On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association threatens to sue after the group Evangelicals for Harris uses video of Billy Graham to make an anti-Trump ad. We’ll have details.
Plus, a storm is brewing within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church—some are asking if the denomination will stay true to its mission.
And, the leaders of Kanakuk Kamps are the defendants in a sexual abuse-related lawsuit. They tried to get parts of that lawsuit dismissed—and the court has handed down its decision. We’ll take a look.
But first, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Gateway Church and its former pastor Robert Morris. Gateway Church, headquartered in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, has been facing a multitude of allegations and controversies after Cindy Clemishire’s sexual abuse allegations against founding pastor Robert Morris led to his resignation. Now, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the church in federal court by members who are concerned about the stewardship of the money they contributed.
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, Kathryn Post, Marci Seither, Mallory Challis, Brittany Smith and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to Generous Giving and Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.
MANUSCRIPT
FIRST SEGMENT
Warren:
Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Natasha:
And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.
Warren:
On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association threatens to sue after the group Evangelicals for Harris uses video of Billy Graham to make an anti-Trump ad. We’ll have details.
Plus, a storm is brewing within the Evangelical Presbyterian Church—some are asking if the denomination will stay true to its mission.
And, the leaders of Kanakuk Kamps are the defendants in a sexual abuse-related lawsuit. They tried to get parts of that lawsuit dismissed—and the court has handed down its decision. We’ll take a look.
Natasha:
But first, a class action lawsuit has been filed against Gateway Church and its former pastor Robert Morris.
Warren:
Gateway Church, headquartered in the Dallas suburb of Southlake, has been facing a multitude of allegations and controversies after Cindy Clemishire’s sexual abuse allegations against founding pastor Robert Morris led to his resignation.
Natasha:
Now, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the church in federal court by members who are concerned about the stewardship of the money they contributed.
Warren:
The lawsuit alleges that Morris and Gateway’s leadership represented that “15% of all tithe dollars would be distributed to global missions and Jewish ministry partners, encouraging church members to generously give toward these ends.”
The lawsuit states, Morris claimed in 2023 that Gateway had sent more than $25 million overseas.
The plaintiffs believe that was a misrepresentation, and they are seeking transparency about how the money was used.
In 2021, MinistryWatch reported about the network of ministries associated with Gateway Church—there was little financial and organizational transparency made available to the public.
A former executive pastor never witnessed more than $3 million annually in global missions contributions.
Natasha:
The plaintiffs claim that “Gateway refused to be transparent when trying to answer even simple questions about the use of tithing dollars.”
Warren:
Lead plaintiff Katherine Leach “has publicly and directly delivered a demand letter to Gateway for the return of her tithes pursuant to Gateway’s ‘money back guarantee.’ Gateway has not responded.”
The lawsuit asserts claims for misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of contract.
Natasha:
While we’re on the subject of Gateway, there has been a development in the story a different lawsuit.
Warren:
Clemishire testified before the Texas House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence on October 2 about declining a settlement offer by Morris’s lawyers in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement (NDA). The committee was hearing testimony about civil NDAs in child sexual abuse settlements.
Clemishire’s story was made public on June 14.
Clemishire says Morris sexually abused her from 1982 through 1987, starting when she was 12 years old.
Clemishire told the committee she wasn’t just at the hearing to advocate for herself, but for the estimated 42 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse living in the United States.
Natasha:
Next, BGEA Threatens Lawsuit Over Political Ad, First, Warren, can you tell us what the ad is about?
Warren:
The ad begins with a clip of renowned evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham, declaring “But you must realize that in the last days, the times will be full of danger. Men will become utterly self-centered and greedy for money.”
Suddenly, a clip of former President Donald Trump is spliced in where he says: “My whole life I’ve been greedy, greedy, greedy. I’ve grabbed all the money I could get. I’m so greedy.”
For the next few seconds, the ad, which has racked up over 30 million views, flips between Graham’s 1988 sermon, contrasting his points with shots of Trump using violent language, claiming to be “the chosen one” and talking about kissing women without their consent.
Natasha:
That ad, the result of a $1 million ad campaign by Evangelicals for Harris, is now the subject of a potential lawsuit from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based nonprofit that supports the ministries of Billy Graham’s son and grandson.
Warren:
An Oct. 2 letter, sent from outside counsel and obtained by RNS, threatened to sue Evangelicals for Harris on the basis of copyright infringement.
In a statement to RNS, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association said they do not generally comment on potential disputes, but they acknowledged having communicated with Evangelicals for Harris regarding their concerns about the “unauthorized, political use of BGEA’s copyrighted video,” and said they would continue to address the matter.
