MinistryWatch Podcast

On today's program, we take a closer look at the “He Gets Us” media campaign.  We'll also share with you some of the highlights of a couple of MinistryWatch investigations.  One of them was a close look at Glory of Zion, a Dallas based ministry.  We also take a deep dive into a Colorado ministry called Love the Least. We begin today with news from Knoxville, Tennessee.  In an unusual move, a judge said an alleged rape victim is going to have to use his legal name in his lawsuit against the Catholic Diocese there. A Few Closing Words…. If you give to MinistryWatch during the month of February, we'll send them a copy of the book “Handling Allegations in a Ministry” by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham.  This is a valuable resource for pastors, elders, deacons, ministry leaders, and active and involved church members and ministry donors.  It's our thank you gift for a donation of any size to MinistryWatch this month.  Just go to the MinistryWatch website and hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Alejandra Molina, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we're featuring a recent interview I had with pastor and author Jason Jimenez. Jason has served as a pastor and ministry leader, and his books include The Bible's Answer To Live's 100 Biggest Questions, which he co-authored with Dr. Norman Geisler. He is also the author of Challenging Conversations:  A Practical Guide to Discuss Controversial Topics in the Church. Jason also leads Stand Strong Ministries, and he often posts helpful videos on Christian worldview and apologetics issues. I want to have Jason on the program today because of one of those videos. Jason recorded a short, 13-minute video about a story we've been covering here at MinistryWatch, and that's the Matt Chandler story. If you don't know that story, here it is in a nutshell.  Matt Chandler is the well known pastor of The Village Church, a megachurch in Dallas.  Chandler was also a founder and played a prominent leadership role in the Acts 29 church planting network.  He recently took a sabbatical from his church following accusations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in his church.  That relationship was not sexual in nature, but included text messages that Chandler admitted and his church elder board ultimately determined were too familiar for him to be having.  (You can read what MinistryWatch has written about Matt Chandler here.) After several months away from the pulpit, Chandler is now back.  And some have criticized him and his church for letting him come back too quickly.  However, Jason Jimenez has a different perspective.  He says this is an example of church discipline that worked. You can see Jason's video here:  https://youtu.be/z_80I0k8kuo A Few Final Words:  Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.  Or click here. And if you donate in the month of February, we'll send you a really helpful book as our “thank you.”  The book is called Handing Allegations In A Ministry:  Responses and Investigations.  It's by Theresa Lynn Sidebotham, who we will have on next week's MinistryWatch EXTRA podcast. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, new developments in the case against megachurch pastor John Blanchard, arrests in the vandalism of pregnancy care centers, and a Christian broadcaster's radio towers were destroyed. We begin today with a story about sexual abuse allegations that concern the Salvation Army, one of the largest Christian organizations in the country. A final reminder that we'll be doing a webinar next week called “How To Find and Read A Form 990.”  The webinar is free, but you do have to register.  And I should mention that we are limiting attendance to 100, and we're nearly there.  So if you want to attend, or even if you can't attend but want to watch the recording we'll be making, you need to sign up soon.  It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET.  Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page. Don't forget to rate and leave a comment on your podcast app. Not only do these comments help us know what you're thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, your ratings help other people find us.  That's a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach. Finally, here's the story I mentioned on the program:  Why MinistryWatch Reports on Sex Crimes The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Jack Jenkins, Bob Smietana, Jessica Lea, Stephanie Martin, Scott Barkley, and Rod Pitzer. A special thanks to Baptist Press and ChurchLeaders-dot-com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Today I welcome back to the program Jane Schoen, and we are joined by her colleague Amy McClintock.  Jane and Amy are with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Almost two years ago I reported on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called LinguaLinx. I wrote an article about this process in August of 2021. But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process.  Last year, for example, I checked in with Jane in both January and August to get updates on the project.  And that's what we are doing today.  The difference today is that Amy McClintock has joined SRG in a leadership role, so she will be joining Jane in today's conversation. The very fact that Jane and Amy and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates.  It's an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy.  In fact, for the past two years or so, I've written nearly two dozen articles on the industry and its practices, and I'll have links to those articles below.  I encourage you to check them out. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.  And if you donate in the month of January, we'll send you, as our thank you, a copy of Dr. Michael Kruger's new book “Bully Pulpit.”  This book defines what spiritual abuse is, and is not, and provides practical and compassionate ways for dealing with spiritual abuse in the church.  To donate, click here. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.     Until next time, may God bless you.  Links Mentioned in Today's Program   Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest:   ECFA Charter Member, Wycliffe Associates, Resigns Membership While Under Review – March 7, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/ecfa-charter-member-wycliffe-associates-resigns-membership-while-under-review/   What Would Wycliffe Fly? – March 19, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/what-would-wycliffe-fly/   Wycliffe Associates Touts MAST, Print-On-Demand – April 15, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-touts-mast-and-print-on-demand-program/   When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/   Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/   American Bible Society Names Robert Briggs As President – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/american-bible-society-names-robert-l-briggs-as-president-and-ceo/   Key Executives Depart Wycliffe Associates – August 12, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/key-executives-depart-wycliffe-associates/  

