MinistryWatch Podcast

On today’s special year-end program, Natasha and I will countdown the Top 10 stories of 2022. That’s right. We’ll start with #10, and work our way to #1. But before we get started, here are a few things you should know. The first thing I’ll say is that we have organized this list by the number of page views it got on our site. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are the most important stories of the year. But I have a high degree of trust in our readers, and I think that all the stories on...

On today’s program, two Florida ministry leaders that we first reported on during the summer have been arrested and charged with defrauding taxpayers out of $8-million in Payroll Protection Program funds. And in Virginia, The Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes Christian values, was denied service at a restaurant in Richmond, this month on the basis of the group’s position on abortion and same-sex marriage. We’ll have the details on both these stories later in the...

On today’s program, Christian groups are being vandalized by pro-gay and pro-abortion activists. We’ll have two stories that highlight this growing and troubling trend. And a new report from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability indicates that – despite uncertainties in the economy – giving to evangelical groups is up. We begin today with news that megachurch pastor Matt Chandler will be reinstated to the pulpit after a three-month leave of absence. Dallas-area megachurch...

As we approach year-end, the thoughts of children turn toward Christmas, but the thoughts of ministry executives turn toward year-end giving efforts. And the thoughts of many donors turn toward those ministries they have given to in the past as they try to decide how much, or even if, they will be giving to them this year. One of the cliches in the philanthropy world is that the state of the stock market is a leading indicator of giving. A rising market doesn’t CAUSE giving, but historically...

On today’s program, in an unprecedented move, the current president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Bart Barber, has released a sharp rebuke of one of his predecessors in that role, Johnny Hunt. We’ll explain why the rebuke, and why it’s important. Also on today’s program, MinistryWatch releases its “Shining Light Awards.” We’ll tell you how we arrived at the list, and who some of the winners are. We begin today with the latest chapter in the ongoing saga at Liberty University. A former...

We usually do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what’s going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to talk with you about Giving Tuesday. I’ll admit that this short episode is shamelessly self-referential – it will be almost all about us. So I hope you will show me a bit of grace for that, but – on the other hand – I consider you listeners to the podcast a part of the inner circle here at MinistryWatch, and I want you to knows what’s...

Last week, Logan Yandell filed a lawsuit against Kanakuk Ministries alleging fraud. Logan Yandell’s lawsuit says that when he signed a financial settlement and non-disclosure agreement with Kanakuk, he did not have information that Kanakuk had that would have changed his decision to sign these documents. Here at MinistryWatch, we’ve been covering this story for more than a year, so naturally we were interested in this new development. So we reached out both to Kanakuk and to Logan Yandell’s...

On today’s program, Tennessee pastor and MAGA celebrity Greg Locke has been banned from YouTube. We asked why. Charis Bible College, founded by prosperity gospel preacher Andrew Wommack, was rocked this week by a murder-suicide. We’ll have details. We also take a look at the explosive growth of a ministry called Children’s Hunger Fund. We begin today with an influential Hispanic pastor under investigation for violating wage and hour laws. A big thank you to the folks who showed up earlier...

On today’s program, James Dobson is stepping aside from the ministry he founded after turning Focus on the Family into an evangelical powerhouse. We’ll have details. And during this election week, we have a couple of stories of pastors who are mixing politics and the pulpit. At least one is under investigation. We begin today with an interesting story coming from one of the bastions of fundamentalism in this country: Bob Jones University. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and...

On today’s program, a church does something it doesn’t often do. It apologizes for its past. We’ll share why. We also look more closely at the $100-million evangelistic ad campaign called “He Gets Us.” And we note the passing of an evangelical elder statesman. Steve Douglass, who helped Cru grow into one of the largest ministries in the world, is dead at age 77. We’ll have an appreciation. We begin today with news that Celebration Church’s founders have reopened a defamation lawsuit against...

Usually, we do interviews on these mid-week episodes, but today an update on what’s going on at MinistryWatch. The main reason I wanted to do this episode was to tell you about our new MinistryWatch 1000 Executive Survey. I also want to let you know where we are financially. The budget for MinistryWatch is about $450-thousand a year. Our fiscal year begins July 1. That means we’re in the fifth month of our fiscal year. And I’m happy to report that we are more or less on budget both in terms...

On today’s program, when the economy falters, we often see financial fraud emerge. Today we have a couple of stories about financial fraud, and some advice about what you can do to prevent elder fraud. Also on today’s program: An Anglican bishop is returning from a voluntary leave of absence in the aftermath of a sex abuse and spiritual abuse scandal, and not everyone is happy about his return. We begin today with the resolution of a two-year long dispute. On Monday (October 24), a Scottish...

Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m pleased to have back on the program Ron Sellers, the president of Grey Matter Research and Consulting. Ron Sellers and I...

On today’s program, Steven Furtick and Elevation Church are generating controversy because of the ticket prices of their upcoming tour. And Hillsong’s Brian Houston was removed from the pulpit is awaiting a court date, but that hasn’t stopped him from taking the stage at other events. We’ll have details. We begin today with the story of a massive financial fraud that targeted Christians. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical...

An important part of what we do here at MinistryWatch – especially with these “Extra” episodes -- is to bring to you thought leaders who have important things to say both to donors and to ministry leaders. That’s why I’m pleased to have back on the program Phil Cooke. Phil has written a provocative article for the MinistryWatch website about pastor and ministry leader compensation. Phil argues that we should be paying not less, but more. Before we let Phil make his case, let me tell you a...

On today’s program, we examine a ministry called Pre-Born!, which has grown dramatically over the past three years. We’ll tell you why. Also on today’s program, another pastor has been charged with felonies for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. We’ll have details. We begin today with the strange story of a youth pastor whose lapse in judgment has garnered national attention. A reminder that I’ll be hosting a lunch for MinistryWatch friends in Charlotte on...

On today’s program, a Christian filmmaker from Colorado Springs has been arrested as part of a child sex sting conducted by local police and the Department of Justice. We’ll have details. And a documentary about the sex abuse scandal at Kanakuk Kamps has won an Emmy. This journalistic prize for the news organization VICE lends further credibility to the stories of the survivors of sexual abuse at the hands of a Kanakuk counsellor. We begin today with news that a defamation case filed by a...

On today’s program, the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP) is set to roll out an accreditation program designed to train and certify ministry executives in skills to prevent sexual abuse. And we note two notable passings this week: Open Doors founder Brother Andrew, and the long-time president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Dan Busby. We begin today with the controversial decision by Christian musician Chris Tomlin to tour with the scandal ridden...

On today’s program, it’s been a year since Glenn Beck’s The Nazarene Fund raised $35-million for Afghan relief. We’ll have an update on where the money went. We also look at Charlie Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA. The group now has a subsidiary called Turning Point Faith, aimed at pastors and church leaders. We begin today with news that the Southern Baptist Conventions’ top administrative body voted to cut ties with two congregations on Tuesday. If you make a donation to...

On today’s program, we take a look at the Bible translation industry. We ask the question: How much does it really cost to translate the Bible. We also look at a milestone for the Christian ministry Samaritan’s Purse. It will hit $1-billion in revenue this year. And one of evangelicalism’s flagship seminaries, Fuller Seminary, has the first African American president in its history. We’ll have details. We begin today with news that 2,000 churches and Christian ministries have asked the U.S....