MinistryWatch Podcast

Warren Smith and Natasha Smith
  • 4.7 (127)
  • NEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Transparency and accountability are vital to the renewal of the evangelical church in America. Hosts Warren Smith and Natasha Smith highlight the top stories of the week from the unique MinistryWatch perspective and give you a peek behind the curtain to show why and how we do the investigations we do.

  1. 1D AGO

    Ep. 559: I Have Seen The Future of Missions – Bring It On

    Two weeks ago, I was in Silicon Valley, in the San Francisco Bay area of California, to attend a meeting about artificial intelligence and missions. I entered the meeting with a lot of questions, and some of those questions remain – plus a few new ones. But I also got a lot of answers, and I’m excited about what the future holds. Give a listen, and I think you will be too. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

    11 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Ep. 558: ELCA Sues Member Congregation, Preventing Financial Fraud, Agape Flights, BSF Moves HQ

    On today’s program, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America has sued a small church in California for legal title to its property—but that small church is fighting back. We’ll have details.  And, a hacker drained $85,000 from an Oklahoma church’s bank account. Then in North Dakota, a woman was indicted for stealing over $600,000 from a church she worked at. Both cases highlight why ordinary access to church finances can equal extraordinary losses—and the need for tightening protocols. Also, six months ago, Barnabas Aid came under scrutiny for accusations of financial mismanagement. Now, under new leadership, the ministry is working hard to turn things around. Plus, Bible Study Fellowship prepares its new headquarters in Grapevine, Texas. But first, Agape Flights, a Christian aviation ministry, lost contact with one of its planes last Thursday. The next day, search and rescue teams found the plane crashed in the Haitian mountains. No one on board survived the crash. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Scott Barkley, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

    29 min

  3. 6D AGO

    Ep. 557: To Invent is Divine – A Discussion of Creativity and Property Rights

    If you have studied what it means to have a Christian worldview or – for that matter – you have just studied the Bible, you know that it all begins with the creation story. “In the beginning, God created.” And if we are made in God’s image, that means we are creative, too, and a part of our maturity in Christ is to more fully live into that mandate to be creators. And I don’t just mean what some call “creative” professions, such as music, literature, and other arts. I mean woodworkers, homemakers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and plumbers. We are hearing more talk about creativity in recent years. Sometimes it takes the form of organizations committed to Christians and the arts. The Rabbit Room, co-founded by Andrew Peterson is an example. The International Arts Movement, founded by Makoto Fujimura is another. Andy Crouch’s work with Praxis also comes to mind. But I have never heard anyone approach this topic in quite the way my guest today, Jim Edwards, has. His book “To Invent is Divine” examines human creativity as it relates to property rights – all within the framework of a Judeo-Christian principles of stewardship and ownership. He looks at America’s patent system and how laws protecting intellectual property have encouraged creativity. He is also concerned, however, that those laws are eroding and the principles of intellectual property protection are weakening in an era of artificial intelligence. Jim Edwards has a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. He has had a long career in public policy and intellectual property consulting. He was a Lincoln Fellow at the Claremont Institute, and in 2017 was honored with the Eagle Award from the Eagle Forum’s Education and Legal Defense Fund. I had this conversation with Jim via zoom. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

    39 min

  4. FEB 6

    Ep. 556: Waterstone Sued over DAF, “He Gets Us” is Back for Super Bowl

    On today’s program, WaterStone is being sued by a client who claims that the donor-advised fund cut him off from his family’s account. The results of this case could have larger implications for the rights of donors and other donor advised funds. We’ll have details. Also, the ‘He Gets Us’ Campaign is back for the 2026 Super Bowl—but under new leadership, this year’s ad is less political, more personal. We’ll take a look. And, a new study shows that American donors think they’re a whole lot more generous than they actually are. Plus, the Christian Broadcasting Network announced job cuts this week as part of a larger ‘workforce realignment.’ But first, The president of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod was arrested last week for child pornography.  The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Bob Smietana, Isaac Wood, Marci Seither, Stacey Horton, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.

