MinistryWatch Podcast

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.   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, 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. Natasha: But first, Christian YouTuber Kris ‘Kdub’ Williams responds to rebuke following revelations of an affair. Warren: Williams, a Christian YouTuber who once reached 90K+ subscribers, runs the “All Things Theology” channel under the handle @Kdubtru. His content spans topics like Christian hip hop, church culture insights, and in-depth sermon critiques. Natasha: In May, Heritage Grace Community Church in Frisco, Texas, announced that it was disciplining Williams, stating he no longer has their endorsement due to his alleged engagement in an adulterous online relationship, which has caused him to seek a divorce from his wife. Warren: Williams has responded to the public criticisms in a video titled “Let’s talk about it…” In the video, he admitted to having an emotional affair and expressed remorse and repentance. He denied rumors of leaving his marriage and adopted son (Micah) to pursue a romantic relationship with another woman. Natasha: Moving on, Brady Boyd, senior pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, resigned his position last week after it became clear he misled the congregation regarding his knowledge of former Gateway Pastor Robert Morris’s alleged abuse of Cindy Clemishire. Warren: Boyd, who served at Gateway Church in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as an associate pastor and elder from 2001 to 2007, said as recently as June 8 that, until last year, he was unaware that Clemishire was 12 when the abuse began. “I worked alongside him. I had no reason to believe he had any kind of character issues,” Boyd told the congregation, according to ChurchLeaders. “He did confide in me he’d had a moral failure when he was 20 years old. That’s really all the details he shared.” Natasha: New Life elder Scott Palmer told the congregation on Sunday, June 22, they believe Boyd’s insistence that he didn’t know Clemishire’s age was untrue. He said it is the primary reason the elders asked Boyd to step down. Warren: “Brady had nothing to do with Pastor Morris’ past abuse,” Palmer said, according to The Gazette. “Still, we believe that trust is the currency of leadership. When Brady recently told our congregation, inaccurately, that he was unaware of certain details regarding Morris’ past abuse, trust was broken, and the elders asked Brady to resign.” Boyd had been pastor of New Life since 2007. The elders acknowledged the leadership and service Boyd has given the church, including eliminating millions of dollars in debt and starting initiatives to serve the Colorado Springs community. Associate Senior Pastor Daniel Grothe will be Boyd’s successor, a transition church officials say has been in the works for more than a year. Natasha: Next, Gateway is one of two large, well-known churches in the U.S. are facing budget shortfalls and financial cuts. Gateway Church and Grace Community Church have been missing their long-time preachers, with one facing scandal and the other health challenges. Gateway Church, a megachurch in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, has now warned staff that more layoffs are coming. According to an email sent to Gateway congregants, tithing income is down significantly. Warren: Elders wrote in the email, that an evaluation of the church’s finances revealed “it has become clear that restructuring our staffing is necessary, requiring the tough but necessary step of staff reduction.” The email did not include details about staffing reductions or church finances, but it did associate its challenges with the church’s former pastor, Robert Morris. In November 2024, a leaked video revealed that Gateway giving was down by between 35-40%. Natasha: Grace Community Church, led by John MacArthur, is also facing reduced giving and the need to reduce its budget. Warren: “[F]or the first time in more than a decade, we have faced the effects of a financial recession in our giving this past fiscal year. By God’s grace, he has provided for our needs through some large donations to bring us through the last two years,” MacArthur wrote in a note read to the congregation on Sunday (June 15). “But as we look ahead to the coming fiscal year, starting July 1, our elders recognize the need to reduce our budget at the church by about 20%.” MacArthur, 85, has struggled with health issues over the past year, with a recent lung procedure once again delaying his return to the pulpit. Natasha: Next, McLean Bible Church details plot to oust David Platt. Warren: Following the dismissal of the last of several lawsuits filed against McLean Bible Church (MBC) and its lead pastor David Platt, the D.C. megachurch has released a detailed internal report chronicling years of bitter infighting and political polarization. The report, written by Executive Pastor Wade Burnett and endorsed by the church’s board of elders, outlines how a small but vocal group of dissident members and outside supporters reportedly launched a sustained, coordinated effort to remove Platt and other senior leaders, accusing them of pushing the historically conservative church toward what they called “liberal” or “woke” theology. Natasha: According to the report, members Jeremiah and Laura Burke led a group that used a mix of conspiracy theories, social media campaigns, and repeated lawsuits to disrupt church operations and sow distrust among members. Warren: Among the group’s claims were that the church planned to sell its flagship Tysons campus to build a mosque and that leaders were secretly funneling money and influence to the Southern Baptist Convention, which the church had partnered with for mission work long before Platt’s tenure (Platt joined as pastor in 2017). Natasha: The report includes excerpts from recent emails, the dissent’s stated goal of “taking back the church,” and an online manual on how to “oust” a pastor. Warren: In the report, the church alleges the group circulated internal instructions via emails