MinistryWatch Podcast

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.

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.

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. 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, Jessica Eturralde, and Richard Ostling. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.