MinistryWatch Podcast

In today’s secular, post-modern world, many Americans – even Christians – have settled for a transactional relationship with leaders in church, in government, and in our civic institutions. If those leaders give us what we want, when we want it, that’s all we ask of them. But Marvin Olasky believes that character matters when it comes to leadership. He has studied great leaders in American history...

On today’s program, Calvin University’s president resigns after allegations of misconduct surface. We’ll have details. Also, T.D. Jakes Foundation announces $9 million in grants—we’ll take a look at the recipients, plus take a deeper dive into some of T.D. Jakes other business ventures. And, A-I in the pulpit. As technology advances, pastors are faced with new opportunities…and ethical considerati...

Today I welcome back to the program Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Joining Amy is Al Fadi, who is helping to lead a bible translation project that we have been talking about for a couple of years here at MinistryWatch. More than two y...

On today’s program, SBC leaders met this week in Nashville and announced some significant decisions. We’ll have details.  Plus, a joint report from some big ministries details how persecution against Christians in Iran continues to worsen. We’ll take a look. And, our quarterly list of books worth noting. We begin today with news that the SBC is starting a new nonprofit. Leaders of the Southern Bap...

On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we’re re-airing an episode featuring an interview I had with Theresa Lynn Sidebotham.  She’s an attorney and the author of a new book Handling Allegations In A Ministry:  Responses and Investigations. It’s not clear to me that we are seeing more incidents of sexual abuse in the church than in years past.  But I think it is fair to say that more stories are s...

On today’s program, Worship Pastor Aaron Ivey—husband of popular podcaster Jamie Ivey—was fired from his church after they found evidence of explicit text messages with other men, at least one of whom was a minor. We’ll have details. Also, Abilene Christian University in Texas recently reviewed its sexuality policy in response to pushback from students and alumni…and they came back with a decision...

On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, Warren Smith remembers Joel Belz, who died on Feb. 4. His legacy includes his significant impact on MinistryWatch itself. The producers for today’s program are Jeff McIntosh and Rich Roszel. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee face two new lawsuits. Also, big ministries often partner with Christian music artists to encourage child sponsorship, but where does the money really go? And we have results from our January survey of ministry executives. It appears that a changing of the guard is underway. We begin today with news th...

Naghmeh Abedini Panahi first made national news when she publicly advocated for the release of her then husband Saeed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for his Christian faith. The story of “Pastor Saeed” became a global cause celebre , and Naghmeh was its primary spokesperson. But all was not well with Saeed and Naghmeh. When she finally revealed that she had endured years-long domestic abuse b...

On today’s program, one of the big healthcare sharing ministries is suing New Mexico. We’ll have details. Plus, popular pastor Alistair Begg—whose radio program was dropped by American Family Radio last week—is standing by his advice about attending an LGBTQ wedding. We’ll explain.  And, the deadline for churches to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church has passed…and the results are in. W...

Brant Hansen has been a friend of MinistryWatch for a few years now. We’ve had him on the show before to talk about his previous books, and about some of the crazy things going on in Christian radio that we cover here at MinistryWatch. He has a new book out, and I think you’ll find it humorous and helpful – and perhaps even a bit of a “palate cleanser” to go with some of the stories we report on h...

On today’s program, another Chi Alpha leader is out at the Assemblies of God college campus ministry. He was director over the regions where convicted sex offender Daniel Savala had access to students. We’ll have details. Joel Osteen is brought to tears during a Sunday service as he announces that his Houston church has paid off a 100-million dollar loan. Also, churches face fines for sheltering t...

On today’s episode, I would like to tell you a story. It’s the story of a lunch meeting I had 15 years ago with Mark Dever and Garrett Kell. The lessons I learned that day are lessons that continue to resonate with me and are lessons I believe the church needs to learn. On today’s program I mentioned that Garrett Kell’s daughter Eden is facing severe health challenges. To find out more, please cli...

On today’s program, Doug Wilson—the pastor who leads what some call a Reformed religious empire in Moscow, Idaho—has hired a law firm to protect himself and his organizations from defamation. We’ll have details. Also, Bishop T.D. Jakes has recently been the subject of scandalous rumors—but that hasn’t stopped him from preaching at the annual Maryland revival meetings where he’s been a guest speake...

This week MinistryWatch President Warren Smith walks you through some of the recent changes we’ve made to the MinistryWatch website, and why we think these changes will help us serve you better. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Casey Sudduth, Kim Roberts, Christina Darnell, Rod Pitzer, Stephen DuBarr...

On today’s program, one of the early members of the influential Acts 29 church planting network is leaving – and going public with its reasons.  Grand Canyon University, now the nation’s largest Christian college, faces new legal challenges. And we remember Donald Wildmon, the founder of the American Family Association, who recently died at age 85. We begin today with news that the shakeup at the...

MinistryWatch’s annual lists of highly paid executives (one for Christian ministries and one for colleges and universities ), just published, are among our most read posts of the year. They also generate the most questions and comments. I’m going to take this EXTRA episode to answer some of these questions, and to ask a few of my own. You can find Kim Roberts’ article about Glory of Zion here . We...

On today’s program, the Southern Baptist Convention settles over a sexual abuse lawsuit against influential leader Paul Pressler.  Also, right before Christmas, the International House of Prayer officially cut ties with legendary founder Mike Bickle. We have details of Taylor University’s $30 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to revitalize its local community. And we also unveil our list of t...

Are we restoring our fallen pastors and ministry leaders too quickly?  MinistryWatch’s Warren Smith things the answer to that question is “yes,” and he explains what he believes are the necessary – and biblical – steps for restoration. To read more on what he has written on this topic, click here .

On today’s program, we take a look at the top 10 stories of the year from MinistryWatch. This list is based purely the number of page views, so in a very real sense, you could say that our readers compiled this list. However, for purposes of this podcast, I’m going to tweak with the list a bit. If you look strictly at the page views of individual stories, you get an interesting picture, but not a...

On today’s program, a bizarre story out of Haiti. Haitian gangs are using churches to smuggle arms into the country.  We’ll explain how that scheme works. And a church in Alabama has to pay back nearly a half-million dollars given to it a decade ago because the man who gave the gift has now declared bankruptcy. And this church is not alone. We’ll have details. Later in the program, we look at the...

Dr. Russell Moore is editor in chief of “Christianity Today” and previously served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Today we discuss his new book Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call For Evangelical America.” The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh. We get database, technical, editorial, and other support from Ch...

On today’s program, Brian Houston of Hillsong infamy is starting a new church. We ask:  is it too soon?  Also on today’s program: Mike Bickle of the International House of Prayer Kansas City has apologized for past behaviors, sort of. We also have an update on the lawsuit against prosperity gospel preacher David Taylor. We finally have a court date. Finally, American Life League has published a li...

On today’s MinistryWatch EXTRA episode, we have Tim Alberta. Tim writes for The Atlantic and is the author of a new book that I think will likely cause shock waves in the public conversation about evangelicalism and its relationship to politics. FINAL THOUGHTS: Thanks to Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh for producing today’s program. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, former Hillsong Atlanta pastors announce their divorce on social media. We’ll have details. And a judge rules that World Vision is liable for discrimination after rescinding a job offer after discovering a woman was in a same-sex marriage. Plus, both David C Cook and Museum of the Bible announce new CEOs. We’ll take a look. We begin today with news that the historic Tenth Presb...