Natasha:
How did Evangelicals for Harris respond?
Warren:
Evangelicals for Harris released a statement saying “Franklin is scared of our ads because we do not tell people what to do or think. We merely hold Trump’s own words up to the light of Scripture, the necessity of repentance, and Biblical warnings against leaders exactly like Trump,” they wrote in a post on X.
The lawyers representing Evangelicals for Harris also released their formal legal response to the threatened lawsuit. Originally sent on Sept. 28, the letter asserts that the ad does not constitute copyright infringement or violate the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s right. They write that the public discussion of Trump’s moral failings is “essential First Amendment expression” and that the use of Billy Graham’s sermon is protected under the Copyright Act.
Natasha:
Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, a story about radical giving—one couple cashes in their children’s college funds to invest in a greater future.
I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.
BREAK
SECOND SEGMENT
Natasha:
Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.
Next, the story we promised before the break, a story about radical generosity.
Warren:
This story is one in a series we’ve done here at MinistryWatch over the years that highlight examples of, as you say, radical generosity.
This story is about the journey of Leslie and Jason White, who chose to cash in their children’s college funds to invest in their church’s expansion efforts.
After graduating Stanford the couple found a church home that met in a local hotel.
By 2010, the church had grown from one service to three with an additional service on Sunday evenings. One thing was obvious—they were outgrowing their space and needed expansion plans.
Instead of thinking of the building they viewed the project as “making space for lives to change.”
Jason said. “They asked us to come with a number of what you could contribute over the next few years.”
The Whites took the radical step to drain their children’s college fund, and put that money toward the church expansion instead.
Natasha:
Wow, that’s amazing.
Warren:
The church now has over 10,000 members across five different campuses. But that’s not the only growth the Whites have seen.
Natasha:
How so?
Warren:
“We’re seeing growth in our own marriage,” said Jason. “We’re seeing our kids get poured into, and we see all the things happening to the people around us.” And Leslie added. “When you plant the seed, you don’t know who will reap the benefit.”
Natasha:
In our next story, turmoil in an evangelical denomination.
Warren:
A storm is brewing in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC) and a “meaningful group of churches” are considering other options, according to Pastor Nate Atwood, the pastor of St. Giles Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.
Atwood has been involved in the EPC since 1988 and held several leadership roles, including serving as moderator of the General Assembly. He says there is a “crisis of confidence in the current stated clerk, moderator, and leadership team” after an overture concerning same-sex-attracted pastors never made it to the floor of the General Assembly this summer.
Natasha:
Warren, can you provide a little background of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church?
Warren:
According to Atwood, the original vision of the EPC when it was founded in 1981 was to be a Biblical, evangelical, constitutional, and Reformed denomination.
Recent events have raised questions about several of those commitments,
Natasha:
What events were those?
Warren:
One concerns sexual identity. The issue arose because Greg Johnson, the Presbyterian pastor of Memorial Presbyterian in St. Louis who says he is homosexual but celibate, left the Presbyterian Church in America in 2022.
Now his church wants to join the EPC. The question has divided the denomination.
Natasha:
And that’s not the only case causing controversy.
Warren:
According to the EPC Book of Government, once a church notifies its presbytery of its desire to leave, the “Presbytery shall take no action to dismiss, dissolve or divide the local church and its elders until all proceedings under this section…are fully completed.”
Beverly Heights, in Pennsylvania plans to leave the EPC and they are maintaining that this process is not being followed.
Beverly Heights filed a complaint with the EPC General Assembly explaining what it believed to be unconstitutional actions.
The church also filed a civil suit in Pennsylvania state court because it is incorporated as a nonprofit under Pennsylvania laws.
In March, the two parties met for a mediation and reached a verbal settlement. However, the church claims that when the presbytery sent the written agreement over, it significantly deviated from the previously agreed terms.
The issues remain unresolved.
Natasha:
What’s our next story?
Warren:
A church staff member at Revival City Church in the Dallas suburb of McKinney was arrested on a family violence charge, according to reporting by WFAA.
David Scarberry, 53, serves as the evangelistic outreach leader for Revival City. He leads teams in evangelistic outreach efforts in McKinney each Wednesday, the church website says.
According to the police report obtained by WFAA, Scarberry was arrested on a charge of continuous family violence. It is not clear from the arrest who Scarberry’s victim was.
Natasha:
What does that charge mean?
Warren:
A charge of continuous family violence, according to the Texas Penal Code, applies when a person, during a period of 12 months or less, assaults a family member. It is a third degree felony.
Scarberry was released from the Collin County jail on a bond. Scarberry called the charges a “misunderstanding” and “false accusations.”
