MinistryWatch Podcast

On today's program, Newsboys co-founder Wes Campbell and the band's musicians are suing multiple defendants for defamation related to stories about former lead singer Michael Tait. Defendants include World Vision, MercyMe, and reporter Julie Roys. We'll have details. Plus, police uncovered a multi-year fraud scheme that siphoned more than $3.8 million from a church in New York. We look at lessons churches can take away from this case. And, a new report shows that church attendance is up for the first time in decades. The growth is not enough to erase earlier declines—but it is noteworthy. We'll take a look. But first, another vendor is suing Benny Hinn Ministries for unpaid bills. For years, Benny Hinn Ministries has struggled to pay its debts. Now, another one of its creditors has taken legal action. 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 Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Stacey Horton, Erik Tryggestad, Bob Smietana, and Makella Knowles. A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week's podcast.

The True Charity Network held its annual conference last week in Jacksonville, Florida. The conference demonstrated once again that this group is on the forefront of reforming the way the church does charity in the United States. James Whitford and his wife Marsha are the co-founders of True Charity. I will not belabor their story, as we have told it before here at MinistryWatch. One of the highlights of last week's conference was the presentation of the Waypoint Awards. Waypoint Award winners are ministries that have embraced the True Charity model of providing care that is not merely transactional, but truly transformational. This year's winners are: ANEW Ministries. This Indiana ministry helps mothers during crisis but continues to work with them through the tough times to get them to a place of true flourishing. It says it “prioritizes being with rather than doing for.” It believes true transformation comes in the context of relationships. (That is a common theme of the True Charity Network.) Skylark Clinic is a pregnancy resource center in southeast Georgia with three locations and a mobile facility. Skylark offers ultrasound, pregnancy testing, and STD testing. It also has programs for fathers and an “Earn While You Learn” program that allows participants to complete learning modules that earn them points that will pay for maternity/baby items from the organization's Boutique. Skylark says its goal is not just to help young families through a crisis, but to ask these families, “What does a flourishing future look like for you?” Joshua's Place started in the basement of a small house in South Lebanon, Ohio, in 2008. Originally a Free Store Food Pantry with a relational approach, 10 volunteers, and serving just 15 families, the organization has grown to 500 volunteers serving in five school districts. Joshua's Place offers after school programs and a monthly “Serve Saturday” that brings local churches into a relationship with the people the ministry serves. Also honored with True Charity's Excellence in Charity Award was a ministry from Brunswick, Georgia, called Saved by Grace, a residential work program for men. 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, Bethel Church commissions a third-party investigation into clergy sexual abuse allegations against the church's Prophetic Ministry Director Ben Armstrong. We'll have details. Plus, charities were left with major donation losses when the fundraising platform Flipcase declared bankruptcy—while owing charity groups over $29 million. We'll take a look. And, a new report shows that evangelical giving has leveled out after a steep decline…the report also tracked online giving and spiritual engagement.  But first, recent events at Baylor University have sparked concern from Texas Baptists. Baptists with the Baptist General Convention of Texas are going to take a hard look at their relationship with Baylor at this year's meeting. Concerns relate to two recent events approved by Baylor and hosted by student groups. The first is the student-led Turning Point USA event. And the other alternative event is the LGBTQ-affirming “All Are Neighbors” event.  Both events were scheduled to take place on Wednesday this week in separate locations on campus. 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 Kendall Lyons, Faith Pratt, Eric Black, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde. A special thanks to Baptist Standard for contributing material for this week's podcast. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