    31 min

  5. JAN 30

    Ep. 555: Royal Rangers Face Scrutiny, Following the Passion Conference Money Trail, March for Life

    On today’s program, a report reveals past sexual abuse among the Christian scouting program, the Royal Rangers. Now, the Assemblies of God—who heads up the group—is being criticized for not providing adequate safeguards. We’ll have details. And, the popular Passion Conference attracted some 60-thousand young people to its flagship event earlier this month, bringing in millions of dollars —but a deep dive into the ministry’s financials shows a lack of transparency in how that money is being used. We’ll take a look. Plus, one week ago, tens of thousands of pro-lifers flooded the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the 2026 March for Life. But just how unified is the pro-life movement? We’ll try to answer that question. But first, the Jesus Film has become one of the most widely viewed films ever, having been used by missionaries for decades to share the gospel. Now, the Jesus Film Project is shifting away from in-person relationships and is focusing on digital products.  The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Isaac Wood, Kim Roberts, Stacey Horton, Diana Chandler, Jessica Eturralde, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Christina Darnell. A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

    30 min

  6. JAN 28

    Ep. 554: How Does Christianity Grow?

    This is a question that should be vital for Christians, especially since the Great Commission makes growing Christianity one of most important concerns. But do we really know? In today’s episode, Warren Smith says we know the answer to this question. It’s hiding in plain sight. It is this:  The church grows when we are fruitful and multiply, and when we raise our children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It really is as simple as that. To read a script of today’s podcast episode, click here.

    11 min

  7. JAN 23

    Ep. 553: Cities Church in Minneapolis, Explaining Family Offices, and Apologia Church Sues Former Member

    On today’s program, Cities Church in Minneapolis is considering legal options after protestors stormed its church service Sunday in response to the government’s immigration measures in the city. We’ll have details. And, philanthropists are turning to family offices to manage their wealth—but what are they, why have they grown so much in the past decade, and how will it impact ministries? We’ll take a look.  Plus, Missouri passed a law to hold boarding schools accountable after several were shut down over allegations of neglect and abuse. Now, another ministry is fighting that law, saying its broad requirements are infringing on its religious freedom. But first, Apologia Church in Arizona is suing a former member for defamation. The former member made videos, claiming church leadership mishandled confidential marriage counseling information. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Bob Smietana, Jessica Eturralde, Kim Roberts, Tony Mator, Christina Darnell, and Warren Smith. You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.

    30 min

  8. JAN 22

    Ep. 552: A Conversation with GRACE’s New President Laura Thien Organization fights sexual abuse in the church

    If you have been a reader of MinistryWatch over the years, you probably know about GRACE. GRACE is an acronym that stands for Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments. GRACE is also a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing, addressing, and responding to abuse within Christian institutions. Founded to support survivors and promote accountability, GRACE provides independent investigations, consulting, training, and educational resources for churches, schools, ministries, and nonprofit organizations. Its work emphasizes trauma-informed care, best practices for safeguarding, and ethical leadership. By combining professional expertise with a survivor-centered approach, GRACE seeks to help Christian organizations confront abuse honestly, care well for victims, and create safer environments that reflect integrity, transparency, and respect for human dignity. We have used GRACE resources often in our work here at MinistryWatch. Now, GRACE has a new president. The former president, Pete Singer, who has been a guest of this program, died last May, and after a nationwide search, the group named a new president, Laura Thien, who is my guest today. Laura Thien brings more than eighteen years of service to survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, and other trauma—experience that spans work in adoptions, clinical practice, and victim advocacy, and non-profit Board leadership. For many years, she provided support and treatment for survivors of sexual trauma at Julie Valentine Center, a community-based sexual trauma recovery center and CAC (Child Advocacy Center) in Greenville, SC. Laura has a distinguished history of non-profit board leadership, having served as Chairperson for the board of directors for GRACE, Julie Valentine Center, and the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Advisory Board. She has also served on the board of directors of the South Carolina Network of Child Advocacy Centers. The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.

    35 min
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About

Transparency and accountability are vital to the renewal of the evangelical church in America. Hosts Warren Smith and Natasha Smith highlight the top stories of the week from the unique MinistryWatch perspective and give you a peek behind the curtain to show why and how we do the investigations we do.

Information

  • Creator
    Warren Smith and Natasha Smith
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © MinistryWatch
  • Show Website
    MinistryWatch Podcast

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