the church’s teachings.

After delivering the verdict on Saturday evening (July 28) against the Rev. Thomas Jay Oord of Nampa, Idaho, the court stripped Oord of his preaching credentials and expelled him from membership in the 2.5-million-member global denomination.

Natasha:

Can you explain why Oord was expelled?

Warren:

In its decision, the church court cited a book Oord wrote with his daughter Alexa Oord, who identifies herself as bisexual, titled, “Why the Church of the Nazarene Should Be Fully LGBTQ+ Affirming,” in which they affirm gay sex, which the court found particularly egregious.

The court also objected to Oord’s behavior in defying church rules, including multiple requests that he either quit advocating for approval of LGBTQ lifestyles or give up his preaching credentials.

Oord now directs doctor of ministry students at Northwind Theological Seminary, an online-only school that is not affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. He will be able to keep his job, but he will no longer be allowed to publish with the Nazarene-owned publishing house, the Foundry, or preach or hold membership in any of its churches.

Natasha

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren

Elevation Church, the megachurch based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and led by Steven Furtick, took in over $100 million in tithes and offerings in 2023, according to its Annual Report.

In its financial breakdown for 2023, the church reported that the largest portion of the revenue —34% or $34 million—went to personnel expenses. Central operations and ministries was the second highest category for expenditures at 25%. Another $13 million went toward outreach efforts.

Elevation Church reported a weekly in-person attendance of 17,091, an increase of 21% from the previous year. According to its website, Elevation Church has 19 locations, as well as online streaming.

According to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), of which Elevation Church is a member, the church had assets totaling $319 million at the end of Fiscal Year 2023. Net assets increased by $41 million from the previous year.

Last July, Elevation Church separated from the Southern Baptist Convention. While it gave no specific reason for the departure, the letter sent to the denomination stated, “You will find that our Statement of Beliefs on our website is very much in line with the Baptist Faith and Message — we have no intention of changing those core beliefs.”

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

In June, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) General Assembly voted to investigate the teachings of the best-selling book “Jesus Calling,” written by the late author Sarah Young.

Now, the pastor who originally sent the overture to the General Assembly is transferring his membership to another denomination, but The PCA maintains that the overture is still valid.

Teaching Elder Benjamin Inman was a pastor in the PCA for 24 years, but has now transferred his credentials to the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA).

Natasha:

What was the overture?

Warren:

The amended overture requested reports from Mission to the World and the Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM) concerning their relationship with the book and its author, the reasons it was removed from CDM inventory, and “assess[ing] the book’s appropriateness for Christians in general and PCA members and congregations in particular with special regard for its doctrine and method.”

In a statement provided to byFaith, Inman explained his reasoning behind the overture: “The ‘Jesus Calling’ overture was purely an act of repentance for my failure to pursue the issue in 2013. I learned in 2023 that the book had sold 42 million copies, and I was ashamed of my inaction. I’m encouraged that my delinquent and meager attempt has been taken up by the General Assembly.”

Before her death, Young was a member of the PCA and had a degree from the denominational seminary, Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. She and her husband Steve were Mission to the World missionaries in Japan and Australia.

Natasha

Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren

Childcare Worldwide’s Donor Confidence Score recently dropped from a 90 to an 85, still ranking it in the “Give with Confidence” designation. It also now has a 1-star efficiency rating.

The organization, founded in 1981, is based in Lynden, Wash. It is a sponsorship organization that supports children in Africa, Asia, and South America.

Their Life Centers are community centers that provide medical care, education, food and clean water, and school supplies.

The organization ranks 88th out of 92 for Fund Acquisition within the Relief and Development sector and has a 1-star rating. In 2020, 12% of Childcare Worldwide’s expenses were spent on fundraising, and in 2023 the amount jumped to 20%. The sector median is 6%.

Childcare Worldwide’s Resource Allocation ranking is also 1-star. In order to have a high score in the Resource Allocation Rating category, MinistryWatch requires organizations to have 80-85% of its funding go towards programming. Currently, Childcare Worldwide only spends about 70% of its expenses on programming.

In 2023, the organization’s total revenue was $3.3 million and its total expenses were $4 million. It also has $1.1 million in net assets.

Natasha

And who did Christina highlight in her roundup of Ministries Making a Difference?

Warren

A ‘Network Member’ in Thailand partnered with Atlas Free, an anti-trafficking nonprofit, to offer a free baking class in the red light district for women in the sex trade. Because of the class, 30 survivors were impacted, one of whom went on to open her own business. Atlas Free has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database—the highest ratings in each category.

After learning their Colorado community had no support group for young mothers and their children, women from a local church started one of their own. Thanks to local grants and funds from a Blessing Our Community initiative, Cortez Church of the Nazarene provides childcare twice a month while inviting moms to enjoy snacks, coffee, door prizes, community and mentorship.

Davar Audio Bibles is recording a full audio Bible in Azeri, the official language of Azerbaijan. It will be the ministry’s first audio Bible for the Muslim-majority country of over 10 million, located along the border between West Asia and Eastern Europe. Davar Audio Bibles has 3 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 97.

Hand2Hand pairs churches in West Michigan with local schools to pray for students and pack and deliver food on weekends. This school year, it is partnering with 145 churches to serve 45 school districts. It also operates a store that sells wholesale food at reduced cost for community partners. The ministry estimates the store has saved partners more than $150,000 since it opened last fall. Hand2Hand has 3 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 100.

Natasha

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

Ad lib: California, Colorado, New Mexico

Shepherds for Sale — Dispatch

Natasha

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Yonat Shimron, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren

And I’m Warren Smith in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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You may have heard the term ex-vangelical. An ex-vangelical is someone who formerly identified as an evangelical, but no longer does so. The phenomenon has created a sub-genre of books from memoirs – such as those by Josh Harris, Rachel Held Evans, and others — to more journalistic accounts, such as Sarah McCammon’s “The Ex-Vangelicals.”

But is there really a groundswell of people leaving evangelicalism? Are these books fair representations of evangelicalism? Is the rejection of the ex-vangelicals really a rejection of Christianity, or a rejection of a certain brand of evangelicalism defined more by culture and politics than theology?

These are questions Miles Smith set out to answer. He read many of the ex-vangelical books and wrote a helpful article about it called “Reading The Exvangelicals” for Mere Orthodoxy.

Miles Smith is a historian by training. He attended university at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, and got a Ph.D. from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. He now teaches at Hillsdale College. But he has come on strong in recent years as a public intellectual. I have found his commentaries helpful and highly readable. In addition to Mere Orthodoxy, he has written for The Gospel Coalition, Public Discourse, The Federalist, and The University Bookman.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and other support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Casey Suddeth, and Stephen Dubarry.

Please join me on Friday for our round up of the week’s news, with my co-host Natasha Cowden.

Until then, may God bless you.

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The 2024 Summer Olympics are about to begin in Paris, and that event should be of interest even to those who don’t much care about sports. For one thing, it’s the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Olympics, also held in Paris, in which Christian missionary Eric Liddell won a gold medal. That story was famously recounted in the Academy Award winning movie “Chariots of Fire,” and the story and that movie has become a part of the lore of the modern evangelical movement.

Another story unfolded 48 years ago, at the Montreal Games, in 1976. It was that year, at the height of the Cold War, that the American women’s swim team, a team many called the strongest in the world at that time, went up against the East German women’s team. Though the American team brought home a lot of hardware from those games, many sports historians and others believe the women of that team were robbed of their place in Olympic history by the aggressive doping program of the East Germans. Swimming World Magazine has called those Olympics “Doping’s Darkest Hour.” The East German doping program eventually led to reforms in the Olympic movement. That said, if you have been following this year’s Olympics coverage, you may know that a new doping scandal, involving Chinese athletes, threatens to taint this year’s games.

So this story of the 1976 games, which has elements of heroism, courage, leadership, and character is as relevant today as ever.

And there’s no better person to tell this story than Casey Converse. His book is “Munich to Montreal: Women’s Olympic Swimming in a Tarnished Golden Era.”

Casey had a front row seat to the controversy. He was a member of the USA Olympic Swim Team at the Montreal Olympics. He was also an American record holder in the 1650. From there, he coached at the United States Air Force Academy for 28 seasons. He was recently selected as one of the top 100 college swim coaches in the last 100 years by the College Swimming & Diving Coaches of America. He also served as a consultant for the documentary “The Last Gold,” which is a film account of the story we’ll talk about today.

Also, if I might insert a personal note here: Casey is a friend. My son Cole swam for the Air Force Academy’s men’s team during his time there, and I got to know Casey a bit. I was personally inspired by his mentorship of generations of young swimmers and future Air Force officers, including my son. I should also add that he is now battling a very serious form of cancer, and I’ve been able to see his character and his faith shine brightly as he faces this new challenge. It’s an honor to know him, and an honor to have him on the program.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission—the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention—fired its president Brent Leatherwood this week…then less than 12 hours later reversed course and said he was NOT fired. We’ll have details.

Also, Life Surge wealth conferences draw big audiences with its celebrity speaker lineup and wealth-building tools…we’re taking a closer look to see if it’s delivering on its promises. And, New York Theological Seminary closed its doors earlier this month—famous alumni include religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and author of the Message, Eugene Peterson.

But first, the historic sanctuary of First Baptist Dallas, was engulfed in flames last week.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, John Stonestreet, Timothy Padgett, Kim Roberts, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Breakpoint and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Carlos Campo has one of the most interesting biographies I know about. His parents were entertainers who had hit records and a national profile in the 1940s and 50s. Carlos Campo’s mother was Betty Clooney, who with her sister Rosemary rose to the top of the music industry. That also makes Carlos Campo a part of a family that some consider entertainment royalty, a family that includes actor George Clooney, journalist and TV host Nick Clooney, and actor and voice over artist Miguel Ferrar.

Campo was born in Las Vegas, where his parents performed. Though he received an undergraduate degree in theatre, his master’s and Ph.D. were in English, and he pursued a career in academia. He has served as president of two significant Christian institutions: Regent University and – most recently – Ashland University. However, after a nine-year tenure at Ashland, he recently resigned to become the new president of the Museum of the Bible.

I’ve known Carlos Campo for a decade or more, and every time I get to visit with him is a treat. I know you’ll enjoy this conversation that ranges from his career in higher education to his decision to make a career pivot to lead the Museum of the Bible – along with some life and leadership lessons he has learned along the way.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and other support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Casey Suddeth, and Stephen Dubarry.

Please join me on Friday for our round up of the week’s news, with my co-host Natasha Cowden.

Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Village Church Pastor Matt Chandler is under fire after his church hired a man who, in the past, was convicted of child sexual abuse. That man was his father. We’ll take a look.

Also, Robert Morris—the Gateway Church pastor accused of abusing a young girl starting when she was 12 years old—is having his radio and tv programs canceled…and is receiving no severance after resigning from his posts. We’ll have details.

And, the closure of another Christian college—the Florida campus of Johnson University is shutting down after low enrollment made it no longer sustainable.

But first, former Christian billionaire Bill Hwang—once one of the wealthiest evangelicals in the U.S., celebrated as part of a “new evangelical donor-class”—he now faces the possibility of life behind bars.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Kathryn Post, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Daniel Ritchie, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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For the past 100 years, radio has proven to be a persistent medium. Television, podcasts, and other digital media have taken their slices of the market, but radio has not gone away. In some ways it is as strong today as ever. About eight in 10 Americans over the age of 12 listen to terrestrial radio in a given week.

And as long as there has been radio, there has been Christian radio. In fact, Reginald Fessenden, a radio pioneer who held hundreds of patents, claims to have made the first radio broadcast, in 1906. And it was arguably a Christian radio program. He broadcast on Christmas Eve. Fessenden the carol O Holy Night on the violin. He closed the broadcast with a biblical passage: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of good will” (Luke 2:14).

Today, radio ministries are among the largest ministries on the MinistryWatch 1000 list. Even those ministries that are not radio ministries often have a radio component. Relief and development ministries such as World Vision, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse use radio as part of their marketing, communications, and fundraising efforts.

A new book looks at two pioneers of Christian radio: Fulton Sheen and Walter Maier. Sheen, a Catholic, and Maier, a Missouri Synod Lutheran, were unlikely prospects to become the biggest radio personalities in America, but that’s what happened, and the techniques they pioneered in the 1940s and 50s are still being used today.

A new book examines these men, and provides a fascinating history of the rise of Christian radio. The book is Ministers of a New Medium, and it’s written by Kirk Farney. Farney is the vice president for advancement, vocation and alumni engagement – as well as a member of the faculty – at Wheaton College. We had this conversation via zoom.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get technical, database, and other support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Heidi Allums, and Stephen Dubarry. I’m your host, Warren Smith. Until Friday, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a South Carolina church is facing fallout after it became known that its pastor is a registered sex offender for abusing a minor. Leaders knew when they hired him, but didn’t alert members. We’ll have details.

And, years ago a handful of Dallas-area churches that started as multi-site campuses of The Village Church transitioned to becoming independent churches as part of a church-planting initiative. We checked in to see how they are doing.

Plus, another Christian university is shuttering its doors due to financial hardship. We’ll take a look.

But first, a technology company has acquired two sister websites from Christianity Today. Gloo, a technology company that is behind the famous “He Gets Us” campaign has acquired two sister news sites from Christianity Today: Church Law & Tax and ChurchSalary.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Bob Smietana, Samuel Heard, Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to the Biblical Recorder for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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We live in a polarized time. People with whom we disagree are not just wrong, but evil – or so we (and they) often think.

John Inazu thinks that posture towards those with whom we disagree is neither helpful nor biblical. He thinks empathy, curiosity, and love – both loving our neighbors but also loving our enemies – is both a biblical approach, and an approach that is more likely to change hearts and minds.

John Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion at Washington University in St. Louis. His latest book, the one we’re discussing today, is Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect (Zondervan, 2024).

Inazu is also the author of Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly (Yale University Press, 2012) and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference (University of Chicago Press, 2016). He is co-editor (with Tim Keller) of Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference (Thomas Nelson, 2020).

Inazu is the founder of The Carver Project and the Legal Vocation Fellowship, a Senior Fellow with the Trinity Forum, and a Senior Fellow with Interfaith America, where he co-directs (with Eboo Patel) the Newbigin Fellows.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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The book “Jesus Calling” has sold more than 45 million copies, but it has been the object of criticism from its first publication date in 2004 until now. The Presbyterian Church in America’s decision to do an in-depth study of the book is a gift to the broader Christian church, presenting the opportunity to settle controversies about the book once and for all.

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On today’s program, the Christian Reformed Church synod have voted to suspend leaders within the denomination who approve of LGBTQ lifestyles…their message: repent or disaffiliate. We’ll have details.

Also, ministries continue to distance themselves from megachurch pastor Robert Morris after a woman claimed he abused her starting when she was 12 years old. We’ll look at the latest.

And, a new report shows that donors gave more in 2023…but the real dollar impact was rocked by inflation.

But first, the Church of the Nazarene’s only seminary is getting pushback for platforming Pro-LGBTQ faculty and speakers.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Ethan Meyers, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Jessica Eturralde, Chloë-Arizona Fodor, Paul Clolery, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Christian colleges and universities are in a tough spot. Spiraling costs and shrinking demographics, plus technological and other cultural concerns, are putting unprecedented pressure on them. We’ve reported on the closures of many Christian colleges here at MinistryWatch, and our reporting has barely touched the magnitude of the problem. According to Higher Ed Dive, at least 116 colleges have closed since 2016. Between 2010 and 2020, 29 Christian colleges closed or merged with other schools.

On today’s extra episode, Warren Smith discusses what is happening at Cornerstone University, Montreat College, and LeTourneau University – and what we can learn from these institutions.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Megachurch Pastor Robert Morris resigns as senior pastor of Gateway Church after a woman claims he abused her decades ago starting when she was 12 years old. We’ll have details.

And, Lincoln Christian University closes its doors debt free…with plans to continue its ministry through a new institute. We’ll take a look.

And, Southern Baptist Convention legend Paul Pressler died earlier this month, his legend mired with accusations of sexual abuse.

But first, Appalachian Bible College fired two professors after they filed a complaint with the Association for Biblical Higher Education.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) has been one of the success stories in recent American church history. Most denominations in the U.S. are in decline, but ACNA, founded just 15 years ago, has grown to more than 1000 congregations and a membership of 120,000. In today’s commentary, I share my thoughts about what’s needed to keep ACNA on an upward trajectory.

In today’s podcast, I promise a few links. Here they are:

As I have written elsewhere, Anglicanism has the potential to breathe new life into the evangelical movement.

“The Augustine Appeal,” asserts that the “ordination of women to the priesthood is a ‘recent innovation’…and we affirm the theological conclusion that the practice has ‘insufficient scriptural warrant.’”

Heath McClure is the “assisting priest” at a congregation called Luminous Church. McClure became suddenly famous last weekend when former Jars of Clay lead singer Dan Haseltine posted a photo of the two of them (and others) at a pro-LGBTQ Pride event in the affluent Nashville suburb of Franklin. Luminous calls itself a “hospitable and inclusive community.” McClure wears a rainbow-colored T-shirt saying, “A Pastor With Pride.”

Anne Kennedy, a conservative commentator and Anglican church member, wrote a scathing commentary that went semi-viral in the Anglican world. Kennedy took a close look at the website of Luminous Church and found much that troubled her and many Anglicans.

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On today’s program, almost 11-thousand Southern Baptists gathered in Indianapolis this week, facing a long list of key decisions, including abuse reform, a constitutional amendment about women pastors, and the election of a new president. We’ll take a look .

Also, megachurch pastor and bestselling author Tony Evans is stepping away from his pastoral role due to ‘sin.’ Details have been few, but we’ll tell you what we know.

And, seven key executives at K-LOVE have left in the last 18 months…we’re asking ‘why?’.

But first, Southern Baptists elect a new convention president. Clint Pressley, a North Carolina megachurch pastor known for a conservative but even-keel approach to leadership, was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Pressley, who has led Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte for the past 14 years, prefers a suit and tie and a more traditional approach in worship, and he has indicated that his more formal style will translate into his leadership. “It seems like the kind of rhetoric and the temperature is really high and I’d like to see it come down a good bit,” Pressley told Religion News Service earlier this year.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks, Kathryn Post, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith

Until next time, may God bless you.

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A conversation with Scott Harris of Mission Increase

A couple of months ago I came across an article that I haven’t been able to get out of my mind. It’s called “The End and Future of the Church/”Para-Church” Relationship: A Call for Generous Partnership.”

The article was written by two people I have come to respect a great deal in the past few years. One of them is Amy Sherman, who has written a number of important books on the Christian response to poverty. Her co-author is my guest today, Scott Harris. Scott is the Vice President of Church and Global Engagement for an organization called Mission Increase. Mission Increase exists to equip donors, nonprofits and churches fulfill their God-given mission and increase their Kingdom impact through training, and coaching. Scott’s specific role is to help churches and nonprofits work better together to reach their neighbors and nations.

It’s hard to find a mission statement more in line with the goals of MinistryWatch than that one, and that may be why I’ve been running into Scott all over the place in the past few years, including at the most recent True Charity conference, which we’ve written several stories about in the past few months. Some of you might also remember that MinistryWatch did a short series of articles on generous churches, churches that are doing outsized projects with their missions dollars. Scott was instrumental in helping us identify those churches and helped us make contact with them.

In the article we discuss today, Scott and Amy say that the current state of church/parachurch relationships is a major hindrance to the effective work of the Body of Christ in Jesus’ Kingdom Mission in our day. They explain why and how this is so, and what we can do about it.

To read for yourself the article we discussed, click here:

https://missionincrease.org/churches/#para-church

To read more about Mission Increase, see a 2020 article we did on this ministry:

https://ministrywatch.com/teach-a-ministry-to-fish/

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Abuse Reform Task Force will be ending next week…without any names on its website of pastors credibly accused of abuse…and with no clear path forward. We’ll take a look.

And, Salem Media Group pulls Dinesh D’Souza’s movie ‘2000 Mules’ from all its streaming platforms. We’ll have details.

Plus, a Texas United Methodist megachurch announces it will continue to NOT host same-sex weddings at its facilities. This, despite the denomination’s ruling last month that lifted the ban on LGBTQ clergy and weddings.

But first, another former Kanakuk Kamp staffer has been arrested for child sexual assault. 46-year-old Matthew Harmon was arrested on May 28, 2024.

Harmon was wanted for the sexual assault of a child in 2007 when he was a teacher and coach at the Providence School in Dallas. He turned himself in to the Dallas County jail, the police department told MinistryWatch. Harmon worked summer camps at Kanakuk in Durango, Colorado, and Kanakuk in Branson, Missouri, beginning in 1995 through the mid-2000s.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Adelle Banks, Daniel Ritchie, Bethany Starin, Jeffrey Walton, Jessica Eturralde, and Robyn Spradlin.

A special thanks to The Institute on Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Karl Vaters is not against bigness on principle. He is quick to point out that large churches can use their size to do things that smaller churches simply cannot.

But he also says that the things that big churches do better are few, and that getting big, pursuing growth, often comes at great financial and spiritual cost.

His new book is called De-Sizing The Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What’s Next. He says that numbers are meant to inform us, not define us, and he goes on to say that our obsession with numbers is literally killing the church and its witness in the world.

Karl Vaters knows of what he speaks. He grew up studying the Church Growth Movement, but he realized that most churches in America have less than 100 members, and that if he really wanted to make a difference, he should put his energies there. In addition to being a pastor, he has written other books, including The Church Recovery Guide, 100 Days to a Healthier Church, and Small Church Essentials. He and his wife Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, former CEO of Orange, Kristen Ivy, originally admitted to an “inappropriate relationship” with the ministry’s founder Reggie Joiner. Now, she’s reclassifying that relationship as clergy abuse. We’ll have details.

Also, summer is the season of short-term missions—but The Chalmers Center has some warnings before posting about those trips on social media. We’ll take a look. And, former S-B-C leader and long-time megachurch pastor Ed Young announces he’s retiring.

But first, a young American missionary couple and a ministry leader were killed by gangs in Haiti. Natalie and Davy Lloyd were American Missionaries working with Missions in Haiti, Inc. and Jude Montis was the Haitian director of the organization Jude Montis. The three, were killed by gang members near Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Thursday night (May 23).

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Fiona Andrè, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, Jessica Eturralde, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch podcast we remember Marshall Allen, an investigative journalist who was a friend and supporter of MinistryWatch.

To read a transcript of this podcast, click here. You’ll also find there links mentioned in today’s episode.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, may God blss you.

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On today’s program, the U-S Department of Justice has indicted a former professor and interim provost of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for obstructing justice in a sexual misconduct case. We’ll have details.

Also, the Boy Scouts of America changes their name in hopes of boosting its dwindling numbers—but instead, a different scouting ministry is being flooded with requests for more information. We’ll take a look at Trail Life USA later in the program.

And, World Vision is ordered to pay $120-thousand in a discrimination case.

But first, Forerunner Church—the official church of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City—held its last Sunday worship service last week.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Stephen Clark, Theresa, Jessica Eturralde, Clemente Lisi, Marci Seither, Kathryn Post, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA Episode, Warren Smith identifies four lessons we can learn from the controversy surrounding David French and the Presbyterian Church in America.

To read more about this controversy:

https://ministrywatch.com/editors-notebook-the-pca-david-french-debacle/

https://ministrywatch.com/pca-cancels-anti-polarization-panel-with-david-french-for-being-too-polarizing/

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

Until next week, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a North Carolina Sheriff’s office has called in the FBI to help investigate the death of pastor’s wife, Mica Miller. We’ll have details.

And, Haitian workers are concerned Christian donors could be hurting the very people they’re trying to help…and ask donors to redirect their money away from orphanages. We’ll take a look.

Also, Gospel for Asia founder K-P Yohannan dies following a tragic accident.

But first, another church is being told by its city to close its temporary homeless shelter, accusing them of zoning violations. Another city is trying to close a church-hosted shelter by accusing it of a zoning violation.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Fiona Andrè, Jessica Eturralde, Stephen Clark, Bethany Starin, and Brittany Smith.

A special thanks to A-G News for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Katelyn Beaty believes that some Christian leaders use their fame and influence in positive ways. But too often, she says, fame and celebrity are cultivated for their own sake, or for the sake of profits and the building of personal empires. We see this phenomenon most conspicuously with the prosperity Gospel preachers. But, increasingly, these practices of the Prosperity Gospel have crept into mainstream evangelical ministries.

That’s why Katelyn Beaty believes we should explore the evangelical church’s relationship to celebrity. She explores how fame has reshaped the American church, explains why and how celebrity is woven into the fabric of the evangelical movement, and identifies how fame has misshapen the church.

Katelyn Beaty is an editor at Baker Books, and has written for The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic. She previously served as print managing editor at Christianity Today. Her new book is Celebrities For Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits are Hurting The Church.

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On today’s program, an investigation into the death of a South Carolina pastor’s wife, 30-year-old Mica Miller, has captured the attention of people across the nation, raising questions about mental health and abuse. We’ll look at the latest findings.

A Pennsylvania pastor faces a gunman in the middle of his Sunday sermon. We’ll have details.

A new Southern Baptist report details where member churches stand with attendance, baptisms, and sexual abuse reforms. We’ll take a look.

But first, a lawsuit against Christian author and radio host Eric Metaxas is moving forward despite concerns about free speech.

I wanted to remind everyone that it’s a new month, May, and we have a new book we’d like to share with our donors. Katelyn Beaty’s book “Celebrities For Jesus” is a fantastic book about the trend in evangelicalism toward the idolization of celebrity pastors and leaders. It has a lot of insight about many of the issues we cover regularly here at MinistryWatch, and I think if you like MinistryWatch, you are going to find this book valuable. We’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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For centuries, Christianity has been seen as a positive force in the world – even by those who are not Christians. But my guest today, Aaron Renn, argues that this perception has changed. In a widely read and discussed article for “First Things” magazine, first published a decade ago, Renn said that the world up until 1964 was a “positive world” for Christianity. From 1964 to 2014, we lived in what he calls the “Neutral World.” Since 2014, we live in a “Negative World” for Christianity.

Renn expands on these ideas in his latest book, Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture. Aaron Renn is a senior fellow at American Reformer, a former senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and a former partner at Accenture, the global consulting firm.

His latest book is Life in the Negative World: Confronting Challenges in an Anti-Christian Culture.

A quick note that it’s a new month – May – and we have a new book we’d like to share with you. Katelyn Beaty’s Celebrities for Jesus is a book that is right in the center of the bullseye for MinistryWatch readers. It discusses how and why the evangelical church has turned to celebrities, celebrity pastors and ministry leaders, and how that trend is hurting the church. We will send you that book as our thank you for a gift of any size during the month of May. To give to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, Christina Darnell, and Kim Roberts.

I hope you’ll join me and Natasha Cowden for our roundup of the stories we’ve been working on this week here at MinistryWatch.

Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the top legislative body of the United Methodist Church gathered in Charlotte, N.C., this week for its long-awaited General Conference. There, delegates cast decisive votes on issues of gender and sexuality. We’ll have details.

And, an Ohio church is under fire AGAIN for opening its doors to shelter the homeless. We’ll take a look.

Also, Wayne Grudem, bestselling author of ‘Systematic Theology,’ is stepping away from academia after teaching for almost 50 years. That story later in the program.

But first, evangelical activists gathered followers together at Columbia University last week to show support for Israel.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Fiona André, Yonat Shimron, Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Bethany Starin, Tony Mator, Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Nancy French was not a household name in American politics because she mostly operated behind the scenes, but she was well known in the highest levels of Republican circles. She was the ghost writer for politicians and conservative celebrities, with five books she wrote making it to the New York Times Bestseller List.

But she found the Republican Party to be going down a path she could not travel, and eventually her political clients abandoned her. She continued to write, however, and she did some major investigate work on the sexual and spiritual abuse at Kanakuk, America’s largest Christian camp.

She has a new book now under her own name. It’s called Ghosted: An American Story. It’s a fascinating look at her early life of poverty and the long road to success – and some of the challenges she has had along the way.

Her new book is Ghosted: An American Story. MinistryWatch did its own investigation of Kanakuk, and you can find our stories by going to MinistryWatch.com and hitting the “Investigations” tab at the top of the page.

Just a quick note for regular listeners: We had one of our best weeks ever on the podcast, with nearly 4,000 podcast downloads in a single week, and nearly 15,000 for the month of April. If you are a regular listener, thanks for your support. If you have never rated us or left a comment on your podcast app, I’d like to encourage you to do so. Your ratings are an encouragement to me personally, and they make difference to the algorithms that help others discover us. It’s a small, non-financial way you can be a big help to the podcast. Thanks.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and editorial support from Stephen duBarry, Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, and Rod Pitzer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Arkansas pastor Steven Smith steps down after fallout from mishandling abuse allegations against a former children’s minister. We’ll have details.

Also, controversial megachurch pastors Mark Driscoll and John Lindell seemed to reconcile on stage at the Stronger Men’s Conference last week…but since then, tensions between the two leaders have only intensified. We’ll take a look.

And, how a small U-S evangelical seminary is defying the odds. While many theological schools are shrinking, this one’s enrollment numbers keep growing.

But we begin today with news of two resignations from leaders of Orange, a ministry known for hosting one of the world’s most prominent family ministry conferences which is actually being held this week in Atlanta. Orange released an official statement stating that its founder and current chief creative officer Reggie Joiner has resigned along with CEO Kristen Ivy.

I was in Lexington, Kentucky, last week, for the Evangelical Press Association annual meeting, and I’m pleased to report that my weekly column, “Editor’s Notebook,” brought home a third place prize in their annual Awards of Excellence contest. I also had the privilege of presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award – posthumously – to Joel Belz, the founder of WORLD Magazine and a friend and mentor to me.

I also want to remind everyone that this is the last week to get an important new book that we are offering to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch in April. It’s called “How I Lost $1,500,000 in Missions” by John Addink. If you are a donor to foreign missions projects, a ministry leader of a missions organization, or perhaps a pastor who supports missionaries, you should read this book. We’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Jessica Eturralde, Clayton Sidenbender, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thank you to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA Episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith has some additional thoughts about the Mark Driscoll-John Lindell controversy.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, Kim Roberts, Rod Pitzer, and Christina Darnell for additional support.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, General Episcopal Theological Seminary thought it had found a solution to its financial woes—until 7 bishops intervened, saying they didn’t want to be in partnership with a conservative. We’ll have details.

Also, controversial pastor Mark Driscoll got booted off the stage at last weekend’s Stronger Men’s Conference after calling out the conference host for his choice of entertainment opening night. And, Chuck Swindoll steps down as senior pastor of his church—but insists he’s not retiring. He’ll continue to preach the majority of the sermons. We’ll take a look.

But first, Calvin University finds itself at the center of a lawsuit with its former president.

I was in Indianapolis last week meeting with donors and others there, next week I’ll be in Lexington, Kentucky, for the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. It will be my honor to present a Lifetime Achievement Award – posthumously – to Joel Belz, the founder of WORLD Magazine and a friend and mentor to me. I won’t be able to do any donor or reader lunches in Lexington this time through, but if you plan to be at the EPA conference, I hope you’ll say hello.

I also want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “How I Lost $1,500,000 in Missions” by John Addink. If you are a donor to foreign missions projects, a ministry leader of a missions organization, or perhaps a pastor who supports missionaries, you should read this book. We’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Christopher Mann, Bethany Starin, Daniel Ritchie, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Ten years ago, Eric Metaxas was the belle of the evangelical ball. Indeed, his evangelical bona fides were nearly impeccable. Early in his career he wrote for Veggie Tales and worked for Chuck Colson. He wrote humorously but piercingly about Christian apologetics. His biography of Bonhoeffer was named the book of the year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. It sold more than a million copies and has been translated into 20 languages.

His keynote address to the National Prayer Breakfast in 2012 became a viral sensation. With great wit and rhetorical flourish, and with President Barack Obama sitting just a few feet away, he gave a passionate defense of the unborn. Eric Metaxas was becoming what many evangelicals claimed the movement needed: An intellectual Christian, someone who took the Bible and doctrine seriously, but who was also taken seriously in the secular public square.

Then, Donald Trump happened. After being initially skeptical of Trump, Eric Metaxas became a full-throated advocate on his then new Salem radio program, which was syndicated nationwide. He wrote two children’s books about Donald Trump. And, in an infamous incident caught on video, he punched an anti-Trump protester at a rally at the White House in August of 2020. Metaxas has gone on to use his radio program as a platform to have guests who promoted the notion that the 2020 presidential election was stolen and that the COVID vaccine is dangerous. His advocacy has also gotten him in legal trouble. Just last week a judge ruled that a defamation lawsuit against Metaxas and others can go forward.

All of this has caused a lot of Eric’s former friends and admirers to ask: “What happened to Eric Metaxas”? It’s a question Eric addresses in this conversation, a conversation that starts out talking about his 2022 book Letter To The American Church, which has recently been adapted to film and is showing, mostly in churches, around the country.

Thanks for listening in on my conversation with Eric Metaxas. His latest book is Letter to the American Church.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, Christina Darnell, and Kim Roberts.

I hope you’ll join me and Natasha Cowden for our roundup of the stories we’ve been working on this week here at MinistryWatch.

Until then, may God bless you.

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SHOW NOTES:

On today’s program, a proposed State Department rule could impact employment regulations for nonprofits…and some ministry leaders are voicing concern. We’ll take a look.

And, the North Carolina pastor who went viral for remarks he made from the pulpit about rape has apologized—but the controversy, which has sparked ongoing protests, caught the attention of lawmakers and inflamed the state’s debate over school vouchers. We’ll have details.

Also, Salem Media—one of the only Christian publicly traded companies—has reported a $46 million operating loss in its latest annual report. That story later in the program.

But first two Christian Colleges face legal challenges due to their names.

I was in Indianapolis this week meeting with donors and others there. If you came out to some of my meetings, thanks for hanging out with me. Special thanks to Bill Warren with FAME, a medical missions organization based in Indianapolis for showing me some Hoosier hospitality.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Cheryl Mann Bacon, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Aaron Earls, Christopher Mann, Shannon Cuthrell, Richard Levey, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle, Lifeway Research, and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT:

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha

I’m Natasha Cowden in Denver, Colorado. We’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren

On today’s program, a proposed State Department rule could impact employment regulations for nonprofits…and some ministry leaders are voicing concern. We’ll take a look.

Also, Salem Media—one of the only Christian publicly traded companies—has reported a $46 million operating loss in its latest annual report. That story later in the program.

Natasha

But first two Christian Colleges face legal challenges due to their names.

Warren:

Lubbock Christian University in Texas and newly renamed Rochester Christian University in Michigan —Both schools are associated with Churches of Christ.
Lubbock Christian University found itself in court defending the use of its LCU moniker against Louisiana Christian University, which adopted that name only two and a half years ago after more than a century as Louisiana College.

Natasha:

So what’s happening between the schools?

Warren:

A January 2023 letter to the Louisiana school stated, “Lubbock Christian University will again request an amicable discussion between our institution[s] on this matter. But we are prepared to defend our right to our trademark if necessary.”

As of January, the case had been transferred to a new judge and assigned to a magistrate for a report and recommendation.

While the parties await a ruling, both universities continue to use their LCU logos.

Natasha:

And what about the University of Rochester and Rochester University?

Warren:

Although the trademark issues in the two cases are similar, the roles are reversed.

University of Rochester, a 173-year-old, research-based university. Rochester Christian University is a much smaller and newer school.

The URLs for the two universities’ websites were mentioned repeatedly as particularly problematic, differing by only one character and leading to misdirection from search engines.

Warren:

Shortly after it was filed, the case was automatically referred for mediation. Subsequently, Rochester University announced in its Feb. 21 chapel assembly the plan to change its name to Rochester Christian University but declined to discuss the change outside that in-house announcement prior to a news release on March 8.

Natasha:

Our next story involves new rules that could limit work of Christian Humanitarian Groups.

Warren:

Several Christian ministries are raising concerns about a proposed addition to Department of State regulations that would limit the employment decisions of those accepting foreign assistance.

The Accord Network, Samaritan’s Purse, Christian Legal Society, and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention, along with others, filed an official comment about the proposed changes.

The proposal “expressly states that recipients and subrecipients receiving Department-funded foreign assistance funds must not discriminate on specified bases against end users of supplies or services (also referred to in this rule as beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries) or in certain employment decisions.”

Natasha:

These ministries agree that they should not discriminate against beneficiaries, but have serious “concerns” about the rules governing employment decisions.

Warren:

Many of these faith-based humanitarian ministries make employment decisions that are guided by religious beliefs to which they adhere.

According to the ERLC, the rules would “not allow [faith-based organizations] to consider sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in the hiring process in order to remain eligible for foreign aid funding. Hiring staff members that reflect the religious beliefs of an organization is a long-standing pillar of religious liberty protections.”

Natasha:

Can you give an example of how this could impact humanitarian aid?

Warren:

Samaritan’s Purse president Franklin Graham said, “These proposed State Department regulations could be used to force faith-based organizations like Samaritan’s Purse to hire staff who disagree with our core biblical beliefs about God’s design for marriage, sexuality, and gender in order to be eligible for government grants.”

Only about 6% of Samaritan’s Purse funding comes from government grants and even less from the State Department, Graham said.

“But with those grants, we are able to assist tens of thousands of people around the world. We do all of this without placing any conditions or requirements on the aid. We help those who are in need, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or anything else,”

Natasha:

The group of faith-based ministries are requesting some changes to the proposed rules – can you fill us in on what they are?

Warren:

First, the groups ask the regulations to state clearly that the State Department recognizes that laws such as the First Amendment, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act protect the rights of faith-based groups from the proposed employment nondiscrimination rules.

Second, rather than have a waiver process, the groups ask that a “categorical exemption” of religious organizations be adopted.

Natasha

Lets move to our next story – what can you tell us

Warren:

When an X social media account, Bad Preacher Clips, shared six-month-old video footage of Rev. Bobby Leonard, pastor of Bible Baptist Tabernacle in North Carolina seemingly excusing the rape of women who wear shorts created quite the stir in the community.

The video shows him saying “If you dress like that and you get raped and I’m on the jury, he’s gonna go free,” Leonard said in a sermon filmed on Aug. 15. “You don’t like that, do you? I’m right, though. Because a man’s a man.”

After his comments went viral, the pastor quickly changed his tune and apologized for his “foolish and sinful” words.

Nevertheless, the video sparked ongoing protests outside the self-described “independent, fundamental, baptist” church by local community members.

Natasha:

But beyond protests, this video got state attention too.

Warren:

North Carolina Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper, seized upon the outrage to fuel his war against the state’s popular Opportunity Scholarship private school voucher program. Because Leonard’s church runs a school that has received more than $3.3 million in vouchers over the last five years.

The viral video and the controversy has become big news in North Carolina because Republican lawmakers are trying to extend the voucher program.

Natasha

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, the numbers are in, and the Southern Baptist Convention lost more than 12-hundred congregations in 2022.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Our next story, the SBC loses 1,200 congregations

Warren:

According to Lifeway Research’s analysis of the 2022 Annual Church Profile of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1,253 congregations that were part of the Convention in 2021 were no longer connected in 2022.

Among the 50,423 active congregations in the Southern Baptist Convention in 2021, 2% disbanded or closed and 0.5% left or were disaffiliated from the Convention by the time the 2022 data was compiled.

Natasha:

Why are so many congregations leaving?

Warren:

Around 4 in 5 of the missing congregations (79%) disbanded/closed, leaving Southern Baptists with 984 fewer congregations.

Within that group, 813 (83%) closed. Another 136 (14%) merged into another Southern Baptist congregation. Fewer became part of a non-Southern Baptist church (17 or 2%), never got started (8 or 1%) or are now a campus of another church (10 or 1%).

228 or 18% Southern Baptist congregations either left the Convention or were disaffiliated.

Natasha:

This rate is higher than previous years

Warren:

It is. While the number of congregations who left or were disaffiliated doubled in 2022.

Natasha:

Next, Unto, Cru’s international humanitarian ministry, has initiated a fundraising campaign to feed over one million hungry children in 10 countries around the world this summer.

Warren:

Warren ad-lib: Fact checking fundraising claims.

According to a fundraising campaign email, contributions of less than $1 per day will “provide three meals to someone facing starvation.” A gift of $99 will provide 330 meals.

In addition to feeding those in need, Unto hopes to share the “message of Jesus with those who might otherwise be unreachable.”

The current meal fundraising campaign began just this week, Cru spokesperson Karen Dye explained to MinistryWatch, and has raised just over $12,000 at the time of publication.

Natasha:

How much are they trying to raise?

Warren:

The goal is to raise about $300,000 to provide one million meals, and all contributions given through the fundraising effort link will go directly toward providing meals, not to a general fund.

Natasha:

What countries are they trying to serve?