On today's program, Virginia megachurch pastor John Blanchard had sexual solicitation charges against him dropped, but protesters are showing up at his church and even the town's police chief thinks the case was mishandled.  We'll have details.  Also on today's program, Open Doors releases its annual Watch List, which tracks persecution of Christians around the world.  This year's conclusions are bleak.  We'll explain why. We begin today with a lawsuit involving Bryan College that has been dragging on for more than five years.  In Closing:  I mention fairly constantly here at MinistryWatch the importance of the Form 990.  We use them every day here at MinsitryWatch, and we encourage donors to look at them before they give to a ministry.  In the past we've done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.”  This webinar has proven so popular that we've repeated it three or four times over the past two years.  And we're going to do it again.  It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET.  Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page.  It's absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details. Don't forget to rate and leave a comment on your podcast app. Not only do these comments help us know what you're thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, your ratings help other people find us.  That's a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Emily McFarlan Miller, Dale Chamberlain, Adelle M. Banks, Jonathan Howe, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer. A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Hello everybody.  I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Today's episode is one of my periodic updates on how things are going here at MinistryWatch.  I hope you enjoy it. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.  Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, one of the largest United Methodist churches in the country, and the largest in South Carolina, is preparing to leave the denomination.  And the Internal Revenue Service is far behind in its efforts to process Form 990s.  This backlog is a blow to transparency and accountability.  We'll explain why.  And we remember pastor, author, and hymn writer Jack Hayford, who died last week at age 88.  We begin today with former Celebration Church pastor Stovall Weems.  He and his wife Kerri have settled with First Citizens Bank after a claim stating they defaulted over $700,000 in unpaid debt. A few final notes…  Last week I mentioned how grateful I was to those of you who contributed to our year-end fundraising campaign, but I didn't have a final number.  Now I do.  We had what was for us an ambitious goal of $81,000 for the months of November and December combined.  We ended up raising about $87,000.  So, again, THANK YOU. Also, I mentioned earlier the importance of the Form 990.  We use them every day here at MinsitryWatch, and we encourage donors to look at them before they give to a ministry.  In the past we've done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.”  This webinar has proven so popular that we've repeated it three or four times over the past two years.  And we're going to do it again.  It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET.  Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page.  It's absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details. Finally, it's been a while since I've asked you, our listeners, to rate or leave a comment on your podcast app.  But our listenership has nearly doubled in the past year, and if you are new to the podcast, please do leave us a rating and a comment.  Not only do these comments help us know what you're thinking so we can make improvements, but the more ratings and comments we have, the more visible the podcast becomes to search engines who make those automated recommendations that you sometimes see when you are listening to podcasts.  In other words, your ratings help other people find us.  That's a huge help to us, and it helps us expand our reach. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Kim Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Yonat Shimron, Alejandra Molina, Christina Darnell, and Rod Pitzer. A special thanks to ProPublica for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's program, Open Doors USA is changing its name and its focus.  We'll have details.  Plus, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention rolls out an accreditation program designed to help ministries protect children.  And it's a new year, and MinistryWatch has published its annual list of Highly Paid Ministry Executives.  We'll have a preview of the list later in the program.  We begin today with more news about the slow-moving breakup of the United Methodist Church. A big thank you to those of you who showed up for us at year end.  We had what was for us an ambitious goal of $81,000 for the months of November and December combined.  We met that goal, with room to spare.  I don't know exactly what the final tally is, since we are still getting checks postmarked Dec. 31 in the mail, I will share with you a final number next week.  But until then, please know that I'm grateful, humbled, and a bit relieved – all at once.  So, again, THANK YOU. Oh, and one final note before we go.  In the past we've done a webinar entitled “How To Find and Read A Form 990.”  This webinar has proven so popular that we've repeated it three or four times over the past two years.  And we're going to do it again.  It will take place on Feb. 1 at 4 pm ET.  Just check the daily MinistryWatch email for a link to the registration page.  It's absolutely free, but you do need to register to get all the links and details. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Shannon Cuthrell, Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Kathryn Post, Mark Tooley, Emily McFarlan Miller, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. A special thanks to WORLD Opinions for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's special year-end program, Natasha and I will countdown the Top 10 stories of 2022. That's right.  We'll start with #10, and work our way to #1. But before we get started, here are a few things you should know. The first thing I'll say is that we have organized this list by the number of page views it got on our site.  That doesn't necessarily mean they are the most important stories of the year.  But I have a high degree of trust in our readers, and I think that all the stories on this list are important for one reason or another. I also want to mention that we published nearly a thousand stories this year, and our website got about two-and-a-half million page views.  We had nearly 500 stories that got at least a thousand page views.  But the stories on this list are at the next level.  Every story that I'm going to mention today got at least 10,000 page views during the year, and our #1 story got more than 20,000 page views. We'll be posting the Top 25 stories of the year today at the MinistryWatch website.  That list includes stories about Rick Warren, Jerry Falwell Jr., Hillsong, and Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.  Important stories that got a lot of attention in 2022. Also, I'd like to point out that the diversity of stories on this list – longer thought pieces, lists curated from our database, and breaking news – are perhaps the best representation I could share of both the diversity of stories we do here at MinistryWatch – and of your tastes as readers and listeners. And that takes me to this bit of what I hope you will forgive, and this some shameless self-promotion as we approach year-end. We couldn't bring you the stories we've talked about today without your help.  We take no money from the ministries we cover.  We don't accept advertising.  We don't have one of those frustrating paywalls.  Our content is completely free. It's free, but it's not cheap.  And December is the most important month of the year for our fundraising efforts.  So if you are thinking about a year-end gift to MinistryWatch – why wait until December 31.  You can take some of the drama out of the process by making a donation today.   Just go to www.MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate tab at the top of the page.  It will take only a minute, and your gift will have a significant impact on the work we do here. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers whose stories made this special year-end list include:  contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Phil Cooke, Barry Bowen, and Kim Roberts – all of whom had one story on this list.  Anne Stych had two stories on the list.  Warren Smith had four stories on this year's Top Ten list. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, two Florida ministry leaders that we first reported on during the summer have been arrested and charged with defrauding taxpayers out of $8-million in Payroll Protection Program funds. And in Virginia, The Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes Christian values, was denied service at a restaurant in Richmond, this month on the basis of the group's position on abortion and same-sex marriage.  We'll have the details on both these stories later in the program. We begin today with news that a Presbyterian church in the Chicago area is being investigated for firing an employee when she complained of gender discrimination. I want our listeners to know that this will be our last regular podcast episode of the year.  We'll drop one more episode between Christmas and New Year's – it will be an episode that highlights the top 10 stories of the year. So, since this is our last regular episode, I wanted to say how grateful we are to those of you who are regular listeners to the podcast.  We have nearly doubled our listenership in the past year and given all the podcast options out there, I want you to know that I'm honored that you consider this podcast worth your time each week. If you are a regular listener, and you'd like to see this podcast and the work of MinistryWatch survive and thrive, I'd like to humbly suggest that you make a year-end gift to MinistryWatch.  We are not a mega-ministry, and we don't aspire to become one.  Our budget is less than $500,000 per year, and we are trying to raise $81,000 by the end of this month.  We're about half-way there, which is good, but that also means that we have a long way to go. If you'd like to pitch in to ensure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, please go to MinistryWatch.com and it the “donate” button at the top of the page. Oh, yes, and one more thing:  I hope you have a Merry Christmas! The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Dale Chamberlain, Alejandra Molina, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's program, Christian groups are being vandalized by pro-gay and pro-abortion activists.  We'll have two stories that highlight this growing and troubling trend.  And a new report from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability indicates that – despite uncertainties in the economy – giving to evangelical groups is up. We begin today with news that megachurch pastor Matt Chandler will be reinstated to the pulpit after a three-month leave of absence.  Dallas-area megachurch pastor Matt Chandler returned to the pulpit Sunday (Dec. 4) after a leave of absence. The Village Church's board of elders reinstated him following disciplinary actions for Chandler's “inappropriate” social media relationship with a woman who is not his wife. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell, Kathryn Post, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

