MinistryWatch Podcast

Leadership books have become a dime-a-dozen. But books that combine rigorous academic research, boots-on-the-ground leadership experience, and an understanding of scripture and church and ministry dynamics…well, those books are rare indeed. But that’s what we have in a new book called “End The Reign of Pain: Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership.” In this book, by Dr. Rickardo Bodden unpacks what toxic leadership is, what causes it, and how toxic leaders can de-tox and how churches and other organizations can keep themselves from becoming an incubator for toxic leaders. Rickardo Bodden is a pastor in the Washington, D.C., area, is a retired Air Force officer, and holds a doctorate in strategic leadership. His previous book is “Leadership in the Age of Narcissism.” By the way, I hope you will stay tuned to the end of the program. Rikkardo Bodden’s book is our donor premium for the month of March, and at the close of the show I’ll share with you how you can get a copy of Dr. Bodden’s book for yourself. For how, though, I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Rikkardo Bodden. INTERVIEW Thanks for hanging out with me to hear my conversation with Rikkardo Bodden. As I mentioned at the top of the program, we’d like to put a copy of his book, “End The Reign of Pain: Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership,” in your hands. Its our thank-you gift for the month of March to anyone who gives a financial gift to MinistryWatch. To make a gift, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the DONATE button at the top of the page. We’ll get that book in the mail to you ASAP, usually in a couple of days. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and moral support from Christina Darnell, Kim Roberts, Stephen DuBarry, Casey Sudduth, and others. I hope you’ll join me and Natasha Cowden on Friday for our weekly roundup of news. Until then, may God bless you!

This podcast discusses the closure of the American Bible Society museum, Texas church wildfire relief efforts, Trinity International University program cuts, and a partnership between Dream City Church and Turning Point USA for a unique event. Topics also include financial struggles, collaboration with missions, legal challenges, toxic leadership, cryptocurrency donations, and impactful ministries.

In the early 1950s, war had left tens of thousands of orphans in South Korea. Everett Swanson arrived there to preach the Gospel to the troops there, but he was overcome by the starving children, and he faced the question, “What are you going to do?” That question compelled Everett Swanson to start an organization that became Compassion International, now one of the largest orphan care organizations on the planet. Compassion now cares for more than 2 million children around the world. That question – “What Are You Going To Do?” – is also the name of a new book about Everett Swanson’s life. That book is by Eric Wilson and my guest today, Matt Bronleewe. Some of you may know Matt Bronleewe’s name because he was a founder of the well-known Christian rock group Jars of Clay. After leaving the group, Matt has gone on to have a successful career as a songwriter and producer, and he is now producing his first feature film. I had this conversation with Matt Bronleewe at the recent meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville. We began by talking about WHY he wanted to write this book. His new book is “What Are You Going To Do? The Inspiring Story of Everett Swanson and the founding of Compassion International.” I had this conversation with him at the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters in Nashville. The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. We had technical, database, and editorial support from Casey Sudduth, Kim Roberts, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Liberty University faces a record-breaking $14 million fine from the Department of Education. We’ll have details. Also, Dream City Church in Arizona partners with Turning Point USA to host a politically flavored conference for ministry leaders. Featured speakers included Eric Metaxas, Sean Feucht, and Jentezen Franklin. We’ll take a look. And, later in the program, Wycliffe Bible Translators is selling its Florida headquarters. We begin today with a look at Lifeway Christian Resources…the Nashville-based Southern Baptist entity hit a financial low in 2020…but seems to be making a comeback. FINAL THOUGHTS: I was in Texas this week meeting with donors and supporters of MinistryWatch. It was a great visit. Thanks to those of you who showed up for these events. I’ll be home for a few weeks, but in April I’m headed to the True Charity Conference in Springfield Missouri. If you plan to be at that event, please send me and email and I’d love to connect. I also want to remind everyone that we’re offering an important new book this month to everyone who donates to MinistryWatch. It’s called “End The Reign of Pain – Identifying and Treating Toxic Leadership.” It’s by Rickardo Bodden, and we’ll send it to you absolutely free, as our thank you, for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch this month. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Tony Mator, Magdalena Rojo, Steve Rabey, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, Zach Rivas, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