Warren:

The meals will be distributed in Zambia, Liberia, and Suriname, but Unto did not provide a list of all 10 countries where it plans to distribute meals “due to safety concerns for [their] in-country partners.”

In the MinistryWatch database, Cru earns a 3-star financial efficiency rating, a “C” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 73. We do not have a separate database entry for Unto. It does make independently audited financial reports available on its website.

Natasha:

Our next story also involves international aid – this time in Haiti.

Warren:

Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) has been working in the Haiti for 40 years and has 19 staff and hundreds of trained volunteers. Even amidst the unrest, CEF Haiti staff and volunteers were able to plan 45 Easter parties that 1,500 children attended, with 58 making professions of faith in Jesus Christ.

CEF’s mission is “to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.”

Natasha

What’s happening now?
Warren:

This week, CEF Haiti will provide training to parents and ministry to children of the estimated 100,000 Haitians in displacement camps to help them cope with the crisis.

The people of Haiti are dealing with unrest, fear, and violence and need help understanding how God can provide hope in the midst of their suffering, CEF Vice President of Global Partnership John Luck told MinistryWatch.

Natasha:

How does CEF practically fulfill its mission?

Warren:

It holds a long-term view with three essential steps: it trains nationals, equips them with ministry tools, and provides resources.

Luck said that CEF has been training Haitian nationals to minister to children for 40 years. Nationals are best positioned to carry out ministry because they already know the language and culture and will not flee the country when times get hard.

That’s an approach MinistryWatch has endorsed.

Natasha:

How can Christians here get involved?

Warren:

Luck said that Christians can pray for peace, stable leadership, and the influence of gangs to be diminished. They can also pray CEF resources are able to reach their destination without being vandalized and pray for the safety of CEF workers who are putting themselves in harm’s way to minister to children.

In the MinistryWatch database, CEF earns a 2-star financial efficiency rating, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 75, meaning donors can give with confidence.

Natasha:

Let’s look at one more story before our next break

Warren:

The pastor of the Moundville Methodist Church in Moundville, Alabama, and the church’s day care ministry director were arrested Monday on charges of Failure To Report Child Abuse and Obstruction of Governmental Investigation.

Local media reported Tuesday that Pastor Michael A. Cobb, 42, and Breanna Hope Lee, 34, neglected to report allegations of child abuse for approximately a month. Ada Jimerson, 59, was arrested on charges of child abuse and taken to Hale County Jail, and at least one more day care worker is under investigation.

Natasha:

Can you explain how the pastor was involved?

Warren:

According to Police Chief Toby Banks, the Moundville Police Department (MPD) received credible information from a reliable source April 2 about possible child abuse at the church’s day care ministry. Banks told local ABC affiliate WBMA that he spoke to Lee the next day, who said the church was preparing to fire one of the women allegedly involved in an abuse incident and, in doing so, revealed the church was already aware of a potential abuse incident but had not reported it to police.

Alabama is a must-report state where suspicion or knowledge of child abuse must be reported to law enforcement for investigation.

Natasha:

what about the woman who was accused?

Warren:

On Tuesday, April 9, Ada Jimerson, 59, was arrested on one Class C felony count of child abuse, accused with hitting children with kitchen spoons and biting children as punishment. If convicted, Jimerson could face between one and 10 years in prison and a fine up to $15,000.

Moundville Methodist Church has not publicly commented about the arrests. The church has indefinitely shut down the daycare as of April 8.

Natasha

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren

Broadcasting giant Salem Media Group (OTCQX: SALM), one of the only Christian publicly traded companies, closed 2023 with $258 million in revenue—down $8 million from 2022, driven by falling ad sales. In its latest annual report, the Texas-based company reported a $46 million operating loss with nearly $305 million in expenses. It totaled $455 million in assets, compared to $505 million a year earlier.

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

An expected rate case filing by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) could include increases of nearly 10%. This rate increase impacts us all, but it will hit non-profits who send bulk mail particularly hard. If approved, the new rates would be implemented in July.

Natasha

Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren

Alpha USA, headquartered in Illinois, recently saw its overall MinistryWatch efficiency rating fall from four stars to three.

The main reason for the drop was its fundraising costs. Its fundraising cost ratio is 11%, compared to 6% for other organizations in the same sector.

Alpha USA helps churches and other organizations host an 11-week series that explores the Christian faith. Alpha has proven to be an effective evangelism tool in many churches.

IN spite of this drop in financial efficiency, MinistryWatch Donor Confidence Score: 87 (out of a possible 100) and their Transparency Grade is an A.

Natasha

And who did Christina highlight in Ministries Making a Difference?

Warren

Hastings Church of the Nazarene in Barry County, Michigan, has become the county’s sole provider of English Language Learning classes. The rural church partnered with West Michigan Works to start classes and find students, many of whom work on local farms. Some of the first students are slated to become church members, and the church plans to offer Spanish-speaking membership classes.

Operation Blessing has deployed an International Disaster Relief team to Taiwan from its Philippines location to assess the needs of victims ravaged by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake last week that killed at least 12 people.

A team from Bethany Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey, recently partnered with Builders International to repair a church in the Bahamas that was damaged by a hurricane. Builders International, an Assemblies of God ministry, partners with missionaries around the world on construction projects, such as schools, churches, orphanages, and safe houses, and has mobilized over 200 teams in the past three years and works in 39 countries.

In November, we reported that Mission Cry was shipping a container filled with instruments to music students in Liberia along with Bibles and other supplies to a nearby seminary. At that time, Mission Cry was still waiting for the stocked container to be sponsored and shipped. Now, according to Mission Network News, the container has been safely delivered. The music students even produced a video saying thank you.

Natasha

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren

Natasha

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Cheryl Mann Bacon, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Aaron Earls, Christopher Mann, Shannon Cuthrell, Richard Levey, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle, Lifeway Research, and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, in Denver, Colorado.

Warren

And I’m Warren Smith happy to be back home in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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You’ve probably heard that you should achieve balance in your life. Perhaps you’ve heard the old saying that “No one ever said on their death-bed that they wish they had spent more time at the office.” Maybe you’ve read the popular Christian book “Half-Time” by Bob Buford, in which he said you should reach a place in your career in which you pivot from “success to significance.”

My guest today, David Bahnsen, doesn’t think much of this conventional wisdom. He says it’s not biblical, it won’t lead to joy in life, and it inadvertently perpetuates many of the problems of modern and post-modern life.

He’s written a new book about these ideas called “Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life.” We discuss this book on today’s program.

A quick note about David himself. He is the founder, managing partner, and chief investment officer of The Bahnsen Group, a national private wealth management firm with offices in California, New York, and elsewhere around the country. His firm manages $5 billion in client assets.

He has also written other books, including “Crisis of Responsibility: Our Cultural Addiction to Blame and How You Can Cure It.”

His new book is “Full Time: Work and the Meaning of Life.” And, as you just heard, it’s a book I heartily recommend.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, Christina Darnell, and Kim Roberts.

I hope you’ll join me and Natasha Cowden for our roundup of the stories we’ve been working on this week here at MinistryWatch.

Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, North Carolina Pastor Bruce Frank is joining the crowded Southern Baptist Convention presidential race. Frank was a former leader of the SBC’s abuse task force. We’ll have details. And, Bishop TD Jakes is mentioned in a lawsuit against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs—though the lawsuit does not accuse the bishop of wrongdoing. We’ll take a look. Also, another Christian college is closing its doors.

But first, North Carolina’s Pursuit Church announced this week that it fired its lead pastor over sexual misconduct.

I want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “How I Lost $1,500,000 in Missions” by John Addink. If you are a donor to foreign missions projects, a ministry leader of a missions organization, or perhaps a pastor who supports missionaries, you should read this book. We’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Bethany Starin, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Andrew Peterson is, as the old saying goes, a “man of many parts.”

I first discovered Andrew’s music in the late 1990s, when his song “Nothing to Say” first became a favorite – and it still is. I began following his musical career and quickly discovered that he had more on his mind that music. He was building a community of artists in Nashville that were slowly making something great. Musicians such as Ben Shive, Sandra McCracken, Jill Phillips, Andy Gullahorn, Andrew Osenga, and many others started collaborating on each other’s projects. Many of them became a part of Andrew’s annual “Behold The Lamb of God” tour, which has become an annual Christmas tradition for many of us. An Easter tour, called “Resurrection Letters,” just finished a 15-city run. In fact, I got to see it and hang out with Andrew here in North Carolina near the end of that tour last week.

Andrew Peterson’s creative energy has other outlets, too. His Wingfeather Saga books have sold more than a million copies, and it’s now an animated series. The second season drops this week. He also founded a non-profit organization called The Rabbit Room, with his brother Pete Peterson, a fine writer himself. The Rabbit Room hosts events and concerts and now has a headquarters in Nashville, called Northwind Manor, which has become a gathering place and work space for writers and artists of all kinds.

We talk about all of this and a lot more in this conversation I had with Andrew Peterson last week via zoom.

Though we covered a lot of territory in this interview, the “breaking news” here, as we say in the world of journalism, is that Season Two of the Wingfeather Saga just dropped from Angel Studios. If you get a chance, check it out.

The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Here at MinistryWatch we get technical, editorial, and database support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Rod Pitzer, Casey Sudduth, and Stephen duBarry.

And in the spirit of Andrew Peterson’s Resurrection Letters, let me mention that Easter is not a day, but a season, so let me wish you a happy and joyous Easter season, and – until we meet again with Natasha Cowden on Friday for our weekly news round-up…May God Bless You!

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On today’s program, an Arizona church is fighting to continue its food pantry ministry—but city zoning regulations threaten to shut it down. We’ll have details. Also, the rise in crypto currency is forcing nonprofits to consider the pros and cons of taking crypto donations. We’ll take a look. And, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability announces a new leadership standard.

But first, Adam Greenway is suing the Southern Baptist seminary he once led. Lawyers for Adam Greenway, who resigned as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in September 2022, alleged in a complaint filed Wednesday (March 20) that the school and the chair of its trustee board defamed Greenway, violated the terms of a non-disparagement agreement and made him “unemployable.” Greenway’s attorney had previously sent the school a demand letter for $5 million to settle the dispute. The school denies any wrongdoing.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Next week I’m headed to the True Charity Conference in Springfield Missouri. If you plan to be at that event, please send me and email and I’d love to connect.

I also want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “End The Reign of Pain – Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership. It’s by Rickardo Bodden, and we’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. That means we have just a few days before this offer ends. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

A Few Thank-Yous:

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, Jessica Eturralde, and Bethany Starin.

Until next time, may God bless you and Happy Easter. He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!

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This week, the podcast highlights how the lessons of Lent and Holy Week can inform the way we lead and give in this post-modern age.

To read a written version of today’s podcast episode, click here.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.

Until next time, Happy Easter. Christ is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!

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On today’s program, another person has sued the Assemblies of God and the denomination’s college ministry Chi Alpha. The victim, who is blind, claims he was sexually abused by one of the Chi Alpha leaders over the span of five years. We’ll have details.

Also, Christians are often among the first to give to humanitarian aid nonprofits when a crisis hits—but where does the money go? We talked with some of the biggest ministries, like Samaritan’s Purse and World Vision, to find out.

And, Compassion International reclassified itself as an association of church with the IRS—meaning they no longer release public form 990s. We’ll look deeper into what that means.

But first, a legal victory for Child Evangelism Fellowship after their Good News Clubs were kicked out of public schools in Providence, Rhode Island last year.

FINAL WORDS:

I also want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “End The Reign of Pain – Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership. It’s by Rickardo Bodden, and we’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Shannon Cuthrell, Clemente Lisi, Tony Mator, Eric Obernauer, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Leadership books have become a dime-a-dozen. But books that combine rigorous academic research, boots-on-the-ground leadership experience, and an understanding of scripture and church and ministry dynamics…well, those books are rare indeed.

But that’s what we have in a new book called “End The Reign of Pain: Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership.”

In this book, by Dr. Rickardo Bodden unpacks what toxic leadership is, what causes it, and how toxic leaders can de-tox and how churches and other organizations can keep themselves from becoming an incubator for toxic leaders.

Rickardo Bodden is a pastor in the Washington, D.C., area, is a retired Air Force officer, and holds a doctorate in strategic leadership. His previous book is “Leadership in the Age of Narcissism.”

By the way, I hope you will stay tuned to the end of the program. Rikkardo Bodden’s book is our donor premium for the month of March, and at the close of the show I’ll share with you how you can get a copy of Dr. Bodden’s book for yourself.

For how, though, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Rikkardo Bodden.

INTERVIEW

Thanks for hanging out with me to hear my conversation with Rikkardo Bodden.

As I mentioned at the top of the program, we’d like to put a copy of his book, “End The Reign of Pain: Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership,” in your hands. Its our thank-you gift for the month of March to anyone who gives a financial gift to MinistryWatch. To make a gift, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. We’ll get that book in the mail to you ASAP, usually in a couple of days.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and moral support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Stephen DuBarry, Casey Sudduth, and others. I hope you’ll join me and Natasha Cowden on Friday for our weekly roundup of news.

Until then, may God bless you!

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On today’s program, the American Bible Society is closing its state-of-the-art museum in Philadelphia…after spending nearly $100 million on it over the past decade. We’ll have details. Also, Texas church members support wildfire relief efforts—while also suffering losses of their own. We’ll take a look. And, Trinity International University is cutting programs and changing leadership in hopes of righting a sinking ship.But first, we revisit Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Last week, we shared about a conference the church hosted for ministry in partnership with Turning Point USA Faith. This time, the two partnered again…for an event of a different kind.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Brittany Smith, Kim Roberts, Bobby Ross Jr., Steve Rabey, Eric Obernauer, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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In the early 1950s, war had left tens of thousands of orphans in South Korea. Everett Swanson arrived there to preach the Gospel to the troops there, but he was overcome by the starving children, and he faced the question, “What are you going to do?”That question compelled Everett Swanson to start an organization that became Compassion International, now one of the largest orphan care organizations on the planet. Compassion now cares for more than 2 million children around the world.That question – “What Are You Going To Do?” – is also the name of a new book about Everett Swanson’s life. That book is by Eric Wilson and my guest today, Matt Bronleewe.Some of you may know Matt Bronleewe’s name because he was a founder of the well-known Christian rock group Jars of Clay. After leaving the group, Matt has gone on to have a successful career as a songwriter and producer, and he is now producing his first feature film.I had this conversation with Matt Bronleewe at the recent meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville. We began by talking about WHY he wanted to write this book.His new book is “What Are You Going To Do? The Inspiring Story of Everett Swanson and the founding of Compassion International.” I had this conversation with him at the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville.The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We had technical, database, and editorial support from Casey Sudduth, Kim Roberts, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Liberty University faces a record-breaking $14 million fine from the Department of Education. We’ll have details.Also, Dream City Church in Arizona partners with Turning Point USA to host a politically flavored conference for ministry leaders. Featured speakers included Eric Metaxas, Sean Feucht, and Jentezen Franklin. We’ll take a look.And, later in the program, Wycliffe Bible Translators is selling its Florida headquarters.We begin today with a look at Lifeway Christian Resources…the Nashville-based Southern Baptist entity hit a financial low in 2020…but seems to be making a comeback.FINAL THOUGHTS:I was in Texas this week meeting with donors and supporters of MinistryWatch. It was a great visit. Thanks to those of you who showed up for these events.I’ll be home for a few weeks, but in April I’m headed to the True Charity Conference in Springfield Missouri. If you plan to be at that event, please send me and email and I’d love to connect.I also want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “End The Reign of Pain – Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership.” It’s by Rickardo Bodden, and we’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Magdalena Rojo, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, Zach Rivas, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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In today’s secular, post-modern world, many Americans – even Christians – have settled for a transactional relationship with leaders in church, in government, and in our civic institutions. If those leaders give us what we want, when we want it, that’s all we ask of them.But Marvin Olasky believes that character matters when it comes to leadership. He has studied great leaders in American history, from the founding era to today, and he has written about them in a fascinating new book called “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.”Marvin Olasky probably needs no introduction to many of you. He spent nearly 30 years as editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, he served as the provost – which is the senior academic officer – for The King’s College, he was a tenured faculty member at the University of Texas, and he has served as a mentor to an entire generation of reporters and editors who are now making a difference in publications here and abroad. I should also disclose that I am one of them. Marvin has been a mentor and friend for more than 25 years. I worked for him when he was editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, I helped him revise his classic book “Prodigal Press,” and the journalism that we do here at MinistryWatch is a direct result of what I learned from Marvin.So, with that too-brief introduction, here’s my conversation with Marvin Olasky.FINAL THOUGHTS:Thanks for listening in today on my conversation with Marvin Olasky. His new book is “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.”The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, and Kim Roberts.Until then, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Calvin University’s president resigns after allegations of misconduct surface. We’ll have details. Also, T.D. Jakes Foundation announces $9 million in grants—we’ll take a look at the recipients, plus take a deeper dive into some of T.D. Jakes other business ventures. And, A-I in the pulpit. As technology advances, pastors are faced with new opportunities…and ethical considerations.We begin today with sad news out of Tanzania. A bus accident claimed 11 of missionaries serving with Youth With a Mission. Leaders of YWAM (Youth With a Mission) are rallying for support to aid logistical arrangements, including medical evacuations, repatriations and funeral arrangements.FINAL THOUGHTS:The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Fredrick Nzwili, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Heather Hahn, Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Special thanks to the United Methodist News for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I welcome back to the program Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Joining Amy is Al Fadi, who is helping to lead a bible translation project that we have been talking about for a couple of years here at MinistryWatch.More than two years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021.But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned. And that’s what we are doing today. Today I talk with Amy McClintock and Al Fadi, who are two of the leaders of this project.The very fact that Amy, Al, and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past three years or so, I’ve written about 40 articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to some of those articles in today’s show notes. I encourage you to check them out: https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/ FINAL THOUGHTS:I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.And if you donate in the month of February, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a copy of “Handling Allegations in A Ministry: Responses and Investigations.”The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.   Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, SBC leaders met this week in Nashville and announced some significant decisions. We’ll have details. Plus, a joint report from some big ministries details how persecution against Christians in Iran continues to worsen. We’ll take a look. And, our quarterly list of books worth noting.We begin today with news that the SBC is starting a new nonprofit. Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s abuse reform task force announced plans Monday (Feb. 19) to launch a new, independent nonprofit to host a database of abuse pastors called Ministry Check. But they still need the money to run it. FINAL THOUGHTS: The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Clemente Lisi, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to the Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re re-airing an episode featuring an interview I had with Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. She’s an attorney and the author of a new book Handling Allegations In A Ministry: Responses and Investigations.It’s not clear to me that we are seeing more incidents of sexual abuse in the church than in years past. But I think it is fair to say that more stories are seeing the light of day. The #MeToo Movement, which spawned the #ChurchToo movement, means that more survivors are telling their stories, and the way we handle these stories is vital for the health and healing of the survivors and for the church of Jesus Christ.Theresa Lynn Sidebotham is an attorney who focuses on misconduct response, ministry policy, and employment law. She has helped Christian ministries, churches, and religious organizations of all kinds to protect their members and response to allegations of child abuse, harassment, abuse of power, and other misconduct.I had this conversation with her last week via zoom.We’d like to put a copy of Theresa’s book in your hands. It’s our thank you gift to you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch. Just hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey—husband of popular podcaster Jamie Ivey—was fired from his church after they found evidence of explicit text messages with other men, at least one of whom was a minor. We’ll have details.Also, Abilene Christian University in Texas recently reviewed its sexuality policy in response to pushback from students and alumni…and they came back with a decision. We’ll take a look. And we have new information about the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston.Finally, Bible Study Fellowship has announced a big move, from San Antonio to Dallas. We’ll have details.We begin today with news that another woman has come forward alleging Mike Bickle—the founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City—abused her back in the 1980s when she was a teenager.FINAL THOUGHTS: The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Roxanne Stone, Clemente Lisi, Zach Rivas, Bob Smietana, Bobby Ross Jr., Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.Special thanks to the Religion UnPlugged and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, Warren Smith remembers Joel Belz, who died on Feb. 4. His legacy includes his significant impact on MinistryWatch itself.The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today's program, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee face two new lawsuits. Also, big ministries often partner with Christian music artists to encourage child sponsorship, but where does the money really go? And we have results from our January survey of ministry executives. It appears that a changing of the guard is underway.We begin today with news that Pentecostal leaders are hitting the road to influence the upcoming election.

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Naghmeh Abedini Panahi first made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then husband Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. The story of “Pastor Saeed” became a global cause celebre, and Naghmeh was its primary spokesperson.But all was not well with Saeed and Naghmeh. When she finally revealed that she had endured years-long domestic abuse by Pastor Saeed, many Christian leaders who had previously used her to draw crowds at their conferences and events would turn their backs on her. Naghmeh lost confidence in some of the best known leaders in evangelicalism, but her faith in Jesus remained strong.Her new book is I Didn’t Survive: Emerging Whole After Deception, Persecution, and Hidden Abuse. On today’s “Extra” episode we discuss this book and her journey through American evangelicalism.FINAL THOUGHTSMake a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of February and receive a copy of Handling Allegations in a Ministry as our thank you gift. Just hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, one of the big healthcare sharing ministries is suing New Mexico. We’ll have details. Plus, popular pastor Alistair Begg—whose radio program was dropped by American Family Radio last week—is standing by his advice about attending an LGBTQ wedding. We’ll explain. And, the deadline for churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church has passed…and the results are in. We’ll look at how many congregations have left.We begin today with news that a Texas dad has sued the Assemblies of God denomination, its North Texas District, and its college ministry Chi Alpha, for negligence that resulted in the sexual abuse and grooming of his son. Stephen Holt sued in a state district court in Harris County, Texas, claiming that the Assemblies of God was negligent in allowing registered sex offender Daniel Savala to have access to children and for failing to warn families about his background and the dangers he posed. FINAL THOUGHTSI’ll be in California, Colorado, Tennessee, and Texas over the next month, and if you live in those states, I’d like to meet you. Keep an eye on your inbox for invitations to lunches I’ll be holding in cities there.Also note that our donor premium for February is Handling Allegations in a Ministry by Teresa Sidebotham. To get your copy as our “thank you” for a donation in February, click here.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Zach Rivas, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Clemente Lisi, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.Special thanks to Religion Unplugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Brant Hansen has been a friend of MinistryWatch for a few years now. We’ve had him on the show before to talk about his previous books, and about some of the crazy things going on in Christian radio that we cover here at MinistryWatch.He has a new book out, and I think you’ll find it humorous and helpful – and perhaps even a bit of a “palate cleanser” to go with some of the stories we report on here at MinistryWatch.Brant is a nationally syndicated radio host and podcast of The Brant and Sherri Oddcast. He also works with CURE International, a worldwide network of hospitals that bring healing and the Good News to children with treatable conditions.FINAL WORDS:Make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of February and receive a copy of Theresa Sidebotham’s book “Handling Allegations In A Christian Ministry.” To donate, click here.The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel.Until next time, may God bless you!

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On today’s program, another Chi Alpha leader is out at the Assemblies of God college campus ministry. He was director over the regions where convicted sex offender Daniel Savala had access to students. We’ll have details.Joel Osteen is brought to tears during a Sunday service as he announces that his Houston church has paid off a 100-million dollar loan.Also, churches face fines for sheltering the homeless during brutal winter weather. More on that later in the program.We begin today with news that author and pastor Mike Breen has resigned from his role as ‘lead communicator’ at APEX Church in Ohio.FINAL THOUGHTS: MinistryWatch President Warren Smith will be in California, Colorado, Tennessee, and Texas over the next month, and if you live in those states, he’d like to meet you. Keep an eye on your inbox for invitations to lunches he will be holding in cities there.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Zach Rivas, Brittany Smith, Steve Rabey, Daniel Ritchie, Adelle M. Banks, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s episode, I would like to tell you a story. It’s the story of a lunch meeting I had 15 years ago with Mark Dever and Garrett Kell. The lessons I learned that day are lessons that continue to resonate with me and are lessons I believe the church needs to learn.On today’s program I mentioned that Garrett Kell’s daughter Eden is facing severe health challenges. To find out more, please click here.To see a written version of today’s podcast episode, click here.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Doug Wilson—the pastor who leads what some call a Reformed religious empire in Moscow, Idaho—has hired a law firm to protect himself and his organizations from defamation. We’ll have details.Also, Bishop T.D. Jakes has recently been the subject of scandalous rumors—but that hasn’t stopped him from preaching at the annual Maryland revival meetings where he’s been a guest speaker for more than 30 years. We’ll take a deeper look.And, the president of Cru…formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ…is stepping down after just four years in the office.We begin today with news that the faith-based television network T-C-T Ministries is suing four of its board members for abusing their board positions for their own financial benefits.FINAL THOUGHTS: Last week I promised to give a final accounting for our year-end fundraising. We had a year-end fundraising goal of about $117 thousand, in the months of November and December. I’m pleased to report today that we met that goal. We now have a final tally, and it is just over $149,000. To those of you who gave to MinistryWatch, let me say thank you. I’m grateful to God, and to you who read, listen to, and financially support our work.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Brittany Smith, Adelle M. Banks, Fiona André, Rod Pitzer and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you.

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This week MinistryWatch President Warren Smith walks you through some of the recent changes we’ve made to the MinistryWatch website, and why we think these changes will help us serve you better.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, Stephen DuBarry, and others.Until next time, may God bless you!

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On today’s program, one of the early members of the influential Acts 29 church planting network is leaving – and going public with its reasons. Grand Canyon University, now the nation’s largest Christian college, faces new legal challenges. And we remember Donald Wildmon, the founder of the American Family Association, who recently died at age 85.We begin today with news that the shakeup at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City continues…this time with the exit of another high level executive.FINAL THOUGHTSLast week I promised to give a final accounting for our year-end fundraising. We had a year-end fundraising goal of about $117 thousand, in the months of November and December.I’m pleased to report today that we met that goal. We still have checks coming in the mail, but it looks like we will top out at around $150,000, which is significantly above our goal.To those of you who gave to MinistryWatch, let me say thank you. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. Four years ago, just weeks after I took over at MinistryWatch, we set a year-end goal of about $15,000. To see how we’ve grown over the past four years has been humbling and gratifying. I’m grateful to God, and to you who read, listen to, and financially support our work.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Shannon Cuthrell, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Steve Rabey, and Christina Darnell..Until next time, may God bless you.

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MinistryWatch’s annual lists of highly paid executives (one for Christian ministries and one for colleges and universities), just published, are among our most read posts of the year. They also generate the most questions and comments. I’m going to take this EXTRA episode to answer some of these questions, and to ask a few of my own.You can find Kim Roberts’ article about Glory of Zion here.We’ve written about the relationship between IFCJ and evangelicals here.)You can find Warren Smith’s article about ministries who fail to file a Form 990, as well as a list of these ministries here.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention settles over a sexual abuse lawsuit against influential leader Paul Pressler. Also, right before Christmas, the International House of Prayer officially cut ties with legendary founder Mike Bickle.We have details of Taylor University’s $30 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to revitalize its local community. And we also unveil our list of the highest paid Christian ministry executives in the nation.We begin today with news that identify theft charges against Memphis pastor Steven Flockhart have been dropped.FINAL THOUGHTS:As I have said before, the end of the year is the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We needed to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $117 thousand, in the months of November and December.I’m pleased to report today that we met that goal. We still have checks coming in the mail, but it looks like we will top out at around $140,000, which is significantly above our goal.If you were able to help us reach our goal, THANK YOU. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. Four years ago, just weeks after I took over at MinistryWatch, we set a year-end goal of about $15,000. To see how we’ve grown over the past four years has been humbling and gratifying. I’m grateful to God, and to you who read, listen to, and financially support our work.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Daniel Ritchie, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Are we restoring our fallen pastors and ministry leaders too quickly? MinistryWatch’s Warren Smith things the answer to that question is “yes,” and he explains what he believes are the necessary – and biblical – steps for restoration.To read more on what he has written on this topic, click here.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the top 10 stories of the year from MinistryWatch.This list is based purely the number of page views, so in a very real sense, you could say that our readers compiled this list.However, for purposes of this podcast, I’m going to tweak with the list a bit. If you look strictly at the page views of individual stories, you get an interesting picture, but not a complete picture.For example, our #1 story of the year is an article I wrote about Lonnie Frisbee. That story got more than 100,000 page views this year. But it was not really a breaking news story. It was a story that I wrote years ago, but which people who saw the movie “Jesus Revolution” found when they went searching for Lonnie Frisbee’s name. He played a prominent role in that story.But if you look at #2, you’ll see the story of former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz, who had a very public scandal two years ago, but is now on staff in a church in Oklahoma. And if you keep scrolling down the list, to #18, you will find another Hillsong story, the story of Hillsong founder Brian Houston’s daughter and son-in-law resigning from the ministry in protest.And MinistryWatch did a total of more than two dozen stories about Hillsong in 2023. Only two of these stories made the top 25, but most of them were in the top 100 stories of the year. To my way of thinking that makes Hillsong the number one MinistryWatch story of 2023.So while Lonnie Frisbee’s story came out to be #1 in page views, you’re naming the ongoing scandal at Hillsong the #1 story of the year.And it also means that while the list we publish on our website has 25 individual articles, today we’re going to do a list of the top 10 stories of the year, some of which we covered with multiple articles.FINAL THOUGHTSIf you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I’d like to acknowledge all the writers who had stories in the Top 25 list this year. They include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Phil Cooke, you, Warren.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a bizarre story out of Haiti. Haitian gangs are using churches to smuggle arms into the country. We’ll explain how that scheme works.And a church in Alabama has to pay back nearly a half-million dollars given to it a decade ago because the man who gave the gift has now declared bankruptcy. And this church is not alone. We’ll have details.Later in the program, we look at the popular bible app YouVersion. It’s released its annual list of the most searched Bible verses of the year.We begin today with news that an engineer for one of the nation’s largest Christian broadcasters has been sued over misappropriation of funds.The Association of Professional Radio Engineers (APRE) has filed a suit against Shane Toven, a senior broadcast engineer employed by Educational Media Foundation. Educational Media Foundation is the parent company of the K-Love radio network.FINAL THOUGHTSAs I have said before, we are in the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $117 thousand, in the months of November and December. We just passed the $78,000 mark, so we are about 2/3 of the way there. Which is great. But we have less than 10 days to go.If you’ve already given, THANK YOU. If you have not, I hope you will prayerfully consider a gift to MinistryWatch before year-end.And, of course, MinistryWatch is not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Steve Rabey, Tim Padgett, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to WLRN for contributing material for this week’s podcast..Until next time, may God bless you.

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Dr. Russell Moore is editor in chief of “Christianity Today” and previously served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.Today we discuss his new book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call For Evangelical America.”The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Casey Sudduth, and Stephen DuBarry.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Brian Houston of Hillsong infamy is starting a new church. We ask: is it too soon? Also on today’s program: Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer Kansas City has apologized for past behaviors, sort of.We also have an update on the lawsuit against prosperity gospel preacher David Taylor. We finally have a court date. Finally, American Life League has published a list of which non-profit organizations you should not support based on their abortion positions. Some of the ministries on the list may surprise you.We begin today with news from one of the largest Southern Baptist churches in the state of Arkansas.FINAL THOUGHTS:As I have said before, we are in the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $117 thousand, in the months of November and December. We just passed the $66,000 mark, so we are over half-way there. If you’ve already given, THANK YOU. If you have not, I hope you will prayerfully consider a gift to MinistryWatch before year-end.And, of course, MinistryWatch is not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Brittany Smith, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we have Tim Alberta. Tim writes for The Atlantic and is the author of a new book that I think will likely cause shock waves in the public conversation about evangelicalism and its relationship to politics.FINAL THOUGHTS:Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, former Hillsong Atlanta pastors announce their divorce on social media. We’ll have details. And a judge rules that World Vision is liable for discrimination after rescinding a job offer after discovering a woman was in a same-sex marriage. Plus, both David C Cook and Museum of the Bible announce new CEOs. We’ll take a look.We begin today with news that the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia has ousted its pastor Liam Goligher. Although Goligher is no longer pastoring the influential church—associated with the Presbyterian Church in America—some critics are asking what took so long.FINAL THOUGHTSWe are in the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $116 thousand, in the months of November and December. We just passed the $60,000 mark, so we are over half-way there. If you’ve already given, THANK YOU. If you have not, I hope you will prayerfully consider a gift to MinistryWatch before year-end.And, of course, MinistryWatch is not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Brittany Smith, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.Until next time, may God bless you.

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The story of the Gaderene Demoniac in Mark 5 is one of my favorite stories. In a celebrity soaked age, it has lessons for pastors and ministry leaders. I identify five of them.By the way, if you’d like to read this episode, complete with links mentioned today, click here.FINAL THOUGHTS:The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get technical, database, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Casey Sudduth, and Stephen DuBarry.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, New York opened a one-year window to allow adult abuse survivors to file lawsuits that were barred by the statute of limitations—that window closed on Thanksgiving Day. We’ll have an update. And we’ll look at a recent statement by the International House of Prayer in Kansas City about its investigation into its founder Mike Bickle. Also, religious groups are no longer the most trusted charities, according to a recent report by the Better Business Bureau. We’ll have details later in the program. We begin today with news that Crandall University has fired its professor of religious studies for sexual misconduct.FINAL THOUGHTS:The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Brittany Smith, Kim Roberts, Fiona André, Shannon Cuthrell, Jessica Eturralde, and Rod Pitzer.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Any assessment of Contemporary Christian Music in the 1980s and 90s would have to include the name Steve Camp. His first national release, “Sayin’ It With Love,” topped the then fledgling Christian charts in 1978, 45 years ago. He put out a steady stream of top selling albums and singles for the next 20 years.But in 1998 he did something that amplified his influence far beyond the Christian music scene. While on tour in Europe, he visited the church where Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, an event that many say ushered in the Reformation. Camp sent out his own 107 theses on Reformation Day (October 31), 1998, calling for a reformation in contemporary Christian music: calling Christian musicians to make direct, uncompromising music that confronts the world with the message of the scriptures.Camp’s 107 Theses was widely covered at the time in Christian media, and some of the ideas he introduced are being hotly debated even today. So when I heard that Steve Camp had a new album out, his first in more than 15 years, I could not resist the opportunity to have a chat with him. We talk about his new album, “Neighbors in an Age of Rage,” and his work as a pastor of a church in Florida.By the way, you can find Steve Camp’s 107 Theses here.FINAL THOUGHTSIf you enjoy interviews such as this, please consider supporting MinistryWatch. I’m recording this on “Giving Tuesday,” and I know that many of you will be supporting us today. I’m grateful for that. But please know that our needs go on year-round, and we’d love to hear from you any time. In fact, I have a special challenge for you today. This year is the 25thanniversary of MinistryWatch, and we are hoping that 100 people will help us celebrate by making a commitment of $25 per month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page, and we’ll have a way there for you to make a recurring $25 per month contribution. That would be a huge help to us as we end 2023 and begin the new year.The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Stephen duBarry, and Casey Sudduth.Until next time – may God bless you.

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During the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, you will compelling, even heartbreaking, appeals for funds.One of them came to me from Prison Fellowship Ministries. It began: “Bibles are desperately needed in America’s prisons. Every gift you give will put Bibles and Christian content into the hands of a waiting prisoner.”But is that true?We tried to find out, and our search highlights the fact that donors to Christian ministries need to give generously, but also wisely. In this episode of the MinistryWatch podcast, we highlight some of the questions we ask, and suggest that you should be asking them too.FINAL WORDS:The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Kim Roberts,Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the International House of Prayer in Kansas City has stripped its founding leader Mike Bickle of his duties pending a formal investigation into allegations of clergy sexual abuse. We’ll have details. Also, Bible publishers—are they stewards of God’s Word…or profiteers? We take a closer look. Then, later in the program, church switchers share the reasons behind their congregational change.We begin today with news that pastor and author Scott Sauls has resigned from leadership at his Nashville megachurch.FINAL THOUGHTSI do want to mention to our listeners that we are in the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $110 thousand, before the end of the year, and we need to raise about $40,000 of that this month alone.We have Giving Tuesday coming up the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. That’s November 28. And I hope those of you who are listening to this will prayerfully consider making a gift to us on that day.And, of course, MinistryWatch is not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Jon Here, Aaron Earls, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs) are the heart and soul of the pro-life movement. They provide compassionate care to women and babies in more than 3000 locations across the U.S. The pro-life movement, in its pursuit of political victories, should not forget that if it wants to change not just laws, but the hearts and minds of Americans.

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On today’s program, California pastor Gavin Ortlund is leaving to focus on his YouTube Ministry Truth Unites. We’ll have details. Also, PragerU a conservative media organization known for its 5-minute videos on hot button cultural issues, has grown from $10 million in revenue to $65 million in just five years. We’ll look at why. And we have the next article in our series of stories based on our quarterly survey of ministry leaders.We begin today with news that a Memphis pastor—who was also a former contestant on both American Idol and The Voice—has been arrested for stealing someone’s identity and money. Steven Flockhart, pastor of 901 Church in Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested last week on one count of identity theft and one count of theft of merchandise between $2,500 and $10,000.FINAL THOUGHTS:I do want to mention to our listeners that we are entering the most critical time of the year for Christian ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $110 thousand, before the end of the year, and we are not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Daniel Ritchie, Michele Chabin, Rod Pitzer and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Last year, SBC President Bart Barber signed an amicus brief that was submitted to the Kentucky Supreme Court that argued against statute of limitations reform. The reforms that the SBC argued against were precisely the reforms that many sex abuse survivors want and have been working for in Kentucky and around the country. Bart Barber ultimately apologized for that action.Today, I offer a few thoughts about the chain of events that let to that apology.As I mentioned in today’s episode, I did an in-depth interview with Bart Barber. You can find it by clicking on the highlighted link.Thanks to Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel for producing today’s program. We get technical, database, and editorial support from Casey Sudduth, Stephen DuBarry, Kim Roberts, and Christina Darnell.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the leader of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Mike Bickle, has been accused of sexual abuse spanning decades. Also, Grand Canyon University—the largest Christian university in the U-S—is facing record fines after a federal probe that claims the school lied to students about the cost of degrees. And, we have compiled a list of the largest Christian ministries in the U-S.We begin today with news that Kanakuk Kamps is suing its insurer over breach of contract.FINAL THOUGHTS:I do want to mention to our listeners that we are entering the most critical time of the year for Chrisitan ministries, including MinistryWatch, when it comes to fundraising. We need to raise about a quarter of our budget, about $110 thousand, before the end of the year, and we are not alone. Some ministries raise 30 or 40 percent of their budgets during the last two months of the year.If you’d like to help us reach our year-end goal, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. But whether you give to us or not, we hope you will use our database to help you make giving decisions. And that you will give wisely and generously during this season.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jesse Jackson, Rod Pitzer and Collin Binkley.A special thanks to ChurchLeaders for contributing material for this week’s program.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we write from time to time about sexual sin, scandal, and brokenness. It has been my experience that many of these stories have pornography as one component of the story. It is also apparent that pornography has become something of a secret sin among church and ministry leaders. Some surveys have found that as many as 50 percent of church leaders have some involvement with pornography. Other studies say that a child’s first involvement with pornography can start as early as age 9.Because these facts are, unfortunately, a part of the current cultural moment, I’ve read a good bit about the topic, but I’ve not read anything as wise and helpful as Sam Black’s “The Healing Church: What Churches Get Wrong About Pornography, and How To Fix It.”Sam Black believes that churches should places of healing, and he offers both theological and practical advice for church leaders, ministry leaders, those struggling to stop using porn, and those who want to fortify themselves so they never start.Sam Black is the director of recovery education for Covenant Eyes, a software program that provides help and accountability for those who want to avoid online pornography. Prior to joining Covenent Eyes in 2007, he made his living as a journalist.FINAL THOUGHTS:A couple of quick thoughts before we go. First, if you found value in today’s program, please share it with a friend. Secondly, just a quick reminder that MinistryWatch is a donor supported ministry. We take no money from the ministries we cover, we don’t put ads on our site, and we don’t have one of those annoying paywalls. If you would like to support us in our work, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program. We get technical, database, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Casey Sudduth, and Stephen DuBarry.