and blogs on how to exploit the church’s constitution to block elder appointments and stage confrontations during church business meetings. According to the report, the group sometimes recorded disruptive scenes that were later posted online as supposed evidence of wrongdoing. Natasha: Over four years, the group filed nearly a dozen lawsuits and appeals against the church, its board of elders, and its pastors, seeking to nullify elections and control church membership rolls. Warren: Courts repeatedly dismissed the claims or ruled in the church’s favor, and the final lawsuit was thrown out in December 2024. The church’s leadership says the drawn-out litigation consumed thousands of hours in legal fees and staff time that could have supported the church’s ministries. Despite the turmoil, the report notes that church membership has grown by over 1,400 people since 2020, financial giving remains robust, and votes on leadership appointments have consistently reflected broad support for Platt and other elders, sometimes by margins of over 90%. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a lawsuit against Dave Ramsey can move forward. 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: A federal appeals court ruled that a lawsuit against Christian financial guru Dave Ramsey by a former employee who was fired for being pregnant while unmarried can go forward. Caitlin O’Connor sued the Lampo Group, Ramsey’s Franklin, Tennessee-based company, alleging religious discrimination. But the company said O’Connor was fired for violating the company’s ban on premarital sex, and argued that firing was not based on religion. At issue is a “righteous living” policy at Lampo, better known as Ramsey Solutions, which requires employees to abide by Christian values. Those values, Ramsey’s company has argued, include banning intercourse outside of marriage. However, the company has declined to fire employees who have admitted other sexual conduct in the past, according to court documents. Natasha: The legal question in the case is whether O’Connor was fired for breaking a company rule or for being a bad Christian. Warren: U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson of the Middle District of Tennessee in ruling in O’Connor’s wrote that companies are allowed to ban conduct — such as accepting bribes — that align with religious values. But the motivation behind rules of conduct and how they are applied matters. If breaking a policy is seen as sinful or failing to abide by Christian conduct, that can be problematic, he wrote. The O’Connor case has made national headlines, in part because legal filings have revealed Ramsey Solutions’ scrutiny of the sex lives of employees. In one filing, a company executive described firing a newly married employee who became pregnant as company officials believed she had sex before the wedding. Filed in 2020, the lawsuit has been slowly making its way through the court system for years. Ramsey Solutions did not respond to a request for comment. Natasha: Next, the United States Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal of First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of pregnancy resource centers in New Jersey. Warren: The case began in November 2023 when New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin demanded that First Choice turn over documents, including information it provides to clients, statements about abortion pill reversal, documents about personnel and outside organizations with which it works, and donor information. Reluctant to provide such confidential and private information, First Choice, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), challenged the attorney general’s subpoena in federal court based on the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, claiming the subpoena chilled the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech. Natasha: The state and First Choice have gone back and forth in court. That’s why ADF filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review the case to decide the question of whether civil rights plaintiffs need to litigate challenges to state investigations in state court before they can bring federal claims. “The lower courts have wrongly held that First Choice is relegated to state court to present its constitutional claims,” Hawley asserted. “We are looking forward to presenting our case to the Supreme Court and urging it to hold that First Choice has the same right to federal court as any other civil rights plaintiff.” Natasha: Next, news from Calvin University Warren: Synod 2025 instructed the Calvin University Board of Trustees to further define “indefinite exceptions to confessional subscription,” and the reasons they may be granted and report back to Synod 2026. Synod is the annual general assembly of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. It met June 13-19 in Ancaster, Ont. Natasha: The phrase “indefinite exceptions to confessional subscription” is a mouthful. What does that mean. Warren: It means this: Must a teacher at Calvin College subscribe to every aspect of the CRC’s confession of faith. Or can they conscientiously object to certain aspects and still keep their jobs. This issue became important last year, when the CRC reaffirmed its commitment to traditional, biblical marriage, and made that a part of its confessional statement. Perrin Rynders, who will be the board chair of Calvin University in October, said Calvin’s trustees are no longer allowed to submit a gravamen—a formal expression of a difficulty with a confessional doctrine—and must be confessionally aligned. He concluded, “Our job (at Calvin University) is to teach fully in accord with the teachings synod tells us about.” Natasha: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill (SB) 835, also known as “Trey’s Law,” over the weekend. It will take effect on September 1. Warren: SB 835 by Texas Senator Angela Paxton bans the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in civil cases of sexual assault, including child sexual abuse and human trafficking cases, regardless