Ep. 464: Cross Timbers Church, Evangelical Leaders Petition Trump, Donations Increase While Donors Decline

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...