As we approach year-end, the thoughts of children turn toward Christmas, but the thoughts of ministry executives turn toward year-end giving efforts.  And the thoughts of many donors turn toward those ministries they have given to in the past as they try to decide how much, or even if, they will be giving to them this year. One of the cliches in the philanthropy world is that the state of the stock market is a leading indicator of giving.  A rising market doesn't CAUSE giving, but historically it has correlated with increased giving. But 2022 has turned that cliché on its head.  This year has been really bad for the stock market, yet philanthropic giving has held steady, or even increased. Given all these conflicting signals, I find this year's State of Giving report by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability to be particularly helpful.  So I asked the two men behind the study, Warren Bird and Jake Lapp, to join me for today's EXTRA podcast. To see our article about the survey, and from there to link to the study itself, click here.  The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.      Until next time, may God bless you. 

On today's program, in an unprecedented move, the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Bart Barber, has released a sharp rebuke of one of his predecessors in that role, Johnny Hunt.  We'll explain why the rebuke, and why it's important.  Also on today's program, MinistryWatch releases its “Shining Light Awards.”  We'll tell you how we arrived at the list, and who some of the winners are. We begin today with the latest chapter in the ongoing saga at Liberty University.  A former administrative dean for academic operations is suing Liberty University for $20 million, alleging they fired him because he was a whistleblower. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

We usually do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what's going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to talk with you about Giving Tuesday.  I'll admit that this short episode is shamelessly self-referential – it will be almost all about us.  So I hope you will show me a bit of grace for that, but – on the other hand – I consider you listeners to the podcast a part of the inner circle here at MinistryWatch, and I want you to knows what's going on. The first thing I want you to know is that we're doing fine.  This is not a panic or crisis communication, I'm pleased to say.  The budget for MinistryWatch is about $450-thousand a year.  Our fiscal year begins July 1.  That means we're nearing the end of the fifth month of our fiscal year.  And I'm happy to report that we are more or less on budget both in terms of revenue and expenses. Our year-end goal – and by that I mean our combined goal for November and December – is $81,000.  That's $25,000 for the month of November.  As of Monday night, the day BEFORE Giving Tuesday, we were at about $15,000.  That means that we need to raise about $10,000 on Giving Tuesday and on Wednesday the 30th to stay on target.  That's certainly a do-able number for us.  We raised about $10,000 last year.  But our average donation is less than $100, so that means we will need about 100 people to step up on Giving Tuesday to get us to our goal. But the bigger challenge for us comes in the month of December.  Our goal for the month is $56,000.  These are big numbers for us.  I also know that for a lot of people, maybe for you, times are tough, or they are – at a minimum – not as good as they were last year.  The stock market is way down.  Inflation is up.  Lots of us are watching our purse strings. That said, if you can afford to help us out over the next month, we would be grateful.  And whether you give to us or not, I hope you'll use this day as a reminder that Christians are supposed to be joyful, generous, and wise givers.  Here at MinistryWatch we encourage people to give to their local church first.  I'm not ashamed to say out loud that I think that's where the vast majority of Christian giving should go. After that, we think Christians should carefully and prayerfully consider supporting a few ministries that God has placed on your heart.  But which ministries – of the more than 1-million that are out there – should I support. Well, that's where MinistryWatch comes in.  Our goal is to help you become a more effective steward.  We are intentionally not a mega-ministry.  We utilize technology in ways that we think are hyper-efficient, designed to keep us small while at the same time giving you the data you need to make good giving decisions. And our strategy seems to be working.  About 140,000 people receive our daily emails.  And in a recent survey we did, more than half of respondents say they use MinistryWatch to help them make giving decisions, and a third said they had changed their giving decisions based on information they received from MinistryWatch. All of that is to say this:  We think we're making a difference, and we couldn't do what we do without your support. So we hope you'll consider a gift to MinistryWatch either today, on Giving Tuesday, or sometime December, and – if you can – the earlier the better.  I'd love to take some of the drama out of the last week of December – and I'd doubly love not to clutter your inbox with emails.  I can promise you this, if we meet our year-end goal, the emails asking for money will stop. Before I go, I did want to mention that we have a few needs here at MinistryWatch that are not financially related.  First, we covet your prayers.  Pray that we will remain faithful.  Here at MinistryWatch, we often write about ministries that started out strong but ended poorly.  I've written enough of these stories myself to know that it could happen to any of us.

Last week, Logan Yandell filed a lawsuit against Kanakuk Ministries alleging fraud.  Logan Yandell's lawsuit says that when he signed a financial settlement and non-disclosure agreement with Kanakuk, he did not have information that Kanakuk had that would have changed his decision to sign these documents. Here at MinistryWatch, we've been covering this story for more than a year, so naturally we were interested in this new development.  So we reached out both to Kanakuk and to Logan Yandell's attorney, Robert Thrasher.  Kanakuk sent us a short statement, which we published in our story about this new lawsuit, posted on the website last week. But Robert Thrasher, the attorney for Logan Yandell, agreed to an interview.  So I spoke with Thrasher via zoom last week.  Today we feature that conversation.  You can read our article about the lawsuit, and all of our coverage of Kanakuk Ministries, by going to MinistryWatch.com and typing “Kanakuk” into the search engine.   Before we go, I'd like to remind you that Giving Tuesday is coming up next week, the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving.  Over the past few years, this global day of giving has evolved into a significant event both for us and for non-profits around the country.  If you can make a gift to us on Giving Tuesday, we'd be grateful.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. I also want to remind you that there's an easy and absolutely free way you can help the program.  Just rate us on your podcast app.  The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily.  Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn't cost you a dime.  It's a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, Anne Stych, and Casey Sudduth. May God bless you.  

