DONOR ALERTS ISSUED BY MINISTRY WATCH. We believe that ABC did a good job in gathering information about the various prosperity preachers that donors should know about. The Wall Watchers Web site now praises the financial disclosures, which aren’t required by law and which the Web site says “many other televangelists” refuse to make. Nevertheless, we had urged 20/20 to consider reporting on the worthy ministries as well as the unworthy. “It is kind of ironic,” she says, “I am financially better off doing it this way. Scientology Timeline: Important dates for Scientology, Amish sect leader may be in prison for up to, Police: Pastor Found Dead in Times Square Hotel Had Drugs, Kenya: Thousands pray for pastors to rise from dead, The Christian Porn Website - A Special Report, Of course this makes us doubt God’s existence, Scientologists, Jews, Quakers, flock to give tsunami aid. RichVermillionDotCom. He posts reports online, along with “analysts’ comments” that describe the history, philosophy and outreach programs of each group. Amish sect leader may be in prison for up to, Police: Pastor Found Dead in Times Square Hotel Had Drugs, Scientology Timeline: Important dates for Scientology, Aircraft of televangelist Kenneth Copeland under scrutiny, The Christian Porn Website - A Special Report. Raised a Catholic in suburban Philadelphia, Mr. Leonard, 47 years old, decided to devote his life to Jesus Christ when he was 19, the same year he became a stock broker. Some viewers may have been left with the impression that Mr. Leonard left his employment with Templeton Investment Counsel to devote his full efforts to starting MinistryWatch. Ministry Watch is a program of Wall Watchers.The latter is an Evangelical Christian group whose purpose is to supply the Evangelical community with information "that will lead to increased giving and enhanced ministry accountability." “I know God is speaking to us through her,” Nina Long, 56, said at the Phoenix service. The Meyers say that criticism from outside the ministry prompted the disclosures but decline to credit Wall Watchers. The ministry spent about $107 million in 2005, including $33 million on its missions and outreach programs, its biggest expense. Donors should be informed of those ministries that have failed to display transparency. For instance, as an Amazon Associate Religion News Blog earns from qualifying purchases. Churches are exempt from reporting financial information but ministries organized as 501(c)3s are required by law to turn over their IRS tax returns to anyone who asks for them. “Rusty” Leonard, who has dug up property-tax records and church financial reports. It is a blessing.”. A “Donor Alert” cautions contributors that they should probably be giving their money to somebody else instead. Mr. Leonard now has a database of more than 500 ministries, many of them television evangelists, that provide audited financial statements, lists of financial holdings, and names and salaries of their ministers. Ms. Meyer and her husband run the ministry from a 560-employee office park outside St. Louis. That is one reason why we can provide this service free of charge. There, he managed a $3.5 billion portfolio of client assets. All rights reserved. “Maybe it’s sincere. The claims made about the various preachers mentioned were researched by ABC 20/20. 20/20 reported that Rusty Leonard had a seven figure salary when he worked at Templeton. For instance, as an Amazon Associate Religion News Blog earns from qualifying purchases. Leonard continued, “With so much focus on the nonprofit sector, and questions being raised in many quarters as to whether or not funds are being used for the charitable purposes for which they are designated, it is more important than ever that those wishing to help the victims of the tsunami or others in need be aware of these ministries that are not willing to let the public know how they utilize their resources.”, He concluded, “In times like this it is often best to donate to those ministries that already have established networks of key people in the affected areas and that have demonstrated a commitment to integrity and transparency. Accordingly, transparency is fundamental to long term prosperity in the charitable arena.”. He and his wife started Wall Watchers in 1998 with their own money. The ministry says it distributes books, holds youth programs, provides medical care, digs wells and runs food programs in Asia, South America and the U.S. — including the inner-city St. Louis Dream Center, which the Meyer ministry says serves 23,000 meals a month. (Listed if other than Religion News Blog), This post was last updated: Monday, November 30, -0001 at 12:00 AM, Central European Time (CET), Religion News Blog is a service provided by, The term 'cult expert' is not protected. Those tax records also show that at one time Ms. Meyer and her adult children lived in church-owned houses near St. Louis. Mr. Leonard credits his dogged pursuit of the ministry for its new willingness to make public its financial statements and other data. MinistryWatch.com’s desire is that TBN will undertake meaningful reforms of its business and ministry practices and enter into a process that will restore the TBN network and its leadership to full effectiveness as a sound, biblically-based Christian ministry. After the local newspaper picked up the story and some ministry critics became aggressive, the ministry agreed in a negotiated settlement to pay the county slightly more than half the three-year tax bill. We actually have far more information on the worthy ministries. He hired Mark Long to actually start the ministry but did work closely with Mark and the other ministry employees over the ensuing years. “You don’t have to worry about us taking it and living a high lifestyle.”. According to its financial statements, Joyce Meyer Ministries had revenue of about $109 million in 2005, including contributions, sales of Christian materials and speaker fees. Our website includes affiliate links, which means we get a small commission — at no additional cost to you — for each qualifying purpose. Copyright 2000-2020 Wall Watchers. […] Theological Differences. Charitable organizations that seek to hide fundamental information from scrutiny undermine the faith and trust of the donor and damage donor attitudes that have an impact well beyond their own operations. That is one reason why we can provide this service free of charge. MATTHEWS, N.C. –Wall Watchers, through its donor empowerment Website, www.MinistryWatch.com, has issued a Donor Alert for those ministries in the MinistryWatch.com database with a Transparency Grade of F. Wall Watchers CEO Rusty Leonard explained, “MinistryWatch.com is committed to the belief that all Christian ministries have a responsibility to be good stewards of the financial resources they have received from donors. Using his own money and working from a suburban office park outside Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Leonard is out to make his organization, Wall Watchers, into an investment guide for the religious. In an interview, Mr. Meyer says that the IRS hasn’t contacted the church and that the church isn’t the subject of an investigation and audit. We are grateful that 20/20 included Rusty mentioning that the good ministries far outnumber the bad as we were concerned that many viewers might be led to believe that no Christian ministry could be trusted when this could not be further from the truth. Our website includes affiliate links, which means we get a small commission — at no additional cost to you — for each qualifying purpose. They show Ms. Meyer’s ministry has bought five houses, a private jet worth $6.5 million and expensive artwork for her, her ministry and her family to use. In April 2001, he started managing money again in his own company, Stewardship Partners Investment Counsel. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; The IRS doesn’t comment on investigations. Mr. Leonard has always served the ministry in a part time, voluntary capacity as CEO and/or chairman of the board. Most have willingly responded to our inquiries because they understand that transparency is at the heart of long-term trust. He says he has provided about two-thirds of the $3 million of Wall Watchers’ operating costs so far. MinistryWatch gave some advice and counsel to 20/20 but we had no control of the story and did not know what would be broadcast until the show was aired. Additionally, seek to give to biblically-based ministries who have long focused on relief work so that those they serve will have both their physical and spiritual needs met.”. Actually, Mr. Leonard and his wife founded the ministry in June 1998 while still employed by Templeton. The MinistryWatch Transparency Guide, says Wall Watchers founder and president Rusty Leonard, "seeks to inform donors about which ministries are failing to … “I’m not buying clothes or a car or a house with your money,” she thundered. Wall Watchers CEO Rusty Leonard explained, “MinistryWatch.com is committed to the belief that all Christian ministries have a responsibility to be good stewards of the financial resources they have received from donors.
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