MinistryWatch Podcast

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.

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.

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 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, 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). The allegations range from spiritual abuse to rape. The report was conducted by the investigative firm Firefly. The report was based on a review of over 6,000 documents and interviews with 210 individuals. Natasha: Bickle was initially accused of clergy sexual abuse by former IHOPKC leaders in October 2023 based on allegations from several women that spanned multiple decades. Warren: In December 2023, he confessed to “inappropriate behavior” but not the “more intense sexual activities” he had been accused of. IHOPKC leaders soon cut ties with Bickle. Bickle did not respond to an email request for comment. Natasha: The report indicated that Bickle was not the only contributor to the problems at IHOPKC. Warren: The report said it found a deliberate indifference by BICKLE and the ELT (Executive Leadership Team) in minimizing reports of sexual abuse, requiring victims to confront their offenders, and discouraging victims from seeking law enforcement assistance. Natasha: Next, Southwestern Seminary find a solution to their dept problem. Warren: A big real estate deal has erased $4.2 million in short-term debt held by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Natasha: The Fort Worth, Texas-based school, one of six seminaries owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, had been in a financial and enrollment freefall as recently as two years ago, leading to the forced resignation of former President Adam Greenway. Warren: He had succeeded President Paige Patterson, who was fired by trustees over mishandling sexual abuse allegations and allegedly mismanaging funds. Under Patterson’s leadership, Southwestern Seminary’s FTE enrollment dropped 53% — the greatest shrinkage of enrollment in SBC seminary history. Things got worse under Greenway’s leadership, causing enrollment to drop to the lowest level since World War II. Natasha: Even as enrollment slid year after year, Patterson went on a building spree and faculty hiring binge that could not be funded in the long-term. From 2002 to 2022 the school had accumulated a $140.1-million operating deficit. Warren: David Dockery was brought in to right the ship, and he has taken significant steps to do so. President Dockery told the Morning News the short-term deficit the school faced was completely erased by the sale of an aging student housing complex that brought in $14.225 million. Natasha: That complex, known as Carroll Park apartments, consists of 20 acres located a few blocks away from the main seminary campus. Warren: The largest part of the parcel was bought by a government-nonprofit coalition that will use the old military-style duplexes and triplexes as permanent housing for the homeless and for families fleeing domestic violence. The real estate deal — which could be the first of several — not only wiped out the short-term debt but reduced long-term debt from $15.8 million in 2022 to $14.2 million in 2024. Dockery said the seminary also reduced its payroll by cutting staff and has managed to begin increasing student enrollment. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Samaritan’s Purse dodges Trump’s foreign aid freeze. 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: As Christian ministries scramble to discern and communicate the impact of President Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid, Samaritan’s Purse wants to assure donors its global poverty-relief and disaster response efforts are secure. Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham said in a statement released to MinistryWatch, “The recent stop order on foreign aid does not affect Samaritan’s Purse because the State Department has issued a waiver for life-saving essential aid such as food and medicine.” Natasha: The Boone, N.C., nonprofit is one of the largest Christian NGOs to partner with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a prime target of the Trump administration’s investigation into waste, corruption and inappropriate uses of federal tax dollars. Warren: Brookings reports that over the last four years alone, Samaritan’s Purse received USAID funds totaling more than $90 million. Those grants were used for global relief efforts such as the humanitarian response to the February 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria. For now, Samaritan’s Purse is shielded by a waiver signed by U.S. Secretary of State (and current USAID acting director) Marco Rubio on Jan. 28. Preceded by two other waivers exempting military funding for Israel and Egypt and emergency food assistance, the latest memo calls on “existing life-saving humanitarian assistance programs” to continue their work. Rubio’s waiver is good news for the many faith-based nonprofits that depend on USAID to fund relief work around the world. Forbes reports that from 2013 to 2022, Catholic Relief Services was the top U.S. NGO to receive USAID funding ($4.6 billion). World Vision was another top contender at $1.2 billion, as well as Mercy Corps at $1.1 billion.  Natasha: Our next story also dives into ramifications of Trump’s actions Warren: Nonprofit ministries that partner with the federal government to resettle refugees are facing widespread layoffs and furloughs after President Donald Trump’s administration suspended the refugee program and, according to one of the faith groups, refuses to reimburse the organizations for humanitarian work performed before the president assumed office. Natasha: Matthew Soerens is vice president of advocacy and policy at World Relief, an evangelical Christian group that resettles refugees. Warren: He said his organization continues to reel from several actions taken by Trump over the past two weeks. The president all but froze the U.S. refugee program save for rare exceptions in an executive order shortly after taking office, a move that outraged the 10 groups that help the government resettle refugees — seven of which are faith-based. Soerens said his office also received communication from the government on Jan. 24 stating that World Relief would no longer be reimbursed for any work beyond that day. Natasha: The news was devastating, Soerens said, because his organization typically maintains a 90-day commitment to every refugee it resettles, helping pay for