On today's program, Tennessee pastor and MAGA celebrity Greg Locke has been banned from YouTube.  We asked why.  Charis Bible College, founded by prosperity gospel preacher Andrew Wommack, was rocked this week by a murder-suicide.  We'll have details.  We also take a look at the explosive growth of a ministry called Children's Hunger Fund. We begin today with an influential Hispanic pastor under investigation for violating wage and hour laws. A big thank you to the folks who showed up earlier this week for a dinner I hosted with MinistryWatch supporters in Newport Beach, California.  And I'll be having lunch with MinistryWatch supporters in New York City on December 16.  If you live in New York, keep your eyes open for an email from me with the details.  If you want to be sure you get that invitation, just email me at wsmith@ministrywatch.com I also wanted to mention that we will be taking a break from the podcast next week.  We'll be dropping an EXTRA episode on Tuesday, but no podcast episode on Friday.  And we hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday! The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, and Jessica Eturralde. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, James Dobson is stepping aside from the ministry he founded after turning Focus on the Family into an evangelical powerhouse.  We'll have details.  And during this election week, we have a couple of stories of pastors who are mixing politics and the pulpit.  At least one is under investigation. We begin today with an interesting story coming from one of the bastions of fundamentalism in this country:  Bob Jones University. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Scott Barkley, Jeremy Schwartz, Jessica Priest, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to Church Leaders.com for providing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, a church does something it doesn't often do.  It apologizes for its past.  We'll share why.  We also look more closely at the $100-million evangelistic ad campaign called “He Gets Us.”  And we note the passing of an evangelical elder statesman.  Steve Douglass, who helped Cru grow into one of the largest ministries in the world, is dead at age 77.  We'll have an appreciation.  We begin today with news that Celebration Church's founders have reopened a defamation lawsuit against their former church. A final reminder that I'll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Newport Beach, California, on November 15.  If you live in LA, especially Orange County, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I'll make sure you get the details.  All of these lunches are FREE.  They're just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work. Secondly, we've started something new here at MinistryWatch.  We're doing a quarterly survey of the senior executive in each of the MinistryWatch 1000 ministries.  The first article based on that survey is on the website now.  And I describe the survey more fully in this week's MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, so if you haven't heard that episode, please check it out.  The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Scott Barkley, Jeremy Schwartz, Jessica Priest, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Jessica Eturralde, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to The Baptist Press and ProPublica for providing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Usually, we do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what's going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to tell you about our new MinistryWatch 1000 Executive Survey. I also want to let you know where we are financially.   The budget for MinistryWatch is about $450-thousand a year.  Our fiscal year begins July 1.  That means we're in the fifth month of our fiscal year.  And I'm happy to report that we are more or less on budget both in terms of revenue and expenses. But I should also note that the last two months of the year kinds of make-or-break us.  Giving Tuesday takes place in the last week of November this year, and – of course – there's year-end giving, which for us and for a lot of non-profits are critical times. Our year-end goal – and by that I mean our combined goal for November and December – is $81,000.  That's $25,000 for the month of November and $56,000 for the month of December.  These are big numbers for us.  I also know that for a lot of people, maybe for you, times are tough, or they are – at a minimum – not as good as they were last year.  The stock market is way down.  Inflation is up.  Lots of us are watching our purse strings. That said, if you can afford to help us out over the next 60 days, we would be grateful.  Here at MinistryWatch we encourage people to give to their local church first.  We think that's where the vast majority of Christian giving should go.  If you will allow me to use a biblical metaphor, we believe the church is the Body of Christ, and just as we have physical bodies, we should feed it in ways to keep it healthy and growing. Well, thanks for indulging me these few minutes to give you an update of things here at MinistryWatch.  Please checkout Kim Roberts article on our new MinistryWatch 1000 Executive Survey, and if you have any feedback for me, you can always just hit the reply button on our daily emails.  Those responses come directly to me.  I'm always delighted to hear from you. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time – May God bless you.

On today's program, when the economy falters, we often see financial fraud emerge.  Today we have a couple of stories about financial fraud, and some advice about what you can do to prevent elder fraud.  Also on today's program:  An Anglican bishop is returning from a voluntary leave of absence in the aftermath of a sex abuse and spiritual abuse scandal, and not everyone is happy about his return. We begin today with the resolution of a two-year long dispute.  On Monday (October 24), a Scottish court ruled in favor of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in a lawsuit against Scottish Event Campus Limited, which canceled an evangelistic event at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow featuring Franklin Graham in 2020 on the grounds of Graham's stated beliefs about human sexuality and Islam. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Rod Pitzer, Yonat Shimron, Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, and Dale Chamberlain. Special thanks to Church Leaders dot com for providing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective.  Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I'm pleased to have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting.   Ron Sellers and I discuss a new study his organization has done in conjunction with Infinity Concepts.  That study is called “Understanding Evangelical Mid Level Donors.” Before we jump into that interview, I just want to note that you can get a copy of this nearly 70-plus-page report here: https://greymatterresearch.com/articles-studies/ Before we go:  A few quick notes. First, regular listeners to the podcast know that this is not the first time Ron Sellers has been on the program.  If you are a ministry leader, and you're new to the program, you might want to give a listen to some of his previous appearances on the program.  His research provides insights into evangelical giving patterns that are helpful. Just go to the MinistryWatch website and type Ron Sellers into the search engine. I also want to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries, from advertising.  There's no paywall.  All of our content is free.  Our donors are the real heroes of this story.  If you would like to become a part of that heroic group, please visit us at MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. If money is a little tight now, you can still help the program.  Just rate us on your podcast app.  The more ratings we get, the higher we rank with search engines, and that means other people can find us more easily.  Rating us just takes a second, and it doesn't cost you a dime.  It's a free and easy – and important – way you can support the MinistryWatch podcast. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I'm Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.  

