The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a small but mighty denomination. As I have written elsewhere, Anglicanism has the potential to breathe new life into the evangelical movement.
But the denomination is facing challenges on many fronts, some of them self-inflicted. Archbishop Steve Wood, the senior leader of ACNA, has been credibly accused of sexual harassment and other offenses. Another bishop, Stewart Ruch, is currently facing a church trial for his handling of a sex offender in his diocese. Bishop Derek Jones, who has led the military chaplain corps, is now behind a rancorous attempt to leave ACNA and take more than 300 chaplains with him.
All of the current controversies — those involving Archbishop Wood and Bishops Ruch and Jones — have also highlighted the inadequacy of the church’s canons to deal with matters of conflict and discipline. Over the past few years, MinistryWatch has covered several scandals in the denomination, and the process has been tentative and clunky at almost every level.
For example, ACNA first made formal charges against Bishop Stewart Ruch — known as a “presentment” — in December of 2022, three years ago. After many fits and starts (some of which you can read about here), the trial finally took place this week, and we still don’t have a verdict. I have heard from credible sources that the cost of the trial will exceed a million dollars.
 More than a year ago, just before ACNA’s provincial meeting in Latrobe, Penn., I wrote what I think the denomination should do to graduate from organizational adolescence into adulthood.
Those recommendations included:


Make a final decision on women’s ordination.
Eliminate non-geographical dioceses, including Church for the Sake of Others.
Revise and expand the canons of ACNA.
Pick a leader with a strong arm and a velvet touch.
Issue a clear statement on sexual issues.

Perhaps the biggest fumble, though, was ACNA’s selection of a new archbishop. Not only has he proven himself to be not up to the task, he has become a part of the problem. Even if he is found “not guilty” of the presentment against him, the process itself has already been damaging to him and the church. That is why I would add one more recommendation to the list above: Steve Wood should resign as archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America.
There is no way forward for him that doesn’t do further damage to the church. If he is exonerated of the charges in the presentment, many in ACNA who already distrust his leadership and the inadequacy of the canons will cite that exoneration as proof of a rigged system. If he is found guilty, he is unfit to serve.
I continue to believe that ACNA has great promise. The 15 years of its existence — especially when considered in the long arc of church history — is but a moment. Anglicanism offers much to the world, and to evangelicalism in particular.
But it must face this moment with decisiveness and integrity. ACNA faces an existential crisis that grows more acute by the day, and before Anglicanism can save evangelicalism, it must first save itself.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, an Ohio ministry dedicated to addiction recovery is being used for alleged misuse of funds. The Ohio Attorney General says Lamb’s House hasn’t served any charitable purpose since at least 2017. We’ll have details.
Plus, with a growing number of children being diagnosed with autism, churches are developing strategies to make their families more comfortable—and their spaces more accommodating. We’ll take a look.
And, when donors give their money to special programs, they usually expect all their money to be used accordingly. But how much is actually used for overhead costs?
But first, Samaritan’s Purse is set to play a larger role in Gaza aid distribution as the embattled Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is being phased out. The Rev. Franklin Graham confirmed Oct. 25 that Samaritan’s Purse, the international humanitarian relief organization he heads, is ramping up its role in delivering aid to Gaza.
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 Yonat Shimron, Isaac Wood, Stacey Horton, Tony Mator, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

There’s been a lot of talk about revival lately.
On today’s EXTRA episode, Warren Smith asks some important questions: What’s going on in America today? What do the facts say? Also, what are the signs of true revival, and are we seeing those signs in American life.
Here are some links I mentioned in today’s program:
Ryan Burge seems particularly skeptical of a Gen Z revival. In July, he wrote that there was “zero convincing evidence” that Gen Z was returning to religion. He said that 38% of Gen Zers never attend church, compared to 31% of Millennials when they were that age.
Jonathan Edwards wrote about revival: A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections (1746) and The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God (1741).

