MinistryWatch Podcast

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, announced Sunday (March 23) that he is stepping down as leader of the influential Chicagoland megachurch. Shawn Williams, the campus pastor of Willow Creek’s South Barrington, Illinois, location, will succeed Dummitt as senior pastor starting April 1. Dummitt will remain on staff until July 31 to help with the transition. Dummitt’s departure comes as Willow Creek has largely rebounded from the shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the controversies generated by founding pastor Bill Hybels and accusations of sexual misconduct. The church ended 2024 in the black, with its first budget surplus since 2019, according to a church spokesperson. In-person attendance for 2024 was up 16%, to 9,875 per weekend, with an additional 3,700 people viewing services live online. Natasha: Dummitt, who had pastored a Michigan megachurch before coming to Willow Creek, told RNS in 2020 that he knew restoring trust and a healthy culture at the church — which for decades was one of the nation’s largest and most influential congregations — would be a long process. Warren: The new pastor, Shawn Williams, is — like Dummitt — a graduate of Wheaton College, where he earned a master’s degree in theology. He served at megachurches in the Chicago suburbs and Las Vegas before coming to Willow Creek. Natasha: Next, an update from the state of Texas and NDAs. Warren: A bill to stop the use of nondisclosure agreements (NDA) to prevent sexual abuse victims from telling their stories has advanced in the Texas legislature. On Wednesday, March 19, the Texas House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence voted unanimously to report House Bill 748 favorably to the full House of Representatives and recommend passage. Natasha: The bill, authored by Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano), is called “Trey’s Law” after Trey Carlock, a sexual abuse victim of Kanakuk Kamps’ employee Peter Newman.  Carlock died by suicide after suffering in silence due to an NDA. Warren: His sister Elizabeth Carlock Phillips spoke to the committee in support of the bill, sharing how her brother endured a decade of abuse then signed a restrictive NDA that caused him to even question whether he should discuss details of his abuse with his therapist. NDAs that take away a sexual abuse survivor’s voice and ability to tell their story are taking away their “path to healing,” she said. Natasha: So what’s next for this bill. Before it is enacted as a law, the bill must pass the Texas House then move through a Senate committee and be approved by the Texas Senate before being signed by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, the latest findings from Elevation Church’s 2024 annual report. 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: According to its annual report for 2024, Elevation Church led by Steven Furtick had less income in 2024 than it did in 2023. Total revenue from tithes and offerings for the multi-campus megachurch was $91.35 million and the year-end offering brought in $10 million. This represents a decrease from the $108 million in tithes and offerings reported the previous year. The church reported that the largest portion of its budget — $31.88 million or 35% — went to personnel expenses. The next largest expenditure was for central operations and ministries at $25.29 million or 28%. Natasha: According to its report, Elevation Church gave $12.16 million to outreach efforts in 2024. Warren: Elevation Church is based in Matthews, N.C. It has 19 total campuses—17 in the United States and two in Canada. The newest campus in Columbia, S.C., opened in December 2024. It also began construction projects on three campuses in 2024: Elevation Raleigh, Elevation Greenville, and Elevation Uptown. The annual report claims weekly attendance at the various campuses is 17,373, only a slight increase of about 300 weekly attendees since last year. Natasha: Elevation Worship, the music arm of Elevation Church, has a wide reach with over 2.3 billion streams of its songs streamed across all platforms in 2024. Warren In June 2023, Elevation Church withdrew its affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention, giving no specific reason about its departure. Elevation Church is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, which lists its net assets at over $305 million. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: Former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has joined Gloo, the technology platform that serves churches and ministries, as its executive chair and head of technology. Gelsinger has been an investor and board member for Gloo for 10 years, but now will take on the expanded role of leading the Gloo product and engineering efforts, including Gloo AI. Gloo aims to help churches and ministries adopt technology to expand their reach, but it wants to use artificial intelligence as a “force for good.” Natasha: How do they plan on doing that? Warren: Gloo AI Chat is designed to protect children and families from harmful, unbiblical, or misleading content. Natasha: The Colorado-based company was founded in 2010 by Scott and Theresa Beck and currently claims to work with over 100,000 faith, ministry, and nonprofit leaders. It has been involved in the “He Gets Us” ad campaign designed to attract people to Christianity. Warren: In 2022, MinistryWatch reported about Gloo’s data mining to connect people exhibiting signs of crisis, stress, anxiety, divorce, depression, substance abuse, or grief with churches or ministries who might help them. Last year, Gloo announced it had acquired two sister news sites from Christianity Today: Church Law & Tax and ChurchSalary. The Winter Jam concert series also used Gloo to connect concert attendees with local churches. 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: Salem Media Group’s 2024 annual report signals a major financial comeback for the Christian world’s only publicly traded media company. The California-based firm made bold financial moves in 2024, drastically improving its bottom line after a challenging prior year. Salem not only reversed a $43.3-million net loss in 2023 into a $16.2-million net profit but also aggressively tackled its debt, eliminating long-term liabilities through a strategic buyback. Salem is now returning to its talk-radio roots, pushing Christian preaching, commentary, and conservative political programs. In February, the company transferred its Salem Music Networks business to Christian FM Media. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Men have outpaced women in church attendance the past three years, reversing a longstanding trend of more women in the pews that narrowed in 2016, Barna said in its 2025 State of the Church release, created in partnership with Gloo. Women had outpaced men in attendance since 2000, then at 47% to 38%, before men began outpacing women in 2022, at 35% to 30%. In 2024, 30% of men were attending weekly, compared to 27% of women. Several reasons could be driving the gender flip in attendance, researchers told Baptist Press, but cited none as definitive to any degree. Among them: — Women are overwhelmingly responsible for homecare and childcare and increasingly work in the marketplace because of a rising cost of living. — “More women are single today than ever before,” researchers said, “and many feel discouraged by the dating pool at church, as church attendees are more often married than not.” — Researchers pointed to the lingering trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic and its shift on remote engagement in church and work. — “A troubling number of Christian ministry leaders have publicly and egregiously fallen to sexual sin, which tends to make women in particular feel uncomfortable and unwelcome,” researchers said. “These hurtful experiences cause great dissonance for women.” Overall, 2024 closed with 28% of U.S. adults attending church weekly. But early 2025 shows signs of promise with as many as 32% of adults attending church weekly, researchers said. Natasha: What other trends did they find? Warren: — Weekly church volunteering, at 24% of U.S. adults, surpassed pre-COVID 2019 levels of 18%, with Gen Z and Millennials leading the efforts. — 65% of U.S. adults, including Christians and non-Christians, believe the church is still relevant in today’s world. — Most adult church goers actively seek relational connections at church, engaging in conversation before or after church with a pastor (57%), other attendees (53%), or church staff (50%). — Spiritual encounters make church meaningful, Christians said. Natasha: Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: This month, Living Stream Ministry’s Donor Confidence Score dropped 20 points. The organization now has a rating of 36 “Withhold Giving,” and is in the bottom 40% for financial efficiency among other ministries in the Christian Growth sector. Natasha: According to its website, Living Stream Ministry (LSM) “is a non-profit corporation that is primarily dedicated to the publication of the ministry of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.” Warren: Watchman Nee was an evangelist and church planter in China during the 20th Century. When the Communist Party took over in the 1950s he was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison where he later died. He wrote numerous books, including the bestseller “The Normal Christian Life.” During his ministry, Nee worked with another evangelist named Witness Lee whose work eventually led him to Taiwan and later to California. He founded Stream Publishers in 1965, which would become Living Stream Ministry. Natasha: Today, Living Stream Ministry continues to operate out of Anaheim, California. Warren: In 2023, the organization had $21 million in revenue—almost double its revenue from 2020, which was $11.7 million. According to its website, LSM does not “solicit donations or contributions.” The organization does sell books, audio books, CDs and ebooks on its site. In addition, it hosts numerous conferences throughout the year. While its revenue in 2023 was $21 million, its expenses were just $16.8 million. Its General and Admin costs were 20%, compared with its sector median of 12%. At least eight staff members make six-figure salaries. LSM has $112.2 million in net assets and it is not a member of the ECFA. The organization did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Natasha: More than 2 billion people do not have easy access to clean water at their homes—that, according to the United Nations. Last Saturday was World Water Day, so in our Ministries Making a Difference column this week, we look at ministries that are providing clean water to people in water-crisis areas around the world—while also introducing them to the Living Water. Warren: Filter of Hope facilitates missions trips that are “part humanitarian project and part mission trip.” This month, college Cru groups and others are taking advantage of spring break to travel around the world delivering water filters in water-crisis countries like the Dominican Republic, Panama, Belize, Ecuador, and Cuba, and sharing the gospel with the people who receive them. In Cuba, a group from App State Cru gave out 110 water filters and witnessed to 163 people for the first time. Filter of Hope is one of MinistryWatch’s Shining Lights—they have 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Kinship United has been part of a water project facilitating peace in West Pokot in Kenya. Amidst four tribes at war, the ministry drilled 450 feet into the desert, and the well now pumps out clean water in each of those four directions. It is helping to build a community building at the same site to share about Christ and build unity where there has been conflict. Kinship United is also a Shining Light, with 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Thirty-five percent of people in Honduras lack access to safe water, according to Water Mission. They are building a solar-powered safe water project in Republica Alemania, where families currently have to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking—money that could otherwise be used to buy food. The project is slated for completion this summer. Water Mission has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and donor confidence score of 100. Last year, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) helped drill two water wells in Malawi as part of its Water, Sanitation, Hygiene initiative (WASH). Two pastors shared about how those wells are impacting their communities, providing health, dignity, and even credibility. NCM is another MinistryWatch Shining Light, with 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib March Recurring Donor Appeal. Ad lib webinars 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, 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. 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.