On today's program, Steven Furtick and Elevation Church are generating controversy because of the ticket prices of their upcoming tour.  And Hillsong's Brian Houston was removed from the pulpit is awaiting a court date, but that hasn't stopped him from taking the stage at other events.  We'll have details.  We begin today with the story of a massive financial fraud that targeted Christians. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Phil Cooke, Bobby Ross Jr., Dale Chamberlain, Jessica Etturalde, Anne Stych, and Steve Rabey. Special thanks to Church Leaders dot com and The Christian Chronicle for providing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders.  That's why I'm pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil has written a provocative article for the MinistryWatch website about pastor and ministry leader compensation.  Phil argues that we should be paying not less, but more.  Before we let Phil make his case, let me tell you a bit about him. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology.  He's the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post.  He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer's Guild of America. Phil spoke to me from his studio in California. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, we examine a ministry called Pre-Born!, which has grown dramatically over the past three years.  We'll tell you why.  Also on today's program, another pastor has been charged with felonies for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.  We'll have details.  We begin today with the strange story of a youth pastor whose lapse in judgment has garnered national attention. A reminder that I'll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte on October 26, and I'll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15.  If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I'll make sure you get the details.  All of these lunches are FREE.  They're just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work. And I also want to mention that we have slightly tweaked our Financial Efficiency Rating formula.  We now divide the database into fifths, or quintiles.  That means the top 20 percent of ministries get a five-star rating, the next 20 percent get four stars, etc.  That's slightly different than the dividing lines we used before, and it has resulted in about 100 ministries getting new scores – some higher and some lower.  We've got a complete explanation of what we did, and why, in the Thursday email.  The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Dale Chamberlain, Yonat Shimron, and Christina Darnell. Special Thanks to Church Leaders dot com for providing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, a Christian filmmaker from Colorado Springs has been arrested as part of a child sex sting conducted by local police and the Department of Justice.  We'll have details.  And a documentary about the sex abuse scandal at Kanakuk Kamps has won an Emmy.  This journalistic prize for the news organization VICE lends further credibility to the stories of the survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of a Kanakuk counsellor.  We begin today with news that a defamation case filed by a pastor against his former church has been dismissed.  A Florida judge has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by former Celebration Church pastors Stovall and Kerri Weems on the grounds that the suit concerns an ecclesiastical matter and is therefore outside the court's jurisdiction. In closing:  I'll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte in October, on the 26th, and I'll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15.  If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I'll make sure you get the details.  All of these lunches are FREE.  They're just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work.  If you'd like details, please send me an email:  wsmith@ministrywatch.com The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Anne Stych, Steve Rabey, Jessica Lea, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP) is set to roll out an accreditation program designed to train and certify ministry executives in skills to prevent sexual abuse.  And we note two notable passings this week:  Open Doors founder Brother Andrew, and the long-time president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Dan Busby.  We begin today with the controversial decision by Christian musician Chris Tomlin to tour with the scandal ridden Hillsong United this fall. Before we go… I'll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte in October, and I'll be in Newport Beach, California, on November 15.  If you live in those cities, you should be getting an email from me with more information, but if you want to make sure that you get an invitation, please email me and I'll make sure you get the details.  All of these lunches are FREE.  They're just our way of saying THANK YOU for being a part of our work.  I also want to remind you that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we'll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift.  This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center's John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Jessica Eturralde, and Anne Stych. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, it's been a year since Glenn Beck's The Nazarene Fund raised $35-million for Afghan relief.  We'll have an update on where the money went.  We also look at Charlie Kirk's organization Turning Point USA.  The group now has a subsidiary called Turning Point Faith, aimed at pastors and church leaders.  We begin today with news that the Southern Baptist Conventions' top administrative body voted to cut ties with two congregations on Tuesday. If you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we'll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift.  This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center's John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Steve Rabey, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Eturralde, Anne Stych, Peter Smith, and Christina Darnell. Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, we take a look at the Bible translation industry.  We ask the question:  How much does it really cost to translate the Bible.  We also look at a milestone for the Christian ministry Samaritan's Purse.  It will hit $1-billion in revenue this year.  And one of evangelicalism's flagship seminaries, Fuller Seminary, has the first African American president in its history.  We'll have details.  We begin today with news that 2,000 churches and Christian ministries have asked the U.S. Senate to oppose the “Respect For Marriage Act.”  A Reminder:  if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we'll send you a copy of “Restoring All Things” as our thank you gift.  This book is one that I wrote with the Colson Center's John Stonestreet, and it features stories of great ministries doing great work all around the country.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Emily McFarlan Miller, Stephanie Martin, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Tom Campisi, Kim Roberts—and you, Warren. Special thanks to ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, one of evangelicalism's most prominent leaders, Ted Haggard, his hit new lows.  We'll have the latest.  And the American Bible Society latest president lasted less than 90 days.  The organization has had five presidents in the past 10 years.  We've got news of the latest changes at this two-century old ministry.  We begin today with the latest chapter in the story of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.  Last week, Lighten Group, announced it was shutting down.  Lighten Group is a new ministry started by Sarah Davis, former CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and daughter of late Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias.  Lighten Group, whose team is comprised of former RZIM employees, was founded in the fall of 2021 and was supported by RZIM funding.  It is not clear what has happened to the millions of dollars in assets owned by RZIM when the organization imploded in the aftermath of a sex abuse scandal. Before we go, a reminder:  if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we'll send you a copy of my book “Restoring All Things.”  It's a book that I co-wrote with The Colson Center's John Stonestreet.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Emily Miller, Todd Nettleton, Anne Stych, Audrey Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Etturalde, and Steve Rabey.  Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's program, one of evangelicalism's most prominent leaders, Ted Haggard, his hit new lows.  We'll have the latest.  And the American Bible Society latest president lasted less than 90 days.  The organization has had five presidents in the past 10 years.  We've got news of the latest changes at this two-century old ministry.  We begin today with the latest chapter in the story of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.  Last week, Lighten Group, announced it was shutting down.  Lighten Group is a new ministry started by Sarah Davis, former CEO of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) and daughter of late Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias.  Lighten Group, whose team is comprised of former RZIM employees, was founded in the fall of 2021 and was supported by RZIM funding.  It is not clear what has happened to the millions of dollars in assets owned by RZIM when the organization imploded in the aftermath of a sex abuse scandal. Before we go, a reminder:  if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of September, we'll send you a copy of my book “Restoring All Things.”  It's a book that I co-wrote with The Colson Center's John Stonestreet.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Emily Miller, Todd Nettleton, Anne Stych, Audrey Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Bob Smietana, Jesse T. Jackson, Jessica Etturalde, and Steve Rabey.  Special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and ChurchLeaders.com for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.  

