The Master’s University & Seminary Drops to ‘F’ for Transparency

Plus, other notable ministry happenings from this week.

Here at MinistryWatch, one of our goals is to equip donors with the information they need to make wise decisions with their giving. That’s why we manage our database, which rates more than 1,000 of the country’s largest ministries based on their financial efficiency, financial transparency, and their donor confidence. Each week, we highlight ministries in our database that have had rating changes.

A few notable changes in the database this week:

• The Master’s University & Seminary in Santa Clara, California, no longer files a Form 990 with the IRS, nor is it an ECFA member. It also does not post audited financials on its website, although it does post them to ProPublica. This impacts its ratings in all three categories that MinistryWatch tracks — efficiency, transparency, and donor confidence — earning it an “F” for transparency and a “Withhold Giving” designation.
• The foreign missions ministry Serge, based out of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, now posts audited financials on its website, earning it an “A” Transparency Grade and raising its donor confidence to a high 95 out of 100.
• Rescue Mission Alliance in Southern California dropped down from 5 Stars to 4 Stars for financial efficiency, still making it one of the highest rated organizations in the MinistryWatch database with an “A” Transparency Grade and a Donor Confidence Score of 100.
• Three ministries voluntarily resigned from the ECFA in the past week, including Life Choices Pregnancy & Family Resource Center in Manchester, Tennessee.

We also highlight stories from our podcast, where you can catch up on the week’s news in less than 30 minutes—perfect for a commute or walk. And we note ministries who have recently joined or left the ECFA. Check it all out below.

 

With that, here are this week’s three top stories on the MinistryWatch website:

ACNA Continues to Bleed From Self-Inflicted Wounds

By Warren Cole Smith. Another controversy has erupted in the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). This one involves the bishop of South Carolina, Chip Edgar. On Aug. 18, Edgar participated in the dedication of a chapel at the exclusive Porter-Gaud School in Charleston alongside Ruth Woodliff-Stanley, the Episcopal bishop of South Carolina. That dedication included Edgar and Woodliff-Stanley participating in a communion service together.

G3 Ministries Closes Amid Anonymous Smear Campaign

By Jessica Eturralde. G3 Ministries is shutting down after four pastors linked to the organization admitted anonymously distributing packets accusing Texas pastor Tom Buck of sermon plagiarism and then resigned their positions at Pray’s Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, Georgia.

Another SC Church Removes Registered Sex Offender From Ministry Roles

By Kim Roberts. Amid the controversy involving a registered sex offender at Pawleys Island Community Church, another South Carolina church has removed a registered sex offender from active ministry roles.

 

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Here’s what else is new at MinistryWatch this week.

MinistryWatch Database Changes

MinistryWatch now has more than 1,700 ministries in its database. These ministries represent more than $58 billion in total revenue, most of that donor revenue from evangelicals. The following ministries have their profiles updated with the most recent year’s financial data. The Financial Efficiency rating of each ministry is in parenthesis. If this rating represents a change from the previous year, that change is noted

 

Ministries recently added to the database:

Keswick Christian School (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 33)

North Hills Christian School (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 78)

Open House Ministries (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 53)

Outreach Community Ministries (1 Star, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 51)

Portsmouth Christian Academy (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 78)

Presbyterian Christian School (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 78)

Resurrection Street Ministry (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 73)

Second Baptist School (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 65)

Trinity Christian Academy – Jackson, TN (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 76)

 

Ministries with upgraded ratings:

Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up D to C, DCS: 73)

Files Form 990 and posts audited financials, but is not a member of the ECFA.

Serge (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up C to A, DCS: Up 93 to 95)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Timber Bay / Youth Investment Foundation (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 72 to 92)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Turlock Gospel Mission (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 75 to 73)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.

Urban Impact Foundation (Up 1 to 2 Star, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 75)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.

 

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Refuge of Hope Ministries (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 70 to 50)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Rescue Mission Alliance (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)

Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.

Ron Hutchcraft Ministries (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 70 to 68)

Could not find recent audited financials on website.

Shelter KC: A Kansas City Rescue Mission (1 Star, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: Down 80 to 78)

Could not find recent audited financials on website.

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 68 to 48)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Sunshine Ministries (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 97 to 95)

Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector. Also, could not find recent audited financials on website.

The Anglican Relief and Development Fund (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 90 to 70)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

The Institute on Religion & Democracy (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 75)

Can not find recent audited financials on website. Also, ministry is not a member of the ECFA.

The Master’s University and Seminary (Down 3 to 0 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down D to F, DCS: Down 60 to 15)

No longer files Form 990 with the IRS, dropping all three of the ratings MinistryWatch tracks.

The Word Network Foundation (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Down D to F, DCS: Down 6 to 0)

Trinity Academy of Raleigh (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 60)

Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector.

Voice of China and Asia Missionary Society (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: Down 51 to 49)

Could not find recent audited financials on website.

 

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Samaritan’s Purse Declines $300M, G3 Shuts Down, Churches and Disabilities, Loving Our Muslim Neighbor

On this week’s program, Samaritan’s Purse declines a $300 million grant from a Trump funding package. The ministry says it is relying on God, not the government. But, it has accepted government money in the past. So what’s different this time?

Plus, a recent Lifeway study says most pastors feel their churches are welcoming to people with disabilities — but are they? We spoke with advocates and families who say churches still have a ways to go.

And, a recently proposed mosque in Texas is drawing protests from residents…and also reviving discussion about how Christians can love their Muslim neighbors without compromising their faith. We’ll take a look.

But first, a ministry network is shutting down completely. G3 Ministries announced it’s concluding operations after four leaders of the network admitted to a scheme that’s shaken the evangelical world. The pastors confessed to anonymously mailing packets to elders and deacons at a Texas church. Those packets accused pastor Tom Buck of plagiarizing sermons—dozens of times, over nearly a decade.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get editorial, database, and other technical support from Christina Darnell, Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, Heidi Allums, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Jessica Eturralde, Neva Piombino, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Stacey Horton, Makella Knowles — and you, Warren.

Until next time, may God bless you.

Listen here.

 

ECFA Membership Changes

Removals

Christian International Ministries Network (Santa Rosa Beach, FL)

Life Choices Pregnancy & Family Resource Center (Manchester, TN)

Crosspoint City Church (Cartersville, GA)

 

Drop A Dime On Us.  Do you have a story idea for MinistryWatch?  If so, send us an email.  A lot of the stories we do originate from our readers and listeners.  They send us news tips, press releases, emails, questions, and links.  So, if you have a story you’d like us to cover, or a ministry that you think needs a closer look, please email us.  Our email is [email protected].  That will come directly to the desk of MinistryWatch President Warren Smith, and we’ll take it from there.

MinistryWatch and Sex Crimes. We write a lot about pastors and ministry leaders involved in sex crimes. That’s why we thought it might be a good time to re-post this story, which explains why we think covering these crimes are necessary: Why MinistryWatch Reports on Sex Crimes.  As always, your feedback is welcome.

MinistryWatch Video.  In closing, a reminder that we have created a short (3.5 minutes) video that explains what we do here at MinistryWatch, and why.  If you’re new to MinistryWatch, we hope you’ll check it out. To find it, click here.