MinistryWatch Podcast

Christian Smith, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology at Notre Dame, challenges the relevance of traditional religion in modern America. He discusses the striking decline of institutional faith since 1991, emphasizing how Millennials and Gen Z view religion as 'obsolete.' Factors such as neoliberal capitalism are examined for their role in fostering instability and mobility, affecting community and commitment. Smith calls for religious institutions to adapt to these cultural shifts, while noting an emerging interest in alternative spiritualities.

On today’s program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school’s president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We’ll have details. And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members. Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren’t ready to use it for everything. Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area. First, a former member is suing John MacArthur’s megachurch for how it handled church discipline. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jim Vertigo, John Seewer, Jessica Eturralde, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST 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 Warren: On today’s program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school’s president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We’ll have details. And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members. Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren’t ready to use it for everything. Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area. Natasha: But first, a former member is suing John MacArthur’s megachurch for how it handled church discipline. Warren: In a complaint filed Thursday (July 3) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, lawyers for Lorraine Zielinski said she went to leaders at the megachurch in LA’s Sun Valley neighborhood, where MacArthur is the longtime pastor, seeking counseling for her troubled marriage and was told her conversations would be kept confidential. According to the complaint, she told counselors she was afraid for her safety and the safety of her daughter, alleging that her then-husband was physically abusive. Her lawyers said church leaders pressured Zielinski to drop her request for a legal separation. When Zielinski tried to resign as a church member, pastors put her under church discipline for failing to follow their counsel, according to the complaint. They also allegedly told her to either come to a meeting with church pastors or details of her counseling would be made public to the congregation. Natasha: What happened? Warren: According to the complaint. “When Plaintiff did not attend the meeting, GCC made good on its threat and shared information gained through confidential communications relating to her marriage with GCC membership,” “GCC also misrepresented parts of these communications, painting Plaintiff as a bad actor in the marriage and the party at fault for the marital dispute. GCC also omitted Plaintiff’s husband’s desire to remarry and dissolve the marriage.” Natasha: Church members were also allegedly asked to pressure Zielenski to submit to church leaders and to reconcile with her husband, according to the complaint. Warren: Lawyers for Zielenski said the church violated her right to privacy and her right to free association, disclosed private facts, painted her in a false light, breached confidentiality and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. Grace Community Church did not reply to a request for comment; nor did lawyers for Zielenski. The lawsuit will likely face legal challenges on First Amendment grounds. Natasha: Next, news from Baylor University. Warren: Baylor University has reversed course and “voluntarily” agreed to rescind acceptance of a grant by the progressive Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation to fund research examining the “disenfranchisement and exclusion” of individuals from churches who identify as LGBT. In a statement on July 9, Baylor President Linda Livingstone announced that faculty with the Baylor School of Social work “voluntarily offered to rescind their acceptance of this grant.” The university’s primary concerns were not with the research itself, Livingstone said, but with the activities following the research —work that “extended into advocacy for perspectives on human sexuality that are inconsistent with Baylor’s institutional policies, including our Statement on Human Sexuality.” Natasha: The Statement on Human Sexuality, last updated in 2009, affirms the biblical understanding of human sexuality and recognizes that homosexuality is a deviation from the norm understood by Christian churches across the ages. Warren: She added that the university is committed to “providing a loving and caring community for all — including our LGBTQIA+ students.” Baylor University is the third largest Christian university in the country by total revenue. In the MinistryWatch 1000 database, it has a C transparency grade, only one out of five stars for financial efficiency, and donor confidence score of 36 out of 100, meaning donors should withhold giving. Natasha: Next, the latest from Gateway Church Warren: The Dallas-area Gateway megachurch is reducing the number of services at its campuses each weekend. According to a Gateway spokesperson, it will be cutting Saturday services at all of its campuses, except its flagship Southlake campus. This comes as part of the continued fallout after allegations sexual abuse surfaced against its founding pastor Robert Morris. Cindy Clemishire says Morris began abusing her in the 1980s when she was just 12 years old. He is currently facing a related indictment in Oklahoma. Gateway lists nine Texas campuses on its website and one in Wyoming. Natasha: In June, MinistryWatch reported that Gateway was planning to lay off some church staff because of financial challenges due to reduced tithing income. Warren: In spite of budget challenges, Gateway has named a new executive pastor — Nic Lesmeister — who has been on staff since 2020 and led the church’s Gateway Center for Israel and outreach ministries. Natasha: In related news, two more leaders at New Life Church in Colorado Springs have been asked to resign. Warren: Lance Coles, the executive pastor of adult discipleship, and Brian Newberg, chief financial officer, both were part of the search committee that hired Brady Boyd to lead the church in 2007. Boyd resigned his position in June after it became clear he misled the congregation regarding his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse of Clemishire when he was on staff at Gateway. According to the church, no other pastors who currently work at New Life knew about the situation involving Morris, outside of Coles and Newberg. Natasha: Next, A federal court is accusing a Charlotte realtor of scamming his own friends and church out of at least $1.7 million. Warren: Brian Shane Haigler of Mint Hill accepted a plea deal after being charged in late June with wire fraud. Federal court filings reviewed by WCNC allege Haigler conducted multiple schemes between February 2019 and December 2021, including one involving a federal Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). Natasha: This fraud might have been prevented if it had followed a simple rule regarding financial accountability. Warren: That’s right. Haigler was the sole signatory on the church’s bank account. That’s always a bad idea. As