Natasha:
This is not Scarberry’s first run-in with the law.
Warren:
According to Oklahoma records obtained by KERA, Scarberry served a five-year prison sentence after he was found guilty of using an offensive weapon in a felony and two additional drug felonies in 2002.
His ex-wife also filed a protective order against him in 1994 after Scarberry was arrested for assault and battery, KERA reported. The charges were later dropped.
According to its website, Revival City Church is part of the Bethel Leaders network and part of Andrew Wommack’s Ministers Association.
Natasha:
Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.
I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.
BREAK
THIRD SEGMENT
Natasha:
Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.
Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.
What’s up first?
Warren:
Motions filed by defendants Kanakuk and ACE American Insurance Co. to dismiss a recent amendment to Logan Yandell’s lawsuit against Kanakuk Kamps for civil conspiracy have been denied.
Yandell’s lawsuit alleges the defendants committed fraud against him by failing to adequately disclose and represent knowledge of sexual misconduct committed against children at the camp by serial child sex abuser Peter Newman, who just days ago was denied the opportunity for parole while serving his life sentence in Missouri.
An amendment made to the lawsuit earlier this year added charges of civil conspiracy, alleging the defendants named in the lawsuit, including Kanakuk Kamps and ACE Insurance Co., conspired together to commit these acts of fraud. It was this amendment that will now be allowed to be a part of the lawsuit going forward.
Natasha:
And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?
Warren:
This week, Adventures in Missions’ overall Transparency Grade fell from a C to a D because the organization does not file a Form 990.
According to its Guidestar profile, the nonprofit “is not required to file an annual return with the IRS because it is a church.”
Executive Director Seth Barnes told MinistryWatch the organization’s choice to change its IRS status was “not to escape accountability, but more about not having to go through the process with the government and seek accountability through other mechanisms.”
This includes being in good standing with the ECFA and cutting overhead costs.
Adventures in Missions does provide audited financial statements on its website, and Barnes said the organization’s 990s are available to donors upon request.
According to the ministry’s 2023 Annual Report, its revenue was $10.4 million and its total expenses were $10 million.
Limited financial information from Adventures in Missions’ ECFA profile shows a drop in revenue from 2021 to 2023—falling from $13.8 million to $10.4 million.
The organization’s website describes itself as an “interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipleship” through a number of programs, including short and long term missions trips, parent ministry, and The World Race. The World Race is an 11-month missions program for people ages 21-30. Participants travel to multiple countries around the world during their time in the program and serve with local ministry partners.
Natasha:
And who did we highlight in Ministries Making a Difference?
Warren:
(A roundup of ministries providing relief after Hurricane Helene)
Water Mission is setting up water treatment systems at multiple locations throughout Western North Carolina after the area was devastated by Hurricane Helene. The systems, spanning from Asheville to Boone, “take dirty water from a local source such as a river, and immediately treat it making it safe for drinking,” according to the ministry. The largest systems can provide safe water for up to 5,000 people a day. Water Mission has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100 in the MinistryWatch database.
With clean water being a critical component of disaster relief, Samaritan’s Purse is also deploying water filtration systems in hard-hit areas of North Carolina. The systems, developed by Samaritan’s Purse engineers, can provide clean water for up to 10,000 people a day. The ministry has also flown relief supplies—infant hygiene kits, food, water, and medical supplies—on at least 19 helicopter operations. Volunteers with the Boone-based organization are doing what they do best—clearing debris, mudding out homes, and chainsawing trees. Samaritan’s Purse has 2 stars, an “A” transparency grade, but a 56 donor confidence score (“Exercise Caution”).
Convoy of Hope and Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are partnering to provide thousands of Crisis Care Kits to victims of Hurricane Helene. Various Church of the Nazarene congregations in North Carolina are hosting Nazarene Disaster Response (NDR) teams to mobilize supplies and personnel and provide disaster relief. Convoy of Hope has 4 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 79. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest ratings in each of the three MinistryWatch categories.
Blessings International is preparing hygiene care kits, first aid kits, and medical supplies for first responders assisting with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Blessings International has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100.
Christian Relief Fund helped clear fallen trees and debris in Valdosta, Georgia, and is providing generators to assist with power outages in Asheville, North Carolina, delivering them via helicopter. CRF has 3 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 97.
Natasha:
Warren, any final thoughts before we go?
Warren:
Webinar: October 24. Understanding MinistryWatch’s Rating System.
Natasha:
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, Kathryn Post, Marci Seither, Mallory Challis, Brittany Smith and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to Generous Giving and Baptist News Global for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.
Warren:
And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Natasha:
You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.
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