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On today’s program, Christian attorney Jenna Ellis pleads guilty for her role in attempting to overturn election results in Georgia in 2020. We’ll have details. Also, Korean churches are leaving the United Methodist Church—but not without difficulty. And a Texas seminary has big changes ahead…we’ll share more later in the program.We begin today with news that the former president of Southwestern Theological seminary Adam Greenway is threatening the school with a $5 million lawsuit. Adam Greenway, who resigned as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) in September 2022, is reportedly threatening to sue the Texas-based institution for $5 million. According to The Tennessean, Greenway’s attorney, Andrew Jones, sent a demand letter to the seminary last month, claiming that SWBTS damaged Greenway’s reputation and his ability to seek further employment.FINAL THOUGHTS:First, we posted the quarterly results of our Ministry Executive survey on the website this week. The findings suggest that ministry leaders remain optimistic about the year ahead, but cite fundraising as their biggest concern. That’s a shift from quarters past, when finding qualified employees was the top concern. There’s a lot of new data in this quarter’s survey, and if you are ministry leader, I encourage you to check it out here.I also want to remind you that MinistryWatch has published a booklet called “75 Red Flags To Consider Before Donating To A Christian Ministry.” We’ll send you that booklet as our thank you for any gift to MinistryWatch during the month of October. This is a great tool for Christian donors. We use the questions in this booklet every day here at MinistryWatch to help us evaluate ministries.To get your copy, just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Stephanie Martin, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to Church Leaders for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA episode, I’m sharing a conversation I had recently with Collin Hansen. Collin is editor in chief at The Gospel Coalition, and he is the author of an intellectual biography of Tim Keller called “Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation.”I think it’s fair to call Tim Keller the “Accidental Celebrity.” When he went to New York City to found Redeemer Presbyterian Church in the 1980s, a clear-eyed assessment of his chances for success would have placed that number very low. He didn’t do any of the things that wannabe celebrities would have done. He didn’t have a radio or TV program. He wasn’t a fiery orator. No rock band. Yet over the years, the church grew. In fact, it grew to the point that some call Redeemer, and Tim Keller himself, among the most influential churches and church leaders of the past half-century.Collin Hansen has been a friend and colleague of Tim Keller for decades, and he augmented his personal experience with first-rate research to produce the book we will be discussing today.I want to mention that I did an interview with Tim Keller just before he died, and you can find that interview here:https://ministrywatch.com/a-conversation-with-tim-keller/I also wrote an appreciation of Tim just after he died, and you can find a link to that article here:https://ministrywatch.com/editors-notebook-remembering-redeemer-presbyterian-churchs-early-days/Thanks for joining us today for this special episode of the MinistryWatch podcast. If you enjoy this podcast, there are a few things you can do to help us grow. First, leave us a rating, share a review, post a link to this conversation on social media, or – if you’re old school – just tell a friend. However, you do it, please know that I’m grateful, and your efforts really do make a difference in helping us grow.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get technical, editorial, and administrative support here at MinistryWatch from Christina Darnell and Casey Sudduth.Until next time…May God Bless You!

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On today’s program, the family charged with using a fake church to promote its fake COVID cure has been sentenced. We’ll have details. Also, Tim Ballard—the hero behind the anti-trafficking movie Sound of Freedom—has himself been sued for sexual assault. And, our MinistryWatch guide for giving to relief efforts in Israel.We begin today with news that Tommy Nelson, the best-selling author and long-time pastor of Denton Bible Church in Dallas, has announced plans for his retirement.FINAL THOUGHTS:It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for our donors. MinistryWatch has published a booklet called “75 Red Flags To Consider Before Donating To A Christian Ministry.” We’ll send you that booklet as our thank you for any gift to MinistryWatch during the month of October. This is a great tool for Christian donors. We use the questions in this booklet every day here at MinistryWatch to help us evaluate ministries.To get your copy, just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Jack Jenkins—and you, Warren.Until next time, may God bless you.

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“Christianity Today” and “The Daily Wire” Provide Teachable MomentAn article in the “Daily Wire” about the political contributions of “Christianity Today” staffers offer Christians a lesson in how to – and how not to – engage in truthful and fair public discourse.You can find the “Daily Wire” article here:https://ministrywatch.com/ministrywatch-guide-to-giving-to-support-israel/You can find MinistryWatch President Warren Smith’s article about this “dust up” here:https://ministrywatch.com/dust-up-between-christianity-today-and-daily-wire-provides-a-teachable-moment/The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at legal and verbal assaults on Pregnancy Resource Centers in California and New Jersey. Famous Christian apologist responds to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability’s decision to terminate his membership. And a new report says churches and ministries kept more than $7 billion in Payroll Protection Plan funds. We’ll look at some of the details. We also look at a report from the Department of Education about Liberty University. The report says they may have underreported campus assault incidents. We begin today with an update on a story we’ve been covering for a while—a Minnesota youth pastor accused of sexually assaulting multiple teenage girls has been arrested.FINAL THOUGHTS:MinistryWatch has published a booklet called “75 Red Flags To Consider Before Donating To A Christian Ministry.” We’ll send you that booklet as our thank you for any gift to MinistryWatch during the month of October. This is a great tool for Christian donors. We use the questions in this booklet every day here at MinistryWatch to help us evaluate ministries.To get your copy, just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Paul Clolery, Tom Campisi, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.A special thanks to Tom Campisi of the Tri-State Voice and to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular readers of MinistryWatch (or listeners to this podcast) likely already appreciate the value of hard-hitting, truth-seeking journalism. But in this episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith goes deep into this topic with Christianity Today’s News Editor Daniel Silliman.Indeed, you might even call today’s episode an apologia for Christian journalism with one of its master craftsmen.That master craftsman, Daniel Silliman, has been at Christianity Today since 2019. He got his start as a crime reporter in the Atlanta area. He also holds a doctorate in American Studies from the University of Heidelberg. He’s the author of the 2021 book Reading Evangelicals: How Christian Fiction Shaped a Culture and a Faith.One more quick note before we dive into the interview: I refer a couple of times to a podcast interview Daniel did with “The Upwords Podcast.” It’s an excellent interview, and I commend it to you. You can find that podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-impact-of-journalism-daniel-silliman/id1537044590?i=1000628242068FINAL THOUGHT:Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program. We get technical, database, and editorial support from Casey Sudduth, Christina Darnell, and Stephen DuBarry.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the 50 largest evangelism and discipleship organizations in the nation. We also have details regarding the suspension of celebrity pastor Albert Tate. And the state of California has sued pregnancy care centers in the state. The lawsuit could have chilling effect on pregnancy resource centers around the country.And do you remember Mark Driscoll, the disgraced former pastor of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church? Well, he’s back, and we’ll fill you in what he’s been up to.We begin today with Andy Stanley’s controversial conference Unconditional Love, which took place at Stanley’s North Point Church near Atlanta last weekend. FINAL THOUGHTS:It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for our donors. MinistryWatch has published a booklet called “75 Red Flags To Consider Before Donating To A Christian Ministry.” We’ll send you that booklet as our thank you for any gift to MinistryWatch during the month of October. This is a great tool for Christian donors. We use the questions in this booklet every day here at MinistryWatch to help us evaluate ministries.To get your copy, just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Liz Lykins, Chris Moody, John Stonestreet, Timothy Padgett, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and Breakpoint with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Julian Simon’s name does not mean much to many Christians today, but it should. Julian Simon understood “the long game” when it came to public discourse. He knew that it was important not merely to win political victories, but to win hearts and change minds. It’s a lesson that ministry leaders and donors who want to make a difference would do well to remember.

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On today’s program, a Methodist nonprofit in New Jersey is embroiled in a religious liberty battle with local government over beach access. We’ll have details. Also, an Assemblies of God pastor speaks out against Chi Alpha, the denomination’s college campus ministry that’s currently knee deep in a sexual abuse scandal. And, a new study shows that Southern Baptist churches are growing in the Northeast…but does it tell the whole story?We begin today with positive news — 11 evangelical colleges across the country have announced record enrollment this fall.Most of you will be listening to this on Friday or Saturday, which means we are at the very end of the month of September, and that means you have only hours left to get a copy of my book “Restoring All Things,” which we’re sending to everyone who makes a gift to MinistryWatch during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you’ll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world.Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Clemente Lisi, Dale Chamberlain, Kathryn Post, Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged, ChurchLeaders, and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Do women or men make most of the giving decisions in evangelical households? That’s one of many questions Ron Sellers and Grey Matter Research asked in their most recent survey.In this conversation, we hit the highlights of his study. But if you want to know more, click here.The producers for today’s program are Jeff Mcintosh and Rich Roszel. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, and Casey Sudduth.Until next time, God bless you.

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On today’s program, new conflicts between Liberty University and Jerry Falwell, Jr. Now his brother Jonathan Falwell is in the mix. Andy Stanley, the pastor of Northpoint Church in Atlanta, is facing criticism for hosting a conference that many observers say affirms homosexuality.Plus, the Episcopal Church continues its decades-long decline, we’ll have facts and numbers. And the Southern Baptist’s leaders met last week in Nashville, and – well – things are still a mess. We’ll have a report.We begin today with news that Sen. Chuck Grassley wants to investigate the Christian ministry World Vision.FINAL THOUGHTS:It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for donors. This month, we’ll be sending a copy of my book “Restoring All Things” to you if you make a gift of any size during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you’ll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world.Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.And THANKS to all of you who attended our webinar this week. How to Find and Read A Form 990. It was a lively discussion, and we’ll do it again soon.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Yonat Shimron, Daniel Ritchie, Jeffrey Walton, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to the Institute for Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today’s EXTRA episode is based on Warren Smith’s “Editor’s Notebook” column, which you can find here.To hear Robertson McQuilkin in the YouTube video I mentioned in the podcast, click here.The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel.I’m Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.Editor’s Note: This episode and the original “Editor’s Notebook” column are based on an article written by Warren Smith in 2017 for The Colson Center’s Breakpoint.org website.

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On today’s program, a former executive at the American Family Association is suing for alleged sexual harassment. We’ll have details. Also, an annual conference founded by the hymn-writing duo Keith and Kristyn Getty pushes back on the spread of megachurch music. We’ll take a look. And tips for Christians wanting to give to disaster relief ministries providing aid in Morocco following a devastating earthquake last week. We include a list of ministries with high ratings in the MinistryWatch database.FINAL THOUGHTS:It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for donors. This month, we’ll be sending a copy of my book “Restoring All Things” to you if you make a gift of any size during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you’ll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.And we’ll be doing another webinar on Sept. 20. How to Find and Read A Form 990. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up. Watch your in-box for a sign-up link.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Chris Moon, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to the Christian Standard and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Tim Tebow, Florida Baptists, and “Jesus Calling”

On today’s program, Tim Tebow’s foundation is fighting human trafficking, and the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church is responding to allegations that he has not done enough to deal with sexual abuse claims. And the Southern Baptists of Florida have released a report explaining how $700-thousand was stolen. The report finds no wrongdoing on the part of the staff, but recommends safeguards that all Christian ministries should pay attention to.

We begin today with news that Sarah Young, the controversial author of the publishing phenomenon “Jesus Calling,” has died at age 77. “Jesus Calling” has sold more than 40 million copies. It’s author diedThursday (Aug. 31) after struggling for years with chronic illness and Lyme Disease. News of the Nashville native’s death, first reported by Christianity Today, came a day after Publisher’s Weekly reported that the author’s health was “rapidly failing.”

FINAL THOUGHTS:

It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for donors. This month, we’ll be sending a copy of my book “Restoring All Things” to you if you make a gift of any size during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you’ll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world.

Just hit the donate button at the top of the page.

And we’ll be doing another webinar on Sept. 20. How to Find and Read A Form 990. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up. Watch your in-box for a sign-up link.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Tim Tebow, Florida Baptists, and “Jesus Calling”

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Just hit the donate button at the top of the page.

And we’ll be doing another webinar on Sept. 20. How to Find and Read A Form 990. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up. Watch your in-box for a sign-up link.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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For the past four years, MinistryWatch has an annual list of the 50 largest Christian colleges and universities in the nation. This year’s list published today, and you can find it here. In today’s EXTRA episode, Warren Smith discusses this list and explains how we can solve the Christian higher education crisis with one simple fix: Christian parents, don’t send your kids to secular schools.

The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a closer look at a Christian college offering courses to prisoners raises more questions than answers. Plus, a new LifeWay study suggests that prosperity gospel beliefs are on the rise among churchgoers. We’ll have those details later in the program. And thieves swipe a massive air conditioner unit of an Atlanta church…in the sweltering heat of summer.

We begin today with news that Virginia Beach Pastor John Blanchard has had his criminal record expunged after he was arrested a couple years back in an underage prostitution sting. Blanchard is the lead pastor of Rock Church International in Virginia Beach, and he was one of 17 men arrested in October 2021. Each of the men corresponded with undercover detectives posing as minors and set up a time and place to meet for sex. They were all arrested on site at those meeting places, including Blanchard. Just two days after his arrest, Blanchard led worship at his church. It wasn’t until his arrest became public that he stepped away from church duties temporarily.

FINAL THOUGHTS: It’s a new month, and we have a new gift for donors. This month, we’ll be sending a copy of my book “Restoring All Things” to you if you make a gift of any size during the month of September. I wrote this book with my friend and former Colson Center colleague John Stonestreet, and I think you’ll find it to be a blessing. It highlights how God is using ministries and individuals to make a positive difference in the world.

Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Cheryl Mann Bacon, Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, and Marissa Postell Sullivan.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times, The Christian Chronicle, ChurchLeaders, and LifeWay Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention sees another leader resign in scandal…and names a new interim replacement. Also, Pulse Outreach—an evangelistic megaministry geared to young adults—claims they reached 300 million people with the Gospel…but won’t share how they GOT that number. We’ll get into all that later in the program. We begin today with news that a Christian relief ministry is accusing Bank of America of discriminating against them based on their religious beliefs. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Eric Obernauer, Michele Chabin, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today’s podcast is based on this week’s “Editor’s Notebook” column, which you can find here. In today’s episode I mention Dr. Jean Twenge’s 2017 article in The Atlantic magazine. That article is “Has The Smart Phone Destroyed A Generation?” You can read that article here. I also mentioned Kathy Koch’s book Screens and Teens. You can get a copy of that book here. The producers of today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Kim Roberts, and Stephen Dubarry. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Multnomah University in Portland, Oregon, drops its requirement that all students sign a statement of faith. We’ll have details. Also, an update on sexual abuse within the Chi Alpha college ministry—victims are sharing their stories on a newly created website forum…and a church is threatening to sue if some of the comments aren’t removed. Plus, giving to disaster relief organizations working in Maui—we’ll tell you who we recommend…and who we don’t. We begin today with news that the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability has terminated the membership of the Ankerberg Theological Research Institute—or A-T-R-I—the producer of the popular apologetics program “The John Ankerberg Show.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Jessica Eturralde, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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A new survey from The Barna Group purports to highlight differences in giving levels between older givers and younger givers. But a closer look indicates that they may just have different priorities. Read the original Barna study here. Read Warren Smith’s reflections on it here.

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On today’s program, a judge has upheld Josh Duggar’s conviction on child pornography charges, and a prominent Austin church that had been started by the Anglican Church of North America has decided it’s too liberal for that denomination, and has decided to affiliate with the Episcopal Church. Plus, a couple of new studies indicate that giving to Christian ministries could be down in the coming year. We begin today with news that a former trustee of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is calling for a forensic audit of the school. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Paul Clolery, Bob Smietana, BeLynn Hollers, Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The U.S. is debating the reauthorization of PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief. The 20-year-old government program has now spent more than $85 billion. PEPFAR has been championed by evangelicals, and evangelical ministries have been major beneficiaries of funding. But should funding continue? Some conservative and evangelical groups are saying no, and others say that new restrictions should be placed on the program to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not fund abortion or abortion-adjacent programs. In today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we look at some of the issues. This episode is based on Warren Smith’s “Editor’s Notebook” column that you can find here.

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On today’s program, a former president of a Southern Baptist state convention is being investigated for sex crimes. Also on today’s program, Biblica. The organization formerly known as the International Bible Society has seen a remarkable comeback, and we’ll take a closer look. We also examine a ministry in Arkansas that is helping kids who age out of the foster care system. It’s a huge problem in this country, and they may have a solution. We begin today with news that Jerry Falwell Jr. has sued Liberty University…again. FINAL THOUGHTS

Just a reminder that MinistryWatch is a donor supported organization, and if you make a gift during the month of August, you’ll receive a digital subscription to WORLD Magazine. A digital subscription to WORLD would cost you more than $50 if you went to their website, but you get decide how much you want to give, though of course we hope you’ll be generous. Just go to MinistryWatch and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Paul Clolery, Adelle M. Banks, Jessica Eturralde, Rafa Oliveira, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Jack Jenkins, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Every month or six weeks MinistryWatch President Warren Smith drops a short episode updating our listeners on what’s going on at MinistryWatch. On today’s episode he fills you in on some of our recent initiatives, what to expect in the next month, and he includes a financial update. So if you’re one of those folk who want an “insider’s peek” at what’s happening at MinistryWatch, today’s episode is for you. The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We get technical, editorial, and other support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Stephen Dubarry, and Kim Roberts. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Tim Ballard—hero of the hit movie ‘Sound of Freedom’—has been removed from two nonprofits, one of which is Operation Underground Railroad. We’ll have details. Also, the Bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates is asking for big donations, but giving few details on how they plan to use the money. And, tips for donors wanting to give to anti-trafficking ministries. We begin today with news from Texas, as the debate over women pastors has now moved to the state level. Delegates to the Baptist General Convention of Texas adopted a statement last week urging its staff to affirm women in “ministerial and leadership roles.” FINAL THOUGHTS:

Just a reminder that MinistryWatch is a donor supported organization, and if you make a gift during the month of July, you’ll receive a copy of my book Faith-Based Fraud: Learning From The Great Religious Scandals of our Time as our thank-you gift. Just go to MinistryWatch and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

We’ve got just a couple of days left in the month, and we’re a few thousand dollars short of our goal, so if you’ve been thinking about a gift, now would be a great time.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adelle Banks, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Give locally. Before you send money off to a national organization that is taking in tens of millions of dollars, see if there’s a ministry in your community. My experience is that there likely is. Investigate that ministry first. Big ministries can afford slick marketing. Don’t be seduced. Do your research. MinistryWatch tracks the 1000 largest ministries in the nation here. Many of the largest trafficking organizations are there. But, as I said above, most of the local ministries are too small to make it onto our list. To learn about these ministries, use the ProPublica website, here. Volunteer. Local ministries usually need volunteers to work with the people they serve. Many of them offer volunteer training that will help you understand how to be more effective in your work for them, but which also educate you about the human trafficking problem in your area. Give to Christian organizations. Many of the organizations involved in sex trafficking are not Christian groups. For example, neither OUR or IJM are explicitly Christian organizations, though IJM does have many Christians (including its founder, Gary Haugen) on staff. Some of them do good work, but without bringing Scripture and a biblical worldview to this problem, we are likely not providing lasting help. I make no apologies for recommending that you give to and advocate for explicitly Christian organizations. Pray and Give. Don’t let negative headlines freeze or frustrate you into inaction. View the negative headlines as a gift, steering you away from the bad actors and toward the good actors. Human trafficking is a scourge, a horrible scourge in this beautiful but broken world. But it is the job of Christians to be restorers, reconcilers, repairers of the breach. Local human trafficking ministries are a great place to start. The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen Dubarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we discuss a BBC investigation that calls into question some of the so-called child “rescues” in West Africa initiated by the International Justice Mission. Also, financial troubles continue to plague Christian publisher David C. Cook. We’ll have details. And we’ll take a look at the latest state measures that could undermine donor privacy. We begin today with news of popular worship leader Matt Redman. He took to social media last week, saying that he and his wife had both suffered what he called “harmful behavior and mistreatment” by UK pastor Mike Pilavachi. Final Thoughts: Just a reminder that MinistryWatch is a donor supported organization, and if you make a gift during the month of July, you’ll receive a copy of my book Faith-Based Fraud: Learning From The Great Religious Scandals of our Time as our thank-you gift. Just go to MinistryWatch and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Meagan Saliashvili, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Steve Rabey, Daniel Ritchie, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I welcome back to the program Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Two years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called LinguaLinx. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021.

But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Last year, for example, I checked in with Amy and her predecessor in her role Jane Schoen, in both January and August of last year, and in January of this year, to get updates on the project. And that’s what we are doing today.

The very fact that Amy and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past three years or so, I’ve written about 30 articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to some of those articles in today’s show notes. I encourage you to check them out. I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you donate in the month of July, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a copy of my book “Faith Based Fraud: Learning From The Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” To donate, click here. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.   Until next time, may God bless you.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Program

Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest:

When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/

Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/

Translation Service Providers Could Be Paradigm Changing – August 5, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/translation-service-providers-could-be-paradigm-changing-for-bible-translation-industry/

Just How Broken Is The Bible Translation Industry – September 21, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/just-how-broken-is-the-bible-translation-industry/

Outsourcing Bible Translation? – January 17, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/outsourcing-bible-translation/

List of 50 Largest Bible Translation and Missions Organizations – May 2, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/outsourcing-bible-translation/ Translating The Bible in a New Way: A Conversation with Jane Schoen – August 10, 2022 https://ministrywatch.com/ep-202-translating-the-bible-in-a-new-way-a-conversation-with-jane-schoen/

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On today’s program, a pastor and the brother of the Rev. Al Sharpton is in legal trouble again. We look at Operation Underground Railroad, the organization on which the new movie “Sound of Freedom” is based. We also begin a series on ministries that are working with kids who have aged out of the foster care system. We begin today with news of yet another Christian college shutting its doors. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rafa Oliveira, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Hello, everyone. Warren Smith here, coming to you from Newport Beach, California, where I’m attending a conference on Bible translation. If you listened to our recent podcast EXTRA episode titled “Just How Broken Is The Bible Translation Industry,” you know that I have a lot to say on this topic. We’ve written nearly 50 stories on this topic in the past two years. But the group I’m meeting with this week is all about solutions, and I hope to be bringing a Part 2 to this story – “How To Fix The Bible Translation Industry” – in the next few weeks. We’re able to do the kind of reporting because of the support of people like you. We send our daily emails out to 160,000, but did you know that less than 3,000 people have ever given us donations. That’s less than 2 percent. If you are one of those people, I want to say thank you. And if you are among those who have not, would you consider a gift this week? June 30 is our fiscal year end, and we’ve set an ambitious goal of $25,000 to celebrate our 25thanniversary. We’ve had a lot of great responses, but we still have a ways to go. As of Tuesday morning, were at about $17,000, so that means we need about $8,000 more to meet our goal, and just a few days left. MinistryWatch has more than 300,000 page views a month, which is enough to command some significant advertising revenue – if we decided we wanted to accept advertising. Just this week I turned down an offer from a ministry to sponsor this podcast. Not only do we accept no advertising, but we also have no annoying paywall. We’re completely independent. Our only boss is you, our listeners and readers. If you value the quality Christian journalism and financial analysis you get from MinistryWatch, would you consider a gift today? Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. Or, click the link below: https://ministrywatch.com/donate-now/

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On today’s program, we look at how ministries who depend on the teaching of their founders – ministries such as Charles Stanley’s In Touch Ministries – are able to survive years or even decades after their founders have died. We also look at The Inspiration Networks. It has gone from being a small religious network to being one of the biggest cable networks in the nation. We explain how, and what the network aims to do next. We begin today with Promise Keepers. The men’s ministry was set to host an in-person event at Belmont University this fall—but Belmont canceled that event this month. FINAL THOUGHTS

I do want to mention that we will be taking a couple of weeks off from the podcast. I’ll be dropping a couple of short “Extra” episodes, but these weekly news podcasts will resume on July 14.

I also want to remind everyone that this is our 25th anniversary. Rusty and Carol Leonard founded MinistryWatch in June of 1998. I sat down with Rusty and Carol and that podcast interview is now available on our website, and I hope you’ll listen to it. I think you’ll be blessed by these two extraordinary people and the story they tell of the early days of MinistryWatch.

Also, a reminder: MinistryWatch is a donor-supported ministry. If what we do is helpful to you in your own journey of generosity and financial stewardship, I hope you will consider a gift to us before June 30, our fiscal year end. Just go to the MinistryWatch website, and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shannon Cuthrell, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Grace Buller, Ryan Burge, Daniel Ritchie and Rod Pitzer — and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Natasha Smith, and today you’ll be listening to a special episode of the MinistryWatch podcast. We’re calling it “Just How Broken Is The Bible Translation Industry.” Over the course of the next month, we’ll be releasing a companion episode, “Fixing The Bible Translation Industry.” Stay tuned for that. To read more of MinistryWatch’s coverage of the Bible translation industry, just go to the MinistryWatch website and use the search engine to type the words “Bible translation.” More than 50 articles will show up, showing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Bible translation world. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we look at an innovative Bible translation process coming from the African nation of Chad. We have new developments on a story we’ve been covering for several months, the story of the campus group Chi Alpha, which is associated with the Assemblies of God denomination. It’s been wracked by scandal, and there are new developments. We begin today with news from the Southern Baptist Convention. Nearly 13-thousand members of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination traveled from around the country to New Orleans this week for the 20-23 annual meeting—and a lot happened. We’ll hit on some of those key issues. We start with the SBC presidential election. FINAL THOUGHTS:

I do want to mention that this is our 25th anniversary. Rusty and Carol Leonard founded MinistryWatch in June of 1998. I sat down with Rusty and Carol and that podcast interview is now available on our website, and I hope you’ll listen to it. I think you’ll be blessed by these two extraordinary people and the story they tell of the early days of MinistryWatch.

Also, a reminder: I’ll be doing lunches for readers and donors in Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles, in June, in part to celebrate the 25th anniversary of MinistryWatch. So keep an eye on your in-box for invitations to those events.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Emily McFarlan Miller, Aaron Earls, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Adelle Banks, Bob Smietana and Rod Pitzer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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In June of 1998, 25 years ago this month, Rusty and Carol Leonard officially incorporated MinistryWatch. To celebrate that occasion, and all that God has done to keep MinistryWatch alive and thriving over a quarter-century, we have Rusty and Carol on today’s podcast to talk about why they decided to found MinistryWatch, and some of the successes and trials they’ve experienced with MinistryWatch over the years. You’ll hear from Rusty and Carol in a bit, and they share some of their biography, so I’ll keep my introduction of them short. But you should know that Rusty is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a CFA, which is one of the financial world’s highest and most rigorous designations. He was an analyst and portfolio manager for the legendary investor Sir John Templeton before founding Stewardship Partners, which is an investment firm committed to investing according to biblical principles. Carol, who has an accounting background, currently serves on the board of MinistryWatch. Rusty rolled off of the board several years ago, and now has emeritus status. We had this interview via zoom last week. Rusty and Carol spoke to me from their home in eastern Pennsylvania. You can find out more about Rusty’s firm, Stewardship Partners, at StewardshipPartners.com

As I mentioned at the top of the program, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary this year, and over the course of the next year we’ll be rolling out more content and interviews that will help highlight our history and our plans for the future.

If you’d like to help make those plans come true, we’d love to have you on our team. One of the things that is unique about MinistryWatch is that we are donor supported. We don’t take money from the ministries we cover, and we don’t accept advertising on our site. We serve the donors to Christian ministries. We give them the information they need to make informed stewardship decisions.

If you’re one of those donors who has benefited from our work, would you please consider a donation? It’s easy, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Kim Roberts, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, popular radio host and personal finance guru Dave Ramsey is being sued for $150 million over some of his advice that allegedly turned out badly for those who followed it. Also, one of the largest Christian broadcasters in the nation, Daystar Television Network, lost $25-million in the cryptocurrency market. Now they’re suing to get it back. We’ll have details. Finally, we remember the remarkable life and career of Pat Robertson. We begin today with Rick Warren’s media campaign to have Saddleback Church reinstated in the Southern Baptist Convention. FINAL THOUGHTS:

I want to mention that this is our 25th anniversary. Rusty and Carol Leonard founded MinistryWatch in June of 1998. We’ll be featuring an interview with Rusty and Carol next week, and I hope you’ll listen to it when we post it, probably on Tuesday. I think you’ll be blessed by these two extraordinary people and the story they tell of the early days of MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Eric Obernauer, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Adelle M. Banks, Bob Smietana, Amy Julia Becker, Jessica Eturralde, and Rod Pitzer.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to this podcast, or readers of the MinistryWatch site, you know that we often write about preachers behaving badly. We do so because we believe it’s important to maintain the purity, peace, and unity of the church, and we believe what the Bible teaches, in Ephesians 5:11, that we should have no fellowship with the evil deeds of darkness. We should, instead, expose them. But the goal is not merely to expose wrongdoers, but to prevent future wrongdoing, and to – whenever possible – to encourage confession, repentance, and ultimate restoration. These ideas were in my mind when I had the conversation you are about to hear with Dr. Rich Kidd. Rich is a Founding Partner at Mission:Leadership, a firm that – among other things – specializes in finding executive-level leaders for key positions in a broad array of industries including Christian nonprofits, large churches, Christian schools and colleges, and mission-minded businesses. I wanted to talk with him about the things he looks for during the search process that deals not with competence issues, but with character issues. If you are looking for a pastor or senior executive, what should you ask to make sure that the person you think you are getting is truly the person you are getting? What safeguards and guardrails can your organization put in place to protect both the organization and the person you are hiring – or the people you already have in place. Rich has had a long and varied career in ministry. In the local church, he has worked in roles from janitor to Senior Pastor (sometimes simultaneously), ranging from small church plants to large multi-staff churches. He has served Director of Campus Ministries for Regent University, where he also taught in the College of Arts & Sciences and the School of Divinity. Rich is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where he was a Presidential (Monroe) Scholar, holds an M.Div. from Trinity International University, and a Doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary. Rich is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Kim Roberts, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Christian college group, Chi Alpha, which is associated with the Assemblies of God and operates on 60 campuses, is under scrutiny because some of its leaders sexually abused students. We’ll have important details.

And a Christian adoption agency in New York has won important religious liberty protections that will allow it to continue to place children only in families with one-man, one-woman marriages.

We begin today with a strange story from right here in North Carolina. Southern Baptists have been dogged by leadership scandals for years. Now they have a different kind of abuse scandal on their hands. A Baptist leader in North Carolina resigned this week after he and his wife were charged earlier this month with three counts of felony animal cruelty and a misdemeanor offense of communicating threats.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Donors are pulling back on their giving. The reasons for this pullback seem to be varied. There’s a crisis in confidence in institutions. In some cases, the personal circumstances of the donors themselves have deteriorated. Some are nervous about the economy.

A new study by the fundraising, marketing, and communications company Dunham and Company has attempted to quantify these factors and more. I found the study fascinating, and I wanted to have Rick Dunham on the podcast to discuss.

Rick is the founder of Dunham and Company, and he’s one of the true gurus in the Christian fundraising world. He has an undergraduate degree from Biola University, and a master’s in theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. The company currently serves nearly 100 clients in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. He is also on the board of The Giving Institute and is a past board chair of The Giving USA Foundation, which also publishes widely respected research on charity and philanthropy.

I wanted to have Rick on the program to discuss the new study his firm did in conjunction with Campbell Rinker, a research and survey company. That study, Donor Confidence 2023, is available from the Dunham and Company website, and you can find the study here.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Kim Roberts, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, The Word Network, which bills itself as the world’s largest African-American Christian broadcast network, is in trouble with the IRS.

We’ll also have an update on former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz. He’s now the subject of a television documentary series, and he’s not happy about it. And there have been new revelations in the business dealings of former SBC President Johnny Hunt.

And in the last segment of the program, we’ll remember Tim Keller and Harry Reeder, who prominent pastors who died in the past week. I knew both of these exceptional men, and I’ll share a few memories.

We begin today with a couple of stories about the National Religious Broadcasters, who had their annual conference in Orlando, Florida this week.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Jessica Lea, Roxanne Stone, Bob Smietana, Alejandra Molina, Kathryn Post, Christina Darnell, Kathryn Beaty—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The Beaty Beat and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Florida Baptist State Convention has been defrauded of more than $700-thousand. We’ll explain how the fraud worked, and how you can keep your church or ministry from becoming a victim.

Former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz is back in the news, and is soon coming to a television near you.

And we look at a group of Christian ministries in Nebraska who are withdrawing from the local community foundation over the foundation’s requirements to affirm LGBTQ rights.

We begin today with a pair of stories related to Rick Warren and California’s influential Saddleback Church.

Final Thoughts:

I want all of my friends in Orlando to know that I’ll be there on Monday for the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters, and I’ll be holding a lunch for readers and donors on May 22 at Carrabba’s Italian Grille near the Orlando airport. If you live in the Orlando area, you should have received an invitation already. And we already have about a dozen people signed up for this event. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up to attend. I’ll be doing similar lunches in Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles, in June, in part to celebrate the 25th anniversary of MinistryWatch. So keep an eye on your in-box for invitations to those events.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Emily McFarlan Miller, Adelle M. Banks, Yonat Shimron, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we look at the Lancaster Pennsylvania Community Foundation, which has implemented restrictions that could keep Christian groups from receiving funds. It’s not the only community foundation in the nation to use non-discrimination policies to exclude Christian groups. We’ll have details.

And we also have updates on two stories we’ve been covering for a while: Hillsong, and the breakup of the United Methodist Church.

We begin today with news of significant membership declines in the Southern Baptist Convention.

LINK MENTIONED IN TODAY’S PROGRAM:

Here’s a link to the list of the largest missions and Bible translation organizations.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

MinistryWatch wants all our friends in Orlando to know that be there in two weeks for the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters, and I’ll be holding a lunch for readers and donors on May 22 at Carrabba’s Italian Grille near the Orlando airport. If you live in the Orlando area, you should have received an invitation already. And we already have about a dozen people signed up for this event. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up to attend.

I’ll be doing similar lunches in Colorado Springs and Albuquerque in June. So keep an eye on your in-box for invitations to those events.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Emily McFarlan Miller, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Eric Obernauer, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to this podcast have heard the name Christina Darnell at the end of nearly every MinistryWatch podcast. Today you get to meet her.

Christina is the Managing Editor at MinistryWatch and plays a vital role in our work. As Managing Editor, she has edited virtually every one of the more than 3000 articles on the MinistryWatch website.

I don’t want to do too much of an introduction, because I want to let her tell a bit of her story today. So I’ll simply say when I took over as president of MinistryWatch in the fall of 2019, she was one of my first calls, because – as we’ll explain in this episode – I knew Christina from our time together at WORLD Magazine. She graciously said YES to my plea for help, and we’ve been working together ever since

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, editorial, and technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Kim Roberts, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Dallas megachurch pastor T.D. Jakes launches a billion dollar community redevelopment project. We’ll have details. And a former executive at Southeastern University in Florida pleads guilty to fraud. We’ll explain how the complicated fraud occurred.

Also, a new survey by Lifeway Research indicates that Christians’ views on tithing are shifting. We’ll have details from that study.

We begin today with news that popular Christian apologist John Ankerberg has been suspended from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Emily McFarlan Miller, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Here at MinistryWatch we cover a lot of stories about scams, scandals, and frauds in the church. Every story is different, of course, but I find that most of the scandals have one of two origin stories.

The first story is the story of someone who sets out from the beginning to defraud people. These people have evil intent right from the start. But in my experience, these stories make up by far the smallest portion of the stories we write about here at MinistryWatch.

The vast majority of stories we tell here are stories of people who start well, with good intentions, but are lured by some combination of money, power, or sex into self-destructive behavior – and that often leads to public scandal and, sometimes, organizational collapse.

That’s why one of the things we look for here at MinistryWatch is any unusual concentration of power, or money. And perhaps nowhere has that concentration been more conspicuous than in the area of worship music. Praise and worship music now generates hundreds of millions of dollars a year in performance and royalty income. Most of that money comes from Christians, some of it directly from churches, but – as we will explain in this episode of the MinistryWatch podcast, that money often goes directly into the coffers of secular corporations and others with no interest in the peace, purity, and unity of the church.

To help us unpack some of these issues, I’ve asked Kelsey Kramer McGinnis to be on the program today. Kelsey has written a fascinating and helpful cover story for Christianity Today called “Our Worship Is Turning Praise Into Secular Profit.”

Kelsey McGinnis covers worship music for Christianity Today. She also has a PhD in musicology from the University of Iowa. You can find her article on the CT website here.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, popular Christian apologist John Ankerberg has been under scrutiny after a former fundraiser for the organization filed a whistleblower complaint and shared it with both the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and with MinistryWatch. Now, Ankerberg has sued the whistleblower. We’ll have details.

And Hillsong’s Brian Houston has pled guilty to DUI charges following a 2022 incident in California.

Later in the program we’ll have the latest from The King’s College. This Christian liberal arts college in New York City has been on the verge of closure, but dramatic developments last week are giving supporters of the school a glimmer of hope.

We begin today with televangelist Perry Stone. A grand jury in Tennessee has ruled that an FBI investigation into sexual misconduct claims has not produced enough evidence to charge him with crimes.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I want to thank those of you who attended our “Ask Me Anything” webinar yesterday. We had about 60 people on the webinar and we got more questions than I could get to, so we’ll definitely be doing this again soon.

I also want to mention that June will mark the 25th anniversary of MinistryWatch. We were founded by Rusty and Carol Leonard in June of 1998. Carol is still on our board. We plan to have both of them on the podcast in early June to talk about the early days of MinistryWatch, so I hope you’ll keep an eye out for that, and pray for continued faithfulness for us as we approach this important milestone birthday in the life of our ministry.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shannon Cuthrell, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, and Warren Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to this podcast, or readers of our website, know that we cover a lot of stories about sexual abuse.

We take no pleasure in these stories, but we believe they are important. To explain why, I would use a simple analogy. I would ask you to imagine that you have a headache. If you think this headache is caused by sinus pressure, or perhaps too much coffee, you will take a couple of aspirin and go about your business.

But what if that headache is the symptom of a brain tumor, and those headaches are a warning from your body to do something?

That’s why we cover sexual abuse stories: We believe that just as headaches can be a warning that something in our physical bodies is amiss, the stories we do at MinistryWatch – especially their frequency and severity – should be a warning to us that something in the Body of Christ is amiss, and we need to do more than take a couple of aspirin and get on with our lives.

But we need more than a good diagnosis. We need a cure. That’s why I’m delighted to have Jeff Dalrymple on the program.

Jeff is helping the church to act in biblical ways. He leads a group called ECAP, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention. The group has been around for only a few years, but MinistryWatch was an early fan. More than 20 MinistryWatch stories at least mention ECAP and its work, and I’m delighted to have Jeff on the program today.

Prior to joining ECAP, Jeff was a vice president at Southern Seminary in Louisville Kentucky.

Jeff and I have mentioned a number of resources on today’s program. Here are a few links to help you find them:

First, here’s a link to ECAP’s website. Also, here’s a link to MinistryWatch’s coverage of ECAP’s activities. Finally, here’s a link to a book we mentioned today, Dr. Michael Kruger’s Bully Pulpit.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, former megachurch pastor James MacDonald has been arrested in California. We’ll have details. We also have an update on our “Pastors and Planes” project, which we’re doing in conjunction with The Trinity Foundation. Find out which ministries are using donor dollars to fly around in private jets. And we remember Charles Stanley and George Verwer, two giants in the evangelical church, both of whom passed away in the past week.

We begin today with news that another pro-life Pregnancy Resource Center has been vandalized.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On this week’s EXTRA episode, we’re doing something a bit different. We’re featuring a short conversation with my MinistryWatch co-host Natasha Smith. Natasha shares a bit of her background, how she got to MinistryWatch, and some big news coming up in her life.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Compassion International paid Hillsong $1-million a year to sponsor its concert tour. We’ll have details. Have you ever wondered why all the songs on Christian radio sound the same? There’s a reason, and that reason is money. We’ll explain. We begin today with the resignation of the chairman of the board of Bob Jones University.

FINAL THOUGHTS: A quick shout-out to the folks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I’m there this week, and I had a chance to meet with supporters of MinistryWatch who live in the area. That was such an encouraging time for me. We had a great visit.

And a reminder that I’ll be in Orlando, Florida, in May, and in Southern California in June, doing similar events. If you live in these areas, check your in-box for dates, times, and places for events in your vicinity.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Katelyn Beaty, Bob Smietana, Richard Levey, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times and Katelyn Beaty with The Beaty Beat for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to this podcast, or readers of our website, you know that we cover a lot of financial frauds. It’s reasonable to ask, and often we get this question: “Are you guys just going for sensationalism, or is financial fraud really that big a problem?”

The answer is not one that any of us want to hear. It really is a big problem.

That’s why I wanted to have Matthew Branaugh on the podcast. He’ll help us identify just now bit a problem it is, and he’ll also give us some advice about how we can reduce the chances of fraud happening to the ministries and churches we lead and love.

Matthew Branaugh is an attorney, and the content editor for Church Law & Tax at Christianity Today. He leads an award-winning team of editors and designers with the planning, creation, and publishing of ChurchLawAndTax.com and numerous print and digital resources.

Matthew earned his juris doctor (JD) with honors from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.

Matt and I have mentioned a number of resources on today’s program. Here is the survey we discussed:

https://www.churchlawandtax.com/web/2021/september/why-every-church-is-at-risk-of-fraud.html

This free on-demand webinar also discusses the findings:

https://pages.churchlawandtax.com/preventing-fraud-in-your-church

MinistryWatch publishes a list of “75 Red Flags” that ministry leaders can use to do a “deep dive” into their own organizations. You can download the PDF for free here:

https://ministrywatch.com/75-red-flags-is-a-guide-for-donors-who-want-to-dig-deep/

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the president of Bob Jones University resigns in what some media reports have called a coup by some of the hardline fundamentalist board members at the school. We also look at the remarkable growth of the relief and development ministry Convoy of Hope. We also look at why so many ministry leaders have been resigning lately. Is it part of a trend, and – if so – why?

