WEEKLY REVIEW: Snapshot of Top Ministry Happenings From This Past Week
Upgrades for Missionary Athletes International and Moody Bible Institute; Downgrades for Focus on the Family and Kids for the Kingdom
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:
Paula White’s Passover Promises
By Kim Roberts. Paula White, televangelist and spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump, has suggested to donors who give at least $1,000 to her ministry between April 12 and 20 that God will release seven supernatural blessings upon them. “[W]hen you honor God on Passover…you can receive these seven supernatural blessings, for you and your house, according to Exodus 23,” White said in a video.
Judge Rules Against Former SBC President Johnny Hunt in Guidepost Defamation Suit
By Bob Smietana. A federal judge ruled against former Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt on Monday (March 31), rejecting his claims of defamation against Guidepost Solutions and nearly all the former megachurch pastor’s claims against the Southern Baptist Convention and its Executive Committee. Judge William Campbell of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee issued an order granting summary judgment in the case; his opinion followed a day later.
Christian Broadcasters Clash With Automakers Over Radio Bill
By Tony Mator. Ever since the repeal of the FCC’s Fairness Doctrine in the 1980s, AM radio has maintained a reputation as the domain of free market capitalist advocacy. But now that automakers such as Ford and Tesla have been removing AM radios from some new models, many groups are fighting to save the format through government regulation. Their solution, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, has found broad support in the Christian broadcasting world, including endorsements from the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) and Salem Media Group.
Here’s what else is new at MinistryWatch this week.
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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:
Family Life Ministries (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 78 to 98)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector, also raising donor confidence score by 20 points.
JAARS (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 77)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Bible Translation Organizations sector.
Middle East Bible Outreach (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 91)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.
Missionary Athletes International (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Fellowship Evangelism sector.
Moody Bible Institute (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up C to A, DCS: 75)
Files Form 990 with IRS, is member of ECFA, and makes audited financials available on its website.
New Orleans Mission (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 66)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.
Olympia Union Gospel Mission (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 76)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.
Score International (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 75 to 95)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector, also raising donor confidence score by 20 points.
Southern Wesleyan University (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 28 to 48)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector, also raising donor confidence score by 20 points.
The Mentoring Alliance (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 71)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.
Youth Haven (Up 4 to 5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 92)
Now in top 20% for financial efficiency in Camps/Conference Centers sector.
Ministries with downgraded ratings:
First Liberty Institute (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 93)
Focus on the Family (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector.
Forge (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Christian Growth sector.
Friends University (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 73)
Now in top 40% for financial efficiency in Colleges/Universities sector.
Go To Nations (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 48)
Does not file Form 990 with IRS/make Form 990 available to public, and does not make audited financials available on its website.
Good News Communications Inc / MOVIEGUIDE (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: 55)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Educational Media sector.
Gordon College (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 73 to 71)
Great Lakes Christian College (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 88)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
Kent School Corporation (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 46 to 44)
Kids for the Kingdom (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.
Kokomo Rescue Mission (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 90 to 70)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters sector, also dropping its donor confidence score by 20 points.
Mennonite Brethren Homes, dba Palm Village Retirement Community (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Community Development sector.
MissionGO (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 95)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions sector.
ORPHANetwork (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 80)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Adoption/Foster Care sector, also dropping donor confidence score by 20 points.
Project MedSend (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 70)
Does not make audited financials available on website.
Rafiki Foundation (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Foreign Missions 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 Missions/Homeless Shelters sector.
Vision New England (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 73 to 53)
Now in bottom 40% for financial efficiency in Evangelism Support sector, also dropping donor confidence score by 20 points.
Water for Life Haiti (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 75)
Now in bottom 20% for financial efficiency in Relief & Development sector.
Young Life (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 89)
Now in top 60% for financial efficiency in Fellowship Evangelism sector.
On The MinistryWatch Podcast
Johnny Hunt and the SBC, plus Paula White’s Passover Controversy
On today’s program, a judge dismisses all but one of Johnny Hunt’s claims in his defamation case against the Southern Baptist Convention. The SBC has already spent more than $3 million in legal fees on the Hunt case. We’ll have details.
Plus, Paula White is promising donors who give $1,000 to her ministry during Passover week seven “supernatural blessings” from God. MinistryWatch reporter Kim Roberts spoke with a scholar who specializes in the book of Exodus to dig into the Scripture Paula White uses to back her claims.
And, a new report shows that 1 in 12 Christians could be impacted by President Trump’s mass deportation pledge…and a group of evangelical and Catholic leaders hope this and other findings will alert Christians to the plight facing their fellow brothers and sisters.
But first, a judge says a Texas pastor must pay out $124 million to two sisters who say he sexually abused them as children.
ECFA Changes
The following organizations have had membership status changes in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
REMOVALS:
Cornerstone Christian Academy (Philadelphia, PA)
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