rent, basic supplies and other resources during that time. The sudden halt on funding meant World Relief staffers were left scrambling to figure out how to support the roughly 4,000 people the group had resettled over the past 90 days. Natasha: Next, we have the story of one of the chaplains who responded to the plane crash at Reagan National Airport in Washington. Warren: The Rev. Nace Lanier was at home Wednesday evening (Jan. 29) watching a movie with his family when he received an emergency text from Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, where he is senior chaplain. After years of preparing for a rare and forbidding moment, the Southern Baptist minister headed to Reagan National to join the team responding to the midair collision of a regional passenger jet and a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter, killing 67 people on the two aircraft, with no survivors. Natasha: Training for the unexpected & what-ifs of air travel is a constant part of an airport chaplain’s professional life. Warren: Sometimes they use a “tabletop exercise,” where trainees talk through scenarios, said the Rev. Michael Zaniolo, the senior chaplain at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and the president of the National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains. Other times, airports hold full drills, in which fire officials set an airplane-shaped simulator on fire and volunteers portray passengers who receive aid from first responders, including chaplains. The Rev. Rodrick Burton, president of the St. Louis Airport Interfaith Chaplaincy, said other traumatic situations can help chaplains also prepare for aviation disasters. Natasha: Burton also sees the need for chaplaincy to others affected by this particular disaster Warren: Burton said other airport workers may also need a listening ear. “There’s the baggage crew that was waiting for the plane to land,” he said. “Other employees at the airport will be affected.” Some may reach out for help, he said, long after the ambulances and fire trucks have left and an airport has returned to a sense of normalcy. Lanier, who also directs the chapel at Dulles International Airport, said he is working with the part-time chaplain at Dulles to support family and friends of the crash victims. 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: This month our list features the 50 largest Christian relief and development organizations. This list should not be taken as a recommendation for ministries you should support as a donor. The top four ministries are the same as last year: World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse, Compassion International, and MAP International. Each top $1 billion in total revenue. On the 2024 list, MAP International did not top $1 billion in revenue. Natasha: What are some of the highlights of this year’s list? Warren: A comparison of this year’s list to last year’s list reveals some important differences.  Here are a few of them: The total revenue of the 50 ministries on this list exceeds $10 billion. That’s over $1 billion more than last year’s total. Six new ministries are on the list this year that weren’t in the top 50 last year. Catholic Medical Mission Board (#9), Cross International (#19), Christian Relief International/Nexcus (#34) — a new addition to our database, and Venture (#50) were new additions, while MANNA Worldwide (#48) and Kinship United (#49) returned to the list after falling off last year. Ministries that have dropped off the list include: Outreach Aid to the Americas/ECHOCuba, Water4Inc, Shelter for Life International, International Disaster Emergency Service, Eight Days of Hope, and Cornerstone Assistance Network. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Jim Shaddix, senior professor of preaching at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, died Feb. 1 after a battle with cancer. He was 64 years old. Over the years, he served in various pastoral roles in Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas. He also had a prolific speaking ministry and wrote and contributed to numerous books including his latest work, “Decisional Preaching,” which was published in 2018. At the time of his death, in addition to his professorial role, Shaddix was W.A. Criswell Chair of Expository Preaching and senior fellow for the Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership at Southeastern Seminary. In December 2024, Southeastern installed the Jim Shaddix Chair of Expository Preaching in his honor. Natasha: There’s been another notable loss. Warren: Decades before church leaders became as famous for their sneakers and aircraft use as for their preaching and ministry, Paul A. Rader, the first American-born general of the Salvation Army, showed a different, unassuming and kinder approach. Rader — who died Jan. 18 at age 90 — For five years, Rader was leader of the Salvation Army, an international, evangelical Christian movement. Rader also had a lifelong association with Asbury College and Seminary in Kentucky. Natasha: Who did we feature in Ministries Making a Difference this week? Warren: Every month, Jessup Baptist Church in Jessup, Maryland, hosts a baby and toddler pantry to provide necessities to families with small children. Healing Hands of America Emergency Pantry helped Jessup Baptist get its pantry off the ground during the COVID pandemic, and now nearby churches, a local food bank, and the Walk the Walk Foundation have joined forces to participate. In 2024, the pantry gave away over $60,000 worth of diapers, $30,000 in wipes, and $50,000 in formula, according to pantry director Becky Delisio. Teams with Filter of Hope last week delivered 3,000 water filters to people in Nepal who desperately need access to clean water. Nepal is one of almost a dozen countries with unreached people groups that the ministry is working to develop partnerships in so as to deliver water filters and share the gospel in 2025. Filter of Hope is one of MinistryWatch’s Shining Light ministries, with 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: The Crisis of Dependency is our donor premium for February. 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 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. 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.

By Warren Cole Smith On 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…AGAIN The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time…may God bless you.

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.

