MinistryWatch Podcast

Have you noticed that we live in contentious times? I certainly have. Our politics is polarized. Even our church life is too often contentious and ideological, with positions being driven as much by tribalism as by Scripture or a principled theology. Why is there so much conflict today, and is there a way out of it? Amanda Ripley thinks there is. She's an investigative journalist who has written for Slate, The Atlantic, and many other publications. She is also trained in conflict mediation, and she teaches other journalists how to cover high conflict situations in a professional and ethical way. Her book High Conflict: Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out came out in 2021, but I am just discovering it, and when I read it – a few months ago – I thought it explained a lot of what is going on today in the world of media, politics, and religion. Amanda Ripley doesn't write for Christian audiences, per se, and she draws on traditions that are not explicitly Christian for many of her examples and lessons. That said, I found this book to be both enlightening and nourishing, and I think you'll enjoy this conversation with her. Amanda Ripley spoke to me from her home in the Washington, DC, area, and I spoke with her from Covenant College, on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where I was speaking to students at Summit Ministries. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host, Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, St. Andrew's Chapel is facing questions over its lack of financial transparency. Members say church leaders refuse to share budget details. Now, the local presbytery is involved. We'll have details. And, the I-R-S now says churches CAN endorse politicians—this, despite the so-called Johnson Amendment…a law that threatens to remove a ministry's non-profit status if it makes political endorsements. The move comes as the I-R-S hopes to settle a lawsuit brought by the National Religious Broadcasters. We'll take a look. Plus, John MacArthur—megachurch pastor and voice of ‘Grace to You'—has died at the age of 86. But first, a well-known Christian businessman has been charged in heading up a $140M ponzi scheme. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, and Jack Jenkins.

If you are listening to this podcast, I'm guessing religion plays an important role in your life. It certainly does in mine. That's why I was a little put off by the title of Christian Smith's new book Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America. Religion is certainly not obsolete in my life. But I must say: After reading the book, and after having the conversation with him that you are about to hear, I think he may be right. Of course, a great deal hinges on how you define such words as “traditional faith” and “obsolete.” We'll talk about that in today's conversation. But even if he is not right in his overarching premise, a great many of the facts and details of his argument are worth consideration. James Davison Hunter, the elder statesman in the field of the sociology of religion has called Why Religion Went Obsolete an “era-defining book.” I completely agree with this assessment, and I recommend this book. And I hope this brief conversation with Christian Smith that I'm sharing with you will motivate you to go out and get it, read it, and discuss it with the folks in your church. Christian Smith is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. His previous books include Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, a book in which he coined the phrase “moralistic therapeutic deism” to describe the religious belief of young people. It's a phrase that has become a part of the religious lexicon. Christian Smith spoke to me via zoom from his home in South Bend, Indiana. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school's president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We'll have details. And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members. Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren't ready to use it for everything. Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area. First, a former member is suing John MacArthur's megachurch for how it handled church discipline. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jim Vertigo, John Seewer, Jessica Eturralde, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren:                                                        Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Baylor University voluntarily rescinded their acceptance of an LGBTQ research grant after receiving pushback. The school's president says their stance on biblical sexuality has not changed. We'll have details. And, is a membership with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability worth the cost? We talked with current and former members. Also, the adoption of A-I in church operations is now mainstream…but pastors aren't ready to use it for everything. Plus, a guide to giving to ministries helping with relief efforts in central Texas after floods devastated the area. Natasha: But first, a former member is suing John MacArthur's megachurch for how it handled church discipline. Warren: In a complaint filed Thursday (July 3) in Los Angeles County Superior Court, lawyers for Lorraine Zielinski said she went to leaders at the megachurch in LA's Sun Valley neighborhood, where MacArthur is the longtime pastor, seeking counseling for her troubled marriage and was told her conversations would be kept confidential. According to the complaint, she told counselors she was afraid for her safety and the safety of her daughter, alleging that her then-husband was physically abusive. Her lawyers said church leaders pressured Zielinski to drop her request for a legal separation. When Zielinski tried to resign as a church member, pastors put her under church discipline for failing to follow their counsel, according to the complaint. They also allegedly told her to either come to a meeting with church pastors or details of her counseling would be made public to the congregation. Natasha: What happened? Warren: According to the complaint. “When Plaintiff did not attend the meeting, GCC made good on its threat and shared information gained through confidential communications relating to her marriage with GCC membership,” “GCC also misrepresented parts of these communications, painting Plaintiff as a bad actor in the marriage and the party at fault for the marital dispute. GCC also omitted Plaintiff's husband's desire to remarry and dissolve the marriage.” Natasha: Church members were also allegedly asked to pressure Zielenski to submit to church leaders and to reconcile with her husband, according to the complaint. Warren: Lawyers for Zielenski said the church violated her right to privacy and her right to free association, disclosed private facts, painted her in a false light, breached confidentiality and intentionally inflicted emotional distress. Grace Community Church did not reply to a request for co...

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

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

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

On today's program, Brady Boyd resigns from New Life Church. Boyd was on staff at Gateway during Robert Morris' tenure, and Elders now believe he misled the congregation about his knowledge of Morris's alleged abuse. We'll have details. Also, a court ruled that a lawsuit filed against Dave Ramsey can move forward. A former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried is suing Ramsey for religious discrimination. We'll take a look. And, the sale of St. Louis FM radio station resulted in a standoff between two giants in Christian radio—K-LOVE and Joy FM Radio—and an almost $9 million price tag. But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub' Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Kristen Parker, Shannon Cuthrell, Paul Clolery,  Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The Banner and The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

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

On today's program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We'll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew's Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adelle Banks, Clemente Lisi, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We'll have details. And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in. Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida. Natasha: But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges. Warren: Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew's Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). At a public meeting on June 12, the judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery announced the decision. The defense told the commission it plans to appeal. Natasha: What was he convicted of? Warren: Specifically, Parsons was unanimously found guilty on three charges of “being harsh, ungentle, and unkind to those under his care or with whom he interacts”; “not being a humble servant leader but instead ‘lording it over others' (i.e, autocratic) and being domineering, contentious, and quarrelsome/pugnacious in his leadership so that those in his care and in his ‘leadership orbit' were intimidated, bullied, and/or afraid”; and “slandering and/or demeaning other servants and churches of our Lord.” He was found not guilty on two other charges, which were not specifically listed in the report. Natasha: According to the judicial commission's report, Parsons' trial was held between May 12 and 28 and included over 55 witnesses and 45 hours of proceedings. Warren: Parsons is indefinitely suspended from his duties as a teaching elder, including preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and participating in church courts.

