MinistryWatch Podcast

MinistryWatch’s annual lists of highly paid executives, just published, are among our most read posts of the year. They also generate the most questions and comments. I’m going to take this EXTRA episode to answer some of these questions, and to ask a few of my own. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you!

On today’s program, Orange—a church curriculum publisher who faced its share of scandal last year—announces plans to merge with another organization. We’ll have details. Also, an Atlanta Church gives $100 million to missions. We’ll take a look. And, Sean Feucht Ministries’ transparency grade drops to an “F”—and its Donor Confidence Score plunges to a 21…out of 100. But first, Grace Community Church responds to rumors that pastor John MacArthur is on the verge of death. California megachurch pastor and author John MacArthur remains in the hospital undergoing tests as he recovers from a difficult year of health issues, including a heart-valve replacement. On Sunday, Grace Community Church elder updated the congregation, where MacArthur has pastored since 1969. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times and Generous Giving for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST 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. Happy New Year and welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast! Warren: On today’s program, Orange—a church curriculum publisher who faced its share of scandal last year—announces plans to merge with another organization. We’ll have details. Also, an Atlanta Church gives $100 million to missions. We’ll take a look. And, Sean Feucht Ministries’ transparency grade drops to an “F”—and its Donor Confidence Score plunges to a 21…out of 100. Natasha:  But first, Grace Community Church responds to rumors that pastor John MacArthur is on the verge of death. Warren: California megachurch pastor and author John MacArthur remains in the hospital undergoing tests as he recovers from a difficult year of health issues, including a heart-valve replacement. On Sunday, Grace Community Church elder updated the congregation, where MacArthur has pastored since 1969. The church announced that he had three surgeries in the second half of 2024 and his recovery has been slower than expected, with occasional setbacks affecting his heart, lungs, and kidneys. Doctors have not yet discovered any single root cause for these diverse troubles, and Pastor John has been hospitalized for the past two weeks, undergoing tests and treatments.” Natasha: Those unknowns have sparked some rumors. Warren: Last week, Grace to You Executive Director Phil Johnson posted a social media update in response to rumors circulating that MacArthur was in a hospital dying. “John IS currently hospitalized, and the persistence of these symptoms is a concern,” Johnson said. “But the suggestion that he has been handed over to palliative care is a sinister lie, concocted by this pernicious character who has been lying about JM and GCC for 5+ years. Ignore him.” MacArthur has been known to keep health issues private and within a closed circle—a sentiment Johnson echoed. “Those who need to know more details do know,” he said. “There’s no conspiracy by the elders at GCC to keep people from hearing information they need to know.” Natasha: Next up: the latest with Orange. Warren: Orange, the Christian curriculum company that hosts one of the country’s most prominent family ministry conferences, is merging with Amazing Life Foundation. Amazing Life Foundation is an umbrella organization for several other products, such as Amazing Kids and the BSide App, designed to equip churches with tools and content. Orange and Amazing Life will “operate with shared oversight,” but Orange will maintain its existing staff and operations in Cumming, Georgia. Natasha: What’s their plan after the merger? Warren: According to the press release, more information about the merger and future plans will be shared at the Orange conference planned for April 29 through May 1. In the MinistryWatch database, Orange has a D transparency grade, 4 out of 5 stars for financial efficiency, and a donor confidence score of 55 out of 100, meaning donors should exercise caution when giving to this ministry. In 2023, its expenses exceeded revenue by about $1.3 million. Amazing Life’s application for nonprofit 501(c)(3) status with the Internal Revenue Service is currently pending. Natasha: Next, an investigation by the Florida Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in America. Warren: Dr. Burk Parsons, senior pastor at St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, and the editor of Ligonier’s Tabletalk magazine, is reportedly under investigation by the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). According to minutes of the Central Florida Presbytery, the Minister and His Work committee found sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation into Parsons. A vote taken on November 19, 2024, states the committee believes there is a “strong presumption of guilt” that “Parsons may have violated his ordination vows. Natasha: Who brought the claim? Warren: Teaching Elder Jerry Klemm who has been senior pastor of Covenant Church Palm Bay since 2008. MinistryWatch was informed that the presbytery trial of Parsons is likely to be held in January. In addition to his position as senior pastor of St. Andrew’s—the church formerly led by Dr. R.C. Sproul, whom Parsons has called a mentor and “spiritual father”—Parsons is the chief editorial officer for Ligonier Ministries and a Ligonier teaching fellow. He holds master’s and doctoral degrees from Reformed Theological Seminary and is an associate editor for the Reformation Study Bible. In the MinistryWatch database, Ligonier Ministries receives only 1 out of 5 stars for financial efficiency, a D transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 35 out of 100, meaning donors should withhold giving. Neither St. Andrews Chapel nor Ligonier Ministries replied to a request for comment before the time of publication. Natasha: Let’s look at one more story before our break Warren: A former youth pastor at The Vineyard Church in Duluth, Minnesota, is now the subject of nine civil suits. Victims of Jackson Gatlin, 36, have sued him, the church, and its parent organization, Vineyard USA. Natasha: What’s the back story? Warren: In 2023, Gatlin was charged with sexually assaulting teen girls ranging in age from 11 to 16 between 2007 and 2010. He was originally a volunteer with the youth ministry but was later hired by the Vineyard Church. In 2023, his employment was officially terminated. Gatlin’s parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, were the church pastors. They resigned in the midst of accusations that they knew about their son’s misconduct. Natasha: In November, Gatlin entered into a plea agreement for the charges under which he will serve 13 years in prison, the Duluth News Tribune reported. Warren: In a statement on November 6 about Gatlin’s guilty plea, The Vineyard Church in Duluth said it expected civil suits to be filed naming the church as a party. “No one ever wants to be sued in civil court. Yet, we welcome this case and pray that it can bring healing and justice for the victims. Further, a case like this can help determine the relative responsibility of various parties,” the church statement said. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Atlanta’s Victory Church gives $100 million to missions. 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: From furnishing battered women’s shelters to building schools and digging clean water wells in Africa, Victory Church—a megachurch with over 18,000 members across four campuses in Atlanta—reached its goal of giving $100 million to missions since its founding in 1990. Now founding pastor Dennis Rouse hopes to see the church give another $100 million, but hopefully in half the time it took to give the first $100 million. Natasha: What an incredible goal and accomplishment – how’d they do it? Warren: To reach the giving milestone, the church has dedicated at least 20% of its receipts to missions over the last 34 years. Rouse estimated that 50% of the giving goes to local projects and 50% to world missions. Natasha: Can you give some examples? Warren: The church has bought houses for those rescued from human trafficking and has furnished safe houses for women escaping domestic violence. Because of their common goals, the church’s biggest recipient of funds is Equip, led by John Maxwell. Equip’s mission is “to develop and mobilize Christian leaders within their circles of influence.” It also generously supports Messenger International led by John and Lisa Bevere because of its work in translating discipleship materials into 133 languages around the world. Victory Church provides a full accounting of the church finances every year, he added, in order to demonstrate that it is “trying to operate with high integrity” when it comes to money. Natasha: Next up, good news for a Georgia Christian college and its students. Warren: Luther Rice College and Seminary has reached a settlement agreement with the State of Georgia that allows its students to participate in the state’s financial aid programs. Georgia offers a financial aid program to help cover the cost of tuition for undergraduate programs at colleges and universities in the state, including at private and religious institutions. Natasha: So what was the issue? Warren: Well, it had a provision that excluded schools of theology and divinity. In October, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a non-profit legal group that defends religious liberty, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Luther Rice College. According to the lawsuit, the school was excluded from Georgia’s financial aid program because it was deemed by the state to be “too religious.” The school argued that it was put in an unconstitutional position: to choose between its religious mission and instruction from a Christian worldview or to give up its religious character so its students could participate in the financial aid program. According to a news release by ADF, the state has now agreed to let Luther Rice students participate in the financial aid program. Luther Rice College and Seminary is not in the MinistryWatch database nor is it a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Natasha: And we’ve got news of another lawsuit, this time in New Mexico. 