Ep. 421: Dr. Michael Brown, Bob Jones University, and PCUSA Decline Continues
On today’s program, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details.
And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now.
Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look.
But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter.
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, Jessica Eturralde, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, David Fairchild, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to Juicy Ecumenism 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, author and teacher Dr Michael Brown of the radio program Line of Fire has agreed to a third-party investigation after being accused of sexual impropriety. We’ll have details.
And, we remember two anniversaries this week—the release of a GRACE investigation into Bob Jones University and their handling of sexual abuse cases, and the fall of Mars Hill Church. We take time to reflect on both—lessons learned and where things stand now.
Plus, overall membership in the Presbyterian Church USA continues to fall—except among people who identify as genderqueer. We’ll take a look.
Natasha:
But first, after a year-long battle, an Ohio church is NOT being allowed to shelter the homeless this winter.
Warren:
An Ohio judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Dad’s Place and its pastor Chris Avell, preventing the church from using its first floor to shelter homeless people, even as temperatures are expected to plummet later this week.
Dad’s Place and Avell have been involved in a dispute with Bryan, Ohio, since last year over whether it can open the first floor of the church in a business district to allow homeless persons to escape the cold.
In January, a federal district court issued an order “forbidding [the city] from enforcing any alleged violations of the City’s zoning or fire codes without the court’s approval or the church’s agreement.”
Natasha:
What happened?
Warren:
The City of Bryan and the church, through its counsel at First Liberty Institute, tried to resolve their differences, but negotiations broke down in April.
In July 2024, the federal court denied Dad’s Place request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the city from enforcing its fire regulations against the church.
Then in September a three-judge panel of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals denied the church’s appeal of the district court’s decision.
Now, Ohio Judge J.T. Stelzer has issued an injunction preventing the church from offering its building for use by homeless persons in the city.
Natasha:
What happens next?
Warren:
Dad’s Place remains in violation of several fire safety code regulations, including failure to install a sprinkler system, said Stelzer.
The decision also pointed to two other shelters near Dad’s Place that utilize their second floors as temporary residences to shelter the city’s needy and homeless residents while in “full compliance with the city’s fire code and zoning ordinances.”
First Liberty has filed a motion to stay the injunction and plans to appeal Stelzer’s ruling.
I should add, On December 3, the municipal court held the trial of Avell for criminal charges based on zoning violations. At the end of the trial, the judge asked the parties to submit briefs within 10 days and will likely issue his judgment after that.
Natasha:
Next, Dr. Michael Brown agrees to a third party investigation.
Warren:
Line of Fire radio program host Michael Brown has agreed to a third-party investigation after allegations of sexual impropriety surfaced this week. He acknowledged a “lack of judgment,” but denied any sexual misconduct.
An accuser going by the pseudonym Erin claims Brown crossed physical boundaries when she was working as a 21-year-old secretary at Brown’s FIRE School of Ministry in 2002.
Erin says she looked up to Brown as a father figure and that his alleged actions have compromised her faith.
Natasha:
How has Brown responded to the allegations?
Warren:
Brown, 69, admits he and his wife Nancy had a close relationship with the accuser, even treating her like family, but that it was “totally non-sexual in every way.”
In a statement on the Line of Fire website, Brown said, “Both Nancy and I were shocked and horrified by the mix of accusations, allegations, false statements, and mischaracterizations. That’s why we wholeheartedly supported our board’s immediate decision to launch a thorough third-party investigation.”
Natasha:
Next, an Idaho Presbytery employee sentenced for embezzlement.
Warren:
A presbytery employee in Idaho Falls, Idaho, who was accused of embezzling over $330,000 from a church organization has received her sentence.
In May, police arrested Kaitlyn L. Fisher, 31, while she was working for the Presbytery of Kendall—a church organization overseeing at least 12 eastern Idaho Presbyterian churches.
Initially, Fisher pleaded not guilty to 15 counts, including three counts of grand theft, four counts of state income tax evasion, four counts of perjury, and four counts of accessing or using a computer to defraud or obtain money. Fisher would have faced up to 42 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
Natasha:
So what happened?
Warren:
In July, Fisher entered a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to three counts in exchange for dropping the remaining charges and for the prosecution to recommend a minimum of three years in prison.
On November 6, District Judge Bruce Pickett sentenced Fisher to three to 10 years in prison. She will also be required to pay over $330,000 in restitution.
Natasha:
Another arrest has happened – this time in Texas.
Warren:
A former associate pastor at 121 Community Church in Grapevine, Texas, was arrested last week for possession of child pornography and invasive visual recording.
The investigation of Arturo Alarcon, 38, began after the church contacted police with a report that a missionary couple had found spy cameras in the mobile home where they were housed by the church, according to a report by WFAA.
