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 International Fellowship of Evangelical Students USA rose in financial efficiency and now earns the highest possible score in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories—financial efficiency, financial transparency, and donor confidence.
- After new financial data processed through the MinistryWatch database in June, two ministries jumped from 1 star in financial efficiency to 5 stars: Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization (ACSTO) and Attack Poverty. As previously reported by MinistryWatch, ACSTO found mistakes on its most recent Form 990 (which is what dropped their financial efficiency score), which has now been corrected.
- IF:Gathering also rose to 5 stars for financial efficiency, which means it is in the top 20% for financial efficiency within its sector (Christian Growth).
- Carolina University in Winston-Salem, N.C., dropped from 4 stars to 0 stars because it now has a negative net worth, making it impossible to assign it a valid efficiency rating. This also drops its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points, placing it in the “Withhold Giving” category.
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. Check it all out below.
With that, here are this week’s three top stories on the MinistryWatch website:
Ousted New Life Pastor Brady Boyd Helps Plant New Church
By Kim Roberts. Former New Life Church pastor Brady Boyd, who resigned from leading the megachurch in June 2025, has announced he is helping start a new church in Colorado Springs. The Village Church plant is a joint endeavor between Boyd and lead pastors Joseph and Lindsay Rangel and will launch August 23 at Mountain Ridge Middle School.
Don’t Leave Your Children All Your Money
By Dan Burrell. What if the most loving thing you could do for your children is not leave them all your money? For many Christian parents, leaving an inheritance to their children is viewed as the culmination of a lifetime of hard work and faithful stewardship. In many cases, the most faithful stewardship may actually involve leaving our children less than everything.
Assemblies of God Pastors Describe Ordeal After ICE Detention
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain. With voices that cracked and a few tears on their cheeks, Pastors Nepthali Zozaya Saucedo and Cinthia Sarai Cardona Otero led their Edinburg, Texas, congregation in praise of God for their recent release from immigration detention and prayer for those left behind.
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Here’s what else is new at MinistryWatch this week:
MinistryWatch Database Changes
MinistryWatch now has more than 1,500 ministries in its database. These ministries represent more than $55 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 into the database:
Christian Television Network (Stars: 3, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 71)
The Winning Walk with Ed Young / Power and Light Ministries (Stars: 5, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 45)
Ministries with upgraded ratings:
Advent Christian Village (Stars: Up 1 to 2, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 70)
Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.
Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization (Stars: Up 1 to 5, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 54 to 74)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Attack Poverty (Stars: Up 1 to 5, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 78 to 98)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Burlington United Methodist Family Services (Stars: Up 2 to 3, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 48 to 68)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Carriage Town Ministries (Stars: Up 3 to 4, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 97)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.
Chattanooga Christian School (Stars: Up 3 to 4, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 68)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector.
Corban University (Stars: Up 3 to 4, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 71)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
Delaware County Christian School Society (Stars: Up 2 to 3, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 73 to 93)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Denver Christian School (Stars: Up 2 to 3, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 56 to 76)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector, also raising its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Goshen College Inc (Stars: Up 3 to 4, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 68)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
IF:Gathering (Stars: Up 4 to 5, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 95)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Christian Growth sector.
International Fellowship of Evangelical Students USA (Stars: Up 4 to 5, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Evangelism sector.
Ministries with downgraded ratings:
Ankerberg Theological Research Institute (Stars: Down 4 to 3, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 69)
Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector.
Augusta Christian School — (Stars: Down 4 to 2, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 78 to 58)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Bushnell University (Stars: Down 4 to 3, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 93)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
Camp Eagle (Stars: Down 4 to 3, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 98)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Camps/Conference Centers sector.
Carolina University (Stars: Down 4 to 0, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 58 to 38)
Has a negative net worth, making it impossible to assign it a valid financial efficiency rating. That also drops its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points into the “Withhold Giving” category.
Chalmers Center for Economic Development at Covenant College (Stars: Down 2 to 1, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.
Concordia University – Mequon, WI (Stars: Down 5 to 4, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 66)
Now in top 40 % (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in College/Universities sector.
Concordia University – Seward, NE (Stars: Down 3 to 2, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 71 to 51)
Now in bottom 40 % for financial efficiency in College/Universities sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.
Council on Educational Standards and Accountability (Stars: Down 4 to 3, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 78)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Leadership Training sector.
Covenant House (Stars: 1, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 48 to 46)
Could not find audited financials on website.
On The MinistryWatch Podcast
Camp Mystic, Focus on the Family, Fount Church Pastor Departs
On this week’s program, a Florida mom has been sentenced to prison after impersonating the father of a Camp Mystic flood victim. She used that fake identity to launch a GoFundMe campaign. We’ll have details.
Plus, Focus on the Family launches the search for its next president. Jim Daly’s retirement is on the horizon after more than 20 years at the helm. We’ll take a look.
And, charitable giving last year topped $600 billion, outpacing inflation for the second year in a row. Religion saw the slowest growth.
But first, a New York City megachurch says goodbye to its founding pastor. Four months ago, Fount Church’s board said an outside investigation cleared its founding pastors of financial wrongdoing. Now, founding pastor Josh Kelsey has left the church. He’s permanently relocating to Australia.
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 info@ministrywatch.com. 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.