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

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

On today's program, Christian music artist Michael Tait admits to living a “double life” after accusations surfaced that he had sexually groomed and assaulted multiple young men over the course of a decade. We'll take a look. And, Southern Baptist abuse survivor died last week after a brief illness, sending shock waves through the community of abuse reform advocates. Before her death, she took part in a deposition, publicly revealing details of her abuse by an SBC leader. We'll have details. Plus, pro-Israel evangelical Johnnie Moore is named chair of a Gaza aid group. But first, the trustees of Truett McConnell University have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor—and placed its president on leave under suspicions that he had helped cover it up. Truett McConnell University President Emir Caner has been placed on administrative leave following a special called meeting of TMU trustees Friday (June 6). The school, affiliated with Georgia Baptists, has been embroiled in controversy following allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Laura Erlanson, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Yonat Shimron, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Christian music artist Michael Tait admits to living a “double life” after accusations surfaced that he had sexually groomed and assaulted multiple young men over the course of a decade. We'll take a look. And, Southern Baptist abuse survivor died last week after a brief illness, sending shock waves through the community of abuse reform advocates. Before her death, she took part in a deposition, publicly revealing details of her abuse by an SBC leader. We'll have details. Plus, pro-Israel evangelical Johnnie Moore is named chair of a Gaza aid group. Natasha: But first, the trustees of Truett McConnell University have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor—and placed its president on leave under suspicions that he had helped cover it up. Warren: Truett McConnell University President Emir Caner has been placed on administrative leave following a special called meeting of TMU trustees Friday (June 6). The school, affiliated with Georgia Baptists, has been embroiled in controversy following allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor. Natasha: The school also launched a third-party investigation. Warren: The school hired Richard Hyde with Phoenix Research, and it has installed John Yarbrough, TMU's director of alumni and public policy, as acting president. Natasha: TMU alumna Hayle Swinson went forward last week with allegations that former TMU professor Bradley Reynolds groomed her and sexually abused her while she was a student athlete. Warren: Reynolds was employed at the school until February 2024 after Swinson went to police. Reynolds allegedly sent hundreds of emails and text messages to Swinson over a long period of time, some of them sexually explicit. It is unclear whether school administrators knew about Reynolds' behavior before 2024. Natasha: Next, breaking news from the Christian Music world. Warren: Days after an investigation revealed allegations of sexual assault against Christian musician Michael Tait,

A couple of months ago I attended the True Charity conference in Huntsville, Alabama. One of the speakers there was my guest today, Megan Rose, the founder and CEO of a Florida-based ministry called Better Together. Megan got my attention almost right away because of her personal story. I'm not going to give it away here except to say that you have to trust me on this. You want to keep listening if for no other reason than to hear that. But the robust policy and practical content of her message also arrested me. My wife and I have been foster parents here in the state of North Carolina, and Megan said out loud what we had learned, and that is that the foster care system in this country is broken, and it is broken in ways that merely having more Christian foster parents won't fix. Megan articulated that reality in ways that made sense to me. That's why I'm excited to have her on the program today. She had this conversation with me via zoom from her home in Naples, Florida. You can learn more about Better together by clicking here. Jeff McIntosh produced today's program. Heidi Allums provided graphic and technical support. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, ministry leader Sean Feucht is being accused of moral, ethical, and financial failure by former leaders of his various nonprofits. The accusers issued a formal statement this week detailing their accusations and are calling for an independent investigation. And, with the construction of a new school campus, Pastor Doug Wilson's empire continues to grow in Idaho. We'll take a look. Plus, Tim Dalrymple is leaving his role at Christianity Today to take the helm of the John Templeton Foundation. But first, Robert Morris is pushing back on Gateway Church's claims that they didn't know the details of his sexual abuse of Cindy Clemishire. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Yonat Shimron, Jack Jenkins, Tracy Simmons, Bob Smietana, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

Warren Hello, everyone. I'm Warren Smith and I'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. On today's episode, I'm pleased to have Kim Roberts on the program. If you are a regular reader of MinistryWatch, you know Kim's name. She is MinistryWatch's most prolific contributor, and – more to the point today – she is also the manager of MinistryWatch's quarterly survey of Christian ministry executives. Kim, welcome to the program, and let's begin with some basic mechanics about the survey. Kim We have more than 1000 ministries in our database, and we send our survey mostly to the CEOs of those organizations. How that we've been at this a while, we typically get more than 100 responses, which we feel like is enough to give us a flavor for what these ministry executives are thinking. We've been conducting this quarterly survey since October 2022, so nearly three years. Warren We ask a lot of the same questions quarter after quarter, so we can see if sentiment is changing on issues like the state of the economy and the financial health of their own organizations. But we also usually ask one or two new questions each quarter. One of the questions we've been asking for the past quarter or two has been about Donald Trump. We asked the ministry executives if they thought President Trump's policies would have a positive or negative impact on their work. What did you learn? Kim About 27% of Christian ministry leaders told MinistryWatch they believe the Trump administration's policies will have a negative impact on the organization they lead or the work they do. This is an increase from 19% who gave the same answer in our January survey. Warren OK, so that's an 8 percent increase. Significant, but not huge. Kim Not huge, but you get a more complete picture when you look at the percentage of executives who are optimistic about Trump's policies. In January, nearly 55% of respondents were optimistic that the new administration's policies would have a positive impact. That has dropped to 38% in this month's survey. That's a 17 percent drop, which is much more significant. Warren One of the questions we ask every quarter is one about revenue. Any changes? Kim According to the survey respondents, revenue has not increased over the last 12 months as much as it had previously. Only about 16% saw an increase of at least 10% or more in revenue — down from about 21% of respondents in January. Warren About 21% saw their revenue remain flat in that same period. That result is similar to the survey results from July. Kim We also asked a related question about whether ministry leaders believe a recession is on the horizon for the U.S. economy. Leaders are not as optimistic about the state of the nation's economy as they were in January, with 49% responding that they do not think the U.S. will enter a recession in the next year, down from 62% in January. A majority of leaders — 51% — believe the economy is already in a recession or will enter one in the next six months to a year. Warren Despite their predictions of a recession, ministry leaders are optimistic their revenue will grow over the next 12 months. Kim That's right. A majority — 51.4% — believe their revenue will grow between 1% and 10% over the next year, and a healthy 19% believe it will grow by more than 10%. About 21% believe their revenue will remain flat. Warren OK, so ministry leaders are optimistic, but they still cite fundraising as the primary challenge they face in leading their ministry. As in January, about 50% of ministry executives cited fundraising as their biggest challenge. Kim When we first began the survey in October 2022, finding and keeping qualified staff was a persistently challenging situation faced by ministry leaders. While it remains a challenge cited by about 25% of respondents in this quarter's survey, it is down from over 40% when the survey began. Warren A couple of questions that we've been asking for a while showed some...