the sole signatory on the bank accounts of his church, whose identity was not revealed in the filings, Haigler obtained a $311,000 EIDL in the church’s name without the knowledge of church leaders, then kept the money. He received the loan from the Small Business Administration in April 2021, about a year after President Trump expanded the EIDL program as part of the CARES Act to assist small businesses and nonprofits financially harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Natasha: Haigler allegedly confessed his scheme to the pastor in March 2022, leading to one federal charge of wire fraud. But according to court filings, that was not his only crime. Warren: Prosecutors said Haigler embezzled the church out of an additional $389,000 between July 2019 and December 2021. Around that same period, he also scammed friends, acquaintances and fellow church members out of more than $1 million through a Ponzi-style scheme, claiming to invest their money in real estate purchases and property improvements. Unable to make good on the “flat 10% return” he promised, Haigler dipped into investors’ funds, as well as money embezzled from the church, to pay the earliest investors. Eventually, the payments dried up and investors began asking questions. Neither the identities of the alleged victims nor the details of the plea agreement have yet been made public. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a Christian girls camp is grieving after 27 campers and counselors died due to devastating floods over the July 4th weekend. In all, over 100 people lost their lives throughout Central Texas because of the floods. 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: Crews trudged through debris and waded into swollen riverbanks Monday in the search for victims of catastrophic flooding over the July Fourth weekend that killed more 100 people in Texas, including more than two dozen campers and counselors from an all-girls Christian camp. Operators of Camp Mystic, a century-old summer camp in the Texas Hill Country, said Monday that they lost 27 campers and counselors, confirming their worst fears after a wall of water slammed into cabins built along the edge of the Guadalupe River. Natasha: The floods, among the nation’s worst in decades, swept away people sleeping in tents, cabins and homes along the river Friday in the middle of the night. Warren: In the Hill Country area, home to several summer camps, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said. Ten other deaths were reported in Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson counties, according to local officials. Natasha: If you would like to make a donation to a ministry doing work there, MinistryWatch has compiled a list of the ministries we recommend. You can find that list by going to MinistryWatch.com. Next, a lawsuit against TBN. Warren: On the same day it filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Dr. Phil McGraw’s company, Merit Street Media, filed a breach of contract suit against Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The lawsuit accuses the Christian broadcasting giant of sabotage, failing to fulfill its financial obligations, and thereby placing Merit Street under a $100-million liability burden. Merit Street officially launched Merit TV in April 2024 with ambitions to become a major player in the cable landscape headlined by Dr. Phil Primetime and a slate of other celebrity-driven programming. Natasha: According to its website, the multi-platform media brand extends its reach to over 90 million television homes via cable, satellite, over-the-air broadcasts, and on-demand video and live streaming. Warren: Yet, just over a year later, Merit Street says it has no other choice but to seek bankruptcy protection, and TBN is allegedly at fault. Natasha: How? Warren: According to the lawsuit, McGraw agreed to supply Merit Street with original episodes of his “Dr. Phil Show,” primetime specials, and additional content, while TBN was to handle distribution and production. In what Merit Street claims was the “linchpin of the agreement,” TBN reportedly guaranteed national distribution of Merit Street’s content through its extensive network and local stations’ must-carry rights—and then later failed to distribute, the documents say. The complaint alleges that TBN’s “failures” were neither unintended nor inadvertent. “They were a conscious, intentional pattern of choices made with full awareness that the consequence of which was to sabotage and seal the fate of a new but already nationally acclaimed network,” it says. MinistryWatch contacted TBN and Merit Street for comments. We will update the article with any replies. Natasha: Next, the former national leader of Chi Alpha, who resigned after sexual abuse allegations arose within the ministry he led, has been commissioned as a missionary to Iceland. Warren: In November 2023, Scott Martin resigned as the director of Chi Alpha World Fellowship, a ministry of the Assemblies of God on college campuses. Chi Alpha and its leadership have faced criticism because of the reported inappropriate actions and alleged sexual abuse by Daniel Savala, a registered sex offender. Savala pleaded guilty to sexual abuse in 2012 in Alaska, but later allegedly served with five Chi Alpha Ministries college chapters. In September 2023, Savala and fellow Chi Alpha leader Chris Hundl were indicted in McLennan County for indecency with a child and trafficking of persons. According to the Assemblies of God Office of Public Relations, Martin and his wife were appointed to serve in Iceland with Assemblies of God World Missions, where “they will work to enhance existing ministries in partnership with the Icelandic church.” Natasha: The denomination did not respond to MinistryWatch questions about whether an investigation was conducted that might reveal Martin’s knowledge about Savala, Hundl, or any other alleged abusers and whether Martin was subject to any disciplinary or restorative processes. Warren: Ronald Bloomingkemper, who started XA and the Lion’s Den — an online forum for survivors of sexual abuse in Chi Alpha — is critical of Martin’s new appointment as a missionary. Bloomingkemper believes Martin was “not merely a casualty of controversy—he was the architect of Chi Alpha’s toxic culture of control.” MinistryWatch reached out to Martin with questions about his knowledge about reports involving Savala and any disciplinary or investigative process, but did not receive a reply before the time of publication. We will update the story if we receive a response. Natasha: Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.   BREAK   THIRD SEGMENT Natasha: Welcome back.  I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast. Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs. What’s up first? Warren: A recently released report on church technology trends reveals a significant rise in embracing artificial intelligence. According to Pushpay’s 2025 State of Church Tech Report, 45% of church leaders currently use AI, up 80% compared to last year’s findings, reflecting that the use of AI in church operations has moved from early-adopter to mainstream status. The report provides a comprehensive overview of how digital tools—from AI-powered platforms and live streaming to mobile engagement—continue to transform ministry connection and interaction. About 1,700 church leaders across the country contributed responses to the report. Natasha: What are churches using AI for? Warren: Only a small minority have ventured into using AI for core ministry work, such as writing sermons, developing devotionals, or creating theological content, the report states. Yet, churches are “overwhelmingly” using AI to assist with generating and editing emails, social media, and graphics and streamlining basic communication. Natasha: What other findings did the report have? Warren: The report states that 86% of church leaders believe technology enhances connection within their communities, and churches are four times more likely to say that technology reduces loneliness rather than increases it. Nearly half of ministry leaders (48%) report that digital innovation has helped deepen faith among congregants, while 70% say technology has contributed to greater generosity in their churches. Natasha: Who did Christina feature in her Ministries Making A Difference column this week? Warren: Another area grappling with the aftermath of severe flooding is Myanmar, where civil war and a March 7.7-magnitude earthquake have only made the monsoon season more devastating. Recovery efforts are slow and dangerous as local military teams commandeer the aid being shipped in. A3, who develops Christian leaders around the world, is staying in touch with partners on the ground in Myanmar, who say that victims are responding “very positively” to the gospel. A3 has a donor confidence score of 80 (“Give With Confidence”). On May 3, alumni from Denton Freedom House’s Women Home shared their transformational testimonies at a Mental Health Conference held at One Community Church in Plano, Texas. The event was from the ministry’s I’ve Been Set Free Tour held throughout Texas in the first half of 2025. Denton Freedom House offers residential programs for men and women ready to overcome addiction and poverty. They also run a community food pantry and a coffee shop that employs program participants. Denton Freedom House Ministries has a donor confidence score of 96 (“Give With Confidence”). A group of medical volunteers with the Nazarene Medical Brigade (NMB) in Mexico hosted a clinic in May, serving over 130 people in Chiapas. Patients received dental consultations, medicines, and other screenings, as well as clothing and prayers. The Sierra region has struggled to access quality healthcare after local clinics closed down. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) launched its NMB in 2017, and has since provided nearly 350 brigades across the country. NCM is one of MinistryWatch’s Shining Light ministries, having earned the highest ratings in each of our three categories—5 stars, an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren ad-lib ECFA Warren Ad-Lib JULY Stewards Not Owners. Like, share on podcast app and social media. Natasha: The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jim Vertigo, John Seewer, Jessica Eturralde, and Christina Darnell. I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. Warren: And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

In this week’s “Extra” episode, Warren discusses the history of McLean Bible Church and the tenure of David Platt. Does he deserve the criticism he has received? Warren’s answer: Platt is not perfect, but the “conflict entrepreneurs” at his church have produced more heat than light. A few links mentioned in today’s program: Stories about McLean Bible Church or David Platt. In the past week, the church released a 35-page report telling its side of the story. I have read the entire report, and I strongly recommend that anyone with an interest in this matter should do the same. If reading the entire report is more than you want, MinistryWatch has a summary here. The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. With a mission like that, it’s easy to see why Dana and Bill Wichterman’s new book got my attention. The book is Stewards Not Owners: The Joy of Aligning Your Money With Your Faith. Over the years, I’ve read a lot of books about this topic, from Randy Alcorn’s Money, Possessions and Eternity to Jay Richards’ Money, Greed, and God. Other books I often recommend on the topic of stewardship include When Helping Hurts by Brian Fikkert and Steve Corbett, and Marvin Olasky’s The Tragedy of American Compassion. These books are classics of the genre. But I honestly think that Dana and Bill’s new book is the book I would recommend  to someone who wants to read just one book on the topic. Their new book is relatively short and highly readable, but it doesn’t “dumb down” the deep biblical principles involved. Also, it includes lots of stories of men and women who have lived out the principles they espouse. Those stories make the book come alive, and make the abstract principles seem credible and achievable. Bill Wichterman has spent his career in law and politics, including as Special Assistant to the President in the White House. Bill is the author of the book Dying to Live: Finding Joy In Giving Yourself to God, and the influential essay “The Culture: Upstream from Politics.” He is co-founder of Wedgwood Circle and board president of Faith and Law. Bill holds an M.A. in Political Theory from The Catholic University of America. Dana works for Impact Foundation (Impactfoundation.org), a donor-advised fund specializing in helping Christians align their charitable capital with their unique calling to partner with Kingdom-oriented for-profit companies. Their new book is Stewards Not Owners: The Joy of Aligning Your Money With Your Faith. And, as I promised earlier, we have a way for you to get your own copy of this book. Bill and Dana have donated nearly 200 books to MinistryWatch, and we are going to make them available to you for a gift of any size during the month of July. So, if you would like your own copy of this book, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. We’ll get your book in the mail immediately. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

Here at MinistryWatch, we have become all too familiar with the allure and the dangers of celebrity preachers. One of the things you will here me say often is that we humans are not meant to be celebrities. We’re not wired for it. Celebrityhood is a condition that wars against the health of our soul. And yet…we Americans, and American evangelicals in particular, have an addiction to celebrities. To use the words from the Joni Mitchell song, our star-making machinery keeps spitting them out. And when these celebrities burn out, or meltdown, we brush them aside and make more. Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Ravi Zacharias, Mark Driscoll, Jimmy Swaggart, Bill Hybels. How much time do you have, because this list could go on and on. All of this is why Molly Worthen’s new book caught my attention. It’s called Spellbound: How Charisma Shaped American History from the Puritans to Donald Trump. Molly is one of those rare academics – she’s a professor at the University of North Carolina – who writes in readable, compelling ways. And her discussion of what she calls charisma, which she says differs from celebrity or charm, is fascinating and has opened up my eyes to new ways of seeing some of the characteristics of the modern evangelical church. If Molly Worthen’s name sounds familiar to you, it could be because I’ve cited her often in my own work. Her book Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism, was helpful to me when it was published ten years ago. I should also add that since the publication of that first book, Molly Worthen herself has had a conversion experience and now counts herself as a born-again Christian. I ask her about that near the end of this conversation, and I would invite you to stick around to the end to hear her interesting and – to my way of thinking – encouraging personal story. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris’ tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse. We’ll have details. Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We’ll take a look. And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag. But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kristen Parker, Shannon Cuthrell, Paul Clolery,  Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The Banner and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST 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, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris’ tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris’s alleged abuse. We’ll have details. Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We’ll take a look. And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag. Natasha: But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair. Warren: Williams, a Christian YouTuber who once reached 90K+ subscribers, runs the “All Things Theology” channel under the handle @Kdubtru. His content spans topics like Christian hip hop, church culture insights, and in-depth sermon critiques. Natasha: In May, Heritage Grace Community Church in Frisco, Texas, announced that it was disciplining Williams, stating he no longer has their endorsement due to his alleged engagement in an adulterous online relationship, which has caused him to seek a divorce from his wife. Warren: Williams has responded to the public criticisms in a video titled “Let’s talk about it…” In the video, he admitted to having an emotional affair and expressed remorse and repentance. He denied rumors of leaving his marriage and adopted son (Micah) to pursue a romantic relationship with another woman. Natasha: Moving on, Brady Boyd, senior pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, resigned his position last week after it became clear he misled the congregation regarding his knowledge of former Gateway Pastor Robert Morris’s alleged abuse of Cindy Clemishire. Warren: Boyd, who served at Gateway Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as an associate pastor and elder from 2001 to 2007, said as recently as June 8 that, until last year, he was unaware that Clemishire was 12 when the abuse began. “I worked alongside him. I had no reason to believe he had any kind of character issues,” Boyd told the congregation, according to ChurchLeaders. “He did confide in me he’d had a moral failure when he was 20 years old. That’s really all the details he shared.” Natasha: New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22, they believe Boyd’s insistence that he didn’t know Clemishire’s age was untrue. He said it is the primary reason the elders asked Boyd to step down. Warren: “Brady had nothing to do with Pastor Morris’ past abuse,” Palmer said, according to The Gazette. “Still, we believe that trust is the currency of leadership. When Brady recently told our congregation, inaccurately, that he was unaware of certain details regarding Morris’ past abuse, trust was broken, and the elders asked Brady to resign.” Boyd had been pastor of New Life since 2007. The elders acknowledged the leadership and service Boyd has given the church, including eliminating millions of dollars in debt and starting initiatives to serve the Colorado Springs community. Associate Senior Pastor Daniel Grothe will be Boyd’s successor, a transition church officials say has been in the works for more than a year. Natasha: Next, Gateway is one of two large, well-known churches in the U.S. are facing budget shortfalls and financial cuts. Gateway Church and Grace Community Church have been missing their long-time preachers, with one facing scandal and the other health challenges. Gateway Church, a megachurch in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, has now warned staff that more layoffs are coming. According to an email sent to Gateway congregants, tithing income is down significantly. Warren: Elders wrote in the email, that an evaluation of the church’s finances revealed “it has become clear that restructuring our staffing is necessary, requiring the tough but necessary step of staff reduction.” The email did not include details about staffing reductions or church finances, but it did associate its challenges with the church’s former pastor, Robert Morris. In November 2024, a leaked video revealed that Gateway giving was down by between 35-40%. Natasha: Grace Community Church, led by John MacArthur, is also facing reduced giving and the need to reduce its budget. Warren: “[F]or the first time in more than a decade, we have faced the effects of a financial recession in our giving this past fiscal year. By God’s grace, he has provided for our needs through some large donations to bring us through the last two years,” MacArthur wrote in a note read to the congregation on Sunday (June 15). “But as we look ahead to the coming fiscal year, starting July 1, our elders recognize the need to reduce our budget at the church by about 20%.” MacArthur, 85, has struggled with health issues over the past year, with a recent lung procedure once again delaying his return to the pulpit. Natasha: Next, McLean Bible Church details plot to oust David Platt. Warren: Following the dismissal of the last of several lawsuits filed against McLean Bible Church (MBC) and its lead pastor David Platt, the D.C. megachurch has released a detailed internal report chronicling years of bitter infighting and political polarization. The report, written by Executive Pastor Wade Burnett and endorsed by the church’s board of elders, outlines how a small but vocal group of dissident members and outside supporters reportedly launched a sustained, coordinated effort to remove Platt and other senior leaders, accusing them of pushing the historically conservative church toward what they called “liberal” or “woke” theology. Natasha: According to the report, members Jeremiah and Laura Burke led a group that used a mix of conspiracy theories, social media campaigns, and repeated lawsuits to disrupt church operations and sow distrust among members. Warren: Among the group’s claims were that the church planned to sell its flagship Tysons campus to build a mosque and that leaders were secretly funneling money and influence to the Southern Baptist Convention, which the church had partnered with for mission work long before Platt’s tenure (Platt joined as pastor in 2017). Natasha: The report includes excerpts from recent emails, the dissent’s stated goal of “taking back the church,” and an online manual on how to “oust” a pastor. Warren: In the report, the church alleges the group circulated internal instructions via emails and blogs on how to exploit the church’s constitution to block elder appointments and stage confrontations during church business meetings. According to the report, the group sometimes recorded disruptive scenes that were later posted online as supposed evidence of wrongdoing. Natasha: Over four years, the group filed nearly a dozen lawsuits and appeals against the church, its board of elders, and its pastors, seeking to nullify elections and control church membership rolls. Warren: Courts repeatedly dismissed the claims or ruled in the church’s favor, and the final lawsuit was thrown out in December 2024. The church’s leadership says the drawn-out litigation consumed thousands of hours in legal fees and staff time that could have supported the church’s ministries. Despite the turmoil, the report notes that church membership has grown by over 1,400 people since 2020, financial giving remains robust, and votes on leadership appointments have consistently reflected broad support for Platt and other elders, sometimes by margins of over 90%. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a lawsuit against Dave Ramsey can move forward. 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: A federal appeals court ruled that a lawsuit against Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey by a former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried can go forward. Caitlin O’Connor sued the Lampo Group, Ramsey’s Franklin, Tennessee-based company, alleging religious discrimination. But the company said O’Connor was fired for violating the company’s ban on premarital sex, and argued that firing was not based on religion. At issue is a “righteous living” policy at Lampo, better known as Ramsey Solutions, which requires employees to abide by Christian values. Those values, Ramsey’s company has argued, include banning intercourse outside of marriage. However, the company has declined to fire employees who have admitted other sexual conduct in the past, according to court documents. Natasha: The legal question in the case is whether O’Connor was fired for breaking a company rule or for being a bad Christian. Warren: U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson of the Middle District of Tennessee in ruling in O’Connor’s wrote that companies are allowed to ban conduct — such as accepting bribes — that align with religious values. But the motivation behind rules of conduct and how they are applied matters. If breaking a policy is seen as sinful or failing to abide by Christian conduct, that can be problematic, he wrote. The O’Connor case has made national headlines, in part because legal filings have revealed Ramsey Solutions’ scrutiny of the sex lives of employees. In one filing, a company executive described firing a newly married employee who became pregnant as company officials believed she had sex before the wedding. Filed in 2020, the lawsuit has been slowly making its way through the court system for years. Ramsey Solutions did not respond to a request for comment. Natasha: Next, the United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey. Warren: The case began in November 2023 when New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin demanded that First Choice turn over 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. Reluctant to provide such confidential and private information, First Choice, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), challenged the attorney general’s subpoena in federal court based on the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, claiming the subpoena chilled the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech. Natasha: The state and First Choice have gone back and forth in court. That’s why ADF filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the case to decide the question of whether civil rights plaintiffs need to litigate challenges to state investigations in state court before they can bring federal claims. “The lower courts have wrongly held that First Choice is relegated to state court to present its constitutional claims,” Hawley asserted. “We are looking forward to presenting our case to the Supreme Court and urging it to hold that First Choice has the same right to federal court as any other civil rights plaintiff.” Natasha: Next, news from Calvin University Warren: Synod 2025 instructed the Calvin University Board of Trustees to further define “indefinite exceptions to confessional subscription,” and the reasons they may be granted and report back to Synod 2026. Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It met June 13-19 in Ancaster, Ont. Natasha: The phrase “indefinite exceptions to confessional subscription” is a mouthful. What does that mean. Warren: It means this: Must a teacher at Calvin College subscribe to every aspect of the CRC’s confession of faith. Or can they conscientiously object to certain aspects and still keep their jobs. This issue became important last year, when the CRC reaffirmed its commitment to traditional, biblical marriage, and made that a part of its confessional statement. Perrin Rynders, who will be the board chair of Calvin University in October, said Calvin’s trustees are no longer allowed to submit a gravamen—a formal expression of a difficulty with a confessional doctrine—and must be confessionally aligned. He concluded, “Our job (at Calvin University) is to teach fully in accord with the teachings synod tells us about.” Natasha: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill (SB) 835, also known as “Trey’s Law,” over the weekend. It will take effect on September 1. Warren: SB 835 by Texas Senator Angela Paxton bans the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in civil cases of sexual assault, including child sexual abuse and human trafficking cases, regardless of when the underlying claims occurred. Trey’s Law is so named for Trey Carlock, a sexual abuse victim of Kanakuk Kamps’ employee Peter Newman. Carlock died by suicide after suffering in silence due to an NDA. His sister Elizabeth Carlock Phillips has advocated for the bill and testified in support of it before a committee in the Texas Legislature. She shared how her brother endured a decade of abuse, then suffered a different kind of anguish after signing a restrictive NDA that caused him to even question whether he should discuss details of his abuse with his therapist. Natasha: Cindy Clemishire, who has publicly shared how Gateway’s founding pastor Robert Morris began abusing her when she was 12 years old, told the committee that Morris offered her a settlement in 2007 with an NDA attached. Warren: Clemishire said. “Because I refused to sign that document giving up the right to freely speak about events in my life…almost 43 years after my abuse began, Robert Morris was indicted in Oklahoma on five acts of lewd acts with a child.” “Because I refused to sign an NDA, my abuser is finally being held accountable for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” Clemishire said, adding that she is now able to share her story and “be the voice for so many people who don’t have the courage to come forward.” Natasha: SB 835 unanimously passed both the Texas Senate and House of Representatives Warren: The bill originally was only written to apply to child sexual abuse cases, but was expanded after witness testimony showed support for it to apply to sexual assault and human trafficking victims. On June 10, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed that state’s bill voiding NDAs signed after August 28, 2025, making them unenforceable in childhood sexual abuse claims. Until this summer, Tennessee had been the only state to have passed a law — in 2018 — specifically prohibiting NDAs in civil child sexual abuse settlements, rendering them “void and unenforceable.” 