I'm not an avid bird watcher, but I've long been interested in the way birds intervene in our lives, our stories, our cultural myths. Think about the story of the raven and the dove in the Genesis account of the flood. Or the use of the dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus said that the foxes have their dens and the birds have their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head to rest. He commanded us to consider the sparrows if we are to learn about the Kingdom of God. One of the most famous stories in western literature is a story told by the Venerable Bede more than a thousand years ago. He tells the story of a bird fleeing a storm and darkness by flying into a great hall. The bird then flies out the other side. The Venerable Bede says that the time the bird spent in the hall was like the span of our lives. Short, and surrounded by mystery. But the Christian story tells us what is beyond the boundaries of our lives, This story is credited with playing a major role in the Christianization of England. The lessons of birds have concerned Pastor Kevin Burrell for years. And he has written a new book about his adventures with theology and with birds. Considering Sparrows: What Birds Teach us About Who We Are, Where We Are Going, and the Joy of Following Jesus. I love this book, and I am delighted to have Kevin on the program to talk about it. Kevin Burrell is the co-lead Pastor of StoneBridge Church Community in Charlotte, North Carolina. An avid birder, Kevin's pastoral heart and avian interests united with the formation of his blog, Ornitheology, where he utilizes birds as illustrations of the Christian life. He lives in Charlotte with his wife Beverly, three children, and five birdfeeders. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On this week’s program, a church child care director has been charged with stealing $500,000 from a Georgia United Methodist Church. Investigators went so far as to call it a ‘criminal enterprise'—and because of it, the church was forced to shut its doors. We'll have details. Plus, war in the Middle East has led to a humanitarian crisis for the Lebanese people caught in the crossfire. MinistryWatch reporter Tony Mator rounded up a number of Christian aid organizations rushing to help. We'll take a look. And, last year's deadly Texas floods have led to safety legislation intended to increase safety for campers. But measures meant to make camps safer may instead cause some to close permanently. But first, Elevation Church increases the number of its campuses across the country. Meanwhile, tithes and attendance are decreasing. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Scott Barkley, Tony Mator, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde. A special thanks to Baptist Press and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Columbia International University in Columbia, South Carolina, was one of the charter members with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Now, 47 years later, it has left the ECFA. Meanwhile, another scandal-plagued megachurch has also resigned its membership with the ECFA, this time while under review. We'll take a look at both cases. Also, almost two years after being stripped of ordination by the Anglican Church, a former bishop is back in ministry. We'll have details. And, a Christian school ministry drops from a 5-Star rating for its financial efficiency down to 1 star. But first, Dad's Place, a church in Bryan, Ohio, that has been fighting for its right to provide temporary shelter to homeless persons, has finally reached a conclusion to its ongoing legal battle. 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, Bob Smeitana, Tony Mator, and Jessica Eturralde. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren Do non-profits contribute to the decline of cities? Aaron Renn, whose ideas I usually find nourishing, asked that question and came up with what I think is the wrong answer. Christina He said they did. Warren That's right, but I think this is one of the rare times his analysis is flawed. He has an analysis of leadership development in Indianapolis and has (tentatively) concluded that the rise of non-profits could be contributing to the decline of American cities. I recommend his analysis to you, even though I find it flawed in a number of ways. He is right to note that the number of non-profits has grown dramatically in the past few decades. Christina There are about 2 million non-profits in the country today, a huge increase in just the past decade. Warren That's right. And it's also true that many cities have non-profit leadership and “economic development” programs. But the analysis fails to note that most American cities have seen a remarkable revitalization over that period. The real crisis in America today is not the decline of cities, but the decline of small towns and the hollowing out of rural America as young people move into the cities that Renn says are in decline. Non-profits are not the problem. Renn, a clear thinker, has nonetheless in this case confused correlation with causation. One of the reasons for the growth of non-profits is their effectiveness in providing solutions to the problems Renn rightly identifies. Christina We've got links to Renn's study and other resources that might help with this issue in today's show notes. Warren, you took a look at artificial intelligence this week. What did you learn? Warren  A new study by Tufts University has identified which cities will be most affected by the growth of artificial intelligence. Not surprisingly, San Jose, Calif., home of Silicon Valley, will see the greatest impact. Washington, D.C., comes in at Number 2. Christina You can see the complete study in the show notes. But what does this have to do with ministries, and stewardship? Warren Fundraising executives and program managers – which includes a lot of non-profit jobs — are among the jobs to be most affected by the growth of AI. And, by the way, the job expected to be impacted the most, Christina, is journalism. So buckle up! Christina The Washington Post had a provocative article about growth in the Catholic Church, but you found the article to be wanting. Warren I did. The Washington Post headline proclaimed it knew “Why Catholicism is drawing in Gen Z men.” The answer: “Young men in their 20s and 30s are increasingly drawn to the Catholic Church as they seek truth, beauty and, yes, girlfriends.” The only problem: It is not true. At least not true generally. Ryan Burge, who tracks religion statistics, says that the Catholic Church is in decline. Further, weekly church attendance among practicing Catholics is in freefall. According to Burge, “There’s absolutely an uptick in new converts in the last few years. [But] even after these increases, the overall numbers are still significantly down from 2000.” To add insult to injury, more Catholics are becoming evangelicals than vice versa. The Washington Post article has seen a few anecdotes and confused them with data. Christina But the article noted that one Catholic diocese in Ohio had grown by 2000 people. That sounds like growth. Warren It does, but Burge noted that a single protestant megachurch in Ohio had grown by 2000 people. And not just one, but two churches. So it's important to put that growth in context. Christina While we're fact checking and myth busting this week, you have another myth to deconstruct. Warren It's what I call the “Overhead Myth.” That's the idea that non-profits should have as little overhead as possible. Christina What's wrong with trying to reduce overhead expenses? Warren Nothing…within reason. An interesting article at Candid (Guidestar) asserts that “every business pays for overhead, like salaries, rent, and technology, but this doesn't solely determine whether they are seen as successful.” The article asks, “So why are nonprofits judged differently?” It goes on to say, “The overhead myth states that organizations that spend less on overhead are more effective. But this thinking puts nonprofits at a disadvantage.” The article has a point. The bigger issue is not reducing overhead to zero, but being accountable, transparent, and efficient. I recommend all donors and ministry leaders read this article, which you can find in today's show notes. Christina Finally, Warren, I know a lot of our listeners have been following the Artemis moon mission. There's a faith angle to this story. Warren My friend Bobby Ross, Jr., has written a great article about Victor Glover, the pilot of the Artemis II ship currently coming home from the moon. Glover is active in Southeast Church of Christ in the Houston suburb of Friendswood, Texas. His elder flew to Florida to witness the liftoff of the Artemis mission. To read a 2021 interview with Glover in which he discusses his faith, and taking communion in space, again, go to day's show notes. Christina Any final notes before we go? Warren I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April. I'll be speaking at the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Nashville in June. I'll also be in Dallas and Knoxville in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I'll be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina And since we were talking about the Overhead Myth, it's probably worth mentioning again that you have written about our rating system, and that article might be helpful for those wanting to dig deeper into this issue. Warren That's right. I've written about the pros and cons of rating systems, and explained why – despite the cons – we think rating ministries is important. But how you do it matters. I'll have a link to an article explaining our rating system in today's show notes. Christina The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Here at MinistryWatch, I read a lot of books about money, stewardship, philanthropy, and related topics. That's probably not a surprise. After all, that's what we do here. These topics are our “beat.” But I don't often run across a book like John Coleman's new book Good Money: Six Steps to Building a Financial Life with Purpose. I can honestly say that this is the best book I've read on this topic in a very long time. That's why I'm excited to have John on the program today. What makes this book different is that it starts by talking about such ideas as purpose, calling, happiness, and flourishing – both individual flourishing and human flourishing generally. How can money, and our approach to money, contribute to what God is doing in the world? Along the way, John takes a hard look at work and retirement. Why do we work, and is retirement even a biblical category? We'll discuss these questions and more in today's podcast. John Coleman is an investor, writer, and speaker. He is the co-CEO of Sovereign's Capital, which invests in public equities, private equity, and venture capital. He has prior experience at McKinsey & Company, Invesco, and Bridgewater Associates. As I mentioned in today's program, we are offering John's book Good Money as our thank you gift for the month of April. If you'd like to receive your own copy so you can explore the ideas we discussed today more deeply, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Robert Morris is released from jail after serving 6 months behind bars. The former megachurch pastor released a statement apologizing to Cindy Clemishire, who he abused when she was just 12 years old. We'll take a look. And, a Christian school teacher has been charged for using AI to create child sexual abuse materials using the faces of his students. We look at steps parents can take to protect their children. Plus, red kettle rebound. The Salvation Army released numbers from the 2025 holiday season, and they showed an uptick in both in-person and online donations. But first, the Presbyterian Church in America is speaking out in defense of Stephen Nichols after St. Andrew's Chapel publicly excommunicated him. 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, Bob Smeitana, Tony Mator, and Jessica Eturralde. A special thanks to The Nonprofit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast.  In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.”  So, Warren, what's up first? Warren Military chaplains will no longer indicate their rank on their uniforms, according to a new order from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegspeth. People I've talked with tell me they generally think that's a good thing. Enlisted personnel might be intimidated to talk with chaplains about deeply personal issues if they know that chaplain is a senior officer. Progressive groups opposing the move include Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Christina Up next, a new study by Pew found that nearly 98 percent of U.S. adults live within range of at least one religious radio station. Warren And that about 25 percent of all AM/FM stations are dedicated to religious programming.  The U.S. has about 4,000 religious stations and about half of American adults spend at least some time each week listening to religious audio content, including radio, podcasts, and streaming, and – this is one of the most interesting findings – about 39 percent of listeners are non-Christians. Christina I guess it's a good thing that non-Christians are listening to Christian programming. Warren It is good, but there is also another side to that coin. A lot of Christian radio stations have started programing for that non-Christian audience. You'll hear branding like “Safe for the Entire Family” rather than distinctly Christian branding and programming. Some people think this trend has watered down Christian radio. Christian writer David Murrow says “Safe for the Entire Family” has made Christian radio boring and risk-free. He advocates for edgier music on music stations, and more teaching and talk.  Christina While we're on the subject of media, a new movie out now is getting a lot of buzz from Christian commentators – and it's not a Christian movie. Warren I haven't seen the new Ryan Gosling movie Project Hail Mary, but people I respect are giving it great reviews.  Aaron Renn says, “In an era of male loneliness and confusing messages about manhood, Project Hail Mary models problem-solving, purpose, and fatherly strength without apology.” Brett McCracken, writing for The Gospel Coalition, says it offers the “good, clean fun moviegoers have missed.” McCracken concludes, “Project Hail Mary doesn't preach the gospel. But it makes virtue look good. It makes selflessness, sacrifice, and duty attractive. If the movie is a huge hit—and I expect it will be—perhaps Hollywood will take the hint. We're not in postmodernism anymore. Goodness, truth, and beauty are attributes we want in art again. Really, they're what we've always wanted.” Christina Is the movie a hit? Warren It is. The movie opened at number 1 in the U.S. and held that position through its second week. So far, worldwide box office is around $300 million. That's a huge hit by any reasonable standard. Christina Warren, you read an article this week that caught your attention. Warren I commend to you an article by my friends John Stonestreet and Tim Padgett of The Colson Center. I'll link to it in the show notes. They share the hard truth that neither political party has a right to the pro-life label these days. Of the Democrats they say, abortion is not merely a plank in the progressive party's platform. It is the chief commitment of the worldview that dominates America. It is, for many, a sacrament to recognize, enshrine, and honor autonomy. Abortion is not merely a legal right of a decadent society. It is a rite of worship, specifically a way to worship the idols of self, state, and sex.”  Christina But they don't let the Republicans off the hook, either.  Warren They write, “The GOP was once a prolife party, but now openly endorses chemical abortion and unregulated IVF, the two most common ways to kill preborn children in America.” They conclude, “There is no such thing as a Christian not called, to some degree, to oppose abortion and defend preborn lives. We need not attend every march or express every outrage. We must, however, protect every vulnerable life, support every vulnerable mother and father, and advance the Christian understanding of human dignity every chance we are given.” Christina Our final story today is about the ministry rating systems. An organization called Charity Watch wrote an article that found fault with Charity Navigator's rating system. Warren Charity Watch found fault with the 4-Star rating that Charity Navigator gave to OUR Rescue, formerly Operation Underground Railroad. I won't get into the weeds of their analysis here except to say that Charity Watch is right. OUR Rescue should not have a 4-Star rating.  Christina That's why MinistryWatch gives OUR Rescue a 1-Star rating, our lowest score for financial efficiency.  Warren That's right. I've written about the pros and cons of rating systems, and explained why – despite the cons – we think rating ministries is important. But how you do it matters. I'll have a link to an article explaining our rating system in today's show notes. Christina Any final notes before we go? Warren I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April. I'll be speaking at the annual convention of the Evangelical Press Association in Nashville in June. I'll also be in Dallas and Knoxville in May. I will be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs in June, so I'll be doing reader lunches in Denver and Colorado Springs during that trip. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

