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MinistryWatch
Formation1998; 26 years ago (1998)
FounderRusty and Carol Leonard[1]
Legal statusNonprofit 501(c)(3)
HeadquartersMatthews, North Carolina
President
Warren Cole Smith
CEO
Rusty Leonard
Websiteministrywatch.com

MinistryWatch is an independent American evangelical Christian organization that evaluates protestant ministries for financial accountability and transparency, and to provide independent advice to individuals considering making donations to these ministries.[2][3]

MinistryWatch posts daily journalism related to Christian ministries at its website.[4] It also has a database of the 1000 largest Christian ministries in the country. That database, called the MinistryWatch 1000, has financial information and ratings for these ministries.[5][6]

Background

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MinistryWatch aims to foster transparency, accountability, and integrity within the Christian ministry sector. It provides investigative reports and "accountability journalism" through its website. Recent investigations by MinistryWatch have exposed irregularities or improprieties at Wycliffe Associates,[7] Liberty University,[8] Kanakuk Kamps,[9] Hillsong,[10] Ankerberg Theological Research Institute,[11] Ravi Zacharias International Ministries,[12] and elsewhere.

MinistryWatch publishes three to five stories every week day on its website. It also has a podcast that publishes two episodes per week. The website had more than three million page views in 2023. The organization maintains a database of approximately 1,000 Christian ministries, containing five years' worth of financial data. This database also includes ratings for financial efficiency and transparency, aiding potential donors in making informed decisions.[5][6]

In addition to its investigative efforts, MinistryWatch publishes bulletins such as the annual "Shining Light Ministries" bulletin, which highlights exemplary ministries,[13] and other "Donor Alerts," which warn of potential fraud or pitfalls that donors may encounter.[14]

Media appearances

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Over the years, MinistryWatch has been featured in both Christian and secular media outlets, solidifying its role as a watchdog for financial practices in the evangelical community. GetReligion called MinistryWatch the "go-to resource for keeping up with evangelical controversies."[15]

MinistryWatch was founded by Howard "Rusty" Leonard and gained national attention when it was featured on ABC News' 20/20 in 2007.[4] The segment focused on various organizations' use of donor funds. Leonard, along with current MinistryWatch president Warren Cole Smith, has continued to appear in prominent media outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR,[16] WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today,[17] Religion News Service,[18] NBC News,[19] and Bloomberg News,[20] discussing issues related to ministry transparency and financial practices.

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MinistryWatch has publicly advocated for reform in the Christian nonprofit sector. Specifically, it advocates that all Christian ministries release their Form 990s to the public.[21] It has also been an outspoken opponent of the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in Christian ministry settings.[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Leadership Team". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ole Oops". Dallas Observer. August 8, 2007. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  3. ^ "About". MinistryWatch. 2008. Archived from the original on 2009-02-14. Retrieved 2008-12-18.
  4. ^ a b "About MinistryWatch". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "MinistryWatch Database". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Darnell, Christina (December 22, 2023). "MinistryWatch Reaches 1000 Ministries in its database". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "Bible Translations". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  8. ^ "Liberty University". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  9. ^ "Kanakuk Kamps". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  10. ^ "Hillsong". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  11. ^ "John Ankerberg". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  12. ^ "Ravi Zacharias". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  13. ^ Smith, Warren Cole (December 1, 2023). "MinistryWatch's 2023 Shining Light Ministries". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  14. ^ "Donor Alerts". MinistryWatch. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  15. ^ Ostling, Richard (June 3, 2020). "MinistryWatch.com is go-to resource for keeping up with evangelical controversies". Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  16. ^ Gjelten, Tom (August 3, 2020). "Religious Groups Received $6-10 Billion In COVID-19 Relief Funds, Hope For More". Retrieved October 30, 2024. An analysis by Ministry Watch, an organization that provides guidance on charitable giving, reported this month that churches and other religious non-profits as a whole received between $6 and $10 billion in PPP funding.
  17. ^ "It's Not "Okay" to Question Ministries–It's Imperative". Christianity Today. September 21, 2022. Retrieved October 30, 2024. Warren Smith, president of MinistryWatch.com, says that there are some red flags that should be considered absolute non-negotiables...
  18. ^ Rabey, Steve (November 23, 2016). "Ministries and money: Christian charities that use your money wisely". Religion News Service. Retrieved October 30, 2024. 'Donors should recognize they have a serious responsibility to give as wisely as they can, as it is not their money they are giving but the Lord's,' said Rusty Leonard, founder and CEO of MinistryWatch, an accountability group.
  19. ^ Schapiro, Rich; Strickler, Laura (December 18, 2022). "'Utter betrayal': Florida pastor accused of Covid scam slammed by ex-associate's son". NBC News. Retrieved October 30, 2024. 'Bad actors will take advantage of the good will that has been built up over generations, and it's important to root them out,' said Warren Smith, president of the evangelical Christian watchdog Ministry Watch.
  20. ^ Cronin, Christine (May 26, 2006). "Seeing the Big Picture on Charities". Bloomberg. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  21. ^ Bowen, Barry (April 10, 2024). "Keeping Secrets from Donors: Investigating the Trend of Evangelical Ministries Hiding Financial Data". Trinity Foundation. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Roberts, Kim (May 13, 2024). "Student Settlement Against Hillsong Falls Apart Due To NDA". Religion Unplugged. Retrieved October 30, 2024.
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