An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you important thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders.  That's why I'm pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University.  Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation's experts on the use of media in a Christian context.  He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries.  Though he got his start working for one of the most famous televangelists in history, he has also been a thoughtful critic of televangelists.  And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn't have a marketing problem.  It has a character problem. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology.  He's the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post.  He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer's Guild of America. Phil spoke to me from his studio in California. You can find the article we discussed today, The Loyalty Obsession – Why It's Harming Churches and Ministries – by going to the MinistryWatch website. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of September we'll send you a copy of a book I co-wrote with The Colson Center's John Stonestreet.  That book is:  “Restoring All Things:  God's Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you important thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders.  That's why I'm pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University.  Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation's experts on the use of media in a Christian context.  He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries.  Though he got his start working for one of the most famous televangelists in history, he has also been a thoughtful critic of televangelists.  And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn't have a marketing problem.  It has a character problem. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology.  He's the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post.  He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer's Guild of America. Phil spoke to me from his studio in California. You can find the article we discussed today, The Loyalty Obsession – Why It's Harming Churches and Ministries – by going to the MinistryWatch website. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you give during the month of September we'll send you a copy of a book I co-wrote with The Colson Center's John Stonestreet.  That book is:  “Restoring All Things:  God's Audacious Plan to Change The World Through Everyday People.” The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, more promises, but few details, from the Bible translation industry.  We'll have the latest from Wycliffe Bible Translators.  And a former World Vision staffer gets 12 years in prison after an Israeli court found he aided a terrorist group.  But his supporters – including World Vision itself – say he's innocent.  We begin today with the story of Matt Chandler, who is taking a leave of absence from his role as pastor of The Village Church. I also want to remind you that if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We've had such a great response, that we've extended this offer a few days, through the Labor Day Weekend.  So if you thought you'd missed this offer, don't despair.  This is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's program, more promises, but few details, from the Bible translation industry.  We'll have the latest from Wycliffe Bible Translators.  And a former World Vision staffer gets 12 years in prison after an Israeli court found he aided a terrorist group.  But his supporters – including World Vision itself – say he's innocent.  We begin today with the story of Matt Chandler, who is taking a leave of absence from his role as pastor of The Village Church. I also want to remind you that if you made a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We've had such a great response, that we've extended this offer a few days, through the Labor Day Weekend.  So if you thought you'd missed this offer, don't despair.  This is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey. Until next time, may God bless you.  

On today's program, Liberty University is receiving complaints from veterans who use the school's online program as part of their GI Bill benefits.  We also have the latest in the slow-moving schism in the United Methodist Church.  Plus, a look at Prosperity Gospel preacher Kenneth Copeland.  He's in the Ministry Spotlight.  We begin today with something you don't hear Christian leaders do too much these days, and that's apologize.  That apology came from Andy Wood.  Wood was named as Rick Warren's successor at Saddleback Church after Warren retires.  He has apologized for inviting Mark Driscoll to speak at the 2021 Echo Leadership Conference. Before we go:  Just a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Lea, Alejandra Molina, Alec MacGillis, Bobby Ross Jr., Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Kathryn Post, Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey. Special thanks to Church Leaders, The Christian Chronicle, and ProPublica for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Liberty University is receiving complaints from veterans who use the school's online program as part of their GI Bill benefits.  We also have the latest in the slow-moving schism in the United Methodist Church.  Plus, a look at Prosperity Gospel preacher Kenneth Copeland.  He's in the Ministry Spotlight.  We begin today with something you don't hear Christian leaders do too much these days, and that's apologize.  That apology came from Andy Wood.  Wood was named as Rick Warren's successor at Saddleback Church after Warren retires.  He has apologized for inviting Mark Driscoll to speak at the 2021 Echo Leadership Conference. Before we go:  Just a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Lea, Alejandra Molina, Alec MacGillis, Bobby Ross Jr., Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Kathryn Post, Yonat Shimron, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Steve Rabey. Special thanks to Church Leaders, The Christian Chronicle, and ProPublica for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

If you're a regular reader of MinistryWatch's daily journalism, or a regular listener to our podcast, you know that we care about integrity.  The personal integrity of Christian leaders, and the integrity of the process and procedures of Christian ministries themselves.  We advocate for transparency and accountability as a way of giving Christian donors the chance to make giving decisions for themselves. But my guest today, Conley Owens, say that is not enough.  He suggests that it's not just the prosperity gospel preachers who have crossed the line when it comes to financial integrity.  He makes the case that virtually all evangelical ministries – including MinistryWatch – are engaged in fundraising practices that the Bible prohibits and that Jesus and Paul and early church leaders would have found reprehensible. He's written a book about his ideas.  It's called The Dorean Principle:  A Biblical Response to the Commercialization of Christianity.  He spoke to me from his home office in California. You can get your own copy of Conley's book “The Dorean Principle” by going to www.thedoreanprinciple.org   The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.      I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you. 

If you're a regular reader of MinistryWatch's daily journalism, or a regular listener to our podcast, you know that we care about integrity.  The personal integrity of Christian leaders, and the integrity of the process and procedures of Christian ministries themselves.  We advocate for transparency and accountability as a way of giving Christian donors the chance to make giving decisions for themselves. But my guest today, Conley Owens, say that is not enough.  He suggests that it's not just the prosperity gospel preachers who have crossed the line when it comes to financial integrity.  He makes the case that virtually all evangelical ministries – including MinistryWatch – are engaged in fundraising practices that the Bible prohibits and that Jesus and Paul and early church leaders would have found reprehensible. He's written a book about his ideas.  It's called The Dorean Principle:  A Biblical Response to the Commercialization of Christianity.  He spoke to me from his home office in California. You can get your own copy of Conley's book “The Dorean Principle” by going to www.thedoreanprinciple.org   The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.      I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you. 

