MinistryWatch Podcast

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.

On today’s program, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he’s served as president of the school for less than a year. We’ll have details. Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We’ll take a look. Plus, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university. But first, Pastor Rodney Finch’s Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it’s for real. Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association’s (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret. After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board. 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 Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adam Macinnis, Marci Seither, Brittany Smith, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. A special thanks to byFaith Online 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, Bob Jones University President Josh Crockett announced this week that he may be transitioning into a different role—he’s served as president of the school for less than a year. We’ll have details. And, Faith Life Church in Ohio is facing backlash after sexual abuse allegations prompt further scrutiny into some of its financial and governmental practices. We’ll take a look. And Trinity Evangelical Divinity School is moving to Canada after agreeing to be acquired by another university. Natasha: But first, Pastor Rodney Finch’s Calvary Chapel Cary has sold its 9.8-acre church property in Apex, North Carolina — and this time, it’s for real. Warren: Finch, whose rocky tenure at Calvary Chapel Cary tested the limits of the Calvary Chapel Association’s (CCA) ability to reign in misbehaving pastors, had previously put the church up for sale in secret. After his board and congregation found out in July 2024, Finch withdrew the listing, but the damage was done. He announced his resignation in August, then rescinded his resignation less than two months later due to a dispute over retirement pay. He removed the pastors who were slated to replace him and set up a new church board. Natasha: As MinistryWatch reported, the church then closed its doors late last year and began liquidating assets through estate sales. Now, the entire three-lot property, which includes two buildings totaling about 40,000 square feet, has been sold for $7 million. Warren: According to a deed filed with Wake County, the church was purchased on February 21 by a local LLC called LIWSP Apex, whose articles of organization indicate it was formed just two days prior. In a letter of no objection by the state assistant attorney general’s office, the buyer is identified as Longleaf Industrial, LLC, a real estate development company owned by former NHL hockey player Tim Brent. Calvary Chapel Cary board member Steve Youell, a real estate agent in Florida, confirmed to MinistryWatch that the church sold for $7 ...

Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi and 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. Both Amy and Al have been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic language spoken by more than 11 million people. More than three 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. The very fact that Al and Amy 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 four years or so, I’ve written about 50 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/

On today’s program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt’s claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We’ll have details. Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims. And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump’s mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters. But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children. 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, Bob Smietana, Adele M. Banks, Fiona Andre, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Jack Jenkins, Skylar Laird, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to South Carolina Daily Gazette 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 judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt’s claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We’ll have details. Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims. And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump’s mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters. Natasha: But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children. Warren: A jury says a Fort Worth pastor is liable for $124 million in damages in a sexual assault civil case—following a settlement that included giving the church property to his victims. In 2017, police arrested and indicted Jose Francisco Bernal for allegedly sexually assaulting two girls in his church's youth department at Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia (Tabernacle of Life) Pentecostal Church. The women, sisters who are now adults, claim Bernal repeatedly sexually assaulted them since they were 7 years old. Natasha: The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the trial's progress until September 2022. Prosecutors dismissed the charges after a mistrial. The jury deliberated over 10 hours and could not reach a verdict. Warren: But two years after Bernal's arrest on June 4, 2019, one of the women filed a separate lawsuit against Bernal through the Tarrant County District Court. The survivors also named two churches in their lawsuit: Bernal’s Tabernaculo de Vida-Iglesia in Fort Worth and Tabernaculo de Vida in Dallas. Both churches are part of United Pentecostal Church International (UPCI), and the Fort Worth location is the daughter church of the Dallas church. Natasha: What’s happened to the churches? Warren: In 2023, the churches settled by agreeing to pay $100,000 and transferring ownership of the Forth Worth church pr...

On today’s EXTRA episode Warren Smith explains why he thinks Christian ministries should not have endowments. He says the Internal Revenue Service recognizes 1.9 million organizations as tax-exempt. Of these, more than a million of them are “religious” organizations. For almost all of them, an endowment is a bad idea. To read Karen Houghton’s piece on why she thinks ministries should have endowments, click here. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor. And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We’ll take a closer look at the church’s 2024 annual report.  Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We’ll have details. But first, more churches are leaving what’s known as ‘the Network,’ led by Steve Morgan. Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites. 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, Bob Smietana, Shannon Cuthrell, Diana Chandler, 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 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, Willow Creek Pastor Dave Dummit announced this week he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Leaders have also named his successor. And, revenue is down for Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church, while in-person membership is flat. We’ll take a closer look at the church’s 2024 annual report. Plus, the state of the church—Barna Group released its new report showing men have outpaced women in church attendance, reversing a longstanding trend. We’ll have details. Natasha: But first, more churches are leaving what’s known as ‘the Network,’ led by Steve Morgan. Warren: Nearly half of the congregations that have been associated with a “Network” of churches overseen by Pastor Steve Morgan have either publicly announced their departure or removed any reference to the network from their websites. MinistryWatch began reporting about Morgan in 2022 when a watchdog group called “Leaving the Network” issued an eight-point “call to action,” including an independent investigation of the group. Morgan, who was originally part of the Vineyard Association of Churches, left that group in 2006 and formed his own network. At one point, the network included 26 churches in the U.S., U.K., and Taiwan. Morgan is still the lead pastor of Joshua Church in Austin, Texas. Natasha: Why were churches leaving? Warren: One of the concerns that “Leaving the Network” has raised is that Morgan was arrested in 1987 for aggravated criminal sodomy of a minor, but his case was diverted. The group believes Morgan’s past has been concealed from members and leaders in the network of churches. Natasha: Eleven churches no longer appear to be affiliated with the Network. MinistryWatch reported about four — Isaiah Church, Vine Church, North Pines Church, and Hosea Church — last fall. Now seven more have indicated in some way that they are no longer part of the Network. Warren: Brookfield Church in Athens, Ohio: Cedar Heights Church in State College, Penn.: Mountain Heights Church in Morgantown, W.V.: Oaks Church in Muncie, Ind.: South Grove Church in Athens, Ga.: Vida Springs Church in Gainesville, Fla.: Christland Church in College Station, Texas: Natasha: Next, Willow Creek’s Pastor steps down. Warren: David Dummitt, who became pastor of Willow Creek Church at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic,