On today’s program, the Department of Justice is suing the founder of Life Surge, Joe Johnson, for his alleged part in a scheme to cheat the government out of over $46 million in taxes through abusive bargain sale transactions. We’ll take a look.
And, a new report reveals the final moments of missionaries Alex and Serena Wurm before their plane crashed on a trip to deliver aid to Jamaica. We’ll have details.
Plus, two reports that detail reasons for cautious optimism. One shows that the decline of religion in America has stalled. Another, that Christian giving in America is on the rebound.
But first, abuse lawsuits are piling up against Pastor Greg Laurie and his Harvest Christian Fellowship, bringing the total number of lawsuits to 12. The original lawsuit was filed in September by two men claiming that Paul Havsgaard abused them at a children’s shelter in Bucharest, Romania. Allegations include children being tied to radiators, being made to kneel down on walnut shells, being touched inappropriately, and being “pimped out” for sex. The number of litigants has now risen to 12. The law firm representing the survivors said in a news release in September that it expects 23 former residents of the children’s home to bring complaints.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, and Makella Knowles.
Until next time, may God bless you.

We have heard a lot of discussion in the past few years about Christian Nationalism. But for all the talk, the books, and the social media traffic, there’s less clarity than ever around the term. But one of the worst outcomes we have seen amidst this talk has been a dismissal of what my guest today, Daniel Darling, calls Christian patriotism.
While Dan Darling rejects what is often a virulent and anti-Christian version of Christian Nationalism, he writes in a new book that patriotism isn’t optional for Christians. He explains that God himself defines the time and place in which we live and gave us a command to love our neighbors. Loving our country and getting involved in the political, social, cultural, and civic lives of our nation are essential duties.
Dan Darling is uniquely qualified to talk about these issues. He is a pastor and the author of several books, including The Dignity Revolution, which is one that had a big impact on me. He currently serves as the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is a fellow at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also a columnist for WORLD Magazine and a contributor to USA Today.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s EXTRA episode, MinistryWatch President Warren Smith explains our Donor Confidence Score and answers some of the most frequently asked questions about the DCS and about the MinistryWatch 1000 database.
Some of the links mentioned in today’s program include:
You can find the ministry you’re looking for by clicking here.
A growing number of Christian ministries do not file a Form 990. I have written about this trend here.
We welcome feedback from donors and ministry leaders regarding individual ministry ratings, or regarding our overall rating system. We have made adjustments over the years based on this feedback. If you have comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at wsmith@ministrywatch.com

On today’s program, The Skit Guys is calling it a wrap after nearly 3 decades of ministry because one of the co-founders admitted to ‘moral failure.’ We’ll have details.
And, an Arizona church got the green light to resume its food distribution ministry after the city of San Luis had attempted to shut it down, citing zoning violations. We’ll take a look.
Plus, the results from our fall survey of top ministry executives from some of the largest ministries in the U-S. Many ministry executives fear a recession is on the way.
But first, a well-known reformed Baptist pastor resigned from his post. Samuel Renihan has confessed to adultery and resigned from his position at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He was ordained by the church in 2012.
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 Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell and Warren Smith.
You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

We’ve entered year-end giving season, and you’re likely to see a lot of emails in your in-box promoting matching or challenge gifts.
What are matching gifts?  How do they differ from challenge gifts?  Are they legitimate fundraising tools, and do they make a difference?  MinistryWatch attempts to briefly answer these questions in this special EXTRA episode.
 Here are a few resources mentioned on today’s program:
 According to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability:  “Using challenge and matching gifts as a part of your fundraising program can be very effective. As in all fundraising communications, truthfulness is a hallmark (ECFA Standard 7.1) as are appeals that do not create unrealistic donor expectations (ECFA Standard 7.2).”
 The data suggest that matching gifts are.  Philanthropy Works said just declaring a matching gift increases giving by 19 percent.  It said a match increases the likelihood that an individual gives by 22 percent.
But some Christian organizations report much higher results.  In one recent experiment done by the consulting firm NextAfter with its client Alliance Defending Freedom, a matching gift resulted in a dramatic increase – more than 87 percent — in the effectiveness of its email communications.  (You can dig into the details of that study here.)
Note, however, that a similar study done with Museum of the Bible yielded a significantly different result:  an increase in about 50 percent.  (You can read more about that experiment here.)  This result is obviously much lower, but it’s important to note that even this very different result indicates that matching gifts make a real difference.

