WEEKLY REVIEW
Snapshot of top happenings from this past 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 score. Each week, we highlight ministries in our database that have had rating changes, plus a brief explanation about why it matters. 
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:
CCM Artist Michael Tait Accused of Sexual Abuse, Grooming
By Kathryn Post. Michael Tait, an alum of Christian rock bands Newsboys and DC Talk, is facing allegations of sexual assault from three men he met in the Christian music industry, according to an investigation from The Roys Report published Wednesday (June 4).
Jennifer Lyell, SBC Abuse Survivor and Former Lifeway Executive, has Died
By Bob Smietana. Jennifer Lyell, an editor and author whose promising career in Christian publishing was derailed when she accused a former Southern Baptist leader of abuse, died Saturday (June 7). She was 47.
Burk Parsons Found Guilty by Church Commission, Suspended From Office
By Kim Roberts. Burk Parsons, senior pastor of St. Andrew’s Chapel and chief editorial officer and teaching fellow for Ligonier Ministries, has been found guilty by a church judicial commission on three charges and indefinitely suspended from his role as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).
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 with upgraded ratings:
Human Coalition (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Pro-Life sector.
Interchurch Medical Assistance, Inc. / IMA World Health (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 64 to 66)
Does make audited financials available on website, is free of lawsuits, and has had no public accusations against organization in last 5 years.
Kingsway Charities (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 53 to 55)
Does make audited financials available on website, is free of lawsuits, and has had no public accusations against organization in last 5 years.
LeTourneau University (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 95)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
Liberty Ministries (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 93)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.
Mercy Ships (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 80)
Board contains between 5 and 11 members.
Mission Arlington / Mission Metroplex (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Fellowship Evangelism sector.
Mission Increase (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 58 to 78)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector, also raising its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Mission Training International (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 38 to 51)
Board composition follows MinistryWatch best practices.
The Woodlands Christian Academy (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 78)
Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector.
Unbound (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 73 to 75)
Board composition follows MinistryWatch best practices, and does make audited financials available on website.
WaterStone Support Foundation Inc (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 93)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Foundations sector.
Ministries with downgraded ratings:
Gateway Creative Broadcasting / Joy FM Radio (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 95)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
Global Recordings Network USA (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 78)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
Harvest USA (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 78)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
High Point University (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 42 to 40)
Does not make audited financials available on website, and does not have statement of faith.
India National Inland Mission (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 76)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector.
Life Training Institute (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 71)
Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Pro-Life sector.
Mission Mutual (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 95 to 75)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Pepperdine University (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 32 to 30)
Does not make audited financials available on website, and does not have statement of faith.
Rapha International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 94 to 74)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Anti-Trafficking sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Save the Storks (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Pro-Life sector.
Seattle Christian School (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 98)
Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in K-12 Schools/Academies sector.
Serving Orphans Worldwide (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 91)
Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.
Shelter KC: A Kansas City Rescue Mission (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Rescue Mission/Homeless Shelters sector.
Southern Evangelical Seminary (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 80 to 75)
Board is not between 5 and 11 members.
The Pocket Testament League (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 95)
Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Christian Growth sector.
ThriVE St. Louis (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to D, DCS: 75)
Does not make audited financials available on website, and is no longer member of ECFA.
University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 44)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
University of Northwestern – St. Paul (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 91 to 69)
Does not make audited financials available on website, and is not a member of ECFA.
Water for Good (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 80 to 75)
Board does not contain between 5 and 11 members.
YMCA of the USA (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 66 to 64)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
On The MinistryWatch Podcast
Michael Tait, Southern Baptists Meet, Truett McConnell President Suspended
On today’s program, Christian music artist Michael Tait admits to living a “double life” after accusations surfaced that he had sexually groomed and assaulted multiple young men over the course of a decade. We’ll take a look.
And, Southern Baptist abuse survivor died last week after a brief illness, sending shock waves through the community of abuse reform advocates. Before her death, she took part in a deposition, publicly revealing details of her abuse by an SBC leader. We’ll have details.
Plus, pro-Israel evangelical Johnnie Moore is named chair of a Gaza aid group.
But first, the trustees of Truett McConnell University have called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against a former professor—and placed its president on leave under suspicions that he had helped cover it up.
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.
ECFA Changes
The following organizations have had membership status changes in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
REMOVALS:
Genesis Project (Nicaragua )
Juna Amagara Ministries (Glen Ellyn, IL)
WRBS-AM Subsidiary (Baltimore, MD)
ADDITIONS:
92.9/102.5 The Family Milwaukee (WEMK) (Milwaukee, WI)
Florissant Collective (Lititz, PA)
SimplyBe Coffee (Purcellville, VA)
The Clothing Closet (Purcellville, VA)
MN Prevention and Recovery Alliance (Minneapolis, MN)
Wellcome Manor (Garden City, MN)
Sudan Church Partners
Ministry Essentials Int’l (Wheaton IL)
Multiplication Network (Sauk Village, IL)
Love One More (Hudson, OH)
BASIS (Akron, PA)
Renew (Martin, TN)
GROW (Martin, TN)
Oasis Medical (Martin, TN)
Circles Lexington (Lexington, KY)
Foundations for Farming International, LLC (Knoxville, TN)
Strong Family (Kansas City, MO)
GO Project (Kansas City, MO)
GOEX Apparel (Kansas City, MO)
Short-Term Mission Teams (Nicaragua)
Renewing Community (Naples, FL)
BetterMan (Dallas, TX)
Homes for HOPE (Lancaster, PA)
24:14 World (Charlottesville, VA)
Branches Family Resource Center (Brattleboro, VT)
WorldServe Ministries (Lynden, WA)
Hope for Haiti’s Children (Cincinnati, OH)
Grass Roots Development (Charlottesville, VA)
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