On today’s program, Federal officials have declined to file charges against Olivet University. The Christian school in California has faced accusations of human labor trafficking and visa fraud—accusations the school denies. We’ll have details.
Plus, both news and scandal from the Anglican church. After the Church of England appointed Sarah Mullaly as its next bishop of Canterbury, another network of Anglican leaders have announced they are cutting ties with Canterbury and laying claim to the Anglican Communion. Just days later the archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, Steve Wood, faces accusations of misconduct.
And, church experts have predicted that 100 thousand churches might close in coming years—we get an update on that number, and ask what it means for churches moving forward.
But first, a Christian campus group wins in court after a Texas law tried to ban ‘expressive activities’ at night.
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, Stacey Horton, Jessica Eturralde, Fredrick Nzwili, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Peter Greer, the CEO of Hope International, started noticing a disturbing trend among his fellow ministry leaders. Too few of them finished their lives and careers well. He observed many of the succumb to moral failure, oversee organizations with substantial financial or governance issues, or have other major problems. He started asking…why? And is it possible to prevent this tendency toward personal and organizational drift.
Many of you probably know his book Mission Drift, which looks at this problem from an organizational perspective. His latest book hits close to home for many of us. It looks at personal drift. But his book How Leaders Lose Their Way, co-written with Jill Heisey, is not just a diagnosis. It also prescribes a cure. In fact, the subtitle of the book And How To Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen To You may be the main reason I wanted to have Peter on the podcast. I can tell you that I personally found this book nourishing, and I would love to see every ministry in the country buy a copy of this book for their CEOs and board members.
Peter Greer is likely no stranger to MinistryWatch listeners and readers. In addition to serving as president and CEO of Hope International, a global, Christ-centered development organization operating in 20 countries, his books on leadership have made him one of my “go to” guys when I want to understand best practices at both the personal and organizational levels.
By the way, I hope you’ll stick around till the end of the program. I’ll share with you how you can get your own copy of this book.
His new book How Leaders Lose Their Way: And How To Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen to You is our donor premium for the month of October. That means that if you make a donation of any size during October, we’ll send you this book as our thank you gift. To make a donation to MinistryWatch, just go to MinistryWatch.com and hit the donate button at the top of the page.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. I’m your host Warren Smith.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, musician Sean Feucht and pastor Rob McCoy are joining forces for The Courageous Christianity Tour in honor of the late Charlie Kirk. Feucht has been accused in recent months of major moral, ethical, and financial failures. We’ll take a look.
Plus, Contemporary Christian Music legend Amy Grant and her family have settled a case over her great-grandfather’s Nashville church. We’ll have details.
And, MinistryWatch each month tracks revenue for some of the largest Christian ministries in the country. A record 10-months of flat revenue could signal rough waters ahead for the economy.
But first, Daniel Akin announced this week his plans to retire from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary after leading the SBC school for 22 years.
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 Yonat Shimron, Kim Roberts, Kathryn Post, Jessica Eturralde, Makella Knowles, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Here at MinistryWatch, we often report on organizations in crisis. One of the things that continues to interest me about these situations is the way Christian organizations respond to these crises. Some of them do a good job of staying in front of the crisis, or at least attempting to do so. But others are either caught by surprise, don’t know what to do, or do the wrong thing. They seem to have forgotten the lessons of the Watergate scandal that happened more than 50 years ago. One of the key lessons from that era has become almost a cliché in the world of journalism and public relations. And that lesson is this: “It ain’t the crime, it’s the cover-up that will get you.”
A case study in how to handle a PR crisis showed up a few months ago when the CEO of the technology company Astronomer was caught at a Coldplay concert with a woman who was not his wife. A “fan cam” video went viral, and the result was that CEO getting fired from his job. The incident ignited a national conversation about morality among leaders, as well as the appropriate way for an organization to handle such a crisis.
Phil Cooke wrote about that. Phil has been on the program before, and he’s become one of my “go to guys” when it comes to ministry leadership issues, especially when they concern media and communications.
Phil Cooke is a working producer who spent many years in Hollywood. He also has a Ph. D. in theology.  He’s the author of a half-dozen books on media and marketing and has been a contributor to Fast Company, Forbes, and The Huffington Post.  He is also a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as well as the Producer’s Guild of America.
Here are some links I promised in today’s program:
For past episodes I’ve done with Phil, click here.
To see Phil’s website, click here.
To read Phil’s article on the Astonomer CEO, click here.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

