Ep. 491: Burk Parsons and St. Andrew’s Chapel, Church Security, Child Evangelism Fellowship Pursues Ambitious Goal

Jul 25, 2025

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On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel, the church founded by RC Sproul and now led by controversial pastor Burke Parsons, delays its long-awaited vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America. We’ll have details.

The murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We’ll take a look.

Plus, two years ago, Child Evangelism Fellowship set a goal of reaching 100 million children a year with the gospel through its ministry initiatives. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts checked in for an update.

First, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch.

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, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Henry Durand, and Christina Darnell.

A special thanks to the Christian Index 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:

And, the murders of two women at a Kentucky church this month point to a troubling trend—and churches are seeking help to prevent more violence. We’ll take a look.

Natasha:

But first, former pastor Brady Boyd is starting a new ministry—just one month after being asked to resign from his Colorado Springs megachurch.

Warren:

Brady Boyd, who resigned as lead pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in June, has started a new ministry — Psalm 68 Ministries.

Psalm 68 Ministries says its mission is to serve widows, orphans and the forgotten, as well as ministry leaders.

Natasha:

Boyd had served at Gateway Church, founded by Robert Morris, from 2001 to 2007. He claimed he didn’t know that Morris had allegedly abused Cindy Clemishire when she was 12 years old.

Warren:

New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22, that the elders believed Boyd’s insistence that he didn’t know Clemishire’s age was untrue. It is the primary reason the elders asked Boyd to step down.

Natasha:

Next, St. Andrew’s Chapel delays vote on leaving PCA.

Warren:

St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, was scheduled to vote on leaving the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) on Sunday, July 20.

Instead, in something of a surprise move, the congregation referred the matter to the church’s board of elders, also known as its session, to study the situation and return with a recommendation.

Natasha:

St. Andrew’s was originally formed as an independent congregation in 1997 with Dr. R.C. Sproul as its founding pastor. It then joined the PCA in 2023.

Warren:

Its pastors are ordained by and members of the Central Florida Presbytery.

In June, a judicial commission of the Central Florida Presbytery found St. Andrew’s Senior Pastor Burk Parsons guilty of three charges and indefinitely suspended him from the duties of teaching elder in the PCA. He has appealed the judgment. Parsons is also a teaching fellow with Ligonier Ministries.

The St. Andrew’s session is expected to report back about the decision to leave the PCA in January 2026.

Natasha:

Next, a lawsuit against anti-trafficking figure Tim Ballard has been dismised.

Warren:

A lawsuit alleging that Tim Ballard, founder of Operation Underground Railroad, assaulted and raped his assistant, Celeste Borys, has been dismissed.

Third District Judge Todd Shaugnessy dismissed the lawsuit against Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad because of the way evidence was acquired, not based on the merits of the case.

Natasha:

Can you give us more context?

Warren:

The suit claimed Ballard promoted a technique called the “couples ruse” that called for women who worked for OUR to pretend they were married to him and engage in sexual contact in order to ensnare traffickers. In some cases, he flew workers to be with him so they could develop the “sexual chemistry” necessary to pull off the ruse.

As his executive assistant, Borys had access to some of Ballard’s email and electronic document accounts, which she then accessed after ending her employment.

“The court lawfully cannot excuse Ms. Borys’s conduct even if the court assumes that she is a victim and Mr. Ballard is a predator,” the judge wrote.

Natasha:

Borys’ attorneys said in a statement they are disappointed in the decision and are considering an appeal.

Warren:

In a separate case, women filed a federal lawsuit against Ballard in October 2024 accusing him of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA). The lawsuit also names Our Rescue as a defendant and is still ongoing. Our Rescue is the new name of Operation Underground Railroad.

In the MinistryWatch 1000 database, Our Rescue earns a 1-star financial efficiency rating, a C transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 49 out of 100.

Natasha:

Let’s look at one more story before our break, what do you have?

Warren:

The Bible Chapel advertises its special-needs ministry as “a place where you can attend church services without worry.”

It also boasts that all its staff and volunteers are “rigorously screened, cleared, and trained.”

