Ep. 501: Liberty University, SBC’s New Abuse Hotline, Remembering Dr. James Dobson

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 SEGMENT

Warren:

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, claiming she was subjected to a hostile work environment where coworkers made racially charged comments. She says she was denied promotions and advancement opportunities in favor of less qualified white employees, assigned disproportionate workloads, and denied remote work privileges afforded to white colleagues.

Christina:

She also claims she was fired for cooperating with federal investigations. In August 2022, she cooperated with the Department of Education about Title IX violations at the school. That investigation resulted in a $14 million fine against Liberty.

Then in February 2024, she filed a formal complaint with the Education Department about the school’s alleged discriminatory treatment against her. A few months later, she was terminated.

Warren:

Her lawsuit says the school’s reason for termination was about vague ‘compliance issues’ with no specific details for her to address or refute.

Woolfolk was terminated on the same day as Peter Brake, another civil rights investigator who filed a lawsuit in February 2025 against the school and its leaders for discrimination and whistleblower retaliation.

Christina:

Liberty University disagreed with Woolfolk’s claims, saying her termination was not based on her race nor her interactions with the federal Department of Education.

Warren:

Woolfolk was fired for “legitimate business reasons related to Liberty’s continuing effort to provide excellent service in the Title IX investigation function,” according to the university’s statement.

Christina:

Next, a former youth pastor at an Assemblies of God church has been hit with criminal charges. His arrest comes as the denomination continues to grapple with its handling of sexual predators.

Warren:

The Baltimore County Police have arrested Thomas Pinkerton. He allegedly committed sex crimes against multiple teenagers while he was a youth leader at Central Christian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, between the years 2006 and 2010.

Christina:

Pinkerton has been charged with crimes against six teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19. Police suspect he abused his victims with inappropriate touching and kissing at the church and also at his home. They also believe there may be more victims.

Warren:

According to NBC News, the seven men came forward last fall with the allegations.

Christina:

This is happening as the Assemblies of God is still grappling with the fallout of a sex abuse scandal in its Chi Alpha college ministry.

Warren:

At the biennial meeting of the Assemblies of God governing body, leaders defended its actions even as it vowed to do a better job of stopping sexual predators.

Christina:

In Pinkerton’s case, the church noted that Pinkerton left the congregation more than 15 years ago to start his own ministry.

Warren:

Lead Pastor Larry Kirk called the allegations “deeply heartbreaking” and said the church is “committed to walking alongside these young men with compassion and support.”

Pinkerton, who now lives in Georgia, and recently worked as a traveling evangelist. He claimed to be “completely shocked” by the charges. He is currently being held without bond.

Christina:

Let’s cover one more story before the break—another youth pastor arrested and charged with sex crimes…plus, lessons for parents and church leadership in protecting children online.

Warren:

A Virginia youth pastor has been arrested and accused of solicitation of sexual materials from minors.

Jacob Ryan Barnett, 34, was arrested by FBI agents in North Carolina. He is accused of grooming minors by contacting them through social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat and Discord.

He allegedly used a fake identity —under the name “Jodie Johnson” — in conversations with a 15 year-old girl in Michigan. The youth pastor sent her nude pictures of himself while convincing her to do the same.

Christina:

The investigation started after the girl’s mother checked her daughter’s phone, and found the messages and contacted the FBI. The FBI was able to trace the communication back to Barnett.

Warren:

FBI agents found that Barnett was following thousands of underage girls on TikTok. Their investigation also uncovered that Barnett was using other social media platforms like Snapchat and Discord to solicit sexually explicit material from other children while he continued to pose as a teenage boy.

Christina:

And this is where we have a warning for parents.

Warren:

Right. The Department of Justice is encouraging parents to monitor the online activity of their children. Talk to them about the dangers out there and let them know how to report people who try to exploit them.

Christina:

We also talked to Dr. Kathy Koch, who is the founder and president of Celebrate Kids.

Warren:

We did. She is also encouraging parents to step into their kids’ social media worlds. She says it’s not intruding, it’s investing. She said: “Curiosity communicates love. Asking about a post or a friend online isn’t about control, it’s about connection.”

Scroll through their feeds, ask about the memes and DMs. She says we’re not just protecting them from danger, we’re reinforcing the foundation of trust.

Christina:

What about churches? What measures can they take to prevent this sort of sin within their own ranks?

Warren:

Jeff Dalrymple, director of Abuse Prevention & Response for the Southern Baptist Convention, says it is a good idea for churches to provide internet and social media safeguards and accountability for church staff and ministry leaders—things like filters on church Wi-Fi that blocks inappropriate sites.

If convicted, Barnett faces a minimum of 10 years in prison with the possibility of life in prison.