Earlier this year I heard Doug Cobb speak about the organization he leads, The Finishing Fund, and I was intrigued. The Finishing Fund is like a venture capital fund for evangelical work around the world. Like a venture capital fund in the secular space, it doesn’t fully fund a work, but provides seed capital to get the work started. It works through partners “on the ground” in some of the most remote and hostile areas on the planet.
I liked what I heard for a variety of reasons that are important to us here at MinistryWatch. For one, The Finishing Fund exercised a high degree of accountability and transparency. It was nimble. It could fund a group in weeks or months, and if the projects went well, it could make follow-on investments. And, equally important, if things were not working out, it could pull the plug on that project just as quickly.
I wanted to have Doug on the program to discuss this innovative model for missions and philanthropy. He’s my guest today.
Doug Cobb is himself a major investor in the Fund and volunteers as its managing partner. An entrepreneur from Louisville, Kentucky, Doug has been working with Finishing the Task and the Issachar Initiative for a decade. We had this conversation via zoom.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m Warren Smith.
And I’d like to remind you that we are in the midst of our year-end fundraising campaign. Here at MinistryWatch we get more than a third, nearly 40 percent, of our budget in the past two months of the year. For us, that means about $190,000. If you are able to contribute, click here.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Regular listeners to MinistryWatch know that I’m a music fan. Even though music is not really a part of our work here, I can’t help but let it seep into some of the podcast episodes. That’s why I’m delighted to have as my guest on the program today Andrew Osenga. If you know anything about Christian music, you have probably heard Andrew. In addition to more than a dozen albums under his own name, he was the founder and lead singer for The Normals, an alternative Christian rock band that made a big mark on the genre in the early 2000s. He also served as vocalist and guitarist for Caedmon’s Call. He’s also written for, played on, or produced albums by lots of other Christian artists, including Andrew Peterson.
But it’s not his music that has him on the program today. Andrew Osenga has written a new book, and it’s beautiful. How To Remember: Forgotten Pathways to an Authentic Faith is an honest look at himself, the church, and the world. I found it nourishing and I think you’ll find this conversation I had with Andrew nourishing as well.
Andrew Osenga lives and works – when he is not on the road – in Nashville Tennessee. We had this conversation via zoom.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Duluth Vineyard cleared Interim Pastor John Kliewer of misconduct after an investigation found him innocent…but his wife is crying foul, saying Kliewer was forced to sign an NDA as part of his settlement agreement. We’ll have details.
And, a look at where the My Faith Votes is today a year after its former CEO Jason Yates was charged with the possession of child sexual abuse materials.
Plus, another next installment in our occasional series on radical generosity.
But first, the Anglican Church in North America has suspended Archbishop Steve Wood after more than 140 clergy signed an open letter calling for his inhibition.
 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 Kathryn Post, Kim Roberts, Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Daniel Ritchie, Marci Seither, Tony Mator, and Christina Darnell.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Capitol Hill Baptist Church, located just blocks away from the center of American power, has a rich 150-year history. Its members have participated in significant world events, advocated for religious freedoms, and spoken out against the moral failings of the times. There’s no doubt this church has had a unique impact on evangelicalism from a significant location. But these lively characters and their unique experiences only tell part of this engaging narrative.
Through real-life stories, A Light on the Hill reveals how God works through church bodies and remains faithful during times of uncertainty. Exploring themes such as pastoral ministry, faithfulness, courage, racial reconciliation, church and politics, and more, this book will help readers see the long-term effects of faithful church ministries. Ultimately they will be encouraged to invest in a local church and preserve the gospel for the next generation.
I’m delighted to have the book’s author, Caleb Morell on the program today. Caleb Morell (MDiv, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is an assistant pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church and a doctoral student in historical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He lives with his wife and three children on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, Moody Bible Institute is suing the Chicago Public School system for excluding its students from the student-teaching program due to its religious hiring practices. We’ll take a look.
Plus, a second woman has come forward claiming ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood sexually harassed her. We’ll have details.
And, a new partnership shows how artificial intelligence is transforming Bible translation.
But first, families of the children who died at Camp Mystic after the July 4 floods have filed a lawsuit against the camp. The lawsuit accuses the camp of negligence, gross negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and liability based on inviting the victims onto the camp property then breaching its duty of care to them.
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, Yonat Shimron, Kathryn Post, Isaac Wood, and Makella Knowles.
Until next time, may God bless you.