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 a significant financial milestone, broadcasting giant Salem Media Group has paid off its long-term debt by selling its contemporary Christian music stations and drawing a new investor. These transactions allowed it to repurchase all $159.4 million of its outstanding 2028 senior secured notes at a $37-million discount. In addition to the station sales, Salem raised $40 million by issuing convertible preferred stock to WaterStone, a Colorado-based foundation with a history of supporting over 7,500 charities since 1980, according to the organization’s website. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: The COVID pandemic is often pointed to as a reason that certain silos of giving declined during roughly 2019 through 2022. A new survey shows that evangelical giving has not rebounded and continues to drop. The numbers for evangelical giving declined during the period and dropped even further when data was collected during February 2024. Some 61% of all evangelical Protestant adults made a financial donation to a local church during the 12 months ending in February 2024, with 50% giving to an organization outside of a church and 42% to both church and charity. Nearly one-third of respondents (31%) gave to neither, according to data in the new report “The Giving Gap, Changes in Evangelical Generosity” from GreyMatter Research Consulting and infinity concepts. Not only are fewer evangelicals giving, but those who are still giving are donating less than in 2021. Older evangelicals are more generous than younger evangelicals. The study was conducted online, through a blend of research access panels. A demographically representative sample was screened for evangelical beliefs and lack of non-Protestant affiliation. A total of 1,039 evangelical Protestants participated in the study. The study excluded those who identify with a non-Protestant group, such as Mormon, Roman Catholic, or Orthodox. It is a study of evangelical Protestants, a group representing 23% of American adults, or about 59 million people, according to the authors. Natasha: And who’s in our Ministry Spotlight this week ? Warren: Over the last few weeks, Sean Feucht Ministries’ ratings have shifted significantly in the MinistryWatch database. Its transparency grade slipped from a D to an F, and its Donor Confidence Score fell from 46 to 21—a “Withhold Giving” designation. The organization does not file a Form 990 or make it available to the public. It petitioned the IRS to change its status to a church. There is therefore no updated financial information after 2020. The ministry is also not a member of the ECFA. In 2019, Sean Feucht Ministries had a revenue of $283,526. In 2020, that number surged to $5.3 million. Additionally, its expenses rose from $269,911 to $1.1 million. From 2019 to 2020, its general and admin ratio jumped from 1% to 33%, and its net assets grew to $4.5 million. Sean Feucht flew into the national spotlight in 2020 by leading “worship protests” across the country to push back on pandemic-era health mandates that restricted religious worship. According to its website, in addition to Sean Feucht Ministries, Sean Feucht is the founder of “multiple global movements” that include Burn 24-7, Light a Candle, Hold the Line and Let Us Worship. Light a Candle does make its Form 990s public and Feucht is listed as its president. In 2021, he collected a salary of $48,000 from the nonprofit. Let Us Worship is listed as a “church” with the IRS and does not make its 990s public. Many publications, including Rolling Stone and MinistryWatch, have raised concerns about the lack of transparency from these entities. Sean Feucht Ministries did not respond to repeated requests for information. Natasha: And who did we feature in Ministries Making a Difference? Warren: In Kosovo, Horizons International used its Cubs to Lions discipleship course to train 60 Christians from a Muslim background (CMB) in many basics of the Christian faith. Pierre Houssney, son of the curriculum’s author, told Mission Network News that similarities between Islam and Christianity are often a stumbling block for converts, clouding the meaning of key concepts such as sin and grace. The material is specifically designed to present concepts in a way familiar to Muslims while drawing a clear line between Islam and Christianity, according to MNN. Horizons has 4 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 98. Friends of the Great Commission (FGC) has partnered with Omo’s Morningstar Children to provide quality education and a safe environment for students, especially girls, in the South Omo Zone in Ethiopia, which is known for limiting opportunities for women and children. FGC has 5 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 96. 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 Daniel Ritchie, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times and Generous Giving for contributing material for this week’s podcast. 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.

Here at MinistryWatch we are energized by the pro-life issue. I’ve been writing about the pro-life issue myself for more than 40 years, and John Stonestreet and I included a chapter on the life issue in our book Restoring All Things. The MinistryWatch 1000 database includes a category for pro-life organizations, and I would personally encourage all of our listeners to get active in local pro-life organizations. I would also encourage you to make the life issue a part of your giving priorities. That said, I’ve also noticed that all is not well in the pro-life ecosystem. There is much infighting and disagreement over priorities. Those who have placed their trust in politics have had to contend with the reality that the number of abortions in America have actually gone up since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade. On the other hand, those who have ignored politics have had no part in the pro-life victories that we have seen in at least 14 states. On today’s program I unpack some of these issues with someone who calls himself an “abortion abolitionist.” Bradley Pierce is a constitutional attorney who has drafted legislation in more than 30 states supporting self-defense and parental rights, as well as civil liberties and the right to life. He leads the Foundation to Abolish Abortion and is the executive producer of the video series “Abortion Free,” which you can find on YouTube. He spoke to me via zoom from his office near Austin, Texas. Thanks for joining us today. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Welcome to the first podcast of 2025! 2024 was a good year for MinistryWatch. We have much to celebrate, and to thank God for. Still, I learned a long time ago that in a dynamic media, cultural, and economic environment, it is important not to be complacent. That’s why I wanted to give you a “peek under the hood” at some of the things that I think MinistryWatch could do better in the year ahead.  More “Enterprise” Journalism. I think breaking news has its place, but MinistryWatch doesn’t want to be one of a half-dozen news organizations trying to be the first outlet to bring you an inconsequential news story. We want to cover significant stories, with added value and context. We want to be the place that connects the dots, that gives you not just the “what” but the “why.” Our coverage of Bible translation organizations, “trend stories” such as the growing use of donor-advised funds and the increase in the number of ministries that fail to file Form 990s, are examples of this kind of “enterprise” journalism. Look for more such coverage in the year ahead.  More Data-Driven Journalism. As I’ve already said, our database makes MinistryWatch unique. That’s why we want to curate more stories from our rich data storehouse in the year ahead. We already do monthly lists and “Ministry Spotlights” that highlight important changes in our database, not to mention our “Weekly Review” that highlights all the changes in the database for that week. In the year ahead we hope to highlight these anomalies and changes and help you see their significance.  More Podcast Content. We currently do a weekly roundup of the news, as well as an interview of an interesting newsmaker each week on the MinistryWatch podcast. Beginning no later than the second quarter, we hope to increase to three episodes a week, adding both more interviews and more commentary. Again, our goal will be to context and meaning to what is going on in the news. For those of you who have been on this journey with us over the past five years: Thank You. For those of you who are just discovering MinistryWatch: Welcome Aboard! We pray that, in God’s good providence, our best years are still ahead of us. The producer for today’s podcast is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Chateauroux Fellowship claims to connect billionaires with Christian ministries…but we were not able to confirm with any ministries that they had received any of the funds. We’ll have details.  