In 1985, Neil Postman published Amusing Ourselves to Death. That means this year is the 40th birthday of this landmark book. And in that 40 years, Postman's troubling prophesies have mostly come true. Screens have reshaped our minds, our relationships, and our culture. Ivan Mesa and Brett McCracken say that “social media and smartphones have brought an appetite for distraction, an epidemic of loneliness, and increased rates of mental health challenges. Their new book, Scrolling Ourselves to Death, is a collection of essays by them and many others who have studied not only Neil Postman's book, but also the culture – examining both through a Christian worldview lens. Both Postman's original book, and this new book celebrating Postman, have much to offer Christians today, and I'm delighted to have both Brett and Ivan on the podcast. Brett McCracken is a senior editor for The Gospel Coalition and the author of many excellent books, including one of my recent favorites, The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World. Ivan Mesa ha a PhD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is the editorial director for The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Gateway Church has named a new senior pastor. The appointment comes a year after child sexual abuse accusations surfaced against founding pastor Robert Morris. We'll have details. And, the Department of Justice is suing a city in Idaho for discriminating against Christ the Redeemer Church—a church plant of Doug Wilson's Christ Church. The church has been seeking a permit to meet in an old bank building—a request the city has denied. We'll take a look. Plus, Gereld Duane Rollins—who sued SBC legend Paul Pressler for sexual abuse—has died. His lawsuit sparked a Southern Baptist abuse reckoning. But first, Fuller Seminary reaffirms its stance on biblical sexuality. The board of Fuller, a leading evangelical seminary voted to affirm its long-standing stance on biblical marriage and human sexuality during its May meeting. But an email to supporters May 22 caused confusion. The email defined the biblical and historical understanding of biblical sexuality as “a union between a man and a woman and sexual intimacy within the context of that union.” But in the same email, the seminary's president also acknowledged that some “faithful” Christian denominations “have come to affirm other covenantal forms of relationship,” an unusual stance for an evangelical seminary. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, and Laura Erlanson. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

I was recently trying to remember the first time I met S.D. (Sam) Smith, the creator of the wildly popular Green Ember books. I think it was at a homeschool conference a decade ago, back when I was working at The Colson Center. I noticed that one of the booths in the exhibit hall was crowded with kids and their parents. It was Sam's booth, and the kids were going just crazy in their enthusiasm for Sam's “rabbits with swords,” the heroic and delightful characters who are the stars of the Green Ember books. Since then, Sam's Green Ember books – plus other series that we'll talk about today – have sold more than 1.5 million books. Sam's brother Josiah is a key partner in the cottage industry that the Smiths have created, and his son – also named Josiah – is now a co-writer of the Jack Zulu books. I'm also pleased to say that Sam has become a good friend, so this conversation might get a little free-wheeling. We talk about writing the Green Ember and Jack Zulu books, a kickstarter campaign that has already raised more than $200,000 for a video game based on one of the characters in the Green Ember series, and why he has chosen to stay in West Virginia when conventional wisdom says he might have an easier time of it if he moved to Nashville, New York, or one of the other so-called “cultural centers” in the country. I think you'll find Sam's perspective both encouraging and challenging. We had this conversation via zoom. That brings to a close my conversation with S.D. (Sam) Smith. You can find out more about Sam and his work at www.sdsmith.com. By the way, since Sam and I spoke, his kickstarter campaign has significantly exceeded its $200,000 goal. Congratulations to Sam and his team on this milestone. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm  your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Liberty University reached a settlement with disgraced former President Jerry Falwell Jr. last year, but the terms of that settlement were only disclosed this week. We'll have details. And, Bob Jones University names a new president just a month after its current leader announced he is stepping back. Many alumni aren't happy with the choice. We'll explain why. Plus, beloved Bible study author Kay Arthur has died at 91. We'll look back at the ministry founder's life. But first, police close its investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Daystar. The police department investigating accusations that sexual abuse was covered up by Daystar Television Network's founding family, Joni and Marcus Lamb, has announced it is closing the investigation. According to the Colleyville Police Department in North Texas, the allegations were thoroughly investigated over the last year and a half, but no one will be charged in the matter. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:  FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Liberty University reached a settlement with disgraced former President Jerry Falwell Jr. last year, but the terms of that settlement were only disclosed this week. We'll have details. And, Bob Jones University names a new president just a month after its current leader announced he is stepping back. Many alumni aren't happy with the choice. We'll explain why. Plus, beloved Bible study author Kay Arthur has died at 91. We'll look back at the ministry founder's life. Natasha: But first, Police close its investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Daystar. Warren: The police department investigating accusations that sexual abuse was covered up by Daystar Television Network's founding family, Joni and Marcus Lamb, has announced it is closing the investigation. According to the Colleyville Police Department in North Texas, the allegations were thoroughly investigated over the last year and a half, but no one will be charged in the matter. Dara Nelson, Colleyville Police Department's public information officer, in a statement. “The case is closed with no charges filed. In Texas, there is no statute of limitations for sexual assault of a child. If any new evidence emerges in this case, it will be thoroughly investigated,” she added. Natasha: Warren, can you briefly give us a little more background to this story? Warren: Last fall, Jonathan Lamb, son of Daystar founders Marcus and Joni Lamb, and his wife, Suzy, publicly accused Daystar leaders of covering up abuse involving their daughter from several years prior. The couple accused a Lamb family member, identified as “Pete,” of the abuse. Pete submitted to two lie detector tests, and no evidence was ever produced implicating him in the abuse, according to a statement on Daystar's website. Both “Pete” and Daystar denied any wrongdoing. Natasha: But the family isn't convinced. Warren: In a post on X, Suzy Lamb called the investigation closure “a formality,” adding that victims of abuse often take years to speak up. She also said “Pete” was not exonerated of the alleged abuse. “When our child is ready to speak – she will and the case will be wide open again,” Suzy Lamb wrote. “Till then we rest and trust God to bring justice.”