On today’s “Extra” podcast, we discuss Amanda Ripley’s excellent 2021 book High Conflict, and I share some principles for becoming a discerning consumer of news in this partisan and polarized media environment. Today’s podcast episode is based on my “Editor’s Notebook” from last Friday, which you can read here. The producer of today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We’ll have details. And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan’s Purse. We’ll take a look. Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it. But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance. 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, Tony Mator, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Ed Stych, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. 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, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris turns himself into authorities after a grand jury indicted him on child sexual abuse charges. We’ll have details. And, USAID unfreezes $19 million in funds for Samaritan’s Purse. We’ll take a look. Plus, nearly 200 ministries do NOT file a Form 990 with the IRS. We have that list, and many of the largest ministries in the country are on it. Natasha: But first, prominent pastor and theologian Steve Lawson breaks his silence six months after news surfaced that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a young woman. Warren: Steven Lawson, 73, who stepped down from ministry following an adultery scandal, has published a public confession admitting his sin and repentance. On March 12, in his first tweet on X since before the scandal broke, Lawson addressed his followers in a nearly 500-word tweet. “It is with a shattered heart that I write this letter. I have sinned grievously against the Lord, against my wife, my family, and against countless numbers of you by having a sinful relationship with a woman not my wife,” the tweet began. Natasha: In September 2024, Trinity Bible Church of Dallas removed Lawson, their lead pastor of six years, after he admitted to church elders that he was having an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman. Before joining Trinity in 2018, Lawson was a pastor for over 40 years, leading churches in Arkansas and Alabama. Warren: Lawson formerly served as professor of preaching and dean of D.Min. studies at The Master’s Seminary (TMS) and was a frequent preacher at John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church (GCC) and its conferences. Lawson is also the founder of OnePassion Ministries, executive editor of Expositor Magazine (a ministry of OnePassion), and author of 33 books. Natasha: Next, Robert Morris turns himself in to authorities. Warren: Robert Morris, founding pastor of Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, turned himself in on charges of lewd acts with children on Monday, March 17. Morris was indicted by a grand jury in Oklahoma last week on five charges of lewd or indecent acts with children. Natasha: The charges stem for allegations brought by Cindy Clemishire last year. Warren: Clemishire has accused Morris of sexually abusing her in the 1980s, starting when she was 12 years old. Morris was allegedly a 21-year-old visiting evangelist. He was married, and he and his wife had a young child. Morris resigned after the allegations became public through Clemishire’s account published by The Wartburg Watch on June 14, 2024. In reaction to the indictment last week, Clemishire said, “After almost 43 years, the law has finally caught up with Robert Morris for the horrific crimes he committed against me as a child. Now, it is time for the legal system to hold him accountable. My family and I are deeply grateful to the authorities who have worked tirelessly to make this day possible and remain hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail.” Morris could face up to 20 years in prison for each charge. Natasha: Next, anti-gambling groups and Casino unite. Warren: As the old saying goes “politics makes strange bedfellows.” That proverb fits a situation in Arkansas involving a proposition to allow casino gambling, where an anti-gambling group led by church leaders took casino-interest money to fight a competing casino from entering the state. The story begins in 2018 when Arkansas approved an amendment to the state constitution that would allow casino gambling in four counties: Crittenden, Garland, Pope, and Jefferson. That opened the door for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, which operates at least eight casinos in that state, to seek a casino license in Pope County, Arkansas. Natasha: But locals created anti-gambling groups to oppose a casino in the county. Warren: At least two leaders of these anti-gambling groups involved in opposing casinos are affiliated with First Baptist Church of Russellville: Pastor Larry Walker and Deacon Jim Knight. Walker, the finance and administrative pastor on the First Baptist Russellville staff, has given his time and effort to anti-casino groups that accepted money from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Natasha: That’s not so unusual. You’d expect churches to be opposed to gambling. Warren: That’s right. But what makes this story strange is that the funding for these anti-gambling groups came from The Choctaw Nation, which owns casinos in Oklahoma. They funded the Arkansas groups because they wanted to eliminate competition. Natasha: In an email to potential supporters of a 2022 ballot question against the casino, Walker acknowledged the strange partnership between Fair Play for Arkansas and the Choctaw Nation but claimed they shared a common interest. Warren: Walker wrote, “Although the partnership may seem strange and though some may object, through much prayer and deliberation our leadership determined that this arrangement was the most prudent way forward and in the end our desired outcome was the same…no casino in Pope County.” Natasha: Moving to our next story: a pastor is charged for scamming nearly a quarter of a million dollars Warren: Terrance Elliot was already a convicted felon when he became pastor of Aboard the Ship of Zion in San Bernardino, California. Now, he faces 11 new felonies and a possible 20-year prison sentence. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, Elliot was arrested March 6 following a grand jury indictment for allegedly swindling several “long-time friends” and a nonprofit out of more than $230,000. The statement outlined multiple schemes allegedly hatched between September 2018 and February 2023. Natasha: What were they? Warren: In one case, Elliot convinced a friend, identified as “M.C.,” to let him manage her inheritance money, “claiming that she would lose her Medicare and Social Security benefits if she directly received the inheritance.” Elliot then used a “fraudulently modified copy” of a trust agreement to give himself sole control of the victim’s money, which he then withdrew to pay a church’s rent and cover personal expenses such as Nike sneakers and an extended warranty for a motorcycle. In another case, Elliot allegedly convinced a nonprofit that it owed money to a corporation, only to take the payments and deposit them in a bank account he controlled. Natasha: Elliot has quite the checkered passed but we won’t get into that right now, instead, what can we take away from this story? Warren: Todd Johnson, co-director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, told Christianity Today that the trust people feel for each other in religious organizations makes churches vulnerable to fraud. “One of the things we found after someone had been convicted of embezzlement, some cases where a pastor was actually in prison, you had church members who still said, ‘I don’t believe he could do this.’ They were the victims, but they still couldn’t accept it,” Johnson said. “That shows the power of trust. And trust is good, but if it’s misused—which is the definition of affinity fraud—that’s really a problem.” A 2022 study by Johnson’s organization projected that embezzlement in churches will decline to about $10 billion in 2025, but, based on current trends, will rise to $170 billion in 2050 unless churches do more to protect themselves. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Samaritan’s Purse confirmed with MinistryWath that $19 million in frozen USAID funds has been released to the ministry. 