And, a small reformed denomination commissioned a report by Guidepost solutions to investigate handling of sexual abuse cases…then it reversed its decision. We’ll take a look at what happened. Plus, a new study finds that Christians are the most charitable…and the happiest. But first, California revokes Olivet University’s approval to operate—but the school says it plans to stay open anyway. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Scott Bauer, Tony Mator, Heather Hahn, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. A special thanks to Baptist Press and United Methodist News for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina, and wishing you a merry Christmas! Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, Chateauroux Fellowship claims to connect billionaires with Christian ministries…but we were not able to confirm with any ministries that they had received any of the funds. We’ll have details. And, a small reformed denomination commissioned a report by Guidepost solutions to investigate handling of sexual abuse cases…then it reversed its decision. We’ll take a look at what happened. Plus, a new study finds that Christians are the most charitable…and the happiest. Natasha: But first, California revokes Olivet University’s approval to operate—but the school says it plans to stay open anyway. Warren: The California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education has ordered that Olivet University’s approval to operate be revoked. The order also requires the school to pay $64,432 to cover the costs of the investigation and prosecution. Because of this action, Olivet must cease enrolling new students and must propose a planned “teach out” current students. Natasha: What’s the background to Olivet? Warren: Olivet, founded by controversial figure David Jang, was approved to operate by the state in 2005, but that approval expired in 2014 and has not been renewed. In March 2023, a complaint was filed against Olivet, seeking a revocation or suspension of its approval to operate. It included 14 reasons the state should revoke the approval, including failing to include a face-to-face instructional component, failing to provide all the courses included in the approval, failing to have necessary evaluations of faculty, and failing to demonstrate that Olivet has required financial resources. Last year, a group of former Olivet students sued Jang and the university, claiming they were part of an international labor trafficking scheme run by Jang and his disciples. According to reporting by Newsweek, Olivet University is also under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for money laundering, human trafficking, and visa fraud. By the way, every time we write about Olivet University, we get emails asking if this is the same as Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois. It is not. The two schools are not related in any way. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: If the plan of the Chateauroux Fellowship and its director Christian Thomas Lee comes to pass as promised, it would likely be the largest philanthropic initiative aimed at Christian ministries in American history. According to the group’s own website, the Fellowship has committed at least $5 billion in future bequests to dozens of Christian groups. But so far MinistryWatch has not been able to determine that any of the groups have received funds, though many of the hopeful recipients have spent thousands of dollars in travel and lodging to attend meetings and dinners with Lee. Natasha: So where is that money? Warren: “Bequests and “planned gifts” seem to be the key words here. None of the ministries contacted by MinistryWatch have so far received any funds. They have, rather, received notification that their organizations will get a bequest from an anonymous billionaire (or billionaires) at an unspecified future date, presumably upon the benefactor’s death. However, other than assurances from Christian Thomas Lee, the ministries do not appear to have received any legally binding documents confirming these bequests will occur. Natasha: On their website, they list Some of the Christian ministries that have received commitments — but no funds —  who are they? Warren: Grace To You, the ministry of John MacArthur. A letter from Executive Director Phil Johnson to Christian Lee said: “On behalf of Grace to You, John MacArthur, and our entire staff, I want to express our profound gratitude for the extraordinary generosity of the anonymous donor who arranged a legacy donation of $1.5 billion to our ministry.” The letter concludes, “I’d love to meet you someday if the opportunity ever arises.” Ashland University. The amount of the announced bequest was redacted from a letter from Ashland President Jon Parrish Peede to Lee. An earlier posting placed the amount of the bequest to Ashland at $1 billion. Natasha: That’s $2.5 billion with just these two organizations alone. Warren: That’s right, and there are dozens of organizations, mostly Christian schools, that are identified on the Chateauroux website. Most of them don’t have the amount of the bequest identified, but we have been able to identify that the total exceeds $5 billion. Again, MinistryWatch was not able to identify that any of these bequests, or any others announced on the Chateauroux website, had so far been fulfilled. This is a fascinating and convoluted story, involving some of the top Christian ministries in the nation. We don’t have time to go into the entire story here, but I do recommend that you check out the story on the MinistryWatch website, and we’ll be following up to see if any of these bequests come to pass as time goes by. Natasha: Next, news of a shooting at a private Christian school. Warren: A 15-year-old student opened fire at a private Christian school Monday morning in Wisconsin, killing two people in the final week before Christmas break. The female shooter also died. In a statement, the City of Madison said the shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, shot and killed a teacher and a student at Abundant Life Christian School, a K-12 school with about 390 students, before apparently turning the gun on herself. Rupnow was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. Natasha: The City of Madison said one teacher and three students were taken to the hospital for care following the shooting. As of Tuesday morning, two have been released and two remain in stable condition. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a Nazarene Pastor who says he is pro-LGBTQ resigns his eldership to avoid trial. 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: Facing potential discipline for a leaked pro-LGBTQ paper, Nazarene pastor Dr. Rick Power has quit the theologically conservative denomination. “I have resigned my credential as an Elder in the Church of the Nazarene,” Power announced in a Dec. 2 Facebook post. “Over a period of years, my thinking on human sexuality has changed to the point that I could no longer embrace the church’s position regarding LGBTQ+ members of the human family.” Power’s resignation comes months after he vacated the office of district superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene’s Hawaii-Pacific District at the request of local leadership. Natasha: Power maintains that his views on marriage and sexual identity never technically violated his ordination vows, since he did not openly preach LGBTQ-affirmation. Warren: Power emailed a paper to top Nazarene officials detailing his personal views on sexuality. Then the paper leaked to the public, and the church had to act. “Even after retirement,” Power wrote on Facebook, “formal accusations and charges were filed against me. These would have led to a trial and potential discipline. But I have no interest in putting myself, my family, or my friends in the church through the ordeal of a church trial.” Natasha: Next, A small denomination headquartered near Grand Rapids, Michigan, is facing criticism over what appears to be decades of abuse and cover-ups. Warren: The Protestant Reformed Church in America (PRCA) was founded in 1924 and consists of 33 churches and about 8,700 members. During the denominational meeting (synod) in 2023, the church leaders voted to hire Guidepost Solutions to investigate the alleged sexual abuse and cover-ups. The nearly year-long investigation cost the denomination $358,000. However, at the annual meeting in 2024, the leaders voted to adopt a position “declar[ing] that Synod 2023 erred by authorizing a secular organization to assist Christ’s church in an ecclesiastical work (investigating sin) that belongs exclusively to the church.” Natasha: Do they have a different plan to uncover the truth? Warren: While the synod did not mandate that a new organization be hired, the report suggested that a newly appointed committee may choose to hire “an appropriate organization that belongs to the church organic to investigate the sin of sexual abuse in the PRCA.” PRCA pastor Rev. Clayton Spronk, who supported the third party investigation, said the synod reversal gives the appearance that the denomination would prefer to protect itself than the children who were allegedly victims. Natasha: What’s the history here? Warren: The allegations against the PRCA dates back as far as the 1970s. According to the Guidepost report, there is a history of sexual abuse allegations in 29 of the church’s 33 congregations. The report also mentioned