But one family claims the nondenominational megachurch, located in the McMurray suburb of Pittsburgh, negligently enabled a known sexual predator to abuse their 13-year-old son, who has Down syndrome.

A June statement from attorneys representing the family says that on Jan. 5, the victim was assaulted in Bible Chapel’s sanctuary during a youth group event. The alleged perpetrator, Daniel Gould, is an adult on the autism spectrum. Both individuals were participants in the special-needs ministry.

Natasha:

The statement claims. “The abuse lasted more than seven minutes and ended only after other children who witnessed the assault alerted youth group leaders. During that entire time, the abuser, the victim, and the other children had no adult supervision,” “Bible Chapel didn’t tell the child’s father about the abuse until he arrived around 8:30 p.m. to pick up his son.”

Warren:

According to the lawsuit, Gould was supposed to be supervised by his father at all times because of previous bad behavior. Allegedly, one of those prior incidents was a sexual assault of another minor at the church. Attorneys claim Bible Chapel was also aware that Gould had been banned from attending a previous church due to “similar misconduct.”

However, when the latest incident occurred, Gould’s father was not present.

The entire assault was captured on surveillance video, but police declined to file criminal charges, “stating that both individuals involved were special needs,” the attorneys’ statement said.

Natasha:

In addition to negligence, the family is suing Bible Chapel Ministries—the parent organization that operates multiple church campuses—for violating Pennsylvania’s Child Protective Services Law, which stipulates reporting requirements.

Natasha:

This incident led our reporter Tony Mator to ask the question: What can churches to do help stop abuse before it occurs? What did he find out?

Warren:

Lifeway Research recommends abuse prevention guidelines, including background checks for all leaders and anyone with access to minors, and never allowing a child to be alone with just one adult. It also recommends MinistrySafe, a consulting service founded by civil trial attorneys to help churches protect children from sexual abuse. The organization offers legal services, staff training, and tailored policies and procedures.

Childhood evangelism and discipleship consultant Cheryl Markland echoed the importance of a “two adult rule” and advocated “clear sightlines into every gathering/teaching space.” However, she warned that good policies, by themselves, are insufficient if they lack teeth. A church that looks good on paper can still be ripe for abuse.

While background checks are critical, Markland noted that many abusers have no criminal record. Thus, reference checks and in-person interviews should also be required of anyone seeking to serve with minors.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, church violence appears on the rise—prompting church leaders to seek outside security help.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break.

Warren:

When Beverly Gumm and her daughter, Christina Combs, were fatally shot at a small rural church in Lexington, Kentucky, they became the latest victims of a growing problem that is raising alarm among pastors, advocacy groups, and even the FBI.

That problem—a rise in violence targeting houses of worship—has spawned a cottage industry of organizations offering ways to keep churches safe.

Natasha:

Last Sunday, 47-year-old Guy House fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church after shooting and injuring a Kentucky state trooper at a traffic stop. Witnesses told the Lexington Herald-Leader that House entered the fellowship hall asking for one of Combs’ sisters, who was not present, then opened fire on family members. His rampage not only took the lives of Combs, 32, and her 72-year-old mother, but also wounded both women’s husbands, including Richmond Baptist Pastor Jerry Gumm.

Warren:

House was then shot and killed by police, leaving the motive for his crime a mystery. The pastor and his son-in-law, Randy Combs, were hospitalized with bullet wounds, and at least one of them was reportedly in critical condition. The wounded trooper, Jude Remilien, was also hospitalized and recovering.

Natasha:

The Lexington attack comes less than a month after the CrossPointe Community Church shooting in Wayne, Michigan, and less than three months after Arizona pastor William Schonemann was murdered by a man with a hit list of 14 Christian leaders.

Warren:

In June, CBS News reported that FBI data showed a nearly 100% rise in assaults or attacks against people at houses of worship between 2021 and 2023. Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon told CBS that investigators have intensified their focus on preventing such incidents.

The FBI data is corroborated by a Family Research Council analysis of 915 “acts of hostility” against Christian churches between January 2018 and November 2023. These acts included gun-related crimes and bomb threats as well as less serious offenses such as vandalism.

