WEEKLY REVIEW

Snapshot of top happenings from this past week: Burk Parsons, Robert Morris, and More

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:

 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).

Prosecutor of Burk Parsons Speaks About Process, Evidence in Church Trial

By Kim Roberts. Jerry Klemm, a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), knew that being chosen to prosecute the case against St. Andrew’s Chapel senior pastor and Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow Burk Parsons over the last several months would be taxing. What he didn’t expect were the hours of counseling and comfort he would need to oversee for those who came forward about the hurt and wounds they have experienced.

Clemishire Files Civil Lawsuit Against Robert Morris, Gateway Church

By Kim Roberts. Cindy Clemishire and her father Jerry filed suit last week in Dallas County, Texas, against Gateway Church and its elders, plus founding pastor Robert Morris and his wife Deborah, for defamation, conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

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 into the database:

Selah Freedom (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 70)

 Ministries with upgraded ratings:

A3  (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 78 to 80)

Meets all of MinistryWatch donor confidence requirements, except for a financial efficiency rating of at least 3 stars.

Agape International Missions (AIM) (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 60)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Anti-Trafficking sector.

Align Life Ministries (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Pro-Life sector.

American World Adoption Association (AWAA) (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 78 to 98)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector, also raising its donor confidence score by 20 points.

Back2Back Ministries (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector.

Christ for All Nations (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 65 to 85)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Evangelism sector.

Christian Camps inc. / Deerfoot Lodge (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 73 to 75)

Refrains from use of nondisclosure agreements.

Concerned Women for America (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)

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

Crisis Pregnancy Center of Tidewater (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)

Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Pro-Life sector.

Eagle Ranch (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector.

Evangelical Child and Family Agency (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 73)

Now in bottom 40% (up from bottom 20%) for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector.

Friends of Agape (Up 0 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 28 to 73)

Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Atlas Free (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)

Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in Anti-Trafficking sector.

But God Ministries (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 98)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.

Christian Solidarity International (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 76)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.

Crossover Global (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 75)

Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector.

Eastern University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 75 to 73)

Does not make audited financials available on its website.

Edify (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 78)

Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector.

Elim Bible Institute & College (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 53 to 51)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Gateway Church, Trinity Broadcasting, Burk Parsons and the PCA

On this week’s program, sexual abuse victim Cindy Clemishire has filed a civil lawsuit against Gateway Church and its founding pastor Robert Morris. She claims church leaders knew she was 12 years old when Morris began abusing her, and defamed her when they tried to cover it up. We’ll have details.

And cuts to federal funding are sending some nonprofits into a tailspin…some see the cuts as an attack. Others see opportunity. We spoke with ministry experts who weigh in.

Plus, Trinity Broadcasting is set to open a $134-million senior living facility in Orlando, Florida.

But first, the Burk Parsons has been suspended as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America after a church commission found him guilty on several charges.

Listen here.

ECFA Changes

The following organizations have had membership status changes in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. 

REMOVALS:

DELTA Ministries International (Vancouver, WA)

Mission ConneXion (Portland, OR)

Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission

Forest Home Foundation (Forest Falls, CA)

Woman to Woman Healthcare –  Mobile (Dallas, TX)

Healthcare (Alpharetta, GA)

Spiritual Outreach (Alpharetta, GA)

First Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)

Tent Schools International (Grand Rapids, MI)

Worldwide Christian Schools (Grand Rapids, MI)

Raleigh Dream Center (Raleigh, NC)

Palmetto Women’s Center (Rock Hill, SC)

Palmetto Maternity Home (York, SC)

ADDITIONS:

MissionNext (Vancouver, WA)

Favour Africa, Inc (Brandon, FL)

Training/Equipping (Akron, PA)

Missouri Restored Hope Network (Colorado Springs, CO)

Woman to Woman Health Center – Garland (Garland, TX)

RCR Ministry, Inc. (Estes Park, CO)

Challenge Farm (Pensacola, FL)

Camp Lebanon (Burtrum, MN)

Fields of Hope (Charlotte, 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.

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