WEEKLY REVIEW: Database Changes, Podcast Highlights & More
Downgrades for Asbury Seminary, Pioneers; Upgrades for TrailLife USA, Alliance Defending Freedom
Before we get started, please let me say a hearty “thank you” to those of you who contributed to our year-end giving campaign. We had a goal of $135,000. We’re still getting checks in the mail, so I don’t have a final number, but we have so far exceeded $170,000 – far beyond my wildest dreams. Again, thanks. 
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 Downgrades:
Aglow International (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 62)
Americans United for Life (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 57)
Asbury Theological Seminary (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)
BCM International (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 50)
Blessings International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)
Concordia University – Seward, NE (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 53)
Dare 2 Share Ministries (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Eastern Mennonite Missions (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 51)
Family Talk / Dr. James Dobson Family Institute (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 93 to 73)
Hope International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)
Motor Racing Outreach (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)
New Life Center / Fargo Union Mission (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)
New Orleans Mission (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 66)
Oklahoma Christian University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 75)
Paul Anderson Youth Home Inc. (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)
Pennsylvania Family Institute (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)
Pioneers (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 68 to 48)
Project PATCH (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 78 to 58)
Rapha International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 94 to 74)
RealOptions Obria Medical Clinics (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 92)
Rockford Rescue Mission (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 78 to 76)
Score International (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)
Show-Me Christian Youth Home (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 98 to 78)
SonSet Solutions (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 73)
Southern Wesleyan University (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 48 to 28)
Sozo Children (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)
Terri Savelle Foy Ministries Inc (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: F, DCS: 14)
The Mentoring Alliance (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 71)
The Movement Foundation Inc. (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 33 to 13)
Trinity Broadcasting Network / TBN (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 45 to 25)
Trinity Forum, Inc. (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)
Urban Impact Foundation (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)
WaterStone Support Foundation Inc (Down 4 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)
Ministries with Upgrades
Alfalit International, Inc. (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 90)
Alliance Defending Freedom (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 78)
Austin Disaster Relief Network (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Bushnell University (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 95)
Cadence International (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Care Net Pregnancy Center of Central Texas (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)
Chattanooga Christian Community Foundation / The Generosity Trust (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 53 to 73)
Christian Community Foundation of Memphis and the Mid South Inc (Up 2 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 51 to 71)
Compassion International, Inc. (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 53 to 73)
Elim Bible Institute & College (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 48 to 53)
Family Radio / Family Stations, Inc. (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 48)
Far East Broadcasting Company, Inc. (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
FIVE18 Family Services (formerly Patrick Henry Family Services) (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 92)
Helps Ministries (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 53)
Horizon International (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 78 to 98)
InterFACE Ministries, Inc. / IFACE (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 92)
International Students Inc. (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 55)
LeTourneau University (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up C to A, DCS: 95)
Ministries of Jesus (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)
National Christian Charitable Foundation Inc (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Olympia Union Gospel Mission (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 76)
Phoenix Rescue Mission (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 80 to 100)
Trail Life USA (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 80 to 100)
Training Leaders International (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 93)
Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, Inc. (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 73)
Youth for Christ USA, Inc. (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 95)
On The MinistryWatch Podcast
Scandal Plagued Orange Merges, Sean Feucht Ministries, John MacArthur Health Update
On today’s program, Orange—a church curriculum publisher who faced its share of scandal last year—announces plans to merge with another organization. We’ll have details.
Also, an Atlanta Church gives $100 million to missions. We’ll take a look.
And, Sean Feucht Ministries’ transparency grade drops to an “F”—and its Donor Confidence Score plunges to a 21…out of 100.
But first, Grace Community Church responds to rumors that pastor John MacArthur is on the verge of death. California megachurch pastor and author John MacArthur remains in the hospital undergoing tests as he recovers from a difficult year of health issues, including a heart-valve replacement. On Sunday, Grace Community Church elder updated the congregation, where MacArthur has pastored since 1969.
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.
ADDITIONS: Wells of Life (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), Open Doors US (Bridgeville, Penn.), Midwest Food Bank NFP (Normal, Ill.),
REMOVALS: None
Advice About Giving
Hurricane Helene Giving. Western North Carolina is slowly recovering, but it will need help for months if not years ahead. We have compiled a list of ministries working in Hurricane Helene-affected areas. We’ve also included some tips for making decisions about how and where you should give. To see this article, click here.
To see our complete coverage of Hurricane Helene relief efforts, click here.
Ukraine Giving. If you want to give specifically to ministries working in and near Ukraine, click here. We posted this link before, but we’ve added a few new ministries recently.
Israel Giving. We have compiled a list of ministries working in Israel that we recommend. You will also find some ministries working there that we do NOT recommend. You can find the list here.
Salary Data Now In MinistryWatch Database
We now have salary information for 4,000 executives in our database posted in our profiles. So check out this new addition by clicking on the red button at the top of this page, or here. That takes you to our database. The search engine is right there, and you can type in the name of a ministry you’re interested in and our profile will pop right up – now, with compensation information for the top executives.
If you’d like to see who the highest paid executives are, take a look at our recently published lists of 2025 Highly Paid Ministry Executives and Highly Paid Christian College and University Executives. (This is the 2024 list. Our 2025 list will be published next week.)
A Guide To Giving For Disaster Relief. When disaster hits, Christians give. But where they give can make a big difference? Which organizations are most effective in these post-disaster situations? MinistryWatch has published a list of organizations that are doing relief work and which have an “A” Transparency Grade and a 3-, 4-, or 5-star rating for Financial Efficiency. It’s a list of about 30 ministries, and you can find it on the front page of our website. I’ll also include a link in the show notes to this program. Link to list HERE.
About MinistryWatch
Just a quick reminder that we are now less than two weeks of the end of the year, so take a quick look at our annual list of Shining Lights and make them a part of your year-end giving plan. These are ministries that scored the highest possible ratings in all three categories MinistryWatch evaluates: Transparency, Financial Efficiency, and Donor Confidence. We hope you will use this list of the “best of the best” ministries as your year-end giving guide. You can find the list here.
I also wanted to warn you about so-called “matching” or “challenge” gifts that a lot of ministries use at year-end to try to get you to donate. Matching and challenge gifts can be used ethically, but they are often tools to create a false sense of urgency. These offers to match or double your gift should not keep you from doing your own careful research into that ministry. To read more about matching and challenge gifts, click here.
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 my desk, 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 I 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 new, short (3.5 minutes) video that explains what we do here at MinistryWatch, and why. If you’re new to MinistryWatch, I hope you’ll check it out. To find it, click here