On today's program, Warren Smith talks with Michael Reneau of The Dispatch about his new column “Dispatch Faith.” They also unpack the mission of The Dispatch, his role there, the state of American journalism, and a whole lot more. Before joining The Dispatch, Michael Reneau was the editor of WORLD Magazine. He also served as editor of the award-winning paper The Greenville Sun, based in Greenville, Tennessee. He is married and he and his wife have four children. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh.

If you are a conservative, Bible-believing Christian, there's a lot to like about the Rev. Calvin Robinson. Raised in England, he stood up to the liberalism of the Church of England and, as a result, that church would not ordain him. He is a powerful communicator who puts his gifts in service of pro-life causes, the sanctity of marriage, and other important issues. Then there's the “other” Calvin Robinson. If you've been following the news about Robinson this week, you probably know that Calvin Robinson, too. That Calvin Robinson is an agent provocateur. He made what appeared to be a Nazi-like salute at a pro-life event in January. He has been fired or suspended from media and ministry jobs. This Calvin Robinson is a guy who seems to be in love with the spotlight, but not at all in love with those in authority over him telling him what to do. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. The host is Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Calvin Robinson was dismissed by the Anglican Catholic Church earlier this year after making a nazi-like salute at a pro-life summit. This week, another denomination has restored him to service…but not without pushback. We'll have details. The Episcopal Church is ending its partnership with the U.S. after refusing to settle refugees from South Africa. We'll take a look. Plus, long-time Carolina University President Charles Petitt passed away last week. His two-decade tenure transformed the small North Carolina school. First, influential Calvinist pastor has been suspended from his church over multiple fake social media accounts he ran where he criticized pastors and elders in his inner circle. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Bob Smietana, Kathryn Post, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Bruce Barron, Kim Roberts,  Shannon Cuthrell, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Illinois Baptist and Bruce Barron for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Calvin Robinson was dismissed by the Anglican Catholic Church earlier this year after making a nazi-like salute at a pro-life summit. This week, another denomination has restored him to service…but not without pushback. We'll have details. And, the Episcopal Church is ending its partnership with the U.S. after refusing to settle refugees from South Africa. We'll take a look. Plus, long-time Carolina University President Charles Petitt passed away last week. His two-decade tenure transformed the small North Carolina school. Natasha: But first, influential Calvinist pastor has been suspended from his church over multiple fake social media accounts he ran where he criticized pastors and elders in his inner circle. Warren: Josh Buice, founder of the G3 Conference and pastor of Pray's Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, Georgia, was placed on indefinite leave last week after church leaders “uncovered irrefutable evidence that Dr. Buice has, for the past three years, operated at least four anonymous social media accounts, two anonymous email addresses, and two Substack platforms.” According to a statement from the church. “These accounts were used to publicly and anonymously slander numerous Christian leaders, including faithful pastors (some of whom have spoken at G3 conferences), several PMBC elders, and others,” “These actions were not only sinful in nature but deeply divisive, causing unnecessary suspicion and strife within the body of Christ, and particularly within the eldership of PMBC.” Natasha: Buice has also resigned as president of G3, which was founded in 2019 and brought in $2.3 million in revenue for the 2023 calendar year, according to its public IRS financial disclosures. The group grew out of a conference started by Buice in 2013 — the name G3 stands for “Gospel, Grace, Glory.” The group claimed its annual conference drew 6,500 people in 2021, according to the G3 website. Warren: The board of G3 has canceled the group's annual conference, which had been planned for September, and promised full refunds. Natasha: So who was he criticizing? Warren: Buice especially criticized former Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore and Bible teacher Beth Moore (not related) for allegedly promoting liberal ideas in the church, as well as former SBC President Ed Litton for alleged sermon plagiarism. He has also apparently been running anonymous social media accounts that criticized other pastors...

I went on a road trip this week from my home in Charlotte, N.C., through Nashville to Branson, Mo., where I spoke at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. From there I drove home through Terre Haute and Indianapolis, Ind., and Beckley, W.Va. In 72 hours, I put in more than 1800 miles. It wasn't all windshield time. I stopped for meetings all along the way, and I learned that real, life-changing and culture-changing work is happening in places that are not New York or Washington, or Los Angeles. Here's what I learned…. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

You don't see a lot of mergers in the Christian ministry space, but one recent merger caught our eye here at MinistryWatch. That merger was between CareNet and ICU Mobile. We thought it would be good to have Roland Warren back on the program to explain why and how this merger occurred. Regular listeners to the program will remember that we had Roland on the show last year to discuss his book The Alternative to Abortion: Why We Must Be Pro Abundant Life. I'll have a link to that program in today's show notes. But for those who missed that program, or who have forgotten, Roland Warren has been the president of Care Net, the nation's largest network of pregnancy resource centers, for more than a decade. He's been an advocate for the unborn for much longer than that. Roland Warren has also helped bring fathers into the pro-life conversation, in part because of a tenure as president of the National Fatherhood Initiative, a post he held before coming to Care Net. I've interviewed Roland Warren many times over the years, including twice for my “Listening In” podcast, a podcast I did for a decade for WORLD News Group. I'll include links to those interviews in today's show notes. Those links are here and here. Today, though, we focus on the merger with CareNet and ICU Mobile because it's an example of what I think more ministries should consider, and that is a strategic merger with other like-minded organizations. I think Roland has some interesting insights regarding the why and how to make such mergers possible. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Milestone Church in North Texas announced this week it is expanding its campuses by absorbing Cross Timbers Church in nearby Argyle. Cross Timbers has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the forced resignation of its senior pastor. We'll have details. Plus, prominent evangelical leaders petition President Trump to allow Afghan refugees to remain in the U.S. Refugees face arrest, torture, and possibly death by the Taliban if deported back to Afghanistan. We'll take a look. A new survey shows the number of donors continued to drop in 2024…but revenue from overall donations rose. But first, Ethnos 360—one of the largest missionary agencies in the country—has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, Paul Colliery, Brittany Smith and Warren Smith. A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Milestone Church in North Texas announced this week it is expanding its campuses by absorbing Cross Timbers Church in nearby Argyle. Cross Timbers has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the forced resignation of its senior pastor. We'll have details. Plus, prominent evangelical leaders petition President Trump to allow Afghan refugees to remain in the U.S. Refugees face arrest, torture, and possibly death by the Taliban if deported back to Afghanistan. We'll take a look. And, a new survey shows the number of donors continued to drop in 2024…but revenue from overall donations rose. Natasha: But first, Ethnos 360—one of the largest missionary agencies in the country—has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia. Warren: Kayla McClain, 25, claims she was abused by an Ethnos360 missionary, Nate Horling, between 2005 and 2010. Her lawsuit asserts claims against Ethnos 360 for negligence, negligent training and supervision, fraud in the inducement, and vicarious liability for the alleged abuse committed by Horling. Boz Tchividjian, the attorney representing McClain, is also founder of Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE). said in a statement to MinistryWatch.  “Once again, Ethnos360 faces a lawsuit for failing to protect a child from sexual abuse — and for its deeply inadequate response when the survivor courageously came forward,” “Our client, like far too many others, was not kept safe. But through this legal action, she is now seeking the accountability and justice that were long denied to her,” he said. Natasha: What happened? Warren: In 2005, McClain's parents served as missionaries with Ethnos360 in Indonesia after completing their missionary training. While there, Kayla McClain became acquainted with the Horlings, another missionary family living in the same housing area provided by Ethnos360. The Horlings had a daughter the same age as McClain. According to court filings, McClain often felt uncomfortable around Nate Horling, who would stroke her hair and give her prolonged full-body hugs. McClain also claims Horling showed her lewd pictures and videos of children in the Ethnos360 office while she sat on his lap and he touched her inappropriately. And in 2009 she was raped by Horling Natasha: And this was just one of multiple cases within Ethnos 360 the lawsuit a...