We consider our ratings of ministries to be one of the most important things we do. It is also unique. No other organization rates Christian ministries, taking into account financial efficiency, board governance, transparency, and other issues. In today's EXTRA episode, I explain our rating system. Here are a few resources I mention in today's program: For a more complete explanation of our Financial Efficiency Rating, click here. For a fuller explanation of our Transparency Grade, click here. For a fuller explanation of our Donor Confidence Score, click here. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, more turmoil at St. Andrew's Chapel in Florida—the church started by R.C. Sproul. Allegations surface as the church grapples with the fallout of recent excommunications. We'll have details. And, World Water Day was last week, and that prompted us to look at ministries that are in the clean water business. Which ones should you support? We'll take a look. Plus, former Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines died last week at 68 after a bout with cancer. He led one of the SBC's largest churches for nearly two decades. But first, a former PCA pastor was sentenced this month to 30 years in prison for abusing a minor. 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, Isaac Wood, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren Up first today is a podcast episode featuring Carl Lentz. Christina Are we talking about the same Carl Lentz who was a pastor of Hillsong New York and was famously involved in a number of scandals a few years ago? Warren That's the guy. And before I say more, Christina, I should say that as a Christian, I believe in redemption, restoration, and second chances. And the podcast I heard him on, Carey Nieuwhof's Leadership podcast, is one I listen to often. But his episode with Carl Lentz left me sad and confused. Nieuwhof asked the right questions, and Lentz often gave the right answers. But I still cannot help but think he needs to find a career out of the limelight as an entrepreneur or a business consultant and just stay away from church leadership and big platforms for a while longer. He says he is working on a book about his experiences, what he learned. I am sure it will be a bestseller. I will not be one of its buyers. You can watch or listen to the interview here. Christina But, Warren, you said you believe in second chances. When a pastor or ministry leader has a fall, what should they do? Are they permanently disqualified from ministry? Warren Well, in some cases, yes. It's interesting to me that sometimes even secular organizations understand that. If you get convicted of certain kinds of financial fraud, you receive a lifetime ban from working in the financial services industry. Do I believe a child abuser can be saved? Absolutely, but I don't want that person running a kindergarten ever again. Christina So what are they supposed to do? Go get a job at Home Depot? Warren Funny you should say that, because that's exactly what Phil Cooke says they should do. He wrote an article recently that I like, and that's exactly the title: “Maybe the Best Thing for A Fallen Pastor Is a Job at Home Depot.” “When leaders betray trust,” he writes, “rushing them back into the pulpit isn't restoration, it's denial.” I agree 100 percent. You can read the entire article here. Christina Let's change gears a bit, Warren, and talk about a topic that is important to us here at MinistryWatch. Warren   MinistryWatch exists to help bring transparency and accountability to Christian ministries. We have noticed that there is a growing transparency crisis in both ministry spaces and in the country at large. Read, for example, my article on the importance of Form 990s to ministry transparency, and the practice of some ministries not to file them. Christina This trend in Christian ministries appears to be part of a larger trend in the country and even around the world. Warren Transparency International just released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index. According to The Signal, “The United States hit its lowest score ever—extending a decade-long slide. The global average also fell to its lowest level in more than 10 years.” Christina Warren, you learned this week of the passing of your friend and ministry leader Jerry Eisley. Warren I did, and though our listeners have probably not heard of him, he's a guy who has quietly shaped an entire movement. There's an entire movement today of Christians and the arts. I think of Andrew Peterson and The Rabbit Room. Or Charlie Peacock and the Art House Movement. SD (Sam) Smith and his Story Warren. Even Gabe Lyons and the Q Conferences. All of these movements owe a debt of gratitude to Jerry Eisley, who died this week at age 76. When I was 20 years old and a junior in college, I had an internship in Washington, DC. My friend Jan Dargatz (who went on to become a successful writer and who also died recently) introduced me to Jerry and his wife Twila, and they offered to let me stay in their home in Georgetown until I could find a permanent place to live. I stayed in their basement apartment for a week, and that week changed my life. I had just read A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken, and — to me — Jerry and Twila were the real-life Van and Davy of that book. I wanted to be them when I grew up. Christina Just a year earlier, they had formed The Washington Arts Group. Warren That's right. They got me involved in The Washington Arts Group and I made friends that I still have today, including people like the actor Tom Key, Sen. Bill Armstrong, who went on to become the president of Colorado Christian University, and Cal Thomas, who I saw just a few months ago. On my many trips to Washington over the years I would often stop by Foxhall Gallery, Jerry and Twila’s business, and we would share a meal and often pray together. Jerry was one absolutely one of a kind. For me, the world is a different place without him in it. Condolences to his family and friends. Our consolation is that we shall meet again. Christina It's a big pivot from the Washington Arts Group to Cowboy Church, but here we go! Warren Yes, I guess that is a big pivot, but I think it was a pivot Jerry would appreciate. His tastes were expansive, eclectic, and he was all about people pursuing their calling in life, so – in a way – Cowboy Church would be right up his alley. But I will confess that it was not always up my alley. I was raised in the suburbs, and I live in the city today. But, like a lot of people of my generation, when I was a kid, I had “country cousins” and would often spend a few weeks on their farms each summer. I helped put myself through college working on a ranch in New Mexico, so I developed a deep appreciation for farm and ranch life. That also means that the idea of a “cowboy church” is not new to me. I have even been to a few outdoor “cowboy church” services. That said, I found this article from Houston Public Media on cowboy churches to be one of the best I've ever seen, and I commend it to you. Christina Warren, let's look at one more story before we go, and I'm almost reluctant to talk about it. Warren I am too. It's the story of the Duggar family. You may remember the Duggar Family, who became stars at too young an age because of their “19 and Counting” television series. The series has been off the year for five years, after a decade-long run, but the family's troubles continue. Christina Oldest son Josh Duggar is in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. Warren Last week, Joseph Duggar was arrested for alleged sex crimes against a 9-year-old girl during a vacation in 2020. Duggar, a married father of four, was arrested on March 18 and charged with “Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor.” Christina We have chosen mostly not to cover this tragic story here at MinistryWatch. Warren This short paragraph will likely be it for us. But I wanted to mention it just enough to make this point: We are not meant to be celebrities. This insight is not original to me, but it is worth reminding ourselves of from time to time. Christina Any final notes before we go? Warren I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Nashville; Dallas, and Knoxville in May. I will be in Denver and Colorado Springs in June. I will be doing reader lunches in all these cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Join me and Warren again on Friday for our look at the news of the week from a MinistryWatch perspective. Until then, may God bless you.