According to the arrest affidavit, the missionary couple located hidden cameras in two alarm clocks and two wall plugs labeled “Bug Control.”
Natasha:
And it wasn’t long before Alarcon was found out..
Warren:
When police contacted Alarcon, he admitted to knowing the devices were in the home, but said they were donated and not purchased by him.
In searching Alarcon’s phone, police discovered a sexually-oriented photo of a 5-year-old child, which Alarcon denied ever seeing.
The Grapevine police are forwarding Alarcon’s phone to the U.S. Secret Service to unlock an encrypted account on his phone, WFAA reported. When questioned, Alarcon claimed he didn’t know about the account, didn’t set it up, and didn’t know who did.
In a statement to WFAA, the church confirmed Alarcon’s arrest and his termination from employment. He also was a substitute teacher in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District – he has also been terminated by the district.
Natasha:
Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return, Bible Project co-founder Jon Collins left a thriving business and growing income to create animated videos about the Bible.
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.
Warren:
After starting a business with a few friends that excelled faster than any of them anticipated, Jon and Tristen Collins had to reprioritize.
Jon said, “We began to make more money than we ever planned to make. It wasn’t long until we were bringing more in in a month than we were used to bringing in in a year.”
“At first it was exciting,” said Tristen. But it wasn’t all positive. “Jon was feeling conflicted in his job and business.”
Natasha:
What changed things for them?
Warren:
Jon attended a Generous Giving conference in Colorado Springs 12 years ago, and he said that conference changed his life’s trajectory.
Natasha:
How so?
Warren:
Seeing generosity from a new perspective sparked a desire to give more creatively.
Tristen jumped on board with creating a family mission plan, capping their household budget, and dividing their income into a budget fund and a generosity fund.
Jon felt like he needed to remove himself from his current businesses to focus on the project.
“It was like God was calling me to free up my mind and imagination for something that was next,” said Jon. He and his friend Tim Mackie began to talk about the Bible and craft storyboards and scripts to produce short animated videos. That was the beginning of the Bible Project, that now has more than $24 million in annual revenue and works all around the world.
Jon talks about the decision to give away the Bible Project content. “When you lead with generosity, people respond with generosity.”
There’s a lot more to this story, and it’s the latest in our Generous Living series. I recommend you checking out the whole story, which you can find on the MinistryWatch website.
Natasha:
Next, an update from Bob Jones University
Warren:
Known for banning interracial dating into the 21st century and having rules too rigid even for Billy Graham, a former student who left after one semester, Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, is typically wary of outsiders.
So it was a shock when Stephen Jones, then president of Bob Jones, invited Tchividjian’s nonprofit Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, known by its acronym GRACE, to examine the university’s handing of sexual abuse allegations.
Natasha:
What did they find?
Warren:
While BJU never stated a specific reason for hiring GRACE, survivors had approached Stephen Jones asking for a probe into the school’s handling of abuse, and he was a main driver behind the decision to hire Tchividjian’s nonprofit.
What followed was a 22-month investigation that included over 100 interviews, roughly 50 of which were with self-identified abuse survivors. The resulting 300-page report, released on Dec. 11, 2014, found the school’s emphasis on discipline and approach to biblical counseling was harming student abuse survivors.
“What was the most damaging was how they used faith, theology, Scripture, to silence victims, to shame victims, to scare victims,” said Tchividjian, an attorney advocate for abuse survivors. “The victims were being revictimized, while the offenders were being forgiven and restored.”
Natasha:
Though there have been some steps in the right direction, some abuse survivors involved in the initial investigation fear too little has changed since the report.
Warren:
They say the university continues to implement a biblical counseling method critiqued in the report and to employ faculty members the report says promoted harmful practices. Referencing an ongoing lawsuit filed against the university by a former Bob Jones student in August 2020, they continue to call on the university to implement trauma-informed policies that prioritize student safety and healing over correction.
Abuse survivors are also distressed by Bob Jones’ continued use of biblical counseling — which they claim often involved questioning victims’ behavior before and during the abuse and encouraging them to confront their own sinfulness. Despite the GRACE report’s recommendation that the school refer all counseling for sexual abuse victims to outside licensed trauma counselors, Bob Jones’ website says its biblical counselors continue to respond to student abuse survivors.
Natasha:
What was GRACE’s response to the outcome?
Warren:
Tchividjian noted he was “really disappointed in the outcome of the process” and characterized Bob Jones’ response as having “a lot of form over substance,” though he said helping abuse survivors move toward healing made the effort worthwhile. When asked whether GRACE keeps tabs on the outcomes of its investigations, Pete Singer, who now leads GRACE, said the nonprofit doesn’t formally track whether organizations complete its recommendations, though institutions are welcome to contact GRACE after the process is complete.