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 30, 2025, about whether Oklahoma can operate the nation's first faith-based charter school. If the Supreme Court decides their way, St. Isidore of Seville would be a virtual, K-12 school run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. We should note that a lot of conservatives are with St. Isidore. Alliance Defending Freedom's Jim Campbell was one of the attorneys arguing on behalf of the Oklahoma charter board and the school. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican supporter of St. Isidore, said the case “stands to be one of the most significant religious and education freedom decisions in our lifetime.” The conservative legal group Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief in the case, also in favor of St. Isidore. But not everyone – even on the conservative and Christian side of the aisle — is so enthusiastic. David Dockery is the president of the International Alliance for Christian Education. He told MinistryWatch, “IACE does not have an official position on the St Isidore case since we do not have full agreement on this matter among those who serve on the Board.” Dan Burrell is a longtime Christian education leader. Today he serves as a pastor in Charlotte, N.C., and the chairman of the board of MinistryWatch. His experience includes a tenure as president of the Florida Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. He was also a faculty member at Liberty University's graduate school of education. Burrell said he was “pretty strongly opposed” to government-funded religious schools.

On today's program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We'll have details. And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination's leftward drift. Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look. But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter's House. T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter's House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church's leaders, Christianity Today reported. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Mark Wingfield, Tyler Hummel, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

In the Great Commission of Matthew 28, Jesus plainly told his disciples to go to all parts of the world and make disciples. And for 2000 years, Christians have done that, and God has blessed that work. Today, mature Christian believers on every continent in the world. That's why some Christian leaders are re-thinking what it means to “go.” My guest today, Aaron Baart, is one of them. He got involved in foreign missions in 2007 and discovered that Godly, mature Christ-followers are already living and ministering in many of the places we Americans are sending missionaries. Why not support them? That insight has put Aaron in the forefront of what I call the “New Missions Paradigm.” We've written a good bit about it here at MinistryWatch, and Aaron and his colleagues at Dordt University in Iowa have now produced a new six-part video series called “Missions Upside Down.”  I've watched it. I recommend it, and on today's program Aaron is joining me to talk about it. Aaron Baart is an alumnus of Dordt who came back to serve on campus in 2010. As the Chief of Staff, Baart coordinates strategic efforts among the senior leadership team, is Dordt's legal liaison, and leads the Crisis Management Team. He also serves as Dean of Chapel, providing oversight for the Campus Ministries staff that helps students develop spiritually through worship, service, missions, and discipleship initiatives. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

If you don't live day-to-day in the world of finance or philanthropy, you might not have heard of the Great Generational Wealth Transfer. It's the notion that in the next 20 or so years, as much as $90 trillion will transfer from the current generation that holds these assets to the next generation. MinistryWatch provides a database of the largest ministries in the nation, with lots of free data at your disposal. As a friend of mine often says (with a touch of irony), “We live in the future now. We can have nice things.” We may not live in the future, but we do live in a world where being uninformed is not an excuse. Dig in, ask tough questions, and give wisely. You can find recent examples of our “Generous Living” series here and here. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire was the subject of an independent investigation late last year. The findings of that report have now been released, allegedly finding that Brown DID engage in misconduct with two women who were not his wife. We'll have details. And, is Bob Jones University facing closure? The school's president says no—but alumni aren't so sure. We'll take a closer look. Plus, The Salvation Army in Denver is embroiled in protests, violence, and a failed $3 million bid to provide housing to the city's homeless population. The ministry says the city is using it as a ‘scapegoat' even as it faces an overwhelming homelessness crisis. But first, a female victim has joined the fray in suing Kanakuk Kamps for negligence after she was abused by former staffer Peter Newman when she was just 9 years old. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Tony Mator, Bob Smietana, and Brittany Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire was the subject of an independent investigation late last year. The findings of that report have now been released, allegedly finding that Brown DID engage in misconduct with two women who were not his wife. We'll have details. And, is Bob Jones University facing closure? The school's president says no—but alumni aren't so sure. We'll take a closer look. Plus, The Salvation Army in Denver is embroiled in protests, violence, and a failed $3 million bid to provide housing to the city's homeless population. The ministry says the city is using it as a ‘scapegoat' even as it faces an overwhelming homelessness crisis. Natasha: But first, a female victim has joined the fray in suing Kanakuk Kamps for negligence after she was abused by former staffer Peter Newman when she was just 9 years old. Warren: The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe due to the sensitive nature of the allegations, filed suit on Monday, April 14 against Kanakuk Heritage, Kanakuk Ministries, KUKORP, and Joe White for negligent retention, negligent supervision, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and sexual battery. The lawsuit was filed in Taney County, Missouri, where Kanakuk is located. This is the first known female victim of Newman to come forward with a lawsuit, according to a press release by Monsees & Mayer, the law firm representing the plaintiff. The plaintiff alleges she was sexually molested by Peter Newman in 2008 when she was just 9 years old and attending K-Kountry, one of the summer camp programs for 6- to 11-year-old children. Natasha: I know these cases are extremely sensitive for the victims but why didn't she bring the lawsuit sooner? Warren: According to the lawsuit, Doe's memory of the events was repressed until December 2024 when she regained the memories of abuse and began to question Kanakuk's conduct and responsibility for Newman's actions. Missouri's law allows for a pause of the statute of limitations related to childhood sexual abuse when memory of the abuse was repressed. Natasha: Our next story brings to light more unfortunate news Warren: An independent investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire “concluded that Brown's actions toward the two females were inappropriate and unacceptable for his leadership position within the ministry.” Brown was accused of sexual misconduct by crossing physical boundaries with a 21-year-old woman,