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: Samaritan’s Purse has confirmed that $19 million in frozen USAID funds has been released to the ministry. Payments to the North Carolina-based evangelical aid organization had been stalled since January, when President Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all federal foreign aid. News of the release follows the Supreme Court’s March 5 ruling that the Trump administration must unfreeze nearly $2 billion for foreign humanitarian work already completed at the government’s behest. Natasha: That’s good news for Samaritan Purse and for those they serve. Warren: Samaritan’s Purse President and CEO Franklin Graham said in a statement to MinistryWatch, “The funding grants that Samaritan’s Purse has with USAID are reimbursement agreements, “We pay for the supplies and staff in advance and they reimburse us. We have just received reimbursement for $19 million to provide life-saving aid in Sudan.” Natasha: Many charities have criticized Trump’s foreign aid pause for the risk it poses to communities that depend on USAID-funded programs, Graham has defended the process as an important step in reigning in federal waste and fraud. Warren: Graham told Time. “There has never really been a review of the policies and the procedures and expenditures. To take a pause and to shake things up and hold people accountable, I think, is very good,” However, Graham admitted to being concerned Trump may go too far. “Because the staff at USAID was allowed to misappropriate billions of dollars, I think the pendulum is going to swing to a point where the baby may be thrown out with the bathwater. And that is tragic, but it’s because the culture of USAID got so far off track,” he said. Natasha: Next, Seminary enrollment is up, according to data collected by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), an accrediting agency for seminaries. Warren: For more than three decades, ATS has been releasing its annual data about what is happening in the world of graduate theological education. ATS reported that total enrollment in Fall 2024 across the reporting seminaries was up by 1.7% over Fall 2023. Fifty-five percent of the schools reported year-over-year increases while 45% reported decreases. Natasha: Evangelical seminaries are the largest in the country. Warren: Liberty Theological Seminary, which is Baptist but not an official Southern Baptist seminary, leads the way with over 6,100 students enrolled in seminary courses. It has been steadily growing with 4,849 students in 2018-19 and 5,723 students in 2021-22. All six of the Southern Baptist seminaries are in the top 10, despite the scandals that have plagued the SBC over the last few years: Southern, Midwestern, Southwestern, Southeastern, Gateway, and New Orleans. However, these schools aren’t necessarily growing. Several evangelical seminaries not affiliated with a particular denomination make the top 25 list for enrollment, including Dallas Theological Seminary at No. 4 and Fuller Seminary at No. 8. Others in the list include Talbot, Gordon-Conwell, Kairos, Denver, Master’s, Western, Moody, and Columbia Biblical Seminary. Duke Divinity School is the only mainline denominational seminary that makes the top 25. Natasha: Next, two Presbyterian Church in America pastors have been charged with crimes in the last month. Warren: Two pastors in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), one from Mississippi and one from Florida, are facing serious criminal charges for statutory rape and vehicular homicide respectively. On March 11, Christopher Willett, the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Crystal Springs, Mississippi, was charged with statutory rape, sexual battery, unnatural intercourse, computer luring of a person, and child pornography, according to reporting by ByFaith, the PCA Magazine. A 19-year-old woman came to the Crystal Springs Police Department on Friday, March 7, to report that she had been molested by Willett beginning when she was 15 years old. The police began the investigation the next morning and executed search warrants on laptops, cell phones, automobiles, and Willett’s home. Natasha: Did they find anything? Warren: Police Chief Robert Thomas said that after a lengthy interview with the victim on Monday, March 10, he feels the evidence the police have against Willett is “pretty substantial,” but emphasized that Willett has not been found guilty. Willett is currently being held in the Copiah County jail without bond, according to the Ledger. Natasha: Who is the other pastor and what are the charges against him? Warren: Nicholas Betancourt in Tampa, Florida, is facing 11 charges related to a fatal car crash on February 28, killing Dana Rivera and seriously injuring her three children, ages 4, 6, and 15. According to police, Betancourt was under the influence while he was driving on a suspended license. Betancourt had been arrested on February 27 for driving under the influence and was released on the morning of the 28th. After he was involved in the car crash on the 28th, a urine sample from the hospital where Betancourt received treatment showed the presence of cocaine, amphetamines, oxycodone and benzodiazepines in his system. Charges against Betancourt include vehicular homicide and 10 other offenses related to driving under the influence and possession of controlled substances. Until his resignation on January 24, Betancourt was an assistant pastor at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Tampa, Florida. His official pastoral relationship was dissolved by the presbytery on February 8. 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: We have a new list in our MinistryWatch 1000 database featuring the 189 Christian ministries that do not file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. The groups are listed alphabetically, and some of the largest ministries in the country are included on the list: Compassion International, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Focus on the Family, Cru, and Wycliffe Bible Translators. The Form 990 is an informational tax return for nonprofit organizations, but church and church associations are exempt from the filing requirement. In recent years, more and more Christian ministries have been seeking to be designated as a church or association of churches in order to gain the exemption. This information is valuable to donors wanting to assess the effectiveness of a ministry; therefore, MinistryWatch takes the position that ministries should complete the Form 990. Any ministry in the database that does not complete a Form 990 receives zero stars for financial efficiency. It also affects the ministry’s transparency grade and donor confidence score. LIST HERE Natasha: Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: Ratings for Camp Cho-Yeh, headquartered in Livingston, Texas, recently dropped in two of the three MinistryWatch categories. Its Donor Confidence Score fell 20 points because it no longer has “an overall financial efficiency rating of at least 3 stars.” The camp dropped from ranking in the top 60% (3 stars) for financial efficiency in the Camps/Conference Centers sector to now ranking in the bottom 20% (1 star). The drop is in part because, in 2023, the organization’s net assets grew to $30.1 million — more than doubling its assets from 2020, which were $15.5 million. Its revenue has also more than doubled from $4.9 million in 2020 to $11.2 million in 2023. The organization was established in 1947. According to its website, it is “a premier Christian summer camp and retreat center.”  It offers overnight camps, day camps, family programming, gap years, and retreats. Camp Cho-Yeh did not respond to an interview request from MinistryWatch. Natasha: And in Ministries Making a Difference, we look at ministries helping people overcome addiction, poverty, and homelessness. Warren: Avenue of Life in Kansas City, Kansas, is hosting the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for households earning $65,700 or less in 2024. VITA volunteers will book appointments through April 11. Avenue of Life—which has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database—works to end student homelessness by helping low-income families become self-sustaining. Every third Wednesday of the month, Crossroads Mission in Arizona hosts its “Just For You!” community outreach. The “day of compassion” is focused on providing essential items like tents, pillows, food, and hygiene items to people in need. In summer 2024, the outreach doled out over 20,000 meals. Guests also receive vouchers to the mission’s thrift store, where they can pick up clothing, outfits for job interviews, and even furniture. Volunteers and staff invite recipients to its shelters and long-term recovery programs. Crossroads Mission has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 95. The North Vietnamese village of Sin Suoi Ho showcases the transformative power of the gospel when an entire community embraces the teachings of the Bible. Once drowning in poverty, addicted to opioids, and oppressed by fear of evil spirits, this isolated village is now a thriving tourist destination that shares both their native traditions and their firm faith. They first heard the gospel through a radio program from Far East Broadcasting Company before being discipled by nearby pastors. Angela Lee Fulton with Christianity Today details the journey the community’s residents went through to embrace the gospel, burn their altars, and detox from their addictions. Far East Broadcasting Company has 4 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Ad-lib about “Conversations” column. Warren Ad-Lib March Recurring Donor Appeal. 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, Tony Mator, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Ed Stych, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. 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.

It has been a rough couple of decades for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, but the school seems to have turned a corner and is headed in a new, positive direction. If the saga of SWBTS does indeed have a happy ending, or at least a thriving next chapter, a good bit of the credit can be attributed to one man: Dr. David Dockery. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you. LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S PROGRAM: Dr. Russell Dilday Thomas Kidd’s excellent work, especially The Baptists In America, which he co-wrote with Barry Hankins. Mark Wingfield’s recent article “How Southwestern Seminary Is Bouncing Back From Financial Catastrophe” . 20 years of detailed financial audits.

