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: 

Court Considers ‘Death Penalty’ Sanctions Against TX Assemblies of God Over Chi Alpha Case

By Kim Roberts. A civil district judge in Texas took aim last month at the Assemblies of God for repeatedly failing to produce documents in a sexual abuse lawsuit filed against the denomination in Houston last year.

Couple Indicted For Stealing Over $626K From Ministry

By Makella Knowles. Lifeline to Success founder DeAndre Brown and wife, Vinessa Brown, were indicted and arrested for numerous felony charges on August 27. Following a year-long investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, the Browns are accused of misusing $626,858.63 in ministry funds.

Charlie Kirk, Who ‘Plugged in’ Young Christian Conservatives, Dies at 31

By Bob Smietana. Charlie Kirk, an evangelical Christian activist and social media personality who rallied young Americans to Donald Trump’s MAGA cause, died Wednesday (Sept. 10) after being shot while addressing a crowd at a Utah university.

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:

Global Frontier Missions (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 76)

Love Never Fails (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 73)

Patrick Henry College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 53) 

Ministries with upgraded ratings:

Alaska Christian College (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 70 to 72)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Amazima Ministries International (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 71 to 73)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Cannon Beach Conference Center (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Cedar Ridge Childrens Home and School (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 93 to 95)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Desert Christian Academy (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 78 to 80)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Evangelism Explosion International (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 31 to 33)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Faith and Learning International (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 96 to 98)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Front Range Christian School (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Grace School of Theology (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up C to A, DCS: 100)

Files Form 990 with IRS, makes audited financials available on website, and is a member of the ECFA.

Lighthouse Ministries, Inc.  (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 95 to 97)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Lipscomb University (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 45 to 65)

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

Reaching Unreached Nations (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 89 to 91)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Strategic Resource Group (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Meets all of MinistryWatch’s 14 qualifications for donor confidence.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 48 to 50)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Warm Beach Christian Camps and Conference Center (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 58 to 60)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Wheaton College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up D to C, DCS: Up 39 to 41)

Makes audited financials available on website.

World Impact, Inc.  (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 51 to 53)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Yakima Union Gospel Mission (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 94 to 96)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

African Vision of Hope (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 98 to 96)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Biola University (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 71)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.

Children’s Relief International (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)

Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector.

Corban University (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 71)

Now in top 40% (down from top 20%) for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector.

Cornerstone Television Network, Inc.  (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 73)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Criswell College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 73)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

George Fox University (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 71)

Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.

Horizon International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 98 to 78)

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.

International Justice Mission (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 52)

Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Anti-Trafficking sector.

People International USA (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 100 to 98)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

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

Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.

Starry Inc.  (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 95 to 75)

Is not a member of the ECFA.

The Exodus Road (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 75)

Now in top 60% (down from top 40%) for financial efficiency in Anti-Trafficking sector.

The Pocket Testament League (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 95 to 93)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

World Gospel Mission (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 48 to 46)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

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.

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Charlie Kirk, Assemblies of God, Unlikely Heroes, and Arkansas Gambling

On this week’s program, a Texas court is considering sanctions against the South Texas Assemblies of God for refusing to provide documents in a case related to its Chi Alpha college ministry. The denomination has been accused of allowing a convicted sexual predator to continue serving with college students. We’ll have details.

Plus, anti-trafficking group Unlikely Heroes has been accused of misusing a $100,000 grant—the private foundation who issued the grant has just acquired the ministry’s assets after Unlikely Heroes filed for bankruptcy. We’ll take a look.

And, anti-gambling groups led by church leaders succeed in blocking a casino from opening in its Arkansas community. It accomplished that by partnering with another nearby casino who was motivated by a desire to limit competition.

But first, Charlie Kirk died after being shot at a Utah college event.

Listen here.

ECFA Changes

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

REMOVALS:

Forest Springs Camp and Conference Center (Westboro, WI)

Least of These Carolinas (Gastonia, NC)

Timberline Church (Fort Collins, CO)

BCS Together (Bryan, TX)

The Solomon Foundation (Parker, CO)

Mission Next (The Villages, FL)

Village View Community Church (Summerfield, FL)

The King’s Academy (Summerfield, FL)

ADDITIONS

Hands Embracing All Lands (H.E.A.L.) (Franklin, TN)

Calvary Road Ministries (Houston, TX)

Refuge International (Louisville, KY)

The LifeGuard Group (Missoula, MT)

Shades Mountain Baptist Church (Birmingham, AL)

Jesus and Science Foundation (Houston, TX)

Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary (Owensboro, KY)

Harbor Network (Louisville, KY)

Oaks International (Wheaton, IL)

James Project International (Ozark, MO)

Dallas Christian Women’s Job Corps (Dallas, TX)

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.