As you can read elsewhere on MinistryWatch, the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives is now 25 years old. Despite the good intentions of those who founded it, the office – like many government entities – has outlived its usefulness and needs to end. Resources mentioned in today's program: David Kuo's 2006 book Tempting Faith. 2001 Cato commentary “The Federalist Case Against Faith-Based Initiatives” by Robert Levy. 2001 Cato briefing paper “Corrupting Charity: Why Government Should Not Fund Faith-Based Charities” by Michael Tanner. Richard Land, longtime president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission and now Executive Editor of The Christian Post expressed strong reservations, famously warning that government “shekels” would bring “government's shackles.” Marvin Olasky, a key intellectual figure behind “compassionate conservatism” and an advisor to George W. Bush during his Texas governorship, played a role in conceptualizing the original Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, as early as 2002 began to have concerns about the office. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Angelus Temple in Los Angeles—widely considered the first U.S. megachurch—has replaced its longtime pastors Matthew and Caroline Barnett. The announcement came after a sabbatical turned into a permanent separation. We'll have details. And, current news often leads to urgent fundraising pleas—but is your money going where you think it's going? A recent example sought money to get Bibles to Iran, and prompted MinistryWatch to take a deeper look. Also, the latest list from the MinistryWatch 1000 database—a look at ministries that do not file a Form 990. That list is getting longer, and why it matters. But first, former New Life Church pastor Brady Boyd is starting his own church services less than 5 miles from his old church. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first?  Warren James Talarico, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate in Texas, is using religious language to appeal to moderate voters. Conservative and Christian commentators have rightly called out Talarico for trying to make the Bible say what it clearly doesn't say. I especially commend to you this article by my friends and former colleagues John Stonestreet and Tim Padgett. Christina We'll have a link to that article in today's show notes. Warren That's great. I hope a lot of our listeners will read that piece. The bad news, though, is that it is likely that Talarico will likely fool a lot of people whose faith has been poorly formed, or non-Christians who nonetheless want to appear faith friendly. It doesn't help that the GOP has chosen prosperity gospel spokespeople such as Paula White to carry their banner. I think critiques of Talarico's heresies would have more credibility if those critics had also been on record calling out prosperity gospel heresies. (Just for the record, Stonestreet has. Christina Again, we'll link to an article he wrote, a critique of White and the prosperity gospel, in today's show notes, here.) Warren Again, I'm glad, because I think both articles taken together are a good reminder that heresies pull us away from the gospel from all directions, not just from one or two. Christina Warren, the next item was of particular interest to us, since we work for one of the publishers the article talks about. Warren Axios published an article this saying “Smaller web publishers, with 1,000–10,000 daily page views, are experiencing the most precipitous traffic declines in the AI era, according to new Chartbeat data.” Artificial intelligence has meant that more people are getting answers to questions directly from AI and not by clicking on the results of Google searches. Christina My own experience confirms that. I'm using AI more and more. Warren Me, too. When I “google” something, I often don't click on the links anymore, but just read the two or three sentence AI generated answer. Christina But that's hurt the traffic of small publishers. Warren It has. Axios continues: Over the past two years, referral traffic from traditional search engines has declined by 60% for small publishers, compared with 47% for medium-sized publishers and 22% for large publishers, per Chartbeat. Medium-sized publishers are outlets with 10,000–100,000 daily page views, on average. Large publishers are those with more than 100,000 daily page views on average.” Christina For the record, MinistryWatch fits into the “medium” category, and we have seen our page views go up steadily over the past two years. Warren Last year, we had about 4-million-page views on our site. This year, we are on track for about 4.5 million. Christina We write a lot about the state of evangelicalism here at MinistryWatch, and there's now a new book out that critiques evangelicalism as a movement consumed by conspiracy theories. Warren   You're right. We do write a lot about the overall state of evangelicalism. I have my own issues with evangelicalism. I even wrote a book about it! (A Lover's Quarrel With The Evangelical Church.) One of the reasons I wrote that book was my concern that most critiques of evangelicalism were from those who had no real interest in the church's health and restoration. They were merely ham-fisted attempts to take down the church. Jared Stacy's new book Reality In Ruins,unfortunately, fits into that category. That's why I was delighted to read Bonnie Kristian's lengthy and thoughtful review of the book at Christianity Today. She does a fantastic job dismantling the exaggerated arguments of the book while, at the same time, acknowledging that what Jared Stacy describes is indeed true of some of the darker corners of the evangelical movement. While We're At It. Check out Bonnie Kristian's Substack. It's one of the few “blogs” (Is Substack a blog? Are blogs still a thing?) that I read from beginning to end. Christina We also note a passing this week. Warren You may have heard that Paul Ehrlich died last week. He was 93.  Ehrlich made news in the 1960s called The Population Bomb, which predicted widespread starvation and war as a result of overpopulation. Liberals used the book to promote abortion, contraception, and homosexuality as an “evolutionary adaptation” to procreative unions. Christina Ehrlich turned out to be spectacularly wrong about this and many other matters. Warren The real reason for population growth in the 20th century was the worldwide increase in living standards and lifespan. As population expert Steven Moshertold me, “The reason the population grew was not because we were breeding like rabbits, but because we were no longer dying like flies.” But we’ve likely reached the end of longevity increases, so if birthrates stay the same, look for population declines in most countries in the world in the decades ahead. That's already happening in much of Europe. Christina You also note this week that shopping malls are making a comeback. Warren Shopping malls have been distressed for the past decade or more, with many of them closing down or being repurposed. But my friends at Axis, a Christian ministry that helps parents keep an eye on youth culture and how it's affecting kids, noted this week that “Gen Z is driving a resurgence in mall shopping, with many malls redesigning public spaces to be more “photogenic” and social-media friendly, as well as popular online stores like Edikted opening brick-and-mortar locations.” Christina Is this an anomaly or a new direction? Warren It may be too early to tell. But it could be the 2.0 version of the social media era, an era that provides an antidote to social media isolation with a dose of 80s and 90s mall culture. Christina Any final notes before we go? Warren   I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Nashville in May, where I'll be speaking to the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. And I'll be speaking at Summit Ministries in Manitou Springs, Colorado, in June. I will be doing reader lunches in all three cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, along with Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

In this week's EXTRA episode, we talk about unsung heroes. We want to tell more of their stories here at MinistryWatch. I do not want you to think we are getting soft. We will continue to engage in the fact-based analysis and deeply reported accountability journalism we have always done. But we would like to include more stories featuring below-the-radar Christian leaders serving faithfully in communities all over the country. So, drop me a line. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. I cannot wait to hear your stories. For a link to a transcript of today's episode, click here. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, 22 plaintiffs who say they were abused at a Christian children's homes in Romania are suing Harvest Christian Fellowship—who sponsored the children's homes—and its famous pastor, Greg Laurie, claiming the church knew about the abuse and could have stopped it. Plus, are Donor Advised Funds right for you—things you should consider before choosing. And, a businessman is looking to donate a historic college campus to a ministry focused on “spiritual revival of our Christian faith.” Also, Beth Moore will be ending her popular Living Proof events in 2027. But first, a Virginia judge has ruled that a discrimination lawsuit against Liberty University can move forward. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Fredrick Nzwili, Bob Smietana, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

  Christina Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch. Welcome to the MinistryWatch podcast. In today's extra episode, I talk with Warren Smith about some news items that are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” So, Warren, what's up first? Warren This week, I've been thinking a bit about Lonnie Frisbee, one of the more interesting and tragic figures of American Evangelicalism was Lonnie Frisbee. Christina He was a key figure in the so-called “Jesus Revolution” of the 1970s, and he helped found two church movements still around today: Calvary Chapel and Vineyard Churches. Warren That's right. He influenced John Wimber, Greg Laurie, and many others. He died this week (March 12) in 1993 of AIDS. But before he died, he had an outsized impact on the Jesus Revolution, both for good and for ill. I won't go into his biography here, but if you check out my “Signs and Wonders” column this week, I have a link to a longer story I did about him a few years ago. It will be in the show notes for today's program. To read more about Frisbee and the mark he left on American Evangelicalism, click here. Christina You've also been thinking about Kazakhstan this week. Warren Yes, it might sound strange, but I am paying attention to Kazakhstan this week. Christina That seems kind of random. Is there a reason? Warren They vote on Friday on a new constitution, the third constitution since 1993. Kazakhstan is one of the largest countries in the world by land mass. And within Kazakhstan is the largest lake in the world, the Caspian Sea, which is not a sea at all, but a massive lake the size of the state of Montana. Christina But for all its size, it has only about 20 million people. Warren A long-time Soviet satellite, it is an independent nation with a sizable Christian population – about 20 percent. However, it is a country that has a history of human rights, free speech, and civil liberties violations. Critics say the new constitution will further consolidate power with the country's chief executive. Christian ministries operating in Kazakhstan include the Kazakhstan Baptist Union, Youth for Christ, Salvation Army, Operation Mobilization, and International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Christina Another event happening this week is a bit outside of MinistryWatch's normal coverage, but is a huge cultural event. That's the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Warren South by Southwest, commonly called “South by,” is one of the largest tech, movie, music, and culture events in the country. It regularly draws 120,000 to Austin, Texas. I covered SXSW for WORLD and was always able to find some explicitly Christian events going on. Last year, there was a significant faith component to the proceedings. Silicon Valley Christian hosted SVC at SXSW. It was the largest explicitly Christian gathering at South by this year. Last year's event included a “keynote conversation” with actor Zachary Levi, cultural conversations about Christianity in tech spaces, and music, including musicians Matt Maher and For King and Country. The details on this year's event are vague, though its Sunday worship service appears still to be on. Christian artists appearing at South by this week include Mission and Sam Llanes. Christina South by Southwest has a significant technology component. In fact, it was at South by that Twitter was first rolled out, in the early 2000s. From those beginnings, social media has gone on to take over the world in many ways. Warren That's right, but now new laws are attempting to limit social media, especially in the lives of young people. One of those new laws was recently passed in Virginia. Christina But WORLD Magazine reports that a federal judge on Feb. 27 temporarily paused enforcement of the Virginia law. Warren The law would limit minors under 16 to one hour of screen time per social media platform per day.”  The law was supported by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, the state's attorney general, and an overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Virginia legislature. Christina Nonetheless, U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles sided with NetChoice, an industry trade group representing YouTube, Google, X, Netflix, and other platforms. Warren The judge said the law violated First Amendment free speech protections. Giles said the 2025 law “burdens more speech than necessary as it requires all persons to verify their age before accessing speech that is protected for everyone.” The state has appealed the ruling. Christina And there's more trouble in the Anglican Church in North America. Warren ACNA appointed Bishop Julian Dobbs to be its acting archbishop back in November, when Archbishop Steve Wood was credibly charged with sexual harassment of one of his employees. Now, old accusations that Dobbs misappropriated $47,862 have been raised by one of his rivals, Bishop Derek Jones. Christina Jones left ACNA a few months ago following a controversy over his leadership of the military chaplains. He has formed a new denomination called the Anglican Reformed Catholic Church. Warren Dobbs is now suing Jones for defamation. Dobbs says the disputed sum is $3,750, and the money was not misappropriated, but temporarily put into the wrong back account. The mistake was caught and quickly corrected. Former Archbishop Foley Beach backs up Dobbs' version of the story. Dobbs asked a federal court in Alabama to order Bishop Derek Jones to pay compensatory and punitive damages. Christina That brings us to the end of this week's conversation. Any final notes before we go? Warren A few. Did you know I also write fiction? I published a novel back in 2017, and I'm working on a new novel now. The Blacklist, an influential community of screenwriters and novelists, is featuring my novel-in-progress Up The American on its site this week. If you want to read the excerpt they are publishing, I'll link to it in today's show notes. I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Dallas in May. I will be doing reader lunches in both cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. Christina The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, with my co-host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's Extra episode, some reflections on the life of former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. Ben Sasse spoke plainly when he announced his cancer diagnosis a couple of weeks ago. In his public letter announcing the diagnosis, Sasse wrote: “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die.” But, as Sasse reminds us, we are going to die one day, and we should let that knowledge burn away the idols in our lives and teach us how to live. His candor, his clear-eyed but hopeful posture toward death, offers lessons for us all. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