that 43 people either abused children or mishandled allegations of abuse. Natasha: Next, news from the United Methodists. Warren: The denomination’s finance agency unanimously passed a 2025 spending plan on Dec. 11 that does not include raises for bishops. This comes at a time when the number of active bishops currently serving in the U.S. has decreased from 39 to 32 with the result that most U.S. bishops now lead more than one conference — and thus have a bigger workload. To help bishops’ office staff in this time of consolidation, the GCFA board also approved a one-time grant of $20,000 to each of the 15 U.S. episcopal areas that have expanded to include what previously had been separate areas. Natasha: This year’s spending-plan process has been especially challenging for all denomination-wide ministries, including agencies and bishops. Warren: That’s because after the disaffiliation of about a quarter of U.S. churches, this year’s General Conference passed a historically low four-year budget of between $353.6 million and $373.4 million, depending on collection rates in 2025 and 2026. The 2025-2028 budget represents about a 40% reduction of the previous denominational budget that General Conference passed in 2016. The hope is that the decreases in the new budget will relieve the financial burdens on annual conferences and local churches alike. Natasha: Our next story is a bit wild. Warren: The federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed suit against a Pasco, Washington, pastor for allegedly roping his own congregation into a multilevel marketing scheme. A CFTC complaint accuses Francier Obando Pinillo of bilking “not fewer than 1,516 U.S. customers,” including members of his former Spanish-language congregation, Tiempo de Poder Church, out of at least $5.9 million. Natasha: How’d he do it? Warren: According to the Dec. 9 complaint, Pinillo used his position as a pastor to gain victims’ trust and lured them with claims of risk-free investments and guaranteed profits. He told customers their money was being invested in cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin through his three businesses — collectively called Solanofi Entities — and he directed them to an online “dashboard” to view their balances and profits. He also announced plans to release a Christian token called “ShekkelCoin,” and he offered a 15% referral fee to customers who brought in more investors. Pinillo, who lives in both Pasco and Miami, carried his sales pitch to multiple churches, including a Florida megachurch, where he reportedly spoke on the importance of escaping poverty and then advertised his trading scheme and promised potential customers they could make withdrawals from their accounts after three months. Natasha: But according to the CFTC, Pinillo’s pitch was entirely fictitious. Warren: He never invested the money, his businesses did not exist, the dashboard was a ruse, the bot software did not exist, ShekkelCoin was never released, and many investors never saw a dime. Natasha: What did he do with the money? Warren: The CFTC believes that instead of investing the funds, Pinillo “misappropriated them by transferring at least $4.05 million in digital assets to 23 private digital wallets in Colombia with no known connection to trading commodity interests.” In a press release, the CFTC explained it is seeking “restitution to defrauded customers, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties, trading bans, and a permanent injunction against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC Regulations.” Ad lib: Affinity fraud. Faith-based fraud. 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: Educational Media Foundation (EMF), the parent organization behind the Christian noncommercial networks K-LOVE and Air1, is set to acquire Radio Nueva Vida—a Spanish-language Christian radio network—from the Association for Community Education (ACE). This will make the network, its four California stations, and about 60 translators part of the EMF family of companies. According to the most recent numbers available to MinistryWatch, EMF has over $1.1 billion in assets. Those numbers have grown substantially since 2018 as has EMF’s revenue. In 2018, it had revenue of $189 million and in 2022, its revenue was over $238 million, exceeding its expenses by almost $73 million. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Bible-engaged Christians are the most charitable people in the nation, and giving increases happiness among the generous, the American Bible Society (ABS) said in releasing the last chapter of the 2024 State of the Bible. ABS Chief Innovation Officer John Plake said in releasing the results, “People who consistently read the Bible and live by its teachings are more likely to give to charity,” “Our data shows that they also give far more – not only to their churches, but also to religious and non-religious charities. Families earning under $20,000 a year give as much as 11% of their income to charity. But giving largely decreases as income increases, dropping to 5.4% for families that earn just under $50,000, researchers said. Giving rises as high as 8.5% of income for families earning between $50,000 and just under $100,000, but drops to the lowest proportion of 2.9% for those who earn between $100,000 and $150,000. In each income bracket, those who give are happier than those who don’t. State of the Bible is based on a nationally representative survey conducted for ABS by the University of Chicago, Natasha: And, who did we feature in the Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: Pro-life organization Preborn! recently earned MinistryWatch’s 2024 “Shining Light” Award. “Shining Light” awards are reserved for ministries with a 5-Star financial efficiency rating, an A Transparency Grade and a 100% Donor Confidence Score—the highest in each of our three categories. PreBorn! met all of these criteria in 2024. Only 18 of the more than 1000 ministries in the MinistryWatch database qualified as a Shining Light. We consider these 18 ministries to be “truly the best of the best when it comes to transparency, accountability, and financial efficiency.” PreBorn! is a nonprofit that supports Pregnancy Clinics through digital marketing, grants for ultrasound machines, evangelism outreach training, and more. According to its annual report, in 2023, PreBorn! saved more than 59,000 babies, placed 83 ultrasound machines, and trained over 2,000 people in evangelism outreach. In addition, in 2023, the organization had a revenue of $34.7 million, growing from $7.7 million in 2019. Its total expenses in 2023 were $24.7 million. PreBorn! spends 83% of its revenue on programing and just 3% on fundraising costs. Natasha: And we also have our roundup of ministries featured in Ministries Making a Difference. Warren: We do… New Life Center in Fargo, North Dakota, is inspiring engagement from a host of local businesses who are helping the ministry in its work to help those in need “find a path forward.” This fall, they received winter coats donated by Duluth Trading Company, care packages for veterans donated by Heroes Compass, and other necessities like warm clothes, towels and medications donated by Modern Woodmen of America. The NLC Thrift Store was also voted the Best Thrift Store in River Valley for 2024. NLC has 2 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 80. Churches and ministries in Western North Carolina are banding together to help residents rebuild and find hope through the holiday season following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, according to reporting by Christianity Today. Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry is coordinating efforts from national groups. First Baptist Church Swannanoa is hosting a “boutique” for parents to pick up gifts for their kids, handing out handmade blankets quilted by a donor, and donating Christmas trees they bought from a nearby Christmas tree farm flooded by Helene. Fairview Baptist Church is distributing necessities, like warm clothes and diapers, and helping to connect pipes to a septic system for people who lost their homes and moved into campers. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Year end fundraising. Shining Light Awards. Please be generous. Natasha: The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Scott Bauer, Tony Mator, Heather Hahn, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. A special thanks to Baptist Press and United Methodist News for contributing material for this week’s podcast. 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 lot of us have misgivings about social media. We use it, but we somehow have a sense that we use it too much, and we have a growing body of research suggesting that it’s bad for young people. Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts have a new study out called “Helpful or Harmful? Evangelicals and Social Media.” On today’s podcast, we unpack the results of that survey with one of its authors, Mark Driestadt. He’s the president of Infinity Concepts and someone I’ve come to know and respect over the past few years as one of the “wise men” in ministry fundraising, marketing and communications. Regular listeners to the podcast may remember that I’ve had Mark on the program before because, well, he’s consistently done interesting and helpful work. That’s why, Mark, I’m delighted to welcome you back to the program. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith. I hope you’ll join me again on Friday when we do our regular round up of the week’s news with my co-host Natasha Cowden. Until then, may God bless you. Get your free copy of the study here.