We begin today with a major lawsuit against the United Methodist Church. More than 180 churches have joined together to sue the North Georgia Conference and its leaders, seeking to leave The United Methodist Church with property. It’s the most congregations that have banded together in a single lawsuit since the denomination began undergoing a slow-motion separation several years ago.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want our listeners to know that on April 26 I’ll be doing a webinar I’m calling “Ask Me Anything.” When we’ve done webinars in the past, we always have a Q&A time, and often we get questions that have nothing to do with the topic of the webinar, so I decided to schedule a webinar where you could – as the title suggests – “Ask Me Anything.”

Check your inbox in the next week or so for an invitation to this webinar. It’s absolutely free, but you will need to register to get links and additional information.

I also want to mention that I’ve got a bit of travel coming up in the next few months. I’ll be in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, next week, and I’m hosting a lunch for donors, readers, and listeners on Wednesday. If you live in Pennsylvania, you should have already received an invitation. Again, it’s free, but you will need to sign up to get details (and so I can let the restaurant know how many people we’ll have.)

In May I’ll be in Orlando, Florida, for the annual convention of the National Religious Broadcasters. We’ll be doing a reader and listener lunch there, as well. Again, check your inbox for details.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shannon Cuthrell, Heather Hahn, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith.

Special thanks to UM News, Covenant College, and World Hope International for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you…and Happy Easter. He is risen indeed!

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On today’s program, controversial pastor, Carl Lentz, is back in the pulpit two years after the scandal that forced him out of Hillsong.

Popular Christian apologist John Ankerberg is facing accusations by a whistleblower that he took money that donors thought was going to pay for audio Bibles and used that money for other purposes.

We begin today with the story that has horrified the entire nation this week. The story of a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville. A community is reeling after a shooter killed three children and three staff members at a small Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want our listeners to know that TODAY is the last day they can give to MinistryWatch during the month of March, they’ll receive a copy of my book “Faith Based Fraud: Learning From the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch in March. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jesse Jackson, Roxanne Stone, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Christina Darnell, Eric Obernauer, Dale Chamberlain, Aaron Earls—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times, ChurchLeaders.com, and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at a Nigerian Prosperity Gospel preacher whose church, called the Winner’s Chapel, now has locations in 30 US cities. We also have new information about The King’s College, the Manhattan Christian college facing a financial crisis. And a well known Christian filmmaker has pled guilty to felony sex charges. We’ll have details.

We begin today with two stories about the Southern Baptist Convention. The first one is about former SBC President Johnny Hunt, and the second one is about Karen Swallow Prior.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I want our listeners to know that if they give to MinistryWatch during the month of March, they’ll receive a copy of my book “Faith Based Fraud: Learning From the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” We’ve offered this book in the past, but it’s been more than a year since the last time we offered it, and we have literally tens of thousands of new people on our email list, so we’re making it available again. It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jesse Jackson, Bob Smietana, Audrey Jackson, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, Meagan Saliashvili—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re doing something a bit different. Let me explain.

More than a year ago, in September of 2021, I wrote an article called “Just How Broken Is The Bible Translation Industry.” In that article I highlighted some of the problems I had seen in Bible translation world, from deceptive marketing practices to excessive spending on fundraising.

I have a link to that article here.

That article caused a minor stir in the Bible translation world. I ended up having a lot of constructive conversations, and a few uncomfortable conversations, with leaders of Bible translation organizations.

One of the men who read that article was Andrew Case. Andrew Case is a thought leader in the Bible translation world. I’ve had Andrew on this podcast to talk about open sourcing of Bible translation and Bible translation tools, and I found him to be helpful on these and many other issues.

You can find that conversation, as well as a more complete biography of Andrew Case, here.

In fact, Andrew Case has his own podcast called “Working In The Word” that is listened to by Bible translators and their supporters around the world.

And that gets me to my point: Last week Andrew devoted an entire podcast episode to examining and critiquing my 2021 article. I should say up-front that Andrew did not consult me in advance of doing this episode. He did not tell me he was going to do it. I also want to be clear that he had no obligation to do so. But when I saw the episode show up in my podcast feed, I did have some trepidation. Because I had not spoken with Andrew about the article, I didn’t know if he would be supportive or critical.

But after listening to the episode, I concluded that Andrew did a fair-minded assessment of the article, and he did some additional reporting – such as attempting to contact the Bible translation organizations I mention in my article. I was trying to start a conversation with my article, and Andrew has joined that conversation, and I think that’s helpful.

So I reached out to Andrew to ask if I could air his podcast on our podcast. He graciously said yes, and what you will hear on today’s podcast is Andrew’s podcast in its entirety, with no edits or commentary from me.

And if you would like to subscribe to Andrew’s podcast, you can do so here.

And, by the way, Andrew did not require or even ask me to include a link to his podcast. But if you are interested in Bible translation, either as a leader in a Bible translation organization, as a donor, or as a Christian concerned about the Great Commission, I think you’ll find Andrew’s podcast challenging and helpful.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh . We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, and Kim Roberts.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Arizona Christian University’s student teachers are no longer welcome in the local public school system, and the college is fighting back. We’ll have details.

A Ponzi scheme that targeted Christians defrauded investors of more than $80-million. One of the perpetrators of the fraud cooperated with authorities and got off with a slap on the wrist. We ask why?

The ministry behind the popular devotional magazine “Our Daily Bread” was the victim of a data breach. Some donors are complaining that they weren’t notified in a timely manner. We’ll have more later in the program.

We begin today with news that Jerry Falwell Jr. has sued Liberty University. Jerry Falwell Jr. claims his former employer has withheld $8.5 million in retirement benefits that were previously promised to him.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want our listeners to know that if they give to MinistryWatch during the month of March, they’ll receive a copy of my book “Faith Based Fraud: Learning From the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.”

We’ve offered this book in the past, but it’s been more than a year since the last time we offered it, and we have literally tens of thousands of new people on our email list, so we’re making it available again.

It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Dale Chamberlain, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, Emily McFarlan Miller—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s abbreviated MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, I’m going to give you an update on what’s going on here at MinistryWatch.

Regular listeners know that late last year I started dropping in these monthly updates, and it appears that many of you find them interesting and helpful, as they’ve become some of our most listened to episodes.

Today I’ll give you an update on what we’re doing, and let you know what we have planned over the next few months.

The first things I want you to know is that February was a record month of us on the website. I’ll explain why.

The second thing I want you to know is that I have some travel coming up over the next few months, and I hope to use this travel as an opportunity to see some of you. I’ll be in Chicago, Orlando, Colorado Springs, and Los Angeles between now and June, and I hope to see some of you face-to-face.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, Kim Roberts, and Anne Stych.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Super Bowl winning NFL coach Tony Dungy has backed out of a conference hosted by Prosperity Gospel Preacher Andrew Wommack. CBS anchor James Brown has, too. We explain why later in the program.

Allen Stanford, who amassed billions of dollars in a Ponzi scheme that used unwitting Christian financial planners to sell his investment products, is now serving what will likely amount to a life sentence in jail. More than a decade after his sentencing, some of his victims may get some of their money back.

Prosperity Gospel preachers and others made more than 300 flights on private aircraft during the month of February alone. We’ll have the latest in our “Pastors and Planes” project.

And a lot more….

FINAL THOUGHTS

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we have news from ACSI – the Association of Christian Schools International. They’re growing and changing, and not all of those changes are for the better. I’ll explain later in the program.

We also have the latest news from Asbury University, where a revival started that is now sweeping the country. And we take a look at The John Ankerberg Show. The popular apologetics teacher is under fire for his use of private jets and lavish travel.

We begin today with the latest from the United Methodist Church. Bishop Scott Jones isn’t the first United Methodist bishop to join the Global Methodist Church since the theologically conservative denomination launched in May, but his exit from the UMC has arguably caused the greatest stir.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Ryan Gabrielson, J. David McSwane, Jessica Eturralde, Dale Chamberlain, Kim Roberts, Phil Cooke, Fiona Morgan, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Emily McFarlan Miller, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to churchleaders.com and ProPublica for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes — is to bring to you thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders.

That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil wrote a provocative article for his webite, PhilCooke.com. It’s called “Can Christian Critics Just Give The Asbury Revival, The Chosen, and He Gets Us A Rest?

Phil graciously consented to let us reprint that article on the MinistryWatch website. You can find it here. And to be on the program today to talk about the article and some of the ideas it raises.

Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology. He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America.

FINAL NOTES:

In today’s program I mentioned my article about Lonnie Frisbee. You can find the article here.

Also, before we go, I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the revival at Asbury University in Kentucky is entering a new phase, but it is also spreading to other locations. We also have updates on the Southern Baptist Convention’s struggles with one of its former presidents, Johnny Hunt. And in MinistryWatch’s quarterly survey of ministry executives, we’re seeing a shift. Leaders are becoming slightly less concerned about finding qualified staff, and more concerned about finding donors. We’ll have details later in the program. We begin today with a story that Saddleback Church, founded by Pastor Rick Warren, has been kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention for ordaining women.

Here are a few links I promised to include in the Show Notes:

Warren’s interview with Rick Warren
The most recent article about our quarterly ministry leaders survey. (It links to past stories about this survey.)
“When A Church Is Not A Church,” which outlines MinistryWatch’s concerns about ministries identifying themselves as churches.

Final Thoughts:

A reminder that this is the last week you can give to MinistryWatch and receive a copy of the book “Handling Allegations in a Ministry” by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. This is a valuable resource for pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and active and involved church members and ministry donors. It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Dale Chamberlain, Adelle Banks, and Kim Roberts.

Special thanks to churchleaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we’re coming up on the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We’ve got an update on what Christian ministries have been doing to relieve the suffering. And the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria have now claimed more than 45,000 lives. We’ll have an update on relief efforts and how you can help.

We begin today with a story that’s been Christian social media for the past week or more, and that’s the Asbury Revival.

Here are some links I mentioned on today’s program:

The MinistryWatch 1000 Database
Explaining Our Five-Star Financial Efficiency Rating System
Understanding Our Donor Confidence Score
More Information On Disaster Relief Efforts in Turkey and Syria

IN CLOSING: I want our listeners to know that if they give to MinistryWatch during the month of February, we’ll send them a copy of the book “Handling Allegations in a Ministry” by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. This is a valuable resource for pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and active and involved church members and ministry donors. It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Dale Chamberlain, Yonat Shimron, Timothy Cockes, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Special thanks to Baptist Press and churchleaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re going to take a look at ministries providing disaster relief following the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. On today’s program we’ll discuss general principles for giving, plus identify some specific ministries that receive high ratings from MinistryWatch.

Here are some links I mentioned on today’s program:

The MinistryWatch 1000 Database
Explaining Our Five-Star Financial Efficiency Rating System
Understanding Our Donor Confidence Score
More Information On Disaster Relief Efforts in Turkey and Syria

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, disgraced former Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt has been restored to ministry. Now two of the churches that restored him are being investigated. We also have an exclusive investigation, done in conjunction with the Trinity Foundation, on pastors and their private jets. We begin today with news from The King’s College in New York City.

Also on today’s program I mention that the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation has been tracking the use of private aircraft by ministries and churches. Recently the Trinity Foundation started posting graphics on Twitter to track daily usage. You can find that Twitter account, @PastorPlanes, here.

I want our listeners to know that if they give to MinistryWatch during the month of February, we’ll send them a copy of the book “Handling Allegations in a Ministry” by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. This is a valuable resource for pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and active and involved church members and ministry donors. It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Dale Chamberlain, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to churchleaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast. We’d also like to thank Barry Bowen and The Trinity Foundation for working with us on the Pastors and Planes Project.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re featuring a recent interview I had with Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. She’s an attorney and the author of a new book Handling Allegations In A Ministry: Responses and Investigations.

It’s not clear to me that we are seeing more incidents of sexual abuse in the church than in years past. But I think it is fair to say that more stories are seeing the light of day. The #MeToo Movement, which spawned the #ChurchToo movement, means that more survivors are telling their stories, and the way we handle these stories is vital for the health and healing of the survivors and for the church of Jesus Christ.

Theresa Lynn Sidebotham is an attorney who focuses on misconduct response, ministry policy, and employment law. She has helped Christian ministries, churches, and religious organizations of all kinds to protect their members and response to allegations of child abuse, harassment, abuse of power, and other misconduct.

I had this conversation with her last week via zoom.

We’d like to put a copy of Theresa’s book in your hands. It’s our thank you gift to you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch. Just hit the donate button at the top of the page.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a closer look at the “He Gets Us” media campaign. We’ll also share with you some of the highlights of a couple of MinistryWatch investigations. One of them was a close look at Glory of Zion, a Dallas based ministry. We also take a deep dive into a Colorado ministry called Love the Least. We begin today with news from Knoxville, Tennessee. In an unusual move, a judge said an alleged rape victim is going to have to use his legal name in his lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese there.

A Few Closing Words….

If you give to MinistryWatch during the month of February, we’ll send them a copy of the book “Handling Allegations in a Ministry” by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham. This is a valuable resource for pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and active and involved church members and ministry donors. It’s our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Alejandra Molina, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re featuring a recent interview I had with pastor and author Jason Jimenez.

Jason has served as a pastor and ministry leader, and his books include The Bible’s Answer To Live’s 100 Biggest Questions, which he co-authored with Dr. Norman Geisler. He is also the author of Challenging Conversations: A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the Church.

Jason also leads Stand Strong Ministries, and he often posts helpful videos on Christian worldview and apologetics issues. I want to have Jason on the program today because of one of those videos. Jason recorded a short, 13-minute video about a story we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch, and that’s the Matt Chandler story.

If you don’t know that story, here it is in a nutshell. Matt Chandler is the well known pastor of The Village Church, a megachurch in Dallas. Chandler was also a founder and played a prominent leadership role in the Acts 29 church planting network. He recently took a sabbatical from his church following accusations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in his church. That relationship was not sexual in nature, but included text messages that Chandler admitted and his church elder board ultimately determined were too familiar for him to be having. (You can read what MinistryWatch has written about Matt Chandler here.)

After several months away from the pulpit, Chandler is now back. And some have criticized him and his church for letting him come back too quickly. However, Jason Jimenez has a different perspective. He says this is an example of church discipline that worked.

You can see Jason’s video here: https://youtu.be/z_80I0k8kuo

A Few Final Words: Before we go, I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. Or click here.

And if you donate in the month of February, we’ll send you a really helpful book as our “thank you.” The book is called Handing Allegations In A Ministry: Responses and Investigations. It’s by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham, who we will have on next week’s MinistryWatch EXTRA podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, new developments in the case against megachurch pastor John Blanchard, arrests in the vandalism of pregnancy care centers, and a Christian broadcaster’s radio towers were destroyed. We begin today with a story about sexual abuse allegations that concern the Salvation Army, one of the largest Christian organizations in the country.

A final reminder that we’ll be doing a webinar next week called “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” The webinar is free, but you do have to register. And I should mention that we are limiting attendance to 100, and we’re nearly there. So if you want to attend, or even if you can’t attend but want to watch the recording we’ll be making, you need to sign up soon. It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET. Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page.

Don’t forget to rate and leave a comment on your podcast app. Not only do these comments help us know what you’re thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, your ratings help other people find us. That’s a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach.

Finally, here’s the story I mentioned on the program: Why MinistryWatch Reports on Sex Crimes

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Jack Jenkins, Bob Smietana, Jessica Lea, Stephanie Martin, Scott Barkley, and Rod Pitzer.

A special thanks to Baptist Press and ChurchLeaders-dot-com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I welcome back to the program Jane Schoen, and we are joined by her colleague Amy McClintock. Jane and Amy are with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world.

Almost two years ago I reported on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called LinguaLinx. I wrote an article about this process in August of 2021.

But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Last year, for example, I checked in with Jane in both January and August to get updates on the project. And that’s what we are doing today. The difference today is that Amy McClintock has joined SRG in a leadership role, so she will be joining Jane in today’s conversation.

The very fact that Jane and Amy and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past two years or so, I’ve written nearly two dozen articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to those articles below. I encourage you to check them out.

And if you donate in the month of January, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a copy of Dr. Michael Kruger’s new book “Bully Pulpit.” This book defines what spiritual abuse is, and is not, and provides practical and compassionate ways for dealing with spiritual abuse in the church. To donate, click here.

Until next time, may God bless you.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Program

Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest:

ECFA Charter Member, Wycliffe Associates, Resigns Membership While Under Review – March 7, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/ecfa-charter-member-wycliffe-associates-resigns-membership-while-under-review/

What Would Wycliffe Fly? – March 19, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/what-would-wycliffe-fly/

Wycliffe Associates Touts MAST, Print-On-Demand – April 15, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-touts-mast-and-print-on-demand-program/

When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/

Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/

American Bible Society Names Robert Briggs As President – June 30, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/american-bible-society-names-robert-l-briggs-as-president-and-ceo/

Key Executives Depart Wycliffe Associates – August 12, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/key-executives-depart-wycliffe-associates/

Bruce Smith Out As President/CEO of Wycliffe Associates – October 13, 2020

https://ministrywatch.com/bruce-smith-out-as-president-ceo-of-wycliffe-associates/

Wycliffe Associates Sees Revenue Decline – March 4, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-sees-revenue-decline/

Women’s Conference Attendees Pledge $1.5-Million To Bible Translation Efforts – March 17, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/womens-conference-attendees-pledge-more-than-1-5-million-to-bible-translation-effort/

Bible Translation Organizations Form Alliance (IllumiNations) – April 5, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translation-organizations-form-alliance-to-translate-bibles/

Wycliffe Associates Claims 30 Bible Translation Projects Underway in Indonesia – April 27, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-claims-30-new-bible-translation-projects-underway-in-indonesia/

Biblica Income Rising After Long Decline – May 7, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/biblica-income-rising-after-long-decline/

Details Few in Seed Company Partnership – July 13, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/details-few-in-spoken-worldwides-partnership-with-seed-company/

Wycliffe Associates Says It Will Use Radio To Reach Isolated People Groups – July 21, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-says-it-will-use-radio-to-reach-isolated-language-groups/

Translation Service Providers Could Be Paradigm Changing – August 5, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/translation-service-providers-could-be-paradigm-changing-for-bible-translation-industry/

Wycliffe Associates Claims To Help Spoken-Only Languages Get Access to Scripture – August 26, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-claims-to-help-spoken-only-language-groups-gain-access-to-scriptures/

Just How Broken Is The Bible Translation Industry – September 21, 2021

https://ministrywatch.com/just-how-broken-is-the-bible-translation-industry/

Outsourcing Bible Translation? – January 17, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/outsourcing-bible-translation/

List of 50 Largest Bible Translation and Missions Organizations – May 2, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/outsourcing-bible-translation/

Translating The Bible in a New Way: A Conversation with Jane Schoen – August 10, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/ep-202-translating-the-bible-in-a-new-way-a-conversation-with-jane-schoen/

Sagamore Institute Attempts To Quantify the Cost of Bible Translation – September 14, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/sagamore-institute-study-attempts-to-quantify-the-cost-of-bible-translation/

Partnership of Spoken Word and Seed Company Working On Five Oral Bible Translations – September 19, 2022

https://ministrywatch.com/partnership-of-spoken-worldwide-and-seed-company-working-on-five-oral-bible-translations/

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On today’s program, Virginia megachurch pastor John Blanchard had sexual solicitation charges against him dropped, but protesters are showing up at his church and even the town’s police chief thinks the case was mishandled. We’ll have details. Also on today’s program, Open Doors releases its annual Watch List, which tracks persecution of Christians around the world. This year’s conclusions are bleak. We’ll explain why. We begin today with a lawsuit involving Bryan College that has been dragging on for more than five years. In Closing: I mention fairly constantly here at MinistryWatch the importance of the Form 990. We use them every day here at MinsitryWatch, and we encourage donors to look at them before they give to a ministry. In the past we’ve done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” This webinar has proven so popular that we’ve repeated it three or four times over the past two years. And we’re going to do it again. It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET. Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details.Don’t forget to rate and leave a comment on your podcast app. Not only do these comments help us know what you’re thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, your ratings help other people find us. That’s a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Emily McFarlan Miller, Dale Chamberlain, Adelle M. Banks, Jonathan Howe, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.Today’s episode is one of my periodic updates on how things are going here at MinistryWatch. I hope you enjoy it.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, one of the largest United Methodist churches in the country, and the largest in South Carolina, is preparing to leave the denomination. And the Internal Revenue Service is far behind in its efforts to process Form 990s. This backlog is a blow to transparency and accountability. We’ll explain why. And we remember pastor, author, and hymn writer Jack Hayford, who died last week at age 88. We begin today with former Celebration Church pastor Stovall Weems. He and his wife Kerri have settled with First Citizens Bank after a claim stating they defaulted over $700,000 in unpaid debt.A few final notes… Last week I mentioned how grateful I was to those of you who contributed to our year-end fundraising campaign, but I didn’t have a final number. Now I do. We had what was for us an ambitious goal of $81,000 for the months of November and December combined. We ended up raising about $87,000. So, again, THANK YOU.Also, I mentioned earlier the importance of the Form 990. We use them every day here at MinsitryWatch, and we encourage donors to look at them before they give to a ministry. In the past we’ve done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” This webinar has proven so popular that we’ve repeated it three or four times over the past two years. And we’re going to do it again. It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET. Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details.Finally, it’s been a while since I’ve asked you, our listeners, to rate or leave a comment on your podcast app. But our listenership has nearly doubled in the past year, and if you are new to the podcast, please do leave us a rating and a comment. Not only do these comments help us know what you’re thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, the more visible the podcast becomes to search engines who make those automated recommendations that you sometimes see when you are listening to podcasts. In other words, your ratings help other people find us. That’s a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Yonat Shimron, Alejandra Molina, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer.A special thanks to ProPublica for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Open Doors USA is changing its name and its focus. We’ll have details. Plus, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention rolls out an accreditation program designed to help ministries protect children. And it’s a new year, and MinistryWatch has published its annual list of Highly Paid Ministry Executives. We’ll have a preview of the list later in the program. We begin today with more news about the slow-moving breakup of the United Methodist Church.A big thank you to those of you who showed up for us at year end. We had what was for us an ambitious goal of $81,000 for the months of November and December combined. We met that goal, with room to spare. I don’t know exactly what the final tally is, since we are still getting checks postmarked Dec. 31 in the mail, I will share with you a final number next week. But until then, please know that I’m grateful, humbled, and a bit relieved – all at once. So, again, THANK YOU.Oh, and one final note before we go. In the past we’ve done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” This webinar has proven so popular that we’ve repeated it three or four times over the past two years. And we’re going to do it again. It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET. Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page. It’s absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shannon Cuthrell, Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Mark Tooley, Emily McFarlan Miller, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.A special thanks to WORLD Opinions for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s special year-end program, Natasha and I will countdown the Top 10 stories of 2022.That’s right. We’ll start with #10, and work our way to #1.But before we get started, here are a few things you should know.The first thing I’ll say is that we have organized this list by the number of page views it got on our site. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are the most important stories of the year. But I have a high degree of trust in our readers, and I think that all the stories on this list are important for one reason or another.I also want to mention that we published nearly a thousand stories this year, and our website got about two-and-a-half million page views. We had nearly 500 stories that got at least a thousand page views. But the stories on this list are at the next level. Every story that I’m going to mention today got at least 10,000 page views during the year, and our #1 story got more than 20,000 page views.We’ll be posting the Top 25 stories of the year today at the MinistryWatch website. That list includes stories about Rick Warren, Jerry Falwell Jr., Hillsong, and Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Important stories that got a lot of attention in 2022.Also, I’d like to point out that the diversity of stories on this list – longer thought pieces, lists curated from our database, and breaking news – are perhaps the best representation I could share of both the diversity of stories we do here at MinistryWatch – and of your tastes as readers and listeners.And that takes me to this bit of what I hope you will forgive, and this some shameless self-promotion as we approach year-end.We couldn’t bring you the stories we’ve talked about today without your help. We take no money from the ministries we cover. We don’t accept advertising. We don’t have one of those frustrating paywalls. Our content is completely free.It’s free, but it’s not cheap. And December is the most important month of the year for our fundraising efforts. So if you are thinking about a year-end gift to MinistryWatch – why wait until December 31. You can take some of the drama out of the process by making a donation today. Just go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page. It will take only a minute, and your gift will have a significant impact on the work we do here.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers whose stories made this special year-end list include: contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Phil Cooke, Barry Bowen, and Kim Roberts – all of whom had one story on this list. Anne Stych had two stories on the list. Warren Smith had four stories on this year’s Top Ten list.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, two Florida ministry leaders that we first reported on during the summer have been arrested and charged with defrauding taxpayers out of $8-million in Payroll Protection Program funds.And in Virginia, The Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes Christian values, was denied service at a restaurant in Richmond, this month on the basis of the group’s position on abortion and same-sex marriage. We’ll have the details on both these stories later in the program.We begin today with news that a Presbyterian church in the Chicago area is being investigated for firing an employee when she complained of gender discrimination.I want our listeners to know that this will be our last regular podcast episode of the year. We’ll drop one more episode between Christmas and New Year’s – it will be an episode that highlights the top 10 stories of the year.So, since this is our last regular episode, I wanted to say how grateful we are to those of you who are regular listeners to the podcast. We have nearly doubled our listenership in the past year and given all the podcast options out there, I want you to know that I’m honored that you consider this podcast worth your time each week.If you are a regular listener, and you’d like to see this podcast and the work of MinistryWatch survive and thrive, I’d like to humbly suggest that you make a year-end gift to MinistryWatch. We are not a mega-ministry, and we don’t aspire to become one. Our budget is less than $500,000 per year, and we are trying to raise $81,000 by the end of this month. We’re about half-way there, which is good, but that also means that we have a long way to go.If you’d like to pitch in to ensure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, please go to MinistryWatch.com and it the “donate” button at the top of the page.Oh, yes, and one more thing: I hope you have a Merry Christmas!The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Dale Chamberlain, Alejandra Molina, and Christina Darnell.A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Christian groups are being vandalized by pro-gay and pro-abortion activists. We’ll have two stories that highlight this growing and troubling trend. And a new report from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability indicates that – despite uncertainties in the economy – giving to evangelical groups is up.We begin today with news that megachurch pastor Matt Chandler will be reinstated to the pulpit after a three-month leave of absence. Dallas-area megachurch pastor Matt Chandler returned to the pulpit Sunday (Dec. 4) after a leave of absence. The Village Church’s board of elders reinstated him following disciplinary actions for Chandler’s “inappropriate” social media relationship with a woman who is not his wife.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, Kathryn Post, and Jessica Eturralde.Until next time, may God bless you.

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As we approach year-end, the thoughts of children turn toward Christmas, but the thoughts of ministry executives turn toward year-end giving efforts. And the thoughts of many donors turn toward those ministries they have given to in the past as they try to decide how much, or even if, they will be giving to them this year.One of the cliches in the philanthropy world is that the state of the stock market is a leading indicator of giving. A rising market doesn’t CAUSE giving, but historically it has correlated with increased giving.But 2022 has turned that cliché on its head. This year has been really bad for the stock market, yet philanthropic giving has held steady, or even increased.Given all these conflicting signals, I find this year’s State of Giving report by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability to be particularly helpful. So I asked the two men behind the study, Warren Bird and Jake Lapp, to join me for today’s EXTRA podcast.To see our article about the survey, and from there to link to the study itself, click here. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.     Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, in an unprecedented move, the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Bart Barber, has released a sharp rebuke of one of his predecessors in that role, Johnny Hunt. We’ll explain why the rebuke, and why it’s important. Also on today’s program, MinistryWatch releases its “Shining Light Awards.” We’ll tell you how we arrived at the list, and who some of the winners are.We begin today with the latest chapter in the ongoing saga at Liberty University. A former administrative dean for academic operations is suing Liberty University for $20 million, alleging they fired him because he was a whistleblower.The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, and Jessica Eturralde.Until next time, may God bless you.

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We usually do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what’s going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to talk with you about Giving Tuesday. I’ll admit that this short episode is shamelessly self-referential – it will be almost all about us. So I hope you will show me a bit of grace for that, but – on the other hand – I consider you listeners to the podcast a part of the inner circle here at MinistryWatch, and I want you to knows what’s going on. The first thing I want you to know is that we’re doing fine. This is not a panic or crisis communication, I’m pleased to say. The budget for MinistryWatch is about $450-thousand a year. Our fiscal year begins July 1. That means we’re nearing the end of the fifth month of our fiscal year. And I’m happy to report that we are more or less on budget both in terms of revenue and expenses. Our year-end goal – and by that I mean our combined goal for November and December – is $81,000. That’s $25,000 for the month of November. As of Monday night, the day BEFORE Giving Tuesday, we were at about $15,000. That means that we need to raise about $10,000 on Giving Tuesday and on Wednesday the 30th to stay on target. That’s certainly a do-able number for us. We raised about $10,000 last year. But our average donation is less than $100, so that means we will need about 100 people to step up on Giving Tuesday to get us to our goal.

But the bigger challenge for us comes in the month of December. Our goal for the month is $56,000. These are big numbers for us. I also know that for a lot of people, maybe for you, times are tough, or they are – at a minimum – not as good as they were last year. The stock market is way down. Inflation is up. Lots of us are watching our purse strings.

That said, if you can afford to help us out over the next month, we would be grateful. And whether you give to us or not, I hope you’ll use this day as a reminder that Christians are supposed to be joyful, generous, and wise givers. Here at MinistryWatch we encourage people to give to their local church first. I’m not ashamed to say out loud that I think that’s where the vast majority of Christian giving should go.

After that, we think Christians should carefully and prayerfully consider supporting a few ministries that God has placed on your heart. But which ministries – of the more than 1-million that are out there – should I support.

Well, that’s where MinistryWatch comes in. Our goal is to help you become a more effective steward. We are intentionally not a mega-ministry. We utilize technology in ways that we think are hyper-efficient, designed to keep us small while at the same time giving you the data you need to make good giving decisions.

And our strategy seems to be working. About 140,000 people receive our daily emails. And in a recent survey we did, more than half of respondents say they use MinistryWatch to help them make giving decisions, and a third said they had changed their giving decisions based on information they received from MinistryWatch.

All of that is to say this: We think we’re making a difference, and we couldn’t do what we do without your support.

So we hope you’ll consider a gift to MinistryWatch either today, on Giving Tuesday, or sometime December, and – if you can – the earlier the better. I’d love to take some of the drama out of the last week of December – and I’d doubly love not to clutter your inbox with emails. I can promise you this, if we meet our year-end goal, the emails asking for money will stop.

Before I go, I did want to mention that we have a few needs here at MinistryWatch that are not financially related. First, we covet your prayers. Pray that we will remain faithful. Here at MinistryWatch, we often write about ministries that started out strong but ended poorly. I’ve written enough of these stories myself to know that it could happen to any of us.

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Last week, Logan Yandell filed a lawsuit against Kanakuk Ministries alleging fraud. Logan Yandell’s lawsuit says that when he signed a financial settlement and non-disclosure agreement with Kanakuk, he did not have information that Kanakuk had that would have changed his decision to sign these documents. Here at MinistryWatch, we’ve been covering this story for more than a year, so naturally we were interested in this new development. So we reached out both to Kanakuk and to Logan Yandell’s attorney, Robert Thrasher. Kanakuk sent us a short statement, which we published in our story about this new lawsuit, posted on the website last week. But Robert Thrasher, the attorney for Logan Yandell, agreed to an interview. So I spoke with Thrasher via zoom last week. Today we feature that conversation. You can read our article about the lawsuit, and all of our coverage of Kanakuk Ministries, by going to MinistryWatch.com and typing “Kanakuk” into the search engine.

Before we go, I’d like to remind you that Giving Tuesday is coming up next week, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Over the past few years, this global day of giving has evolved into a significant event both for us and for non-profits around the country. If you can make a gift to us on Giving Tuesday, we’d be grateful. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

I also want to remind you that there’s an easy and absolutely free way you can help the program. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Tennessee pastor and MAGA celebrity Greg Locke has been banned from YouTube. We asked why. Charis Bible College, founded by prosperity gospel preacher Andrew Wommack, was rocked this week by a murder-suicide. We’ll have details. We also take a look at the explosive growth of a ministry called Children’s Hunger Fund. We begin today with an influential Hispanic pastor under investigation for violating wage and hour laws. A big thank you to the folks who showed up earlier this week for a dinner I hosted with MinistryWatch supporters in Newport Beach, California. And I’ll be having lunch with MinistryWatch supporters in New York City on December 16. If you live in New York, keep your eyes open for an email from me with the details. If you want to be sure you get that invitation, just email me at wsmith@ministrywatch.com

I also wanted to mention that we will be taking a break from the podcast next week. We’ll be dropping an EXTRA episode on Tuesday, but no podcast episode on Friday. And we hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday!

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, James Dobson is stepping aside from the ministry he founded after turning Focus on the Family into an evangelical powerhouse. We’ll have details. And during this election week, we have a couple of stories of pastors who are mixing politics and the pulpit. At least one is under investigation. We begin today with an interesting story coming from one of the bastions of fundamentalism in this country: Bob Jones University. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Scott Barkley, Jeremy Schwartz, Jessica Priest, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to Church Leaders.com for providing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a church does something it doesn’t often do. It apologizes for its past. We’ll share why. We also look more closely at the $100-million evangelistic ad campaign called “He Gets Us.” And we note the passing of an evangelical elder statesman. Steve Douglass, who helped Cru grow into one of the largest ministries in the world, is dead at age 77. We’ll have an appreciation. We begin today with news that Celebration Church’s founders have reopened a defamation lawsuit against their former church. A final reminder that I’ll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Newport Beach, California, on November 15. If you live in LA, especially Orange County, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I’ll make sure you get the details. All of these lunches are FREE. They’re just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work.

Secondly, we’ve started something new here at MinistryWatch. We’re doing a quarterly survey of the senior executive in each of the MinistryWatch 1000 ministries. The first article based on that survey is on the website now. And I describe the survey more fully in this week’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, so if you haven’t heard that episode, please check it out.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Scott Barkley, Jeremy Schwartz, Jessica Priest, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to The Baptist Press and ProPublica for providing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Usually, we do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what’s going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to tell you about our new MinistryWatch 1000 Executive Survey. I also want to let you know where we are financially. The budget for MinistryWatch is about $450-thousand a year. Our fiscal year begins July 1. That means we’re in the fifth month of our fiscal year. And I’m happy to report that we are more or less on budget both in terms of revenue and expenses.

But I should also note that the last two months of the year kinds of make-or-break us. Giving Tuesday takes place in the last week of November this year, and – of course – there’s year-end giving, which for us and for a lot of non-profits are critical times.

Our year-end goal – and by that I mean our combined goal for November and December – is $81,000. That’s $25,000 for the month of November and $56,000 for the month of December. These are big numbers for us. I also know that for a lot of people, maybe for you, times are tough, or they are – at a minimum – not as good as they were last year. The stock market is way down. Inflation is up. Lots of us are watching our purse strings.

That said, if you can afford to help us out over the next 60 days, we would be grateful. Here at MinistryWatch we encourage people to give to their local church first. We think that’s where the vast majority of Christian giving should go. If you will allow me to use a biblical metaphor, we believe the church is the Body of Christ, and just as we have physical bodies, we should feed it in ways to keep it healthy and growing.

Well, thanks for indulging me these few minutes to give you an update of things here at MinistryWatch. Please checkout Kim Roberts article on our new MinistryWatch 1000 Executive Survey, and if you have any feedback for me, you can always just hit the reply button on our daily emails. Those responses come directly to me. I’m always delighted to hear from you.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, when the economy falters, we often see financial fraud emerge. Today we have a couple of stories about financial fraud, and some advice about what you can do to prevent elder fraud. Also on today’s program: An Anglican bishop is returning from a voluntary leave of absence in the aftermath of a sex abuse and spiritual abuse scandal, and not everyone is happy about his return. We begin today with the resolution of a two-year long dispute. On Monday (October 24), a Scottish court ruled in favor of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in a lawsuit against Scottish Event Campus Limited, which canceled an evangelistic event at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow featuring Franklin Graham in 2020 on the grounds of Graham’s stated beliefs about human sexuality and Islam. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Yonat Shimron, Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, and Dale Chamberlain.

Special thanks to Church Leaders dot com for providing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts. That study is called “Understanding Evangelical Mid Level Donors.” Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that you can get a copy of this nearly 70-plus-page report here: https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/ Before we go: A few quick notes.

First, regular listeners to the podcast know that this is not the first time Ron Sellers has been on the program. If you are a ministry leader, and you’re new to the program, you might want to give a listen to some of his previous appearances on the program. His research provides insights into evangelical giving patterns that are helpful. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and type Ron Sellers into the search engine.

I also want to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries, from advertising. There’s no paywall. All of our content is free. Our donors are the real heroes of this story. If you would like to become a part of that heroic group, please visit us at MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

If money is a little tight now, you can still help the program. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Steven Furtick and Elevation Church are generating controversy because of the ticket prices of their upcoming tour. And Hillsong’s Brian Houston was removed from the pulpit is awaiting a court date, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking the stage at other events. We’ll have details. We begin today with the story of a massive financial fraud that targeted Christians. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Phil Cooke, Bobby Ross Jr., Dale Chamberlain, Jessica Etturalde, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey.

Special thanks to Church Leaders dot com and The Christian Chronicle for providing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders. That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil has written a provocative article for the MinistryWatch website about pastor and ministry leader compensation. Phil argues that we should be paying not less, but more. Before we let Phil make his case, let me tell you a bit about him. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology. He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America. Phil spoke to me from his studio in California. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we examine a ministry called Pre-Born!, which has grown dramatically over the past three years. We’ll tell you why. Also on today’s program, another pastor has been charged with felonies for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. We’ll have details. We begin today with the strange story of a youth pastor whose lapse in judgment has garnered national attention. A reminder that I’ll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte on October 26, and I’ll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15. If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I’ll make sure you get the details. All of these lunches are FREE. They’re just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work.

And I also want to mention that we have slightly tweaked our Financial Efficiency Rating formula. We now divide the database into fifths, or quintiles. That means the top 20 percent of ministries get a five-star rating, the next 20 percent get four stars, etc. That’s slightly different than the dividing lines we used before, and it has resulted in about 100 ministries getting new scores – some higher and some lower. We’ve got a complete explanation of what we did, and why, in the Thursday email.

Special Thanks to Church Leaders dot com for providing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Christian filmmaker from Colorado Springs has been arrested as part of a child sex sting conducted by local police and the Department of Justice. We’ll have details. And a documentary about the sex abuse scandal at Kanakuk Kamps has won an Emmy. This journalistic prize for the news organization VICE lends further credibility to the stories of the survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of a Kanakuk counsellor. We begin today with news that a defamation case filed by a pastor against his former church has been dismissed. A Florida judge has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by former Celebration Church pastors Stovall and Kerri Weems on the grounds that the suit concerns an ecclesiastical matter and is therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction. In closing: I’ll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte in October, on the 26th, and I’ll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15. If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I’ll make sure you get the details. All of these lunches are FREE. They’re just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work. If you’d like details, please send me an email: wsmith@ministrywatch.com

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP) is set to roll out an accreditation program designed to train and certify ministry executives in skills to prevent sexual abuse. And we note two notable passings this week: Open Doors founder Brother Andrew, and the long-time president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Dan Busby. We begin today with the controversial decision by Christian musician Chris Tomlin to tour with the scandal ridden Hillsong United this fall. Before we go…

I’ll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte in October, and I’ll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15. If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I’ll make sure you get the details. All of these lunches are FREE. They’re just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work.

