Welcome to MinistryWatch

Thanks for your interest in MinistryWatch. This page will answer some of the frequently asked questions about our ministry. If you have questions that you can’t find the answers to here, please email us: [email protected]

What is the mission of MinistryWatch?

MinistryWatch’s mission is to help Christians become more faithful, generous, and effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. It’s not our money. It belongs to God. But he has entrusted it to us for a season as stewards. As Christians, we should take that stewardship responsibility seriously.

Said simply: MinistryWatch is an advocate for TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, and the renewed CREDIBILITY of Christian ministries.

How does MinistryWatch fulfill its mission?

We accomplish this mission by pursuing the following strategies:

1. Encouraging transparency and accountability among Christian ministries.
2. Giving a voice to the victims of organizations involved in waste, fraud, and abuse.
3. Amplifying the stories of excellent Christian ministries engaged in work that glorifies God and helps people.
4. Providing “thought leadership” for ministry executives and others by the production of opinion and how-to articles, and by providing webinars and other educational experiences for our readers and listeners.

Specifically, MinistryWatch engages in the following activities:

1. We do original investigative journalism that exposes waste, fraud, and abuse among Christian ministries. These stories should include lessons, examples, and models. They should not be merely accounts of wrongdoing.
2. The maintenance and expansion of the MinistryWatch 1000 database of approximately 1000 of the largest ministries in the country.
3. The publication of stories of redemption and restoration.
4. Profiles of “shining light” ministries who provide examples of faithful service. These stories will amplify the impact of these ministries as well as encourage others to “go and do likewise.”
5. Articles that provide thought leadership and best practices for sophisticated donors as well as ministry leaders.

Are you a Christian ministry?

We are a 501-c-3 ministry, just like many of the ministries we cover. You can find our Form 990 here. To understand our beliefs, you can read our statement of faith here.

There are now lots of Christian news sites out there. What makes MinistryWatch different?

We believe two key qualities of MinistryWatch differentiate us from other news sites, even other Christian news sites.

1. We are completely independent. We do not take money from the ministries we cover. We do not accept advertising. We have no paywall. MinistryWatch is free to all users.
2. Our MinistryWatch 1000 database makes us unique. No other news organization has the kind of database we have created. The MinistryWatch 1000 database includes vital information that donors need in order to make wise giving decisions. It also alerts us to stories we need to cover.

Can you explain your 5-Star Financial Efficiency Rating?

One of the unique aspects of MinistryWatch is our deep database of the largest Christian ministries in the country. We have been collecting financial statements for the 500 largest ministries in the nation for the past 25 years. The most recent five years are readily available in the MinistryWatch database.

We also rate the ministries based on financial efficiency. These ratings are based on a number of key ratios and result in a 1- to 5-star rating. You can learn more about our 5-star rating system here.

Why do you rate ministries?

In the 1980s, when Morningstar started rating mutual funds, the amount of money invested in mutual funds skyrocketed. Why? Ratings introduced transparency and an objective third-party assessment of mutual funds. The result was that confidence in ALL mutual funds rose.

We believe a similar phenomenon can happen in Christian philanthropy. We believe ratings provide a valuable service both to donors and to ministry leaders. Ratings allow donors to make “apples to apples” comparisons between ministries they support or will consider supporting. Our ratings help you decide who will make the most effective use of the dollars you give.

We do regular surveys of our readers, and one of the questions we ask is: “Do you use MinistryWatch to help you make giving decisions?” Almost two-thirds of respondents answer “yes” to that question. We then ask, “Have you ever changed a giving decision based on information you learned at MinistryWatch?” About 40% of respondents answered “yes” to that question. Your answers to these questions are powerful endorsements of why we do what we do.

To read more about why we rate ministries, click here.

Can you explain MinistryWatch’s Transparency Grade?

MinistryWatch also gives each ministry in the MinistryWatch 1000 database a Transparency Grade. To learn more about how we arrive at these transparency grades, click here.

To Learn More About MinistryWatch

MinistryWatch President Warren Cole Smith has done several interviews explaining more fully the philosophy and operations of MinistryWatch. You can read those interviews here.

Our Latest Financial Information

You can view our most recent 990 here and audited financial statement here.