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 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 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 its doors to students in 2023 under a mountain of debt — is seeking to resume operations in an effort to “create a significant center for Christian higher learning.” In a four-page request for proposal, the private Christian college’s board of trustees said it “intends to gift the college, including its charter and intellectual property … to likeminded evangelical Christians who propose the most compelling vision to resume the operations of the college to serve Kingdom purposes.” Natasha: The King’s College announced on July 17, 2023, that it would suspend operations starting that fall — after laying off its faculty — until further notice after failing to raise $2.6 million needed to stay open. The school’s fundraising efforts only raised $178,000 Warren: Last year, The King’s College sold its dorm building for $15.25 million, which went toward paying creditors. King’s must either dissolve or present a go-forward plan to the New York State Education Department by July 15, 2025.” Natasha: So what’s their plan for the next few months? Warren: King’s has put forth an aggressive timeline. Anyone interested needs to submit a letter by Feb. 7 summarizing “the proposed vision and affirm faith alignment, planning capacity and the adequacy of resources,” In the document, King’s said it wants to have a finalist in place by July. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: The Washington Post has published a 5,300-word story about multiple allegations of sexual abuse against Jeff Taylor, a former employee of The Falls Church in northern Virginia. The story said the FBI may be investigating the allegations, but the FBI declined comment. Taylor served as the parish’s director of youth ministries from May 1990 to August 1999 and director of adult discipleship from September 1999 until February 2002. The Falls Church was an Episcopal congregation then, but joined the Anglican Church in North America when the ACNA was formed. Natasha: What has happened to Taylor? Warren: Since his years with The Falls Church, Taylor worked for Church of the Apostles in Atlanta (a “non-denominational church with Anglican roots”) and Christ Church (ACNA) in Atlanta. Christ Church forced Taylor to resign in September 2009. He then worked for the East Georgia chapter of the Red Cross, the University of Cincinnati Foundation, and the Cincinnati Nature Center. Taylor was ordained to the priesthood while he worked for Christ Church. Taylor’s oldest son, the Rev. Porter Taylor, was interviewed for the story. The rector of the Church of the Good Shepherd in Augusta, Taylor broke ties with his father after learning of the accusations in 2023, and has urged alumni of the Falls Church’s youth group to contact the FBI if they have allegations against his father. “The abuse is horrifying in its own right, but what also concerns me is the number of times his behavior was overlooked, left unchecked and protocols broken, enabling him to move from church to church and gaining access to even more students,” Porter Taylor said. Natasha: Next, a retired pastor has been found not-guilty of murder. Warren: Police have acquitted a retired pastor accused of killing an 8-year-old girl whose remains were discovered in a Pennsylvania park nearly 50 years ago. On January 18, following a four-day trial, a jury deliberated for an hour before finding 84-year-old David Zandstra—who now lives in Marietta, Georgia—not guilty. In mid-2023, police arrested Zandstra on charges of kidnapping and murdering Gretchen Harrington, who disappeared in 1975 while walking alone to a Bible camp at a church where Zandstra was the pastor. A jogger found the girl’s remains two months later in a nearby park. Prosecutors alleged that on the day Harrington vanished, Zandstra offered her a ride—an accusation supported by the (Delaware County, Penn.) district attorney when charges were filed. Authorities also claimed the retired pastor confessed to the killing after detectives reopened the cold case upon receiving new information and then interviewed the retired minister. Natasha: So he confessed? Warren: Zandstra’s attorney, Mark Much, said detectives pressured and tricked Zandstra into confessing to a crime he didn’t commit. The defense has maintained there was no physical evidence tying the Zandstra to the killing and emphasized that other suspects had drawn police attention and were more likely to be responsible. Before issuing the decision, the jury reviewed the arguments from both parties and examined the confession video—which the defense had unsuccessfully filed a motion to suppress. A jury acquitted Zandstra after deliberating for an hour following a four-day trial. Zandstra spent nearly 18 months in police custody until the ruling. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, we look at effective orphan care. 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: Recently, a charity in the United Kingdom urged Christian donors to stop supporting orphanages and to instead focus their giving on family-based care. MinistryWatch reached out to American ministries focused on orphan care to get their response. Natasha: What’d they say? Warren: Jedd Medefind, president of the Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), told MinistryWatch that many ministries committed to caring for orphans are trying to navigate the tension between aiming for God’s ideal of a child having a permanent, safe family home and providing good residential care when navigating complex, broken situations. CAFO was created in 2004 to help bring fiscal and governance integrity to the mission of helping orphans while helping to improve the standards of care. In the global setting of developing countries, Medefind says CAFO member agencies are engaging with the culture to set the safe family model before them as the “north star,” but also making allowances for a continuum of care. Natasha: CAFO has established a Center for Applied Research for Vulnerable Children and Families led by Dr. Nicole Wilke. It aims to “connect the best available knowledge to frontline practice to see Christians caring with excellence for vulnerable children and families.” Warren: The center has done 23 original research studies, which repeatedly confirm that a loving, healthy family is the ideal place for children. “The question is, ‘How do we get there?’” Wilke told MinistryWatch. She cautioned against oversimplified “solutions” that suggest closing all orphanages. There are 5.3 million children in residential care worldwide, Wilke said, and closing the orphanages would be devastating to them. The goal is to bring leaders of orphanages and other residential care programs along on a journey toward the ideal while valuing their knowledge, resources, and relationships, Wilke added. The process of a full transition from residential care to family-based care can be long, anywhere between two and 14 years, Wilke said, but must account for the context and needs of the children in order to be successful. Natasha: Our next story looks at China adoptions. Warren: There are roughly 300 families who were in the final stages of bringing their children home from China when the communist country ended the program. While former Secretary of State