The music industry has been in something of a mess over the past two decades. Digital platforms have come and gone and come again, completely reshaping – and then reshaping again – the economic model of the music industry. The Christian music industry has had to undergo all these changes plus more: the rise of the worship genre, the growth of such radio juggernauts as K-Love and Salem, and the economic pressures these innovations have placed on the rest of the industry to conform or die. And the worship genre itself has shaped the way the church worships – whether we like it or not. Through all these changes, a small but influential music label in Nashville has not just survived, but it has thrived. That label is Centricity, and it owes much of its success to my guest today, John Mays. John is one of the co-founders of the label, and he has retained the title of Senior VP of A&R. And if you don't know what that means, stay tuned. John will explain. John Mays began his career as a musician, playing bass for some of the early bands in the CCM genre, first as a road dog, then as a session player. He worked for industry leader Word Records early in his career. With Word, Centricity, and others, he has been influential in the careers of artists such as Cindy Morgan, Point of Grace, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Andrew Peterson, and many more. John is currently working with Peterson, Jason Gray, and Lauren Daigle, among the two dozen or so artists currently on the Centricity label. John had this conversation with me from his home near Nashville. A special word before we go. I'm a bit of a music guy. I find music to be nourishing spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually. Contemporary Christian Music and Christian radio also have an outsized impact on the evangelical movement. So from time to time, we'll feature musicians on the MinistryWatch podcast. To hear recent interviews I've done with Charlie Peacock, Fernando Ortega, Andrew Peterson, and others, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “Podcast” button at the top of the page. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to PR guy extraordinaire Rick Hoganson for helping me arrange this interview with John Mays. Until next time, may God bless you.

Last week, nearly 300 ministry leaders who make up the True Charity Network gathered in Huntsville, Alabama. I was there. On this episode, I discuss what I saw and heard. To learn more about Watered Gardens and James Whitford, click here. Here are some of the checklists – called “Model Action Plans” — published by The True Charity Network.

On today's program we have internationally recognized psychologies and trauma scholar Diane Langberg. She has come face to face with the trauma of sexual abuse, trafficking, domestic violence, and rape – and its cover up. And she has encountered all of them within the Christian community and the church. In her book When the Church Harms God's People, Langberg diagnoses how Christian communities often choose to protect their institutions rather than the victims of harm, and she discusses what we can do about it. Diane Langberg has a Ph.D from Temple University, and she has chaired the advisory board of the American Association of Christian Counselors. She has written a number of books, books which have been translated into eleven languages. To receive your own copy of her book, go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. If you make a gift of any size to MinistryWatch during April 2025, we'll send  you this book as our thank you gift. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. I'm your host Warren Smith. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he's served as president of the school for less than a year. We'll have details. Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We'll take a look. Plus, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university. But first, Pastor Rodney Finch's Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it's for real. Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association's (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret. After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adam Macinnis, Marci Seither, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. A special thanks to byFaith Online for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you. MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he's served as president of the school for less than a year. We'll have details. And, Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We'll take a look. And Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university. Natasha: But first, Pastor Rodney Finch's Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it's for real. Warren: Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association's (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret. After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board. Natasha: As MinistryWatch reported, the church then closed its doors late last year and began liquidating assets through estate sales. Now, the entire three-lot property, which includes two buildings totaling about 40,000 square feet, has been sold for $7 million. Warren: According to a deed filed with Wake County, the church was purchased on February 21 by a local LLC called LIWSP Apex, whose articles of organization indicate it was formed just two days prior. In a letter of no objection by the state assistant attorney general's office, the buyer is identified as Longleaf Industrial, LLC, a real estate development company owned by former NHL hockey player Tim Brent. Calvary Chapel Cary board member Steve Youell, a real estate agent in Florida, confirmed to MinistryWatch that the church sold for $7 ...

Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi and Amy McClintock, 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. Both Amy and Al have been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic language spoken by more than 11 million people. More than three years ago, I started reporting 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. I wrote my first 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. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned.  And that's what we are doing today. The very fact that Al 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 four years or so, I've written about 50 articles on the industry and its practices, and I'll have links to some of those articles in today's show notes. I encourage you to check them out:  https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/

On today's program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt's claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We'll have details. Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims. And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump's mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters. But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adele M. Banks, Fiona Andre, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Skylar Laird, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to South Carolina Daily Gazette for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt's claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We'll have details. Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims. And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump's mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters. Natasha: But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children. Warren: A jury says a Fort Worth pastor is liable for $124 million in damages in a sexual assault civil case—following a settlement that included giving the church property to his victims. In 2017, police arrested and indicted Jose Francisco Bernal for allegedly sexually assaulting two girls in his church's youth department at Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia (Tabernacle of Life) Pentecostal Church. The women, sisters who are now adults, claim Bernal repeatedly sexually assaulted them since they were 7 years old. Natasha: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the trial's progress until September 2022. Prosecutors dismissed the charges after a mistrial. The jury deliberated over 10 hours and could not reach a verdict. Warren: But two years after Bernal's arrest on June 4, 2019, one of the women filed a separate lawsuit against Bernal through the Tarrant County District Court. The survivors also named two churches in their lawsuit: Bernal's Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia in Fort Worth and Tabernaculo de Vida in Dallas. Both churches are part of United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), and the Fort Worth location is the daughter church of the Dallas church. Natasha: What's happened to the churches? Warren: In 2023, the churches settled by agreeing to pay $100,000 and transferring ownership of the Forth Worth church pr...

