On This Date at MinistryWatch

St. John’s Church in Miami is saved, Biblica rebounds, Lamor Miller-Whitehead robbed, and more.

ONE YEAR AGO: On August 1, 2024, MinistryWatch reported that three days before the historic property of St. John Institutional Missionary Baptist Church in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood was to be sold in foreclosure, the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency purchased it, allowing the loan to be paid off and granting repurchase rights to the church. Read more here.

TWO YEARS AGO: On August 2, 2023, MinistryWatch reported that after years of losses, Biblica bounced back in a big way. The ministry, founded in 1809 and formerly known as the International Bible Society, had revenue of only $13.5 million in 2018 but closed out 2022 with revenue of almost $46.5 million—a 344% increase over five years. Read more here.

THREE YEARS AGO: On July 26, 2022, MinistryWatch reported that Bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead, a preacher known for his close friendship with New York City’s mayor, was robbed of more than $1 million worth of jewelry by three armed bandits who crashed his Brooklyn church service, police said. They showed guns and demanded property from Miller-Whitehead and his wife, Asia K. DosReis-Whitehead. In June 2024, Whitehead was sentenced to nine years in prison for wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion, and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents. Read more here. 

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FOUR YEARS AGO:  On August 2, 2021, MinistryWatch reported that Vince and Joanna Vitale, leaders of the Zacharias Institute, said they planned to resign. They reached the decision following a season of “lamenting, listening, and learning” after sexual misconduct accusations against late evangelist and institute founder Ravi Zacharias came to light. Read more here.

FIVE YEARS AGO:  On July 29, 2020, MinistryWatch reported that John Ortberg, popular author and speaker, resigned as pastor of Menlo Church, a megachurch congregation outside of San Francisco. His resignation was effective Aug. 2, 2020. Read more here.