Anthony Blinken advocated for China to allow the families to finalize the adoptions, some are placing new hope in the Trump administration. Lifeline Children’s Services in Birmingham, Ala., the largest evangelical adoption agency in the U.S., is handling the adoptions for 48 families impacted by China’s decision. Lifeline will urge high-level officials at the Chinese Embassy in Washington and at the U.S. State Department to encourage Trump to use appropriate communication channels to advocate for the 300 families before Chinese government officials, urging completion of the adoptions. Lifeline Children’s Services has 3 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 93. Natasha: Next – Ministries Say They’ll Help Refugees Despite Trump Order. But they’ll need help. Warren: Jalil Dawood, pastor of the Arabic Church of Dallas, thanks God every day for the U.S. government’s refugee resettlement program, which helped him settle in the United States after he fled persecution during the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s. Dawood, who said the program reflects the best of American values, believes he has President Ronald Reagan to thank for helping to change the course of his life. On Friday, (Jan. 24) the Trump administration halted the current resettlement program for refugees, who are legal immigrants who have been vetted by the government, many of them after awaiting resettlement for years. A previous order put a stop to all new arrivals of refugees for the next 90 days. Natasha: Since the start of the federal fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2024, more than 32,000 refugees have arrived in the United States, as well as an additional 10,000 Afghans with special visas. They are all entitled to 90 days of housing and other basic support to help them resettle in the United States, find employment and enroll their children in school. Warren: Danilo Zak, director of policy at Church World Service, a faith-based refugee resettlement agency that contracts with the federal government to resettle refugees, said that in the week before Trump’s inauguration alone, more than 5,000 refugees and 1,000 Afghans on Special Immigrant Visas were resettled across the country. The administration then canceled flights that were supposed to bring in refugees before the Jan. 27 pause. Then it ordered a halt to all assistance for those already here. Natasha: Ben Marsh, pastor of First Alliance Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said his church has no plans to stop its volunteer work with refugees, which includes support groups for refugee families. Warren: His church receives no government funds. And a lot of people are saying that government support of Christian groups is problematic for a number of reasons. Marsh says he doesn’t need government funds to meet and love families, and his church’s efforts will continue. 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: In 2024, a century-old church chose to close and sell its property, including its 40,000-square-foot facility, and give their earnings to charity. Immanuel Baptist Church in Greenville, North Carolina disbanded last fall due to an aging congregation and declining attendance. The church used the building’s sale proceeds—about $1.5 million—to make significant donations to nearly 70 charities supporting causes like food security, education, hospice care, and domestic violence prevention. Recipients expressed profound appreciation, noting the funds would enable them to expand programs and help more people in need. Natasha: The church’s donation of its assets to other charities is a direct response to a federal mandate. Warren: Under Federal law, when a charitable nonprofit dissolves, it must direct any leftover resources solely to another tax-exempt organization or a government body for a public purpose. As a result, the dissolution process requires identifying appropriate nonprofit or government entities to receive the assets. Although Immanuel members grieved the loss of their church, one of the leaders of the church said having the opportunity to contribute to so many other organizations “was a beautiful and powerful experience.” “It’s very sad closing the church that’s been in operation for 109 years, but then you can take the money and spread it around to people that are doing great things in this community helping people,” she said. “It was a way to continue to bless people in this community, which is what the church is all about. The church is about loving people and sharing love.” Natasha: What’s next? Natasha: And who’s in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: Trinity Broadcasting Network’s (TBN) Donor Confidence Score recently fell from 45 to 25, placing it in the “Withhold Giving” category. Its overall financial efficiency rating is now 2 stars. TBN’s financial efficiency rating changed, in part, because of its low asset utilization score. According to its 2023 Form 990, the organization has $189.3 million in net assets. From 2019 to 2023, the organization had only one year where it did not have a deficit — 2021, during which TBN had a surplus of almost $30 million. In 2019, on the other hand, the organization’s total expenses were $935.1 million and its revenue was $81.5 million. In 2020, 2022 and 2023, the deficits were between $1 million and $10 million. Much of the drop in TBN’s Donor Confidence Score is because the organization is not a member of the ECFA, and because of its board structure. It consists of a 3-member board, according to information from 2023. Two of the members are CEO Matthew Crouch and his wife Laurie. The third member is TBN Director Colby May. Together, the three earn nearly $2 million a year. In 2023, the organization paid Matthew Crouch a salary of $969,002. It paid Colby May $617,868. TBN claims to be the largest Christian television network in the world. In the U.S., “TBN is available in approximately 100 million television households, making it America’s most-watch (sic) faith channel, according to Nielsen ratings,” according to its website. TBN’s media department did not respond to our multiple requests for comment. Natasha: And who did we feature in Ministries Making a Difference? Warren: Looking back on its work in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region throughout 2024, Ananias House is celebrating 2,360 Christian leaders being trained in the Muslim-majority region and 800 gatherings of believers. In mid-January, the ministry called for three days of fasting and prayer for Syrian believers facing persecution under the new Islamist regime. Ananias House has 4 stars and a “C” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 95. Four residents of Echoing Hills of Northeast Ohio last month moved from a larger residential facility into a new home with their own kitchen, bedrooms, and living room. Echoing Hills was started as a summer camp for people with disabilities, and has since grown to provide residential services throughout Ohio. Echoing Hills Village has 5 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 97. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: A Lover’s Quarrel With The Evangelical Church is donor premium for January. 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, 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. 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.

