WEEKLY REVIEW: Snapshot of Top Ministry Happenings From This Past Week

Downgrades for Hillsdale College, IF:Gathering; Upgrades for Biola University, Voice of the Martyrs

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:

50 Largest Foreign Missions Organizations

By Kim Roberts. The total revenue for all 50 organizations exceeds $1.1 billion. The largest organization is Pioneers with $88.8 million in revenue and the smallest is International Care Ministries with just over $8 million in revenue. None of the five largest ministries on the list — Pioneers, Ethnos360, OneHope, Reliant Mission, and Frontiers — filed a Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service. 

Elder Team Recommends Dr. Michael Brown Resume Public Ministry

By Kim Roberts. A group of Christian leaders comprising an “elder accountability team” recommended that Line of Fire’s Dr. Michael Brown be released to resume his public ministry from which he has refrained since November. The team also expressed concerns about the Firefly investigation report into accusations against Brown that “concluded that Brown’s actions toward the two females were inappropriate and unacceptable for his leadership position within the ministry.”

Ethnos 360 Sued by Alleged Abuse Victim

By Kim Roberts. Ethnos360, one of the largest missionary agencies in the country, has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia. Kayla McClain, 25, claims she was abused by an Ethnos360 missionary, Nate Horling, between 2005 and 2010.

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 upgraded ratings:

Advancing Native Missions (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Up C to A, DCS: 80)

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

Appalachian Bible College (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Up 67 to 69)

Refrains from use of NDAs.

Biola University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 61 to 71)

Free of lawsuits filed against organization for past 5 years.

Blessings International (Up 2 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 80 to 100)

Now in top 60% for financial transparency in Relief & Development sector, also raising donor confidence score by 20 points.

Buckner International / Buckner Children and Family Services (Up 1 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 73)

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

Dignity Freedom Network (0 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 37 to 52)

Board composed of between 5-11 members, and is limited to no more than 2 non-independent members.

Faith Builders Educational Programs (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 98 to 100)

Meets all qualifications for donor confidence in MinistryWatch database.

GoServ Global (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 90 to 95)

Board comprised of between 5-11 members.  

Heaven’s Family (Up 3 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 100)

Now in top 40% for financial transparency in Community Development sector.

Safe Families for Children (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Up 90 to 95)

Board comprised of between 5-11 members.

The Voice of the Martyrs / VOM (N/A Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Up 48 to 53)

Board comprised of between 5-11 members.

Ministries with downgraded ratings:

Concordia University – Mequon, WI (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 68 to 66)

Uses NDAs, and does not require employees to sign statement of faith upon hiring.

Concordia University – Seward, NE (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 53 to 51)

Now in bottom 20% for financial transparency in Colleges/Universities sector; also, does not require employees to sign statement of faith upon hiring.

Corban University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 73 to 71)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Dallas Leadership Foundation (Down 4 to 3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: 90)

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

Evangel University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 63 to 61)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Faulkner University (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 61 to 59)

Does not make audited financials available on website, and does not require employees to sign statement of faith upon hiring.

George Fox University (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 73 to 71)

Does not make audited financials available on website, and does not require employees to sign statement of faith upon hiring.

Hardin-Simmons University (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 48 to 46)

Does not make audited financials available on website, and does not require employees to sign statement of faith upon hiring.

Hillsdale College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 30 to 28)

Does not make audited financials available on website; CEO/president’s compensation is not within one standard deviation of median compensation. 

HOPE South Florida (5 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 97 to 95)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

HopeKids (Down 5 to 4 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 97)

Now in top 40% for financial transparency (down from 20%) in Community Development sector.

IF:Gathering (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 75)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

John Brown University (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: C, DCS: Down 93 to 91)

Does not make audited financials available on website; has faced public accusations of misdeeds in past 5 years.

Lee University (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: D, DCS: Down 55 to 53)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Medical Ambassadors International (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)

Now in bottom 20% for financial transparency in Community Development sector.

Minnesota Teen Challenge, dba MN Adult & Teen Challenge (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 73)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Paxton Ministries (Down 3 to 2 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 95 to 75)

Now in bottom 40% for financial transparency in Community Development sector, also dropping donor confidence score by 20 points.

The Antioch Partners (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: Down 100 to 95)

Board is not comprised of between 5-11 members.

Toccoa Falls College (3 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to D, DCS: 95)

Not ECFA member; Does not make audited financials available on website.

Trinity International University (2 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 53)

Not ECFA member; Does not make audited financials available on website.

Truth For Life (4 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down A to C, DCS: 100)

Does not make audited financials available on website.

Water for Good (Down 2 to 1 Stars, Transparency Grade: A, DCS: 80)

Now in bottom 20% for financial transparency in Relief & Development sector.

Wheaton College (1 Stars, Transparency Grade: Down C to D, DCS: 59)

Not ECFA member; Does not make audited financials available on website.

On The MinistryWatch Podcast

Cross Timbers Church, Evangelical Leaders Petition Trump, Donations Increase While Donors Decline

On today’s program, Milestone Church in North Texas announced this week it is expanding its campuses by absorbing Cross Timbers Church in nearby Argyle. Cross Timbers has faced a series of challenges in the past year, including the forced resignation of its senior pastor. We’ll have details.

Plus, prominent evangelical leaders petition President Trump to allow Afghan refugees to remain in the U.S. Refugees face arrest, torture, and possibly death by the Taliban if deported back to Afghanistan. We’ll take a look.

And, a new survey shows the number of donors continued to drop in 2024…but revenue from overall donations rose.

But first, Ethnos 360—one of the largest missionary agencies in the country—has been sued by a child of missionaries who says she was abused while her parents served in Indonesia.

Listen here.

ECFA Changes

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

ADDITIONS:

Institute for Shelter Care (Lagrange, KY)

REMOVALS:

 John 4 Management (Louisville, KY)

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.

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.