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: It’s rare for a noncommercial FM radio station to nearly double in price during a bankruptcy auction. But that’s exactly what happened with KDHX 88.1 in St. Louis, a community radio station at the center of a bidding war between two giants in Christian radio: Educational Media Foundation (EMF), the parent of K-LOVE, and Gateway Creative Broadcasting, owner of JOY FM and Boost Radio. A federal bankruptcy court approved the $8.75-million sale last month, with Gateway’s winning bid nearly doubling EMF’s initial offer from March. Natasha: Although K-LOVE put up $8.5 million in the final round, it lost to Gateway by $250,000. Warren: Gateway and EMF’s aggressive bidding may suggest they viewed KDHX as a strategic acquisition in St. Louis, a top-25 media market as ranked by Nielsen. A lot of radio observers also noted that it kept the station under local control and out of the hands of K-Love, which has become a national chain. Natasha: Next, an update on giving. Warren: Individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations contributed an estimated $592.5 billion to U.S. charities during 2024. New data contained within Giving USA 2025: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2024 showed total giving outpaced inflation for the first time in three years, growing 6.3% in current dollars and 3.3% when adjusted for inflation. Individuals contributed $392.45 billion or 66% of all giving. Foundations chipped in $109.81 billion (19%). Bequests came in at $45.84 billion (8%) followed by corporations (7%). The numbers are rounded off, so the percentages add up to 101%. The overall percentages year-over-year were stable. Natasha: Giving amounts to about 2% of GDP, a figure that has held pretty steady over the years. Warren: Giving to religion was the largest silo of funding at 23%. Natasha: Who did Brittany look at in this week’s Ministry Spotlight? Warren: Mission Training International (MTI), based in Palmer Lake, Colorado, now has a 0-Star MinistryWatch rating. It also has a D Transparency grade, because it does not make its Form 990s or audited financials available to the public. MTI is classified as “a church” with the IRS. It has joined a growing number of ministries that have petitioned the IRS to change their tax status over the last few years. This gives them an exemption from filing a Form 990, although this form includes key information for donors, including annual revenue, salaries of key employees, names of board members and the overall amount ministries spend on key programming. MinistryWatch takes the position that ministries should file a 990, and gives 0 Stars for financial efficiency to those that do not. MTI declined to answer questions about its finances. Natasha: And, Christina featured some ministries with boots on the ground working in community development. Warren: Administer Justice received the Elgin Township service agreement, which included a financial donation to continue providing legal assistance to neighbors who can’t afford it. The ministry is celebrating 25 years this year. Administer Justice has 5 stars, an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories. Apartment Life fosters community amongst neighbors in apartment complexes, in part by organizing small-scale events to bring residents together. Warren ad-lib: Apartment Life has 5 stars for financial efficiency, and a donor confidence score of 90.  Cedar Ridge Ministries Founding Board Member Harold Henry passed away in April at 95. Cedar Ridge Ministries, started 60 years ago in 1965, runs a home and school for at-risk boys in Maryland, working to meet the mental, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of each youth. It also produces a broadcast. Cedar Ridge Ministries has 5 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 95. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib JUNE 54 of 70 raised. Like, share on podcast app and social media. Natasha: The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kristen Parker, Shannon Cuthrell, Paul Clolery,  Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The Banner and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. 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.

Sometimes, in the midst of the nuance, complexity, and confusion of everyday life, it’s good to return to first principles. That’s exactly what Glenn Packiam has done with his new book What Is A Christian, Anyway? The title of this book poses a simple and obvious question that the modern (post-modern? Post-postmodern?) church sometimes forgets. Packiam reminds us that this question is an old one, and that it has a clear and beautiful answer: The Nicene Creed. This book gently walks the reader through the Nicene Creed, explaining it line by line. In the church I attend, the Anglican Church, we recite the Nicene Creed most Sundays in our service, so I’ve recited it thousands of times, and I’ve even studied it. But I found Glenn’s new book both intellectually and spiritually nourishing, and I’m glad to have him on the program to discuss it. By the way, this is not the first time I have interviewed Glenn Packiam. To read or listen to my 2019 interview with Packiam, click here. Glenn Packiam is a pastor, author, and practical theologian, who currently serves as the lead pastor of RockHarbor Church, in Costa Mesa, California. Prior to taking on this role, he served as associate senior pastor at New Life Church (newlifechurch.org) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and as the lead pastor of New Life Downtown, a congregation of New Life Church. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adelle Banks, Clemente Lisi, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST 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, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. Natasha: But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Warren: Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). At a public meeting on June 12, the judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery announced the decision. The defense told the commission it plans to appeal. Natasha: What was he convicted of? Warren: Specifically, Parsons was unanimously found guilty on three charges of “being harsh, ungentle, and unkind to those under his care or with whom he interacts”; “not being a humble servant leader but instead ‘lording it over others’ (i.e, autocratic) and being domineering, contentious, and quarrelsome/pugnacious in his leadership so that those in his care and in his ‘leadership orbit’ were intimidated, bullied, and/or afraid”; and “slandering and/or demeaning other servants and churches of our Lord.” He was found not guilty on two other charges, which were not specifically listed in the report. Natasha: According to the judicial commission’s report, Parsons’ trial was held between May 12 and 28 and included over 55 witnesses and 45 hours of proceedings. Warren: Parsons is indefinitely suspended from his duties as a teaching elder, including preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and participating in church courts. He is not suspended from receiving the sacraments. Natasha: Next, more news from the Dallas megachurch Gateway, and its former pastor Robert Morris, who resigned after admitting to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage girl. Warren: That girl is Cindy Clemishire. Now, she and her father Jerry filed suit last week in Dallas County, Texas, against Gateway Church and its elders, plus founding pastor Robert Morris and his wife Deborah, for defamation, conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Clemishire claims that when Morris declared he’d been “involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” and claimed the Clemishire family had “graciously forgiven [him],” that he was making false and defamatory statements that had a tendency to harm or lower her reputation. Natasha: The lawsuit asserts that the Gateway