I also want to remind you that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we’ll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift. This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center’s John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, it’s been a year since Glenn Beck’s The Nazarene Fund raised $35-million for Afghan relief. We’ll have an update on where the money went. We also look at Charlie Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA. The group now has a subsidiary called Turning Point Faith, aimed at pastors and church leaders. We begin today with news that the Southern Baptist Conventions’ top administrative body voted to cut ties with two congregations on Tuesday. If you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we’ll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift. This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center’s John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Peter Smith, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the Bible translation industry. We ask the question: How much does it really cost to translate the Bible. We also look at a milestone for the Christian ministry Samaritan’s Purse. It will hit $1-billion in revenue this year. And one of evangelicalism’s flagship seminaries, Fuller Seminary, has the first African American president in its history. We’ll have details. We begin today with news that 2,000 churches and Christian ministries have asked the U.S. Senate to oppose the “Respect For Marriage Act.” A Reminder: if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we’ll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift. This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center’s John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Emily McFarlan Miller, Stephanie Martin, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Tom Campisi, Kim Roberts—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, one of evangelicalism’s most prominent leaders, Ted Haggard, his hit new lows. We’ll have the latest. And the American Bible Society latest president lasted less than 90 days. The organization has had five presidents in the past 10 years. We’ve got news of the latest changes at this two-century old ministry. We begin today with the latest chapter in the story of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. Last week, Lighten Group, announced it was shutting down. Lighten Group is a new ministry started by Sarah Davis, former CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and daughter of late Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. Lighten Group, whose team is comprised of former RZIM employees, was founded in the fall of 2021 and was supported by RZIM funding. It is not clear what has happened to the millions of dollars in assets owned by RZIM when the organization imploded in the aftermath of a sex abuse scandal. Before we go, a reminder: if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we’ll send you a copy of my book “Restoring All Things.” It’s a book that I co-wrote with The Colson Center’s John Stonestreet. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Emily Miller, Todd Nettleton, Anne Stych, Audrey Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Etturalde, and Steve Rabey. Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you important thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders. That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University. Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation’s experts on the use of media in a Christian context. He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries. Though he got his start working for one of the most famous televangelists in history, he has also been a thoughtful critic of televangelists. And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn’t have a marketing problem. It has a character problem. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology. He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America. Phil spoke to me from his studio in California. You can find the article we discussed today, The Loyalty Obsession – Why It’s Harming Churches and Ministries – by going to the MinistryWatch website. Before we go, I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of September we’ll send you a copy of a book I co-wrote with The Colson Center’s John Stonestreet. That book is: “Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more promises, but few details, from the Bible translation industry. We’ll have the latest from Wycliffe Bible Translators. And a former World Vision staffer gets 12 years in prison after an Israeli court found he aided a terrorist group. But his supporters – including World Vision itself – say he’s innocent. We begin today with the story of Matt Chandler, who is taking a leave of absence from his role as pastor of The Village Church.

I also want to remind you that if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you’ll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. We’ve had such a great response, that we’ve extended this offer a few days, through the Labor Day Weekend. So if you thought you’d missed this offer, don’t despair. This is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Liberty University is receiving complaints from veterans who use the school’s online program as part of their GI Bill benefits. We also have the latest in the slow-moving schism in the United Methodist Church. Plus, a look at Prosperity Gospel preacher Kenneth Copeland. He’s in the Ministry Spotlight. We begin today with something you don’t hear Christian leaders do too much these days, and that’s apologize. That apology came from Andy Wood. Wood was named as Rick Warren’s successor at Saddleback Church after Warren retires. He has apologized for inviting Mark Driscoll to speak at the 2021 Echo Leadership Conference.

Before we go: Just a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you’ll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. We made this offer last year, and got a great response. But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren’t with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year. So if you’re new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Lea, Alejandra Molina, Alec MacGillis, Bobby Ross Jr., Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Kathryn Post, Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey.

Special thanks to Church Leaders, The Christian Chronicle, and ProPublica for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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If you’re a regular reader of MinistryWatch’s daily journalism, or a regular listener to our podcast, you know that we care about integrity. The personal integrity of Christian leaders, and the integrity of the process and procedures of Christian ministries themselves. We advocate for transparency and accountability as a way of giving Christian donors the chance to make giving decisions for themselves. But my guest today, Conley Owens, say that is not enough. He suggests that it’s not just the prosperity gospel preachers who have crossed the line when it comes to financial integrity. He makes the case that virtually all evangelical ministries – including MinistryWatch – are engaged in fundraising practices that the Bible prohibits and that Jesus and Paul and early church leaders would have found reprehensible.

He's written a book about his ideas. It’s called The Dorean Principle: A Biblical Response to the Commercialization of Christianity. He spoke to me from his home office in California. You can get your own copy of Conley’s book “The Dorean Principle” by going to www.thedoreanprinciple.org The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.     I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, in the 1990s and 2000s, radio preacher Harold Camping wrongly predicted the return of Jesus. The ministry he founded has spent the last decade recovering. We’ll have an update. And the Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention. We’ll have the latest. We begin today with a lawsuit against Hillsong Church by one of its key employees. The lawsuit says the church misled donors and evaded taxes.

Before we go, a reminder: If you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you’ll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. We made this offer last year, and got a great response. But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren’t with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year. So if you’re new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Emily McFarlan Miller, Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Dale Chamberlain, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we look at a network of ministries fighting chemical abortions. We also look at prosperity gospel preachers John and Lisa Bevere and their ministry Messenger International. We begin today with new leadership for a couple of the nation’s leading Christian publications. Russell Moore, the former Southern Baptist ethicist, was named editor in chief at Christianity Today. Lynn Vincent, a motorcycle-riding Navy veteran and New York Times best-selling author, was recently named executive editor at WORLD Magazine. Before we go: a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you’ll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. We made this offer last year, and got a great response. But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren’t with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year. So if you’re new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Lea, Riley Farrell, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, and Warren Smith. Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I welcome back to the program Jane Schoen. Jane is the director of Strategic Initiatives for the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. A year ago I reported on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called Lingua Linx. I wrote an article about this process back in August of last year. Earlier this year we checked in with Jane to see how things were going, and today we look in again.

The very fact that Jane and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates. It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy. In fact, for the past two years or so, I’ve written nearly two dozen articles on the industry and its practices, and you can find links to these articles below. I encourage you to check them out.

Before we go, I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you donate in the month of August, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a subscription to WORLD Magazine. That’s a print AND digital subscription, which has a value of more than $100. That’s for a gift of any size. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you. Links Mentioned in Today’s Program

Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest: ECFA Charter Member, Wycliffe Associates, Resigns Membership While Under Review – March 7, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/ecfa-charter-member-wycliffe-associates-resigns-membership-while-under-review/ What Would Wycliffe Fly? – March 19, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/what-would-wycliffe-fly/ Wycliffe Associates Touts MAST, Print-On-Demand – April 15, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-touts-mast-and-print-on-demand-program/ When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/ Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/ American Bible Society Names Robert Briggs As President – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/american-bible-society-names-robert-l-briggs-as-president-and-ceo/ Key Executives Depart Wycliffe Associates – August 12, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/key-executives-depart-wycliffe-associates/ Bruce Smith Out As President/CEO of Wycliffe Associates – October 13, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/bruce-smith-out-as-president-ceo-of-wycliffe-associates/ Wycliffe Associates Sees Revenue Decline – March 4, 2021 https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-sees-revenue-decline/ Women’s Conference Attendees Pledge $1.5-Million To Bible Translation Efforts – March 17, 2021 https://ministrywatch.com/womens-conference-attendees-pledge-more-than-1-5-million-to-bible-translation-effort/ Bible Translation Organizations Form Alliance (IllumiNations) – April 5, 2021 https://ministrywatch.

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On today’s program, we look at spiritual abuse. At what point is a difference in opinion, or a disagreement with the pastor, real abuse? It’s a question lots of churches, pastors, and church members are having to grapple with. Also, we look at an online ministry that started as a hobby, but is now generating more than 100-million page views a year from people wanting answers to tough spiritual questions. We begin today with news about a Tennessee megachurch that has defaulted on its building payments. The building that housed Venue Church is set to be auctioned off from the steps of the local courthouse Aug. 24, just six months after a video surfaced allegedly showing its head pastor kissing a woman who was not his wife. A notice of foreclosure that appeared in The Chattanooga Times Free Press said Venue Church has defaulted on payments on the more than $2 million the church owes on a property at 6401 Lee Highway in Chattanooga, its main campus. A reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you’ll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. We made this offer last year, and got a great response. But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren’t with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year. So if you’re new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jesse T. Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith.

Special thanks to Church Leaders for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, prosperity gospel preacher and Donald Trump supporter Mario Murillo led a crusade in Colorado Springs. We had a reporter on the scene. Amy Grant will be one of the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors this year. And we have an update on the story of the Family Research Council changing its status to an “association of churches.” FRC President Tony Perkins reached out to us to explain why. We begin today with news about a Colorado Springs pastor who has had his share of troubles before. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Catherine Pepinster, Emily McFarlan Miller, Michael Sisak, Brittany Smith, Richard Levey, Adelle Banks, Jesse T. Jackson, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey. Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a fast-growing church planting network called simply The Network, is facing criticism by a group of former staff and lay leadership. We also have the results of an investigation done by Saddleback Church into its new pastor. The new study finds no evidence of wrongdoing. We begin today with news that an employee of disgraced Wall Street financier Bill Hwang is suing his former employer. The employee says he was forced to donate to a Christian Charitable Fund. A few housekeeping items before we go.

First, I wanted to mention that I would be in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, that’s July 19. If you live in Iowa and you’re on our daily email list, you should have already received an invitation, but if not, please shoot me an email and we’ll make sure you get one. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com

Secondly, MinistryWatch has been featured recently on NBC’s Nightly News, in Rolling Stone Magazine, at the investigative news site Pro Publica, and in the magazine Government Executive. All that within the past three weeks. If you get our daily emails, you can find links to those stories there.

Thirdly, next week we’ll be taking some time off from the podcast. Just one week, so don’t fret, and feel free to get caught up on any episodes you haven’t listened to yet. But we’ll be back on the 29th.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Paul Glader, Paul Clolery, Emily Miller, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you important thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders. That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Before I tell you what we’re talking about today, I should mention that Phil Cooke is a content machine. He got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University. Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation’s experts on the use of media in a Christian context. He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries. Though he got his start working for one of the most famous televangelists in history, he has also been a thoughtful critic of televangelists. And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn’t have a marketing problem. It has a character problem. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology. He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post. He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America. Today we talk about two articles Phil recently posted on his website. They deal with compensation for church planters. We also talk about what we should do with the books, videos, and other material from teachers and speakers who have gotten themselves into trouble because of their immoral behavior. Two vital topics, and Phil has some great insights. You can find the articles we discussed here. Before we go, I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported. We take no money from ministries. All of our content is free. No paywall. That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors. You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise. So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, students at Seattle Pacific University end their sit-in for LGBTQ rights, but the controversy at this Christian school is not likely to go away. And we check in with some prominent pro-life ministries to see how the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, will impact their work. We begin today with a report that rapidly rising prices are having a significant impact on ministries that provide food and housing for the poor. A few housekeeping items before we go.

First, a big thank you to those who gave us a fiscal year end gift last month. We had nearly 200 donors during the month of June who gave us about $20,000, which barely got us to our goal. But it was an ambitious goal, and I am grateful for the support.

I also wanted to mention that I was in Southern California last week and had the pleasure of hosting a luncheon of MinistryWatch supporters in Newport Beach. A hearty thank-you to those who came out for that event. And I wanted to mention that I’ll be doing a similar lunch in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 19. That’s a Tuesday. If you live within driving distance of Des Moines and you’d like to attend, shoot me an email and we’ll make sure you get an invitation. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Haley Barker, Riley Farrell, Marika Proctor, Kim Roberts, Alejandra Molina, and Donald Kramer. Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision put an end to the Roe v. Wade era in America. Many millions of pro-life Americans played a role in bringing about this historic decision, but few have been as active as my guest today Ryan Bomberger. Ryan’s story gives his pro-life activism special power. His biological mother was raped, but chose not to have an abortion. He was then adopted at 6 weeks of age and grew up in a loving, multi-racial Christian family of 15, with 10 of the 13 children adopted. Today, Ryan and his wife Bethany lead The Radiance Foundation. They are activists, but they prefer to call themselves FACTivists, using facts, logic, history, data, and reason to make their pro-life arguments in the public square. Today, Ryan and Bethany have four children of their own, two of whom are adopted. To read more from Ryan, and to check out our reporter Kim Roberts’ exploration of the topic “Where Does The Pro-Life Movement Go After Roe?” check out the MinistryWatch website.

Before we to, I want to thank those of you who made fiscal year end gifts to MinistryWatch. Thanks to you, we made our year-end goal. If you have not yet donated to MinistryWatch, please know that our needs go on year round, and we would welcome your support at any time. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a lawsuit against well-known preacher David Platt and the church he pastors, McLean Bible Church, has been dropped. We’ll have details. We’ll also talk about TV preachers and their books. Who should get the royalties? We’ll have the answer. And Explo 72, took place 50 years ago. An event took place in Dallas last week that tried to capture some of the spirit of Explo. We’ll have a report. We begin today with some of the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. I want to thank the nearly 200 of you who gave us donations in June. We didn’t quite make our goal of $20,000, but it was an ambitious goal, and we came close, topping $18,000 for the month. Thank you.

Also, at the risk of shameless self-promotion, I wanted to mention that I was on NBC Nightly News this week to discuss one of the stories we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch. It’s the story of a Christian ministry in Florida that has allegedly defrauded the government of more than $8-million in payroll protection program funds. You can see that segment here.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Jesse T. Jackson, Kathryn Post, Donald Kramer, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to the website Church Leaders for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a former World Vision executive is convicted in Israel of aiding a terrorist group, but independent observers say this verdict is a miscarriage of justice. We’ll have details. And an independent report into the behavior of Christian musician Chris Rice found what it calls credible evidence of child abuse. We begin today with a major win for religious liberty. The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that religious schools can’t be excluded from a Maine program that offers tuition aid for private education, a decision that could ease religious organizations’ access to taxpayer money. A final reminder that our fiscal year ends on June 30, at the end of this month. That’s just a week away. Our goal for June is $20,000, and so far we’ve raised about $8,000, so we have a ways to go.

So if you would like to help us get back on track and finish the year strong, just hit the donate button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of June, we’ll send you a copy of a book I wrote with Christian journalism legend Marvin Olasky called “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.”

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Lea, Mark Sherman, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to the website Church Leaders for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Seattle Pacific University is struggling with issues of human sexuality. A three judge panel in Colorado ruled against a Christian school’s ability to hire and fire teachers based on belief. And the United Methodist Church has settled a dispute with one of the largest churches in its denomination. The church gets to leave and keep its building, but it will pay millions to the denomination. We begin today with news from the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, which took place this week in Anaheim, California.

A reminder: our fiscal year ends on June 30, at the end of this month. I’m not embarrassed to admit that we’ve been running so hard covering the news – and there’s been lots of it this month – that we have not done all we could on the fundraising front, and we’re running a bit behind. Our goal for June is $20,000, and so far we’ve raised less than $5,000. Now, I should add that it’s kind of normal that we get most of our funds in the last half of every month, so I’m not officially freaking out yet, but it would be great if you could take some of the drama out of next week and the following week by giving now if you already know you want to help us by the end of the month.

So if you would like to help us get back on track and finish the year strong, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of June, we’ll send you a copy of a book I wrote with Christian journalism legend Marvin Olasky called “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.”

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Shannon Cuthrell, Peter Smith, Holly Meyer, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Adelle M. Banks, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, pro-abortion activists disrupt a church service in Houston. And we have details of a bizarre story we’ve reported on previously. It’s the story of a Christian ministry that allegedly defrauded the Payroll Protection Program of millions of dollars. Also, Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE), an organization hired by Covenant Fellowship Church to look into the allegations against the church and its former head pastor, Min Joshua Chung, said in a statement that although all that remained in the investigation was a “minimal” number of interviews, primarily with CFC leadership, they had been informed by CFC that the assessment would not continue. Our fiscal year ends on June 30, at the end of this month. So if you would like to help us get back on track and finish the year strong, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of June, we’ll send you a copy of a book I wrote with Christian journalism legend Marvin Olasky called “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.”

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Donald Kramer, Peter Smith, Brian Melley, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a pro-life activist, Jennifer Christie, is facing a credibility crisis after aspects of her dramatic testimony are not standing up to scrutiny. When a major ministry saw a 50 percent drop in revenue, it had to ask some hard questions about how it was doing things. But Cross International is back, and it’s a case study in how to make a strategic shift. We begin today with more news from the Southern Baptist Convention. The sex abuse scandal in the SBC brings us almost daily news. We’ll have updates. For those who care about such things, Warren Smith was on Newsmax this week to discuss the Southern Baptist Church’s abuse scandal. You can see the show here. Warren goes on the air at about the 45-minute mark.

Finally, I want you to know that this program wouldn’t exist without the support of people like you. We take no money from the ministries we cover. Our fiscal year ends on June 30, at the end of this month. I should tell you that we’re a little behind budget for this year when it comes to fundraising, so it would be really great to have a strong June to get us back on track. So if you would like to help us get back on track and finish the year strong, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of June, we’ll send you a copy of a book I wrote with Christian journalism legend Marvin Olasky called “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.”

Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s EXTRA episode, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith will be doing a question-and-answer episode. Regular listeners to the program might remember that back in February we did our first Q&A session, and at that time I said we’d be doing them every month or so. But what’s that old saying about the best laid plans of mice and men? We haven’t done a Q&A session since March, so we’ve got some catching up to do, including updates on new MinistryWatch features. If you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

Also, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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A judge has decided that a lawsuit filed by donors to Ravi Zacharias International Ministries can continue. It the donors succeed in getting their money back, could set a landmark precedent. We’ll also look at the story of a sexual abuse victim confronting his alleged accuser – during the Sunday service. A video of the event has gone viral. We begin today with the biggest religion story of the week, and one that will likely be among the biggest of the year. That story is the release, by the Southern Baptist Convention, of a nearly 300-page report on sexual abuse in the denomination. We’ll look at this story from multiple angles today. Our fiscal year ends on June 30, a little more than a month from now. So if you would like to help us get back on track and finish the year strong, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And now, you can now give via text. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014.

If you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Donald Kramer, Kim Roberts, Adelle M. Banks, Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Rod Pitzer and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we have updates on the situation at Grove City College. The Global Leadership Network – formerly known as the Willow Creek Association -- makes a comeback. And disgraced megachurch pastor Jack Schaap, convicted of sex crimes more than a decade ago, gets an early release from prison. We begin today with news that a controversial “discernment blogger” has been charged with DUI and for carrying a weapon. I want you to know that this program wouldn’t exist without the support of people like you. We take no money from the ministries we cover. We don’t charge a subscription or have a paywall. We are 100 percent donor supported. If you’d like to make a donation so that our work can continue, please go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. And now, you can now give via text. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, John Stonestreet and Shane Morris, Kathryn Post, Alejandra Molina, Calvin Cockrell, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to BreakPoint, The NonProfit Times, and Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a former pastor and two accomplices defraud churches of more than $3-million. United Methodists continue to look for ways to split amiably, but some are becoming impatient. And we take you on the ground to Romania for a look at churches who are helping in Ukraine. We begin today with the story of a Colorado pastor who is suing his congregation for defamation. A couple of housekeeping items, you might say. First, I’m on the Pilgrim Radio Network this week to discuss the role journalism can play in reforming the Evangelical Church. The Pilgrim Radio Network has ten stations and more than 30 translators in communities in Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, and California. So if you can listen to a Pilgrim station, check out that conversation. I’ll also be sending a link around in our daily emails.

I also appeared with my friend Jason Jimenez on his podcast “Challenging Conversations,” discussing a biblical response to scandal in the church. You can find that conversation by going to StandStrongMinistries.org and hitting the podcast tab at the top of the page.

Finally, I want you to know that this program wouldn’t exist without the support of people like you. We take no money from the ministries we cover. We don’t charge a subscription or have a paywall. We are 100 percent donor supported. And now, you can now give via text. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014. I tried it myself, and it was pretty easy. So if I can do it, anyone can.

Also, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

And a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey, Adelle Banks, Erik Tryggestad, Rod Pitzer, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Kanakuk Kamps face new scrutiny over its handling of sex abuse cases. And Liberty University faces a federal investigation over its handling of sexual assault. Also on today’s programs, Duke Divinity students pray to a “queer god” and conservative Methodists form a separate denomination. We begin today with news that Jacksonville, Florida’s Celebration Church has been kicked out of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. I want to mention again that a couple of the stories we talked about today – the Kanakuk story and the Life360 Church story – came from reader tips. That happens just about every week. If you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

And, finally, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Hannah Dreyfus, Hope Rawlson, Emily McFarlan Miller, Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to ProPublica and Juicy Ecumenism—the blog of The Institute on Religion & Democracy—for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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The Bible says that where your treasure is, your heart is also. So it would make sense that if you want to do a heart examination on evangelicals, you should look at their giving habits. When you do that, you find that the evangelical heart is weak, if not downright diseased. Yes, evangelicals give more than mainline Christians, and far more than those who are unaffiliated religiously, but giving among evangelicals still falls far short of the biblical standard of the tithe, and – as we’ll learn in a new study we examine today – evangelicals give mostly to the same organizations that non-Christians give to. To help us unpack these new numbers, I have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts. That study was published a week ago, and it’s called “The Favorite Charity: Evangelical Giving Priorities.” Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that we will have a way for you to get a copy of this nearly 26-page report in the show notes. https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/ Before we go: A few quick notes.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, The Southern Baptist Convention could spend up to $4-million to deal with clergy sex abuse issues. And Grove City College is dealing with controversies related to “wokeness” and “critical race theory.” We begin today with the story of a church that has paid $8.3 million for a Tampa, Florida-area estate. Before we go: A couple of housekeeping items, you might say. First, I’ll be on the Pilgrim Radio Network next week to discuss the role journalism can play in reforming the Evangelical Church. The Pilgrim Radio Network has ten stations and more than 30 translators in communities in Wyoming, Montana, Nevada, and California. So if you can listen to a Pilgrim station, check out that conversation. I’ll also be sending a link around in our daily emails.

Also a quick reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of April, we’ll send you Randy Alcorn’s classic book on biblical stewardship called “Managing God’s Money.” As I’ve said repeatedly, I think this is a book that every Christian should have in his or her library. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

Or, you can now give via text. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014. I tried it myself, and it was pretty easy. So if I can do it, anyone can.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we’ll talk about a new model for missionary work. For hundreds of years, the model for missionary work has been that a missionary goes from one country – usually the United States or a western European country – to another country in what used to be called the Third World, or the Developing World, or – now – the Majority World. That model is still dominant, but some organizations are tilting that model on its side. One of those organizations is The Timothy Initiative. If you subscribe to WORLD Magazine, or Christianity Today, you may have seen their ads. But I wanted to learn more, so I reached out to Jared Nelms. Jared is the CEO and Vice President of The Timothy Initiative. We talk about The Timothy Initiative and its extraordinary growth, and whether old ways of reaching unreached people groups still work, or have become obsolete. You can find out more about The Timothy Initiative by going here.

Before we go: A few quick notes.

I want to remind you that our thank you gift for the month of April is Randy Alcorn’s classic book on stewardship, “Managing God’s Money.” We think this is a book every Christian should have in his or her library, and that’s why we’ll send it to you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page. There are still a few days left on this offer, but it ends on Saturday, April 30. So please act soon if you want to take advantage of this offer.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, popular televangelist Andrew Wommack is trying to get out of a deal it make with a Colorado city. We begin today with the story of a missionary airplane that makes vital trips to Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. It was recently attacked and burned. And a quick reminder as we approach month-end that we are offering Randy Alcorn’s classic book “Managing God’s Money” as a thank you gift if you make a donation of any size to MinistryWatch during the month of April. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. You can also give via text. Just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014.

Also: If you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

Finally, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Roxanne Stone, Bobby Ross Jr., Kim Roberts, Warren Smith, and Richard Levey.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts. That study was published a week ago, and it’s called “Media Matters: Evangelicals And The Media.”

Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that we will have a way for you to get a copy of this nearly 26-page report in the show notes.

https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/

INTERVIEW AUDIO

You’ve been listening to my conversation with Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research, which has just published a new study called “Media Matters: Evangelicals and the Media.”

Before we go: A few quick notes.

I also want to remind you that our thank you gift for the month of April is Randy Alcorn’s classic book on stewardship, “Managing God’s Money.” We think this is a book every Christian should have in his or her library, and that’s why we’ll send it to you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, more news regarding the Hillsong controversies, which just keep growing. Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin signs a bill into law that protects donor privacy. We begin today with another Southern Baptist leader throwing his hat in the ring to be president of that denomination. I hope you will forgive us a bit of shameless self-promotion, but I wanted you to know that I was on the syndicated radio program Issues, Etc. this week to discuss the Hillsong scandal. You can listen here: https://issuesetc.org/2022/04/13/1034-continuing-scandals-at-hillsong-global-megachurch-warren-smith-4-13-22/

Also, my former employer the Colson Center for Christian Worldview asked me to discuss what it means to have a “Godly Response To Evangelical Sex Abuse Scandals.” I had a great conversation with my friend and former colleague Shane Morris. Here’s a link to that program:

https://upstreamcc.libsyn.com/a-godly-response-to-christian-scandals-warren-cole-smith And a quick reminder. There’s a new way to give to MinistryWatch. You can now give via text. I’ve got to admit that this is not my preferred way of giving, but I’m kind of old school. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014. I tried it myself, and it was pretty easy. So if I can do it, anyone can. Also, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

Lastly, a reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Roxanne Stone, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Adelle M. Banks, Kim Roberts, and Christina Darnell.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

On today’s mid-week “Extra” episode I’m pleased to present to you a speech I recently did at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association in Colorado Springs. The title of the speech is “How Journalism Can Save Evangelicalism.”

This speech outlines why we do what we do here at MinistryWatch, and I hope it will be both a challenge and an encouragement to you today.

You’ve been listening to a speech I recently gave to the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association in Colorado Springs. The title of the speech is “How Journalism Can Save Evangelicalism.”

Before we go: A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners. We take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

If money is a little tight now…hey, I get it. Been there a time or two myself. You can still help the program. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we discuss financial abuse of the elderly. Some charity scams target old people, but there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family. A new law will require Christian ministries to file their Form 990s electronically. I’ll explain why that’s a good thing, but it won’t solve the problems at the IRS. We begin today with new developments in the case of the AME Church’s Retirement Funds. There’s a new way to give to MinistryWatch. You can now give via text. I’ve got to admit that this is not my preferred way of giving, but I’m kind of old school. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014. I tried it myself, and it was pretty easy. So if I can do it, anyone can.

A reminder that you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a pastor in Georgia pleads guilty to fraud after receiving COVID relief funds. And the Colorado Springs-based Association of Christian Schools International, ACSI, is proving that the word INTERNATIONAL in its name is true by coming to the aid of member schools in Ukraine. We begin today with updates on a couple of court cases involving Christian celebrities. We’ll hear about Eric Metaxas in a moment. We get started today with Lysa Terkeurst.

A Few Housekeeping Notes:

Some of our listeners probably know that a movie about the PTL scandal involving Jim and Tammy Bakker won a couple of Oscars at Sunday nights Academy Awards ceremony. Those wins have renewed interest in the movie, a movie that I found to be pretty mediocre. We’ve posted a review of the movie that was originally written last year, when the movie came out, that articulates some of the movie’s limitations, including problems with its historical accuracy. I encourage you to check it out.

I also want to mention that there’s a new way to give to MinistryWatch. You can now give via text. I’ve got to admit that this is not my preferred way of giving, but I’m kind of old school. If this is your preferred way of giving, just text @ministrywatch to 52014. Again, that’s @ministrywatch to 52014. I tried it myself, and it was pretty easy. So if I can do it, anyone can.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Cheryl Mann Bacon, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey.

Special thanks for The Christian Chronicle and NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, bestselling author Voddie Baucham is running for a senior leadership position in the Southern Baptist Convention. But it’s not clear that he’s even a Southern Baptist. Calvin University, one of evangelicalism’s flagship organizations, is struggling with LGBTQ issues. It’s discovering that compromise often invites more trouble than just taking a firm stand. And we take a deep dive into Sid Roth’s “It’s Supernatural” television ministry. We begin today with the resignation of Hillsong’s Brian Houston.

A quick reminder. I mentioned last week that Christina’s “Ministries Making A Difference” column is made up of information that we mostly get from our readers and listeners. They send us news tips, press releases, emails, and links, and Christina chases down the details. And that’s how we get a lot of our other stories as well. So, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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This week, we’re going to do a something a bit different on this mid-week EXTRA podcast episode. The war in Ukraine has motivated Christians to give. And that’s a good thing. But it has also motivated some ministries to take advantage of the situation to raise money even if they have little or no experience in the region.

That’s why I wanted to bring on the program someone who has had extensive experience in that part of the world, and that’s Michael Johnson, the president of the Slavic Gospel Association.

The Slavic Gospel Association was founded in 1934 as the Russian Gospel Association. Today, it works in Russia, Ukraine, and in other nations of the former Soviet Union. My guest today, Michael Johnson, has been president of SGA since 2017, but he has had a long association with the organization, serving as Vice President of Advancement for the organization in the early 2000s.

I should also add that Michael is a friend, and when I saw him at the recent meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville, he told me some of the work SGA was doing, and I knew then that I had to have him on the program. We had this conversation via zoom this morning.

Let me add that I would like to encourage any of our listeners who want to give to relief efforts in Ukraine to do you homework first. Yes, the need is urgent, but it is also a need that will not go away soon. So take the few minutes it requires to make sure you’re making a good decision with your donor dollars. A great way to begin this process is to read an article I wrote that you can find on the front page of our website. It’s called, “Advice For Those Wanting To Give To Ukrainian Relief.” Again, just go to www.Ministrywatch.com and scroll down until you see the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag. In addition to advice I think you should follow, we have short profiles, including our own ratings, of ministries doing work in Ukraine, Poland, and the surrounding region.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we discuss what happens to a church’s building when the church itself shuts down. More from Ukraine, of course. And we’re seeing some dramatic shifts in the fundraising environment. I’ll have details. We begin today with news that the former editor of Christianity Today, Mark Galli, has been accused of sexual harassment.

Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch is to provide resources for ministry leaders to help them become more effective in their roles. That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke.

Phil Cooke got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University. Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation’s experts on the use of media in a Christian context. He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries. He has been critical of televangelists. And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn’t have a marketing problem. It has a character problem.

I had this conversation with Phil Cooke at the recent meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters, which took place in Nashville last week.

MinistryWatch is donor supported. If you’d like to pitch in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

If even a few bucks is too much – I get it. I’ve been there, too. But there’s something easy and FREE you can do to help. And that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us on the search engines. So it’s a great way for you to help out, and it only takes a few seconds. And, by the way, though I can’t respond via the podcast app, I do read all the comments, and they’re both encouraging and helpful. So…THANKS!

I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we talk about the pastor of one of Canada’s largest churches after an investigation into sexual abuse at the church. Controversial pastor John MacArthur is back in the news. And we have more information about how churches and ministries are helping in Ukraine and the surrounding region. We begin today with the National Center for Sexual Exploitation’s annual “Dirty Dozen List.” It’s a list of organizations that names twelve entities for facilitating, enabling, and even profiting from sexual abuse and exploitation.”

If you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com.

You can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

Special thanks to The Gazette in Colorado for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we talk about Ukraine. The Russian invasion has dominated the news, and motivated Christians to give. We offer some advice about how to give responsibly and helpfully. Also, MinistryWatch unveils a couple of new tools to help donors with their giving efforts. I’ll have details. We begin today with a look at the multi-million dollar homes of televangelists.

Get the “75 Red Flags” booklet here.

You can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

Special thanks to Trinity Foundation and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

On today’s mid-week “Extra” episode I’ll be doing something a bit different. Regular listeners may recall that a couple of months ago I did a Q&A episode, an episode in which I answered questions about MinistryWatch. I didn’t know how that would go, but I was surprised to discover that it was one of most listened to episodes ever.

So today I’m doing that again, except this time I’m focusing on some of the questions I’ve gotten about the MinistryWatch database, and I am also using this episode to talk with you about a new product we have here at MinistryWatch, and that’s the Donor Confidence Score.

If you are a regular user of the MinistryWatch database, you already know that we have a database of the 1000 largest Christian ministries in the country at our site. We call this the MinistryWatch 1000. The MinistryWatch 1000 database has a webpage for each ministry. And you’ll find a lot of information on those pages. We publish, for example, financial information going back five years. We calculate ratios so you can see how much and what percentage of the donations to the ministry get used for fundraising, for management costs, and for asset accumulation.

We use those ratios to calculate a Financial Efficiency Rating. Every ministry in the database is rated from 1 star (the worst) to 5 stars (the best).

We also have salaries of senior executives, and statements from the ministries themselves. We give the ministries a chance to have their say if they disagree with the way they’ve been rated.

If you’ve never used our MinistryWatch 1000 database, I really do recommend that you go there and explore it a bit. It’s got some really great stuff. And, I should add, our database is really what makes MinistryWatch different. We think the journalism we do is different. But others are doing journalism. Great organizations like WORLD Magazine and Christianity Today. But no one does that data-based journalism that we do, or has a database as extensive as ours.

The MinistryWatch 1000 database has another feature that we think is extraordinarily important, and that’s the Transparency Grade.

A ministry can get a Transparency Grade of A, C, D, or F. We use three criteria do determine the grade:

Does the ministry get an annual audit and make it available to the public? Does the ministry release its Form 990 to the public? Is the organization a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability?

If we can answer YES to all three questions, we give that ministry an “A” grade. If it can answer YES to 2 out of 3, it gets a “C.” If 1 out of 3, it gets a “D”. And if it can’t answer YES to any of the questions, it gets an F.

By the way, if you’re a numbers geek, like I am, you might be interested to know that about 650 of the ministries in the MinistryWatch 1000 database get an A Transparency Grade. About 175 of them get a D or F.

But one of the things we’ve become aware of is that no rating system is perfect, or complete. I’m a baseball fan, and I should mention that I’m specifically an Atlanta Braves fan. My family moved to Atlanta when I was a kid, and I’ve been a fan of the Braves through good times and bad. When I was a kid, watching the Braves, I learned that it is possible to measure the wrong things. In 1973, for example, the Braves had three players who hit more than 40 home runs: Henry Aaron, Darrell Evans, and Davey Johnson. As a team, they were near the top of the standings in home runs. But they had one of the worst records in baseball that year. If you measured the success of the Braves by looking at home runs only, you would have been measuring the wrong thing.

And this simple truth applies not just to sports teams, but also to corporations, even a rock band or dance company. Is the most successful organization the one that makes the most money, has a winning record,

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On today’s program, Vladimir Putin and Russia are now invading Ukraine. That action has caused us to take a second look at the cozy relationship many Christian leaders have had with Putin over the years. And the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee is meeting this week, and it’s making news. We’ll bring an update. We begin today with details of a newly released report on Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Diana Kruzman, Audrey Jackson, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, news about landmark non-profit regulatory reform in Washington state, and Gordon College has cancelled a Christian speaker for sharing what the Bible teaches regarding human sexuality. We begin today with the latest chapter in the Duggar family saga.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, and Christina Darnell. Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, there’s a generation gap among evangelical givers. We’ll take a closer look at a new survey. And victims of a church shooting receive a massive financial pay out from the US Government. We begin today with the story of a Tennessee pastor returning to the pulpit just weeks after he was removed for having an inappropriate relationship.

Also, a reminder that we’ll be doing a FREE webinar next week. I’ll be interviewing Michael MacKenzie about his new book “Don’t Blow Up Your Ministry.” It’s a great book for pastors, ministry leaders – and those who care about them. Though the webinar is FREE, you do need to sign up. To do so, look for the link in my daily MinistryWatch emails. We’re limiting this webinar to 150 people, and we’re more than halfway there, so sign up soon.

Finally, you can help the program by leaving us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us. It’s a quick, easy, and free way you can support MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Terry Wallace, Kim Roberts, Erik Tryggestad, and Rod Pitzer.

Special thanks to The NonProfit Times and Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that we will have a way for you to get a copy of this nearly 40-page report in the show notes.

https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/

Before we go: A few quick notes.

Also, a quick reminder that we have a webinar coming up next week. It will feature Michael MacKenzie and his new book “Don’t Blow Up Your Ministry.” We’ll discuss some of the issues that take pastors and ministry leaders down – and how to avoid them. I think this book and webinar are essentials for ministry leaders and pastors, but also for lay people who are grieved by the high-profile implosions of ministry leaders. That webinar is February 16 at 3 pm ET. It’s free, but you do have to sign up. Look for a sign-up link in my daily emails, or you can find it in the show notes of this episode:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dont-blow-up-your-ministry-a-conversation-with-michael-mackenzie-tickets-260567673927

I also want to remind you that we take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page. For a gift during the month of February, we’ll send you a “thank you” gift of Michael MacKenzie’s book. So a gift to us this month helps us a lot, and you’ll add an important new book to your library.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the so-called “Billy Graham Rule.” We have updates on a couple of religious liberty cases that will have an impact on Christian ministries, and we have the latest on Hillsong’s Brian Houston. He has taken a sabbatical in advance of his criminal trial. We begin today with a history making move by the Southern Baptist Convention.

So, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana and Elizabeth Evans, Roxanne Stone, Bart Gingerich, Mary Jackson, Lynde Langdon, Alejandra Molina, Adelle Banks, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith.

Special thanks to the Institute on Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s mid-week “Extra” episode we’ll be doing something a bit different. For the past month or two I’ve been collecting questions that I often get from readers, and I’m going to be answering a few of them today. I’m doing this because I’m guessing that if one person has these questions, others might as well, and because I want to encourage your questions, and I thought the best way to do that was simply to throw this episode out there, in hopes that I would get others. If I do, we’ll do this again in a month or two.

So, with no further ado, let’s get started.

Where do your stories come from?
What is the budget of MinistryWatch? Where are your financial statements?
Does MinistryWatch have a statement of faith?
Scott asks: If a pastor or ministry leader is charged with wrong doing, how do you decide to report it?
Why aren’t you members of the ECFA?
How many people get your daily emails?
Is there a way I can get LESS emails?

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Tennessee adoption agency is sued in a case that could impact religious liberty for millions of Americans. And the ARC, or Association of Related Churches, is in the news again, and – once again – not for good reasons. We begin today with news of one of the biggest financial frauds we’ve ever seen here at MinistryWatch. Staccato Powell, the former president of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church’s board of bishops, has been federally charged with fraud and conspiracy connected to allegations of his mishandling the properties of congregations in California and fraudulently gaining millions of dollars for personal use.

Also, a reminder that Monday is the LAST DAY you can make a gift to MinistryWatch and receive as our thank-you gift a copy of Wade Mullen’s really excellent book called “Something’s Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself From Its Power.” We did a webinar with Wade this week, and he did a great job fielding my questions and questions from the 150 people who signed up for it. All that to say: I really recommend this book. To get a copy just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Adelle M. Banks, Liza Vandenboom Ashley, Kim Roberts, and Christina Darnell.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s mid-week “Extra” episode I’m pleased to have on the program Mike Cosper, the producer and host of the podcast phenomenon “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” By virtually any measure, “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill” has set a new standard for podcasters in the Christian world. Its episodes have had more than 14-million downloads, frequently ranking at the top of the charts on Stitcher and iTunes. But perhaps more importantly, the podcast has truly moved the needle regarding how Christians relate to megachurches, platform-building, and what I have been calling the “Evangelical Industrial Complex.”

Mike Cosper is a former pastor. He spent 16 years as one of the executive pastors at Sojourn Church, watching it grow from 12 people in an apartment to 4,000 people in four locations across the city of Louisville. In 2016, he started Narrativo, a company that serves individuals and brands by developing longform podcasts. In 2020, he joined the staff at Christianity Today to further develop their podcast network.

A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners. We take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, an update in our ongoing coverage of the Bible translation industry. We check in on a new way of translating the Bible that could disrupt the industry. Also, you may have heard the expression “It ain’t the crime, it’s the coverup.” Pastors and ministry leaders are learning that the hard way. We’ll explain. We begin today with new developments in the sex abuse case plaguing the Anglican Church in North America.

A couple of quick reminders. I mentioned last week that Christina’s “Ministries Making A Difference” column is made up of information that we mostly get from our readers and listeners. They send us news tips, press releases, emails, and links, and Christina chases down the details. And that’s how we get a lot of our other stories as well. So, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us. Our email is info@ministrywatch.com. That will come directly to my desk, and we’ll take it from there.

Also, a reminder that next week, on Tuesday, I’ll be holding a free on-line webinar with Wade Mullen, the author of a really excellent book called “Something’s Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself From Its Power. There’s a sign-up link at the top of my daily emails.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Erica Ramirez, Adelle M. Banks, Jay Reeves, Kevin Mcgill, Kathryn Post, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I’m pleased to have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts. That study was published a week ago, and it’s called “The Congregational Scorecard: What Evangelicals Want In A Church.” Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that we will have a way for you to get a copy of this 34-page report in the show notes.

https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a federal court ruling protects the right of churches and Christian ministries to hire and fire staff members based on religious beliefs. And we’ll take a look at how money given to tax-exempt organizations, including Christian organizations, is going to partisan political causes. We begin today with what appears to be a body blow to a group that claims to be the oldest Protestant denomination in the United States.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today I have on the program Jane Schoen. Jane is the director of Strategic Initiatives for the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world.

Strategic Resource Group is doing something that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called Lingua Linx. I wrote an article about this process back in August of last year, and today I check in with Jane, who is leading this project, to see how things are going.

