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, plus a brief explanation about why it matters.
A few notable changes in the database this week:
- Los Angeles Mission and Manhattan Christian College are among ministries who dropped to 0 stars in the MinistryWatch database after failing to file Form 990s with the IRS. MinistryWatch’s stance is that ministries should file Form 990s—even if they are registered as a “church” or “association of churches” with the IRS—as a method of transparency and accountability.
- Jerusalem Prayer Team rose to 5 stars, putting it in the top 20% for financial efficiency in the Advocacy sector.
- Kansas City Christian School Association and Missionary Air Group both dropped slightly in financial efficiency ratings, but still earn high scores across the three metrics MinistryWatch tracks—financial efficiency, financial transparency, and donor confidence. To learn more about how we determine rankings, click on the links above.
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. We highly recommend ministries join the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which is why we list organizations that have either joined ECFA in the past week or been removed. Check it all out below.
With that, here are three top stories on the MinistryWatch website from this past week:
Reformed Baptist Pastor Confesses to Adultery, Resigns
By Isaac Wood. 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. “This past week it was discovered that I have committed adultery,” Renihan wrote in a blog post. “To my great shame, I did not bring it to light.”
Woman Files Sex Abuse Claims Against CA ‘Prophet’
By Stacey Horton. A woman identified as Jane Doe 1 has filed a detailed civil complaint against self-described prophet Lovy Elias, leader of Revelation Church LA, alleging years of sexual exploitation, financial manipulation, and spiritual abuse. The lawsuit was filed Nov. 3, 2025, in Los Angeles County Superior Court and names Elias, Revelation Church, and 50 unnamed defendants.
New Funding Plan Puts NYC Bishop and Trinity Church at Odds
By Bob Smietana. The Episcopal bishop of New York’s plan to solve the financial woes of his diocese involves having one of the wealthiest churches in the country pay for it. But leaders at Trinity Church NYC are balking, saying the new funding plan is flawed.
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Here’s what else is new at MinistryWatch this week.
MinistryWatch Database Changes
MinistryWatch now has more than 1,000 ministries in its database. These ministries represent more than $44-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 with upgraded ratings:
Jerusalem Prayer Team (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 53)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Advocacy sector.
Lake Geneva Foundation (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 75)
Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Camps/Conference Centers sector.
LifeWord Broadcast Ministries, Inc. (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 49)
Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Radio/TV Stations sector.
Long Beach Rescue Mission (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 77 to 97)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Rescue Mission/Homeless Shelters sector.
MissionGO (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 97)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector.
Motor Racing Outreach (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 72)
Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Fellowship Evangelism sector.
Ministries with downgraded ratings:
Hope Center Ministries (Down 4 to 0 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 70 to 50)
Stopped filing Form 990 with the IRS, dropping the ministry down to 0 stars and its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Hope International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Hope is Alive Ministries Inc. (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 77 to 75)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
JAARS (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 77)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Mission Aviation sector.
Kansas City Christian School Association (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 90)
Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector.
Launch Global (Down 4 to 0 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 73 to 53)
Stopped filing Form 990 with the IRS, dropping the ministry down to 0 stars and its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Leading The Way with Michael Youssef (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 55 to 53)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
Los Angeles Mission (Down 1 to 0 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 35)
Stopped filing Form 990 with the IRS, dropping the ministry down to 0 stars.
Manhattan Christian College (Down 1 to 0 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 55)
Stopped filing Form 990 with the IRS, dropping the ministry down to 0 stars.
Missionary Air Group (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 98)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Mission Aviation sector.
ECFA Membership Changes
Removals
Children of Mexico (Union, MO)
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.
Kansas City Christian School Association and Missionary Air Group both dropped slightly in financial efficiency ratings, but still earn high scores across the three metrics MinistryWatch tracks.