of when the underlying claims occurred. Trey’s Law is so named for Trey Carlock, a sexual abuse victim of Kanakuk Kamps’ employee Peter Newman. Carlock died by suicide after suffering in silence due to an NDA. His sister Elizabeth Carlock Phillips has advocated for the bill and testified in support of it before a committee in the Texas Legislature. She shared how her brother endured a decade of abuse, then suffered a different kind of anguish after signing a restrictive NDA that caused him to even question whether he should discuss details of his abuse with his therapist. Natasha: Cindy Clemishire, who has publicly shared how Gateway’s founding pastor Robert Morris began abusing her when she was 12 years old, told the committee that Morris offered her a settlement in 2007 with an NDA attached. Warren: Clemishire said. “Because I refused to sign that document giving up the right to freely speak about events in my life…almost 43 years after my abuse began, Robert Morris was indicted in Oklahoma on five acts of lewd acts with a child.” “Because I refused to sign an NDA, my abuser is finally being held accountable for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child,” Clemishire said, adding that she is now able to share her story and “be the voice for so many people who don’t have the courage to come forward.” Natasha: SB 835 unanimously passed both the Texas Senate and House of Representatives Warren: The bill originally was only written to apply to child sexual abuse cases, but was expanded after witness testimony showed support for it to apply to sexual assault and human trafficking victims. On June 10, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed that state’s bill voiding NDAs signed after August 28, 2025, making them unenforceable in childhood sexual abuse claims. Until this summer, Tennessee had been the only state to have passed a law — in 2018 — specifically prohibiting NDAs in civil child sexual abuse settlements, rendering them “void and unenforceable.” 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: It’s rare for a noncommercial FM radio station to nearly double in price during a bankruptcy auction. But that’s exactly what happened with KDHX 88.1 in St. Louis, a community radio station at the center of a bidding war between two giants in Christian radio: Educational Media Foundation (EMF), the parent of K-LOVE, and Gateway Creative Broadcasting, owner of JOY FM and Boost Radio. A federal bankruptcy court approved the $8.75-million sale last month, with Gateway’s winning bid nearly doubling EMF’s initial offer from March. Natasha: Although K-LOVE put up $8.5 million in the final round, it lost to Gateway by $250,000. Warren: Gateway and EMF’s aggressive bidding may suggest they viewed KDHX as a strategic acquisition in St. Louis, a top-25 media market as ranked by Nielsen. A lot of radio observers also noted that it kept the station under local control and out of the hands of K-Love, which has become a national chain. Natasha: Next, an update on giving. Warren: Individuals, bequests, foundations and corporations contributed an estimated $592.5 billion to U.S. charities during 2024. New data contained within Giving USA 2025: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2024 showed total giving outpaced inflation for the first time in three years, growing 6.3% in current dollars and 3.3% when adjusted for inflation. Individuals contributed $392.45 billion or 66% of all giving. Foundations chipped in $109.81 billion (19%). Bequests came in at $45.84 billion (8%) followed by corporations (7%). The numbers are rounded off, so the percentages add up to 101%. The overall percentages year-over-year were stable. Natasha: Giving amounts to about 2% of GDP, a figure that has held pretty steady over the years. Warren: Giving to religion was the largest silo of funding at 23%. Natasha: Who did Brittany look at in this week’s Ministry Spotlight? Warren: Mission Training International (MTI), based in Palmer Lake, Colorado, now has a 0-Star MinistryWatch rating. It also has a D Transparency grade, because it does not make its Form 990s or audited financials available to the public. MTI is classified as “a church” with the IRS. It has joined a growing number of ministries that have petitioned the IRS to change their tax status over the last few years. This gives them an exemption from filing a Form 990, although this form includes key information for donors, including annual revenue, salaries of key employees, names of board members and the overall amount ministries spend on key programming. MinistryWatch takes the position that ministries should file a 990, and gives 0 Stars for financial efficiency to those that do not. MTI declined to answer questions about its finances. Natasha: And, Christina featured some ministries with boots on the ground working in community development. Warren: Administer Justice received the Elgin Township service agreement, which included a financial donation to continue providing legal assistance to neighbors who can’t afford it. The ministry is celebrating 25 years this year. Administer Justice has 5 stars, an A transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories. Apartment Life fosters community amongst neighbors in apartment complexes, in part by organizing small-scale events to bring residents together. Warren ad-lib: Apartment Life has 5 stars for financial efficiency, and a donor confidence score of 90.  Cedar Ridge Ministries Founding Board Member Harold Henry passed away in April at 95. Cedar Ridge Ministries, started 60 years ago in 1965, runs a home and school for at-risk boys in Maryland, working to meet the mental, emotional, physical, and intellectual needs of each youth. It also produces a broadcast. Cedar Ridge Ministries has 5 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 95. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib JUNE 54 of 70 raised. Like, share on podcast app and social media. Natasha: 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. 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.

