Conversations

Reader feedback about Jennifer Lyell, Donor Confidence updates

EDITOR’S NOTE: From time to time we will publish letters and emails we get from readers, sometimes with a response, sometimes without comment. If you would like to share your thoughts about any of our stories or podcasts, please email us: [email protected]

Headline on Jennifer Lyell story was misleading

I read the story on Jennifer Lyell’s death, and it breaks my heart to hear of the pain she had to live with because of the abuse.

As a former journalist, I take exception to the headline, “Jennifer Lyell, SBC Abuse Survivor and Former Lifeway Executive, has Died.”

Using the term “SBC Abuse Survivor” is misleading and inaccurate. I think you should be able to see that the SBC didn’t abuse her. A more accurate, suitable headline should have been chosen.

There are also statements made by the article author that have no supporting attributions and should have to be journalistically accurate.

Thanks for the work you do, but like all of us, you can do better.

Carl Grimes (member of an SBC church), Benton, Ark.

Donor confidence updates questioned

MinistryWatch emailed Fellowship International Mission Inc. (FIM) with updates to its database on donor confidence information. The database includes 14 questions, and FIM Executive Director Paul Barreca challenged the answers on two questions, including this one: Is the CEO/President’s compensation within one standard deviation of the median compensation?

Answer determined by MinistryWatch: No

Here was Barreca’s response:

The answer to Question 8 should be “yes.”

One standard deviation for CEO salary based on all 2024 Missio Nexus and ECFA data is $13,426.61. FIM’s CEO deviation from the median is $9,789.20. This value falls within one standard deviation.

FIM also believes that ranking for missionary organizations should not be reduced on the basis of Question 5 (“Does the organization file a Form 990 and make its Form 990 available to the public?”), regarding the filing of Form 990.

Public access to the financial data of mission organizations could pose a serious risk for field missionaries, resulting in hostage-taking and ransom demands. FIM has provided the 990 explanatory clause to Ministry Watch in our application documents. We encourage Ministry Watch to review and adjust its position in this regard.

Thank you for your assistance.

Warren Smith responds:

Paul: Thank you for your feedback. A couple of responses:

1. We calculate the CEO compensation question based on the salaries of CEOs in your ministry segment (Foreign Missions). We get salaries from the Form 990. If you do not file a Form 990, the answer to that question defaults to “no.”
2. I understand your contention that releasing a Form 990 poses security risks. However, we have looked at this issue closely, and we simply see no evidence that any information on the Form 990 puts personnel overseas at risk. We are not trying to make light of the difficult circumstances in which some missionaries operate. We simply reject the notion that the Form 990 increases those risks, and a failure to file a Form 990 dramatically reduces the ability of donors and others to get a fair and accurate picture of an organization’s operations. We have written more about this topic here.

I hope this email helps explain our position.

TO OUR READERS: The mission of MinistryWatch is to help Christian donors become more faithful stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. Do you know of a story that will help us fulfill our mission, or do you want to give us feedback about this or any other story? If so, please email us: [email protected]

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