For abuse survivors involved in the 2014 GRACE report, the way the university responds to abuse disclosures is a top concern. They hope to see the university acknowledge the risks of its counseling methods, so future students can avoid the psychological and spiritual turmoil many of them experienced.
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:
“Engag[ing] every unreached people and place with an effective kingdom movement strategy by December 31, 2025” was the ambitious goal set by the 24:14 Coalition after it was formed in 2017.
However, according to Justin Long, the research team leader for 24:14 Coalition, they’ll likely not reach that goal. H3 wrote in an article in January 2023. “However, while I am mildly pessimistic about reaching that goal by 2025, I am very optimistic about seeing it reached within my lifetime.”
He emphasized that the 2025 goal was not to reach all the unreached people groups, but to have an equipped team in place with a strategy.
The last dashboard update was in 2022, and Long said he expects the next update to be in 2025. He envisions it will show some increases in the number of groups reached, but that the goal will not have been reached 100%.
Wars, natural disasters, and persecution have interrupted progress in certain areas of the world.
Natasha:
What’s next?
Warren:
Membership in the Presbyterian Church (USA) fell further in 2023, according to statistics released last week by the denomination’s Interim Unified Agency, which succeeds the former Office of the General Assembly.
Total membership declined by 45,932, or 4%, to 1,094,733 in the most recent reporting year. Presbyterians are older and more likely to be white than the overall U.S. population, with the denomination listing 87.85% as white and 33.46% as over the age of 70. Nationally, 61.6% of the U.S. population counted in the 2020 U.S. Census was white, while 17.3% of those counted were aged 65 and over.
The average annual PCUSA membership loss reported across the past decade is 4%.
Presbyterians did have at least one rising data point, however: a 17% jump in the number of members who identify as “genderqueer” or “nonbinary,” increasing by 230 in 2023 to 1,547, comprising 0.17% of all members. The denomination ordained its first nonbinary Minister of the Word and Sacrament in June of 2019 and began tracking the number of nonbinary or genderqueer members in 2022.
Natasha:
And, who did we feature in the Ministry Spotlight this week?
Warren:
The overall financial efficiency rating for The Gideons International, based out of Nashville, Tennessee, recently fell from 4 Stars to 3 Stars. The organization also no longer files a Form 990 or makes it available to the public.
The Gideons International distinguishes its work as an “association of Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus.”
They do this by sharing personal testimonies and service and, perhaps most notably, by providing Bibles in key locations like hotels, hospitals, medical offices, and prisons.
The organization does release audited financial information, but its IRS church status keeps MinistryWatch and other donor advocacy groups from seeing its full financial picture.
Still, as a member of the ECFA, Gideons International’s member profile does provide limited financial information, showing that from 2021 to 2023 the organization’s revenue and expenses continued to grow.
In 2023, Gideons’ revenue was $127.7 million and its expenses were $108.7 million. The organization has also more than doubled its net assets since 2019, growing from $70.9 million to $184.4 million.
The Gideons International did not respond to repeated requests for information.
Natasha:
And we also have our roundup of ministries featured in Ministries Making a Difference.
Warren:
We do…
YouVersion announced its verse of the year for 2024—Philippians 4:6 was engaged in the Bible app more than any other verse. The words “prayer” and “peace” were also highly searched for. According to YouVersion, the Bible app has been installed on over 740 million unique devices, and offers 3,100 Bible versions in 2,000 languages, all for free and without advertising. YouVersion also produces the Bible App Lite and Bible App for Kids.
Southeast Christian Church in Middletown, Kentucky, hosted the Hope’s Closet 8th annual Christmas celebration. Hundreds of foster families gathered to spend time together, choose from thousands of books and toys, and take pictures with Santa. Hope’s Closet provides foster and adoptive families with children’s items free of charge.
As part of its Asia Bible Fund project, Asia Harvest recently printed and distributed 20,000 full Bibles to the Koho people in their own language. The Kohos are a people group in Vietnam, where access to the Bible is limited since being banned by the Communist government. Asia Harvest says many of the 190,000 Koho people in Vietnam are Christians. Asia Harvest has 5 stars, an “A” transparency grade, and a donor confidence score of 100—the highest scores in each of MinistryWatch’s three categories.
Natasha:
Warren, any final thoughts before we go?
Warren:
Year end fundraising. Shining Light Awards. Please be generous.
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, Jessica Eturralde, Marci Seither, Bob Smietana, David Fairchild, Jeffrey Walton, Brittany Smith, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to Juicy Ecumenism 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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