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. He is not suspended from receiving the sacraments. Natasha: Next, more news from the Dallas megachurch Gateway, and its former pastor Robert Morris, who resigned after admitting to having an inappropriate sexual relationship with an underage girl. Warren: That girl is Cindy Clemishire. Now, she and her father Jerry filed suit last week in Dallas County, Texas, against Gateway Church and its elders, plus founding pastor Robert Morris and his wife Deborah, for defamation, conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Clemishire claims that when Morris declared he’d been “involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” and claimed the Clemishire family had “graciously forgiven [him],” that he was making false and defamatory statements that had a tendency to harm or lower her reputation. Natasha: The lawsuit asserts that the Gateway defendants have benefited financially from Morris’s moral failures, having “made millions of dollars…preaching about sexual immorality and redemption all while concealing the true facts.” Warren: Much of the lawsuit surrounds allegations of when the Gateway leadership knew the specifics of Morris’s actions, including Clemishire’s age. She was 12 and Morris was 22 when the abuse began. Warren: In 2000, Morris founded Gateway Church. In 2005, Clemishire emailed Morris to confront him about his abuse. She said she received a response from then-elder Tom Lane. In it, Lane says that Morris “has been completely open with the Elders of Gateway Church about his past and specifically about his indiscretion with you.” In February 2007, Morris’s attorney Shelby Sharpe, who represented him in response to Clemishire’s communications, sent an email to Clemishire’s attorney that blamed Clemishire, at least in part, for the abuse. Natasha: These communications are important because they plainly show that church leaders knew of Morris’s behavior. Some of the elders of the church at that time are now claiming they did not know. Warren: Clemishire asserts that no later than 2011, the Gateway elders knew that she was a child when Morris began sexually abusing her. Clemishire’s lawsuit seeks damages for loss of her reputation, for mental anguish and psychological pain, and for exemplary damages because she claims the defendants acted with malice. MinistryWatch reached out to Gateway, but a spokesperson declined to comment. Natasha: Aside from her own case against Morris and Gateway, Clemishire also testified in favor of Trey’s Law—a bill that makes nondisclosure agreements unenforceable in child sexual abuse cases. Last week, Missouri signed that bill into law. Warren: Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has signed a bill into law voiding nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in child sexual abuse cases. Trey’s Law, so titled for Trey Carlock who died by suicide after suffering sexual abuse at the hands of Peter Newman at Kanakuk Kamps, makes NDAs signed after August 28, 2025, unenforceable in childhood sexual abuse claims, the Springfield News-Leader reported. The law was passed as an amendment to House Bill 737 in April. Natasha: Until now, Tennessee had been the only state to have passed a law — in 2018 — specifically prohibiting NDAs in civil child sexual abuse settlements, rendering them “void and unenforceable.” Warren: Senate Bill 835 by Sen. Angela Paxton also passed in Texas in late May and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. It makes an NDA “void and unenforceable as against the public policy of the state” if it “prohibits a party from disclosing an act of sexual abuse or facts related to an act of sexual abuse to any other person.” Natasha: Next, authorities have cleared charges of sexual assault and indecent assault against a Texas pastor. Warren: Last July, MinistryWatch reported on the arrest of Rev. Ronnie Goines, lead pastor of Koinonia Christian Church, who turned himself in to authorities after police issued two warrants for his arrest. Investigators filed two criminal charges against Goines — one for indecent assault and another for sexual assault. According to WFAA News 8 and court records, a woman who joined Goines’ church in 2022 accused him of making repeated unwanted advances during two encounters at his apartment in March 2023—allegations he denies, though a recording reportedly captures him apologizing for making her uncomfortable. Natasha: This March, a grand jury no-billed Goines on the sexual assault charge, concluding insufficient evidence to justify proceeding with a formal indictment, confirming that he will not go to trial in a sex assault case. Warren: According to Tarrant County court records, the prosecutor dismissed the misdemeanor indecent assault charge in April. However, although authorities have dropped all charges against Goines, he now faces a civil lawsuit. Natasha: Court records show the same woman who accused him of sexual assault filed a separate civil suit in Tarrant County in February. Warren: She is seeking $1 million in damages. Goines announced in October that he was returning to the church after the interim lead pastor said he was asked to resign. In a statement earlier this year, Koinonia said that the church supports Goines and believes the accusations against him are motivated by financial reasons. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, What foundations are doing in the face of Federal funding cuts. 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: In the wake of federal funding cuts affecting nonprofits, over 150 organizations have signed a pledge urging grantmakers to extend their support and funnel fresh funds to hard-hit advocacy groups that have lost federal contracts. Earlier this year, the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, a funder-to-funder advocacy initiative, launched the “Meet the Moment” campaign. Natasha: More than 144 grantmaking organizations have already signed the Meet the Moment pledge as funder signatories, with 31 nonprofits, membership bodies, and philanthropy-influencing groups that have formally endorsed the commitment. Warren: While some non-profit leaders have criticized President Trump for cutting funding, others say this government pull back creates opportunity. James Whitford is author of The Crisis of Dependency and founder of True Charity—a growing network of more than 200 like-minded organizations dedicated to revitalizing civil society’s role in the fight against poverty. Whitford claims that America “never got out of the relief business” following the Great Depression. He argues that accepting government funds prevents Christian nonprofits from applying the Gospel’s transformative power, leaving them to treat symptoms rather than root causes. He contends that government intervention “crowds out” private charity, and individual giving and civil society initiatives inevitably shrink when the state meets basic needs. Natasha: How should charity work? Warren: In a recent interview with MinistryWatch, Whitford said grassroots nonprofits, churches, and local charities in True Charity’s network increasingly move away from one-way handouts and embrace “poverty-resolution” strategies that foster relationships, track measurable outcomes, and empower individuals to earn income. He says civil society is bridging the gap as federal support declines. Flourishing happens when individuals are restored in their relationship with God, others, work, and self—not just through financial assistance, he said. He added that while larger organizations still have a role, all ministries should lean into a theology of trust, knowing God is not surprised by the upheaval and remains at work even in seasons of scarcity. Natasha: Next, some lost retirement funds owed to retirees of the AME church might be returned. Warren: Some 4,500 clergy and staffers who lost funds in a retirement plan of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, continue to await the fulfillment of a pledge made by the historically Black denomination to make “participants whole.” Natasha: The AME Church has been accused of mishandling the retirement funds, leaving many plan participants with about 30% of what they had hoped to use for retirement. Warren: The denomination accused its former retirement department head of embezzlement after discovering in 2021 that he provided “deceptive, false and grossly inflated financial statements” about the retirement plan. AME Church staffers could soon see a court’s final approval of proposed partial settlements with the church and Newport Group Inc., a third-party administrator involved with the church’s retirement services, which would return a portion of lost funds. Under a preliminary settlement agreement, the AME Church was to make two payments totaling $20 million into a settlement fund and Newport was to deposit $40 million in that fund. Others are continuing with litigation, scheduled for trial next April, which is not part of these settlements. Natasha: Next, a Colorado church settles case to operate temporary housing on its property. Warren: The Rock church can continue its ministry to temporarily house homeless persons after it reached a settlement agreement with the town of Castle Rock, Colorado. According to a press statement by First Liberty, a non-profit law firm that defends religious liberty, Castle Rock will recognize the church’s ability to operate on-site temporary shelters, to use its building as an emergency shelter, and to operate its coffee shop. The city will also pay $225,000 toward the church’s attorney’s fees. Natasha: The church, which occupies 54 acres on the edge of Castle Rock, has two trailers located on the property that serve as temporary shelters for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Warren: Its goal is to help them get back on their feet with stable employment and stable living arrangements. The church also has entered into a partnership with the Red Cross to provide shelter in its main church building during times of emergency, such as after a severe winter storm or fire. Now, the two parties have reached a permanent settlement agreement allowing The Rock to use its property to provide temporary housing for those in need. Additionally, the Town of Castle Rock may install fencing or landscaping to help screen the temporary housing units from the surrounding neighborhood. 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: Trinity Broadcast Network, a broadcast network built with the donations of millions of donors over the years, is now getting into the senior living center business. Last month, Trinity Community Development Foundation, a nonprofit subsidiary formed by Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), secured $134 million in publicly offered tax-exempt bonds to build Millenia Moments Orlando, which will include 151 independent living units, 78 assisted living units, and 32 memory care units. The release says TBN formed the Trinity Community Development Foundation in 2024 to own TBN’s senior living projects. In January, mostly due to high net assets and leadership salaries, TBN’s donor confidence score fell from 45 to 25, placing it in the “Withhold Giving” category in the MinistryWatch Database. Its overall financial efficiency rating is now 2 stars. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: More Americans believe that religion is important in shaping public life. A 27-page report, put together by the Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations project, reports that more Americans say their faith is stronger, their churches more vibrant and their involvement more consistent than at any point in recent memory. The EPIC study mirrors one put out last week by Gallup, which showed that 34% of U.S. adults said they believe religion is increasing its influence in American life — up from 20% just a year ago. A majority of Americans (59%) continue to say religion is losing its influence on U.S. society, but that figure is down from 75% a year ago. A Pew Research Center report from this past February also showed that the decline in Christianity had stabilized following a two-decade slide. Now there’s a lot more to this study, so if you’re curious to learn more, I’d recommend reading the whole story at MinistryWatch.com Natasha: Next, we’ve got an update from our MinistryWatch 1000 Database: Warren: With summer upon us, the mid-June list includes the 20 largest Christian camps and conference centers by total revenue in the MinistryWatch 1000 database. Total revenue for the 20 camps and conference centers on the list is almost $310 million. The largest is Echoing Hills in Ohio, a camp for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with revenue of about $39 million. The smallest is Sandy Cove Ministries, a camp and retreat center on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Its total revenue was about $7 million. To learn more about these ministries, click on the ministry’s name and read its complete MinistryWatch profile. While the list is not meant as recommendations for giving, it includes each ministry’s transparency grade, financial efficiency rating, and donor confidence score. Natasha: Who did Brittany look at in this week’s Ministry Spotlight? Warren: One Collective, formerly International Teams, saw a number of its Ministry Watch ratings change over the last month. It is now in the bottom 40% for financial efficiency in the Foreign Missions sector. The organization, based out of Elgin, Illinois, serves in communities around the world. One Collective’s mission is to bring “people together around the ways of Jesus to create lasting change in our world today.” This month, One Collective’s overall financial rating dropped from 3 Stars to 2 Stars. In part because it has a 1-Star resource allocation rating. It spends 7% on fundraising and 14% on general and administrative costs. From 2023 to 2024 its revenue decreased from $15.1 million to $12.9 million. One Collective has an A Transparency Grade—it posts both its Form 990s and audited financials on its website. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib JUNE 52 of 70 raised. WEBINAR next week Recurring Donor Appeal. Like, share on podcast app and social media. Natasha: 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. 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.