On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination’s handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We’ll take a look. Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration’s defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We’ll have details. But first, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts. 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 are Mark A. Kellner, Laura Erlanson, Kim Roberts, Jack Jenkins, Erik Tryggestad, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Adelle M. Banks, Ed Stych, and Brittany Smith. A special thanks to Baptist Press and The Christian Chronicle 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, the Southern Baptist Convention says the Department of Justice has wrapped up its investigation into the denomination’s handling of sexual abuse cases by its pastors and leaders. We’ll take a look. Also, evangelical ministry leaders hold a vigil to protest the Trump Administration’s defunding of foreign aid. Plus, one ministry whose funding was canceled…then reinstated…but its operations remain in limbo. We’ll have details. Natasha: But first, Oklahoma’s state superintendent of public instruction is asking Americans to donate money to send Bibles into public school classrooms, though the Oklahoma Supreme Court has temporarily blocked his efforts. Warren: Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is asking Americans to donate money to send leather-bound Bibles into Sooner State public school classrooms, now that the state legislature nixed a funding request. Walters told MinistryWatch in a telephone interview he has created the BiblesforOklahoma.com website, where $59.99 “God Bless The USA” Bibles can be purchased for schools. Natasha: The controversial volume pairs the King James Version of the Bible with the texts of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Pledge of Allegiance. It also reproduces handwritten lyrics to Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA.” Warren: Walters’s fundraising move launched less than 24 hours after Oklahoma’s Senate Appropriations Committee failed to recommend his budgetary request for $3 million to purchase Bibles for classrooms — and an additional $5 million to pay for potential litigation over the move. State Sen. Nancy Boren (D-Norman) told MinistryWatch she objects not only to the dollar amount requested but also to combining the Scriptures and America’s founding documents in a single volume. Natasha: Others have offered alternative options, but Walters didn’t seem interested Warren: The state senator, a Church of Christ member and an Abilene Christian University graduate, also said Gov. Kevin Stritt reminded people there’s a free smartphone app — YouBible — that’s created in Oklahoma. Boren also said other people were willing to donate “like, the real Bible, not the ‘Trump Bible,’ for free, and [Walters] didn’t want that.” The Oklahoma Supreme Court also as problems with Walter’s plan. The conservative court has temporarily blocked Walter’s attempt at fundraising, at least for now. Natasha: Next, an update on the SBC. Warren: U.S. Department of Justice informed Southern Baptist Convention attorneys (Wednesday, March 12) that its investigation into the SBC and its entities is closed. No sexual abuse-related charges were filed. The DOJ launched its investigation in August 2022, a few months after the release of the Guidepost Report, which was based on an investigation by outside group Guidepost Solutions into the EC’s handling of sexual abuse claims. The only charge brought by the DOJ in its two-and-a-half-year inquiry was against former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary professor and interim provost Matt Queen, who pleaded guilty to making a false statement to investigators. Queen was sentenced last week to one year supervised release and a $2,000 fine. Natasha: Continuing with the SBC, our next story looks at the financial strain they’ve experienced due to lawsuits. Warren: In mid-February, Southern Baptist Convention leaders received grim news. The denomination’s Executive Committee was essentially broke. Over the past four years, the committee has spent more than $13 million on legal fees and other costs related to a historic sexual abuse investigation by Guidepost Solutions, draining its reserves and leaving it unable to pay its bills for the following year. Among those bills were $3 million in additional legal fees for the upcoming year, with more likely to come. Natasha: What are they going to do? Warren: To deal with the financial crisis, the Executive Committee has put its Nashville headquarters up for sale, cut staff, and applied for a $3 million loan. The committee is also seeking a $3 million “priority allocation” for legal fees from the denomination’s $190 million Cooperative Program budget, which is usually used for missions and ministries. The SBC budget, including the legal allocation, must be approved during the denomination’s annual meeting in June. It’s unclear what will happen if the request fails. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, as donor advised funds grow, so does the market for philanthropic advising. 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: Al Mueller had years of experience helping very wealthy people invest their money on Wall Street, but he felt a pull to help families give their money away to life-changing causes. So in 2002, he founded Excellence in Giving, a faith-based firm to provide concierge-level philanthropic advising services to high-capacity donors. “Our goal is to upgrade a generous giver to a discerning steward,” Mueller told MinistryWatch about the services provided by Excellence in Giving. He says the firm’s work can give confidence to donors that their gifts are being used well. Natasha: Philanthropic advising is a growing field with advisors handling large sums of charitable contributions. A 2024 survey of 258 U.S.-based philanthropic advisors revealed that each of them facilitated an average of $50 million in charitable giving. Warren: Michael Moody, professor of philanthropic studies at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, has seen the advising industry balloon over the last 20 years. Nearly 2,000 members of LinkedIn identify themselves as “philanthropy advisors,” according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Much of this growth is driven by the large sums of money in philanthropic donor-advised funds, which have reached $250 billion, and private foundations with assets of about $1.5 trillion. Natasha: Instead of developing their own staff of subject matter experts to figure out how and where to give money, donors can outsource that work to an advising group and save some overhead and administrative costs. Warren: Mueller said Excellence in Giving starts by helping donors develop their mission statements, examining their giving history, and working with them as a matchmaker to find the best nonprofits in an area of interest to receive their donations. Excellence in Giving serves between 30 and 50 families who give over $100 million each year. It develops an annual service agreement with clients based on how much time advisors will be working on clients’ needs. It also carefully screens ministries based on 175 data points before giving them a “seal of transparency.” The form asks for many measurements about the health and growth of a charity that won’t be found on an IRS Form 990, Mueller said. Mueller wants Excellence in Giving to continue helping deliver confidence to ministry donors: “Obedience to God’s calling for their resources plus confidence in the ministry they are giving to will bring joy.” Natasha: Next, a number of evangelical organizations participate in a vigil against foreign aid cuts, Warren: Evangelical Christian groups are calling on Congress to reinstate foreign aid programs shuttered by President Donald Trump’s administration, arguing the government’s actions will hurt millions of people around the world. Christians assembled at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church on Tuesday morning (March 11) for a “Prayer Vigil for Foreign Aid.” The Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of the group Bread for the World, denounced the “broad, un-targeted cuts” recently implemented at the U.S. Agency for International Development as an assault on vulnerable populations all over the globe. Natasha: The unusual vigil, featuring an array of evangelical organizations such as World Relief and the Accord Network publicly criticizing the federal government, came a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared on social media that the government will cancel 83% of programs at USAID. Warren: During Tuesday’s vigil, several speakers highlighted the human toll of the cuts. Kombo Choga, senior director for program design at Compassion International, pointed out that his organization currently does not receive government funds, but said they “are witnessing how the withdrawal of aid is devastating” populations they work with — including children. Cho and others expressed frustration at the administration’s actions but also highlighted the potential role of Congress, arguing lawmakers have the power to reinstate the programs. Multiple speakers made clear that while they believed the foreign aid system has issues, drastically reducing programs was not the answer. Natasha: One ministry lost its USAID funding, only to regain it—but getting its product into the hands of people who need it…that work remains in limbo. Tell us about that. Warren: Earlier this month, Mark Moore sent an urgent message to the factory that packages a life-saving peanut butter called MANA: Stop putting USAID labels on the packages. We’ve lost our funding. Five days later, he texted the factory again: Put the labels back on. Mana Nutrition, a ministry supported by Churches of Christ and used in global relief efforts, is among a host of nonprofits worldwide that receive grants from USAID, the United States Agency for International Development. Natasha: In late January, the Trump administration began cutting most of the agency’s staff and canceling its contracts which included USAID’s contract with Mana. Mana produces a high-calorie, vitamin-fortified peanut butter for children suffering from severe malnutrition. Since 2010, Mana has provided aid to 8 million children in 45 countries. Warren: “It’s been a yo-yo week,” Moore, Mana’s chief executive officer, said. The nonprofit buys 1.3 million pounds of peanuts per month, and USAID contracts represent about 90 percent of its business. Mana hasn’t received a payment from the agency since December, Moore said. When notified that their contract was terminated, the nonprofit had about 400,000 boxes of MANA packets in its warehouse with labels that read, “USAID. From the American people.” Although that contract is now restored, McDowell said, “the product is still in our warehouse.” Natasha: What’s going to happen to it? Warren: On March 3, Moore learned that Mana’s USAID contracts were reinstated. Although Mana produces the nutritional packets, “we don’t captain the ships that deliver it. We’re not in the villages handing it out.” By government rules, only transportation companies that also have USAID contracts can get the product to the people who need it. Several international shippers have told Mana, “We don’t yet have an order to come and get it.” While he’s thankful that he and his coworkers can continue producing life-saving peanut butter, “the drama is still unfolding.” Natasha: Let’s look at one more story before we take a break, what do you have? Warren: Last month, police arrested Charles B. Brinson, 64, the bishop of Brinson Memorial Church in Trenton, New Jersey, on allegations of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy while the teen was unconscious. A local health center contacted Trenton police after the teen disclosed the assaults while receiving treatment, authorities said. The Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office has charged Brinson with two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault of an incapacitated victim and two counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. A representative from the Prosecutor’s office told MinistryWatch that last week, a judge granted the state’s motion to detain Brinson pending trial. Natasha: While investigating the accusations, police uncovered a pattern of concerning events linked to the bishop: Brinson faced similar charges in 2008. Warren: Those allegations, filed in Pennsylvania, claimed Brinson drove a church van to meet, pick up, and drive a 15-year-old boy to Brinson’s home, where he sexually assaulted the boy. Philadelphia County, where the charges were filed, is around 30 miles from Brinson’s residence in Florence, New Jersey. Although Brinson admitted to befriending the teen in an online chatroom, the pastor denied meeting the teen in person or having any sexual contact with him. The judge dropped the charges, citing a lack of evidence to prosecute. However, the victim’s family refiled the case, and Brinson signed a plea agreement, reducing his charges to a lesser offense of corruption of minors. As part of the deal, Brinson had to register as a sex offender and serve four years of probation. Brinson remains detained at the Mercer County jail, with a detention hearing scheduled for mid-March. Law enforcement encourages community members to come forward with any additional information that might support the ongoing investigation. 