On today’s program, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details. And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now. Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look. But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, David Fairchild, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Juicy Ecumenism for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST 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, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details. And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now. Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look. Natasha: But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter. Warren: An Ohio judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Dad’s Place and its pastor Chris Avell, preventing the church from using its first floor to shelter homeless people, even as temperatures are expected to plummet later this week. Dad’s Place and Avell have been involved in a dispute with Bryan, Ohio, since last year over whether it can open the first floor of the church in a business district to allow homeless persons to escape the cold. In January, a federal district court issued an order “forbidding [the city] from enforcing any alleged violations of the City’s zoning or fire codes without the court’s approval or the church’s agreement.” Natasha: What happened? Warren: The City of Bryan and the church, through its counsel at First Liberty Institute, tried to resolve their differences, but negotiations broke down in April. In July 2024, the federal court denied Dad’s Place request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the city from enforcing its fire regulations against the church. Then in September a three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the church’s appeal of the district court’s decision. Now, Ohio Judge J.T. Stelzer has issued an injunction preventing the church from offering its building for use by homeless persons in the city. Natasha: What happens next? Warren: Dad’s Place remains in violation of several fire safety code regulations, including failure to install a sprinkler system, said Stelzer. The decision also pointed to two other shelters near Dad’s Place that utilize their second floors as temporary residences to shelter the city’s needy and homeless residents while in “full compliance with the city’s fire code and zoning ordinances.” First Liberty has filed a motion to stay the injunction and plans to appeal Stelzer’s ruling. I should add, On December 3, the municipal court held the trial of Avell for criminal charges based on zoning violations. At the end of the trial, the judge asked the parties to submit briefs within 10 days and will likely issue his judgment after that. Natasha: Next, Dr. Michael Brown agrees to a third party investigation. Warren: Line of Fire radio program host Michael Brown has agreed to a third-party investigation after allegations of sexual impropriety surfaced this week. He acknowledged a “lack of judgment,” but denied any sexual misconduct. An accuser going by the pseudonym Erin claims Brown crossed physical boundaries when she was working as a 21-year-old secretary at Brown’s FIRE School of Ministry in 2002. Erin says she looked up to Brown as a father figure and that his alleged actions have compromised her faith. Natasha: How has Brown responded to the allegations? Warren: Brown, 69, admits he and his wife Nancy had a close relationship with the accuser, even treating her like family, but that it was “totally non-sexual in every way.” In a statement on the Line of Fire website, Brown said, “Both Nancy and I were shocked and horrified by the mix of accusations, allegations, false statements, and mischaracterizations. That’s why we wholeheartedly supported our board’s immediate decision to launch a thorough third-party investigation.” Natasha: Next, an Idaho Presbytery employee sentenced for embezzlement. Warren: A presbytery employee in Idaho Falls, Idaho, who was accused of embezzling over $330,000 from a church organization has received her sentence. In May, police arrested Kaitlyn L. Fisher, 31, while she was working for the Presbytery of Kendall—a church organization overseeing at least 12 eastern Idaho Presbyterian churches. Initially, Fisher pleaded not guilty to 15 counts, including three counts of grand theft, four counts of state income tax evasion, four counts of perjury, and four counts of accessing or using a computer to defraud or obtain money. Fisher would have faced up to 42 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Natasha: So what happened? Warren: In July, Fisher entered a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to three counts in exchange for dropping the remaining charges and for the prosecution to recommend a minimum of three years in prison. On November 6, District Judge Bruce Pickett sentenced Fisher to three to 10 years in prison. She will also be required to pay over $330,000 in restitution. Natasha: Another arrest has happened – this time in Texas. Warren: A former associate pastor at 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas, was arrested last week for possession of child pornography and invasive visual recording. The investigation of Arturo Alarcon, 38, began after the church contacted police with a report that a missionary couple had found spy cameras in the mobile home where they were housed by the church, according to a report by WFAA. According to the arrest affidavit, the missionary couple located hidden cameras in two alarm clocks and two wall plugs labeled “Bug Control.” Natasha: And it wasn’t long before Alarcon was found out.. Warren: When police contacted Alarcon, he admitted to knowing the devices were in the home, but said they were donated and not purchased by him. In searching Alarcon’s phone, police discovered a sexually-oriented photo of a 5-year-old child, which Alarcon denied ever seeing. The Grapevine police are forwarding Alarcon’s phone to the U.S. Secret Service to unlock an encrypted account on his phone, WFAA reported. When questioned, Alarcon claimed he didn’t know about the account, didn’t set it up, and didn’t know who did. In a statement to WFAA, the church confirmed Alarcon’s arrest and his termination from employment. He also was a substitute teacher in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District – he has also been terminated by the district. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Bible Project co-founder Jon Collins left a thriving business and growing income to create animated videos about the Bible. 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: After starting a business with a few friends that excelled faster than any of them anticipated, Jon and Tristen Collins had to reprioritize. Jon said, “We began to make more money than we ever planned to make. It wasn’t long until we were bringing more in in a month than we were used to bringing in in a year.” “At first it was exciting,” said Tristen. But it wasn’t all positive. “Jon was feeling conflicted in his job and business.” Natasha: What changed things for them? Warren: Jon attended a Generous Giving conference in Colorado Springs 12 years ago, and he said that conference changed his life’s trajectory. Natasha: How so? Warren: Seeing generosity from a new perspective sparked a desire to give more creatively. Tristen jumped on board with creating a family mission plan, capping their household budget, and dividing their income into a budget fund and a generosity fund. Jon felt like he needed to remove himself from his current businesses to focus on the project. “It was like God was calling me to free up my mind and imagination for something that was next,” said Jon. He and his friend Tim Mackie began to talk about the Bible and craft storyboards and scripts to produce short animated videos. That was the beginning of the Bible Project, that now has more than $24 million in annual revenue and works all around the world. Jon talks about the decision to give away the Bible Project content. “When you lead with generosity, people respond with generosity.” There’s a lot more to this story, and it’s the latest in our Generous Living series. I recommend you checking out the whole story, which you can find on the MinistryWatch website. Natasha: Next, an update from Bob Jones University Warren: Known for banning interracial dating into the 21st century and having rules too rigid even for Billy Graham, a former student who left after one semester, Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, is typically wary of outsiders. So it was a shock when Stephen Jones, then president of Bob Jones, invited Tchividjian’s nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, known by its acronym GRACE, to examine the university’s handing of sexual abuse allegations. Natasha: What did they find? Warren: While BJU never stated a specific reason for hiring GRACE, survivors had approached Stephen Jones asking for a probe into the school’s handling of abuse, and he was a main driver behind the decision to hire Tchividjian’s nonprofit. What followed was a 22-month investigation that included over 100 interviews, roughly 50 of which were with self-identified