Natasha:

In a 2023 study by Lifeway Research, found 4 in 5 Protestant pastors reported having some type of security measure in place for services. More recently, WXYZ Detroit reported that many Michigan churches increased security training in the wake of the CrossPointe Community Church shooting, in which a gunman was thwarted by quick-acting security guards and a deacon.

Warren:

In the face of these events, church security training organizations are growing

According to the Center for Violence Prevention and Self Defense Training (CVPSD), the FBSN has gained over 800 members since its 2017 founding. The Christian nonprofit describes its purpose as “enhancing the professionalism and connectivity of ministry security operators along with supporting ministry leaders, law-enforcement, and first responders, plus professional affiliate providers of products and services.”

Natasha:

Next, an interesting story about a youth trip by a church group in Anniston, Alabama.

Warren:

Courtney Wingo trusted Leatherwood Baptist Church in Anniston, Alabama, to take her 12-year-old daughter Kamryn on a youth trip in the Houston-area from June 4–7. But she believes the church betrayed her trust and risked her daughter’s safety.

When the trip was first promoted in March, it was called a youth camp. The itinerary included the expected activities, including games, worship times, a service project, and a trip to the beach.

Warren:

But without notifying the parents, the church went to a homeless encampment in Houston, into a dangerous part of one of the most dangerous cities in the country.

Natasha:

Kamryn was not given any evangelism training, Wingo said, nor were any safety instructions provided, other than “stay close.”

Warren:

On June 6, many from the group returned to the tent city, but this time students were given the option to stay at the lodge. Kamryn chose to stay behind.

Warren:

After a service describing the mission trip, Wingo confronted Leatherwood Senior Pastor Phil Winningham about the trip’s dangers and lack of supervision.

A quick google search lists guidance that ministries should take for mission trip protocols, including appropriate risk management, capable and accountable leadership, biblical and timely training, and post-trip evaluation.

Leatherwood Baptist Church did not respond to multiple requests for their safety protocols, trip plans, post-trip review, or other lessons learned.

Natasha:

Next, news from ACNA

Warren:

The long-awaited church trial of Bishop Stewart Ruch, a leader in the Anglican Church in North America, is facing a crisis in the wake of the sudden resignation of a lawyer who represented the denomination in the proceedings. In a resignation letter dated July 19 (Saturday), the lawyer, C. Alan Runyan, wrote that “the trial process had been irreparably tainted.”

Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the denomination. notified ACNA members of the “significant and regrettable development” in an email Sunday evening. He also announced that he would begin the process of appointing a new prosecutor.

Natasha:

In a second announcement Monday morning, Wood said the resignation was in response to a line of questioning that Runyan said drew on material not within the scope of the trial.

Warren:

Ruch, whose actions are the focus of the proceedings, is bishop of the ACNA’s Upper Midwest Diocese, which comprises 18 churches from several states, including Illinois and Wisconsin. Ruch has been accused of mishandling multiple abuse allegations in the diocese, failing to prioritize victims in the wake of abuse allegations and knowingly welcoming individuals with histories of predatory behavior into diocesan churches without alerting church members.

Abuse survivors first went public with their concerns of Ruch’s handling of abuse allegations in 2021, and since then more than 10 clergy and other lay leaders in the Upper Midwest Diocese have been accused of misconduct.

Natasha:

The Court for Trial of a Bishop, which includes bishops, priests and lay members, must determine whether Ruch is guilty of four charges: that he habitually neglected the duties of the bishop’s office; that he engaged in conduct “giving just cause for scandal or offense,” including abuse of church power; that he violated his ordination vows; and that he disobeyed or willingly violated church bylaws.

Warren:

In his resignation letter, Runyan says that on the fifth day of the trial, a member of the court began questioning the denomination’s expert witness based on materials that were not “in evidence before the Court” and “not properly in the trial record.”

That line of questioning, the letter argues, was problematic because it pertained to and “cast suspicion on” the investigative process that preceded the charges before the court.