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: Would they respond in anger? Or with mercy? On Nov. 8, 2024, Tom King, a 72-year-old Navy veteran and retiree, had driven off on his beloved motorcycle from a Salvation Army food pantry where he volunteered five days a week. Driving through downtown Akron, he was struck by a 2014 Ford F-150 pickup that ran a stop sign. The truck driver was Brandon Wellert, a 25-year-old surveyor’s assistant and father of two, who was on his way home from a job site. Wellert was driving down an unfamiliar street when he missed a stop sign. By the time he saw King’s motorcycle, it was too late. His truck collided with King, who suffered a serious head injury and was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. Wellert was arrested and charged for his role in the death. Natasha: But that’s not the end of the story. Warren: Tom’s brother Tim King, forgave Wellert. He said, “Tom was just a victim of circumstance, There was no need to be vengeful.” Natasha: This story is really powerful and there’s a lot of detail we can’t get into here but can you summarize how forgiveness made a difference for Wellert? Warren: On the day of his sentencing, Carmen Tenny, Tom King’s granddaughter had a simple message for Wellert — that her grandfather had already forgiven him. “I told Brandon that I hope that someday soon you could forgive yourself,” she said. “And that’s basically all I could get out without breaking down.” Wellert pleaded guilty, and King’s relatives asked he be assigned to do community service for the Salvation Army as a way of carrying on King’s legacy. The judge gave Wellert 80 hours of service at the Salvation Army and suspended his license. He received no jail time. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Southern Baptists have long been known as a large branch of evangelical Christianity and a dominant force in the Southern states. But an analysis of recent statistics supplied by congregations across the country revealed New England is the sole region where Southern Baptists gained congregants overall from 2018 to 2023. “Churches in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont grew by 10%,” a Lifeway Research analysis released Tuesday (March 11) said, based on data from the Southern Baptist Convention’s 2023 Annual Church Profile. “Every other region saw declines in overall church membership.” Just 2% of Southern Baptist churches are in the Northeast region, compared with 78% located in the South. Two Southern regions — one comprising Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, and the other including Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas — saw the smallest drop in church membership in the five-year period at 8%. The region with the largest drop in church membership was the Pacific region, with a decline of 18%. Lifeway Research is an evangelical research firm that is part of Lifeway Christian Resources, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention that conducts the Annual Church Profile in cooperation with local associations and state conventions affiliated with the SBC. Natasha: Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: This week, the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association’s Transparency Grade dropped from an A to a C, because the organization does not post its audited financials or Form 990s on its website. The organization also lost points from its Donor Confidence Score because of its asset utilization. In 2022, the ministry had negative net assets, but in 2023 its assets jumped to $10.9 million. Also in 2023, the Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association’s (SDEA) revenue jumped from $4.8 million to $15.6 million. That year, a commercial real estate firm in Alabama donated a $9.5-million building to SDEA “to start a ministry trade school for student pastors,” Scott Dawson, president of SDEA, told MinistryWatch. “This building was the major reason our revenue numbers increased. It wasn’t a ‘cash’ increase, but a ‘resource’ increase.” The organization’s total expenses in 2023 were $6.3 million, spending less than half of its revenue. SDEA currently has 18 board members, outside of MinistryWatch’s recommended board number of “between 5 and 11.” Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib March Recurring Donor Appeal. 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, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. 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.

Here at MinistryWatch I have witnessed a tragic phenomenon over and over again. A young person begins the Christian life with passion and enthusiasm. But if that person doesn’t put down an anchor in the Gospel, he begins to drift. Before long, that young person finds himself, or herself, broken apart on the rocks, wondering, “How did this happen?” If that person was a leader in the church, the damage can spread far and wide. My guest today, Jared Wilson, says Scripture can answer the question “How did this happen?” He points to Hebrews 2:1 as a key. “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” His new book is called “Lest We Drift: Five Departure Dangers from the One True Gospel.” I’ve got to say that I have been looking forward to this book and my conversation with Jared, in part because I believe the topic is so vital, but also because I’ve been following Jared on social media for a while and have found him to be one of the increasingly rare sane voices there. So it was a pleasure to settle in to this conversation with him. Jared C. Wilson is assistant professor of pastoral ministry and author in residence at Midwestern Seminary in Kansas City. He is also pastor for preaching and the director of the Pastoral Training Center at Liberty Baptist Church, a Kansas City suburb. I’d like to remind you that during the month of March we are asking our regular listeners and readers to prayerfully consider becoming a monthly supporter of MinistryWatch. Monthly supporters play a special and badly needed role here at MinistryWatch. They give us a certain baseline of support that we know we can count on every month. That is a tremendous help in our planning. I also want to mention that as a monthly supporter you will receive ALL the donor premiums we offer during the year. To become a monthly supporter, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Thanks to Amy Morris at Zondervan, as well as my assistant Carley Southerland, for arranging my interview with Jared Wilson. Please join me again on Friday when Natasha Cowden and I review the news of the week that we’ve been covering here at MinistryWatch. Until then, may God bless you.

On today’s program, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We’ll take a look. And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don’t survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions. And, we’ve released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants.  But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand. 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, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. 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, the Trump administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies…despite legal battles. We’ll take a look. And, a staggering 30 percent of nonprofits don’t survive a full decade—but when they go under, what happens to their assets? Our finance writer Shannon Cuthrell digs into the hidden risks and loopholes of nonprofit dissolutions. And, we’ve released our MinistryWatch list of the 50 Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants. Natasha: But first, the U-S Department of Justice has intervened on behalf of a Pennsylvania church trying to expand. Warren: On March 3, the Justice Department section for the Western District of Pennsylvania filed a statement of interest supporting the Hope Rising Community Church in its lawsuit against the Borough of Clarion. The church has outgrown its current facilities and wants to expand using a facility in the city’s commercial district. While Clarion allows nonreligious assemblies in the commercial district, such as theaters, the city would not approve the church’s zoning use variance request. Officials from the city allegedly said they didn’t “need any more churches” because of the loss of property taxes. Natasha: Hope Rising Community Church filed its lawsuit in November alleging the city was violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), a federal law that protects houses of worship from discrimination in zoning. When Clarion filed a motion to dismiss the church’s claim, the Justice Department intervened. Warren: The city argued the church had not suffered any concrete injury as a result of Clarion’s actions, the DOJ argued that the city’s zoning code has “stymied [the church’s] efforts to buy and develop the only suitable property for the church in Clarion.” As of March 2024, the DOJ had opened over 155 formal investigations and filed nearly 30 lawsuits related to RLUIPA’s Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) land use provisions, and had filed 36 “friend-of-the-court” briefs addressing the interpretation and application of RLUIPA in privately-filed lawsuits. Natasha: Next, The Trump Administration cancels grants to refugee aid agencies. Warren: President Donald Trump’s administration is making moves to shutter a decades-old partnership between the government and a group of mostly religious organizations to resettle refugees, with the State Department abruptly canceling grant agreements with all the agencies despite ongoing legal battles. On Wednesday (Feb. 26), refugee resettlement organizations, such as Church World Service, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, say they received “termination notification” letters from the State Department. Natasha: Myal Greene, the president of World Relief, an evangelical Christian ministry said, “With the cancellation of World Relief and other Resettlement