In October of 1948, Billy Graham and his ministry team — Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea and Grady Wilson — held evangelistic meetings in Modesto, Calif. These men gathered in their spare time to write what Barrows came to call the “Modesto Manifesto.” That document outlined the standards they would follow regarding “financial integrity, sexual morality, publicity, and partnership with the local church.”
However, the organizations led by Billy Graham’s son Franklin recently withdrew from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) because they did not want the ECFA to act as “moral police” for the evangelical world.
In today’s Extra episode, Warren Smith explains why this is a bad idea.
To read a transcript of today’s episode, click here.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Its sister ministry, Samaritan’s Purse, joined soon after. Now, both ministries have voluntarily resigned due to a newly added leadership requirement. We’ll have details.
And, pro-life ministries continue to adjust to a post-Roe world. MinistryWatch senior reporter Kim Roberts took a deep dive into where the pro-life movement stands now.
Plus, the Church of England names its first female Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally. The appointment was ratified by King Charles III last week.
But first, Tony Evans will not be returning to lead his Dallas megachurch after completing a year-long restoration process due to an undisclosed sin.
 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 Adelle Banks, Kim Roberts, Isaac Wood, Greg Teffertiller, Daniel Ritchie, Tony Mator, Danika Kirka, Brian Melley, Yonat Shimron, Barry Bowen, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to The Trinity Foundation for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Canon Press, the publishing arm of Pastor Douglas Wilson’s ministry, made an unsolicited and unsuccessful offer to buy Christianity Today (CT) for $10 million. CT responded by saying the magazine “is not for sale and has never been for sale.”
That has gotten Warren Smith thinking about the dissident right and the role of journalism.
Here is a link I mentioned in today’s program: Warren’s review of the 2024 book “Shepherds for Sale.”

Regular listeners to this podcast, or regular readers of MinistryWatch, know that we have spent a lot of time covering Christian education. The reasons for our coverage are many. Christian colleges are among the largest Christian institutions in the country, taking in billions of dollars each year. Secondly, what happens in Christian colleges and seminaries often directly affects the church. So even if you don’t have kids in college now, or ever, your life and your church will be impacted by what is going on at Christian and secular colleges in this country. Thirdly, higher education – including Christian higher education – is in the midst of a tremendous transition. Demographics, technology, and a national conversation happening now about the value of a college education are all causing Christian colleges to face challenges they have never faced before.
That’s one reason I wanted to talk with Dr. Ed Stetzer. Ed Stetzer is the Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University and Scholar in Residence & Teaching Pastor at Mariners Church. He has planted, revitalized, and pastored churches; trained pastors and church planters on six continents; earned two master’s degrees and two doctorates; and he has written hundreds of articles and a dozen books. More to the point for our conversation today, he helps lead one of the few institutions of Christian higher education that is growing.  I wanted to ask him why, and how, that was happening.
Thanks for tuning in today to my conversation with Ed Stetzer. In addition to all the things I mentioned about Ed at the top of the program, he is also Regional Director for Lausanne North America, is the Editor-in-Chief of Outreach Magazine, and regularly writes for news outlets such as USA Today and CNN.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, an investigation dug into abuse allegations at IHOP-KC—and now a pastoral team charged with making recommendations based on that investigation has determined Mike Bickle is ‘permanently disqualified’ from church office. We’ll take a look.
And, a sexual abuse lawsuit against the missionary agency Ethnos360 has been dismissed.
Plus, remembering Voddie Baucham, who passed away last week.
But first, Camp Mystic has announced plans to partially reopen next summer—and not everyone is happy about it. Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp where 27 campers and counselors died in the July 4 flooding along the Guadalupe River in Texas, has said it plans to host camps next summer.
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, Greg Teffertiller, Daniel Ritchie, Isaac Wood, Bob Smietana, Makella Knowles, and Christina Darnell.
A special thanks to Christian Index for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Paul McNulty has had at least three careers. After graduating from law school, he spent 20 years in public service, rising to the top levels of the U.S. Department of Justice. Then he moved to one of the nation’s – some might say the world’s – top law firms. But service was in his blood, and in 2014 he became president of his alma mater, Grove City College. He has just retired from that position, after an 11 year stint.
At a time when lots of colleges are shutting down, Grove City – under McNulty’s leadership – has thrived. I asked Paul to be on the program today to do a retrospective of his career, and our conversation ranges widely, from his time in government, to the death of his son due to cancer in 2012, and his involvement with Keith and Kristyn Getty and their efforts to bring theologically rich and musically excellent hymns to the modern church.
But the center of our conversation today is a discussion about the challenges facing higher education, and how Christian colleges can meet those challenges.
Paul McNulty spoke to me from his home in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 2015 I sat down with Voddie Baucham and had a wide-ranging conversation. We talked about homeschooling, what it means to be a man, the duties of fatherhood, and Brazilian jui-jitsu!
On today’s podcast, I share with you excerpts of that conversation.
To read an edited transcript of our 2015 conversation, click here.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, St. Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Florida, has refused to reveal the salaries of its pastors—even to its own board of elders. But a new whistleblower report shows that at least three of its pastors receive compensation that’s raising eyebrows. We’ll take a look.
Plus, the use of celebrities to promote causes is not new—but ministries are increasingly turning to social media influencers to tout their missions. We look at their uses—and misuses—plus cautions to consider.
And, former SBC professor David Sills drops his defamation suit against the late Jennifer Lyell, who accused him of sexual abuse before her death this summer. Meanwhile, other SBC-related defendants in the case are seeking summary judgment.
Finally, we’ll have an update on the health of popular speaker Christopher Yuan, who was injured in an accident this week.
But first, military chaplains are attempting to leave the Anglican Church in North America en masse.
 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, Daniel Ritchie, Tony Mator, Diana Chandler, Bob Smietana, Adelle Banks—and you, Warren.
A special thanks to Baptist Press for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