On today's program, in the 1990s and 2000s, radio preacher Harold Camping wrongly predicted the return of Jesus.  The ministry he founded has spent the last decade recovering.  We'll have an update.  And the Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention.  We'll have the latest.  We begin today with a lawsuit against Hillsong Church by one of its key employees.  The lawsuit says the church misled donors and evaded taxes. Before we go, a reminder:  If you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Emily McFarlan Miller, Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Dale Chamberlain, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, in the 1990s and 2000s, radio preacher Harold Camping wrongly predicted the return of Jesus.  The ministry he founded has spent the last decade recovering.  We'll have an update.  And the Department of Justice has launched an investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention.  We'll have the latest.  We begin today with a lawsuit against Hillsong Church by one of its key employees.  The lawsuit says the church misled donors and evaded taxes. Before we go, a reminder:  If you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Shannon Cuthrell, Anne Stych, Emily McFarlan Miller, Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Bob Smietana, Dale Chamberlain, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, we look at a network of ministries fighting chemical abortions.  We also look at prosperity gospel preachers John and Lisa Bevere and their ministry Messenger International.  We begin today with new leadership for a couple of the nation's leading Christian publications.  Russell Moore, the former Southern Baptist ethicist, was named editor in chief at Christianity Today. Lynn Vincent, a motorcycle-riding Navy veteran and New York Times best-selling author, was recently named executive editor at WORLD Magazine. Before we go:  a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Lea, Riley Farrell, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, and Warren Smith.  Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, we look at a network of ministries fighting chemical abortions.  We also look at prosperity gospel preachers John and Lisa Bevere and their ministry Messenger International.  We begin today with new leadership for a couple of the nation's leading Christian publications.  Russell Moore, the former Southern Baptist ethicist, was named editor in chief at Christianity Today. Lynn Vincent, a motorcycle-riding Navy veteran and New York Times best-selling author, was recently named executive editor at WORLD Magazine. Before we go:  a reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Lea, Riley Farrell, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, and Warren Smith.  Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Today I welcome back to the program Jane Schoen. Jane is the director of Strategic Initiatives for the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. A year ago I reported on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called Lingua Linx. I wrote an article about this process back in August of last year.  Earlier this year we checked in with Jane to see how things were going, and today we look in again. The very fact that Jane and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates.  It's an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy.  In fact, for the past two years or so, I've written nearly two dozen articles on the industry and its practices, and you can find links to these articles below.  I encourage you to check them out. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.  And if you donate in the month of August, we'll send you, as our thank you, a subscription to WORLD Magazine.  That's a print AND digital subscription, which has a value of more than $100.  That's for a gift of any size. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.   Links Mentioned in Today's Program Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest:  ECFA Charter Member, Wycliffe Associates, Resigns Membership While Under Review – March 7, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/ecfa-charter-member-wycliffe-associates-resigns-membership-while-under-review/ What Would Wycliffe Fly? – March 19, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/what-would-wycliffe-fly/ Wycliffe Associates Touts MAST, Print-On-Demand – April 15, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-touts-mast-and-print-on-demand-program/ When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/ Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/ American Bible Society Names Robert Briggs As President – June 30, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/american-bible-society-names-robert-l-briggs-as-president-and-ceo/ Key Executives Depart Wycliffe Associates – August 12, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/key-executives-depart-wycliffe-associates/ Bruce Smith Out As President/CEO of Wycliffe Associates – October 13, 2020 https://ministrywatch.com/bruce-smith-out-as-president-ceo-of-wycliffe-associates/ Wycliffe Associates Sees Revenue Decline – March 4, 2021 https://ministrywatch.com/wycliffe-associates-sees-revenue-decline/ Women's Conference Attendees Pledge $1.5-Million To Bible Translation Efforts – March 17, 2021 https://ministrywatch.com/womens-conference-attendees-pledge-more-than-1-5-million-to-bible-translation-effort/ Bible Translation Organizations Form Alliance (IllumiNations) – April 5, 2021 https://ministrywatch.

Today I welcome back to the program Jane Schoen. Jane is the director of Strategic Initiatives for the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. A year ago I reported on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. The company it is using is called Lingua Linx. I wrote an article about this process back in August of last year.  Earlier this year we checked in with Jane to see how things were going, and today we look in again. The very fact that Jane and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates.  It's an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy.  In fact, for the past two years or so, I've written nearly two dozen articles on the industry and its practices, and you can find links to these articles below.  I encourage you to check them out. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page.  And if you donate in the month of August, we'll send you, as our thank you, a subscription to WORLD Magazine.  That's a print AND digital subscription, which has a value of more than $100.  That's for a gift of any size. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.   Links Mentioned in Today's Program Here is a list of articles we have written about the Bible translation industry, from oldest to newest:  ECFA Charter Member, Wycliffe Associates, Resigns Membership While Under Review – March 7, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/ecfa-charter-member-wycliffe-associates-resigns-membership-while-under-review/ What Would Wycliffe Fly? – March 19, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/what-would-wycliffe-fly/ Wycliffe Associates Touts MAST, Print-On-Demand – April 15, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/wycliffe-associates-touts-mast-and-print-on-demand-program/ When Is A Bible Translation Not A Bible Translation – May 14, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/when-is-a-bible-translation-not-a-bible-translation/ Bible Translation At A Crossroads – June 30, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/the-bible-translation-industry-is-at-a-crossroads/ American Bible Society Names Robert Briggs As President – June 30, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/american-bible-society-names-robert-l-briggs-as-president-and-ceo/ Key Executives Depart Wycliffe Associates – August 12, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/key-executives-depart-wycliffe-associates/ Bruce Smith Out As President/CEO of Wycliffe Associates – October 13, 2020 https://155.138.219.249/bruce-smith-out-as-president-ceo-of-wycliffe-associates/ Wycliffe Associates Sees Revenue Decline – March 4, 2021 https://155.138.219.249/wycliffe-associates-sees-revenue-decline/ Women's Conference Attendees Pledge $1.5-Million To Bible Translation Efforts – March 17, 2021 https://155.138.219.249/womens-conference-attendees-pledge-more-than-1-5-million-to-bible-translation-effort/ Bible Translation Organizations Form Alliance (IllumiNations) – April 5, 2021 https://155.138.219.

