Ep. 99: Josh Duggar, Bethany Christian Services, and Why MinistryWatch Covers “Icky” Stories

05/07/21 • 24 min

On today’s program, reality TV star and former evangelical ministry leader Josh Duggar is arrested on child pornography charges. The latest in the ongoing Jerry Falwell Jr. saga, and news about Donor Advised Funds that you should know – even if you’ve never heard of them before. We begin today with news that Bethany Christian Services has left the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. We also want to mention that “Mission Drift” is our book of the month. This is a classic book about how to keep Christian organizations from drifting away from their core missions. For a gift of any size, we’ll send you a copy of that book as our thanks. Just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page. Also, Warren will host one of the authors of that book, Peter Greer, on a webinar next week, May 12, at 3 pm ET. It’s free, but you do have to register. A registration link is in my daily email. Finally, thanks to those of you who have purchased Warren’s book “Faith-Based Fraud” this week. We debuted at #1 in several Amazon categories. If you don’t have your book yet, you can go to Amazon or your favorite online bookseller and get your copy today. And, after you’ve read it, please write a review. The more reviews we have, the better the book performs in their search algorithms. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Rod Pitzer, Mark Hrywna, Emily Miller, Steve Rabey, Anne Stych, Shannon Cuthrell, and Kim Roberts. Thank you to The NonProfit Times for contributing material to this week’s program. Until next time, may God bless you.

Previous Episode

Ep. 98: A Conversation Stephen Mansfield on Leadership and the “Billy Graham Rule”

These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m delighted to have on the program Stephen Mansfield. Stephen Mansfield has written more than 20 books, but he first came to wide attention in 2003 with his book “The Faith of George W. Bush,” which made the New York Times Bestseller List. His books on Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Winston Churchill have focused on how the faith of leaders impacts and informs their public life. I wanted to have Stephen on the program because of his unique insights into how faith impacts leadership, but in particular, I wanted to talk with him about an essay he wrote in 2019 when Billy Graham died. It was an essay that talked about an important meeting that took place at the beginning of Billy Graham’s career that allowed him to lead a life of integrity, and to finish that life scandal-free. Given the scandals facing the church today, I think it’s a message we need to hear. Stephen Mansfield divides his time between Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. Before we go, I want to remind you that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today. Here at MinistryWatch we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.

Next Episode

Ep. 100 A Conversation with Pete Singer of GRACE: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment

Here at MinistryWatch, we bring you news about Christian ministries, as well as the latest in charity and philanthropy, news that we examine from a Christian worldview perspective. Our goal is to help us become better stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. These mid-week “Extra” episodes are a chance for us to go deep with a particular topic, and today I’m delighted to have on the program Pete Singer. Pete is the executive director of GRACE, which is an acronym for Godly Response To Abuse in the Christian Environment. This is a position he took over in January of this year. Pete has a master’s in social work, and more than 30 years’ experience working with trauma, abuse, and mental health in a variety of settings. He's also married, the father of three children, two of whom are grown, and has one grandchild. Here at MinistryWatch, we have often quoted GRACE, or referred to GRACE reports, in our coverage of Christian ministries. That’s because GRACE has become something of a “gold standard” when it comes to investigating sexual abuse in church and ministry settings, but – and more to the point here today – they also do a great job in helping organizations prevent abuse. I wanted to have Pete Singer on the podcast to talk about both aspects of their work. I want to remind you that my book Faith-Based Fraud is finally available for sale to the public. Last year, we self-published an edition of 500 copies and gave them away to our donors. Thanks to the generosity of many of you, they didn’t last long. That motivated us to find a “real publisher,” Wild Blue Press out of Denver Colorado, and they’re bringing out a hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook version of Faith Based Fraud. The paperback and ebook versions are now available. You can find them by going to Amazon or other online book retailers. I hope you’ll get a copy today. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Steve Gandy. We get database and other technical support from Cathy Goddard, Stephen DuBarry, and Casey Sudduth. I’m Warren Smith, and – until next time – May God bless you.