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, the former Newsboys frontman publicly admitted to abusing cocaine and alcohol and touching men “in an unwanted sensual way.” Last week, The Roys Report reported that three men Tait met in the Christian music industry between 2004 and 2014 accused him of substance abuse and sexual assault. Natasha: Known for performing on Christian music hits such as DC Talk’s “Jesus Freak” (1996) and Newsboys’ “God’s Not Dead” (2011), Tait has been a mainstay of the contemporary Christian music world since the 1990s. He was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning Christian rock trio DC Talk and later became the lead singer of Christian rock band Newsboys in 2009, before abruptly leaving in January. Warren: Tait admitted in his Instagram post that he was largely “living two distinctly different lives” and said he left Newsboys because he was “tired of leading a double life.” He said he is now sober after spending six weeks at a treatment center in Utah. He wrote, “I accept the consequences of my sin and am committed to continuing the hard work of repentance and healing-work I will do quietly and privately, away from the stage and spotlight,” Natasha: After the allegations against Tait, current Newsboys members Jody Davis, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Adam Agee said in a statement they were “devastated” by the implications. Warren: When he left the band in January, Michael confessed to the band and management that he ‘had been living a double life,’ but bandmates said they never imagined that it could be this bad. America’s largest Christian radio network, K-LOVE, has since pulled DC Talk and Newsboys from its music rotation for the time being. Natasha: Next, Focus on the Family has joined a long list of conservative Christian ministries to receive a “hate group” designation by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Warren: Specifically, the SPLC has labeled the Colorado Springs-based ministry an “anti-LGBTQ+ hate group” for its “biblical worldview strategy” that opposes same-sex marriage and affirms biological sexual identity. Natasha: But as the SPLC wrestles with mounting accusations that its hate lists are mere political hit lists, Focus on the Family is swinging back. Warren: In a statement reported by Colorado Politics, Focus on the Family president Jim Daly called the hate label “slander.” “It really is a faux hate list—just because Christians believe there’s a natural order to marriage and creating families and gender doesn’t make you homophobic or intolerant,” Daly said. “It’s common-sense beliefs that have stood the test of time for millennia.” Natasha: Released in May, the 2024 hate list includes 1,371 groups. Among those listed as anti-LGBTQ+ are numerous Christian ministries such as the Family Research Council, Alliance Defending Freedom, and D. James Kennedy Ministries. Warren: Daly suggested that the SPLC’s hate list has become just “a fundraising gimmick” that has “incited violence against innocent believers and fanned the very behaviors they claim they wish to combat.” Natasha: The latter claim seems to reference a 2012 incident in which a man shot a Family Research Council security guard while attempting a mass killing inspired by the SPLC hate group list. Warren: More recently, the Family Research Council has drafted a petition calling on the Department of Justice “to immediately sever all ties with the Southern Poverty Law Center and formally renounce its influence on federal law enforcement and public policy decisions.” Natasha: Warren, let’s look at one more story before our break. Warren: The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), a global ecumenical movement that works to unify evangelicals across geographical and denominational lines, has responded to a “whistleblower report” that criticized its leadership and governance. The whistleblower report raised concerns about the WEA ranging from its “increasing engagement with Roman Catholic institutions and broader ecumenical bodies” to the theological positions of some of its leaders. The report also claims the WEA lacks accountability because the chairman of the board also serves as the group’s chief executive officer. Natasha: The report did not identify the whistleblower, but it was published on April 29 by the Christian Council of Korea, which was previously part of the WEA. Warren: The WEA’s lengthy statement responds to the theological and governance concerns raised by the whistleblower document, noting that the upcoming General Assembly is slated for October 27-31 in Seoul. Natasha: Do we know the source of these accusations? Warren: No. The details of the whistleblower account were published in both Christianity Daily and Christian Daily International, publications that are part of a group of brands founded by Korean pastor David Jang. MinistryWatch attempted multiple times to reach Christian Daily International and Christianity Daily to ask about the source but received no reply. World Evangelical Alliance has 5 stars and an A transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 93. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, abuse survivor and former Lifeway executive Jennifer Lyell died last week after a brief illness. But before she passed, she revealed details about her alleged abuse by former seminary professor David Sills. 