abuse survivors. The resulting 300-page report, released on Dec. 11, 2014, found the school’s emphasis on discipline and approach to biblical counseling was harming student abuse survivors. “What was the most damaging was how they used faith, theology, Scripture, to silence victims, to shame victims, to scare victims,” said Tchividjian, an attorney advocate for abuse survivors. “The victims were being revictimized, while the offenders were being forgiven and restored.” Natasha: Though there have been some steps in the right direction, some abuse survivors involved in the initial investigation fear too little has changed since the report. Warren: They say the university continues to implement a biblical counseling method critiqued in the report and to employ faculty members the report says promoted harmful practices. Referencing an ongoing lawsuit filed against the university by a former Bob Jones student in August 2020, they continue to call on the university to implement trauma-informed policies that prioritize student safety and healing over correction. Abuse survivors are also distressed by Bob Jones’ continued use of biblical counseling — which they claim often involved questioning victims’ behavior before and during the abuse and encouraging them to confront their own sinfulness. Despite the GRACE report’s recommendation that the school refer all counseling for sexual abuse victims to outside licensed trauma counselors, Bob Jones’ website says its biblical counselors continue to respond to student abuse survivors. Natasha: What was GRACE’s response to the outcome? Warren: Tchividjian noted he was “really disappointed in the outcome of the process” and characterized Bob Jones’ response as having “a lot of form over substance,” though he said helping abuse survivors move toward healing made the effort worthwhile. When asked whether GRACE keeps tabs on the outcomes of its investigations, Pete Singer, who now leads GRACE, said the nonprofit doesn’t formally track whether organizations complete its recommendations, though institutions are welcome to contact GRACE after the process is complete. For abuse survivors involved in the 2014 GRACE report, the way the university responds to abuse disclosures is a top concern. They hope to see the university acknowledge the risks of its counseling methods, so future students can avoid the psychological and spiritual turmoil many of them experienced. 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: “Engag[ing] every unreached people and place with an effective kingdom movement strategy by December 31, 2025” was the ambitious goal set by the 24:14 Coalition after it was formed in 2017. However, according to Justin Long, the research team leader for 24:14 Coalition, they’ll likely not reach that goal.  H3 wrote in an article in January 2023. “However, while I am mildly pessimistic about reaching that goal by 2025, I am very optimistic about seeing it reached within my lifetime.” He emphasized that the 2025 goal was not to reach all the unreached people groups, but to have an equipped team in place with a strategy. The last dashboard update was in 2022, and Long said he expects the next update to be in 2025. He envisions it will show some increases in the number of groups reached, but that the goal will not have been reached 100%. Wars, natural disasters, and persecution have interrupted progress in certain areas of the world. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) fell further in 2023, according to statistics released last week by the denomination’s Interim Unified Agency, which succeeds the former Office of the General Assembly. Total membership declined by 45,932, or 4%, to 1,094,733 in the most recent reporting year. Presbyterians are older and more likely to be white than the overall U.S. population, with the denomination listing 87.85% as white and 33.46% as over the age of 70. Nationally, 61.6% of the U.S. population counted in the 2020 U.S. Census was white, while 17.3% of those counted were aged 65 and over. The average annual PCUSA membership loss reported across the past decade is 4%. Presbyterians did have at least one rising data point, however: a 17% jump in the number of members who identify as “genderqueer” or “nonbinary,” increasing by 230 in 2023 to 1,547, comprising 0.17% of all members. The denomination ordained its first nonbinary Minister of the Word and Sacrament in June of 2019 and began tracking the number of nonbinary or genderqueer members in 2022. Natasha: And, who did we feature in the Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: The overall financial efficiency rating for The Gideons International, based out of Nashville, Tennessee, recently fell from 4 Stars to 3 Stars. The organization also no longer files a Form 990 or makes it available to the public. The Gideons International distinguishes its work as an “association of Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus.” They do this by sharing personal testimonies and service and, perhaps most notably, by providing Bibles in key locations like hotels, hospitals, medical offices, and prisons. The organization does release audited financial information, but its IRS church status keeps MinistryWatch and other donor advocacy groups from seeing its full financial picture. Still, as a member of the ECFA, Gideons International’s member profile does provide limited financial information, showing that from 2021 to 2023 the organization’s revenue and expenses continued to grow. In 2023, Gideons’ revenue was $127.7 million and its expenses were $108.7 million. The organization has also more than doubled its net assets since 2019, growing from $70.9 million to $184.4 million. The Gideons International did not respond to repeated requests for information. Natasha: And we also have our roundup of ministries featured in Ministries Making a Difference. Warren: We do… YouVersion announced its verse of the year for 2024—Philippians 4:6 was engaged in the Bible app more than any other verse. The words “prayer” and “peace” were also highly searched for. According to YouVersion, the Bible app has been installed on over 740 million unique devices, and offers 3,100 Bible versions in 2,000 languages, all for free and without advertising. YouVersion also produces the Bible App Lite and Bible App for Kids. Southeast Christian Church in Middletown, Kentucky, hosted the Hope’s Closet 8th annual Christmas celebration. Hundreds of foster families gathered to spend time together, choose from thousands of books and toys, and take pictures with Santa. Hope’s Closet provides foster and adoptive families with children’s items free of charge. As part of its Asia Bible Fund project, Asia Harvest recently printed and distributed 20,000 full Bibles to the Koho people in their own language. The Kohos are a people group in Vietnam, where access to the Bible is limited since being banned by the Communist government. Asia Harvest says many of the 190,000 Koho people in Vietnam are Christians. Asia Harvest has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest scores in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Year end fundraising. Shining Light Awards. Please be generous. Natasha: The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, David Fairchild, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Juicy Ecumenism for contributing material for this week’s podcast. 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.

We have a special treat on today’s program, and that’s a conversation with musician and songwriter Fernando Ortega. Fernando Ortega is one of my favorites, in part because he takes both the theology and the traditions of the church seriously in his music. Both his original music, such as “This Good Day,” and his interpretations of many traditional hymns and songs, such as “Give Me Jesus“, “Be Thou My Vision” and “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty“, are known for their rich musical and theological palette. Fernando Ortega is, in short, someone I think the church needs today. However, we haven’t seen him in a while. His last album, which I argue might have been the best of his career, was 2017’s “The Crucifixion of Jesus.” But now he’s back. He has a new EP called “For All The Saints.” I’ve heard it. It’s beautiful, and I’m delighted to have these new songs out there in the world, and equally delighted to have Fernando on the program. Ortega was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, near the banks of the Rio Grande, which is where he lives today. He started learning piano at eight years of age. His family lived in Chimayó, New Mexico, for eight generations, a legacy cited as an influence on his music. Fernando had this conversation with me from his home in Albuquerque. His new EP is “For All The Saints,” and I encourage you to check it out on all your favorite streaming platforms. Thanks to Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program, and for Rick Hoganson for his help in arranging this interview. I hope you’ll join me on Friday, with my co-host Natasha Cowden, when we return with our weekly roundup of the stories we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch. Until then, may God bless you.