On today's EXTRA episode Warren Smith explains why he thinks Christian ministries should not have endowments. He says the Internal Revenue Service recognizes 1.9 million organizations as tax-exempt. Of these, more than a million of them are “religious” organizations. For almost all of them, an endowment is a bad idea. To read Karen Houghton's piece on why she thinks ministries should have endowments, click here. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor. And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick's Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We'll take a closer look at the church's 2024 annual report.  Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We'll have details. But first, more churches are leaving what's known as ‘the Network,' led by Steve Morgan. Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Diana Chandler, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week's podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren:  Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor. And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick's Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We'll take a closer look at the church's 2024 annual report. Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We'll have details. Natasha: But first, more churches are leaving what's known as ‘the Network,' led by Steve Morgan. Warren: Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites. MinistryWatch began reporting about Morgan in 2022 when a watchdog group called “Leaving the Network” issued an eight-point “call to action,” including an independent investigation of the group. Morgan, who was originally part of the Vineyard Association of Churches, left that group in 2006 and formed his own network. At one point, the network included 26 churches in the U.S., U.K., and Taiwan. Morgan is still the lead pastor of Joshua Church in Austin, Texas. Natasha: Why were churches leaving? Warren: One of the concerns that “Leaving the Network” has raised is that Morgan was arrested in 1987 for aggravated criminal sodomy of a minor, but his case was diverted. The group believes Morgan's past has been concealed from members and leaders in the network of churches. Natasha: Eleven churches no longer appear to be affiliated with the Network. MinistryWatch reported about four — Isaiah Church, Vine Church, North Pines Church, and Hosea Church — last fall. Now seven more have indicated in some way that they are no longer part of the Network. Warren: Brookfield Church in Athens, Ohio: Cedar Heights Church in State College, Penn.: Mountain Heights Church in Morgantown, W.V.: Oaks Church in Muncie, Ind.: South Grove Church in Athens, Ga.: Vida Springs Church in Gainesville, Fla.: Christland Church in College Station, Texas: Natasha: Next, Willow Creek's Pastor steps down. Warren: David Dummitt, who became pastor of Willow Creek Church at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,

On today's “Extra” podcast, we discuss Amanda Ripley's excellent 2021 book High Conflict, and I share some principles for becoming a discerning consumer of news in this partisan and polarized media environment. Today's podcast episode is based on my “Editor's Notebook” from last Friday, which you can read here. The producer of today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We'll have details. And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan's Purse. We'll take a look. Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it. But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Ed Stych, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.     MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We'll have details. And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan's Purse. We'll take a look. Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it. Natasha: But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Warren: Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance. On March 12, in his first tweet on X since before the scandal broke, Lawson addressed his followers in a nearly 500-word tweet. "It is with a shattered heart that I write this letter. I have sinned grievously against the Lord, against my wife, my family, and against countless numbers of you by having a sinful relationship with a woman not my wife," the tweet began. Natasha: In September 2024, Trinity Bible Church of Dallas removed Lawson, their lead pastor of six years, after he admitted to church elders that he was having an "inappropriate relationship" with a woman. Before joining Trinity in 2018, Lawson was a pastor for over 40 years, leading churches in Arkansas and Alabama. Warren: Lawson formerly served as professor of preaching and dean of D.Min. studies at The Master's Seminary (TMS) and was a frequent preacher at John MacArthur's Grace Community Church (GCC) and its conferences. Lawson is also the founder of OnePassion Ministries, executive editor of Expositor Magazine (a ministry of OnePassion), and author of 33 books. Natasha: Next, Robert Morris turns himself in to authorities. Warren: Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, turned himself in on charges of lewd acts with children on Monday, March 17. Morris was indicted by a grand jury in Oklahoma last week on five charges of lewd or indecent acts with children. Natasha: The charges stem for allegations brought by Cindy Clemishire last year. Warren: Clemishire has accused Morris of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years old. Morris was allegedly a 21-year-old visiting evangelist. He was married, and he and his wife had a young child. Morris resigned after the allegations became public through Clemishire's account published by The Wartburg Watch on June 14,

It has been a rough couple of decades for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, but the school seems to have turned a corner and is headed in a new, positive direction. If the saga of SWBTS does indeed have a happy ending, or at least a thriving next chapter, a good bit of the credit can be attributed to one man: Dr. David Dockery. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you. LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY'S PROGRAM: Dr. Russell Dilday Thomas Kidd's excellent work, especially The Baptists In America, which he co-wrote with Barry Hankins. Mark Wingfield's recent article “How Southwestern Seminary Is Bouncing Back From Financial Catastrophe” . 20 years of detailed financial audits.

On today's program, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination's handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We'll take a look. Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration's defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We'll have details. But first, Oklahoma's state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts. Oklahoma's State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is asking Americans to donate money to send leather-bound Bibles into Sooner State public school classrooms, now that the state legislature nixed a funding request. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

Here at MinistryWatch I have witnessed a tragic phenomenon over and over again. A young person begins the Christian life with passion and enthusiasm. But if that person doesn't put down an anchor in the Gospel, he begins to drift. Before long, that young person finds himself, or herself, broken apart on the rocks, wondering, “How did this happen?” If that person was a leader in the church, the damage can spread far and wide. My guest today, Jared Wilson, says Scripture can answer the question “How did this happen?” He points to Hebrews 2:1 as a key. “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” His new book is called “Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel.” I've got to say that I have been looking forward to this book and my conversation with Jared, in part because I believe the topic is so vital, but also because I've been following Jared on social media for a while and have found him to be one of the increasingly rare sane voices there. So it was a pleasure to settle in to this conversation with him. Jared C. Wilson is assistant professor of pastoral ministry and author in residence at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City. He is also pastor for preaching and the director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church, a Kansas City suburb. I'd like to remind you that during the month of March we are asking our regular listeners and readers to prayerfully consider becoming a monthly supporter of MinistryWatch. Monthly supporters play a special and badly needed role here at MinistryWatch. They give us a certain baseline of support that we know we can count on every month. That is a tremendous help in our planning. I also want to mention that as a monthly supporter you will receive ALL the donor premiums we offer during the year. To become a monthly supporter, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Amy Morris at Zondervan, as well as my assistant Carley Southerland, for arranging my interview with Jared Wilson. Please join me again on Friday when Natasha Cowden and I review the news of the week that we've been covering here at MinistryWatch. Until then, may God bless you.