CHRISTINA Hello, everyone, I'm Christina Darnell, the managing editor of MinistryWatch, and today we're inaugurating a new feature here on the MinistryWatch podcast. Here's Warren Smith, the President of MinistryWatch, to explain. WARREN That's right, Christina. For the past couple of years, I've been writing a column called “Signs and Wonders.” “Signs and Wonders” is a column that shares thoughts on news items that either do not rise to the level of a news story for MinistryWatch or are slightly (even significantly) outside of our normal charity and philanthropy “beat.” My goal with the column was to be punchy, opinionated, and not to worry much about being slightly off brand. CHRISTINA And that approach has worked. Your “Signs and Wonders” column is often among our top ten stories of the week. WARREN So, after talking with you about that, we decided to do this audio version of the column. We won't be posting this on the website. After all, the “Signs and Wonders” column itself is already there, but we will be dropping this into the podcast feed each week, and we hope you enjoy it. CHRISTINA So what's up first? WARREN This week, the National Religious Broadcasters became the Pro-War Religious Broadcasters. It is not clear to me why the National Religious Broadcasters felt a need to issue a statement in support of Trump’s War this morning, but it did. I will not reprint it here. You can find it online if you are so inclined. CHRISTINA But it appears that the NRB might have outkicked its coverage, as they say in football. WARREN That's right. The Associated Press reports this week that even among the president's hardcore media supporters there is division. It will be interesting to see of MAGA media faithful remain…well…faithful. As up Wednesday, the American death toll is up to six people. The total death toll has topped 800. CHRISTINA We don't cover a lot of international news here at MinistryWatch, but you wanted to highlight the worsening situation in Nigeria. WARREN The situation in Nigeria is not getting as much attention in the U.S. as it deserves. Islamic radicals are trying to impose Sharia law to a large swath of the country, and local residents are resisting. What is happening in Nigeria could erupt into a larger conflict. CHRISTINA Nigeria has more than 230 million people, with Christians making up 40% of the population. WARREN If what is happening in Nigeria explodes into a full-blown religious war, the consequences could be devastating. More than a dozen Christian ministries, including Cru, Samaritan's Purse, Compassion International, World Vision, and SIM International have a presence in the country. CHRISTINA Closer to home, you've turned your attention to Christian romance novels. WARREN I was interested in and mildly frustrated by an article in Christianity Today about Christian romance writer Jeannette Oke. The 91-year-old author has sold more than 30 million copies of her soapy, sentimental books. CHRISTINA Several of them have been turned into Hallmark movies. WARREN I was interested because the story was well-written and fact filled. I was frustrated because the story failed to note that the romance genre has killed serious fiction in this country. Some reports say romance novels account for 30 percent of adult fiction sales. Maybe I'm just getting old and crotchety, but — in my view — “Christian Romance Novel” is an oxymoron. The sentimentality of a “romance novel” are in active war against the realism of true Christian fiction. Can you imagine a Christian publisher today bringing out Flannery O'Connor or Wendell Berry or Walker Percy? CHRISTINA Warren, let's pivot and talk about a controversy involving the beloved Minneapolis preacher and ministry leader John Piper. WARREN He stirred social media last week by tweeting a Bible verse. That Bible verse is Leviticus 19:34. “You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” CHRISTINA But what seemed to generate the controversy was a one line comment he added. WARREN He then added this comment: “Christians know the miserable bondage we were all in.” CHRISTINA The post has (so far) gotten 1.9 million views and about 2000 comments. So why do you think the tweet got so much attention? WARREN The tweet is controversial because our current immigration policy is polarizing. Some of Piper's critics have included Calvary Chapel Chino Hills pastor Jack Hibbs and James Lasher of Charisma Magazine. One of my more perceptive readers, Salvatore Luiso, emailed me that it was “sadly ironic” that Piper is being criticized for taking a Bible verse out of context by people in the charismatic movement who engage in “absurd interpretations of Bible verses taken out of context.” He has a point. CHRISTINA Speaking of the charismatic movement, Paula White-Cain is at it again. WARREN At a conference in Florida called the Unleashed Conference, covered by Christian Leader, she urged attendees last week to give a “sacrificial seed…out of obedience to God, and she tied their giving to spiritual breakthroughs.” CHRISTINA The 2026 Unleashed Conference took place in late February, and featured speakers including former Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Anglican priest Calvin Robinson. WARREN In other words, people who should have known better than to associate with Paula White-Cain, who was investigated by Sen. Charles Grassley a dozen years ago. CHRISTINA Can you give us a taste of what she said? WARREN Yes, here is a taste of White's message: “How many of you want to be a blessing?” she asked. “Because I'm telling you, there's an anointing of release right now. I want $100,000 to come in. I want $100,000. There are ten people that could give $10,000. There's a hundred people that could give $1,000. Get a check, make it payable to Paula White Ministries,” said White-Cain. “If you say, ‘I don't have it,' give a $100. Bring up a sacrificial seed.” To which I can only add: Stay as far away as possible from this charlatan's theology. CHRISTINA Warren, I've noticed in your social media feeds you often remember fallen military heroes. And this week you are remembering John Chapman. Who was he? WARREN John Chapman died in combat on this date in 2002. He was the first Airman awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. If you don't know about him, check out this article. I highly recommend taking some time with it. It is the powerful story of a true American hero. And, I might add, the battle which cost him his life and for which he got the Medal of Honor, was captured on video by a drone that was flying over the battle to provide support. The video can be found on social media and it is done tastefully. It's not graphic. And I recommend finding it and getting a more immersive understanding of this hero's story. I should add that Chapman was a husband, father, and a committed Christian as well. CHRISTINA Any closing thoughts? WARREN I have some travel coming up in the next couple of months, and I would love to see you. I will be in Los Angeles in April and Dallas in May. I will be doing reader lunches in both cities. Let me know if you would like to join us. My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com. CHRISTINA The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm Christina Darnell, with my co-host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Global Outreach Developments International—which goes by the name G.O.D. International—is in the hot seat after a lawsuit claims the Nashville-based ministry and its former leader engaged in sex trafficking and forced labor. We'll have details. Also, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is rolling out its new LeaderCare standard—we have compiled practical steps to help ministries develop their own plan and come into compliance with the new standard. Plus, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz proposes taking Trey's Law to the federal level, making non-disclosure agreements in cases of child sexual abuse unenforceable. And, U.S. Foreign Missions faces a time of upheaval—although elsewhere, cross-cultural ministry remains robust. But first, a prominent North Carolina pastor and leader with the Acts 29 Network has been removed from leadership after confessing to an ‘inappropriate relationship.' Tyler Jones is vice president for Acts 29 and founder of Vintage Church in Raleigh, N.C. Last month, he confessed the inappropriate relationship to the Vintage Church elders…who then voted to remove Jones from his role, effective immediately. Acts 29 also dismissed him from his VP position. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, and Richard Ostling. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week's podcast.