On today’s program, MorningStar Fellowship Church in South Carolina reaches a settlement with York County after a decade-long dispute over Heritage Tower—a building originally owned by Jim Bakker’s Praise the Lord Ministries. We’ll have details. And, Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang was sentenced for a $10 billion fraud. We’ll take a look. Plus, another Christian college is on the ropes. Saint Augustine’s University in North Carolina slashes its workforce by 50% in its fight to retain accreditation. But first, a week after suffering a dangerous health incident during a Sunday morning church service, Bishop T.D. Jakes updated his congregation via live video. “Many of you don’t realize that you’re looking at a miracle,” Bishop T.D. Jakes said in a live video message to the congregation on Sunday (Dec. 1). “I faced a life-threatening calamity, was rushed to the ICU unit. I had emergency surgery. Survived this surgery” He said.  The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Adelle Banks, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Paul Clolery, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT   FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, MorningStar Fellowship Church in South Carolina reaches a settlement with York County after a decade-long dispute over Heritage Tower—a building originally owned by Jim Bakker’s Praise the Lord Ministries. We’ll have details. And, Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang was sentenced for a $10 BILLION fraud. We’ll take a look. Plus, Saint Augustine’s University in North Carolina slashes its workforce by 50% in its fight to retain accreditation. Natasha: But first, a week after suffering a dangerous health incident during a Sunday morning church service, Bishop T.D. Jakes updated his congregation via live video. Warren: “Many of you don’t realize that you’re looking at a miracle,” Bishop T.D. Jakes said in a live video message to the congregation on Sunday (Dec. 1). “I faced a life-threatening calamity, was rushed to the ICU unit. I had emergency surgery. Survived this surgery” He said. Natasha: What happened? Warren: Jakes, 67, an evangelist, author and business executive, suffered what his church initially called “a slight health incident” during the Nov. 24 worship service at The Potter’s House. At that time, about a dozen people rushed to his side after he lowered his microphone and was shaking in his seat. In the seven-minute video he said he would be following doctor’s orders to rest. Jakes, whose remarks were also posted on his Instagram page, said he was not in pain and is in good spirits. “I didn’t want you to be worried about me,” he told his congregation, expressing thanks for their prayers and support. “I’m trying to be obedient to what the doctor said [to] do, in terms of just taking a few weeks to just heal and recover and relax and just reflect.” Natasha: And he has a lot to reflect on these days. Warren: Yes. Lawyers for Jakes filed a defamation lawsuit the day after the medical incident, saying another minister, Duane Youngblood, had falsely accused him of attempted sexual assault. The suit linked the accusations to Jakes’ health. “Youngblood’s intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes,” reads the suit. Natasha: Who is Youngblood? Warren: Duane Youngblood, 57, a Pennsylvania man who Jakes’ suit notes is on parole after felony convictions for sexual assault and corruption of minors, made the allegations in two recent appearances on the “Larry Reid Live” YouTube talk show. “The Abused Become the Abuser” episodes featuring Youngblood’s claims have gone viral. The suit says a lawyer claiming to represent Youngblood sent Jakes a Nov. 15 letter demanding $6 million from Jakes after the episodes aired. The suit includes denials by Jakes’ legal team of Youngblood’s accusations that Jakes tried to groom and sexually abuse him. Natasha: Jakes’ lawsuit also makes a direct link between Jakes’ medical state and Youngblood’s allegations. Warren: Jakes seeks compensatory damages exceeding $75,000 and also seeks economic damages “in an amount to be specifically determined at trial.” Natasha: Next is an update from MorningStar. Warren: A decade-long dispute between MorningStar Fellowship Church and a South Carolina county over a building formerly owned by the now-bankrupt PTL Ministries is possibly over. MorningStar and York County have finalized a settlement resolving all legal disputes over the unfinished Heritage Tower. The tower was part of Heritage USA, a Christian theme park founded by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker of Praise The Lord Ministries (PTL). In 2004, MorningStar purchased part of the property, including the unfinished 21-story tower, which led to ongoing disputes with York County. In 2012, MorningStar sued the county over repair disagreements, followed by a 2018 lawsuit alleging religious discrimination. Although the parties reached a mutual agreement to dismiss disputes in 2020, York County filed another lawsuit in 2021 after MorningStar announced plans to renovate the tower. Natasha: So where does that leave us today? Warren: The settlement agreement, signed in October 2024 by Rick Joyner (MorningStar president) and Allison Love (York County Council co-chair), states that MorningStar will dismiss all lawsuits and withdraw related FOIA requests while York County agrees to end its counterclaims. MorningStar has 18 months to apply for a building permit to complete the tower. If they fail to obtain a license within that time frame, MorningStar must demolish the tower within nine months. Permits will be valid for 180 days, with the option for five extensions, but if they expire without action, the church must tear the tower down. Natasha: Let’s look at one more story before our break, what do you have? Warren: Two historic New Jersey churches won a preliminary injunction in federal court that blocks a policy excluding them from a funding program for historic buildings. In May 2023, Zion Lutheran Church Long Valley and Mendham Methodist Church, represented by religious liberty public interest law firm First Liberty Institute, filed a lawsuit claiming the Morris County historic preservation board discriminated against them in its distribution of funds because of their religious function. First Liberty’s Senior Counsel Jeremy Dys said in a press statement. “Time and again, the U.S. Supreme Court has declared that all forms of religious discrimination by the government are unconstitutional, including the denial of historic preservation grants to historic churches,” Natasha: How old are these churches? Warren: Mendham Methodist Church, dating back to 1893, is a small congregation that hosts community events such as music lessons, a jazz concert, and a thrift shop. It’s seeking funds to paint and reshingle its bell tower. Zion Lutheran Church Long Valley was built in German Valley in 1832, and the Gothic Revival-style building has been expanded over the years to fit the needs of the congregation, which currently numbers about 100. Zion Lutheran sought a grant to repair stained glass windows in its sanctuary. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Christian philanthropist Bill Hwang is sentenced to 18 years in prison for $10 billion fraud. 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: Archegos founder Bill Hwang, formerly one of the wealthiest Evangelical philanthropists, will spend 18 years in prison for business practices that led to more than $10 billion in losses to Wall Street banks in March 2021. In what he called a case with “no precedent,” Manhattan U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein announced the prison sentence Wednesday, November 20. The judge also added 3 years of supervised release and scheduled a December hearing to consider forfeiture and restitution payments to victims. Natasha: Can you remind us of the background here? Warren: Hwang, 60, was convicted in July of wire fraud, securities fraud, racketeering and market manipulation. Prosecutors alleged he and his former chief financial officer, Patrick Halligan, had lied to banks to secure loans they used to inflate stock prices, which then plummeted in value after Archegos defaulted on highly leveraged margin calls. About $100 billion vanished from the stock market in a week. Banks that had given loans to Archegos lost $10 billion, while Archegos itself lost $36 billion. While the 10-count conviction carried a maximum 200-year sentence, prosecutors only asked for 21 years due to Hwang’s “age and good works in his life.” Natasha: A lot of people came forward to his defense. Warren: The defense presented 500 pages of testimonies from character witnesses, including Grace & Mercy employees as well as dozens of Christian ministry leaders, many of whom have received funding from Hwang. Some notable contributors were Kevin Palau, head of the Luis Palau Association; Mark Labberton, retired president of Fuller Theological Seminary; Ed Morgan, former head of The Bowery Mission; and Catherine Jackson, founder of prison ministry Defy Ventures. However, the judge struggled to reconcile two seemingly very different versions of Bill Hwang and weigh his positive legacy against the catastrophic damage done by Archegos, insisting his good deeds did not erase his serious crimes. At the hearing, Hwang apologized to all who “suffered” as a result of the collapse, but stopped short of admitting guilt. He plans to appeal the conviction. Natasha: Next, a lawsuit against Asbury. Warren: A former student who suffered severe injuries at Asbury University in Kentucky last year has filed a lawsuit for negligence, breach of contract, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Isabella Willingham was found unconscious in her room in November 2023 with cuts, bruises, and other injuries. Even her acrylic nails had been ripped off. She stopped breathing on her own for 23 minutes. Natasha: Do they know what happened? Warren: During a phone call with Willingham on November 27, 2023, her mother said Willingham began to lose focus and said that her head was hurting, for which her roommate had given her medication, ostensibly ibuprofen. Then the phone call ended abruptly and the mobile location services associated with Willingham’s phone also ceased, Willingham then received a call from Asbury stating that Willingham had suffered a seizure, fallen out of her bed, and was being transported to the hospital. However, when her parents arrived at the hospital after driving from Ohio, they said Willingham looked like she’d been beaten. They claim that sheriff’s department officers told them Willingham appeared to be the “most egregious case of domestic abuse they had ever seen.” Because of her severe injuries, Willingham remained in the hospital for two weeks. Medical tests to determine if Willingham had been sexually abused have not yet been provided, the lawsuit states.  