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:

Amy Grant Settles Case Over Nashville Church Founded by Her Great-Grandfather

By Kim Roberts. Six-time Grammy winner Amy Grant, who gained much of her notoriety through her Christian songs, has agreed to a legal settlement about a church founded by her great-grandfather in downtown Nashville, Tenn., according to the Wall Street Journal.

What Would Billy Say?

By Warren Cole Smith. In October of 1948, Billy Graham and his ministry team — Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson — held evangelistic meetings in Modesto, Calif. These men gathered in their spare time to write what Barrows came to call the “Modesto Manifesto.” That document outlined the standards they would follow regarding “financial integrity, sexual morality, publicity, and partnership with the local church.”

Former AL Pastor Pleads Guilty to Stealing $400K From Church

By Kim Roberts. Adrian Davis, the former lead pastor of All Nations Worship Assembly in Huntsville, Alabama, has been charged and pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges and filing a false tax return, according to WAFF.

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:

FIRE International (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 31)

Present Age Ministries (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 92)

The Ramp (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: F, DCS: 7)

Ministries with upgraded ratings:

All Nations Family (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 53 to 55)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Black Diamond Camps (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 53 to 55)

Makes audited financials available on website.

China Outreach Ministries, Inc.  (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 73 to 80)

Board contains between five and 11 members, and there are at least four independent board members for every non-independent member.

Christian Aid Ministries Foundation (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Makes audited financials available on website.  

Coral Ridge Ministries (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 77)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Denison Ministries (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 50 to 52)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Dynamic Youth Ministries (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 93 to 95)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Eight Days of Hope (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 76 to 78)

Makes audited financials available on website. 

Entrust (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 85 to 95)

Board has no more than two non-independent members.

Good News Jail and Prison Ministry (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 51 to 53)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Grace Adventures (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Healing House Inc.  (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 76 to 78)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Kingdom Advisors (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 95 to 97)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Langham Partnership USA (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 73 to 75)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Paz International (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 50 to 52)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Radical Inc (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 51 to 53)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Three Angels Broadcasting Network Inc.  (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 52)

Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Radio/TV Stations sector.

Words of Hope, Inc.  (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 30 to 32)

Makes audited financials available on website.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Educational Media Foundation (dba K-LOVE and Air 1 Radio) (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 78)

Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Radio/TV Stations sector.

Las Vegas Rescue Mission (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 76 to 56)

Is not a member of the ECFA.

Love Never Fails (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 73)

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

Paxton Ministries (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 75)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

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 donor confidence score by 20 points.

Renewanation (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 96)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Riverside Christian Ministries (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 77)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Sheepgate / Teen Challenge of the Midlands (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 73)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Shelter For Life International Inc.  (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 97 to 75)

Is not a member of the ECFA.

Stoneybrooke Christian Schools (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 98)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Trinity College of Florida (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 75)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Washington University of Virginia  (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 78)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

With God All Things Are Possible / ATP Ministries (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 70)

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

Sean Feucht & Rob McCoy, Amy Grant, Danny Akin Announces Retirement

On this week’s program, musician Sean Feucht and pastor Rob McCoy are joining forces for The Courageous Christianity Tour in honor of the late Charlie Kirk. Feucht has been accused in recent months of major moral, ethical, and financial failures. We’ll take a look.

Plus, Contemporary Christian Music legend Amy Grant and her family have settled a case over her great-grandfather’s Nashville church. We’ll have details.

And, MinistryWatch each month tracks revenue for some of the largest Christian ministries in the country. A record 10-months of flat revenue could signal rough waters ahead for the economy.

But first, Daniel Akin announced this week his plans to retire from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary after leading the SBC school for 22 years.

Listen here.

ECFA Changes

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

ADDITIONS:

Suncoast YFC

Corazón de Esperanza

Helping Hands Pregnancy Center of Sussex County

Ignite Europe (Dallas, TX)

Maksat International (Glendora, CA)

Florida Baptist Foundation (Jacksonville, FL)

Mosaic Center for Spiritual Formation (Houston, TX)

Lifeway Mission International (Antioch, TN)

Sagemont Baptist Church (Houston, TX)

GO&TELL (Dallas, TX)

HarvestNet International (Ephrata, PA)

Allegheny West Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church (Gahanna, OH)

Neighbor the Nations (Pineville, NC)

REMOVALS:

America Prays (Albuquerque, NM)

Iranian Christians International (Colorado Springs, CO)

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.