Agency agreements, this is effectively ending a 45 year, bi-partisan, refugee resettlement program with the stroke of a pen.” Warren: The letters come as the government is involved in two separate lawsuits over the president’s decision to freeze the refugee program via an executive order signed his first day in office. On Wednesday, Church World Service, HIAS (Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society), and Lutheran Community Services Northwest won a victory over the Trump administration in their lawsuit, known as Pacito v. Trump, with a federal judge blocking the president’s order and calling Trump’s actions a “nullification of congressional will.” According to The Associated Press, the judge argued from the bench that the president does not have “limitless” authority over refugee admissions, noting the law establishing the program was passed by Congress. Natasha: Later in the program, we’ll take a look at Christian ministries receiving the largest government grants. But now, the wife of slain missionary Beau Shroyer, has officially been charged as a “co-author” in his murder. Warren: Jackie Shroyer, who was arrested in October 2024 in Angola, Africa, for the alleged murder of her missionary husband Beau Shroyer, has now been formally charged as a “co-author” in his death. For three years, Beau and Jackie Shroyer and their five children had lived in the “remote bush” of Angola. On October 25, police found Beau Shroyer brutally stabbed to death in his vehicle outside Lubango, where the family lived in a walled compound. Jackie Shroyer’s statements at the scene sparked police suspicion that Beau’s slaying was an organized plot involving three men paid to kill him. They began an investigation, alleging that Jackie might have been the mastermind. Natasha: What did they uncover in the investigation? Warren: During their investigation, detectives gained “strong suspicion” to believe Jackie was having an affair with one of the men—the family’s security guard. Jackie allegedly offered the men $50,000 to kill her husband by luring him to a secluded location and stabbing him to death. According to the statement, Jackie will remain in custody and will now face trial before a judge. A court date is expected to take place within the next six months. Natasha: Up next, A Kanakuk Kamps sexual abuse survivor can continue his lawsuit, according to a Missouri judge. Warren: On February 27, Judge Jessica Kruse denied the motions to dismiss and will allow Andrew Summersett’s case to continue against Kanakuk and ACE Insurance Company. Summersett filed suit in June 2024 alleging fraud and fraudulent concealment, claiming Kanakuk and its leaders intentionally omitted critical information and made misrepresentations that prevented Summersett from pursuing his claim for bodily injury against them. Natasha: Can you give us a little more background to this story? Warren: Summersett, now 37, claims he was abused by former Kanakuk camp director Peter Newman in 2001 and 2002. He allegedly told Jamie Jo (Braner) Johnson and Andrew Braner, former directors of Kanakuk Colorado, about the abuse in 2009. Johnson allegedly told him she did not know about them, while Andrew Braner warned Summersett against making “a mess of this,” and saying “now [was] not a good time to talk.” He also told Summersett to “back off, given the circumstances,” the court filings claim. Kanakuk asserted that Summersett’s claim for fraud was time barred by the statute of limitations and ought to be dismissed. Summersett asserted that he is alleging in his lawsuit that Kanakuk concealed its knowledge of Newman’s conduct. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, when a nonprofit closes its doors, what happens to its funds? 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: Despite amassing billions of dollars in charitable contributions every year, a surprising number of nonprofits (about 30%) don’t survive beyond a decade. With 1.8 million tax-exempt organizations operating in the United States today, this churn amounts to thousands of nonprofits dying on an annual basis. Natasha: So what’s the legal framework governing nonprofit dissolutions? Warren: Tax-exempt organizations are legally required to follow a structured dissolution process, which includes settling their outstanding debts and filing a final Form 990 tax return detailing their asset distribution plans. In notifying the Internal Revenue Service of their closure, nonprofits must disclose a description and fair market value for each disposed asset, the recipient(s), dates, and transaction fees. ​When a nonprofit organization dissolves, IRS Code 501(c)(3) requires that its remaining assets be allocated exclusively to another charitable entity or a federal, state, or local government for a public purpose. Organizations are also prohibited from distributing any property to individuals, including board members, employees, or volunteers, during the dissolution phase. ​In some cases, nonprofits may pay outstanding salaries or debts to individuals before closure, but surplus assets cannot be distributed as a windfall. Natasha: In a recent trend, some Nonprofits are Converting Into For-Profit Businesses Warren: Some nonprofits choose to restructure as for-profit entities rather than dissolve, which could create loopholes for financial misconduct. Although some states require approval before assets can be transferred to a for-profit, enforcement of these regulations varies, and oversight is often minimal. This is particularly troubling when valuable assets like real estate, intellectual property, or financial reserves are transferred to a newly formed for-profit entity. Natasha: Can you give us a Positive Example of Dissolutions Handled Responsibly? Warren: Most dissolving nonprofits distribute their assets responsibly, with funds continuing to serve the public good. Take Immanuel Baptist Church in North Carolina, which recently shut down after 109 years due to declining attendance. The church sold its 40,000-square-foot property for $1.5 million and distributed the proceeds to more than 70 charities, including mental health services, scholarships, and refugee aid. About 20% of the funds went to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, in line with the church’s mission and affiliation. Natasha: Next,   Warren, can you give us more details? Warren: In a move lauded by Evangelical leaders, U.S. legislators have reintroduced the bipartisan Clergy Act. The act offers a way out for clergy experiencing buyer’s remorse after taking advantage of a special exemption in the tax code. While most American taxpayers must pay into Social Security whether they want to or not, section 1131 of the Social Security Handbook allows clergy to claim a conscientious objection. Eligible individuals include “any duly ordained, commissioned, or licensed minister of a church, member of a religious order who has not taken a vow of poverty; or any Christian Science practitioner.” Natasha: However, re-enrollment advocates say many pastors make this decision—which is generally irrevocable—early in their ministries, when they are young and not thinking about retirement. As they grow older, Social Security’s benefits can begin to seem more important. Warren: The act would provide a re-enrollment window, after which a minister would have to pay into Social Security for at least 10 years before becoming eligible for benefits—the same minimum required of all other taxpayers. The last time Congress offered a re-enrollment window was in 1999. The bill is endorsed by Christian organizations, including the Church Alliance, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and National Association of Evangelicals. Natasha: Next, Texas legislators have proposed bills that would make certain nondisclosure agreements in child sexual abuse cases void and unenforceable. Warren: House Bill (HB) 748, Senate Bill (SB) 1587 and a similar bill (SB 835) would apply to nondisclosure agreements related to certain “acts of sexual abuse,” including indecency with a child, sexual assault, trafficking of persons, and compelled prostitution. An NDA would be “void and unenforceable as against the public policy of [the] state,” if, as part of an employment, confidentiality, or settlement agreement, the NDA prohibits a party from notifying law enforcement or a regulatory agency about child sexual abuse or prohibits a party from disclosing facts about child sexual abuse during an investigation or prosecution. NDAs can often arise as part of an agreement to settle a civil lawsuit about sexual misconduct. 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: Martin E. Marty, an eminent church historian, prolific chronicler and interpreter of religion and its role in public life, died at the age of 97 on Tuesday (Feb. 25) in a Minneapolis care facility where he spent his final years. Marty, who was also a warmhearted friend, mentor and pastor to many, taught for 35 years at the University of Chicago Divinity School and published a constant stream of books, articles, essays, newsletters and columns, with his book “Righteous Empire: The Protestant Experience in America” winning top honors at the 1972 National Book Awards in Philosophy and Religion. Marty, who published some 60 books in all, served for a half-century as an editor and columnist for The Christian Century magazine and produced a biweekly newsletter, “Context,” for 41 years. Marty is survived by his wife, Harriet; sons Joel, John, Peter and Micah; foster daughter Fran Garcia Carlson and foster son Jeff Garcia; stepdaughter Ursula Meyer; nine grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. March 29 at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: Nonprofits are engaging in less policy-oriented advocacy than they did 20 years ago, according to a study in 2023 by Independent Sector. In 2022, less than a quarter of nonprofits lobbied for any legislation, down from three quarters of organizations five years earlier, according to the survey. As a follow-up, Independent Sector interviewed 40 nonprofit agencies across the country in an effort to find out why advocacy had diminished so substantially. Natasha: What did they descover? Warren: The primary reason is a lack of resources or capacity. Another barrier to engaging in advocacy, according to the study, is a lack of understanding of the rules related to nonprofit advocacy. Natasha: What’s our next story? Warren: The majority of U.S.