Christina:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, an online scammer posing as a North Carolina pastor, asks for donations in the form of gift cards. Cases like this are on the rise.

I’m Christina Darnell, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

 

BREAK

 

SECOND SEGMENT

Christina:

Welcome back.  I’m Christina Darnell, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break.

Warren:

On Aug. 13, the rector of the 160-plus member Good Shepherd Anglican Church near Charlotte, N.C., sent an urgent warning to parishioners about an email claiming to be from him. The email requested donations in the form of gift cards — a known tactic used for phishing scams in which criminals deceive victims into revealing sensitive information.

“Please know that neither I nor anyone from our church will ever request funds via a gift card or any unconventional methods,” said Rev. David Libbon, noting how the sender’s email address differed slightly from his own.

Christina:

There was another case, also just last week, in Georgia, where people from multiple churches received an email from someone posing as their pastor, asking for “responses to a request I need you to handle discreetly.

And these incidents are far from isolated.

Warren:

Churches and nonprofits both large and small increasingly find themselves in the cross-hairs of email scammers.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, cyber crimes have steadily risen over the last five years, while financial losses from such crimes have skyrocketed. The FBI reported that in 2024, the most commonly reported cyber crime was phishing/spoofing.

The financial impact of these scams has also risen dramatically. In 2023, victims lost $18.7 million. In 2024, that number jumped to $70 million. Phishing losses were even higher in 2022, at $160 million.

Christina:

Experts say that as organizations have implemented more sophisticated cybersecurity defenses, criminals have resorted to phishing as a workaround. In many cases, those scams target churches.

According to IT expert Marcelo Barros, reports show a 58 percent increase in global phishing attacks from 2022 to 2023.

Warren:

Cybersecurity analyst Dami Olusanya said nearly 43% of North American cyberattacks target ministries and nonprofits…and she warns that it is a mistake for churches to assume they are too small or don’t have the type of data to interest criminals.

To the contrary, churches’ lax cybersecurity defenses can make them an attractive target for phishing, malware and ransomware attacks.

Christina:

The problem, according to Church Tech Today, is that “churches operate in high-trust, low-tech environments.” Email addresses are publicly listed, volunteers handle tech or admin work, and members tend to trust messages purportedly sent by leadership.

Warren:

But churches can protect themselves. They can provide training, so they won’t be duped by phishing emails or suspicious links. Robust firewalls and filters can stop phishing emails from reaching intended victims in the first place, and a guest Wi-Fi network can meet the needs of visitors without compromising sensitive data.

You can find more on this story, including some best practices, by going to our website.

Christina:

Our next story involves a small North Carolina church that has found a good use for its under-utilized facility.

Warren:

Four years ago, the Rev. Matt Conner presented his congregation with a stark reality: Newell Presbyterian Church had about 18 months of financial solvency ahead. The time had come to seriously consider its future.

Chartered in 1890 in what was then a sleepy part of northeast Charlotte dotted with dairy farms and tobacco fields, the church grew, and then started a slow decline. These days about 50 people attend Sunday morning services and the church has an annual budget of $190,000.

Christina:

But Newell Presbyterian has one asset increasingly in demand in the now bustling neighborhood of subdivisions and apartment complexes: land.

Warren:

The church sits on 9.5 acres, accumulated plot by plot by devoted church members who had long since passed on.

The church recently voted to sell a 4.5-acre parcel to a nonprofit developer for the construction of 50 affordable townhomes right next to its sanctuary.

Christina:

As many as 400 houses of worship (mostly churches but also synagogues and mosques) have repurposed their property for affordable housing over the past decade, said Nadia Mian, a researcher at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy who is cataloging those projects.

Warren:

Newell Presbyterian’s Matt Conner says that even though his church is not growing numerically, it has grown in faith and commitment, and its members speak of a renewed sense of purpose and mission, and a sacred responsibility to neighbor and place.

Christina:

How did Newell Presbyterian make this happen?

Warren:

The church turned to DreamKey Partners, a nonprofit real estate development company that has worked with a handful of other churches in the Charlotte area.

Christina:

One of those is Caldwell Presbyterian Church, just a few miles away.

Warren:

Eight miles away from the Newell church, another Presbyterian congregation has also committed itself to affordable housing. Caldwell Presbyterian has converted a 14,000-square-foot building that once housed Sunday school classrooms into 21 studio apartments for people coming out of chronic homelessness. After it opens in October, the church will turn the building over to a local nonprofit that will oversee day-to-day operations.

Christina:

Our next story involves an Atlanta church that is seeking answers after authorities removed 12 foster youth from its basement in the middle of the night.