defendants have benefited financially from Morris’s moral failures, having “made millions of dollars…preaching about sexual immorality and redemption all while concealing the true facts.” Warren: Much of the lawsuit surrounds allegations of when the Gateway leadership knew the specifics of Morris’s actions, including Clemishire’s age. She was 12 and Morris was 22 when the abuse began. Warren: In 2000, Morris founded Gateway Church. In 2005, Clemishire emailed Morris to confront him about his abuse. She said she received a response from then-elder Tom Lane. In it, Lane says that Morris “has been completely open with the Elders of Gateway Church about his past and specifically about his indiscretion with you.” In February 2007, Morris’s attorney Shelby Sharpe, who represented him in response to Clemishire’s communications, sent an email to Clemishire’s attorney that blamed Clemishire, at least in part, for the abuse. Natasha: These communications are important because they plainly show that church leaders knew of Morris’s behavior. Some of the elders of the church at that time are now claiming they did not know. Warren: Clemishire asserts that no later than 2011, the Gateway elders knew that she was a child when Morris began sexually abusing her. Clemishire’s lawsuit seeks damages for loss of her reputation, for mental anguish and psychological pain, and for exemplary damages because she claims the defendants acted with malice. MinistryWatch reached out to Gateway, but a spokesperson declined to comment. Natasha: Aside from her own case against Morris and Gateway, Clemishire also testified in favor of Trey’s Law—a bill that makes nondisclosure agreements unenforceable in child sexual abuse cases. Last week, Missouri signed that bill into law. Warren: Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has signed a bill into law voiding nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in child sexual abuse cases. Trey’s Law, so titled for Trey Carlock who died by suicide after suffering sexual abuse at the hands of Peter Newman at Kanakuk Kamps, makes NDAs signed after August 28, 2025, unenforceable in childhood sexual abuse claims, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The law was passed as an amendment to House Bill 737 in April. Natasha: Until now, Tennessee had been the only state to have passed a law — in 2018 — specifically prohibiting NDAs in civil child sexual abuse settlements, rendering them “void and unenforceable.” Warren: Senate Bill 835 by Sen. Angela Paxton also passed in Texas in late May and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. It makes an NDA “void and unenforceable as against the public policy of the state” if it “prohibits a party from disclosing an act of sexual abuse or facts related to an act of sexual abuse to any other person.” Natasha: Next, authorities have cleared charges of sexual assault and indecent assault against a Texas pastor. Warren: Last July, MinistryWatch reported on the arrest of Rev. Ronnie Goines, lead pastor of Koinonia Christian Church, who turned himself in to authorities after police issued two warrants for his arrest. Investigators filed two criminal charges against Goines — one for indecent assault and another for sexual assault. According to WFAA News 8 and court records, a woman who joined Goines’ church in 2022 accused him of making repeated unwanted advances during two encounters at his apartment in March 2023—allegations he denies, though a recording reportedly captures him apologizing for making her uncomfortable. Natasha: This March, a grand jury no-billed Goines on the sexual assault charge, concluding insufficient evidence to justify proceeding with a formal indictment, confirming that he will not go to trial in a sex assault case. Warren: According to Tarrant County court records, the prosecutor dismissed the misdemeanor indecent assault charge in April. However, although authorities have dropped all charges against Goines, he now faces a civil lawsuit. Natasha: Court records show the same woman who accused him of sexual assault filed a separate civil suit in Tarrant County in February. Warren: She is seeking $1 million in damages. Goines announced in October that he was returning to the church after the interim lead pastor said he was asked to resign. In a statement earlier this year, Koinonia said that the church supports Goines and believes the accusations against him are motivated by financial reasons. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, What foundations are doing in the face of Federal funding cuts. 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 the wake of federal funding cuts affecting nonprofits, over 150 organizations have signed a pledge urging grantmakers to extend their support and funnel fresh funds to hard-hit advocacy groups that have lost federal contracts. Earlier this year, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, a funder-to-funder advocacy initiative, launched the “Meet the Moment” campaign. Natasha: More than 144 grantmaking organizations have already signed the Meet the Moment pledge as funder signatories, with 31 nonprofits, membership bodies, and philanthropy-influencing groups that have formally endorsed the commitment. Warren: While some non-profit leaders have criticized President Trump for cutting funding, others say this government pull back creates opportunity. James Whitford is author of The Crisis of Dependency and founder of True Charity—a growing network of more than 200 like-minded organizations dedicated to revitalizing civil society’s role in the fight against poverty. Whitford claims that America “never got out of the relief business” following the Great Depression. He argues that accepting government funds prevents Christian nonprofits from applying the Gospel’s transformative power, leaving them to treat symptoms rather than root causes. He contends that government intervention “crowds out” private charity, and individual giving and civil society initiatives inevitably shrink when the state meets basic needs. Natasha: How should charity work? Warren: In a recent interview with MinistryWatch, Whitford said grassroots nonprofits, churches, and local charities in True Charity’s network increasingly move away from one-way handouts and embrace “poverty-resolution” strategies that foster relationships, track measurable outcomes, and empower individuals to earn income. He says civil society is bridging the gap as federal support declines. Flourishing happens when individuals are restored in their relationship with God, others, work, and self—not just through financial assistance, he said. He added that while larger organizations still have a role, all ministries should lean into a theology of trust, knowing God is not surprised by the upheaval and remains at work even in seasons of scarcity. Natasha: Next, some lost retirement funds owed to retirees of the AME church might be returned. Warren: Some 4,500 clergy and staffers who lost funds in a retirement plan of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, continue to await the fulfillment of a pledge made by the historically Black denomination to make “participants whole.” Natasha: The AME Church has been accused of mishandling the retirement funds, leaving many plan participants with about 30% of what they had hoped to use for retirement. Warren: The denomination accused its former retirement department head of embezzlement after discovering in 2021 that he provided “deceptive, false and grossly inflated financial statements” about