Creation Research Institute, No Longer Bound Rise in Financial Efficiency, Donor Confidence

And other notable ministry happenings from this week.

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:

• Eight new ministries were added into the database, including Good News Global, Morning Star Development, and Pensacola Christian College.
• Creation Research Institute and No Longer Bound both jumped to 3 Stars, meaning they had each risen into the top 60% for financial efficiency within their respective sectors, also raising their Donor Confidence Scores by 20 points.
• Groundwire dropped into the top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in the Community Development sector, but otherwise has very high ratings.
• Abilene Christian University and Black Diamond Camps each dropped in donor confidence because they do not post audited financials on their websites.

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:

Sexual Abuse Among Ranks of Royal Rangers

By Kim Roberts. Royal Rangers, a scouting group associated with the Assemblies of God, was the situs for the sexual abuse of minor boys, according to reporting by NBC News.

HR Employee Claims KY Nursing Home Fired Her for Upholding Drug Policy

By Jessica Eturralde. Last month, Summer Biggers, a former HR employee at Christian Care Communities (CCC), a Hopkinsville, Kentucky, nursing home, filed a federal lawsuit alleging the facility retaliated against her after she tried to enforce its “zero tolerance” drug policy and raised patient-safety concerns that local management was helping employees evade drug-testing standards for THC/marijuana.

Christianity’s Next Small Thing

By Warren Cole Smith. What the growth of the Amish and Mennonites can teach us about church growth.

 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 recently added to the database:

Arma Dei Academy (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 78)

Catch Up & Read (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 68)

Good News Global (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 53)

Hope College (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 40)

Morning Star Development (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 95)

Pensacola Christian College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 58)

Prison Fellowship International (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)

SparkHope Automotive (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 53)

Ministries with upgraded ratings:

Appalachian Bible College (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 69)

Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.

Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 90 to 92)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Charleston Southern University (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 69)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.

Christian Research Institute / CRI (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 44 to 64)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Christian Growth sector, also raisings its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Hope Haven Inc (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 92 to 95)

Board has at least four independent board members for every non-independent member. 

Langham Partnership USA (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 73 to 75)

CEO/President’s compensation is within one standard deviation of the median compensation. 

Lexington Rescue Mission (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 78 to 80)

Meets all the donor confidence qualifications except for a financial efficiency rating of at least 3 Stars.  

Love Never Fails (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 71 to 73)

Makes audited financials available on website.

No Longer Bound (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 95)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector, also raisings its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Rabbit Room Inc / The Rabbit Room (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 53)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Christian Growth sector.

World Gospel Mission (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 46 to 48)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Abilene Christian University (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 45 to 43)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

All Nations Family (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 53 to 51)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Biblical Ministries Worldwide (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 50 to 48)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Black Diamond Camps (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 53 to 51)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Christian Heritage / Christian Heritage Children’s Home (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 80 to 78)

Does not make audited financials available on website. 

Groundwire (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)

Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.

Houston Christian Broadcasters / Keeping Him Close By (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 97 to 95)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

John and Vera Mae Perkins Foundation (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 69 to 67)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Access to MinistryWatch content is free. However, we hope you will support our work with your prayers and financial gifts. To make a donation, click here.

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Royal Rangers Face Scrutiny, Following the Passion Conference Money Trail, March for Life

On this week’s program, a report reveals past sexual abuse among the Christian scouting program, the Royal Rangers. Now, the Assemblies of God—who heads up the group—is being criticized for not providing adequate safeguards. We’ll have details.

And, the popular Passion Conference attracted some 60,000 young people to its flagship event earlier this month, bringing in millions of dollars — but a deep dive into the ministry’s financials shows a lack of transparency in how that money is being used. We’ll take a look.

Plus, one week ago, tens of thousands of pro-lifers flooded the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the 2026 March for Life. But just how unified is the pro-life movement? We’ll try to answer that question.

But first, the Jesus Film has become one of the most widely viewed films ever, having been used by missionaries for decades to share the gospel. Now, the Jesus Film Project is shifting away from in-person relationships and is focusing on digital products.

Listen here.

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 [email protected].  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.

This article has been changed to indicate that Reasons to Believe DOES post audited financials on its website. A past version incorrectly said they did not.