In today’s secular, post-modern world, many Americans – even Christians – have settled for a transactional relationship with leaders in church, in government, and in our civic institutions. If those leaders give us what we want, when we want it, that’s all we ask of them. But Marvin Olasky believes that character matters when it comes to leadership. He has studied great leaders in American history, from the founding era to today, and he has written about them in a fascinating new book called “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.” Marvin Olasky probably needs no introduction to many of you. He spent nearly 30 years as editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, he served as the provost – which is the senior academic officer – for The King’s College, he was a tenured faculty member at the University of Texas, and he has served as a mentor to an entire generation of reporters and editors who are now making a difference in publications here and abroad. I should also disclose that I am one of them. Marvin has been a mentor and friend for more than 25 years. I worked for him when he was editor in chief at WORLD Magazine, I helped him revise his classic book “Prodigal Press,” and the journalism that we do here at MinistryWatch is a direct result of what I learned from Marvin. So, with that too-brief introduction, here’s my conversation with Marvin Olasky. FINAL THOUGHTS: Thanks for listening in today on my conversation with Marvin Olasky. His new book is “Moral Vision: Leadership from George Washington to Joe Biden.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, and editorial support from Christina Darnell, Casey Sudduth, Stephen duBarry, and Kim Roberts. Until then, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Calvin University’s president resigns after allegations of misconduct surface. We’ll have details. Also, T.D. Jakes Foundation announces $9 million in grants—we’ll take a look at the recipients, plus take a deeper dive into some of T.D. Jakes other business ventures. And, A-I in the pulpit. As technology advances, pastors are faced with new opportunities…and ethical considerations. We begin today with sad news out of Tanzania. A bus accident claimed 11 of missionaries serving with Youth With a Mission. Leaders of YWAM (Youth With a Mission) are rallying for support to aid logistical arrangements, including medical evacuations, repatriations and funeral arrangements. FINAL THOUGHTS: The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and 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 Fredrick Nzwili, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Daniel Ritchie, Heather Hahn, Jessica Eturralde, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Special thanks to the United Methodist News for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

Today I welcome back to the program Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Joining Amy is Al Fadi, who is helping to lead a bible translation project that we have been talking about for a couple of years here at MinistryWatch. More than two years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021. But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned.  And that’s what we are doing today. Today I talk with Amy McClintock and Al Fadi, who are two of the leaders of this project. The very fact that Amy, Al, and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates.  It’s an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy.  In fact, for the past three years or so, I’ve written about 40 articles on the industry and its practices, and I’ll have links to some of those articles in today’s show notes.  I encourage you to check them out:  https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/  FINAL THOUGHTS: I’d like to remind you that MinistryWatch is donor supported.  We take no money from ministries.  All of our content is free.  No paywall.  That means we couldn’t do what we do without faithful donors.  You guys are the real heroes of this enterprise.  So if you’d like to join that heroic group by pitching in to make sure that MinistryWatch remains a viable endeavor, you can go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the “donate” button at the top of the page. And if you donate in the month of February, we’ll send you, as our thank you, a copy of “Handling Allegations in A Ministry: Responses and Investigations.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth.    Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, SBC leaders met this week in Nashville and announced some significant decisions. We’ll have details.  Plus, a joint report from some big ministries details how persecution against Christians in Iran continues to worsen. We’ll take a look. And, our quarterly list of books worth noting. We begin today with news that the SBC is starting a new nonprofit. Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s abuse reform task force announced plans Monday (Feb. 19) to launch a new, independent nonprofit to host a database of abuse pastors called Ministry Check. But they still need the money to run it.  FINAL THOUGHTS: The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and 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 Steve Rabey, Clemente Lisi, Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to the Religion UnPlugged for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re re-airing an episode featuring an interview I had with Theresa Lynn Sidebotham.  She’s an attorney and the author of a new book Handling Allegations In A Ministry:  Responses and Investigations. It’s not clear to me that we are seeing more incidents of sexual abuse in the church than in years past.  But I think it is fair to say that more stories are seeing the light of day.  The #MeToo Movement, which spawned the #ChurchToo movement, means that more survivors are telling their stories, and the way we handle these stories is vital for the health and healing of the survivors and for the church of Jesus Christ. Theresa Lynn Sidebotham is an attorney who focuses on misconduct response, ministry policy, and employment law.  She has helped Christian ministries, churches, and religious organizations of all kinds to protect their members and response to allegations of child abuse, harassment, abuse of power, and other misconduct. I had this conversation with her last week via zoom. We’d like to put a copy of Theresa’s book in your hands.  It’s our thank you gift to you for a gift of any size to MinistryWatch. Just hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.   We get database, technical, and editorial support from Stephen DuBarry, Christina Darnell, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey—husband of popular podcaster Jamie Ivey—was fired from his church after they found evidence of explicit text messages with other men, at least one of whom was a minor. We’ll have details. Also, Abilene Christian University in Texas recently reviewed its sexuality policy in response to pushback from students and alumni…and they came back with a decision. We’ll take a look. And we have new information about the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston. Finally, Bible Study Fellowship has announced a big move, from San Antonio to Dallas. We’ll have details. We begin today with news that another woman has come forward alleging Mike Bickle—the founder of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City—abused her back in the 1980s when she was a teenager. FINAL THOUGHTS:  The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and 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 Daniel Ritchie, Roxanne Stone, Clemente Lisi, Zach Rivas, Bob Smietana, Bobby Ross Jr., Kim Roberts, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Special thanks to the Religion UnPlugged and The Christian Chronicle for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.