You can read more about this initiative, and all of our coverage of the Bible Translation Industry, by going to MinistryWatch.com and typing “Bible Translation” into the search engine.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick . We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, news about the sex abuse case involving the Boy Scouts of America. Survivors appear to have rejected the settlement plan. And clergy burnout has become more acute in the era of COVID, but some pastors say sabbaticals are helping them and their families cope. And Proverbs 31 Ministries founder and president Lysa TerKeurst announced on social media Jan. 1 that she and her husband Art are getting divorced.

We begin today with a story that we’ve been following here at MinistryWatch for more than two years, and that’s the story of a ministry called Preemptive Love.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Paul Clolery, Audrey Jackson, and Randall Chase.

Special thanks for The Christian Chronicle and The NonProfit Times for contributing material on this week’s podcast.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I have on the program a story about the collision of religion and politics that ended badly for both. In 2018, a Southern Baptist pastor named Mark Harris ran for the U.S. Congress. Harris had been pastor of one of the most prominent churches in Charlotte, North Carolina, and he had been a strong voice for Christian ideas in the public square. But what happened next is the stuff of Greek tragedy. A close election, allegations of voter fraud, and hearings into those allegations that featured Mark Harris’s own son providing damaging testimony against his father.

A new book about what has been called the greatest electoral fraud of the 21st century – so far – lays out the details and is a warning to Christian leaders who want to get involved in politics. And that warning is not to stay out of politics, but to enter carefully.

Nick Ochsner, my guest today, is the co-author of that book: “The Vote Collectors: The True Story of the Scamsters, Politicians, and Preachers behind the Nation’s Greatest Electoral Fraud.”

Ochsner is the chief investigative reporter for WBTV, the CBS television affiliate in Charlotte.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick . We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the top stories of the year, as identified by you, our MinistryWatch readers and listeners. These are the stories that got the most page views on the MinistryWatch website this year. We’ll present the top 10, mention a few others, and provide a bit of commentary along the way. To see a longer list – a list of the 15 most viewed stories – go to MinistryWatch.com.

MinistryWatch published nearly a thousand stories this year, and whether you think these are the most important stories of the year or not, I do think the fact that these 10 received the most page views does tell us something about the state of evangelicalism these days. What we care about, and how we behave. That’s why I think such list are important. And I also want to thank everyone who read our stories this year, and engaged with us. We ended up with more than 2.25 million page views on our site, and our podcast listenership doubled this year. So thank you for joining us in our quest to bring transparency and accountability to the evangelical church.

I also want to share with folks that this will be our last regular podcast of the year. We’re going to take off next Friday, New Year’s Eve, from our podcast schedule, though we will be posting stories on the website this week.

That said, I hope you’ll therefore allow me to make a special appeal to those of you who like the podcast to give us a year-end gift. MinistryWatch is unique, even among Christian media outlets, in that we don’t take advertising, we don’t take money from the ministries we cover. We are completely independent. We serve our readers, our listeners, and donors who want to be more informed and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them.

If we have served you in this way, we hope you will consider a small gift to help us keep going in the new year. Our year-end goal is $68,000, and as of this moment, we have raised more than $40,000, but that means we still have a ways to go between now and Friday night.

As always, we want you to give to your local church first, to carefully researched Christian ministries second, but if we have helped you in your own journey of generosity, please consider a gift to us, too. To donate, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who have made significant contributions to MinistryWatch this year include Anne Stych, Christina Darnell, Shannon Cuthrell, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, and Bethany Starin.

Until next year, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, financial guru Dave Ramsey gets sued by a former employee. A pastor who sexually abused a teenager gets 45 years in prison. And we’ll tell you about churches and ministries who have stepped up to help in the aftermath of last weekend’s tornadoes in Kentucky and neighboring states. We begin today with the latest in the ongoing story of the Boy Scouts of America.

We have had a number of requests from our readers for recommendations. Which organizations are most effective in these post-disaster situations?

MinistryWatch has published a list of organizations that are doing relief work and which have an “A” Transparency Grade and a 3-, 4-, or 5-star rating for Financial Efficiency. It’s a list of about 30 ministries, and you can find it on the front page of our website. I’ll also include a link in the show notes to this program. Link to list HERE.

FINAL THOUGHTS: I want to share with folks that this will be our last regular podcast of the year. We’re going to take off next Friday, Christmas Eve, and the following Friday, New Year’s Eve. We’ll be dropping a couple of shorter, extra episodes, but we’ll commence with our weekly news roundups in the new year.

If we have served you in this way, we hope you will consider a small gift to help us keep going in the new year. As always, we want you to give to your local church first, to carefully researched Christian ministries second, but if we have helped you in your own journey of generosity, please consider a gift to us, too. To donate, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Until next year, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we look again at the world of Bible translation with Andrew Case. Today, specifically, we look at how open sourcing of Bible translation materials have the potential to revolutionize the Bible translation industry.

Before we begin, though, a bit of context. Many Christians do not know that many of the Bible translations in the world today are copyrighted. Many of the foundational Bible translation tools are also copyrighted. These copyrights often have a stifling effect on new Bible translations getting produced.

But there is a growing movement to “open source” Bible translations and Bible translation tools and study guides. For example, Biblica, formerly known as the International Bible Society and the owner of the New International Version of the Bible, has taken steps to make some of its material available for free, to all.

The secular world has been moving in this direction for years. Creative Commons, for example, is used by both creators and users of creative material. But the Christian world has been slow to embrace open sourcing.

An advocate for open sourcing is my guest today. Andrew Case is a Bible translation consultant and the host of the Working For The Word podcast, a podcast I have found enormously valuable as I have attempted to sort out some of the issues related to Bible translation. If you love the Bible, even if you don’t know much about Bible translation, I recommend this podcast to you.

Andrew has a master of divinity degree from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Bethany live in Mexico, where he continues his translation work, and where he was when we had this conversation. To find out more about his work, you can find his podcast, Working For The Word, on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Or you can hit his website, HisMagnificance.com, where you’ll find all kinds of cool stuff Andrew has created, including kids books, music, and a lot more.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick . We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Josh Duggar’s child pornography trial begins. But beyond the salacious headlines, what can we learn? And one of Canada’s best-known evangelical pastors has been accused of sexual misconduct. We begin today with news from Haiti.

There’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too. I read them all.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Kathryn Post, David Pitt, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Peter Smith, Evens Sanon, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the death of a whistleblower who was one of the few heroes in the Catholic Church clergy sex abuse scandal. And Daystar’s Marcus Lamb, who preached against the COVID vaccine, dies after becoming infected by the virus. We begin today with an update on a story we’ve been covering for nearly a year.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today…well…that topic is MinistryWatch. Over the past two years, since the re-boot of MinistryWatch, I have gotten a lot of questions about what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. The purpose of today’s podcast is to answer some of those questions. And I’ve invited into the program Christina Darnell, the Managing Editor of MinistryWatch.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick . We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

May God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have back on the program David French. David wrote an article about Liberty University that I wanted to explore more deeply.

But first, a bit of David’s background.

David French is a graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, and also of Harvard Law School. He spent many years as an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom. He was a staff writer for the National Review from 2015 to 2019, and he currently serves as senior editor of The Dispatch.

Before we go, I want to remind you that you can find the article we discussed today, about Liberty University, over at The Dispatch, where David is a senior editor.

I’d like to add in closing that MinistryWatch has published nearly 100 articles in the past two years that either mentions or features Liberty University. To find them, just go to MinitryWatch.com and type “Liberty University” into the search engine.

Our Kanakuk coverage, which now amounts to more than 20 stories, as well as our coverage of the Southern Baptist Convention and other organizations we discussed today, can also be found at MinistryWatch.com.

Finally, a reminder that because of the Thanksgiving holiday, we will not be posting an episode on Friday, and that means this will be the last episode of the podcast before Giving Tuesday. If you’ve found the work of MinistryWatch to be a blessing to you, I hope you’ll consider a gift on Giving Tuesday, or sometime between now and the end of the year. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick . We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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We’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

On today’s program, we look at St. Jude Children’s Hospital. It’s not a Christian ministry, but a lot of evangelicals donate to the organization, and the money is not always going to help children. We also look at a shake-up at WORLD Magazine. Finally, I offer a few thoughts about the podcast “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.” We begin today with news from San Antonio, Texas, where a rally at a church has drawn criticism for its use of the controversial “Let’s Go Brandon” chant, and for other reasons.

We’ll be taking next week off from the podcast so we can enjoy Thanksgiving with our families. And, at the risk of shameless self-promotion, I’d like to mention that we are rapidly coming up on the year-end. Just six weeks to 2022. And, without belaboring the point too much, we need your financial support before year-end.

MinistryWatch is different from many other news sites in that we take no money from the organizations we cover, we have no advertising on our site, and no paywall. All of our content is completely free. But we do depend on the generosity of people who believe in what we do.

And, I’ve got to say, that if you’re listening to this podcast, you’re either a glutton for punishment, or you’re a hard-core MinistryWatch fan. If the latter, I hope you’ll consider a year-end gift so we can keep doing what we do. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and it the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Nidhi Upadhyaya (?), Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, David Armstrong, Ryan Gabrielson, Mark Tooley, Bob Smietana, and Steve Rabey.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

I just want to note that you can get a copy of this nearly 40-page report here.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Ben Warwick. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at a group of Hackers for Jesus. And a new study by the Hartford Institute says COVID has led to both innovation and conflict in America’s churches. We begin today with more news from the Southern Baptist Convention.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, and Shannon Cuthrell. Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we have on the program Sam Rainer. He’s the author of the new book “The Church Revitalization Checklist.”

Sam Rainer serves as president of Church Answers and is a cofounder of Rainer Publishing. He is also lead pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Bradenton, Florida. He writes, teaches, speaks, and consults on a variety of church health issues.

Another way you can help the program is to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a lawsuit brought by indigenous people against New Tribes Mission could force many missionary organizations to re-think the way they do their work. And a new study highlights the vital role churches play in helping those with food insecurities. We begin today with more news from Liberty University. The way Liberty University has handled sexual assault incidents has come under scrutiny in recent months. This week, a new report by the investigative journalism organization Pro Publica alleges that Liberty has discouraged women from coming forward with their stories because to do so could get them expelled.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Brad Fulton, Bobby Ross Jr., Jessica Mundie, Hannah Dreyfus, and Bob Smietana—and you, Warren.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we have on the program former Christianity Today editor Mark Galli.

Mark Galli was a part of the evangelical elite for more than 20 years, first as the editor of Christian History magazine, and for seven years as editor in chief of Christianity Today.

But on December 19, 2019, a day after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to file two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, Galli wrote an editorial entitled, "Trump Should Be Removed from Office." The publication noted that the criticisms of Trump were consistent with the magazine's approach to the impeachment proceedings of presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

Maybe so, but the editorial created a firestorm. A few weeks later, Galli retired from Christianity Today, and in 2020 he announced that he had departed evangelicalism and become a Roman Catholic.

However, Galli’s voice is still being heard in the evangelical world. He has continued his popular article “The Galli Report,” and over the past few weeks he has struck a chord again, with a series of articles about what it means to be an “Elite Evangelical.” Who are the evangelical elite? What do they stand for? Is it a good thing or a bad thing to have evangelical elites defining issues and setting agendas for the church?

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Ravi Zacharias’s daughter forms a new ministry, but some former staff members and donors have concerns. And TD Jakes is doing a big real estate deal in Atlanta.

We begin today with the latest chapter in the continuing saga at Liberty University.

Before we go…I want to let everyone know that we have a limited supply of hardback copies of Faith Based Fraud. We’re offering these books for a gift of any size as our thank you gift to anyone who makes a donation by the end of October. So that’s just the next few days. And if you’re one of the first 100 who respond, you’ll get an autographed copy. So if you haven’t gotten your copy of Faith Based Fraud, or if you want a special hardback copy for your bookshelf or for a gift, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

Also…There’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too. I read them all.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, Paul Glader, John Semakula, Kathryn Post, Pierre-Richard Luxama, Nancy Benac, Steve Rabey, and Bob Smietana.

Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and this week I want to take a deep dive into Christian higher education, because of both its pivotal role in the culture, and because Christian colleges are among the largest Christian ministries in the country.

Today, we have on the program Mark Hancock, the CEO of Trail Life USA.

Mark began his career founding an advertising agency that grew to national prominence over fifteen years. His conversion to Christ led him into ministry as a Youth and College Pastor, Associate Pastor, Homeless Ministry Director, and Global Event Director for an international ministry, organizing events on five continents.

He holds two Masters Degrees in the Mental Health Counseling field, has spent a number of years in private practice and has taught at secular and Christian colleges.

Mark is the author of the book “Why Are We Sitting Here Until We Die?” as well as two booklets “Let Boys Be Boys: 3 Winning Strategies for Leaders of Boys” and “5 Critical Needs of Boys.”

A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners. We take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader-funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

If money is a little tight now…hey, I get it. Been there a time or two myself. You can still help the program. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free, easy, and important way that you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we look at the new social media platform Gab. It’s become home to a number of Christian leaders and others who have been kicked off of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other mainstream platforms. And we also look at the strange case of Pastor Saeed Abedini. Free Pastor Saeed was a rallying cry for evangelicals five years ago. But his ex-wife now says we didn’t know the whole story. We begin today with the latest on the missionaries that were kidnapped in Haiti.

Before we go. Just a reminder that there’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too. I read them all.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Jack Jenkins, Kathryn Post, Michael Ray Smith, Rod Pitzer—and Warren Smith. Special thanks to The NonProfit Times, Religion UnPlugged, and WORLD for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, we have on the program Dr. Erik Hoekstra.

Erik Hoekstra serves as the fourth, and current president of Dordt University. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he is no stranger to the role of president of a Christian college. His father served as president of Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL, when he was growing up, and his father-in-law was president of Trinity during his college years.

Erik Hoekstra received his bachelor's degree in history and philosophy from Trinity Christian College, his master's degree in international management from The Rotterdam School of Management of Erasmus University in the Netherlands, and his Ph.D. in organizational learning and human resource development from Iowa State University.

During his time at Dordt, President Hoekstra has led two capital campaigns, the building of a new Science and Technology Center, nursing simulation lab, theatre space, and Agriculture Stewardship Center. He has overseen the creation of innovative programs, such as Pro-Tech, a two-year, hands-on vocational degree. President Hoekstra also served in the process of transitioning Dordt from a college to a university in 2019.

Before we go: A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners. We take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader-funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

If money is a little tight now…hey, I get it. Been there a time or two myself. You can still help the program. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily. Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. It’s a free, easy, and important way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, the oldest denomination in America is struggling with LGBTQ issues. And Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church pays back its Payroll Protection Program – PPP – loans. We begin today with the final report of a sexual abuse investigation of Pastor John Ortberg’s Menlo Park Church. The investigation found no evidence of wrongdoing.

A reminder that there’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too. I read them all.

Special thanks to the blog Juicy Ecumenism for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today we have on the program Dr. Gerardo Marti, and we’re going to discuss his book “The Glass Church: Robert H. Schuller, the Crystal Cathedral, and the Strain of Megachurch Ministry.” This book caught my attention because it fills in an important chapter in the story of the evangelical movement. Many people, including me, have traced the rise of the evangelical megachurch to the Jesus movement of the 1970s, the rise of cable television, or the Willow Creek seeker model of the 1980s. And those influences were indeed powerful. But Gerardo Marti and his co-author Mark Mulder says that what Robert Schuller was doing as early as the late 1950s and early 60s, with drive-in churches and a sophisticated use of media and events, pre-date and provide a road map for many who followed, and that the rise and fall of Robert Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral provides lessons we should learn today. Gerardo Marti, my guest today, is the L. Richardson King Professor of Sociology at Davidson College, in Davidson, North Carolina. He has written a number of books about religion and culture, and he served for many years as editor in chief of the peer-reviewed journal “Sociology of Religion: A Quarterly Review.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Hillsong update, and we look at where all the money went that Christians gave to Glenn Beck and others who promised to provide relief during the Afghan airlift. Later in the program we look at Facebook and the most popular Christian Facebook pages. They are both more, and less, than meets the eye. We begin today with news that Southern Baptists will waive attorney-client privilege in order to facilitate their investigation into sexual abuse in the denomination. There’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Russell Moore needs little introduction to evangelicals who follow the news. He was the president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention for eight years. He had a public break with the SBC in the past year, and he is now the Public Theologian at Christianity Today and Director of Christianity Today’s Public Theology Project.

I wanted to have him on the program today because of an article he wrote for Plough Quarterly. It’s called “Integrity and the Future of the Church.” The article is based on a lecture he gave at the Plough Writers Weekend in August in New York state. The article is online, and you can find it here: http://www.plough.com/en/topics/faith/witness/integrity-and-the-future-of-the-church

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, churches that sponsor Boy Scout troops and Cub packs may be at risk for sexual abuse lawsuits. We’ll explain why. And we look at yet another formerly great Christian denomination that progressive ideologies have forced into decline. An update on the United Church of Christ, later in the program. We begin today with news that Southern Baptists are still struggling with how to move forward in the fact of sex abuse scandals. Also, a reminder that there’s a quick, easy, and FREE way you can support this podcast, and that is to give us a rating on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the more attention we get from search engines, and that helps new listeners find us. And, by the way, when you give us a rating, leave us a comment, too. We read them all.

Special thanks to The Institute on Religion & Democracy for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have on the program the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts. That study was published today and it’s called “The Ripple Effect: Congregations, Covid, and the Future of Church Life.”

You can find a copy of the study here: https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/

Before we go: A quick reminder that this show exists because of the generosity of our readers and listeners. We take no money from the ministries we cover. There’s no advertising on our website. We are completely listener and reader-funded. If you’d like to make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a billboard featuring Donald Trump is facing charges of blasphemy, and the bankruptcy case against the Boy Scouts moves forward. We begin today with news that Brian Houston, the founder of the Hillsong movement, has stepped down from the organization’s governing boards.

I’d like to thank everyone who attended our “How To Find And Read A Form 990” webinar yesterday. We sold out, if “sell out” is the right expression, since it was free. If you did not get in on it, and you still want to, don’t despair. We’ll be holding it again in a few months.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Holly Meyer, Randall Chase, Heather Greene, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych—and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a controversial pastor has been banned from Twitter, and the Boy Scouts have reached a massive $1.8-billion agreement with sexual abuse victims, but will it hold up? We begin today with news that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America installed its first openly transgender bishop in a service held in San Francisco's Grace Cathedral last Saturday. And the United Methodist Church is suing one of its own congregations.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

They are the authors of a new book, “Unplanned Grace: A Compassionate Conversation on Life and Choice.”

Now, before we get started today, I need to make a couple of disclosures. First of all, Natasha Smith is already well-known to MinistryWatch podcast listeners. She is my co-host on our weekly Friday episodes. And Brittany Smith, her co-author, is…well…she’s my daughter.

But this is a book I would want to feature on the podcast whether I had a relationship with the authors or not. It focuses on the work of the 2500 Pregnancy Resource Centers in this country. That’s a ministry segment that we have covered here at MinistryWatch for years.

Both Natasha and Brittany work for Save The Storks, a pro-life ministry based in Colorado Springs Colorado. We had this conversation in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Before we go: A quick reminder that my book Faith-Based Fraud is now on sale to the public. We now have hardback, paperback, ebook, and audio book versions available You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today.

I also want you to know that we will be offering a free webinar, “How To Find And Read A Form 990,” next Thursday, September 23, at 2 pm ET. Though it’s free, you do need to register. You can do that by hitting the link you can find in my daily MinistryWatch emails.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time: May God bless you

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On today’s program, former President Trump reinvigorates his Faith Advisory Board, we discuss the importance of putting Youth Protection Policies in place, and there’s been a shake up at GRACE, the group that investigates sexual abuse in Christian environments. We’ll have details. We begin today with news of turmoil at Safe Families for Children, an organization that bills itself as a faith-based alternative to foster care that has helped more than 50,000 families in crisis by caring for their at-risk children.

I want to tell everyone about a FREE webinar we have coming up soon. It’s called “How To Find And Read A Form 990.” We did this webinar a couple of times in 2020, and it was well-received. We have grown a lot, and we now have a lot of people who weren’t getting our daily emails or listening to our podcast when we offered it before. So we’ll do it again on Sept. 23 at 2 pm ET via zoom. I know I mentioned that it’s free, but you DO have to register if you want to get the Zoom link. So be on the look-out for that link in our daily emails.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, United Methodists are cutting their ties with the Boy Scouts, and Christian ministries are responding to disasters on the Gulf Coast, in Tennessee, and in Afghanistan. We’ll have updates. We begin today with a victory for religious liberty by John MacArthur’s church in California.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Emily McFarlan Miller, Bobby Ross Jr., Adelle M. Banks, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell. Also, thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we have Dr. Del Tackett. Del Tackett served more than 20 years as an officer in the US Air Force. As a top executive at Focus on the Family, he created The Truth Project, a worldview program that has been seen by more than 20-million people in more than 100 countries. Many people say that The Truth Project was their first exposure to a Christian worldview.

I wanted to have Del on the program because he has had 50 years in leadership roles, with at least 30 of them in the public eye, including a stint as senior vice president of Focus on the Family one of the largest Christian ministries in the country. With all the scandals we have seen recently, I wanted to talk to one of the “wise men” of the evangelical church to find out why and how we can keep these scandals from recurring.

But we began our conversation talking about his latest endeavor, called The Engagement Project, which in some ways picks up where The Truth Project left off.

A quick reminder that my book Faith-Based Fraud is now on sale to the public. We now have hardback, paperback, ebook, and audio book versions available You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to my friends and former colleagues at The Colson Center for Christian Worldview who provided studio space in Colorado Springs for Del Tackett to record this interview.

Until next time, may God bless you

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On today’s program, a beloved Nashville pastor and author died in a car crash this week. We’ll remember Thomas McKenzie. And the Assemblies of God denomination settles a sex abuse lawsuit involving the youth program Royal Rangers. We begin today with a slate of stories motivated by the crisis in Afghanistan.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey, Jack Jenkins, Emily McFarlan Miller, Bethany E. Starin, Michael Ray Smith, Sarah Dreher, Bob Smietana, Randall Chase, and Anne Stych. Also, thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Christians are working to help get people out of Afghanistan. We’ll have one couple’s story. And the Delta variant is killing some in-person fundraising events, but there may be a silver lining to this cloud. We begin today with more news about sexual abuse and the Southern Baptist Convention.

As always here in MinistryWatch: your local church first, and your favorite and carefully researched ministries second, but if you have a bit extra that you can give MinistryWatch to help us help you and others become more effective and informed stewards, we would – of course – be grateful. And if you make a gift to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you will receive as our thank-you gift a one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. That’s a print and digital subscription. To make a gift to MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Anne Stych, and Megan Botel. Thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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At MinistryWatch we bring you the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode, I’m welcoming to the program, Dr. Michael Bennett. Michael Bennett has a doctorate in Mechanical Engineering, and he spent most of his career as a Defense Department scientist and high-tech inventor and entrepreneur. But in recent years he has turned his attention to writing thoughtful, deeply researched, and provocative books about the evangelical movement. His latest book is Two Masters and Two Gospels, and he takes aim at talk radio and cable news – including Christian talk.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we explore the practice of Christian colleges granting honorary degrees, one of the largest churches in the African Methodist Episcopal denomination is facing a financial scandal, and the building of new churches is at historic low levels. We begin today with news from Orlando, Florida. The Holy Land Experience, a Christian-based theme park in Orlando, Florida, has been purchased by a Seventh-day Adventist health care company.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Adelle M. Banks, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Renée Roden, and Anne Stych.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode, my guest is Paul Coughlin. Paul is the founder and president of The Protectors, an Oregon-based non-profit committed to ending bullying in schools, churches, and elsewhere. He is an expert witness regarding bullying and the law, and is a FoxNews contributor. He’s appeared on Good Morning America, Nightline, C-Span, The LA Times, The New York Times, Newsweek and other media outlets.

Paul is also the author of eight books on the topic of bullying, including his most recent, “Free Us From Bullying: Real Solutions Beyond Nice.”

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On today’s program, Australian police want Hillsong Founder Brian Houston to appear in court to answer charges that he covered up child sexual abuse. More senior leaders depart Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, and a beloved Baptist youth speaker has unexpectedly died. We begin today with charges of plagiarism against popular speaker and New York Times Bestselling author Voddie Baucham.

A couple of reminders: First, “Faith-Based Fraud” is now available at Audible.com.

Secondly, a reminder to support your local church first, and your favorite and carefully researched ministries second, but if you have a bit extra that you can give MinistryWatch to help us help you and others become more effective and informed stewards, we would – of course – be grateful. And if you make a gift to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you will receive as our thank-you gift a one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine. That’s a print and digital subscription. To make a gift to MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

Third, don’t forget to rate us on your podcast app!

Until next time, may God bless you

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode, I’m welcoming back to the program a man who is fueling a movement of generosity in this country, Brian Kluth.

Brian has been called “America’s Giving Guy” because of his work to help Christians become more generous. But he is a man of many parts, you might say. He was in my hometown of Charlotte recently as part of his nationwide “Bless Your Pastor” tour, and over dinner we started talking about some of the unfortunate scandals we have been covering here at MinistryWatch.

During that conversation, I was impressed by some of the things Brian had to say about money, sex, and power – especially in the Christian context. And I said, “Brian, we’ve got to talk about this on the podcast.” He agreed, and here we are.

Before we begin, a quick biographical note about Brian Kluth.

Brian’s books and devotionals on generous giving have sold more than a million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages. They are used in more than 100 countries.

For the past four years, Brian has been working specifically to get the church to be more generous with its pastor, and he has been spearheading a movement called “Bless Your Pastor” that hopes to reduce pastor burnout, increase job satisfaction on the part of pastors, and create healthy pastors and their families, as well as healthy churches.

I would like to remind you that there’s a quick and easy and free way to support the program, and that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we have, the easier it is for others to find us. You can also leave a comment when you give us a rating. I can’t respond via the app, but please know that I read all the comments and I find them encouraging and helpful.

As always, we encourage you to support your local church first, your favorite and well-researched Christian ministries second, and MinistryWatch third. If you do decide you’d like to support us financially, I want to share with you a very special offer we have going this month. For a gift of ANY SIZE, we will send you a one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine as our thank you. That’s a digital and print subscription. If you went to WORLD’s website, this would cost you more than $100, but if you go to our website, you can set the price. Now, of course, we hope you’ll be generous, but there is no minimum gift size. And if you are already a subscriber to WORLD, this is a great way to give a gift to a family member, your pastor, or a friend. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a clever scam that took in hundreds of thousands of dollars from dozens of ministries. We have updates on stories related to Hobby Lobby and the Anglican Church of North America. And a federal court deals religious liberty a blow, but the fight is not over. We begin today with a development in the ongoing saga of controversial pastor Mark Driscoll.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates continues to make ambitious claims about its work, but is able to provide few details or evidence of results. And troubles continue at McLean Bible Church in the suburban Washington, DC, area. We’ll have the latest.

We begin today with a lawsuit against Liberty University. The suit has been brought by victims of sexual assault that the victims say Liberty should have prevented.

A couple of housekeeping items before we go. First, a reminder that “Faith-Based Fraud” is now available at Audible.com.

Secondly, a reminder to support your local church first, and your favorite and carefully researched ministries second, but if you have a bit extra that you can give MinistryWatch to help us help you and others become more effective and informed stewards, we would – of course – be grateful. To make a gift to MinistryWatch any time, not just at year-end, go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

Finally, for any listeners in Colorado Springs. Warren Smith be in Colorado next week and would love to have lunch with you. We’re doing a lunch in Colorado Springs on the 27th. Check your daily email from MinistryWatch for an EventBrite link to sign up. And if you don’t live in Colorado, stay tuned. Now that COVID is lifted, I’ll be traveling a bit more, and I hope to do donor, reader, and listener lunches in Atlanta, Orlando, Dallas, Nashville, and other cities in the near future.

Until next time, may God bless you

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode I’m pleased to welcome back to the program the president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Michael Martin. We're also joined today by Staci Brown, ECFA’s new Senior Vice President of Member Accountability and Relations.

A quick note before we get started. I’ve had Michael Martin on the program before, back in February, and at that time, we went through the history of the ECFA, its Seven Principles of Financial Integrity, and other issues. I recommend listening to that episode either before or after this one: https://ministrywatch.com/ep-74-a-conversation-with-ecfa-president-michael-martin/

We focus more on Staci’s new role in this podcast, a role that both Michael and Staci will “up the game” of the ECFA in holding ministries accountable to the standards they sign on to when they join the organization.

To find out more about the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, go to ECFA.org. And to find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Michael Martin and Staci Brown with the ECFA for being a part of today’s program.

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On today’s program, a prominent Anglican bishop is forced to take a leave of absence for his handling of a sexual abuse case in his diocese. And the Wisconsin Attorney General has declared war on clergy sex abuse.

We also have the story of McLean Bible Church in the Washington, D.C., area. McLean Bible Church is one of the largest and most influential churches in the nation. Because of its proximity to Washington, D.C., many government officials, Capitol Hill staffers, and thought leaders are members. Its pastor, David Platt, was the youngest megachurch pastor in the country, when he led the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, more than a decade ago. Today, he is a bestselling author and he came to McLean Bible Church from his role as president of Southern Baptist Convention’s International Missions Board. But all is not well there now.

Also on today’s program: Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church, in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta, has about 8,000 members and is one of the largest congregations in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. The conference said in a statement Monday that it was “acting out of love for the church and its mission," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

The Mt. Bethel church also has the Mt. Bethel Christian Academy. According to the statement from the conference, the title to the congregation's real, personal, tangible and intangible property was immediately transferred to the conference’s Board of Trustees, “who may hold or dispose of such property in its sole discretion.”

Also today: A reminder that “Faith-Based Fraud” is now available at Audible.com. And I want to thank all of you who made fiscal year end contributions to MinistryWatch. We had set an ambitious goal for the month and for the year, and – to be honest – I wasn’t sure we would get there. But, thanks to you, we did. So, thank you. As always, we want you to support your local church first, and your favorite and carefully researched ministries second, but if you have a bit extra that you can give MinistryWatch to help us help you and others become more effective and informed stewards, we would – of course – be grateful.

To make a gift to MinistryWatch any time, not just at year-end, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

Finally, for any listeners in Colorado. I’ll be in Colorado on July 27 and 28 and I would love to have lunch with you. We’re doing a lunch in Colorado Springs on the 27th, and in Denver on the 28th. Check your daily email from MinistryWatch for an EventBrite link to sign up. And if you don’t live in Colorado, stay tuned. Now that COVID is lifted, I’ll be traveling a bit more, and I hope to do donor, reader, and listener lunches in Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, and other cities in the near future.

Thanks to Religion Unplugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode I’m pleased to welcome back to the program Paul Glader. Paul is the editor-in-chief at Religion Unplugged and the director of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City. His journalism experience includes a long tenure with the Wall Street Journal.

We begin with a story by Ryan Burge on the Decline of the Mainline. It was a response to a story by PRRI, the Public Religion Research Institute. That survey said that the mainline churches were experiencing a resurgence, and their members may now actually outnumber evangelicals. But that can’t possibly be right. We explain why.

Next, we turn our attention to “The Chosen,” which is the streaming series by Dallas Jenkins that portrays the life of Jesus. You have a review of the second season, by Joseph Holmes. He says the second season is not as good as the first season, but it is still the gold standard for Christian television.

Finally, we talk “Pastors and Plagiarism.” We’ve covered a number of stories involving celebrity preachers and plagiarism over the years. Everyone from Mark Driscoll to David Barton. Lately, the issue came up when the new president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ed Litton, was accused of plagiarizing sermons from the outgoing president J.D. Greear.

To find out more about Religion Unplugged and the stories we discussed today, go to Religion Unplugged.com. If you’d like to give to its International Reporting Fund, there’s a link at the top of the page.

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com. And I’d like to share with you a couple of quick notes before we go.

Secondly, if you’re in a spot where you can’t contribute – hey, I get it. Been there a time or two myself. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help. First of all, we covet your prayers. We write a lot here at MinistryWatch about people who started out strong, but finished poorly. Pray for us that what God has begun here will continue faithfully. And, secondly, if you’re listening to this podcast on a podcast app, give us a rating. The more ratings we get, the better the program performs with search engines. It’s an important way you can help us, and it doesn’t cost you a dime.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Bobby Ross, Clementi Lisi, Joseph Holmes, and entire Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

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On today’s program, more troubles with the Boy Scouts, and that trouble could create a financial liability for the churches that host Scout troops and Cub Packs. And the Southern Baptists aren’t the only denominations having meetings this summer. We begin today with more news related to Kanakuk camps, the prestigious Christian camps in Missouri.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Sarah Dreher, Emily McFarlan Miller, Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, and Steve Rabey. Thanks to The NonProfit Times and Religion Unplugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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My name is Warren Smith. I’m the president of MinistryWatch, and this week we’re taking a break from our normal podcast schedule so we can give our staff a break, and so I can share with you a special message.

This episode will be much shorter than normal, but I hope you’ll hang with me for 6 or 7 minutes so I can tell you a bit about who we are, what we do, and to answer a couple of questions we often get about the podcast.

Let me begin by acknowledging what I’m sure you already know. We live in a cynical, skeptical, and secular age.

Faith in all our major institutions is at or near an all-time low. Government, business, journalism, the law, and medicine. People no longer trust institutions and professions that used to command prestige and respect.

This erosion of credibility has also hit the church.

The mission of MinistryWatch is to help restore credibility to the evangelical ministry world by bringing increased transparency and accountability to the Christian ministry marketplace. We believe that increased transparency and accountability lead to greater confidence in and, ultimately, more giving to these ministries.

We pursue this goal of bringing transparency and accountability to ministries by using a couple of basic but powerful tools.

First, we analyze on an annual basis the financial statements of more than 900 of the largest Christian ministries in the country. We give these ministries Financial Efficiency Ratings and Transparency Grades. We make this information available in a searchable database that is free and easy to use. Donors can see at a glance how their favorite ministries are actually spending their money. We take data that is often buried in Form 990s and audited financial statements, and make it available to everyone.

Secondly, we do investigative and accountability journalism. We publish between 60 and 80 stories a month at the MinistryWatch. And our stories get results. Some of our stories have led to transitions in leadership and positive policy changes at the ministries we cover.

And that’s an important point. At MinistryWatch, our goal is not to tear down, but to build up. When we must write a tough story about a ministry, it is our sincere prayer that the story results in reform, in restoration, and that the ministry is not weakened, but that the ministry takes corrective action is stronger than ever.

We have developed a loyal audience that understands what we are about. Our website has enjoyed 2-million page views in the past year, and we hope to hit 2.5-million this year.

In a recent survey of our readers, a full three-quarters of them said they have used MinistryWatch to help them make giving decisions. Nearly half of them say they have changed their giving decisions based on what they have learned on our site.

There’s one final thing I want to share with you: We are donor-supported. We do not accept advertising on our website. We do not take money from the ministries we cover. We exist to serve donors – to help them – to help you – become more effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to you.

I hope what I’ve said so far gives you an idea of why we exist. I’d like to spend a couple more minutes answering some questions we frequently get about the podcast.

The first question I get is: Is Natasha Smith, your co-host, your daughter?

The answer to that is NO. We share the same last name, but she is not my daughter, or related in any way.

The next question is: Natasha often reads off a lot of names at the end of each show, names of people who have contributed to the program. How big is your staff?

The answer to that question is simple: The size of the staff at MinistryWatch is 1. I’m the only full-time staff member at MinistryWatch. Now, that answer requires a bit of explanation. COVID has proven to the world that you don’t have to gather in an office to get things done,

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have David French on the program.

My Kanakuk coverage, which now amounts to about a dozen stories, as well as our coverage of the Southern Baptist Convention and other organizations we discussed today, can be found at MinistryWatch.com.

A quick reminder that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audio book version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback, hardback, ebook, and audiobook versions are now all available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, a World Series Most Valuable Player sues his pastor. And Kanye West’s Sunday Service gets tax-exempt status, while a ministry that encourages people to pray was denied. We’ll explain later in the program. We begin with more on the ongoing saga surrounding Gospel for Asia, now known as GFA World.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Sarah Dreher, Emily McFarlan Miller, Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, and Steve Rabey. Thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Every Friday we post our regular roundups of the week’s news. Those are episodes I co-host with Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to share with you a little something different, a little something extra. Sometimes we interview newsmakers. Other times we “go deep,” you might say, with one of our editorial partners.

Today, though I’m pleased to offer you a portion of the audio version of my new book “Faith-Based Fraud.” Faith-Based Fraud is, in some ways, an extended mission statement for why MinistryWatch exists. And I began that book with my own story of why and how I came to be involved in the kind of investigative journalism we do here at MinistryWatch.

Thanks to the generosity of Audible.com, we are able to offer the first 20 minutes of the book to you absolutely free, and – to be perfectly transparent – we hope it will motivate you to go to Audible.com and purchase the audiobook to hear all of the great stories in the book.

I’d like to mention that MinistryWatch is coming up on the end of our fiscal year on June 30. We here at MinistryWatch depend on your financial support to do what we do. We don’t take money from the ministries we cover, and we do not accept advertising or sponsorship dollars. We are 100 percent donor-supported. In fact, even the royalties from Faith-Based Fraud go not to me, but to MinistryWatch.

If you’d like to help us out financially, just go to the MinistryWatch.com website and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. Your contribution before June 30 will help us finish this fiscal year strong.

Also, I want to let you know that even if you don’t want to or can’t make a donation, there’s still something easy and FREE you can do to help. Just rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the better the program performs with search engines. A rating doesn’t cost you a dime, and it really is a big help.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to the folks at Audible.com and Wild Blue Press for helping us secure permission to air today’s content.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptists met in Nashville this week. We’ve got extended coverage of the event. Also, a new study on giving in the US indicates that giving is up, but religious giving is not. We’ll unpack the numbers. We begin with the story of an alternative to the Boy Scouts of America. The name of the group is Trail Life USA, and it’s growing significantly.

Two quick notes: First, the audio version of my book Faith Based Fraud is now out. You can find it by going to Audible.com, or to Amazon.com.

Also, we’re approaching our fiscal year-end here at MinistryWatch. We are 100 percent donor-supported here. We don’t take advertising, and we don’t take money from the ministries we cover. If you believe in what we’re trying to do here, which is to bring transparency and accountability to the ministry marketplace, I hope you’ll support us with a gift before June 30, so we can begin our new fiscal year in a strong position. Just go to the MinsitryWatch website and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. Also, if you’re not in a position to support us financially…hey, I get that. Been there a time or two myself. But there is something quick, easy, and FREE you can do to help us, and that is to RATE us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for search engines to recommend us to others.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Rick Warren asks Saddleback Church to start looking for his replacement. Donor Advised Funds race new regulations. And the Southern Baptists have some important – and difficult – issues ahead of them at their upcoming annual convention in Nashville. We’ll have a preview. We begin with the story of a small Christian college in Pennsylvania that shut down its social work program rather than compromise their Christian beliefs.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Steve Rabey, Yonat Shimron, Shannon Cuthrell, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Alejandra Molina, and Claudia Lauer.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Russell Moore leaves the Southern Baptist Convention over the churches handling of sexual abuse and race issues. And more accusations about Carl Lentz motivate hard questions about the culture at Hillsong. We also have our list of the lowest rated ministries in the MinistryWatch database. We’ll discuss that list later in the program. We begin with news of a billion-dollar restriction at the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Adelle M. Banks, Roxanne Stone, Anne Stych, Bruce Schreiner, and Barry Bowen. Thank you to Trinity Foundation for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to the program know that last week we began these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes. We will continue our regular Friday weekly roundup episodes. Those are episodes I co-host with Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with one of our editorial partners.

We begin with Sophia Lee’s WORLD cover story on evangelicals.

I’d like to mention that both WORLD and MinistryWatch are coming up at the end of our fiscal years on June 30. We here at MinistryWatch depend on your financial support to do what we do. We don’t take money from the ministries we cover, and we do not accept advertising or sponsorship dollars. We are 100 percent donor-supported. If you’d like to help us out financially, just go to the MinistryWatch.com website and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. Your contribution before June 30 will help us finish this fiscal year strong.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Sophia Lee, Sharon Dierberger, and Angela Lu Fulton of WORLD for providing material for our conversation today.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, one of the board members who went public with concerns at radio station WPOZ, “The Z,” has been removed from the board. And we examine the strange legacy of Harold Camping, a radio preacher who falsely predicted the end of the world – 10 years ago this month. We begin today the story of a new Bible translation that includes singer Lee Greenwood’s licensed lyrics to “God Bless the USA” and America’s Pledge of Allegiance.