Natasha: The Willinghams were not satisfied with how the university handled the incident. Warren: According to Willingham’s father, Asbury waited more than a week after the incident to notify the student body. The school also sent an email asking for information, but only sent it to the girls in Bella’s dorm rather than the entire campus. And months later, the family still hadn’t received any new information. According to the court documents, Asbury knew or should have known that there had been reports of criminal and/or inappropriate activity in the area. Willingham asserts she was the victim of “kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault, battery, and potentially sexual abuse (pending the outcome of [the medical] test for same) by one or more Unknown Assailant(s).” Because it required Willingham to reside in the residence halls at the university, the lawsuit asserts that Asbury breached its contractual duty to secure its premises and to ensure the safety of students from the criminal acts of third parties. Well-known attorney Boz Tchividjian, who represents victims of sexual abuse, is one of the lawyers representing Willingham against Asbury. Natasha: In our next story, a rising star in the church music leader world is now facing more than 30 felony charges. Warren: Zachary Radcliff, 29, son of well-known Oakwood Church senior pastor Frank Radcliff, was originally arraigned on October 20 for 11 charges. A bond for $3 million was set, which does not appear yet to have been paid. On November 25, a proceeding revealed over 20 additional charges. The charged offenses listed on the Michigan courts website date back 10 years to June 2014. Radcliff is charged with multiple felonies, including first degree criminal sexual conduct, aggravated child sexually abusive activity, criminal sexual conduct with someone under age 13, and internet communication with others to commit a crime. At least some of the charges carry potential life prison terms and a lifetime of electronic monitoring. Natasha: According to the elder Radcliff, Zachary was “terminated from his job, without pay effective Saturday, October 12.” He had served at the church for almost eight years, the elder Radcliff told MinistryWatch in October. Natasha: And a California Pastor Pleads Guilty to Abuse Warren: A California pastor arrested last year for allegedly molesting a minor has pleaded guilty to forcible rape and child molestation. The plea now involves 19 charges and five underage victims. Last December, MinistryWatch reported on the arrest of Victor Manuel Hernandez-Pineda, 54, after the victim (who is now an adult) told her parents that Hernandez had sexually abused her when she was a child. Hernandez was the pastor at Iglesia Pentecostes Movimiento De Gloria, a church for Central American immigrants in Richmond, California, at the time of his arrest. Hernandez-Pineda’s final sentencing is scheduled for February 27. 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: Facing mounting debt and accreditation concerns, Episcopal-affiliated Saint Augustine’s University has eliminated 136 staff—about half its total workforce. The Triangle Business Journal reported the cuts were made as part of an emergency plan by the historically black liberal arts school in Raleigh, North Carolina, to become compliant with its accreditation agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The plan slashed 37 full-time faculty positions, 32 adjunct faculty positions and 67 other staff positions. The school also reported eliminating several “under-enrolled” programs in the effort to reduce its operating budget by $17 million compared to the previous fiscal year. Last December, SACS announced it would remove SAU’s accreditation. A failed appeal in February seemed like the end for the university as it moved all classes online to cut costs. Then in July, SACS reversed course, keeping SAU on probation and giving it more time to become compliant. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: The ability of the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury to designate a nonprofit as a terrorist supporting organization and yank its exempt status got one step closer to reality with the House of Representatives passing Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act (H.R. 9495). The vote was 219 to 184. The legislation would allow the Secretary of the Treasury discretion, without requiring the disclosure of evidence, to deny an organization its tax-exempt status. Natasha: There are concerns about this bill. Warren: The Council on Foundations, Independent Sector and the National Council of Nonprofits together issued a strongly-word denunciation of Section 4 of H.R.9495 and its predecessor, H.R.6408. “This legislation includes language that creates confusion while providing the executive branch with expansive new authority that could be abused.” The fear is that nonprofits providing humanitarian assistance in conflict zones, even when operating under Office of Foreign Assets Control authorizations, could be subject to losing their exempt status. Natasha: Next is MinistryWatch’s List of “Shining Light” Christian Ministries Warren: At the end of each year, MinistryWatch publishes a list highlighting those ministries in our MinistryWatch 1000 Database that are what we call “Shining Lights.” Qualifiying as a MinistryWatch “Shining Light” means that a ministry must have earned the top scores in three categories: financial efficiency, transparency, and donor confidence. Because our criteria is so rigorous, only 18 of the more than 1000 ministries in our database qualified as “Shining Lights” for 2024. They are truly the best of the best when it comes to transparency, accountability, and financial efficiency. This year’s list includes eight ministries that are new “Shining Lights.” Ten received the “Shining Light” designation last year. You can find the whole list on our website – just go to MinistryWatch.com We hope this list will serve as a guide to you as you approach your year-end giving. In other words, we hope you will support these ministries. Natasha: And, who did we feature in the Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: Revenue and expenses for Opportunity International, a global poverty-fighting nonprofit, dropped significantly over the last 5 years. Its Donor Confidence Score also recently fell to 58— an “Exercise Caution” designation. According to its website, Opportunity International “helps those living in poverty build sustainable incomes, educate their children, improve their farms, and build brighter futures for their families.” From 2019 to 2023, the organization’s overall revenue fell from $74.7 million to $40.9 million. Its expenses also dropped from $68.9 million in 2019 to $44.3 million in 2023. These changes are explained, in large part, by Opportunity International’s decision to begin a divestiture of its banking operations in 2015, which we had previously reported on here at MinistryWatch. Natasha: But that’s not the only reason for the drop in score. Warren: The organization also lost points from its Donor Confidence Score (DCS) because it is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. The DCS is also impacted by CEO Atul Tandon’s salary. Part of the MinistryWatch DCS includes a requirement that a CEO’s salary be “within one standard deviation of the median compensation.” Currently, Tandon makes $662,408. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Year end fundraising. Please be generous. Giving Tuesday update. 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 Adelle Banks, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Paul Clolery, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. 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 I take a look at MinistryWatch’s annual “Shining Light” awardees. These are ministries that earned the top rating in the three categories MinistryWatch evaluates: financial efficiency, transparency, and overall donor confidence. Only 18 of the more than 1000 ministries in the MinistryWatch database made the list this year. They are truly the “best of the best.” We hope you will use this list as your guide to year-end giving. You can see the complete list here. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you!