Ankerberg’s ECFA Membership Terminated for Non-Compliance

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) has terminated the membership of the Ankerberg Theological Research Institute (ATRI), the producer of the popular apologetics program “The John Ankerberg Show.”

The ECFA suspended ATRI in the spring for possible failure to comply with its standards of financial integrity. This termination follows an investigation that determined that Ankerberg in fact failed to comply with the following standards:

Standard 2 says: “Every organization shall be governed by a responsible board of not less than five individuals, a majority of whom shall be independent, who shall meet at least semiannually to establish policy and review its accomplishments.”

Standard 4 says: “Every organization shall exercise the appropriate management and controls necessary to provide reasonable assurance that all of the organization’s operations are carried out and resources are used in a responsible manner and in conformity with applicable laws and regulations, such conformity taking into account biblical standards.”

Standard 7.1 says: “In securing charitable gifts, all representations of fact, descriptions of the financial condition of the organization, or narratives about events must be current, complete, and accurate. References to past activities or events must be appropriately dated. There must be no material omissions or exaggerations of fact, use of misleading photographs, or any other communication which would tend to create a false impression or misunderstanding.”

Standard 7.2 says: “Statements made about the use of gifts by an organization in its charitable gift appeals must be honored. A giver’s intent relates both to what was communicated in the appeal and to any instructions accompanying the gift, if accepted by the organization. Appeals for charitable gifts must not create unrealistic expectations of what a gift will actually accomplish.”

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The review of Ankerberg’s organization by the ECFA came after a former fundraising executive at the organization went public with concerns about how Ankerberg used nearly $20 million raised to fund audio bibles. Those concerns were first reported by MinistryWatch and were later the subject of a lengthy front page story in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

The whistleblower is Andrew Jaeger, a former Director of Donor Relations for ATRI. Ankerberg’s ministry has since sued Jaeger for allegedly violating his severance agreement. Jaeger responded that the severance agreement “serves an illegal purpose, to perpetuate the criminal activities of the plaintiff.”