Today on the podcast, I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Clint Pressley. Dr. Pressley has been serving as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, since his election in June 2024 — and he was reelected to a second term in June 2025. That means, of course, that he is coming to the end of his tenure as president, and I wanted to sit down with him to reflect on his time as president, and to look at some of the issues facing the SBC and evangelicalism in general. Before stepping into this national leadership role, Clint Pressley has spent decades in pastoral ministry, most notably as the senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he has faithfully shepherded his congregation since 2011. His journey in ministry began in his youth and has taken him across multiple states and church contexts — from Mississippi to Alabama and back to North Carolina — shaping a pastoral heart deeply grounded in Scripture and committed to gospel proclamation. A graduate of Wofford College and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Pressley has also served in key denominational capacities for years, including as vice president of the SBC and as a trustee and former chairman of the board for the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Beyond his leadership roles, he is known for emphasizing unity, doctrinal fidelity, and mission focus within the convention. Today, he joins us to reflect on his vision for Southern Baptists, the challenges and opportunities facing the church, and what it means to lead with conviction rooted in faith. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, families who lost children at Camp Mystic last year are suing Texas state officials for licensing the camp despite its lack of an evacuation plan. We'll have details. And, fundraising on commission—it may seem like a win-win scenario, but experts say the ethical issues outweigh any benefits. We'll take a look. Plus, the United Methodist Committee on Relief is closing down one of its central hubs where Methodists have been assembling relief kits since 1996 to send across the country after disasters. But first, more controversy at Bethel Church in Redding, California. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Isaac Wood, David Roach, Diana Chandler, and Makella Knowles. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

I started getting emails from Elizabeth Carlock Phillips in February of 2021 – five years ago this month. She wanted to tell me about sex abuse and the coverup of abuse at Kanakuk Kamps. That conversation began MinistryWatch's five-year journey (so far) to cover Kanakuk, Trey's Law, the use of non-disclosure agreements in Christian environments, and related issues. In today's episode, Warren Smith talks about the woman behind the movement. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, a judge has denied the request of two Gateway Church elders who were seeking to be dismissed from a defamation lawsuit filed by Robert Morris' sexual abuse victim, Cindy Clemishire. We'll have details. Also, three seminaries and one Christian college have partnered with Kanakuk Institute to train Christian leaders—but abuse advocates are crying foul, saying the partnership could send the wrong message, potentially glossing over Kanakuk's checkered past. Plus, a new study shows that despite federal funding cuts, most nonprofits are still reporting a revenue increase. And, Best Christian Workplaces champions 310 faith-based organizations. But first, another Christian college has announced that it's closing its doors at the end of this school year.  Until next time, may God bless you.

Two weeks ago, I was in Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay area of California, to attend a meeting about artificial intelligence and missions. I entered the meeting with a lot of questions, and some of those questions remain – plus a few new ones. But I also got a lot of answers, and I'm excited about what the future holds. Give a listen, and I think you will be too. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sued a small church in California for legal title to its property—but that small church is fighting back. We'll have details.  And, a hacker drained $85,000 from an Oklahoma church's bank account. Then in North Dakota, a woman was indicted for stealing over $600,000 from a church she worked at. Both cases highlight why ordinary access to church finances can equal extraordinary losses—and the need for tightening protocols. Also, six months ago, Barnabas Aid came under scrutiny for accusations of financial mismanagement. Now, under new leadership, the ministry is working hard to turn things around. Plus, Bible Study Fellowship prepares its new headquarters in Grapevine, Texas. But first, Agape Flights, a Christian aviation ministry, lost contact with one of its planes last Thursday. The next day, search and rescue teams found the plane crashed in the Haitian mountains. No one on board survived the crash. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Scott Barkley, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

If you have studied what it means to have a Christian worldview or – for that matter – you have just studied the Bible, you know that it all begins with the creation story. “In the beginning, God created.” And if we are made in God's image, that means we are creative, too, and a part of our maturity in Christ is to more fully live into that mandate to be creators. And I don't just mean what some call “creative” professions, such as music, literature, and other arts. I mean woodworkers, homemakers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and plumbers. We are hearing more talk about creativity in recent years. Sometimes it takes the form of organizations committed to Christians and the arts. The Rabbit Room, co-founded by Andrew Peterson is an example. The International Arts Movement, founded by Makoto Fujimura is another. Andy Crouch's work with Praxis also comes to mind. But I have never heard anyone approach this topic in quite the way my guest today, Jim Edwards, has. His book “To Invent is Divine” examines human creativity as it relates to property rights – all within the framework of a Judeo-Christian principles of stewardship and ownership. He looks at America's patent system and how laws protecting intellectual property have encouraged creativity. He is also concerned, however, that those laws are eroding and the principles of intellectual property protection are weakening in an era of artificial intelligence. Jim Edwards has a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. He has had a long career in public policy and intellectual property consulting. He was a Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute, and in 2017 was honored with the Eagle Award from the Eagle Forum's Education and Legal Defense Fund. I had this conversation with Jim via zoom. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, WaterStone is being sued by a client who claims that the donor-advised fund cut him off from his family's account. The results of this case could have larger implications for the rights of donors and other donor advised funds. We'll have details. Also, the ‘He Gets Us' Campaign is back for the 2026 Super Bowl—but under new leadership, this year's ad is less political, more personal. We'll take a look. And, a new study shows that American donors think they're a whole lot more generous than they actually are. Plus, the Christian Broadcasting Network announced job cuts this week as part of a larger ‘workforce realignment.' But first, The president of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was arrested last week for child pornography.  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, Bob Smietana, Isaac Wood, Marci Seither, Stacey Horton, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

On today's program, a report reveals past sexual abuse among the Christian scouting program, the Royal Rangers. Now, the Assemblies of God—who heads up the group—is being criticized for not providing adequate safeguards. We'll have details. And, the popular Passion Conference attracted some 60-thousand young people to its flagship event earlier this month, bringing in millions of dollars —but a deep dive into the ministry's financials shows a lack of transparency in how that money is being used. We'll take a look. Plus, one week ago, tens of thousands of pro-lifers flooded the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the 2026 March for Life. But just how unified is the pro-life movement? We'll try to answer that question. But first, the Jesus Film has become one of the most widely viewed films ever, having been used by missionaries for decades to share the gospel. Now, the Jesus Film Project is shifting away from in-person relationships and is focusing on digital products.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Diana Chandler, Jessica Eturralde, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

This is a question that should be vital for Christians, especially since the Great Commission makes growing Christianity one of most important concerns. But do we really know? In today's episode, Warren Smith says we know the answer to this question. It's hiding in plain sight. It is this:  The church grows when we are fruitful and multiply, and when we raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It really is as simple as that. To read a script of today's podcast episode, click here.

On today's program, Cities Church in Minneapolis is considering legal options after protestors stormed its church service Sunday in response to the government's immigration measures in the city. We'll have details. And, philanthropists are turning to family offices to manage their wealth—but what are they, why have they grown so much in the past decade, and how will it impact ministries? We'll take a look.  Plus, Missouri passed a law to hold boarding schools accountable after several were shut down over allegations of neglect and abuse. Now, another ministry is fighting that law, saying its broad requirements are infringing on its religious freedom. But first, Apologia Church in Arizona is suing a former member for defamation. The former member made videos, claiming church leadership mishandled confidential marriage counseling information. 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, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

If you have been a reader of MinistryWatch over the years, you probably know about GRACE. GRACE is an acronym that stands for Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments. GRACE is also a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing, addressing, and responding to abuse within Christian institutions. Founded to support survivors and promote accountability, GRACE provides independent investigations, consulting, training, and educational resources for churches, schools, ministries, and nonprofit organizations. Its work emphasizes trauma-informed care, best practices for safeguarding, and ethical leadership. By combining professional expertise with a survivor-centered approach, GRACE seeks to help Christian organizations confront abuse honestly, care well for victims, and create safer environments that reflect integrity, transparency, and respect for human dignity. We have used GRACE resources often in our work here at MinistryWatch. Now, GRACE has a new president. The former president, Pete Singer, who has been a guest of this program, died last May, and after a nationwide search, the group named a new president, Laura Thien, who is my guest today. Laura Thien brings more than eighteen years of service to survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, and other trauma—experience that spans work in adoptions, clinical practice, and victim advocacy, and non-profit Board leadership. For many years, she provided support and treatment for survivors of sexual trauma at Julie Valentine Center, a community-based sexual trauma recovery center and CAC (Child Advocacy Center) in Greenville, SC. Laura has a distinguished history of non-profit board leadership, having served as Chairperson for the board of directors for GRACE, Julie Valentine Center, and the Greenville County Sheriff's Office Citizens' Advisory Board. She has also served on the board of directors of the South Carolina Network of Child Advocacy Centers. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh.

We know how to solve some of our nation's most intractable problems, but will we? In this Extra episode, Warren Smith examines President Trump's decision to cut $2 billion to nonprofits, some of them faith-based organizations, that deal with mental health and addiction recovery issues. And this his reversal on Wednesday, when the administration restored those grants. It is not yet clear what impact the 48 hours of chaos will have. But they provide us an opportunity to have a national conversation regarding what kind of help actually helps. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. To read a transcript of this episode, with links to resources mentioned, click here.