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.

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 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 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, but he claimed in the lawsuit that the settlement was based on false and fraudulent representations by the Kanakuk defendants. In his order, Judge Gross wrote that a fraud claim must be brought within five years of the date it occurred. In this lawsuit, Yandell argued that he didn’t learn about the fraud until the investigative report was released in 2021. The judge dismissed the conspiracy claims because they could not survive without the underlying fraud claim. Natasha: Let’s look at one more story before we take a break -what do you have? Warren: As part of its effort to be transparent about abuse by former youth pastor Jackson Gatlin, the Duluth Vineyard church has published an extensive timeline of events with details and attachments. “Just like the abuse itself, ours and Vineyard USA’s response to the abuse needs to come out into the light,” reads the introduction to the timeline on the church’s website. It also links the investigation report produced by GRACE, an organization that helps churches investigate and respond to abuse. While the church values transparency, it says there are limitations on what it can say in order to protect victims. Natasha: What can you tell us about the timeline? Warren: The timeline begins in 2014 with reports of spiritual abuse and bullying by Michael Gatlin, former pastor of the Duluth Vineyard church, and a leader in Vineyard USA. While the church leadership undertook an investigation at the time, they now recognize that it was inadequate. The next entry is about the initial report against Jackson Gatlin on October 6, 2022, when he was accused of having sex with a high school student 10 years earlier while serving as a volunteer youth leader at the church. Within the next two months, Duluth Vineyard made a police report about Gatlin’s misconduct and made Jackson’s parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, aware of the report, telling them they must cooperate in the investigation. Michael Gatlin was the lead pastor of Duluth Vineyard at the time, and Brenda Gatlin was employed as a superregional leader by Vineyard USA. In December 2022, the church told the congregation about the abuse allegations and also announced its victim support through compassionate care and licensed therapy. Natasha: What happened to the Gatlin family? Warren: Michael and Brenda Gatlin resigned. In May 2023, Michael, Brenda, and Jackson Gatlin were placed under church discipline. The Gatlins’ ordination as pastors was revoked, and the steps for reconciliation and restoration were explained. According to the timeline, as of January 10, 2025, neither Michael, Brenda, nor Jackson Gatlin have expressed or demonstrated “a willingness to participate in the process of reconciliation and restoration the Special Committee described.” A post on the Vineyard USA website about the Guidepost report says it “is committed to acknowledging our past shortcomings, being transparent when issues arise, building a stronger culture of accountability among pastors and leaders at all levels, and implementing better systems to address concerns regarding leadership conduct when they arise.” Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, how the so-called ‘benefits cliff’ makes rising out of poverty difficult for low-income families…and how one mom is helping other women overcome it. 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: By the time Kayla Carter was 17, she thought her life was on track. She’d finished high school early. She was working and saving money for a move to college in Arlington. Just as she was set to make her move, Carter’s life changed forever. While working an office supply sales job, Carter was sexually assaulted by a coworker and became pregnant. After praying and seeking counsel, Carter decided her journey would mean keeping and raising this baby. That decision would prompt her to move back into her parents’ home. She had her daughter, Audrey, found a job waiting tables, and enrolled in UTSA. Natasha: But when her next job offer came, she some tough decisions to make Warren: At the time, Carter was using childcare assistance and WIC, a nutrition program for pregnant or breastfeeding women and families with children younger than five. While considering the offer for this new job, she learned that this higher hourly wage would disqualify her from the childcare assistance on which she had been reliant. Despite the pay raise, Carter would technically bring home less income every month than if she were to keep waiting tables. This dilemma is not uncommon. There’s even a name for it: the benefits cliff. Natasha: What is the benefits cliff? Warren: People hit the benefits cliff when a small increase in income leads to a significant reduction or complete loss of certain government benefits or assistance programs. This reality can create a disincentive for individuals to increase their income or work more hours because the loss of benefits outweighs the financial gain from additional earnings. Natasha: But it turned out to be an incentive for Audrey. Warren: Carter was able to negotiate her salary for an additional $4 an hour, making enough to support her and Audrey. It also but Audrey on a path to help other women who were in her position – women who wanted to be self-sufficient, not depending on government subsidies. In addition to working and raising Audrey, Carter opened her home to old friends from high school and new friends from across the city—all of whom had stories of trauma impacting their financial and emotional stability. After five years of keeping her door open and word spreading of the community she was building, almost 200 women had passed through her living room for relational, emotional, and spiritual support over meals and dialogue. The women wanted to give back to Carter financially. Carter resisted these offers at first but was eventually inspired to create a nonprofit, recognizing that this kind of community was not only desired but needed. Natasha: Wow – that’s amazing Warren: What began in her home 15 years ago is now a thriving nonprofit called For Her, providing a network of support for women navigating the complexity and loneliness of the welfare system so they can find resilience and self-sufficiency. Thousands of women have been impacted by their services since launching in 2013. For Her offers meals, community, mental health resources, and crisis-care for some of San Antonio’s most vulnerable women. It is a place for women to work through trauma together and cultivate a sense of belonging. By the way, there’s a lot more to this story, which is the latest in our Generous Living series. One of the things I love about this story is that it is NOT about a wealthy family, but about someone who had very little, but God used it in a big way. Natasha: Next up, a story on gentrification. Warren: Yes, this story caught my