-based Christian ministry executives are optimistic about the impact the new administration of President Donald Trump will have on the ministries they lead. In January’s quarterly survey of Christian ministry leaders, over 54% of respondents told MinistryWatch they expect the Trump administration policies to have a positive impact on their organization or the work they do. MinistryWatch has been conducting its quarterly survey of leaders of the nation’s 1,000 largest Christian ministries since October 2022. Almost 70% of the survey respondents are optimistic their revenue will increase over the next 12 months. Of those, about 11% expect revenue to increase by more than 10%, while about 59% expect to see revenue increases between 1-10%. MinistryWatch also asked a related question about whether ministry leaders believe a recession is on the horizon. Many leaders are optimistic about the state of the nation’s economy, with about 63% responding that they do not think the U.S. will enter a recession in the next year, up from 41% in our October survey. Over the past 12 months, nearly 61% of ministry leaders say their revenue increased. About 40% said the ministry’s revenue went up between one and 10%, while 21% saw increases of over 10%. Eighteen percent reported their revenue remained flat over the previous 12 months. About 21% of ministries saw a revenue decrease, with revenue decreasing between one and 10% for 17% of respondents and decreases of greater than 10% for about 4% of those who responded. Natasha: Next, a list of 50 Christian Ministries Receiving the Largest Government Grants Warren: With the new Trump administration making news with its federal funding freeze proposals, the issue of nonprofits, and specifically Christian ministries, receiving government funding has been in the news and a matter of conversation. Recently, MinistryWatch added government grant funding information to the ministry profiles in the MinistryWatch 1000 database. There were 321 ministries in our database that received government grants for a total of $2.35 billion. The smallest grant was just $919 for Bread of Life Mission while the largest grant totaled $661 million for World Vision. This month’s list is a compilation of the 50 Christian ministries who received the largest government grants based on their I.R.S. Form 990 from 2023. The top four recipients of government grants were all relief and development organizations. The recipient of the largest sum of government grants is also the largest ministry in the database: World Vision. World Vision has annual revenue of over $1.5 billion, $661 million of which came from government grants, about 44% of its total revenue. Mercy Corps was second with $400 million in grants — 77% of its annual revenue. In third place was World Relief with $126 million of its $163 million in revenue coming from government grants. Church World Service took $114 million in government grants — 75% of its $152 million annual revenue. Natasha: Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: Seed Company, a Bible translation ministry affiliated with Wycliffe Bible Translators, now has a Donor Confidence Score of 53, “Exercise Caution.” The organization does not file a Form 990, and it has petitioned the IRS to be classified as “a church.” According to its 2023 audited financial report, the organization had a revenue of $72.7 million and its expenses were $77.7 million. According to its ECFA profile, its expenses in 2024 were $102.1 million. The organization’s net assets have also more than doubled from 2019 to 2023, growing from $28.3 million to $80.2 million. Seed Company’s 2023 Annual Report says they engaged “973 language groups with Scripture” and “135 language communities are translating God’s Word for the very first time” during the 2023 fiscal year. The organization did not respond to requests for comment. Natasha: In Ministries Making a Difference this week, we look at ministries investing in the next generation. Warren: A pastor in Bakersfield, California, is ministering to inner city youth through his boxing program. Peter Baker was a competitive boxer before coming to Christ at age 20. Now, as part of the Kern County Sheriff’s Department activity league, Baker runs a boxing gym where 70 kids train weekly. All the assistant coaches have come to Christ since training with Baker, and have brought their families to Alta Vista AG, where Baker pastors. The program’s success prompted the Sheriff’s Activity League to add weight lifting, honor guard, cheer, soccer and crafting to its program options. Josiah Venture is celebrating its “most fruitful year of ministry to date” in 2024. With its mission to engage young people across Central and Eastern Europe with the Bible and equip them for Christian leadership, Josiah Venture “invested in” 7,749 leaders across 753 local churches in 16 countries. More than 1,000 young people made professions of faith in Christ. In Ukraine alone, the ministry hosted 36 evangelistic camps—its largest number to date—which resulted in 283 professions of faith. Josiah Venture has 4 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 93. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: Warren Ad-Lib March Recurring Donor Appeal. 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, Jack Jenkins, Yonat Shimron, Jessica Eturralde, Shannon Cuthrell, Tony Mator, Bruce Buursma, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. 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. Natasha: The next story deals specifically with this, so that makes for a good tie between the two stories.

Bruce Bruinsma believes that 30 years is a long time to do nothing. He also says that this is precisely what a lot of Christian retirees do. The average lifespan of an American is about 78 years. But if that’s average, many live much longer. About 2 percent of Americans – more than 6 million people – are 85 or older. And more than 50 percent of Americans retire before the age of 65. Bruinsma believes we need a retirement reformation. We need to create an expectation that older people can make vital contributions to our churches, to Christian ministries, and to our communities. We shouldn’t segregate them in their own Sunday school classes, or send them off on Christian themed bus trips. They should play an active, leadership role in our churches. Promoting this message is what he has done with his retirement. Bruce Bruinsma is 83 years old, and still full steam ahead with ministry work. It was a pleasure to talk with him about why and how we can create a retirement reformation. To learn more about his organization, Retirement Reformation, just go to RetirementReformation.org

On today’s program, Dr. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew’s Chapelwhere he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We’ll have details. And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We’ll take a look. Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation. 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, Bethany Starin, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. Until next time, may God bless you.   MANUSCRIPT:    FIRST SEGMENT Warren:  Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from Hilton Head Island, South 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. Burk Parsons of Ligonier Ministries has been suspended from pastoral duties at St. Andrew’s Chapel, where he is senior pastor. He is now under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery. We’ll have details. And, Elevation Church has fired its youth pastor amid allegations of sexual misconduct from a decade ago. We’ll take a look. Also, after 16 months of wrangling and civil suits, Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church in Pennsylvania has officially left the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Natasha: But first, a former Liberty University employee is suing the school for discrimination and retaliation. Warren: A former professor and investigator at Liberty University has filed a federal lawsuit against the school and its leaders for discrimination and retaliation under Title IX, the Uniformed Services Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and the Virginia Whistleblower Protection Law. Peter Brake is a Liberty graduate and an attorney who served for over 20 years as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate. He was employed in 2019 as a full-time Civil Rights Investigator in Liberty’s Office of Equity and Compliance/Title IX and as an adjunct professor. While employed at Liberty, Brake took a 3½-year leave of absence starting in January 2020 to serve active duty with the U.S. Army. He had moved to reserve military duty at this point. Natasha: What happened? Warren: According to the lawsuit, Brake’s absence was referred to by Liberty administrators as a “problem” because they were required to hold his position while he served in the U.S. Army. Upon his return in October 2023, Brake claims he suffered discrimination in violation of the USERRA. Brake also claims he was fired after making “good faith reports” about violations of Title IX and the Clery Act at Liberty. Natasha: In November 2023, Brake claims he told Liberty President Dondi Costin about the Title IX office ignoring grievance procedure requirements, noting that some cases had been sitting idle for a year without resolution. Warren: In an email exchange with Costin, Costin allegedly assured Brake that “your leadership understands that retaliation is not allowed around here, so don’t give that possibility another thought.” After Liberty reached a settlement agreement of $14 million for Clery Act violations, Brake said he reported more violations. He was then allegedly subjected to a “humiliating and unusual interrogation” by Liberty’s human resources department and other harassment. In May, Brake filed complaints with the U.S. Department of Education against Liberty and filed a Title IX complaint. Brake was fired in June. Brake is seeking damages to his physical well-being, and his reputation, loss of career opportunities, lost wages and benefits, plus attorney’s costs and fees. Natasha: Next, St. Andrew’s Chapel has suspended its pastor Warren: Dr. Burk Parsons, senior pastor at St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, and a teaching fellow at Ligonier Ministries, has been indicted by a commission of the Central Florida Presbytery and is currently suspended from his duties at St. Andrew’s as he awaits the resolution of the case. Natasha: In January, MinistryWatch reported that Parsons was under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery for potential violations of two ordination vows. Warren: Now, the commission has informed Parsons that he was indicted in relation to the two vows. The presbytery commission also suspended Parsons from his duties of teaching, preaching, and administering the sacraments as a teaching elder at St. Andrew’s Chapel, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). In an email to the congregation, the board of elders, known as a session, of St. Andrew’s said it is supporting Parsons through the trial process. The email did not provide any details about what actions prompted the indictment or when the trial will take place. Natasha: Next, news from Elevation church. Warren: The Charlotte-based megachurch Elevation Church fired its youth pastor, Tim Somers, in late February for alleged sexual misconduct. Somers’ accused misconduct is with students in the youth ministry of Oaks Church in Red Oaks, Texas, where he served more than 10 years ago. A spokesperson for Elevation Church told The Christian Post that, “As soon as Elevation learned about these allegations, we reached out to local Texas authorities and immediately placed Tim on leave. “No charges have been filed.” It is still an open investigation, local police are still sifting through the case and are not releasing any information. Natasha: Next, a prominent Durham, North Carolina, megachurch is suing its local government after county commissioners rejected its rezoning request to build a new regional campus in a rural area. Warren: The Summit Church, led by former Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear, claims Chatham County’s decision violates federal law by discriminating against a religious organization. In the federal complaint, which spans more than 700 pages including exhibits, The Summit Church alleges the county breached the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by denying its plan to construct an 82,000-square-foot facility on a 100-acre parcel once approved for a retirement community. The proposal included a 1,200-seat auditorium, 500-plus parking spaces, a sports court, a children’s play area, and a large grass field. Natasha: Why were they denied? Warren: County commissioners and some community members opposed the development, describing The Summit Church as a “megachurch” that clashed with the rural character outlined in Plan Chatham, the county’s official land-use guide. Natasha: The documents add that other segments designated by the plan do not mention churches as a desired land use. The church contends the county unfairly relied on these guidelines to reject its rezoning applications, imposing what it calls a “substantial burden” on its mission to place a thriving evangelical church within fifteen minutes of every resident in the Triangle area. Warren: The Triad Business Journal reported that Chatham County Attorney Bob Hagemann has denied any hostility toward religious institutions, saying the county will respond to the legal complaint “through normal legal processes.” The county has until March 7 to answer The Summit Church’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which asks a judge to compel approval of the rezoning and site plan. Natasha: Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, after a lengthy battle, a Pennsylvania church splits from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. 