On today's program, the pastor of Arise Vineyard in California has resigned after old allegations resurfaced of inappropriate behavior. We'll have details. And, medical debt continues to be a growing burden for many American families—but churches are partnering to help pay it off. We'll take a look. Plus, a Baptist news publication is sued for defamation by a former college professor who says he was falsely accused of sexual abuse. But first, a Florida woman is charged for impersonating the father of a Camp Mystic victim to raise money through a GoFundMe page. The complaint identifies Maitlin White, who used Matthew Childress' name and his daughter's picture to start a GoFund Me campaign to raise money. Childress lost his daughter Chloe during the July 4 floods that swept through Camp Mystic last year, killing 27 campers and counselors. 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, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Joseph Abboud, Kelly Van Duine—and you, Warren. A special thanks to Chimes, the student-run news publication for Biola University, for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Regular listeners to MinistryWatch know that one of the things we like to do here is celebrate what I sometimes call the “non-celebrity” Christian leader. We've seen so many of the toxic effects of celebrity leadership that we sometimes forget that it's a choice, and that it is possible to pursue our calling without pursuing celebrity. A group of people I admire for their approach to their art is a group of artists and others in Nashville associated with The Rabbit Room. These people include Andrew Peterson, who I have had on this podcast and my predecessor podcast at WORLD Magazine three or four times. But he has many fellow travelers in the Nashville music scene, including Andrew Osenga, who was a recent guest on the program, but also Randall Goodgame, Douglas McKelvey, Sandra McCracken, Charlie Peacock, Steve Taylor, John Mays – all of whom have been guests on this program. But man guy I've been wanting to talk with for years is…finally…my guest today. That man is Ben Shive. If you have even a passing knowledge of the Christian music scene, you probably know who Ben is. He has been involved in almost all of Andrew Peterson's music for the past 25 years, co-writing his hit “Is He Worthy?”  He was also a co-writer on Keith & Kristyn Getty's “Christ Is All in All.” He has produced music for Peterson and the Gettys, for JJ Heller, Dave Barnes, and MercyMe, and he won a Dove Award for his work with Brandon Heath. You can hear his playing and arrangements on the songs of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Chris Tomlin. I wanted to talk with Ben about his work, of course, but also what it was like to be a part of a creative community, and what it takes to hold that community together for decades. We had our conversation via zoom. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Still, seeing a Christian leader fall is discouraging. For some it can be devastating. That is why thinking deeply about these stories is important, and ultimately good for us and the church. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Kingdom of God Global Church—the church founded and led by self-proclaimed apostle David E. Taylor—is asking the U.S. government to return assets it seized in its investigation against its embattled pastor. We'll have details. And, as more pastors are facing criminal charges for not reporting abuse, MinistryWatch took a deep dive into mandatory reporting laws—what are they, how have they evolved, and what do church leaders need to know. Plus, our annual list of highly paid ministry executives. But first, Philip Yancey, a beloved evangelical author and speaker, is withdrawing from public ministry after confessing a long-term affair.  To read all the stories in today's podcast, go to www.MinistryWatch.com  Click here to read “Are We Paying Our Ministry Leaders Too Much?” 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, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Tony Mator, Steve Rabey—and you, Warren. A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

MinistryWatch has published more than 30,000 words about ACNA in the past five years, and many of those words have come from Kathryn Post. Kathryn Post is a reporter for RNS and she has done a great job covering a number of controversies in the young and growing denomination. Her words have appeared in outlets including The Washington Post, Sojourners, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, and – of course – MinistryWatch. Post joined RNS full-time in 2021. She holds a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School and bachelor’s degrees in writing and political science from Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Every year, for the past six years, I have presented a forward-looking, three-year strategic plan to the board of directors of MinistryWatch. That plan has not always been perfect. In fact, it has never been perfect. Circumstances change. New funding sources become available, or they dry up. Opportunities and barriers arise. These annual exercises in strategic planning have made real to me a lesson from a 1957 speech by President Dwight D. Eisenhower: “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”  One of the values of a plan is that it produces accountability. A plan is a commitment to accomplish certain things in the year ahead, or at least to attempt them. Plans keep us from wandering. They keep us focused. That's why I enjoy the planning process, and it's one reason I want to share certain aspects of our plans for 2026 with you today. I cannot promise you we will accomplish everything in our plan, but I can promise you these are the things I will focus on this year—and I believe they will make MinistryWatch more effective, and will help make you a more faithful steward of the resources God has entrusted to you. Expansion of the MinistryWatch 1000 Database. Six years ago, we had less than 500 ministries in our database. Today we have about 1,350 ministries, representing more than $51 billion in annual revenue. The vast majority of our readers tell us they use this database to help them make giving decisions. A third of our readers say they have changed their giving decisions based on the information in our database. That's real impact, and we want to see that impact grow. Therefore, our goal is to expand our database to 2,000 ministries by the end of 2026. We believe our database is what truly differentiates us from other investigative journalism and “watchdog” organizations, and we intend to “lean in” to that unique asset in 2026.  Increased Use of Artificial Intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become all the rage. But MinistryWatch has been using some primitive forms of AI for years. The algorithms of our database and rating systems utilize the principles of AI. We believe that AI presents ethical and practical considerations, but they are considerations journalists have already been dealing with for years — issues such as attribution, plagiarism, and fact-checking. So we are not afraid of AI, and we intend to use it more in the year ahead. We have already developed an AI assessment tool, and we recently published our first story using an AI assist. The growth of AI is inevitable. Using it will not be an option. Our goal will be to use it well and responsibly.  Personalized Giving Portfolio. We hope to roll out this year a new capability in our database, and that is the ability to customize your giving portfolio. You will soon be able to create your own list of ministries — ministries you want to follow, or ministries to which you currently give — and you will receive email notifications of any change in their ratings. We plan to build an app that will allow you to carry this capability around on your smartphone.  Podcast Improvements. I love podcasts, but one of the things I have noticed is that podcasts are everywhere. Worldwide, there are now more than 4 million active podcasts. I'm guessing that you, like me, are getting pickier about what you listen to. I now subscribe to a lot of podcasts, but I don't listen to every episode. That said, I continue to subscribe because I still listen to every second or third episode, and it costs me nothing to skip an episode I'm not interested in. That's why in 2026 MinistryWatch will be producing more episodes. Last year we published about 120 episodes. This year we hope to publish 135 to 150 episodes. You might not like them all, but if you are a regular listener, we believe this increase in content will give you more choices. Oh, and no hard feelings if you don't listen to them all!  More Long Form Print Content. We published nearly 900 stories at MinistryWatch in 2025. In 2026, I don't expect that number will increase significantly, but we do plan to publish longer pieces. Journalism is supposed to provide the “who, what, where, when, how, and why” for events happening in the world. However, the internet is much better at the “what” than it is at the “why.” Providing the “why” provides judgment, discernment, wisdom. These qualities are in short supply or — even when they exist — are often hard to find amidst the banal, the trivial, and the misinformation. We want MinistryWatch to be a place you can trust not just for the “what,” but for the “how” and “why.” To that end, look for more “explainers” and more “guides to giving” of the kind that we published on sex-trafficking this year. A few things about MinistryWatch won't change. We remain committed to being independent, free to users, and — most importantly — guided by a biblical understanding of the world. If this sounds attractive to you…c'mon along. I believe 2026 will be an exciting year.  TO OUR LISTENERS: The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. Do you know of a story that will help us fulfill our mission, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? If so, please email us at info@ministrywatch.com. 

On today's special year-end episode, Natasha Cowden and Warren Smith look at the top 25 stories of the year as voted on by you, the MinistryWatch reader. These are the stories that got the top number of page views for the year. Of course, the number of page views is not the only way to measure the impact of a story. So Warren will be sprinkling in some commentary throughout the episode that we hope will put some of these stories in a larger context. We'll also talk about a few surprises in this year's list. For example, the Robert Morris story did not make this list at all. We did a lot of reporting on Robert Morris this year, but the most read story on Morris came in at #48 on our list. Also, the Dave Ramsey story – our number one story — got more than 200,000 page views, which is by far the most page views an individual story has ever gotten here at MinistryWatch. Speaking of numbers, we have some metrics related to MinistryWatch. Our website got four million page views this year. That is by far the most page views we have seen in our 26-year history. I also wanted to mention that Kim Roberts wrote eleven of the 25 stories on this year's list, and I wanted to commend her for her excellent reporting this year. Christina Darnell, our managing editor, edited every single one of the nearly 900 stories that went on our website this year, and she compiled this year's Top 25 list. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. To see this complete list, along with links to the original stories, just go to MinistryWatch.com. Until next year, may God bless you.