Just a reminder that it’s not too late to make a donation to MinistryWatch for the month of May. If you do, you’ll receive a copy of the classic book “Mission Drift” as our thank you gift. But you do have to act quickly, as the offer ends May 31. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Christopher Hutton, Emily McFarlan Miller, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, Meagan Clark—and you, Warren. Thank you to The NonProfit Times and Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode I’m pleased to welcome back to the program Paul Glader.Paul is the editor-in-chief at Religion Unplugged and the director of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City. His journalism experience includes a long tenure with the Wall Street Journal.

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com. And I’d like to share with you a couple of quick notes before we go.

First, I want to let you know that the classic book “Mission Drift” is our book of the month. Mission Drift sprang out of research done by the co-author Peter Greer and his colleagues into the reasons some ministries strayed away from their founding missions, and how others stayed “mission true.” This is an important book, and for a gift of any size, we’ll send you that book as our thank you for your support of MinistryWatch. We think every Christian donor and ministry leader should have this book in his or her library. But you do need to act fast. This offer expires on May 31.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Bobby Ross, Julia Duin, Christopher Hutton, and entire Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

And, of course, I’d like to thank my guest-host and Religion Unplugged’s leader, Paul Glader, for joining me on the program today.

I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more from Orlando radio station WPOZ – Z88. Troubles there are causing many in the Christian radio industry to look in the mirror. And is prosperity gospel preacher Andrew Wommack trying to take over a Colorado town? We begin today with big news about Russell Moore. Russell Moore is resigning as president of his denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Paul Clolery, Emily McFarlan Miller, Chellie Ison, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Bob Smietana, and Warren Smith.

Thank you to The NonProfit Times and Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program. Until next time, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m delighted to have on the program, Brant Hansen.

I wanted to have Brant on the program because we’ve been writing about Christian radio here at MinistryWatch. In particular, we’ve been writing a series of stories about radio station WPOZ in Orlando. It’s known locally as The Z. A lot of current and former employees have reached out to MinistryWatch with stories of bullying and a toxic work environment. Those stories have helped generate an online conversation in the Christian radio industry, and Brant Hansen has been a part of that conversation. He’s written two stories that address workplace abuse and toxic culture in the Christian radio industry, and I wanted to have him on the program to share his experiences.

Brant Hansen is a syndicated radio host heard nationwide on more than 200 radio stations. His work has been featured in CNN, The Washington Post, Relevant Magazine, and US News and World Report. In 2008 and 2011, he was named Christian Broadcaster of the Year. He also has a number of books out, but I’d like to recommend his 2017 book “Blessed are the Misfits.” The subtitle is Great News for Believers who are Introverts, Spiritual Strugglers, or Just Feel Like They're Missing Something. It’s funny, vulnerable, insightful. I really recommend it.

And while we’re talking books, I hope you’ll indulge me a moment of shameless self-promotion. I want to remind you that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today. And I want you to know that 100 percent of the author royalties of this book go to MinistryWatch. So buy a copy for yourself, and for your pastor.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, turmoil at a Christian radio station in Orlando has caused the entire industry to take a hard look in the mirror. We begin today with the story of a ministry founder who has been asked to step down from his role because of “unbiblical behavior.”

And a couple of MinistryWatch updates: Thanks to those of you who have purchased my book “Faith-Based Fraud” during its launch week. We debuted at #1 in several Amazon categories. If you don’t have your book yet, you can go to Amazon or your favorite online bookseller and get your copy today. And, after you’ve read it, please write a review. The more reviews we have, the better the book performs in their search algorithms.

And I also want to mention that this is our 101st podcast episode since beginning this program a little more than a year ago. If you’re a regular listener, THANKS. If you’re new to the program, WELCOME, and I hope you’ll check out our archives, especially our EXTRA episodes that feature interviews with experts and newsmakers.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Steve Rabey, Bethany E. Starin, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych—and you, Warren.

Thank you to The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m delighted to have on the program Pete Singer. Pete is the executive director of GRACE, which is an acronym for Godly Response To Abuse in the Christian Environment. This is a position he took over in January of this year. Pete has a master’s in social work, and more than 30 years’ experience working with trauma, abuse, and mental health in a variety of settings. He's also married, the father of three children, two of whom are grown, and has one grandchild.

Here at MinistryWatch, we have often quoted GRACE, or referred to GRACE reports, in our coverage of Christian ministries. That’s because GRACE has become something of a “gold standard” when it comes to investigating sexual abuse in church and ministry settings, but – and more to the point here today – they also do a great job in helping organizations prevent abuse. I wanted to have Pete Singer on the podcast to talk about both aspects of their work.

I want to remind you that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, reality TV star and former evangelical ministry leader Josh Duggar is arrested on child pornography charges. The latest in the ongoing Jerry Falwell Jr. saga, and news about Donor Advised Funds that you should know – even if you’ve never heard of them before. We begin today with news that Bethany Christian Services has left the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

We also want to mention that “Mission Drift” is our book of the month. This is a classic book about how to keep Christian organizations from drifting away from their core missions. For a gift of any size, we’ll send you a copy of that book as our thanks. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

Also, Warren will host one of the authors of that book, Peter Greer, on a webinar next week, May 12, at 3 pm ET. It’s free, but you do have to register. A registration link is in my daily email.

Finally, thanks to those of you who have purchased Warren’s book “Faith-Based Fraud” this week. We debuted at #1 in several Amazon categories. If you don’t have your book yet, you can go to Amazon or your favorite online bookseller and get your copy today. And, after you’ve read it, please write a review. The more reviews we have, the better the book performs in their search algorithms.

Thank you to The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program. Until next time, may God bless you.

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These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m delighted to have on the program Stephen Mansfield.

Stephen Mansfield has written more than 20 books, but he first came to wide attention in 2003 with his book “The Faith of George W. Bush,” which made the New York Times Bestseller List. His books on Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Winston Churchill have focused on how the faith of leaders impacts and informs their public life.

I wanted to have Stephen on the program because of his unique insights into how faith impacts leadership, but in particular, I wanted to talk with him about an essay he wrote in 2019 when Billy Graham died. It was an essay that talked about an important meeting that took place at the beginning of Billy Graham’s career that allowed him to lead a life of integrity, and to finish that life scandal-free. Given the scandals facing the church today, I think it’s a message we need to hear.

Stephen Mansfield divides his time between Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.

Before we go, I want to remind you that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take another look at the claims of the bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates. And John Ortberg’s former church, Menlo Church in Menlo Park California, has yet more troubles. We begin today with a story from the United Methodist Church, which has been in turmoil for the last few years over doctrinal and other issues.

Before we go: I wanted to let our listeners know that we now have my Faith-Based Fraud available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies, and they quickly sold out. But we found a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audio book version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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I recently did an interview about the book with my friend Bill Feltner of the Pilgrim Radio Network. It’s one of the great Christian radio networks in the country, serving millions of people in the mountain west. The interview was for Bill’s “His People” program. When I got a chance to listen to the interview, I thought it captured what the book is about, and what MinistryWatch is about, in ways that I wanted to share with you.

So, this week’s “MinistryWatch Extra” episode is my conversation with the Pilgrim Radio Network’s Bill Feltner, as we discuss our newly re-published book, “Faith Based Fraud.”

(To purchase the book, click here.)

Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that each Friday I do a survey of the week’s news with my co-host Natasha Smith. But these mid-week “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are just that, something a bit extra, a bit different, that we hope will help you understand a bit more fully what we’re up to here at MinistryWatch. What we do and why and how we do it.

An important project of MinistryWatch over the past year has been the production of a new book, “Faith-Based Fraud: Learning from the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” MinistryWatch published 500 copies of that book last fall and we gave them away to our donors until they were gone. Now, I’m pleased to report, a new version of the book is out from Wild Blue Press. It’s currently available in print and e-book formats from Amazon.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the massive ministry Gospel for Asia is attempting to rebrand itself, but is the ministry, which has been embroiled in scandal, really changing its ways. And Liberty University files a $10-million lawsuit against Jerry Falwell Jr.

We begin today with the story of a Washington, D.C., pastor who has been charged with $1.5-million in COVID Relief funds.

I want to remind everyone that this month we’re offering a book I co-wrote with Marvin Olasky as our Book of the Month. That book is “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.” We’ll send it to you for a financial gift of any size during the month of April. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the Donate button at the top of the page.

And, if you love the program but don’t have any extra shekels to throw in the pot, I get it. Been there myself a time or two. But there’s a great way you can help that doesn’t cost you a dime, and that is to rate us and leave a comment on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for other people to find us because search engines prioritize podcasts based in part on those ratings. Won’t cost you a thing, and it really helps us a lot.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, Jack Jenkins, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey—and, you, Warren.

Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

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On today’s program, Julie and I discuss the latest from Liberty University. Liberty has sued Jerry Falwell, Jr., for $10-million. We also discuss a Baptist preacher who berated women for being overweight. He has since apologized. The Roys Report has been covering controversy at Classical Conversations. She’ll bring us the latest. And, finally, Julie and Warren pay tribute to ministry watchdog Ole Anthony. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. Today, I’m pleased to have back on the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, visit www.RoysReport.com The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.   Thanks to Jackson Elliot and Josh Shepherd of The Roys Report who contributed stories that Julie and Warren discussed.   Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a look at the cottage industry that has grown up to fight sex trafficking. Anti-sex trafficking organizations raise more than $100-million a year in the US. Where does all that money go? Plus, Kanakuk Ministries demands that MinistryWatch retract three stories we wrote about them. I’ll share our response at the end of the program. We begin today with more shake-ups at Liberty University.

Two quick notes before we go. You may have heard that Bernie Madoff died this week in a North Carolina prison. I devoted nearly a chapter of my book “Faith Based Fraud” to Madoff, and we’re reprinted some of that material on our website. It’s called “Mad About Madoff,” and that story also includes links to Amazon where you can buy the book itself.

And, finally, another book I wrote, or -- more accurately – co-wrote with Marvin Olasky, is “Prodigal Press: Confronting the Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.” That book is our gift to donors this month. We’ll send it for a gift of any size. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “Donate” button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Jack Jenkins, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, Yonat Shimron, and Steve Rabey.

Thanks to our friends at Religion Unplugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have back on the program Michael Reneau. Michael is the Editor of WORLD Magazine. He came to WORLD after a successful tenure as an award-winning editor at The Greeneville Sun, a daily newspaper serving East Tennessee. We discuss Sophia Lee’s WORLD cover story on the border crisis, and how Christian ministries are responding. We also discuss how WORLD and MinistryWatch cover the COVID crisis as well as the immigration crisis.

To find out more about WORLD Magazine and the stories we discussed today, go to the website of World News Group, wng.org

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com

One final note before we go: MinistryWatch is offering Marvin Olasky’s classic book “Prodigal Press” as our gift to donors this month. The book was originally published in 1988, and I had the privilege of helping Marvin revise it in 2013, on its 25th anniversary. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. We’ll send you the book, for a gift of any amount, though – of course – we’ll hope you’ll be generous.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Sophia Lee, Jamie Dean, Leah Hickman, and Mindy Belz of WORLD for providing material for our conversation today.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more problems in the Bible translation industry, and Christian colleges are named in a lawsuit motivated by LGBTQ activists. We begin today with more news from Kanakuk Camps, a large Christian camp in Missouri.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Jack Jenkins, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. But a couple of weeks ago we started a three-part series in which I was the guest, and Dan Burrell was my interviewer. We play Part 3 of that interview today. Dan Burrell is a teaching pastor at Life Fellowship in suburban Charlotte, and he had me on his podcast called “Life Talks.” We recorded three 20-minute episodes discussing MinistryWatch, our work, why we do what we do, and some of our recent stories. The conversation turned out so well that I asked Dan if I could air them on the MinistryWatch podcast. Dan graciously gave us permission to do so. To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit “About Us” at the top of the page. We’ve recently added some new material there, including our latest financial statements, and our statement of faith.  A couple of housekeeping items before we go: First, MinistryWatch is donor-supported. If you’d like to pitch in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you give a gift of any size during the month of April, we’ll send you a copy of a book I co-wrote with Marvin Olasky called “Prodigal Press: Confronting The Anti-Christian Bias of the American News Media.” If even a few bucks is too much – I get it. I’ve been there, too. But there’s something easy and FREE you can do to help. And that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us on the search engines. So it’s a great way for you to help out, and it only takes a few seconds. And, by the way, though I can’t respond via the podcast app, I do read all the comments, and they’re both encouraging and helpful. So…THANKS! The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.   I’d also like to acknowledge the producer of Dan Burrell’s program, Britt Nipper, who provided invaluable assistance with this three-part series. Thanks, Britt.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, trouble in paradise. Kanakuk Kamps, the beautiful Missouri camps that host 20,000 kids a year, is rocked by sex abuse and financial scandals. And Franklin Graham is taking heat from some of his supporters for encouraging them to get the COVID vaccine. We begin with a billionaire Christian investor who rattled Wall Street this week and caused a lot of Christian ministries to wonder what the future holds.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Jack Jenkins, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, Yonat Shimron, Steve Rabey, and Warren Smith. Thanks also to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Dan Burrell is a teaching pastor at Life Fellowship in suburban Charlotte, and he had me on his podcast called “Life Talks.” We recorded three 20-minute episodes discussing MinistryWatch, our work, why we do what we do, and some of our recent stories. The conversation turned out so well that I asked Dan if I could air them on the MinistryWatch podcast. Dan graciously gave us permission to do so. We aired the first episode, as I said, a couple of weeks ago, and today is the second part of that conversation. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. But a couple of weeks ago we played Part 1 of a three-part interview my friend and podcaster Dan Burrell did with me. To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit “About Us” at the top of the page. We’ve recently added some new material there, including our latest financial statements, and our statement of faith.  MinistryWatch is donor-supported. If you’d like to pitch in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. If even a few bucks is too much, I get it. I’ve been there, too. But there’s something easy and FREE you can do to help. And that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us on the search engines. So it’s a great way for you to help out, and it only takes a few seconds. And, by the way, though I can’t respond via the podcast app, I do read all the comments, and they’re both encouraging and helpful. So THANKS! The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.   I’d also like to acknowledge the producer of Dan Burrell’s program, Britt Nipper, who provided invaluable assistance with this three-part series. Thanks, Britt.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more controversy at the Christian mega-ministry Youth with a Mission. And we question why pastors need $800 sneakers. We begin today with an update on last week’s mass shooting in Atlanta. The church the alleged gunman attended has now issued a statement. The church of the alleged gunman in the fatal shootings of eight people, including six Asian women, in Atlanta-area spas, has distanced itself from the suspect, saying it was “absolutely distraught when we found out that the shooter was a member of our congregation.”

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey, Mark Pinsky, Alejandra Molina, and Shannon Cuthrell. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. But today, I’m bringing you something a bit different, because the guest today is not one of our editorial partners, but someone who has become a “go-to-guy” for me when I want to talk about issues of leadership, branding, and the general state of the evangelical church, and that is Phil Cooke.

Phil Cooke got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University. Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation’s experts on the use of media in a Christian context. He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries. He has been critical of televangelists. And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn’t have a marketing problem. It has a character problem.

I think he’s right. And in the light of the recent scandal involving Christian leaders such as Ravi Zacharias, James MacDonald, Bill Hybels, and Jerry Falwell Jr., not to mention the way evangelical leaders have glibly dismissed the character questions that have dogged President Trump and other political leaders, I thought it was time to have him back on the program to have a heart-to-heart discussion about some of these matters.

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit “About Us” at the top of the page. We’ve recently added some new material there, including our latest financial statements, and our statement of faith.

A couple of housekeeping items before we go. First, MinistryWatch is donor-supported. If you’d like to pitch in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

If even a few bucks are too much, I get it. I’ve been there, too. But there’s something easy and FREE you can do to help. And that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us on the search engines. So it’s a great way for you to help out, and it only takes a few seconds. And, by the way, though I can’t respond via the podcast app, I do read all the comments, and they’re both encouraging and helpful. So THANKS!

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, we take a close look at Youth With A Mission and the possible financial liability Ravi Zacharias International Ministries may have toward victims of its founder’s sexual abuse. We begin today with news of a women’s conference that raised $1.5-million for Bible translation. But questions remain about where the money is going.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Adelle Banks, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey, Mark Pinsky, Alejandra Molina, and Shannon Cuthrell. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. But today, I’m bringing you something a bit different, because the guest today is…well, it’s me. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. My friend Dan Burrell, who is a teaching pastor at Life Fellowship in suburban Charlotte had me on his podcast called “Life Talks.” We recorded three 20-minute episodes discussing MinistryWatch, our work, why we do what we do, and some of our recent stories. The conversation turned out so well that I asked Dan if I could air them on the MinistryWatch podcast. Dan graciously gave us permission to do so. Today, we air the first episode. We’ll be airing the other two in the weeks ahead. A couple of housekeeping items: First, MinistryWatch is donor-supported. If you’d like to pitch in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. If even a few bucks are too much, I get it. I’ve been there, too. But there’s something easy and FREE you can do to help. And that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we get, the easier it is for others to find us on the search engines. So it’s a great way for you to help out, and it only takes a few seconds. And, by the way, though I can’t respond via the podcast app, I do read all the comments, and they’re both encouraging and helpful. So…THANKS! The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.   Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, new developments in the Dave Ramsey and Gospel for Asia stories, and Beth Moore blows up the Internet with her decision to leave the Southern Baptist Church. And evangelist Luis Palau is in hospice care after taking a turn for the worse in his three-year battle with lung cancer. We begin today with the latest from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Yonat Shimron, Paul Clolery, Emily Miller, Adelle Banks, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Anne Stych, and Bob Smietana.

Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times and Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that I do a regular weekly roundup of the week’s ministry news with my co-host Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with our editorial partners.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Tom Osanjo, Mattie Townson, David Hancock, Gil Zohar, and the entire Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

And, of course, I’d like to thank my guest-host and Religion Unplugged’s leader, Paul Glader, for joining me on the program today.

I’m Warren Smith, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Bethany Christian Services caves in to LGBTQ activists, and the Boy Scouts make an offer to deal with tens of thousands of sexual abuse cases, but victims say that offer is not nearly enough. We begin today with news from The Master’s University, the California college founded by John MacArthur.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Emily Miller, and Bob Smietana. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Christina Darnell sat in this week for Natasha Smith, who is on assignment.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have back on the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with some of our editorial partners. To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, go to: www.RoysReport.com The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention expels four churches. We’ll explain why. And some Christian leaders don’t take kindly to journalists writing about them. We’ll discuss their practice of doxing these journalists later in the program. We begin today with news that the Lifetime TV network has canceled a Christian television program because the ministry refused to abide by the cable network’s restrictions on controversial topics.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Emily Miller, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Juliana Chan Erikson, and Anne Stych. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have back to the program Dr. Patrick Wright. He is the Thomas C. Vandiver Bicentennial Chair in Business, and he is the Director of the Center for Executive Succession at the Darla Moore School of Business, which is at the University of South Carolina. Here at MinistryWatch, we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that every week we do a regular Friday weekly roundup episodes. Those are episodes I co-host with Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with our editorial partners, or with someone I think has something significant to say. To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com To find out more about Patrick Wright and the Center for Executive Succession, go to http://moore.sc.edu/ces The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, along with my this week’s Dr. Patrick Wright, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a Southern Baptist church in the Atlanta area rebels against the denomination on the issue of homosexuality, and pastors who participated in the events in Washington DC on Jan. 6 are facing consequences from their home churches. We begin with more news from the rapidly evolving situation at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Roxanne Stone, Mattie Townson, Paul Clolery, Bethany Starin, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, and Anne Stych. Thanks to our friends at Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know every Friday we do a weekly news roundup. Those are episodes I co-host with Natasha Smith.

But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with one of our editorial partners, or someone we think has something special to share with the ministry and donor world.

Today, I’m pleased to have on the program, Chuck Bentley.

Chuck is the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, and he’s the host of two daily radio broadcasts himself, The Crown Money Minute and My MoneyLife. He’s heard on more than 1100 Christian radio stations around the country.

He’s also the author of a new book called “Seven Gray Swans: Trends that Threaten Our Financial Future.” Today, we talk about his new book, and a lot more.

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On today’s program, LGBTQ activists object to evangelical pastor Max Lucado’s sermon at the National Cathedral. And pastors are caught up in a child porn sting operation in Florida. We begin today with the story of well-known radio personality Eric Metaxas, who was named this week in a defamation lawsuit.

Each week, MinistryWatch’s Warren Smith and Natasha Smith (no relation!) brings you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode we present a recent conversation I had with the president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Michael Martin.

In 1977, Senator Mark Hatfield convened a group of ministry leaders to meet to see how they could stave off threats by the federal government to regulate Christian ministries. Two years later, in 1979, that meeting resulted in the formation of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

The ECFA was successful in this sense: government regulators turned their attention elsewhere, and for the past 40 years we have had essentially no new regulations on the Christian non-profit sector – even though transparency advocates say reforms to the Christian non-profit space are badly needed.

The ECFA has also been successful at establishing standards for financial behavior. The ECFA’s “Seven Integrity Standards for Non-Profits” has become a gold standard in the Christian ministry space. It is an excellent document that sets the bar high for Christian ministries.

However, the ECFA’s record of enforcement of these standards over the years has been spotty. Some of the biggest frauds, scams, and scandals of the past half-century that involved Christian ministries – including the Jim and Tammy Baker/PTL scandal in the 80s, the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy in the 90s, and – more recently – scandals related to Willow Creek Church and Gospel For Asia, have all occurred while these organizations were ECFA members.

But now the ECFA has a new president. Michael Martin became the president of the ECFA in 2020, after serving 9 years on the ECFA staff, including a tenure as Executive Vice President. He is both a lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant, and since 2013 he has been co-author of the annual Zondervan Minister's Tax & Financial Guide and the Zondervan Church and Nonprofit Tax & Financial Guide.

Because of Covid restrictions, Michael and I had this conversation remotely. I was in my home studio in Charlotte, North Carolina. Michael was in Winchester, Virginia.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

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On today’s program, the Museum of the Bible is making an expensive effort to get things right. And Russell Moore, the Southern Baptist’s top ethicist, is the subject of a new report released this week by his denomination. We begin today with news that one of Focus on the Family’s Twitter accounts has been banned from Twitter.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bobby Ross Jr., Alejandra Molina, Jack Jenkins, Bob Smietana, and Anne Stych. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times and Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have back on the program Michael Reneau. Michael is the Editor of WORLD Magazine. He came to WORLD after a successful tenure as an award-winning editor at The Greeneville Sun, a daily newspaper serving East Tennessee. On today’s program, we discuss the pro-life movement and the state of politics in the post-Trump era.

To find out more about WORLD Magazine and the stories we discussed today, go to https://world.wng.org/

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Jamie Dean, Leah Hickman, and the entire team at WORLD for providing material for our conversation today.

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On today’s program, controversial pastor and ministry leader David Jang is in the news again, and we take a look at the growth of Donor Advised Funds. We also ask: Is Colorado Springs losing its cool as a home for Christian ministries? We begin today with more news from Hillsong Church.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, we discuss the investigation into Pastor Bryan Lorrits, the whereabouts and health of Pastor John MacArthur, the changes that are needed at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, and developments at Dave Ramsey’s organization, Ramsey Solutions. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that every week we do a regular Friday weekly roundup episodes. Those are episodes Warren co-hosts with Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep” with our editorial partners. Today, we’re pleased to have back to the program the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, go to www.RoysReport.com. To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to www.MinistryWatch.com. To read Warren’s story about Ravi Zacharias, the one mentioned in this week’s episode, click here.  The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the annual March for Life is going virtual this year amid concerns of COVID. We also have a deep dive into Ramsey Solutions, the company behind the popular money guru Dave Ramsey. We begin today with news that a Christian crowd-funding site was used to finance the efforts of the Proud Boys and other radical groups associated with the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. Each week, MinistryWatch brings you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. One housekeeping item before we go. Our technology wizard Stephen DuBarry has figured out a way to show the salary data for many of the ministries in our database. What that means is that if you go to the profile of a ministry in the MinistryWatch database, you’ll now see salary information for every executive listed on the ministry’s Form 990. That’s salary information for thousands of executives. This is a huge development for us here at MinistryWatch, and I think it will end up being a huge service to our database users. So check out this new addition by going to MinistryWatch.com. Click on the red button at the top of the page. That takes you to our database. The search engine is right there, and you can type in the name of a ministry you’re interested in and our profile will pop right up – now, with compensation information for the top executives.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, Mark Hrywna, Bethany E. Starin, Bob Smietana, and Emily Miller. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

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On today’s program, so-called modern-day prophets are coming under scrutiny for their false prophecies concerning the recent presidential election. The mobile hospital of Samaritan’s Purse is saving lives all over the country. And MinistryWatch President Warren Smith prescribes a way back for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, which has been rocked by recent troubles.

We begin today with the World Watch List from Open Doors of countries that are the worst when it comes to the persecution of Christians. North Korea tops the list for the 20th straight year. Each week, MinistryWatch brings you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Our new Ministry Spotlight column does a deep dive into the financials of a single ministry, and this week we feature Live Action, the pro-life ministry led by Lila Rose. If you want to know more about that ministry, you can also go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find that ministry on the front page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Emily Miller, Adelle Banks, Christina Darnell, Sarah Rankin, Julia Duin, and Yonat Shimron. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times and Religion UnPlugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

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Today, we have on the program, Jim Denison. Jim is the founder of The Denison Forum, which in the past few years has emerged as one of the leading Christian worldview voices on radio and the Internet. We’ve had Jim on the podcast before and I wanted to bring him back to discuss the events of the past week in Washington and to ask how Christians should respond.

Every Friday we do a weekly news round-up on the podcast, but these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are opportunities for us to explore in more depth a particular issue.

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On today’s program, updates regarding Hillsong and Ravi Zacharias, as well as a discussion of MinistryWatch’s list of Highly Paid Ministry Executives. We begin today with the riot in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Specifically, with the reaction of faith leaders to the violence.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Roxanne Stone, Yonat Shimron, Erik Tryggestad, Rod Pitzer, Warren Smith, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at Religion Unplugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today’s guest is Michael Reneau. Michael is the Editor of WORLD Magazine. He came to WORLD after a successful tenure as an award-winning editor at The Greeneville Sun, a daily newspaper serving East Tennessee.

MinistryWatch is doing a free online webinar next Friday on “How To Find and Evaluate Senior Leadership Talent for your Church or Ministry.” My guest for this webinar will be executive search guru Bruce Dingman. We’ve been promoting this webinar in our daily emails, so check your inbox for details.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Steve West and Megan Basham of WORLD for providing material for our conversation today.

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Today, I’m pleased to have on the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. Julie and I are going to do something a bit special today. This is the week before Christmas, and our last MinistryWatch podcast episode of the year, so we are going to go down the list of the top 10 stories of the year, as judged by you, the readers of the MinistryWatch website. But Julie brings her own list to the table, and though there are a lot of similarities, there are also some surprising differences. So we’ll both weigh in as we count down the stories. To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, go to www.RoysReport.com To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that every Friday we do a “weekly round-up” of the top stories of the week. But a few months ago we started a mid-week episode we call the MinistryWatch “Extra” episode. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with our editorial partners. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

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On today’s program, a new development with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Christian Finance Guru Dave Ramsey is throwing a big staff Christmas party that is drawing national attention, and in this age of celebrity flame-outs, we highlight the lives of two men who served God and their neighbors quietly and faithfully for decades. We begin today with an investigation of possible abuses of the Payroll Protection Program.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Adelle M. Banks, Warren Smith, Christina Darnell, Emily Miller, Bob Smietana, Alejandra Molina, and Roxanne Stone.

Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times and Religion Unplugged for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Regular listeners to the program know that I do a regular weekly roundup of the week’s ministry news with my co-host Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with our editorial partners.

Today, I’m pleased to welcome back to the program Paul Glader. Paul is the editor-in-chief at Religion Unplugged and the director of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City. His journalism experience includes a long tenure with the Wall Street Journal. Today we discuss The Jericho March that took place in Washington, DC, a Charlie Brown Christmas, and Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree ministry.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Clementi Lisi, Bobby Ross, Micah Danney, Jillian Cheney, and the rest of the Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, an update on the controversy regarding Carl Lentz and Hillsong Church. We also examine how the COVID crisis has impacted Christmas outreaches, including Living Nativity Scenes and Singing Christmas trees. We’ll talk about how churches are adjusting. And we have the latest in our Generous Living series. The story of a man who died in 2015 whose legacy of generosity is still being felt today.

If you want to dig deep into any of the stories we’ve discussed, go to MinistryWatch.com.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Adelle M. Banks, Christina Darnell, Emily McFarlan Miller, Bob Smietana, Alejandra Molina, and Roxanne Stone. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On this week’s MinistryWatch Extra episode: the president of Colorado Christian University, Dr. Don Sweeting. Don is the president of CCU is a long-tenured veteran in Christian higher education leadership. Before taking over the presidency of Colorado Christian University in 2016, he was the president of Reformed Theological Seminary’s Orlando campus. He also spent many years as a pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. He holds degrees from Moody Bible Institute, Oxford University, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has also served on the board of the National Association of Evangelicals.

Higher education, especially Christian higher ed, is facing daunting challenges, and the health of Christian colleges and universities are vital to the health of both the pastoral and lay leadership of the church. That’s why my interview with Don Sweeting is one of a series of interviews I have done with Christian college presidents, and why we have started tracking Christian colleges in the MinistryWatch database. I had this conversation with Don Sweeting just outside of Washington, D.C.

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to www.MinistryWatch.com

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On today’s program, The United Methodist Church, which has been facing a split for years, finally cracks. We continue our Shining Light series with a story about a program that helps at-risk boys become responsible men. And the Supreme Court gives Religious Liberty a boost.

We begin today with the story of a con man who has defrauded investors out of $35-million by targeting the members of a church in California.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include J.C. Derrick, John Semakula, Emily McFarlan Miller, Jessica Gresko, Kimberly Winston, Alejandra Molina, Bethany Starin, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at The NonProfit Times, Religion UnPlugged, and The Roys Report for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Here at MinistryWatch, we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. Today, I’m pleased to have on the program Michael Reneau. Michael is the Editor of WORLD Magazine. He came to WORLD after a successful tenure as an award-winning editor at The Greeneville Sun, a daily newspaper serving East Tennessee.

To find out more about WORLD Magazine and the stories we discussed today, go to the World News Group website: www.wng.org And to learn more about MinistryWatch, visit www.MinistryWatch.com

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On today’s program, John MacArthur’s California church is cleared by local health officials as being the source of a COVID outbreak. We have the latest in our “Shining Light” series of stories. This week we feature a ministry that provides a safe place for children and their mothers who are recovering from substance abuse. We begin today with the story of the Boy Scouts. Monday was the deadline set by a bankruptcy court for filing a sex-abuse claim against the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The number of claims filed has exceeded 92,000, literally ten times more than the 9,000 claims filed in Catholic Church cases.

I have a correction and apology for all my friends in Texas. Last week we did a story that included mention of the grocery store chain H.E.B. The only problem is, I pronounced it Heb, which was, I found out deeply offensive to many of my friends in the Lone Star State. H.E.B. is a beloved institution there, and I’ve had a few Texans who heard my mispronunciation tell me, in the words of Lyle Lovett, “That’s right, you’re not from Texas.” I began to get concerned that I might have one of them administer their manly footwear to my saddle facing side. So in hopes of preventing that: Let me just say that I apologize to the good folks of Texas, and the next time I’m in Dallas I look forward to buying you a cup of coffee at Central Market.

Final Notes: If you want to dig deep into any of the stories we’ve discussed, go to MinistryWatch.com. Also, a heads-up that on this week’s MinistryWatch Extra podcast episode, I talk with Dr. Robert Myers, the president of Toccoa Falls College, a small college that is bucking the trends in Christian higher education because they are not only surviving but thriving. We talk about what they’re doing, and why.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Bethany Starin, Adelle Banks, Warren Smith, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at the Non-Profit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

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Today, I’m pleased to share with you my conversation with the president of Toccoa Falls College, Dr. Robert Myers.

Colleges are the recipients of hundreds of millions of donor dollars every year. They are also on the front lines of many of today’s most important cultural battles. They are powerful tools for shaping culture – both for good or for ill – and they are often defining moments in the lives of individual students, who are trying to decide who they are and what they want to be when they leave college.

In a time of demographic change, when we are seeing fewer kids in the college-aged age group, and technological advances – an era when it is much easier to take advantage of distance education, we are seeing a lot of colleges suffer. There are about 4000 colleges in this country, and I have heard statistics that suggest that as many as a third of them could close over the next decade.

Of course, some colleges are thriving, and a few colleges have had the experience of staring into the abyss of financial ruin and then stepping back from that precipice. Toccoa Falls College in northeast Georgia is one of those schools. It has come back from the brink of ruin twice, in fact. Once, in 1977, when a dam break and subsequent flood swept through the college – exactly 43 years ago last week. 39 people were killed and more than 60 injured in that disaster.

The second time Toccoa Falls College averted disaster was in the years following the 2008-2009 financial crisis. And the man who gets a great deal of the credit for that turnaround is my guest today.

Robert Myers has a varied career. He started it as a police officer – first as an officer on patrol and rising through the ranks to detective. He transitioned to higher education nearly 30 years ago and has served at Palm Beach Atlantic University, Oklahoma Wesleyan University. He now serves as only the 7th president in the school’s more than 100-year history.

I had this conversation with Bob Myers before the COVID pandemic, but for a variety of reasons we have held on to this conversation till now. I did this interview at his office on the campus of Toccoa Falls College.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch, we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Each week, MinistryWatch brings you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. On today’s program, we talk succession planning by taking a look at two organizations that are struggling with that problem, plus the next installment of our Generous Living series. But we begin today with a story about the controversial ministry Gospel for Asia.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks, Warren Smith, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at the Non-Profit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to welcome back to the program Paul Glader. Paul is the editor-in-chief at Religion Unplugged and the director of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City. His journalism experience includes a long tenure with the Wall Street Journal. We discuss the recent election, conflict in Armenia, Hillsong’s Carl Lenz, and more.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Clementi Lisi, Jade Levin, Bruce Barron, Jake Densmore, and Meghan Clarke, and the rest of the Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, a pastor in the popular Hillsong movement has been fired for an unspecified “moral failure.” We’ll have details. Compassion International reaches a financial milestone. And we have the latest installment in our Generous Living series, the story of a young couple whose financial stewardship has motivated generosity in others.

We begin today with massive staff cuts at Chicagoland's Willow Creek Church.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include J.C. Derrick, Steve Rabey, Warren Smith, and Christina Darnell. Thanks to our friends at the Non-Profit Times and The Roys Report for contributing material to this week’s program.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra podcast, a special presentation of my conversation with David Dockery.

It is likely that Christian education in this country would look significantly different were it not for the life and work of David Dockery. He has served as president of Trinity International University, in the Chicago area, and as president of Union University, during a time when Union faced a significant crisis – which we’ll talk about later in the program. Union University emerged from that crisis as one of the nation’s leading Christian colleges.

Dockery has also used his gifts to serve Christian education beyond the colleges he has led directly. He has consulted or served on the board of many important Christian institutions, including Christianity Today and The Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He has also been active in The Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, where he served as chairman of the board, and the Evangelical Theological Society, which he served as its president.

At a time when many people would be thinking about retirement – Dockery is 68 years old – he resigned his post at Trinity International University to lead a new group: The International Alliance of Christian Education, which is made up of Christian schools, colleges, and seminaries from all around the world. We’ll also discuss that group in our conversation today.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, And you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. May God bless you.

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On today’s program, The Episcopal Church’s embrace of theological liberalism has caused such a steep decline that the denomination’s very existence is in question. Jerry Falwell Jr. sues Liberty University. Warren explains why MinistryWatch finally decided to cover the “peeing pastor.” And we have the latest installment in our “Generous Living” series. A pastor and his family from Texas who live simply, tithe, pay their bills and give away everything else.

Up first today, the story of a controversial Charlotte, N.C., church that was declared an “imminent hazard” and ordered closed because of a COVID outbreak.

Regular listeners to the podcast know that through the months of September and October we were offering a copy of my new book “Faith-Based Fraud” to anyone who made a donation to MinistryWatch. But that offer ends on Saturday, in part because we are almost out of books and we don’t plan to reprint books until after the first of the year. So if you want to get a copy of “Faith Based Fraud” you need to act before Saturday, Oct. 31. You can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Today we discuss Amy Coney Barrett’s religion, a huge drop in travel – including travel to religious sites – as a result of COVID, and The American Solidarity Party (ASP), a third party that takes Christian ideas seriously. It’s pro-life, and pro-traditional marriage, which separates it from the Libertarian Party. But it also favors a fairly strong environmental program, and it’s not afraid to say the government has a role in all of these arenas.

To find out more about Religion Unplugged and the stories we discussed today, go to Religion Unplugged.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Here at MinistryWatch we get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. Thanks to Bobby Ross, Ken Vaughan, Meghan Clarke, and the rest of the Religion Unplugged team for providing content for our conversation today.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Liberty University announced the details of its audit of the tenure of Jerry Falwell Jr. Ridgecrest Conference Center has a buyer. And students, parents, and alumni of Moody Bible Institute want the school to do more to fight sexual abuse. We begin today with allegations of sexual misconduct against musician and artist Chris Rice.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Hello, everyone. I’m Warren Smith and I’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

Regular listeners to the program know that this month we began these “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes. We will continue our regular Friday weekly roundup episodes. Those are episodes I co-host with Natasha Smith. But these MinistryWatch Extra episodes are a chance for us to “go deep,” you might say, with our editorial partners. Today, I’m pleased to have back to the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name.

Today we discuss Ravi Zacharias, James MacDonald, and the fact that the vast majority of Christian ministers are NOT frauds, even though it doesn’t always seem that way.

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On today’s program, A boarding school in Missouri was abruptly shut down after allegations of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. While cities, towns, and organizations are removing statues and re-naming buildings all over the country, the Southern Baptist Convention has decided to leave their buildings alone. We’ll examine why. And we continue our Generous Living series with the story of a toy shop owner who became successful beyond his wildest dreams, but now believes it’s what he gives, not what he makes, that will define his legacy.

We begin today with several religious liberty stories. First up, a district court has temporarily granted a request from Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. The church can now gather for outdoor worship services.

As usual, we just touch the tip of the iceberg here. To learn more, go to www.MinistryWatch.com and can read all the stories on today’s podcast in full.

Before we go, a couple of updates about MinistryWatch.

Warren will be doing a webinar on the topic of “How To Find and Read a Form 990.” A Form 990 is a form that non-profit ministries have to fill out every year. It’s a lot like a tax return except, of course, tax-exempt organizations don’t pay taxes. It has a lot of helpful information on it, and we here at MinistryWatch look at them just about every day. In fact, we think ALL donors should examine a ministry’s Form 990 before they donate to that ministry.

But a lot of donors have told me they don’t even know where to find them, or what to look for once they do find them. So we’re going to do a webinar on that topic, starting with the very basics. Again, the webinar is called “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” That webinar will take place on Wednesday, Oct.28, at 3 pm ET. Mark your calendar and we’ll have information about how to sign up for that webinar on the MinistryWatch website today.

Also, regular listeners to the podcast know that through the month of September we were offering a copy of my new book “Faith-Based Fraud” to anyone who made a donation to MinistryWatch. The demand for the book was so great that we have printed more books and we’ve extended that offer through October. So if you missed the offer in September, it’s not too late. If you’d like to know more or make a donation, you can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

May God bless you.

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We start by discussing the latest at Liberty University. We pivot in our conversation and talk about another story that both WORLD and MinistryWatch covered, and that was the story of Ravi Zacharias. We then discuss WORLD’s article on Donald Trump and abortion, plus an article about the Q-Anon movement, a fringe movement that a lot of Christians were getting sucked into.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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Each week, Warren and Natasha bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. On today’s program, updates on previous stories involving Ravi Zacharias and John MacArthur. We’ll also have a story about a non-profit organization that provides alternative funding sources for African-American churches. And the latest in our ongoing “Shining Light” series. This week, a Denver, Colorado, ministry with ties to Southeast Asia.

A couple of updates about MinistryWatch: MinistryWatch is slowly learning a new trick during this age of COVID, and that is the art of the online webinar. We did a webinar a couple of weeks ago about Warren’s new book “Faith-Based Fraud” that was really well received. If you attended that webinar, thanks for being a part of it. During that webinar, Warren promised those in attendance a webinar in the near future on the topic of “How To Read a Form 990.” A Form 990 is a form that non-profit ministries have to fill out every year. It has a lot of helpful information on it, and we here at MinistryWatch look at them just about every day. In fact, we think ALL donors should examine a ministry’s Form 990 before they donate to that ministry.

But a lot of donors have told me they don’t even know where to find them, or what to look for once they do find them. So we’re going to do a webinar on that topic. Again, the webinar is called “How To Find and Read A Form 990.” That webinar will take place on Wednesday, Oct.28, at 3 pm ET. Mark your calendar and we’ll have information about how to sign up for that webinar on the MinistryWatch website.