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: After 16 months and two civil lawsuits, a church in western Pennsylvania has officially split from the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church began its effort to disaffiliate from the EPC in October 2023 with a congregational meeting. It held its final vote on January 26, 2025, with 88% of members voting in favor of disaffiliation. However, the church had to wait until the February presbytery meeting to see if the EPC would acknowledge their removal. The Presbytery of the Alleghenies, the division of the EPC that had jurisdiction over Beverly Heights, met on Saturday, February 15. It voted to “acknowledge the departure” of Beverly Heights from the EPC once it received confirmation that the civil suits and complaints to the EPC’s general assembly had been withdrawn. Natasha: Why was this process so messy? Warren: Roger Rumer, chair of the presbytery’s administrative commission involved in the Beverly Heights dispute, called the interactions with the church “very unusual” and said the presbytery found the leaders’ actions to be improper and unconstitutional. Because the presbytery believes Beverly Heights did not follow the proper process for dismissal, the EPC acknowledged their departure but did not “dismiss” them. Beverly Heights pastor Nate Devlin told MinistryWatch, “We are grieved over this separation, but we believe it was necessary due to the rapid theological and progressive drift of the denomination. More than that, we are appalled that it took two years and two civil lawsuits for the Presbytery of the Alleghenies to acknowledge the will of this congregation.” Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church will maintain its name and its assets. In regards to moving forward, Devlin told MinistryWatch: “Our plan is to remain independent for a season as we recover from this ordeal and discern if/where God might be leading us next regarding denominational affiliation.” Natasha: Next up: new from the Christian reformed church Warren: At a church just outside Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Tuesday (Feb. 18), 33 ministers from the Christian Reformed Church in North America stood up to read aloud a declaration, officially accepting ordination in a rival denomination, the Reformed Church in America. Having stated they will abide by the creeds and confessions of the RCA, each of the ministers was then offered a loaf of bread as a symbol of fellowship and welcome. Natasha: The group ordination ceremony — the first of its kind  — is one of the more public signs of an ongoing departure of liberal churches in the Christian Reformed Church no longer willing to abide the Christian Reformed Church’s firm stance on sexuality. Warren: The ministers are not moving alone. Since June of last year, 26 churches have informed the denomination that they intend to disaffiliate from the 1,000-church body based in Grand Rapids. Most of those churches have declared themselves open and affirming of people who identify as LGBTQ and their lifestyles. Not all are moving to the Reformed Church in America. Some ministers have sought to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) or the United Church of Christ. Natasha: Next, church plants are growing in Idaho. Warren: In a small town in Idaho’s Treasure Valley, Tim Nay began his church planting work by setting up a booth at a town festival where he asked people what question they would ask of God. Most replied that they’d want an answer to the question of suffering, or why bad things happen to good people. The interaction allowed him to learn more about the spiritual lives of those he encountered. Not many were regular church attenders, Nay learned. He planted and leads LifeSpring Christian Church in the growing town of Star, Idaho, about 17 miles from the state capital of Boise. Many congregations in the Boise area dwindled in membership as their members aged, but they are being replaced by new churches. Natasha: LifeSpring is one example of churches being planted by different Christian agencies in the area. It meets at the site of a former church that endured aging membership and internal conflict. Warren: Intermountain Church Planters Association is a church planting agency that has planted seven churches in the Treasure Valley area of Idaho over the last 20 years. Steve Edwards, the founder of Intermountain Church Planters, says the group is not just interested in planting new churches. “We’re interested in helping you be a multiplying church,” he told the Idaho Statesman. “We hope we’ll be planting a church that plants other churches.” It focuses its church planting efforts in Idaho, Utah, Montana, Eastern Oregon, Eastern Washington, Western Wyoming, and Alberta. Intermountain has increased its church planting strategy from planting one church every three years to planting two churches per year. 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: Care Net and ICU Mobile, two highly rated pro-life organizations in the MinistryWatch database, announced this week a strategic merger to expand their network of life-affirming care. The merger unites Care Net’s network of over 1,200 affiliated pregnancy centers with ICU Mobile’s mobile ultrasound ministry, a move they say will enhance their ability to reach women and men at risk of choosing abortion. Natasha: Through the merger, the two organizations aim to enhance their reach and deliver life-saving care directly to women, especially in underserved and remote communities. A joint press release says ICU Mobile’s mobile units will integrate with Care Net’s pregnancy centers and church networks, allowing for a more significant impact at critical decision points. They say the partnership will amplify efforts to train and mobilize churches to provide life-affirming support, equipping them with the necessary tools and resources to serve women and families in need. Beyond physical and practical assistance, both organizations deploy a holistic approach to care. Care Net’s focus on pregnancy decision coaching and ICU Mobile’s ability to deliver services directly to clients are expected to create a seamless continuum of support that addresses physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Natasha: What’s next? Warren: As pastors speak and pray with their congregations, they say they’re also keeping persecuted Christians around the world in mind. More than 9 in 10 U.S. Protestant pastors (93%) say their church has engaged in at least one of six ways to bring attention to Christians suffering persecution within the past year, according to a Lifeway Research study. Praying isn’t all churches are doing for global persecuted Christians, but it is what the most congregations are doing. More than 5 in 6 pastors say they have encouraged their congregation to pray (86%) or prayed in a worship service (85%) for persecuted Christians worldwide within the past 12 months. Most pastors have used their sermons as an opportunity to bring up the topic of persecution, but fewer have gone beyond that. Two in 3 (66%) have talked about modern persecuted believers from around the world in a sermon. Pastors 65 and older are among the most likely to say they have handed out information about persecuted Christians (37%) or hosted a related event (23%). “Pastors are quick to say they are praying for persecuted Christians, but remembering them with other emphases or events is much less common,” said McConnell. Natasha: Who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week? Warren: This week, Training Leaders International’s (TLI) overall rating rose from 4 Stars to 5 Stars. It is now in the top 20% for financial efficiency in the Leadership Training sector. The organization, based in Minnesota, began in 2009 with the goal of providing theological education in areas of the world where pastors and churches lack access to formalized training. The organization currently has a 5-Star Resource Allocation rating. It spends 91% of its revenue on programming and just 4% on fundraising. LTI’s General and Admin costs are just 5% of its overall revenue, compared with its sector median of 10%. In 2023, the ministry’s revenue was $6.5 million and its expenses were $6.6 million. Its net assets were $2.8 million, dropping from $3 million in 2022. TLI’s Donor Confidence Score is 98. One of our top scores. Natasha: In Ministries Making a Difference this week, we look at ministries that support people with special needs and disabilities. Warren: This month marked 11 years of Tim Tebow’s Night to Shine celebrating people with special needs. More than 800 churches in 60 countries participated in the event Friday, Feb. 7. Videos show onlookers cheering and holding handmade signs as participants dressed in tailored suits and glittering gowns dance down red carpets and receive crowns. The Tim Tebow Foundation also launched Shine On, a ministry that provides resources for churches to reach and disciple people with special needs year round. The Tim Tebow Foundation has 2 stars and an “A” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 75. Beginning in March, Shawn Thornton will step into the role of president at Joni & Friends, the international ministry founded by Joni Eareckson Tada for people with disabilities. Thornton is senior pastor of Calvary Community Church in California, where he spearheaded a disability ministry. He has also served on the ministry’s board of directors. As president, he will oversee outreach and evangelism efforts, offering practical help such as wheelchairs and the Gospel. Calvary Champions, a ministry of Calvary Church in Naperville, Illinois, is celebrating one year ministering to people and families with special needs. The church kicked off the ministry by hosting its first Night to Shine event in February 2024, then formed Calvary Champions to support families with children ages 4-12 with special needs. The need grew, initiating Calvary Nursery for children with special needs from birth to 4 years old. Senior Pastor Marty Sloan estimates that more than 70 families have joined the church this past year because of the special needs ministry. Natasha: Warren, any final thoughts before we go? Warren: The Crisis of Dependency is our donor premium for February. 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, Bethany Starin, Jessica Eturralde, Yonat Shimron, Aaron Earls, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Lifeway Research 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.

Over the past two weeks I have traveled to Southern California and Colorado Springs – two areas that have long been considered evangelical “hot spots.” Some have even irreverently called Colorado Springs the evangelical “mecca.” That trip impressed on me that even in the arena of ministry headquarters, a sense of place matters. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.