Last month, colleague Bobby Ross Jr. noted the value of MinistryWatch.com for alerting journalists to less than salutary aspects of U.S. ministries, especially in wooly evangelical Protestant and “parachurch” sectors.
Ross cited its recent articles on Wycliffe Associates and David Jeremiah’s ministry. This outlet also provides ratings on organizations and, more positively, info on what groups do what things right.
One such media controversy has been revived with the death of the highly influential evangelical author and speaker Ravi Zacharias. Heartfelt personal tributes came from the likes of Vice President Mike Pence, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and here from prominent New York City Pastor Timothy Keller.
And yet. Coverage in religious media noted problems with his exaggeration of academic credentials and — notably avoided in The New York Times obit — a 2017 legal entanglement involving a married woman in Canada. That case was settled out of court under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), leaving as-yet-unexplained mysteries. (Note this World magazine analysis last October of problems with NDAs.)
MinistryWatch updated matters for the media on Monday. The woman, Lori Anne Thompson — who has backing from celebrated evangelical victim advocate and attorney Rachael Denhollander — is now asking the organization (without actually naming it) to release her from the NDA to answer what she calls “cruel and baseless allegations.”
In its original coverage, MinistryWatch concluded that “a cloud of uncertainty” hovers over the Zacharias ministry. The Guy cannot summarize this complex situation here, but MinistryWatch offers the media a typically careful assessment of what’s known, what’s unknown and why that is important for donors and the wider Christian community.
Here’s a sampling of other recent MinistryWatch articles.
* As with Zacharias, new scrutiny of speaker-author Bryan Loritts raises questions about his academic credentials.
* Broadcasts by the Orlando-based GOD-TV put a focus on tension between U.S. evangelicals and Jews in Israel.
* What has been called the biggest-ever embezzlement of taxpayer funds in Mississippi has a religion angle.
* There’s another dispute involving religious personality David Jang and the related Olivet University and Jubilee World.
* Cameron Strang is back from a leave of absence at Relevant magazine, important for young evangelicals, amid ongoing questions about his leadership style and the organization’s future.
* It’s the 25th anniversary of one of American religion’s worst financial scandals, which especially victimized evangelicals. Have we learned any lessons from the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy fraud?
The group’s website also compiles monthly lists (click here) on what Christian executives get the richest compensation.
MinistryWatch added to its journalistic edge last fall by hiring as president Warren Cole Smith, formerly vice president of the Colson Center, publisher of the Christian newsmagazine World and a marketing executive with PriceWaterhouseCoopers. His latest fund-raising pitch contends that candid coverage and ratings of ministries enhance Christian credibility in the long run and help donors make the best use of their money.
Speaking of which, his organization has an intriguing relationship with the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, formed in 1979 to certify ethical fund-raising standards of its dues-paying member groups. MinistryWatch keeps regular tabs on ministries that ECFA certifies and removes, and operates its own somewhat different rating system on ministries’ transparency and financial efficiency.
As of May 1, ECFA is led by Michael Martin, its former number-two and an attorney and CPA. There would be an interesting news article in what Smith and Martin make of each others’ organizations and why ECFA declines to grant MinistryWatch membership.
If interested, MinistryWatch will send reporters regular e-mails with links to its latest articles. It is a unit of WallWatchers based in Matthews, NC, email info@wallwatchers.org and phone 866-364-9980. ECFA, based in Winchester, Va., can be emailed via its website www.ecfa.org and phoned at (800) 323-9473.
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