And, speaking of “Faith-Based Fraud”…

Regular listeners to the podcast know that through the month of September we were offering a copy of “Faith-Based Fraud” to anyone who made a donation to MinistryWatch. The demand for the book was so great that we have printed more books and we’ve extended that offer through October. So if you missed the offer in September, it’s not too late. If you’d like to know more or make a donation, you can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Bobby Ross, Bethany Starin, and Warren Smith. We also received editorial assistance this week from our friends at The Christian Chronicle and The Non-Profit Times.

May God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra podcast, a special presentation of my conversation with Kay Warren. I had this conversation with Kay in Dallas, Texas.

Kay Warren, the co-founder of Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick, is a speaker, best-selling author, and Bible teacher. She is perhaps best known as an advocate for those living with mental illness and HIV & AIDS. Following the death of her son Matthew by suicide, in 2013, Kay became an advocate for suicide prevention, and she serves on the board of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention.

It was one year ago this week that Kay spoke about both her own sexual abuse and the death of her son by suicide at the Caring Well conference hosted by the Southern Baptist Convention.

I was at that conference and recorded the conversation you are about to hear with Kay Warren. But little did I know then that the issues we discuss would become even more pressing in the year ahead. Here at MinistryWatch, we’ve had to report on the suicide of at least two high-profile pastors, and the mental health concerns of many others – concerns exacerbated by the COVID crisis.

Plus, the sexual abuse crisis has not abated. This Caring Well conference was supposed to be a turning point in the way the church deals with sexual abuse, and maybe it was, but that hasn’t stopped stories from hitting the news, stories that in the past year alone have involved more scandals in Southern Baptist churches, plus prominent organizations such as Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Wheaton College, Cedarville University, and Mercy Corps.

It’s important to note that these are not fringe organizations. These are organizations that are at the very heart of evangelical culture. To pretend that this is someone else’s problem – such as the Boy Scouts, or the Catholic Church -- is a position that is no longer tenable.

All of this is why my conversation with Kay is more relevant today than ever.

You can find an edited transcript of this interview at the MinistryWatch website. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and type Kay Warren’s name into the search engine.

I would like to remind you that there’s a quick and easy and free way to support the program, and that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we have, the better the podcast performs with search engines. You can also leave a comment when you give us a rating. I can’t respond via the app, but please know that I read all the comments and I find them encouraging and helpful.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

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On today’s program, new sexual abuse charges have been leveled against the recently deceased Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias. We’ll have the latest. Also on today’s program: When unwanted or disruptive people log on to your Zoom meeting, that’s come to be called Zoombombing. It’s starting to happen in church services and other worship gatherings. We’ll have a report. And we’ll have the latest installment in our Generous Living series. Today a couple from Manhattan who gave up the Wall Street lifestyle so they could support God’s work.

Up first today, an update on a story we first brought you in July. Blackbaud, one of the nation’s largest fundraising and donor management companies, announced this week that the personal data of some donors to charities that use the Blackbaud’s software was exposed to cybercriminals.

Regular listeners to the podcast know that through the month of September we were offering a copy of my new book “Faith-Based Fraud” to anyone who made a donation to MinistryWatch. The demand for the book has been so great that we have printed more books and we’ve extended that offer through October. So if you missed the offer in September, it’s not too late. If you’d like to know more or make a donation, you can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Bobby Ross, and Warren Smith. We also received editorial assistance this week from our friends at The Non-Profit Times.

May God bless you.

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I’m Warren Smith. Thanks for joining us for the MinistryWatch podcast.

At MinistryWatch we bring you the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode, John and Ashely Marsh

If you type “death of small-town America” into a search engine, you’ll get more than a half-million hits. You’ll find stories about the death of Rust Belt cities. Stories about the death of southern mill towns. Stories about the death of farming communities in the West. This is not one of those stories.

Opelika is a former textile mill town in Lee County, Alabama, not far from the Georgia line. Twenty years ago, it might have fit comfortably into that “death of the small town” cliché. With the textile industry fleeing overseas, by the 1980s, Opelika’s downtown was all but boarded-up. But that was before John and Ashely Marsh got a hold of it.

As you will hear, John and Ashely’s marriage was in even worse shape than Opelika. John was an alcoholic and a workaholic. Ashely was on the verge of divorce, and John was on the verge of suicide when they turned their lives over to Christ. Their relationship with Christ transformed their relationship to each other, and to their neighbors. And that transformation has led to the transformation of a town, and that town is now a model for other small cities around the country.

I had this conversation with John and Ashely Marsh in…where else…Opelika, Alabama, back before the COVID quarantine.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, And you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. May God bless you.

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On today’s program, two of the nation’s largest protestant denominations – the Southern Baptists and the United Methodists – consider changing their logos and even their names as a way of putting past racial insensitivities behind them. But the changes are not universally welcome. A new study says liberal congregations are significantly more political than conservative ones. And we take a look at Navajo Ministries, which is doing remarkable work in the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.

Up first today, armed attackers ambushed a group of World Vision staff in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last week, killing one and capturing two others. Another was seriously injured.

We also want to remind everyone that MinistryWatch has a new book out. It’s called “Faith-Based Fraud: Learning From the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” I’ve been working on the book for more than 10 years, and I’m really pleased with how it came out. We’re offering it as our thank you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch during the month of September. If you’d like to know more or make a donation, you can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

I also want everyone to know that Friday, September 25, that’s today for many of you who listen to the podcast when we post it on Friday morning, Warren will be doing a free on-line webinar based on the book. Check the daily MinistryWatch emails for details about how to sign up.

May God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode we have Bryan Owens. Mr. Owens has turned a highly specific, niche business into a multi-million dollar operation that has also become a significant tourist attraction. In the process, he has developed what he calls a “theology of work,” which we’ll discuss later in the program.

That business is Unclaimed Baggage. In 1970, Bryan’s father Doyle Owens bought some unclaimed bags from a bus company and sold the contents on folding tables in a rented house in Scottsboro, Alabama. The idea was an instant success, and Doyle and his family quickly grew Unclaimed Baggage to one of the largest retailers in Alabama as a result of long-term exclusive contracts with the country’s major airlines. Bryan bought the business from his father in 1995, and today Unclaimed Baggage Center takes up a city block and attracts more than a million visitors a year to northeast Alabama.

And, as you will hear, Bryan is a committed Christian with carefully thought out ideas about charity, philanthropy, and how to run a business according to Christian principles. I sat down with Bryan Owens at his corporate headquarters, in Atlanta.

We’ll have more interviews on the importance of entrepreneurship and work to create human flourishing in the weeks ahead. I would like to remind you that there’s a quick and easy and free way to support the program, and that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we have, the better the podcast performs with search engines. You can also leave a comment when you give us a rating.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Dr. Charles Stanley is finally stepping down as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta – at age 88. But don’t expect him to retire. I’ll explain why later in the program. And we have an update on the situation at Taylor University after the firing of a popular professor there. Questions have arisen regarding whether the college followed appropriate processes in the firing of Jim Spiegel. And we have the latest in our Generous Living series, a profile of NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins and his approach to both saving and giving.

Before we go, we want to let people know that Warren has a new book out. It’s called “Faith-Based Fraud: Learning From the Great Religious Scandals of our Time.” We’re offering it as our thank you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch during the month of September. If you’d like to know more or make a donation, you can go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Also, next Friday, September 25, Warren will be doing a free on-line webinar based on the book. Check the daily MinistryWatch emails for details about how to sign up.

Each week, Warren Smith and Natasha Smith bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

May God bless you.

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Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Today, we discuss Todd Wagner of Watermark Community Church, Perry Stone of Voice of Evangelism, Costi and Benny Hinn, Eric Metaxas, Jen Hatmaker, and more.

To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, go to www.RoysReport.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, along with my co-host Julie Roys, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, megachurch pastor Todd Wagner is taking a break from ministry following concerns about his leadership style. And a beloved professor at Taylor University was fired for posting a video that he says is thoroughly biblical, but which received an anonymous complaint. The college is now in an uproar over the controversy.

But up first today is the story of TV preacher Perry Stone, who has been on a sabbatical since April for “acting inappropriately” with female employees.

We want to remind everyone that on our MinistryWatch extra episode, we have Religion Unplugged’s Paul Glader as our guest. Paul is a journalism veteran, having spent years at The Wall Street Journal and now – in addition to leading Religion Unplugged – leads the journalism program at The King’s College. I hope you’ll join us for that conversation.

Finally, there’s a quick and easy and free way to support the program, and that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we have, the better the podcast performs with search engines. You can also leave a comment when you give us a rating. We can’t respond via the app, but please know that I read all the comments and I find them encouraging and helpful.

May God bless you.

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To find out more about Religion Unplugged and the stories we discussed today, go to www.ReligionUnplugged.com

To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to www.MinistryWatch.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, along with my co-host Paul Glader, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, updates to ongoing stories involving Jerry Falwell Jr. and megachurch pastor John MacArthur. We’ll have the latest. Also on today’s program, another church in California could be fined more than $25,000 for its defiance of COVID restrictions. And Campus Crusade for Christ – now known as CRU and one of the largest Christian ministries in the country – gets only the third new leader in the organization’s history.

You can find the list and all the stories we’ve discussed today by going to MinistryWatch.org.

Finally, I would like to remind all of our listeners that I have a new book out. It’s called “Faith Based Fraud: Learning From The Great Religious Scandals of our Time. It’s our resource for the month of September, and that means for a gift of any size – even $1 – we’ll send you a copy of the book as our thank you. To learn more about the book, or to give to MinistryWatch, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.

Each week, Warren Smith and Natasha Smith bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

May God bless you.

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On today’s MinistryWatch Extra episode, I talk with a man who is fueling a movement of generosity in this country, Brian Kluth.

Brian has been called “America’s Giving Guy” because of his work to help Christians become more generous. As you will hear him say later in the program, people aren’t born generous, and even when they are born again, that doesn’t automatically make them generous. Generosity is learned. Generosity grows as we grow as a Christian. Brian Kluth’s books and devotionals on generous giving have sold more than a million copies and have been translated into more than 40 languages and used in more than 100 countries.

You can learn more about the National Association of Evangelicals’ Bless Your Pastor program by going to BlessYourPastor.org.

At MinistryWatch we bring you the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Jerry Falwell Jr. has resigned as president of Liberty University, walking away with a reported $10.5-million severance package. What lessons can the evangelical church learn from the Falwell Fiasco? Also on today’s podcast: Two hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast, and terrible straight-line winds level crops in the Midwest. Christian relief ministries are responding. And Christian publishing giant David C. Cook struggles to re-invent itself in the face of massive shifts in publishing and music. We’ve got a profile.

We want to remind everyone that on our MinistryWatch extra episode, we have Julie Roys as our special guest. Julie is the brains behind The Roys Report, which has broken a lot of important stories in the ministry world. She talks about her approach to journalism and we discuss why and how journalism can play an important role in educating the Body of Christ and in enhancing the credibility of the church in the world.

Each week, Warren and Natasha bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Emily Miller, Jack Jenkins, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at The Non-Profit Times for sharing content for this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have on the program Julie Roys. Julie Roys runs The Roys Report, an investigative journalism website. She also has a podcast of the same name. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the prestigious Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. And that’s all I’m going to say for now about Julie’s biography, because I’d like to start the program by talking to her about her story, and why and how she does what she does today. So, with that…Julie, welcome to the program.

To find out more about The Roys Report and the stories we discussed today, go to: www.RoysReport.com

Here at MinistryWatch, we bring you news about Christian ministries as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, there’s been an explosive growth in donor-advised funds. We’ll explain what they are, and why they’ve become an important philanthropic tool, even for those who aren’t wealthy. We’ll also have an update on the stand-off between the state of California and pastor John MacArthur. And we continue our Generous Living series with the story of a couple who doesn’t invest just money, but also time – lots of it – in the ministries they support.

We begin today with news about one of the nation’s largest evangelical youth ministries, Young Life. A social media campaign started by two gay former Young Life staffers is putting pressure on the youth ministry to change its position on sexuality.

I also want to remind everyone that on our MinistryWatch extra episode, we have Michael Reneau, the deputy editor of WORLD Magazine. He talks about WORLD’s approach to journalism and we discuss why and how journalism can play an important role in educating the Body of Christ and in enhancing the credibility of the church in the world.

Finally, I would like to remind you that there’s a quick and easy and free way to support the program, and that’s to rate us on your podcast app. The more ratings we have, the better the podcast performs with search engines. You can also leave a comment when you give us a rating. I can’t respond via the app, but please know that I read all the comments and I find them encouraging and helpful.

May God bless you.

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Today, I’m pleased to have on the program Michael Reneau. Michael is the Deputy Editor of WORLD Magazine. He came to WORLD after a successful tenure as an award-winning editor at The Greeneville Sun, a daily newspaper serving East Tennessee.

In this episode, we peek under the hood of the WORLD editorial process. And we discuss some stories that have been of mutual interest to WORLD and to MinistryWatch, including the story of Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Liberty University.

To find out more about WORLD Magazine and the stories we discussed today, go to www.wng.org. To find out more about MinistryWatch, go to www.MinistryWatch.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, trouble at the Bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates continues. We’ll have an update. Also on today’s program, the latest in our Generous Living series. Most of our stories focus on people giving away money, but in today’s story, we feature a woman who literally gave away a part of herself. But we begin today with the latest chapter in the ongoing saga of Jerry Falwell Jr. and Liberty University.

Before we go, I want to remind everyone that we started posting a second weekly episode to this podcast. Natasha and I will continue this weekly roundup of the week’s MinistryWatch news, but the extra episode will be an interview with a writer or leader of a ministry we have a reporting partnership with. My first guest will be Paul Glader, who is the editor of Religion Unplugged, the head of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City, and a long-time reporter for the Wall Street Journal. I’m really excited about adding this new feature to the podcast, and I hope you’ll check it out.

Each week, Warren Smith and Natasha Smith (no relation!) bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

May God bless you.

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This is the first of our “MinistryWatch Extra” episodes. Today’s guest is Paul Glader. Paul talks to us about “Religion Unplugged,” a website with which MinistryWatch has a content-sharing relationship. We’ll go deep into our editorial processes and look at the “making of” some of the stories from “Religion Unplugged” that we have posted at the MinistryWatch podcast.

We also spend time talking about the mission of “Religion Unplugged” to train the next generation of Christian journalists.

To find out more about Religion Unplugged and the stories we discussed today, go to www.religionunplugged.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, and Casey Sudduth.

I’m Warren Smith, along with my guest today Paul Glader, and you’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, the US Capitol and the state of North Carolina came up with an elegant solution to the confederate monument controversy when they replaced the statue of a white supremacist with the statue of Billy Graham. Also on today’s program: have you ever signed your name to a petition for a cause you believe in? You may have just given the group permission to share your contact information with the world. We also have the latest installment in our Generous Living series. This week, the story of a couple whose generosity has helped reinvigorate one of Los Angeles County’s poorest towns.

Speaking of Los Angeles, we begin today with news that the city of Los Angeles has issued John MacArthur and Grace Community Church a cease-and-desist letter, threatening a $1,000 fine or arrest for continuing to hold in-person church services in defiance of state orders.

I wanted to remind everyone of the list of ministries that received Paycheck Protection Program funds. I also want to reiterate that our position here at MinistryWatch is that there is nothing wrong with taking these funds, but organizations that did take the funds had to affirm that they actually needed them. So the list is worth a close look. I also want to remind everyone that with the beginning of the new month, we have also posted a list of the most popular stories for the month of July. Again, go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll see that list on the front page.

Starting next week, we are going to be posting a second episode each week. Natasha and I will continue this weekly roundup of the week’s MinistryWatch news, but the extra episode will be an interview with a writer or leader of a ministry we have a reporting partnership with. My first guest will be Paul Glader, who is the editor of Religion Unplugged, the head of the journalism program at The King’s College in New York City, and a long-time reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

Each week, we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Yonat Shimron, Emily McFarlan Miller, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, John Semakula, Shawn Hendrick, and Warren Smith.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, the Texas-based ministry Gospel for Asia files for creditor protection in Canada. Also on today’s program, a British ministry that believes it;s possible for homosexuals to change says it has been the target of death threats. We’re going to begin today with extended coverage of how the COVID-19 crisis is impacting churches and ministries, and how some churches are pushing back on government restrictions. While this is not a new story for us here at MinistryWatch, there have been some new developments this week. For example, Grace Community Church, in Sun Valley, California, made big news this week when it gathered indoors on Sunday, defying California regulations that aim to limit the spread of COVID-19.

PLUS: I want to remind everyone about the new essay on our website on Matthew 18 and how it relates to journalism and the kind of investigative work we do here at MinistryWatch. If you’re a supporter of our ministry – or a skeptic, not sure if watchdog journalism is the right approach – I think you’ll find that article helpful. It’s on the MinistryWatch website.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Alejandra Molina, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Emily McFarlan Miller, Shawn Hendrick, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

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On today’s program, one of the nation’s largest software providers for non-profit fundraising, Blackbaud, was hacked, and the data of millions of people were potentially put at risk. Also on today’s program, theologian J.I. Packer died last week. We have an appreciation for his work not just as theologian, but as a ministry builder. We also have the latest in our Generous Living series. This week, a businessman who employs prisoners, and gives his profits away. We begin today with new data about the impact of the COVID Crisis on non-profits, and that data is not encouraging.

You can learn more about all the stories we feature today by going to www.MinistryWatch.com

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Richard Levey, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

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On today’s program, the Paycheck Protection Protection Program was designed to save jobs at organizations that didn’t have the money to pay its staff. But some churches and Christian ministries that are flush with cash took the money. We’ll take a closer look. Also on today’s program, the Wheaton College chaplain that was fired last week is this week answering the charges against him. And today’s Generous Living story is about a Silicon Valley couple that is giving away one of that world’s most coveted prizes: equity in the companies they are helping to build.

SPECIAL NOTE: MinistryWatch thanks everyone who contributed to MinistryWatch during our fiscal year-end giving campaign. We met our year-end goal and we’ve also already met our July giving goal, even though we’re barely at the mid-point of the month. So if you’re one of those who have given to MinistryWatch over the past month, thanks. If you would like to know how to join the team, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.

Each week, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith and Natasha Smith (no relation!) bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Emily McFarlan Miller, Steve Rabey, Julie Roys, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

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Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. On today’s program, a COVID outbreak at Kanakuk Kamps, a popular Christian camp in Missouri. Also on today’s program, pastor and author John Ortberg is in the midst of a family drama involving his transgender daughter that has become a public controversy. And Promise Keepers is back. The men’s ministry that attracted 1-million men to the National Mall a generation ago will hold its first big event at the end of the month. We’ll discuss what’s the same and what’s different.

We begin today with the news that churches and religious non-profits received at least $6-billion in COVID relief funds and some of the organizations getting those funds are raising eyebrows.

Each week, Warren Smith and co-host Natasha Smith bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Walker Smith, Emily McFarlan Miller, Julie Roys, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

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On today’s program, The Supreme Court is handing down decisions on an almost daily basis. We look at a couple of those decisions that will have an impact on churches and Christian ministries. Also, GOD TV gets booted off the air in Israel. We’ll explain why. And we continue our Generous Living series with the story of a young couple in New York City who is giving away 90% of what they earn and living on the remaining 10%.

If you’d like to read more about ANY of the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page.

We also want to mention a new feature on the website. On the last day of each month, we are going to publish the top 10 stories of that month. We just started this feature, so you can go to the website now and see the top 10 stories for the month of June. They include stories about Ravi Zacharias, the Southern Baptist Convention, Jerry Falwell and Liberty University, and the death of George Floyd, and what faith groups are doing to bring reconciliation and healing. It’s a great way to reflect back on the stories that are likely to have a lasting impact.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Walker Smith, Emily McFarlan Miller, Julie Roys, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, the campus ministry Christian Union is learning new ways to minister in the age of COVID-19. A new survey says that while many Christians WANT to return to church, they still have plenty of concerns about safety. And we continue our series on Generous Living with a profile of Greg and Ronda Brenneman, who have made philanthropy a family affair.

We begin today with accusations of sexual abuse and exploitation of teenagers by a popular Christian camp.

If you’d like to read more about ANY of the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page.

We’d also like to remind everyone of Bobby Ross’s “Weekend Plug-In” on our website every Saturday. It’s a digest of news and links to stories on what he calls “The God Beat,” religion and ethics. So if you’re a news junkie, you definitely want to check out Bobby’s column.

Also, we’re approaching our June 30 year-end, and I’d like to thank the more than 500 people who have made a gift to MinistryWatch during the past year. If that was you, please know that your gift is an encouragement to us and it allows us to continue our vital work to bring transparency, accountability, and renewed CREDIBILITY to the Christian ministry marketplace. If you’d like to support our work, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

Finally, if you are one of our new listeners: Welcome! I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Liza Vandenboom, Tom Campisi, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, Julie Roys, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at The Non-Profit Times, Religion Unplugged, and Religion News Service for contributing material to this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, an Alabama pastor is under fire for liking a couple of posts on Twitter. Now the city of Birmingham is canceling contracts with his church. Also on today’s program, Moody Bible Institute apologized for yearbook photos from the 1970s and 80s that portrayed students in blackface. And at least 30 private schools, including Christian schools, will close permanently because of the COVID Crisis.

We begin today with a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court. The high court ruled on Monday that the word “sex” in the 1964 Civil Rights Act applies to sexuality and, specifically, LGBTQ persons. The ruling could have important implications for religious organizations.

Special Note: Today’s story of David Ahl is the first in a series of stories about Generous Living that we’ve started at the MinistryWatch website. Christina Darnell is going to be contributing these stories, and we hope to post one every week, or most weeks, anyway. I think you’ll be inspired and encouraged by these stories.

I’d also like to remind everyone of Bobby Ross’s “Weekend Plug-In” on our website on Saturday. We’ve been a five-day-a-week content producer up until now, but we’re excited to offer Bobby’s column each Saturday. It’s a digest of news and links to stories on what he calls “The God Beat,” religion, and ethics. Bobby’s a seasoned journalist, and I’m excited about having his by-line on the MinistryWatch website.

Warren Smith and Natasha Smith bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

Also, before we go, I want to mention that we’re approaching our June 30 year-end, and I want to thank those of you who made a gift to MinistryWatch during the past year. Your gift is an encouragement to us and it allows us to continue our vital work to bring transparency, accountability, and renewed CREDIBILITY to the Christian ministry marketplace. If you’d like to support our work, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, well-known pastor Tim Keller announced that he has pancreatic cancer. Also on today’s podcast, non-profits are growing increasingly frustrated with Facebook. And we hear about a doctor, whose conversion to Christ in 2014, transformed not only his life but his work as a doctor as well.

But up first today: Sen. Josh Hawley. He’s asking why most churches and ministries are still banned from large meetings, but recent protests, some involving tens of thousands of people, are facing no sanctions or penalties.

We’d like to remind everyone of a new feature on the website. That’s Bobby Ross’s “Weekend Plug-In” on our website on Saturday. We’ve been a five-day-a-week content producer up until now, but we’re excited to offer Bobby’s column each Saturday. It’s a digest of news and links to stories on what he calls “The God Beat,” religion, and ethics. Bobby’s a seasoned journalist, and I’m excited about having his by-line on the MinistryWatch website.

Also, every month we publish a list that we’ve curated from our database of the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country. This month’s list is the 25 largest Christian advocacy groups in the country. That list includes organizations such as the Family Research Council, the First Liberty Institute, and the Alliance Defending Freedom. So if you want to see how these ministries compare, and take a look at their financial efficiency ranking and their transparency grade, just go to MinistryWatch.com

In fact, if you’d like to read more about ANY of the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page. If you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page – to find what you’re looking for.

I also want to mention that we’re approaching our June 30 year-end, and I want to thank those of you who made a gift to MinistryWatch during the past year. Your gift is an encouragement to us and it allows us to continue our vital work to bring transparency, accountability, and renewed CREDIBILITY to the Christian ministry marketplace. If you’d like to support our work, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Paul Glader, Michael Ray Smith, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at The Non-Profit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, the death of Ravi Zacharias due to cancer has caused some Christians to start promoting alternative therapies. We examine both their claims and their effectiveness. We also look at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the nation’s food banks. Plus: new rules that will impact the nation’s non-profits.

But first, the death of George Floyd. His death at the hands of Minneapolis police has prompted outrage around the country, but also a strong response from the nation’s churches and Christian ministries.

If you’d like to read more about ANY of the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to www.MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page.

If you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page – to find what you’re looking for.

Also, thanks to those of you who made a recent gift to MinistryWatch. Your gift is an encouragement to us and it allows us to continue our vital work to bring transparency, accountability, and CREDIBILITY to the Christian ministry marketplace. If you’d like to support our work, just go to www.MinistryWatch.com/donate

If you are one of our new listeners, welcome! If you like what you’ve heard, I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey, Christina Darnell, Adelle Banks, and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at The Nonprofit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, more media outlets are converting to non-profit status. Will that change how news is reported? Also on today’s program, conservative Anglicans win a major lawsuit against Episcopalians in Texas. And a well-known ministry leader, Bryan Loritts, is facing tough questions over his academic credentials.

Up first: The men’s ministry Promise Keepers has canceled its planned rally this summer, another casualty of the COVID-19 Crisis.

A quick MinistryWatch update: Beginning last week we started posting Bobby Ross’s “Weekend Plug-In” on our website on Saturday. We’ve been a five-day-a-week content producer up until now, but we’re excited to offer Bobby’s column each Saturday. It’s essentially a digest of news and links to stories on what he calls “The God Beat,” religion and ethics. Bobby’s a seasoned journalist, and I’m excited about having his by-line on the MinistryWatch website.

If you’d like to read more about the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to www.MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page. If you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page -- to find what you’re looking for.

Also, I want to thank those of you who made a recent gift to MinistryWatch. If you make a gift of any size to MinistryWatch between now and the end of May, which is just a few days away, we’ll send you a free copy of a book I wrote with John Stonestreet. It’s called “Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” It’s full of great stories of God’s people doing God’s work, in a beautiful but broken world. To donate, go to www.MinistryWatch.com/donate

And this podcast continues to grow, too. If you are one of our new listeners. Welcome! If you like what you’ve heard, I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Steve Rabey and Warren Smith. Thanks to our friends at The Non-Profit Times for contributing material to this week’s program.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, Norma McCorvey, the Roe of Roe v. Wade, is the subject of a new documentary that has pro-life groups up in arms. Also on today’s program, GOD-TV is generating controversy because of its programming in Israel. And Planned Parenthood mistakenly got $80-million in COVID relief funding. But will they give it back? Up first is news that famed apologist Ravi Zacharias has died, following a short battle with aggressive cancer. He was 74 years old.

If you make a gift of any size to MinistryWatch between now and the end of May, we’ll send you a free copy of a book I wrote with John Stonestreet. It’s called “Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” It’s full of great stories of God’s people doing God’s work, in a beautiful but broken world. You can donate here: www.MinistryWatch.com/donate

If you are one of our new listeners. Welcome! If you like what you’ve heard, I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, our ongoing investigation of the Bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates continues. Also on today’s program, Liberty University makes significant cuts to its philosophy department. Is it a sign of things to come? Plus, the people who give out journalism’s top award, the Pulitzer Prize, has recognized religion coverage.

We begin today with the story of the death of yet another megachurch pastor by his own hand. Darrin Patrick, a megachurch pastor, author, and speaker, has died. Patrick was a teaching pastor at Seacoast Church, a multi-site megachurch based in Mount Pleasant, SC, and the founding pastor of the Journey Church in St. Louis, where he lived.

If you’d like to read more about the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find them right on the front page. If you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page -- to find what you’re looking for.

Also, before we go, I want to thank those of you who made a gift to MinistryWatch on Giving Tuesday Now this week. And I have a special announcement to make. If you make a gift of any size to MinistryWatch between now and the end of May, we’ll send you a free copy of a book I wrote with John Stonestreet. It’s called “Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” It’s full of great stories like the one we just highlighted, on Mission Eurasia, of God’s people doing God’s work, in a beautiful but broken world. Go to www.MinistryWatch.com/donate

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Samaritan’s Purse closes its hospital in Central Park as the COVID Crisis abates there. Some churches are re-opening, while others are making plans. And the “new normal” could include a new financial environment: Habitat for Humanity joins the ministries who have laid off staff, and the largest Christian media company, Salem, gets downgraded by Moody’s.

Plus, Cedarville University’s president has been placed on administrative leave for his handling of a sex abuser at his college. Also on today’s program: a new on-line database tracks sex abusers in -- or formerly associated with -- the Southern Baptist Convention.

A couple of quick program notes: We want to thank those of you who made a gift to MinistryWatch on Giving Tuesday Now this week. We raised about $2500 on that day, and we’re grateful for each and every one of them. If you missed Giving Tuesday but you still want to support our ministry, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.

I also want to mention that the new, re-booted MinistryWatch website just passed its six-month anniversary. I don’t like to brag, but our Alexa ranking has passed some of the best-known Christian sites out there, and we’ve logged more than a half-million page views in the past six months.

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On today’s program, Ohio’s Cedarville University fires a professor for alleged sexual abuse, abuse the school has known about for years. Also on today’s program: Alliance Defending Freedom, The Becket Fund, and other religious liberty law firms are finding the current Covid Crisis to be a busy time indeed.

Plus, COVID could be fatal for some Christian colleges and summer camps. Finally, if you can’t go on a mission trip, what about a virtual mission trip?

If you’d like to read more about the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll also find most of those stories, too, right on the front page. If they’re not there, or if you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page – to find what you’re looking for.

Also, before we go, I want to mention that we’ve seen significant growth in the number of listeners to the podcast over the past few weeks. So I know we have a lot of new listeners. Welcome! If you like what you’ve heard, I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

May God bless you.

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On today’s program, the COVID-19 Crisis is having a significant impact on church giving. A new survey has the details. Also on today’s program: The COVID Crisis is giving churches an opportunity to shine. One LA Church has given out 350,000 meals to the people in its neighborhood. Plus, Samaritan’s Purse, which has come under fire in New York City, has found an unlikely advocate.

We close the show with MinistryWatch’s Guide To Giving During The COVID-19 Crisis. We have been getting a lot of requests for advice on giving. In general, giving advice about where to give is not what MinistryWatch does. Our mission is to encourage transparency and accountability on the part of ministries and wise stewardship on the part of donors.

However, these are extraordinary times. Normal giving patterns are disrupted. Some people are receiving checks from the government that, by God’s grace, they are able to share with others. So while we do not want to be anyone’s conscience, we do believe there are general principles all donors can follow when giving. Further, during this time of COVID-19, some needs are more acute and some opportunities are more leveraged than others. So, in that spirit, here are a few principles we believe donors should follow if – by God’s grace -- they want to “step up” and do more during this time.

Also, before we go, I want to mention that we’ve seen significant growth in the number of listeners to the podcast over the past two weeks. So I know we have a lot of new listeners. Welcome! If you like what you’ve heard, I hope you’ll be with us each and every week, and I hope you’ll tell a friend. And don’t forget to rate us using your podcast app. It’s absolutely free, doesn’t take but a few seconds, and it really helps us a lot.

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On today’s program, we have an update on the massive Bible translation organization Wycliffe Associates. The group’s PR and fundraising material says it can complete Bible translations in a matter of weeks. But are their claims true?

Also on today’s show: Willow Creek Community Church, which has been embroiled in controversy for years, has a new pastor. We’ll introduce you to him. Plus, The Southern Baptist Church’s Russell Moore weighs in on the question: Should churches take the government’s COVID-19 relief funds?

We begin today with a story we’ve been following for a couple of weeks, and that is the story of opposition to Samaritan’s Purse Central Park field hospital. On Tuesday of this week, a group of LGBTQ activists protested at the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital that the ministry had set up on the East Meadow lawn in Central Park.

If you’d like to read more about the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll also find most of those stories right on the front page. If they’re not there, or if you’d like to dig into the MinistryWatch archives of hundreds of articles and other great resources, use the search engine – also on the front page -- to find what you’re looking for.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Bob Smeitana, Steve Rabey, Warren Smith, and Anne Stych.

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Pro-life activist David Benham gets arrested outside an abortion facility. He was charged with violating a local stay-at-home order. The case has attracted national attention. Also on today’s show: a program that allows larger churches to help smaller churches.

We begin today with that word of warning from Chuck Bentley, the CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, one of the best known financial ministries in the country. Bentley says Christian leaders should think twice before taking government funds.

Later in the program, we unpack a survey conducted by Charities Aid Foundation America that found a full 97 percent said they have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. Plus, the strange and sordid story of a Mexican megachurch pastor who had been in a California jail on human trafficking, sex crimes, and child pornography. But a judge has ordered him released.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get technical support from Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Alejandra Molina, Jack Jenkins, Warren Smith, and Anne Stych.

Happy Easter! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

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On today’s program, the Christian ministry Samaritan’s Purse opens a hospital in Central Park to aid with the crisis there, but LGBTQ activists are not happy about it.

Also on today’s program: we look at the recently passed COVID Relief or CARES Act, the $2.2-trillion relief package. What’s in it for churches and Christian ministries?

We also have the story of a Florida pastor who was arrested on Monday after he refused to stop holding worship services at his church despite regulations banning large in-person gatherings that could further the spread of the novel coronavirus. And on April 1 MinistryWatch unveiled new Transparency Grades for almost all the ministries in our database. We grade ministries from “A” to “F” based on how easy it is to see their financial information.

If you’d like to read more about the stories we discussed on today’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and you’ll find most of them right on the front page. If they’re not there, use the search engine to find what you’re looking for.

Also, if you’re interested in finding out more about the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country – including the newly added transparency rating I just mentioned, go to the MinistryWatch.com and look for the bright red “Search for a Ministry” button at the top of the page. We have financial information, and our own Financial Efficiency rating, and…now…those transparency grades…for the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country.

MinistryWatch is also now tracking changes to the membership status of organizations in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. We bring that information to you each and every week in my “Weekly Review” column, posted every Friday.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get technical support from Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, Warren Smith, Jack Jenkins, and Anne Stych.

Until next week, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, more stories about the consequences of the COVID-19 virus outbreak, including how churches and Christian ministries are responding. Also on today’s program: A Christian group that ministers to the children of military personnel.

We begin today with news that Congress has passed a $2-trillion stimulus package that will include money for churches. Churches will be able to apply for aid as part of the small business provision in the government’s $2 trillion coronavirus-related stimulus package. And not everyone thinks it’s a good idea.

Also, if you’re interested in finding out more about the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country, just go to the MinistryWatch.com and look for the bright red “Search for a Ministry” button at the top of the page. We have financial information, and our own Financial Efficiency rating, for the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country.

MinistryWatch is also now tracking changes to the membership status of organizations in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. We bring that information to you each and every week in Warren’s “Weekly Review” column, posted every Friday.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get technical support from Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Shawn Hendricks, Christina Darnell, Warren Smith, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey.

Until next week, may God bless you.

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On today’s program, Samaritan’s Purse sends a mobile hospital to Italy. Cru ministers to students at Cornell, and sports ministries active even though sporting events are canceled.

Also on today’s program: The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability has a new president – who will face new challenges in the months and years ahead. And Wycliffe Associates faces scrutiny over its million-dollar airplane.

To learn more about the ministries mentioned in today's program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and look for the bright red “Search for a Ministry” button at the top of the page. We have financial information, and our own Financial Efficiency rating, for the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country, including many of the ministries mentioned in today’s program.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get technical support from Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Warren Smith, and Anne Stych. Special thanks this week to Barry Bowen and the folks at the Trinity Foundation for helping us with the flight data for the Wycliffe Associates airplane.

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On today’s program we take a look at how Christian colleges are dealing with the COVID-19/Corona Virus outbreak.

Also on today’s program: popular pastor David Jeremiah was recently inducted into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame, but his induction came despite lingering questions about financial improprieties at his ministry.

We begin today with Wycliffe Associates, one of the charter members of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). Wycliffe Associates voluntarily resigned on Feb, 21, 2020, “while under review” for potentially violating the ethical standards of the organization.

To learn more about the ministries mentioned on todaya’s program, just go to MinistryWatch.com and look for the bright red “Search for a Ministry” button at the top of the page. We have financial information, and our own Financial Efficiency rating, for the 500 largest Christian ministries in the country, including Turning Point Ministries, Bread for the World, and Wycliffe Associates, three of the ministries we mentioned on the program today.

Our producers are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Shawn Hendricks, Warren Smith, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey.

Until next week, may God bless you.

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On today’s program an update on Harvest Bible Chapel and James MacDonald. Also on today’s program: The Corona Virus hits close to home as two well-known pastors have been quarantined after being exposed to potentially deadly disease. We also bring the story of how Christian ministries have contributed to the resurgence of a major American city: Indianapolis, Indiana. We also have an update on Franklin Graham’s efforts to hold rallies in the UK. He is now suing the venues who cancelled his event.

But we begin today with a story that’s been much in the news this week, and that’s the story of tornadoes in Tennessee. One aspect of this story that mainstream media have ignored is the extent to which Christian groups have stepped into this disaster. We fill that gap.

And if you want to know more about the stories we discussed today, or if you want to dig into the MinistryWatch archives and see the hundreds of stories we have there, just go to MinistryWatch.com.

Writers who contributed to today’s program include Christina Darnell, Warren Smith, Anne Stych, and Russ Pulliam.

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On today’s program, Warren comes to you this week from the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville, Tennessee, and Natasha Smith reports from the evangelical ministry hub of Colorado Springs.

On today’s program we discuss the fire at a Haiti orphanage run by an American church. It highlights problems with evangelical ministry in Haiti. Also on today’s program: Sexual abuse allegations at one of the most influential independent churches in the country: First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana. Plus: An update from Willow Creek Community Church.

All that, and a lot more on today’s edition of the MinistryWatch podcast.

If you want to know more about the stories we discussed today, or if you want to dig into the MinistryWatch archives and see the hundreds of stories we have there, just go to MinistryWatch.com.

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Every week, Warren Smith and Natasha Smith bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, all designed to help us become better stewards of the resources God has given us.

On today’s program we’ll discuss the bankruptcy of the Boy Scouts of America. Also on today’s program: A fraud conviction of ministry leaders in New York, as well as news that Southern Baptists have disfellowshipped a Texas church for having a pastor who is a registered sex offender.

And if you want to know more about the stories we discussed today, or if you want to dig into the MinistryWatch archives and see the hundreds of stories we have there, just go to MinistryWatch.com.

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On today’s program we’ll discuss the closing of Portland’s Concordia University and what that closing is telling us about Christian higher education in this country.

Also on today’s program, learn how Franklin Graham decides to hold evangelistic crusades in England even though every venue has cancelled on him. Plus, the Acts 29 church planting network faces another crisis of leadership and MinistryWatch’s Warren Smith explains Donor-Advised Funds and California’s efforts to regulate them.

To learn more about any story you hear today, visit www.ministrywatch.com

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Welcome to the inaugural weekly edition of The MinistryWatch Podcast!

On today’s program we discuss the following:

New revelations at Chicago-based Willow Creek Community Church.
A new approach coming out of Indianapolis called Purposeful Design that helps men in recovery.
A former chief executive at United Way of Santa Rosa County (Florida), Guyland W. Thompson, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for stealing $650,000 from the organization.
A look at some out-sized salaries of people associated with President Trump’s lawyer, Jay Sekulow, from several Christian ministries that Sekulow leads.
A milestone in the news for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
A development at the U.S. Supreme Court that could affect a lot of Christian ministries.
This year’s March for Life on the anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade Decision, which included a visit by President Trump.

Don’t forget to check out the MinistryWatch database of the 500 largest Christian ministries in America at www.MinistryWatch.com. That database has financial information, MinistryWatch’s own rating of the financial efficiency of the ministry, and lots of other information to help you become a more effective steward of the resources God has entrusted to you.

Today’s program was produced by Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. The writers include Shawn Hendricks and Steve Rabey. And your hosts for The MinistryWatch Podcast are Natasha Smith and Warren Smith.

Thanks for listening, and may God bless you.

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MinistryWatch announces the launch of a new weekly podcast beginning Friday, February 7, 2020.

MinistryWatch is a 20-year-old ministry that highlights the great work of faithful Christian ministries, and reports on ministries that have been, well, less than faithful. This new podcast will be a great tool for those who believe that transparency and accountability are vital to the renewal of the evangelical church in this country.

Hosts Warren Smith and Natasha Smith will highlight the top stories of the week from the unique MinistryWatch perspective and give you a peek behind the curtain to show why and how we do the investigations we do.

The first episode goes live on Friday, Feb. 7, by noon eastern time, and we’ll be posting new episodes every Friday. The podcast will be available on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and other streaming platforms.

MinistryWatch Podcast: Recent Episodes

Warren Smith and Natasha Smith