attention because affordable housing has been in the news lately, and a number of Christian organizations have started paying attention to the issue. The Colson Center for Christian Worldview has, for example, made the case that housing is a Christian issue, an issue of dignity and human flourishing. Natasha: And gentrification – or the in-migration of higher income residents into a previously poor neighborhood — has often been portrayed as the villain in these conversations. Warren: That’s right. But a 2019 study entitled, The Effects of Gentrification on the Well-Being and Opportunity of Original Resident Adults and Children, asked “What is the effect of gentrification on the original residents of a neighborhood?” Natasha: What did they find? Warren: It’s an elaborate study, but in general it found that gentrification does not force out poor residents and those who choose to leave gentrifying neighborhoods do so because they were going to move anyway. And, those who stay often see their household net worth rise dramatically. In other words, gentrification is generally good for those who leave and for those who stay. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: A rising contemporary Christian music artist and Dove Award nominee faces 80 charges of sexual abuse and sodomy of a minor. Michael Howard, former lead singer and piano player for TrueSong—billed the “resident artist band” of Answers in Genesis’ Creation Museum and Ark Encounter—was arrested Jan. 2, less than a week after the alleged victim came forward with the allegations, according to a statement from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office in Burlington, Kentucky. Natasha: What did Answers in Genesis have to say? Warren: Answers in Genesis, the ministry of Christian apologist Ken Ham, told media that Howard had parted ways with TrueSong prior to his arrest, but did not specify when or why. Howard was charged with 40 counts of first degree sexual abuse and 40 counts of third degree sodomy and held at the Boone County Jail on $250,000 bond. Natasha: Next, a school is being sued for failing to report alleged abuse. Warren: A lawsuit against Asheville Christian Academy, claiming it was negligent in failing to report and intervene in a sexual abuse situation involving a student, was filed on January 10 in Buncombe County, North Carolina. The lawsuit involves accusations of sexual activity with a student, Jane Doe, by former coach Samuel Jason Ingle, who was charged with a felony in June 2024. In addition to naming Asheville Christian Academy as a defendant in the lawsuit, it also names William George, the founder and former head of school; Taylor Bell, “director of social, emotional and spiritual care”; Wade Tapp, former associate head of school; Alexis Zanias, an upper school teacher; and Ingle, the former coach and “dean of spiritual formation.” Natasha: Why are all those individuals included? Warren: According to the lawsuit, the staff at Asheville Christian Academy “allowed this egregious and outrageous conduct to continue without taking any steps to report, intervene, investigate, discipline, pursue criminal charges, stop the grooming, abuse and exploitation or take any other steps to protect Plaintiff Jane Doe.” The lawsuit also asserts that the school’s staff worked together to cover up the alleged abuse. 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: 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 66 planes owned by more than 40 ministries. During December, these planes made a total of 305 flights. This was a decrease from October’s record 372 flights. Operating costs were approximately $2 million for the month. These costs do not include the cost of the plane itself. Samaritan’s Purse was the biggest user of private aircraft. MinistryWatch considers the use of private aircraft for the transportation of executives and staff to be excessive. It should be a significant red flag for donors. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: The MinistryWatch Index remained essentially flat during the month of December, at 152, though it was up 7.23 percent for the year. The MinistryWatch Index is based on the revenue of 38 large Christian ministries, ministries that represent all of the 21 ministry segments tracked by MinistryWatch. That said, most ministries that make up the MinistryWatch Index continued to grow in 2024, though this year’s 7.23 percent growth is far less than 2023’s 24.1 percent. The relatively slow growth of the MinistryWatch Index for 2024 could suggest concern about the future of the economy. Natasha: And who’s in our Ministry Spotlight this week ? Warren: A number of MinistryWatch ratings for the American Family Association (AFA) changed this week. The organization’s Donor Confidence Score dropped from a 75 to a 55, and its overall ministry rating fell from a 4-Star rating to 0 Stars. Many of these shifts are due to the fact that the organization no longer makes its Form 990s available to the public. According to its Guidestar profile, AFA is now classified as a “church” with the IRS. AFA joins a growing number of Christian nonprofits who have petitioned the IRS to reclassify its tax status to a church. This reclassification keeps donors from being able to see key financial information about a nonprofit, including salaries of key employees and a breakdown of what the organization spends on its core mission initiatives. According to its limited ECFA profile, in 2023 the organization had a revenue of $25 million. In 2021—the last Form 990 data MinistryWatch has from the organization—its revenue was $31 million. As its revenue has gone down over the last three years, its expenses have risen from $19 million to $22.9 million. Natasha: And who did we feature in Ministries Making a Difference? Warren: California Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) has been making and distributing about 300 meals a day to first responders of the historic California fires since Wednesday, January 15, thanks to the help of volunteers from California and neighboring states. Send Relief, a global compassion ministry of the SBC, has been providing funds for SBDR relief, including money to put together crisis response buckets for survivors. Send Relief also shipped Tyvek suits, N95 masks, and gloves for when cleanup begins, according to Baptist Press.  Christianity Today has been given $5 million to invest in the development of next-generation Christian storytellers. The grant was awarded by Lilly Endowment’s National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life, and will help fund CT’s Next Generation Storytelling Project through 2028. The project, part of its One Kingdom Campaign, will focus on equipping young storytellers and expanding into new media. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Compensation list. A Lover’s Quarrel With The Evangelical Church is donor premium for January. 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, 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. 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.