the retirement plan. AME Church staffers could soon see a court’s final approval of proposed partial settlements with the church and Newport Group Inc., a third-party administrator involved with the church’s retirement services, which would return a portion of lost funds. Under a preliminary settlement agreement, the AME Church was to make two payments totaling $20 million into a settlement fund and Newport was to deposit $40 million in that fund. Others are continuing with litigation, scheduled for trial next April, which is not part of these settlements. Natasha: Next, a Colorado church settles case to operate temporary housing on its property. Warren: The Rock church can continue its ministry to temporarily house homeless persons after it reached a settlement agreement with the town of Castle Rock, Colorado. According to a press statement by First Liberty, a non-profit law firm that defends religious liberty, Castle Rock will recognize the church’s ability to operate on-site temporary shelters, to use its building as an emergency shelter, and to operate its coffee shop. The city will also pay $225,000 toward the church’s attorney’s fees. Natasha: The church, which occupies 54 acres on the edge of Castle Rock, has two trailers located on the property that serve as temporary shelters for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Warren: Its goal is to help them get back on their feet with stable employment and stable living arrangements. The church also has entered into a partnership with the Red Cross to provide shelter in its main church building during times of emergency, such as after a severe winter storm or fire. Now, the two parties have reached a permanent settlement agreement allowing The Rock to use its property to provide temporary housing for those in need. Additionally, the Town of Castle Rock may install fencing or landscaping to help screen the temporary housing units from the surrounding neighborhood. 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: Trinity Broadcast Network, a broadcast network built with the donations of millions of donors over the years, is now getting into the senior living center business. Last month, Trinity Community Development Foundation, a nonprofit subsidiary formed by Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), secured $134 million in publicly offered tax-exempt bonds to build Millenia Moments Orlando, which will include 151 independent living units, 78 assisted living units, and 32 memory care units. The release says TBN formed the Trinity Community Development Foundation in 2024 to own TBN’s senior living projects. In January, mostly due to high net assets and leadership salaries, TBN’s donor confidence score fell from 45 to 25, placing it in the “Withhold Giving” category in the MinistryWatch Database. Its overall financial efficiency rating is now 2 stars. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: More Americans believe that religion is important in shaping public life. A 27-page report, put together by the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project, reports that more Americans say their faith is stronger, their churches more vibrant and their involvement more consistent than at any point in recent memory. The EPIC study mirrors one put out last week by Gallup, which showed that 34% of U.S. adults said they believe religion is increasing its influence in American life — up from 20% just a year ago. A majority of Americans (59%) continue to say religion is losing its influence on U.S. society, but that figure is down from 75% a year ago. A Pew Research Center report from this past February also showed that the decline in Christianity had stabilized following a two-decade slide. Now there’s a lot more to this study, so if you’re curious to learn more, I’d recommend reading the whole story at MinistryWatch.com Natasha: Next, we’ve got an update from our MinistryWatch 1000 Database: Warren: With summer upon us, the mid-June list includes the 20 largest Christian camps and conference centers by total revenue in the MinistryWatch 1000 database. Total revenue for the 20 camps and conference centers on the list is almost $310 million. The largest is Echoing Hills in Ohio, a camp for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with revenue of about $39 million. The smallest is Sandy Cove Ministries, a camp and retreat center on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Its total revenue was about $7 million. To learn more about these ministries, click on the ministry’s name and read its complete MinistryWatch profile. While the list is not meant as recommendations for giving, it includes each ministry’s transparency grade, financial efficiency rating, and donor confidence score. Natasha: Who did Brittany look at in this week’s Ministry Spotlight? Warren: One Collective, formerly International Teams, saw a number of its Ministry Watch ratings change over the last month. It is now in the bottom 40% for financial efficiency in the Foreign Missions sector. The organization, based out of Elgin, Illinois, serves in communities around the world. One Collective’s mission is to bring “people together around the ways of Jesus to create lasting change in our world today.” This month, One Collective’s overall financial rating dropped from 3 Stars to 2 Stars. In part because it has a 1-Star resource allocation rating. It spends 7% on fundraising and 14% on general and administrative costs. From 2023 to 2024 its revenue decreased from $15.1 million to $12.9 million. One Collective has an A Transparency Grade—it posts both its Form 990s and audited financials on its website. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib JUNE 52 of 70 raised. WEBINAR next week Recurring Donor Appeal. Like, share on podcast app and social media. 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, Adelle Banks, Clemente Lisi, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged 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.

Michael Tait. Robert Morris. Mark Driscoll. Ravi Zacharias. Are you tired of celebrity preachers? I am, and I think that’s why the story of John Dyer fascinates me. My guess is that you’ve never heard of him. But I have come to learn that he played a significant role in the spread of the Gospel in Colorado and throughout the Mountain West, and his life has some lessons for us today, especially in this age of celebrity. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

  The evangelical church is a mess. If you believe the surveys, more than forty million Americans have “de-churched” in the past 25 years. That is why it is a good thing Brad Edwards reminds us why the Body of Christ still matters. Trevin Wax, whose opinion I value in such matters, has called The Reason for Church “one of the most important books of the year.” I agree. It is a clear-eyed apologetic for the church, and it is also a love letter to the church, especially the local church, where the real “churching” takes place. All of this is why I’m pleased to have Brad Edwards on the program today. Brad is a church planter and pastor of The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado, where he lives with his wife Hannah and their two sons. He is a regular contributor to Mere Orthodoxy and The Gospel Coalition, two of my favorite publications. Brad spoke to me via zoom from his home in Colorado. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Amy Morris at Harper Collins for helping me arrange this interview. Until next time, may God bless you.