MinistryWatch Podcast

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

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

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

On today’s program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We’ll have details. And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination’s leftward drift. Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look. But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter’s House. T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter’s House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church’s leaders, Christianity Today reported. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Mark Wingfield, Tyler Hummel, Shannon Cuthrell, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:   FIRST SEGMENT Warren: Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Charlotte, North Carolina. Natasha: And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado, and we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast. Warren: On today’s program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We’ll have details. And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination’s leftward drift. Plus, more than a year after Wycliffe Bible Translators listed its sprawling Orlando headquarters for sale, its status remains unclear with the property still marked “under contract.” MinistryWatch reporter Shannon Cuthrell takes a closer look. Natasha: But first, megachurch Pastor TD Jakes has announced plans to step aside as head of The Potter’s House. Warren: T.D. Jakes, the well-known pastor of Dallas megachurch The Potter’s House, plans to step aside later this year and appoint his daughter and son-in-law as the church’s leaders, Christianity Today reported. Jakes, age 67, told the Potter’s House congregation the news on Sunday, April 27, saying, “I cannot afford, especially after November, to risk something happening to me and that you be sheep without a shepherd.” Natasha: Last month, Jakes revealed in an interview on NBC’s Today Show that he suffered a massive heart attack in November. Warren: Sarah Jakes Roberts and husband Toure’ Roberts are expected to take over as senior pastors in July when the church celebrates its anniversary, but plans for the current assistant pastors to take the lead have been in the works for a few years, Jakes said. He will remain as chairman of the church’s board. The Roberts couple currently lead One: A Potter’s House Church in Los Angeles. Toure’ Roberts founded One in 2004. Sarah Jakes Roberts is the founder of Women Evolve, a conference for women to be held in Atlanta later this summer. Natasha: Our next story also pertains to pastoral succession – but this one isn’t as positive Warren: Pastoral succession, megachurch wealth and family dynasties combine in a lawsuit filed against Second Baptist Church of Houston and its leaders April 15. The Southern Baptist congregation is the 17th largest church in America, according to Outreach magazine, with average weekly attendance of 19,735 in 2024.

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

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

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

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

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

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