On today's program, we look at spiritual abuse.  At what point is a difference in opinion, or a disagreement with the pastor, real abuse?  It's a question lots of churches, pastors, and church members are having to grapple with.  Also, we look at an online ministry that started as a hobby, but is now generating more than 100-million page views a year from people wanting answers to tough spiritual questions.  We begin today with news about a Tennessee megachurch that has defaulted on its building payments.  The building that housed Venue Church is set to be auctioned off from the steps of the local courthouse Aug. 24, just six months after a video surfaced allegedly showing its head pastor kissing a woman who was not his wife.  A notice of foreclosure that appeared in The Chattanooga Times Free Press said Venue Church has defaulted on payments on the more than $2 million the church owes on a property at 6401 Lee Highway in Chattanooga, its main campus. A reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jesse T. Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith. Special thanks to Church Leaders for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, we look at spiritual abuse.  At what point is a difference in opinion, or a disagreement with the pastor, real abuse?  It's a question lots of churches, pastors, and church members are having to grapple with.  Also, we look at an online ministry that started as a hobby, but is now generating more than 100-million page views a year from people wanting answers to tough spiritual questions.  We begin today with news about a Tennessee megachurch that has defaulted on its building payments.  The building that housed Venue Church is set to be auctioned off from the steps of the local courthouse Aug. 24, just six months after a video surfaced allegedly showing its head pastor kissing a woman who was not his wife.  A notice of foreclosure that appeared in The Chattanooga Times Free Press said Venue Church has defaulted on payments on the more than $2 million the church owes on a property at 6401 Lee Highway in Chattanooga, its main campus. A reminder that if you make a donation to MinistryWatch during the month of August, you'll receive a free one-year subscription to WORLD Magazine.  We made this offer last year, and got a great response.  But I know that we have a lot of people listening to the podcast today that weren't with us a year ago – I know that because the podcast has nearly doubled in size in the past year.  So if you're new, this is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a subscription to WORLD and support our work at the same time.  Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jesse T. Jackson, Alejandra Molina, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Anne Stych, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith. Special thanks to Church Leaders for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, prosperity gospel preacher and Donald Trump supporter Mario Murillo led a crusade in Colorado Springs.  We had a reporter on the scene.  Amy Grant will be one of the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors this year.  And we have an update on the story of the Family Research Council changing its status to an “association of churches.”  FRC President Tony Perkins reached out to us to explain why.  We begin today with news about a Colorado Springs pastor who has had his share of troubles before. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Catherine Pepinster, Emily McFarlan Miller, Michael Sisak, Brittany Smith, Richard Levey, Adelle Banks, Jesse T. Jackson, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey.  Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, prosperity gospel preacher and Donald Trump supporter Mario Murillo led a crusade in Colorado Springs.  We had a reporter on the scene.  Amy Grant will be one of the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors this year.  And we have an update on the story of the Family Research Council changing its status to an “association of churches.”  FRC President Tony Perkins reached out to us to explain why.  We begin today with news about a Colorado Springs pastor who has had his share of troubles before. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Catherine Pepinster, Emily McFarlan Miller, Michael Sisak, Brittany Smith, Richard Levey, Adelle Banks, Jesse T. Jackson, Christina Darnell, and Steve Rabey.  Special thanks to Church Leaders and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, a fast-growing church planting network called simply The Network, is facing criticism by a group of former staff and lay leadership.  We also have the results of an investigation done by Saddleback Church into its new pastor.  The new study finds no evidence of wrongdoing.  We begin today with news that an employee of disgraced Wall Street financier Bill Hwang is suing his former employer.  The employee says he was forced to donate to a Christian Charitable Fund. A few housekeeping items before we go. First, I wanted to mention that I would be in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, that's July 19.  If you live in Iowa and you're on our daily email list, you should have already received an invitation, but if not, please shoot me an email and we'll make sure you get one.  My email is wsmith@155.138.219.249 Secondly, MinistryWatch has been featured recently on NBC's Nightly News, in Rolling Stone Magazine, at the investigative news site Pro Publica, and in the magazine Government Executive.  All that within the past three weeks.  If you get our daily emails, you can find links to those stories there. Thirdly, next week we'll be taking some time off from the podcast.  Just one week, so don't fret, and feel free to get caught up on any episodes you haven't listened to yet.  But we'll be back on the 29th.  The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Paul Glader, Paul Clolery, Emily Miller, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith. Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, a fast-growing church planting network called simply The Network, is facing criticism by a group of former staff and lay leadership.  We also have the results of an investigation done by Saddleback Church into its new pastor.  The new study finds no evidence of wrongdoing.  We begin today with news that an employee of disgraced Wall Street financier Bill Hwang is suing his former employer.  The employee says he was forced to donate to a Christian Charitable Fund. A few housekeeping items before we go. First, I wanted to mention that I would be in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, that's July 19.  If you live in Iowa and you're on our daily email list, you should have already received an invitation, but if not, please shoot me an email and we'll make sure you get one.  My email is wsmith@ministrywatch.com Secondly, MinistryWatch has been featured recently on NBC's Nightly News, in Rolling Stone Magazine, at the investigative news site Pro Publica, and in the magazine Government Executive.  All that within the past three weeks.  If you get our daily emails, you can find links to those stories there. Thirdly, next week we'll be taking some time off from the podcast.  Just one week, so don't fret, and feel free to get caught up on any episodes you haven't listened to yet.  But we'll be back on the 29th.  The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Paul Glader, Paul Clolery, Emily Miller, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith. Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you important thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders. That's why I'm pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Before I tell you what we're talking about today, I should mention that Phil Cooke is a content machine.  He got his start in media working on the television program of Oral Roberts, while he was still a student at Oral Roberts University.  Over the years Cooke has become one of the nation's experts on the use of media in a Christian context.  He has also been outspoken on the need for men and women of integrity in Christian ministries.  Though he got his start working for one of the most famous televangelists in history, he has also been a thoughtful critic of televangelists.  And even though he is a media and marketing expert, he says that evangelical Christianity doesn't have a marketing problem.  It has a character problem. Phil Cooke is a working producer in Hollywood who also has a Ph. D. in theology.  He's the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post.  He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer's Guild of America. Today we talk about two articles Phil recently posted on his website.  They deal with compensation for church planters.  We also talk about what we should do with the books, videos, and other material from teachers and speakers who have gotten themselves into trouble because of their immoral behavior.  Two vital topics, and Phil has some great insights. You can find the articles we discussed here. Before we go, I'd like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn't do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you'd like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. The producers for today's program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. I'm Warren Smith, and you've been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.  Until next time, may God bless you.