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: In early April, Jennifer Lyell, a former Christian publishing executive, sat for a deposition in a defamation lawsuit filed by her once mentor and professor David Sills. There she detailed alleged sexual and spiritual abuse by Sills in graphic detail — and insisted he had coerced her into sexual acts without her consent and then asked her to join him at family meals afterward. Lyell died Saturday (June 7) after suffering a series of strokes. She was 47. A few weeks before she died, her lawyer filed excerpts of her deposition in a federal court as part of a legal battle over discovery in the defamation lawsuit. Natasha: Lyell, a former vice president of Lifeway, a Southern Baptist publishing arm, was also named in the lawsuit. In 2019, she went public with her allegations against Sills. But few details of the abuse had been revealed until the May 20 court filing. Natasha: Along with abuse, Lyell also described spiritual manipulation by Sills — a longtime missionary and seminary professor — saying she was made to feel as if she had somehow tempted Sills into sexual activity. Natasha: Can you briefly provide a little more background to Lyell. Warren: For much of her adult life, Jennifer Lyell had been a Southern Baptist success story. She came to faith at 20 at a Billy Graham crusade, went to seminary, dreamed of becoming a missionary, taught the Bible to young women and children and became a vice president at Lifeway, the Southern Baptist Convention’s publishing arm. There she worked on about a dozen New York Times bestsellers, according to a biography from her time at Lifeway. Natasha: By 2019, she was one of the highest-ranking women leaders in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Warren: While at seminary in 2004, the 26-year-old Lyell met David Sills, a professor in his late 40s who became her mentor and a surrogate father figure, welcoming her into his family. Sills was also president of Reaching & Teaching International Ministries, a missionary nonprofit. In 2018, Lyell told her bosses that Sills had allegedly used force and his spiritual influence to coerce her into nonconsensual sexual acts over the course of 12 years. Sills admitted to misconduct and resigned from his seminary post and as president of the nonprofit, but no details were made public. But when Sills found a new job with another Christian ministry the next year, Lyell went public with her allegations of abuse, telling her story to Baptist Press, an SBC news outlet. Rather than portraying her claims as abuse, the Baptist Press article said Lyell had had “a morally inappropriate relationship” with a seminary professor. That story was later retracted and Baptist Press apologized. Natasha: But the damage was done. Lyell was labeled a temptress and adulteress who led a Christian leader astray. Warren: She was showered with hate, with pastors and churches calling for her to be fired. Lyell eventually left her job at Lifeway amid the turmoil. Natasha: Sills sued the SBC and its leaders after the Guidepost report appeared, saying they had conspired to make him a scapegoat and that he was “repentant and obedient.” Warren: He also sued Lyell. Lyell never backed down from her account. Earlier this year, in a deposition, she detailed the alleged abuse and how the Bible had been used to silence her for years. Lyell is the second prominent SBC abuse survivor to die in recent months. In May, Gareld Duane Rollins, whose allegations of abuse against Texas judge and Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler helped spark a major reckoning with abuse in the SBC, died after years of illness. Natasha: Speaking of the SBC, what’s the latest from their annual meeting? Warren: For the second year in a row, a move to bar churches with women pastors from the nation’s largest Protestant denomination failed. A proposed amendment to the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution, which would have kept any church that affirms, appoints or employs a woman “as a pastor of any kind” from belonging to the SBC, got 60.74% of the vote Wednesday (June 11), just shy of the two-thirds majority needed to move forward. A similar proposal failed last year on a second vote. Natasha: A vote to abolish the SBC’s public policy arm, known as the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, also failed. It was the fourth failed attempt to shut down or defund the ERLC during the Trump era. Leaders of the ERLC have clashed with supporters of President Donald Trump over issues such as immigration, and the agency has been accused of causing division in the denomination. Warren: Messengers approved a $190 million budget, which included a $3 million priority allocation to pay the denomination’s legal bills. Messengers also approved a new business and financial plan but rejected a call for more financial transparency from the SBC’s entities. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: American evangelicals, driven by a biblical vision to protect Israel, have long been integral to U.S. diplomacy in the Holy Land. And now they have another player on the team. Johnnie Moore, the evangelical public relations executive with deep ties in the Middle East, was appointed chairman of the embattled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation last week. Natasha: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, created within the past year, is a private group, formed with Israel’s blessing after it sought to circumvent the aid relief previously provided by the United Nations. Israel has long accused the U.N. of anti-Israeli bias and has alleged that aid from the U.N. ultimately falls into the hands of Hamas, the militant group. Warren: Moore, 41, stepped into the role of chairman of the GHF after its previous head, Jake Wood, resigned hours before the initiative was set to begin late last month. Wood cited concerns over the GHF’s ability to adhere to the “humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.” Moore was co-chairman of Donald Trump’s evangelical advisory board during Trump’s first campaign for president in 2016. The following year, Moore and other evangelicals pressed Trump to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. Trump later appointed Moore to serve as a commissioner on the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom. 