International Needs Earns Highest Donor Confidence Score

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:

• International Needs, formerly known as IN Network USA, has earned a Donor Confidence Score of 100, meeting all donor confidence criteria that MinistryWatch tracks. It also has an A Transparency Grade, meaning it files Form 990s with the IRS, posts audited financials on its website, and is a member of the ECFA.
• Three ministries fell into the bottom 40% for financial efficiency within their respective sectors, also dropping their Donor Confidence Score by 20 points—Audio Scripture Ministries, Living Water International, and Vision New England.
• Although Go To Nations and Institute for Basic Life Principles both rose in financial efficiency, their Donor Confidence Scores are both still in cautionary designations—Go To Nations has a DCS of 48 (“Withhold Giving”) and IBLP has a DCS of 56 (“Give With Caution”).

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 (no changes this week). Check it all out below.

With that, here are three top stories on the MinistryWatch website from this past week:

Foursquare Megachurch Replaces Longtime Pastor Matthew Barnett

By Tony Mator. Last September, Pastors Matthew and Caroline Barnett began a sabbatical from leading Angelus Temple, a Foursquare megachurch with a Sunday attendance of about 8,200 worshipers at its historic Los Angeles campus. Five months later, the sabbatical became a permanent separation.

Former New Life Pastor to Start New Church Services Nearby

By Kim Roberts. Brady Boyd, the former pastor of megachurch New Life Church in Colorado Springs, is starting a new Wednesday night church service in the city. He said he believes he is still “called to pastor” in Colorado Springs.

MinistryWatch 1000 Database: Ministries Not Filing a Form 990

By Kim Roberts. This second list for March features the 224 Christian ministries in the MinistryWatch 1000 database that do not file a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service, up from 189 ministries on the list in March 2025.

Here’s what else is new at MinistryWatch this week.

MinistryWatch Database Changes

MinistryWatch now has more than 1,300 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 into the database:

Global Outreach Developments International/G.O.D International (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 45)

Military Religious Freedom Foundation (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 63)

One Way Ministries (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 98)

Ministries with upgraded ratings:

Adventist Development & Relief Agency (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 60)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.

Behind the Scene International (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 96)

In top 20% for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector.

Christian Legal Society / CLS (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Advocacy sector.

Crossover Global (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 75)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector.

Echo, Inc.  (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.

Go To Nations (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Up D to C, DCS: Up 46 to 48)

Posts audited financials on its website.

Institute in Basic Life Principles (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 51 to 56)

Board contains at least 5 members and no more than 12 members.

International Needs formerly IN Network USA (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 97 to 100)

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

New Life Family Services (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 73 to 78)

Board contains at least 5 members and no more than 12 members. 

Olympia Union Gospel Mission (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 76 to 78)

Posts audited financials on its website. 

Westminster Rescue Mission (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 73 to 75)

Posts audited financials on its website.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Ankerberg Theological Research Institute (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 69)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector.

Audio Scripture Ministries (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Living Water International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

Loving Shepherd Ministries (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 94)

Does not post audited financials on its website.

Mercy Chefs Inc (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 72 to 67)

Board does not contain at least 5 members or no more than 12 members.

Rabbit Room Inc / The Rabbit Room (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 53 to 51)

Does not post audited financials on its website.

STEER, Inc. (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 75 to 73)

Does not post audited financials on its website.

 The Finishing Fund (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 94 to 92)

Does not post audited financials on its website. 

Vision New England (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 73 to 53)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector, also dropping its Donor Confidence Score by 20 points.

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Angelus Temple Replaces its Pastor, Bibles for Iran, Brady Boyd Starts New Church Services

On this week’s program, Angelus Temple in Los Angeles—widely considered the first U.S. megachurch—has replaced its longtime pastors Matthew and Caroline Barnett. The announcement came after a sabbatical turned into a permanent separation. We’ll have details.

And, current news often leads to urgent fundraising pleas—but is your money going where you think it’s going? A recent example sought money to get Bibles to Iran, and prompted MinistryWatch to take a deeper look.

Also, the latest list from the MinistryWatch 1000 database—a look at ministries that do not file a Form 990. That list is getting longer, and why it matters.

But first, former New Life Church pastor Brady Boyd is starting his own church services less than 5 miles from his old church.

Listen here.

ECFA Membership Changes

Additions

One Cry Global Ministries (Niles, MI)

World Methodist Evangelism (Memphis, TN)

MegaVoice International (Jacksonville, FL)

The Gospel Mission (Sioux City, IA)

Harvest Prayer Ministries (Niles, MI)

Adult & Teen Challenge Sandhills (Southern Pines, NC)

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.