“At that point, all six of the other members of the Court had been exposed to an unwarranted suspicion of provincial investigative bias brought into the trial by a single Court member, contrary to the Court’s duty to determine the outcome based solely on the evidence in the trial record,” Runyan said. His resignation includes a request that the entire trial record and full transcript — all properly redacted — be made available to all ACNA members. The four lay authors of a presentment, or list of charges, that precipitated the trial have also called for the release of the redacted transcript, as has the anti-abuse advocacy group ACNAtoo, which noted today that “the people who suffer the most in this imbroglio are the survivors.”

After Runyan announced his intent to resign, Ruch’s team filed a Motion for a Directed Verdict of Not Guilty, which requests a ruling from the court before Ruch’s team presents its case. The court said it will not rule on the motion until the trial resumes on Aug. 11.

Natasha:

Next, Prolonged legal battles surrounding former Celebration Church pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, continue to unfold in the courts, with multiple lawsuits, appeals, and dismissals shaping a complex timeline of events.

Warren:

The latest in a slew of back-and-forth litigations focuses on an appeal of a suit the couple (along with their affiliated entities) filed against the Association of Related Churches (ARC).

Last December, the Middle District of Florida dismissed its lawsuit against the ARC and two of its executives, Chris Hodges (co-founder) and Dino Rizzo (executive director). The Florida court closed the case on grounds of ecclesiastical abstention, concluding that it lacked subject matter jurisdiction. The Weemses filed an appeal the following month.

Natasha:

There’s been a lot of back and forth of lawsuits and we can’t go through everything here, but you can read all about in our story at MinistryWatch.com.

For today, though, my primary question is: Where are things now?

Warren:

In the latest appellate brief, Stovall and Kerri Weems argue their lawsuit against ARC leaders, including Chris Hodges and Dino Rizzo, centers on alleged interference in their business ventures, not church matters, and should not have been dismissed under the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine.

Earlier in the litigation, Celebration Church said it has continued to grow under the leadership of Pastor Tim Timberlake and expressed hope for a peaceful resolution.

A section titled “Overcoming Betrayal and Loss” under Stovall’s story on the about page of Stovall Weems Ministries’ website says, “After pouring 24 years into building a thriving church, we experienced a coup that saw everything we built stolen and defiled by false apostles and criminals.”

In January 2025, Stovall Weems launched Unspeakable Corruption, a website that “addresses corruption in the church.”

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

What’s up first?

Warren:

Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE) held a webinar last week on adult clergy sexual abuse.

Panelists included Robert Peters, director of institutional response at GRACE; Amy Stier, an attorney who has worked in the sexual abuse investigation realm for several years; and Emily Petrie, GRACE’s assistant director of institutional response.

Adult clergy sexual abuse is often less familiar and less understood than child sexual abuse—the primary issue is often consent, the panelists agreed.

Natasha:

According to Stier, 20 states criminalize adult clergy sexual abuse in some way. One example is Texas Penal Code §22.011 that states sexual assault is considered nonconsensual if “the actor is a clergyman who causes the other person to submit or participate by exploiting the other person’s emotional dependency on the clergyman in the clergyman’s professional character as spiritual adviser.”

Warren:

A lot of great advice came out of that webinar, and we’ve summarized it at MinistryWatch.com. But a key takeaway is this: Churches should have clear policies and procedures in place for keeping both clergy and church members from situations where emotional boundaries are eroded. And clear procedures to protect victims and provide due process for perpetrators of clergy sexual abuse.

Natasha:

What’s our next story?

Natasha:

Next, a progress report from Child Evangelism Fellowship

Warren:

In 2023, Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) announced an ambitious goal of reaching 100 million children each year. According to a recent impact report, the ministry expects to achieve its goal by 2032.

Its mission is “to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living.”

MinistryWatch checked in with CEF about its progress. From 2022 to 2023, CEF’s face-to-face ministry to children around the world grew by 29%. But growth slowed from 2023 to 2024 — down to 9%.

While its 2024 goal was to reach 30 to 32 million children with face-to-face ministry, the actual number ended up being 27.4 million.

In the MinistryWatch database, CEF has an “A” transparency grade, a 2-star financial efficiency rating, and a donor confidence score of 75 out of 100, meaning donors can give with confidence.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Warren Ad-Lib JULY Donor Premium.

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Natasha:

A special thanks to the Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.