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.

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 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, 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 trial Warren: 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: Joyce Meyer, the bestselling Christian author and longtime ministry leader and speaker, is pausing her programming with Daystar Television Network after years as a leading host at the influential Christian television broadcaster, according to an email obtained from an unnamed spokesperson for Joyce Meyer Ministries. Meyer, whose popular show “Enjoying Everyday Life” has aired daily on Daystar, is the latest in a series of Christian leaders to break ties with the network after a controversy involving allegations of an abuse cover-up. Her ministry will pause its programming with Daystar starting on Monday (Jan. 13). Natasha: That’s an end to a long streak of programming, will she be gone for good? Warren: The email, sent to staff on Friday, indicates that Joyce Meyer Ministries may consider returning to Daystar “when and if this situation is satisfactorily resolved.” According to internet archives, Meyer’s program has aired on Daystar since at least 2005. Her program “Enjoying Everyday Life” can be viewed on the Joyce Meyer Ministries website, Joyce Meyer app, YouTube and several other TV networks, including TBN and Lifetime. Natasha: Who else has left the network? Warren: Unlike Meyer, four of the most recent leaders to exit the network — evangelical heavyweights Jack Graham, Jesse Duplantis, Lance Wallnau and Hank and Brenda Kunneman — did not cite the Daystar scandal as reason for their departure. Canadian author Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson cut ties with Daystar in November over perceived “ethical deficits” of senior executives, and an international ministry led by Baruch Korman halted its program with the network a month later due to unspecified concerns with the network’s ability to “embrace God’s standards.” Natasha: Our next story comes from the Supreme Court of Texas Warren: The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in an ongoing case between Southern Methodist University (SMU) and the United Methodist Church’s South Central Jurisdictional Conference (SCJC). The lawsuit, which began in 2019, relates to amended SMU articles of incorporation that same year that purportedly took away the SCJC’s authority to approve trustee nominations and school land sales and leases. The SCJC claims to have founded SMU in 1911 and placed the assets of SMU in trust for the benefit of the SCJC in 1924. In 1996, the adopted restated articles of incorporation again acknowledged the university’s relationship with the SCJC. Natasha: Do you know what the arguments were that the court heard? Warren: The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an amicus, or friend of the court, brief in the case because it is interested in the outcome and application of the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine and the precedent it may set. The Becket Fund’s brief sides with the church over SMU, stating, “Over one hundred years ago, the Church created and controlled SMU to carry out its religious mission, and memorialized that decision in documents binding SMU to the Church ‘forever.’ Texas courts are bound to recognize and accept that decision.” The university’s attorney, Allyson Ho, argued that SMU cherishes its Methodist heritage, but that it has always been a non-member, nonprofit corporation under Texas law making its own decisions and never owned nor controlled by the church. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a Florida church employee was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for stealing nearly $900 thousand. At the time, the church had protocols and accountability in place…but it turns out it wasn’t enough. The church reflects on lessons it has learned. 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: In November, a federal judge sentenced church employee Heather Darrey, 45, to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud after she pleaded guilty to stealing from the parish she worked for. The investigation revealed that for five months Darrey spent the funds on mortgage payments, car and boat loans, and credit card bills for clothing, restaurants, vacations, and concert tickets—totaling $875,323.19. For 26 years, Darrey was the records and finance manager at Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida. The church says court documents overly simplify Darrey’s scheme and sentencing details. Christ the King spoke with MinistryWatch to clarify the complex process Darrey used to steal nearly $900K from the parish, although it had a system of checks and balances, and share lessons learned in hindsight. Natasha: Warren, this is a Catholic parish, and we normally cover evangelical ministries. Also, we’ve done a lot of stories over the years of financial mismanagement and embezzlement. Why do one more? Warren: That’s a good question. The reason is that this story has a lot of lessons for churches and ministries. For one, Finance and Operations Director Wendi Peña told MinistryWatch the church had several transparency practices in place when the fraud occurred. And the church has been remarkable transparent with MinistryWatch to share its practices – and to admit that they were not enough. Natasha: Why not? Warren: Peña said “We followed all guidelines. We reconciled promptly. Everything went to the diocese monthly, and they reviewed everything just like they do for all parishes in our diocese.” Natasha: So how did this fraud occur? Warren: According to court documents, Heather Darrey printed blank checks made out to vendors, got them approved, destroyed the physical checks, and wrote new ones to pay for personal expenses. She would also create false invoices within the church system. It was actually a fairly elaborate scheme and the church has been open so that other organizations can learn from some of the lessons they learned. Natasha: So what are some of those lessons? Warren: Peña said.,”it doesn’t matter how long staff members have been there, Everybody should have the same way that they’re looked at, the same protocols, and the same security around them. Pastors change, biblical thinkers change, and we all stay, and there’s a historical knowledge there that can’t necessarily be replaced.” She said that as much as Christians feel they should trust each other, sometimes temptation overcomes a person. She said Darrey only began stealing in the last five months of her 26 years of working. Darrey pleaded guilty in June 2024. In addition to her prison sentence, she is required to pay the full amount back in restitution. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: A lifetime registered sex offender once listed on “America’s Most Wanted” for running away with a 15-year-old is making headlines for his leadership roles in two Dallas-area churches. Chuck Adair, 64, leads ministry at Grace Place Church of Christ in Duncanville, Texas, and is a part-time staffer with Watermark Community Church in Dallas. Both congregations appear aware of his 1996 conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old. Natasha: What happened? Warren: Adair was convicted of sexual assault of a child and sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1996. That conviction came after he initiated a sexual relationship with a girl he met in his youth group while working for Garnett Church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1990. He fled with the 15-year-old, prompting an alert on “America’s Most Wanted.” Just 11 days later, in May 1995, he was apprehended at a Las Vegas motel. Natasha: How did Adair get to where he is now? Warren: Adair claims he found Christ while serving his prison sentence. He completed sex offender treatment before being paroled in 2005 and returning to Dallas, where he has since served in various ministries, mostly prison or recovery-related. The decision to employ Adair has sparked a debate. While some church members left over concerns about safety and the prudence of restoring Adair to ministry, elders emphasized the church’s culture of grace, forgiveness, and redemption, arguing that refusing him a second chance would contradict their core Christian values. An email from Grace Place said they are aware of Adair’s previous record and status as a registered sex offender. “Mr. Adair has no legal restrictions preventing him from any of the activities which occur at either Grace Place Properties or the Grace Place Church,” the church said. “Both the Grace Place Church and Grace Place Properties families believe in these principles and are active in forgiving and encouraging those who seek restoration.” Natasha: What has Watermark said about all this? Warren: On January 12, Lead Pastor and Elder Timothy Ateek addressed recent concerns about Watermark Community Church following news coverage involving Adair. Ateek clarified that there have been no new revelations about Adair’s past, which were fully disclosed since his attendance began, and no new moral failures or crimes. He explained that Adair’s role is not pastoral but involves working five to seven hours per week coaching churches on implementing Watermark’s re:generation recovery ministry, including efforts within prisons. Ateek stressed that Adair does not work with minors, and the church has strict protocols to ensure children’s safety. On its updates page, Watermark lists FAQs addressing Adair’s role. 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: Bill McCartney, a former college football coach who became one of the most influential religious figures in American life during the 1990s after founding the Promise Keepers movement, died Friday (Jan. 10). He was 84 years old In 1982, McCartney, known as “Coach Mac,” was named the football coach at the University of Colorado, where he led the team to 10 winning seasons in a row and made the Buffaloes a national powerhouse. He resigned as coach in 1994, in part due to his wife’s ill health. He would step down as leader of Promise Keepers in 2003 but returned for a while in 2008. McCartney has been mostly out of public view in recent years. His family announced in 2016 that he had been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Our list of 100 highly paid Christian college and university executives. The information was derived from the latest available Form 990 prepared by the ministry itself. Natasha: We won’t go over the entire list, but do you have a few highlights? Warren: Here are a few highlights of this year’s list: Pepperdine and Baylor tied for the most executives on this list, with 15. Liberty and Grand Canyon tied for second with 11. All other schools have six or fewer executives on the list. Six of the top 10 executives on this list are either coaches or (in one case) the athletic director. For the third year in a row, Nido Quebein of High Point University is the highest-paid college president. His salary tops $4 million. Arizona Christian University is the smallest institution on this list, with approximately $39.5 million in revenue. The school’s president, Len Munsil, makes approximately $494 thousand. Natasha: And who’s in our Ministry Spotlight this week ? Warren: World Gospel Mission’s MinistryWatch rating recently fell to 0-Stars, and its Transparency Grade dropped from a C to a D — “Exercise Caution” in giving. This is, in large part, because the organization does not make its Form 990s public. According to its Guidestar profile, the organization is classified as a church. World Gospel Mission (WGM) has joined a growing number of ministries that have petitioned the IRS to be reclassified as a church. WGM’s ECFA profile shows that, in 2024, the organization had a revenue of $30.7 million, and its expenses were $25.8 million. According to WGM’s 2024 Annual Report, the organization spent $21.3 million on programming. WGM currently has $49.8 million in net assets. WGM is a global missions and church planting organization based out of Indiana. They operate in 38 countries, and support both long and short term missions. Natasha: And who did we feature in Ministries Making a Difference? Warren: As Los Angeles fires rage in California, Convoy of Hope has sent truckloads of water, food, and hygiene supplies into affected areas. It has set up distribution sites at a Pasadena school and at the Los Angeles Dream Center. Convoy of Hope has an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, but a donor confidence score of only 34, because the ministry does not file a Form 990 with the IRS. Christian Alliance For Orphans (CAFO) has hired Jimmy Moore as the ministry’s Director of Church Strengthening and Support. He will focus on helping churches launch and develop adoption, foster care and global orphan ministries. CAFO has 4 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: Year end fundraising update. Compensation survey. A Lover’s Quarrel With The Evangelical Church is donor premium for January. 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, 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. 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.