Because Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, it really cuts into the work schedule of the last two weeks of the year. But we didn't want to go two full weeks without sharing some content on the podcast. I mean, after all, you can't watch football non-stop, right? So this week and next we'll be re-airing a couple of episodes from years past that you may have missed, especially if you are a new listener to the podcast. On today's program, we're re-airing a podcast from the summer of 2023 with Rusty and Carol Leonard, the founders of MinistryWatch. I recorded this conversation with them on the occasion of MinistryWatch's 25th anniversary. We're now almost two years farther on, but MinistryWatch's origin story, and Rusty and Carol's testimony of faithfulness, not to mention God's faithfulness in sustaining this ministry, are more relevant and – to me – more encouraging than ever. So, with no further introduction, here's the original podcast episode from June  14, 2023, in its entirety.

Regular readers of MinistryWatch know that I'm a bit of a Ryan Burge fan-boy. His weekly Substack column, “Graphs About Religion,” is required reading for me. I cite it often in my weekly “Signs and Wonders” column. That's why I'm kind of geeking out today, now that we finally have him on the podcast. The occasion for this get-together is his new book. It's called The Vanishing Church: How The Hollowing Out of Moderate Congregations is Hurting Democracy, Faith, and Us. I've got to admit that when I saw the title of this book, I thought to myself, “I'm not sure the hollowing out of moderate congregations is such a bad thing.” Jesus himself didn't have much use for lukewarm Christians. But I have to admit that, after reading Ryan's book, I have – well – moderated my position on moderate congregations. At least…moderately. As you'll hear, I push back on Ryan's thesis a bit, and as I think you will also hear, this was a lively and respectful conversation. Ryan Burge is a professor of practice at The Danforth Center on Religion and Politics at Washington University. He previously taught at Eastern Illinois University. He is the author of several previous books, including his 2023 book The Great Dechurching, which may have been my onramp to Ryan's work. In addition to writing his weekly Substack column, which I just mentioned, he is also a regular contributor to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and other publications. He has appeared on CBS News' flagship program 60 Minutes, and has been cited by countless other news programs, podcasts, and news articles. We had this conversation via zoom. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. If you are listening to this program during the week we dropped it, MERRY CHRISTMAS. Thanks for making MinistryWatch a part of your holiday festivities. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, the judicial commission of the Anglican Church in North America has handed down its long-awaited verdict in the months-long trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch. And that verdict is, “Not Guilty.” We'll have details. And, International Servants has been making big claims about its decades of ministry work in Belize—but verifying those claims has proven more difficult. We'll take a look. Plus, Elevation Church—the North Carolina-based megachurch led by Steven Furtick—has announced the launch of Elevation College. But first, St. Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida, has officially voted to leave the Presbyterian Church in America. The church, originally led by Dr. R.C. Sproul, joined the PCA in 2023. It first considered a vote to leave this summer, but delayed the vote while referring the matter to the church's board of elders, also known as its session, to study the situation and return with a recommendation. Its lead pastor, Burk Parsons, was suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the PCA in June after being found guilty by a church judicial commission of three charges related to, among other things, a “domineering” and “intimidating” leadership style, which included accusations of bullying and slander. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, and Aaron Earls. A special thanks to Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

We live in a polarized world today, and one of the hallmarks of that polarization is the tendency to fight what we are against. That's sometimes necessary, of course. But often fighting what we are against distracts us from clearly understanding and simply saying what we are for. That tendency shows up in our conversations about gender and sexuality. We are pretty good, or at least pretty loud, at saying what we are against, but not as effective at articulating a coherent vision of gender and sexuality that is not merely combative, but also convincing. Elizabeth Urbanowicz understands that our children are watching, and that's one of the reasons I found her book Helping Your Kids Know God's Good Design to be so helpful. It's a book designed for parents – and grandparents – who want to speak into the lives of their children and grandchildren in formative, constructive ways. This book is not a bunch of do's and don't's, but is full of how's and why's. I've got to confess that I've been a fan of Elizabeth Urbanowicz for a few years now. I first met her when I was at the Colson Center. That was probably seven or eight years ago. Her small business, Foundation Worldview, has grown steadily over the past few years, providing curriculum material for Christian schools and homeschoolers. She has a lot of videos and other resources online, and I recommend them to you. We had this conversation via zoom. She spoke to me from her home in Georgia. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, the Department of Justice is suing the founder of Life Surge, Joe Johnson, for his alleged part in a scheme to cheat the government out of over $46 million in taxes through abusive bargain sale transactions. We'll take a look. And, a new report reveals the final moments of missionaries Alex and Serena Wurm before their plane crashed on a trip to deliver aid to Jamaica. We'll have details. Plus, two reports that detail reasons for cautious optimism. One shows that the decline of religion in America has stalled. Another, that Christian giving in America is on the rebound. But first, abuse lawsuits are piling up against Pastor Greg Laurie and his Harvest Christian Fellowship, bringing the total number of lawsuits to 12. The original lawsuit was filed in September by two men claiming that Paul Havsgaard abused them at a children's shelter in Bucharest, Romania. Allegations include children being tied to radiators, being made to kneel down on walnut shells, being touched inappropriately, and being “pimped out” for sex. The number of litigants has now risen to 12. The law firm representing the survivors said in a news release in September that it expects 23 former residents of the children's home to bring complaints. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles. Until next time, may God bless you.

We have heard a lot of discussion in the past few years about Christian Nationalism. But for all the talk, the books, and the social media traffic, there's less clarity than ever around the term. But one of the worst outcomes we have seen amidst this talk has been a dismissal of what my guest today, Daniel Darling, calls Christian patriotism. While Dan Darling rejects what is often a virulent and anti-Christian version of Christian Nationalism, he writes in a new book that patriotism isn't optional for Christians. He explains that God himself defines the time and place in which we live and gave us a command to love our neighbors. Loving our country and getting involved in the political, social, cultural, and civic lives of our nation are essential duties. Dan Darling is uniquely qualified to talk about these issues. He is a pastor and the author of several books, including The Dignity Revolution, which is one that had a big impact on me. He currently serves as the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a fellow at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also a columnist for WORLD Magazine and a contributor to USA Today. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's EXTRA episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith explains our Donor Confidence Score and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the DCS and about the MinistryWatch 1000 database. Some of the links mentioned in today's program include: You can find the ministry you're looking for by clicking here. A growing number of Christian ministries do not file a Form 990. I have written about this trend here. We welcome feedback from donors and ministry leaders regarding individual ministry ratings, or regarding our overall rating system. We have made adjustments over the years based on this feedback. If you have comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at wsmith@ministrywatch.com

On today's program, The Skit Guys is calling it a wrap after nearly 3 decades of ministry because one of the co-founders admitted to ‘moral failure.' We'll have details. And, an Arizona church got the green light to resume its food distribution ministry after the city of San Luis had attempted to shut it down, citing zoning violations. We'll take a look. Plus, the results from our fall survey of top ministry executives from some of the largest ministries in the U-S. Many ministry executives fear a recession is on the way. But first, a well-known reformed Baptist pastor resigned from his post. Samuel Renihan has confessed to adultery and resigned from his position at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He was ordained by the church in 2012. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith. You've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

We've entered year-end giving season, and you're likely to see a lot of emails in your in-box promoting matching or challenge gifts. What are matching gifts?  How do they differ from challenge gifts?  Are they legitimate fundraising tools, and do they make a difference?  MinistryWatch attempts to briefly answer these questions in this special EXTRA episode.  Here are a few resources mentioned on today's program:  According to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability:  “Using challenge and matching gifts as a part of your fundraising program can be very effective. As in all fundraising communications, truthfulness is a hallmark (ECFA Standard 7.1) as are appeals that do not create unrealistic donor expectations (ECFA Standard 7.2).”  The data suggest that matching gifts are.  Philanthropy Works said just declaring a matching gift increases giving by 19 percent.  It said a match increases the likelihood that an individual gives by 22 percent. But some Christian organizations report much higher results.  In one recent experiment done by the consulting firm NextAfter with its client Alliance Defending Freedom, a matching gift resulted in a dramatic increase – more than 87 percent — in the effectiveness of its email communications.  (You can dig into the details of that study here.) Note, however, that a similar study done with Museum of the Bible yielded a significantly different result:  an increase in about 50 percent.  (You can read more about that experiment here.)  This result is obviously much lower, but it's important to note that even this very different result indicates that matching gifts make a real difference.