Warren:

Now Faith Apostolic Ministries in Clayton County, Georgia, is demanding an explanation from county officials after the fire marshal ordered 12 youth temporarily living in the church basement to leave in the middle of the night due to code violations—despite having nowhere else to go.

Christina:

On the night of July 29, Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services arrived at the church following a reported incident.

Warren:

Upon their arrival, the crew discovered that a dozen 15- to 19-year-olds were living in the building, as the church’s basement had been converted into living quarters for the minors without approval or proper safety measures.

Fire Marshal personnel then conducted an inspection and issued five citations to the church for issues involving fire safety systems, exit requirements, and “general requirements for board and care.” Because the church was not properly zoned to house the youths, authorities called DFACS to help relocate the teens.

Christina:

But the church is pushing back, asserting they had authorization to temporarily house the teens after flooding forced the closure of their regular state-approved facility.

Warren:

Now Faith issued a formal statement calling the news circulating that the foster children were living in the basement “misleading.”

The church says it relocated the youth to its basement after unexpected flooding damaged their permanent licensed treatment facility, noting that the site has operated as a state-approved emergency placement location for the past seven years.

According to the church, the relocation followed all state protocols, and the teens were under continuous supervision by a professional, 24/7 treatment and monitoring team. The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services also approved the move and, according to the church, expressed no concerns about the safety or legality of the arrangement. Leaders say the children’s well-being remained the top priority throughout the process.

Christina:

The statement also suggests there may have been another motive behind the teens’ removal, and that is political retaliation.

Warren:

Senior Pastor C.H. Braddy has publicly criticized Clayton County officials, including raising concerns about governance and the campaign practices of Chairwoman Alieka Anderson-Henry.

Braddy alleged that Fire Chief Tim Sweat and Chairwoman Dr. Alieka Anderson-Henry had previously campaigned at Now Faith Apostolic Ministries while the church was housing children and were aware of the church’s mission to assist the Department of Human Services.

But he says his church became a target when he rejected alleged kickbacks from county officials.

The church owners could pay up to $1,000 per violation. The  Clayton County Code Enforcement Board will review the citations on September 9.

Christina:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Christina Darnell, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

 

BREAK

 

THIRD SEGMENT

Christina:

Welcome back.  I’m Christina Darnell, 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.

So why; don’t you start us off?

Warren:

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Office for Abuse Prevention and Response has launched a revamped helpline for those needing assistance with matters related to sexual abuse.

The initiative, a partnership with the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP), is designed to deliver “Gospel-focused” support for survivors, ministry leaders and others needing advice on preventing sexual abuse or responding to abuse allegations.

The helpline can be accessed at 833-611-HELP or by visiting https://sbcabuseprevention.com/helpline.

Christina:

Next, school is back in session for many students around the country. And if it’s not yet, it will be soon. This week, in the Ministries Making a Difference column, we look at churches and ministries collaborating to give students a strong start to the new school year.

Warren:

New Horizons of Southwest Florida is celebrating a successful summer of pouring into under-resourced students in southwest Florida through its two primary summer camp programs.

Christina:

Its Super Kids Reading Camp focused on literacy and creativity for younger students, which included an art camp and fishing workshop. Its Super Teens Leadership Camp engaged older students in team building, mentorship, and community service projects, such as volunteering at a humane society and nonprofit cafe that feeds people in need. Students also received breakfast and lunch, new shoes, and school supplies.

Warren:

New Horizons of Southwest Florida has an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a high donor confidence score of 95.

Christina:

Another highly rated ministry we’re following is Mission Arlington, in Texas, That group hosted a dental clinic where volunteer dentists treated 37 teenagers in anticipation of the new school year. They also prepared packs of school supplies to be distributed to students in the Arlington Independent School System.

Warren:

Mission Arlington has 5 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 92.

Christina:

You can read about more ministries in our “back to school” edition of Ministries Making a Difference by going to MinistryWatch.com

Warren:

And, before we go, I did want to mention a leadership change at Northwest University (NU), a Christian college in Washington state. Northwest has named a new president ahead of the 2025-2026 school year. Jeremy Johnson will take the reins this week, starting August 18, 2025, in the wake of Joseph Castleberry’s retirement from the position. Johnson, an NU alum, has worked as senior pastor of North Point Church for 13 years, and in 2017 helped launch the Springfield Dream Center where he also worked as an executive leader.

Christina:

Finally, Warren, just as we were getting ready to record this week’s program, we got news of the death of Dr. James Dobson.

Warren:

Ad-lib Dr. Dobson’s life and career.

Christina:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

 Warren ad-lib Dr. Dobson

Warren Ad-Lib AUGUST Donor Premium.

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Webinar yesterday.

Christina:

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.

I’m Christina Darnell, in for Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Mooresville, North Carolina.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, also in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Christina:

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