Warren Smith

Charlotte

https://t.co/TqkjsUUjRQ; author of 10 books: Faith-Based Fraud, Restoring All Things, A Lover's Quarrel with the Evangelical Church, Prodigal Press, etc.

Articles

Known Only To God

6 days ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

I went on a road trip this week from my home in Charlotte, N.C., through Nashville to Branson, Mo., where I spoke at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Press Association. From there I drove home through Terre Haute and Indianapolis, Ind., and Beckley, W.Va. In 72 hours, I put in more than 1800 miles. It wasn’t all windshield time.
MinistryWatch Index Fell in April

1 week ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

ANALYSIS–The MinistryWatch Index fell .9 percent in April to 151. The MinistryWatch Index is based on the revenue of 38 large Christian ministries, ministries that represent all of the 21 ministry segments tracked by MinistryWatch. This month’s downward move follows a record five months of flat performance by the Index. The no growth and negative growth of the MinistryWatch Index over the past six months could suggest concern about the future of the economy.
Government Funding for Christian Charter School Is A Bad Idea

1 week ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on April 30, 2025, about whether Oklahoma can operate the nation’s firstfaith-basedcharter school. If the Supreme Court decides their way, St. Isidore of Seville would be a virtual, K-12 school run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa. Charter schools have carved out a small but growing niche in American public education.
Ep. 362: Dr. Michael Brown, Wycliffe Bible Translators, TD Jakes, and More

1 week ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith |NATASHA SMITH

On today’s program, a team of elders is recommending Dr. Michael Brown return to public ministry in spite of a recent report concluding that he engaged in sexual misconduct. We’ll have details. And, the Presbyterian Church USA—historically, very involved in evangelistic efforts—is now closing its missions agency. Theologians say they are not surprised given the denomination’s leftward drift.
Ep. 461: Dordt University’s Aaron Baart on “Missions Upside Down”

2 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith |NATASHA SMITH

In the Great Commission of Matthew 28, Jesus plainly told his disciples to go to all parts of the world and make disciples. And for 2000 years, Christians have done that, and God has blessed that work. Today, mature Christian believers on every continent in the world. That’s why some Christian leaders are re-thinking what it means to “go.” My guest today, Aaron Baart, is one of them.
Great Generational Wealth Transfer Underway

2 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

If you don’t live day-to-day in the world of finance or philanthropy, you might not have heard of the Great Generational Wealth Transfer. It’s the notion that in the next 20 or so years, as much as $90 trillion will transfer from the current generation that holds these assets to the next generation. Transferring this money from one generation to the next requires skill if you want the money to be a blessing and not a burden to the next generation.
Ep. 459: Dr. Michael Brown, Bob Jones University, The Salvation Army

2 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

On today’s program, Dr. Michael Brown of The Line of Fire was the subject of an independent investigation late last year. The findings of that report have now been released, allegedly finding that Brown DID engage in misconduct with two women who were not his wife. We’ll have details. And, is Bob Jones University facing closure? The school’s president says no—but alumni aren’t so sure. We’ll take a closer look.
Ep. 458: A Conversation with Centricity’s John Mays

3 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith |NATASHA SMITH

The music industry has been in something of a mess over the past two decades. Digital platforms have come and gone and come again, completely reshaping – and then reshaping again – the economic model of the music industry. The Christian music industry has had to undergo all these changes plus more: the rise of the worship genre, the growth of such radio juggernauts as K-Love and Salem, and the economic pressures these innovations have placed on the rest of the industry to conform or die.
Ep. 457: Thoughts on Effective Compassion and The True Charity Network

4 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith |NATASHA SMITH

Last week, nearly 300 ministry leaders who make up the True Charity Network gathered in Huntsville, Alabama. I was there. On this episode, I discuss what I saw and heard. To learn more about Watered Gardens and James Whitford, click here. Here are some of the checklists – called “Model Action Plans” — published by The True Charity Network. Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe:
When a Church is Not a Church

4 weeks ago | ministrywatch.com | Warren Smith

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in Christianity Today. It is reprinted with permission. Since 2020, more than 80 of the 1,000 largest Christian ministries in the US have asked the Internal Revenue Service to classify them as an “association of churches.” That means the ministries do not file a Form 990, a document that makes public information about revenue, expenses, and executive compensation.