Justin Murff is one of those guys I turn to when I want to sort out what is going on in the world. He has been, or is currently, an Anglican priest, a media executive, and advocate for religious freedom, a former Southern Baptist pastor, and a whole lot more. His innovative work has reshaped how faith communities engage unreached or poorly reached people groups in the digital age.

 

Currently, He is the Canon for Global Affairs to the General Secretary of GAFCON, the global fellowship of confessing Anglicans, which is a network of conservative Anglican provinces from around the world. He is also Canon for the Middle East and North Africa for ACNA, the Anglican Church in North America. On point for our conversation today, Justin also leads the Digital Church Network, helping to create opportunities for people in restricted nations to connect with the body of Christ.

In past lives he has been the Chief Development Officer for the Parental Rights Foundation, and official envoy to the Vatican for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). His passion for bridging cultural divides led him to serve as Executive Director of the MENA Collective, a digital initiative that empowered over 150 ministries across the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan.

I had this conversation with Justin via zoom. He was at his home in Greenville, South Carolina.

The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

 

Christian ministries, especially Christian broadcasters, should pay attention to the Jimmy Kimmel situation. What’s happening to Kimmel now could be happening to Greg Laurie, David Jeremiah, Alistair Begg, Erwin Lutzer, or dozens of other broadcasters in a future administration.
The Wall Street Journal I reference in this episode can be found here.
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh.
Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, an anti-trafficking group based in North Carolina is being accused of exploiting the very women it is supposed to be helping. We’ll take a look.
And, World Vision’s CEO discusses humanitarian work in a post USAID world. We’ll have details.
Plus, factors that are forcing pastors to quit the ministry.
But first, eight leaders at the House of Prayer Christian Church in Georgia have been indicted for fraud and tax charges for defrauding banks through real estate schemes and funneling veterans’ benefits to its seminary. The indictment, unsealed on September 10, revealed that eight men associated with the church were charged with various crimes, including conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and assisting in filing a false tax return.
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, Daniel Ritchie, Makella Knowles, Tony Mator, Stacey Horton, Fiona André, Kenzie James, Aaron Earls—and you, Warren.
A special thanks to The Christian Chronicle and Lifeway Research for contributing material for this week’s podcast.
Until next time, may God bless you.

The death of Charlie Kirk has caused a lot of soul searching by those on the left and the right, as it should. Al Mohler, writing for WORLD, said, “Every generation has its own formative moments. Yesterday is now one of those days.”
Charlie Kirk changed over the years. His near-permanent scowl, perhaps a young man’s attempt to be taken seriously, was replaced with a nearly perpetual smile, and regular outbursts of laughter. You could see in him joy, and compassion. He had the mind and the quick wit to bludgeon opponents, but a close look at his videos from more recent years shows someone who asks more questions than answers. Many of the videos you can find of Charlie on the Internet end with him smiling at an opponent who had just talked himself into a circle.
In a fascinating interview he gave with the Deseret News just weeks before his death, he said, “I could talk about religion all day long.”
The producer for today’s program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

On today’s program, a Texas court is considering sanctions against the South Texas Assemblies of God for refusing to provide documents in a case related to its Chi Alpha college ministry. The denomination has been accused of allowing a convicted sexual predator to continue serving with college students. We’ll have details.
Plus, anti-trafficking group Unlikely Heroes has been accused of misusing a $100-thousand grant—the private foundation who issued the grant has just acquired the ministry’s assets after Unlikely Heroes filed for bankruptcy. We’ll take a look.
And, anti-gambling groups led by church leaders succeeds in blocking a casino from opening in its Arkansas community. It accomplished that by partnering with another nearby casino who was motivated by a desire to limit competition.
But first, Charlie Kirk died after being shot at a Utah college event.
 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, Makella Knowles, Tony Mator, Stacey Horton, and Christina Darnell.
Until next time, may God bless you.