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: Walter Brueggemann, one of the most widely respected Bible scholars of the past century, died Thursday (June 5) at his home in Michigan. He was 92. The author of more than 100 books of theology and biblical criticism, Brueggemann was professor emeritus of Old Testament studies at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, until his retirement in 2003. Brueggemann’s books were broadly influential, especially in mainline Protestant circles. His 1978 “The Prophetic Imagination” sold more than a million copies and remains a classic that is still frequently assigned in mainline seminaries. In the book, he showed how the biblical prophets, called to imagine a different world, disrupted politics and the dominant culture and its assumptions. Brueggemann himself was critical of American consumerism, militarism and nationalism. He is survived by his wife, Tia, and by his sons James and John and their families. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: As part of our annual tradition at MinistryWatch, we’re diving into the Internal Revenue Service’s latest Data Book, a detailed account of the agency’s operations between October 2023 and September 2024. While most of the U.S. tax base consists of individuals and businesses, the report offers a broad statistical snapshot of the nonprofit world, including religious ministries, charities, and other tax-exempt organizations. The IRS recognized 2 million organizations as tax-exempt in 2024, including new determinations, and received over 1.8 million tax-exempt returns. Natasha: And we’ve got our May update from our pastors and planes list. Warren: MinistryWatch, in collaboration with the Trinity Foundation, each month publishes a list of the private planes belonging to pastors and Christian ministries. The Trinity Foundation currently tracks 62 planes owned by more than 40 ministries. During May, these planes made a total of 375 flights. This was a decrease from April’s 403 flights, but a minor increase from March’s 368 flights. Operating costs were approximately $1.82 million for the month, down from $1.98 million in April, but up from $1.6 million in March. These costs do not include the cost of the plane itself. Liberty University remained the biggest user of private aircraft ($228,900), followed by Jesse Duplantis Ministries ($199,800). Assemblies of God—including Assemblies of God Financial Services Group—came in third at $177,820. Natasha: Who did Brittany look at in this week’s Ministry Spotlight? Warren: LeaderSource, a leadership development ministry, has moved into the top 20% for financial efficiency in the Leadership Training sector, earning it some of the highest ratings in the MinistryWatch database, including a 5-Star financial efficiency rating. According to its website, “there are at least 5 million church leaders in the world today, [but] it is estimated that only 5% of them have been trained.” This is where LeaderSource comes in. The organization is based in Elkhart, Indiana, but works internationally in Africa, India, and Asia. According to its website “LeaderSource directly trains over 100,000 leaders each year from dozens of nations.” It partners with church planting networks and ministries around the world to offer coaching, consulting, training and mentorship. The organization, which has a Donor Confidence Score of 97, makes both its audited financial statements and Form 990s available to the public. From 2020 to 2024, LeaderSource’s revenue grew from $3 million to $4.4 million, and expenses grew from $2.4 million to $4.5 million. Natasha: And who did Christina highlight in Ministries Making a Difference? Warren: Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is working to help victims rebuild their lives after a massive earthquake leveled parts of Myanmar in March. Last month, an NCM team completed its fourth round of relief efforts, including trauma debriefing for children. The team opened a prayer clinic for parents and adults to partner in mental and physical healing. The Shelter, a ministry of First Assembly Honolulu in Hawaii, has been providing shelter and recovery support for unhoused mothers and their children since 2018. Now, it is adding a second site about 30 miles away that will house an additional 35 single moms with their children. The 3-acre campus will also include a transitional housing area for women over 55 who are able to work. The Shelter provides shelter, transitional housing, life skills training, and faith-based training, such as Bible studies, chapel services, and discipleship. Founders Seminary last week named Voddie Baucham as its founding president. Founders Seminary, located on the campus of Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, Florida, will open its doors August 11. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib JUNE 48 of 70 raised. Recurring Donor Appeal. Like, share on podcast app and social media. Natasha: 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. 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.

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.