The day before Veterans Day this year is another holiday, less known to the public but celebrated religiously by those in the Marine Corps. That day, November 10, is the Marine Corps birthday.
On today’s extra episode, I remember our veterans and the ministries that serve them.
Stick around to the end for the names of a few ministries that serve active-duty military, veterans, and their families.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, an Oklahoma pastor was fired after reporting missing church funds—this, despite the fact that he followed denominational rules in raising his concerns. Now, his bishop has been arrested for embezzlement. We’ll take a look.
 And, Gen Z is bringing a new paradigm to traditional missions.  A new report examines what they value—and what they don’t. We’ll have details.
Plus, churches and ministries are working to fill in the gap as SNAP benefits continue to be unpredictable amid the government shutdown.
But first, ACNA Archbishop Steve Wood is taking a leave of absence amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Archbishop Steve Wood, who heads the Anglican Church in North America, is taking a voluntary leave of absence in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and plagiarism. Those allegations will be investigated by a 10-person Board of Inquiry, made up of ACNA clergy and laypeople, that will assess whether there are reasonable grounds to initiate a church trial.
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 Kathryn Post, Bob Smietana, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Shannon Cuthrell, Cheryl Mann Bacon, Daniel Ritchie, Aaron Earls, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a small but mighty denomination. As I have written elsewhere, Anglicanism has the potential to breathe new life into the evangelical movement.
But the denomination is facing challenges on many fronts, some of them self-inflicted. Archbishop Steve Wood, the senior leader of ACNA, has been credibly accused of sexual harassment and other offenses. Another bishop, Stewart Ruch, is currently facing a church trial for his handling of a sex offender in his diocese. Bishop Derek Jones, who has led the military chaplain corps, is now behind a rancorous attempt to leave ACNA and take more than 300 chaplains with him.
All of the current controversies — those involving Archbishop Wood and Bishops Ruch and Jones — have also highlighted the inadequacy of the church’s canons to deal with matters of conflict and discipline. Over the past few years, MinistryWatch has covered several scandals in the denomination, and the process has been tentative and clunky at almost every level.
For example, ACNA first made formal charges against Bishop Stewart Ruch — known as a “presentment” — in December of 2022, three years ago. After many fits and starts (some of which you can read about here), the trial finally took place this week, and we still don’t have a verdict. I have heard from credible sources that the cost of the trial will exceed a million dollars.
 More than a year ago, just before ACNA’s provincial meeting in Latrobe, Penn., I wrote what I think the denomination should do to graduate from organizational adolescence into adulthood.
Those recommendations included:


Make a final decision on women’s ordination.
Eliminate non-geographical dioceses, including Church for the Sake of Others.
Revise and expand the canons of ACNA.
Pick a leader with a strong arm and a velvet touch.
Issue a clear statement on sexual issues.

Perhaps the biggest fumble, though, was ACNA’s selection of a new archbishop. Not only has he proven himself to be not up to the task, he has become a part of the problem. Even if he is found “not guilty” of the presentment against him, the process itself has already been damaging to him and the church. That is why I would add one more recommendation to the list above: Steve Wood should resign as archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America.
There is no way forward for him that doesn’t do further damage to the church. If he is exonerated of the charges in the presentment, many in ACNA who already distrust his leadership and the inadequacy of the canons will cite that exoneration as proof of a rigged system. If he is found guilty, he is unfit to serve.
I continue to believe that ACNA has great promise. The 15 years of its existence — especially when considered in the long arc of church history — is but a moment. Anglicanism offers much to the world, and to evangelicalism in particular.
But it must face this moment with decisiveness and integrity. ACNA faces an existential crisis that grows more acute by the day, and before Anglicanism can save evangelicalism, it must first save itself.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.