On today's program, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We'll take a look. And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don't survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions. And, we've released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants.  But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha:  And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today's program, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We'll take a look. And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don't survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions. And, we've released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants. Natasha: But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand. Warren: On March 3, the Justice Department section for the Western District of Pennsylvania filed a statement of interest supporting the Hope Rising Community Church in its lawsuit against the Borough of Clarion. The church has outgrown its current facilities and wants to expand using a facility in the city's commercial district. While Clarion allows nonreligious assemblies in the commercial district, such as theaters, the city would not approve the church's zoning use variance request. Officials from the city allegedly said they didn't “need any more churches” because of the loss of property taxes. Natasha: Hope Rising Community Church filed its lawsuit in November alleging the city was violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law that protects houses of worship from discrimination in zoning. When Clarion filed a motion to dismiss the church's claim, the Justice Department intervened. Warren: The city argued the church had not suffered any concrete injury as a result of Clarion's actions, the DOJ argued that the city's zoning code has “stymied [the church's] efforts to buy and develop the only suitable property for the church in Clarion.” As of March 2024, the DOJ had opened over 155 formal investigations and filed nearly 30 lawsuits related to RLUIPA's Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) land use provisions, and had filed 36 “friend-of-the-court” briefs addressing the interpretation and application of RLUIPA in privately-filed lawsuits. Natasha: Next, The Trump Administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies. Warren: President Donald Trump's administration is making moves to shutter a decades-old partnership between the government and a group of mostly religious organizations to resettle refugees, with the State Department abruptly canceling grant agreements with all the agencies despite ongoing legal battles. On Wednesday (Feb. 26), refugee resettlement organizations, such as Church World Service, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the U.S.

Bruce Bruinsma believes that 30 years is a long time to do nothing. He also says that this is precisely what a lot of Christian retirees do. The average lifespan of an American is about 78 years. But if that's average, many live much longer. About 2 percent of Americans – more than 6 million people – are 85 or older. And more than 50 percent of Americans retire before the age of 65. Bruinsma believes we need a retirement reformation. We need to create an expectation that older people can make vital contributions to our churches, to Christian ministries, and to our communities. We shouldn't segregate them in their own Sunday school classes, or send them off on Christian themed bus trips. They should play an active, leadership role in our churches. Promoting this message is what he has done with his retirement. Bruce Bruinsma is 83 years old, and still full steam ahead with ministry work. It was a pleasure to talk with him about why and how we can create a retirement reformation. To learn more about his organization, Retirement Reformation, just go to RetirementReformation.org

On today's program, Dr. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew's Chapelwhere he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We'll have details. And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We'll take a look. Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Kim Roberts, Bethany Starin, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren:  Hello everybody. I'm Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Natasha: And I'm Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we'd like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren:  On today's program, Dr. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew's Chapel, where he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We'll have details. And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We'll take a look. Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Natasha: But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation. Warren: A former professor and investigator at Liberty University has filed a federal lawsuit against the school and its leaders for discrimination and retaliation under Title IX, the Uniformed Services Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and the Virginia Whistleblower Protection Law. Peter Brake is a Liberty graduate and an attorney who served for over 20 years as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate. He was employed in 2019 as a full-time Civil Rights Investigator in Liberty's Office of Equity and Compliance/Title IX and as an adjunct professor. While employed at Liberty, Brake took a 3½-year leave of absence starting in January 2020 to serve active duty with the U.S. Army. He had moved to reserve military duty at this point. Natasha: What happened? Warren: According to the lawsuit, Brake's absence was referred to by Liberty administrators as a “problem” because they were required to hold his position while he served in the U.S. Army. Upon his return in October 2023, Brake claims he suffered discrimination in violation of the USERRA. Brake also claims he was fired after making “good faith reports” about violations of Title IX and the Clery Act at Liberty. Natasha: In November 2023, Brake claims he told Liberty President Dondi Costin about the Title IX office ignoring grievance procedure requirements, noting that some cases had been sitting idle for a year without resolution. Warren: In an email exchange with Costin, Costin allegedly assured Brake that “your leadership understands that retaliation is not allowed around here, so don't give that possibility another thought.” After Liberty reached a settlement agreement of $14 million for Clery Act violations, Brake said he reported more violations. He was then allegedly subjected to a “humiliating and unusual interrogation” by Liberty's human resources department and other harassment. In May, Brake filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against Liberty and filed a Title IX complaint. Brake was fired in June.

Over the past two weeks I have traveled to Southern California and Colorado Springs – two areas that have long been considered evangelical “hot spots.” Some have even irreverently called Colorado Springs the evangelical “mecca.” That trip impressed on me that even in the arena of ministry headquarters, a sense of place matters. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Charlie Peacock is a Billboard chart-topping, six-time Grammy Award-winning music producer whose recordings now exceed 25 million album sales. Billboard named him one of the 500 most important producers in popular music history. He has held executive positions at EMI and SONY/ATV and he founded the Universal Music Group imprint re:think. He helped launch The Lone Bellow, Switchfoot, and The Civil Wars. And now, he has a new book, Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music. These credentials make Charlie podcast-worthy in just about any format that is interested in the intersection of Christianity and pop culture. But one of the reasons I wanted to have Charlie on the program today is that he's one of the most thoughtful guys I know when it comes to issues of fame and its pitfalls, vocation and work, and creativity. It was a special treat for me to get to spend this time with Charlie Peacock, and I hope you find it special, too. Charlie spoke to me from his studio in Nashville. He has a new book, Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music. I highly recommend it. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today's program, another congregation is leaving the Hillsong fold…leaving only 5 Hillsong churches in the U-S. We'll have details. And, T.D. Jakes filed an affidavit in response to allegations that he made sexual advances toward two other ministers decades ago. We'll take a look. Plus, the Presbyterian Church in America issued an apology and removed a webpage with advice on how immigrants can avoid being detained. But first, after months of turmoil, Calvary Chapel Cary in North Carolina is closing. Months after Calvary Chapel Cary discovered its lead pastor, Rodney Finch, had secretly listed the church for sale, the 9.8-acre property in Apex, North Carolina, is back on the market, and weekly services have ceased. The real estate scandal was not Finch's first controversy. Rather, it brought to a boil years of tensions and demands for greater transparency and accountability.  The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today's program include Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Adele Banks, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

Last week, on my trip to Southern California, I learned about a model for collaboration and funding ministries that is slowing growing across the country. That model is the brainchild of The Barnabas Group. That's a group of Christian businesspeople and philanthropists – called “partners” who pay $2100 a year to be a part of the group. Those dues pay for quarterly meetings where the partners gather to hear Christian ministries tell their story. Over the past 25 years, The Barnabas Group has helped more than a thousand Christian ministries learn the power of having a network.