{{Short description|Watchdog organization}} {{Infobox Organization | name = MinistryWatch | formation = {{start date and age|1998}} | founder = Rusty and Carol Leonard<ref name=leaders>{{cite web|title=Leadership Team|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=MinistryWatch|url=https://ministrywatch.com/leadership-team/}}</ref> | type = | status = Nonprofit 501(c)(3) | purpose = | headquarters = Matthews, North Carolina | leader_title = President | leader_name = Warren Cole Smith | leader_title2 = Chairman | leader_name2 = Tim Burns | num_staff = | num_volunteers = | budget = | website = {{url|https://ministrywatch.com}} | remarks = }}
'''MinistryWatch''' is an independent American evangelical Christian organization that evaluates protestant ministries for financial accountability and transparency, and to provide independent advice to individuals considering making donations to these ministries.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.dallasobserver.com/2007-08-09/news/ole-oops/ | title=Ole Oops |publisher=Dallas Observer | date=August 8, 2007| access-date = 2008-12-18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/A_About.asp | title=About | publisher=MinistryWatch | year=2008 | access-date=2008-12-18 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214195518/http://ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/A_About.asp | archive-date=2009-02-14 }}</ref>
MinistryWatch posts daily journalism related to Christian ministries at its website.<ref name=about>{{cite web|title=About MinistryWatch|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=MinistryWatch|url=https://ministrywatch.com/about-ministry-watch/}}</ref>
==Media appearances== MinistryWatch was founded by Howard "Rusty" Leonard and gained national attention when it was featured on ABC News' 20/20 in 2007.<ref name="about" /> The segment focused on various organizations' use of donor funds. Leonard, along with current MinistryWatch president Warren Cole Smith, has continued to appear in prominent media outlets, including The Washington Post, NPR,<ref>{{cite news|title=Religious Groups Received $6-10 Billion In COVID-19 Relief Funds, Hope For More|first=Tom|last=Gjelten|date=August 3, 2020|access-date=October 30, 2024|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/08/03/898753550/religious-groups-received-6-10-billion-in-covid-19-relief-funds-hope-for-more|quote=An analysis by Ministry Watch, an organization that provides guidance on charitable giving, reported this month that churches and other religious non-profits as a whole received between $6 and $10 billion in PPP funding.}}</ref> WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today,<ref>{{cite web|title=It’s Not “Okay” to Question Ministries–It’s Imperative|website=Christianity Today|date=September 21, 2022|access-date=October 30, 2024|url=https://www.christianitytoday.com/partners/strategic-resource-group/question-ministries-red-flags-giving-stewardship/|quote=Warren Smith, president of MinistryWatch.com, says that there are some red flags that should be considered absolute non-negotiables...}}</ref> Religion News Service,<ref>{{cite news|title=Ministries and money: Christian charities that use your money wisely|first=Steve|last=Rabey|date=November 23, 2016|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=Religion News Service|url=https://religionnews.com/2016/11/23/ministries-and-money-christian-charities-that-use-your-money-wisely/|quote='Donors should recognize they have a serious responsibility to give as wisely as they can, as it is not their money they are giving but the Lord’s,' said Rusty Leonard, founder and CEO of MinistryWatch, an accountability group.}}</ref> NBC News,<ref>{{cite news|title='Utter betrayal': Florida pastor accused of Covid scam slammed by ex-associate's son|first1=Rich|last1=Schapiro|first2=Laura|last2=Strickler|access-date=October 30, 2024|date=December 18, 2022|website=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/utter-betrayal-florida-pastors-alleged-covid-fraud-slammed-ex-associat-rcna62188|quote='Bad actors will take advantage of the good will that has been built up over generations, and it’s important to root them out,' said Warren Smith, president of the evangelical Christian watchdog Ministry Watch.}}</ref> and Bloomberg News,<ref>{{cite news|title=Seeing the Big Picture on Charities|first=Christine|last=Cronin|date=May 26, 2006|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=Bloomberg|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-05-26/seeing-the-big-picture-on-charitiesbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice}}</ref> discussing issues related to ministry transparency and financial practices.
==Positions on issues related to Christian ministries== MinistryWatch has publicly advocated for reform in the Christian nonprofit sector. Specifically, it advocates that all Christian ministries release their Form 990s to the public.<ref>{{cite web|title=Keeping Secrets from Donors: Investigating the Trend of Evangelical Ministries Hiding Financial Data|first=Barry|last=Bowen|date=April 10, 2024|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=Trinity Foundation|url=https://trinityfi.org/investigations/keeping-secrets-from-donors-investigating-the-trend-of-evangelical-ministries-hiding-financial-data/}}</ref> It has also been an outspoken opponent of the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in Christian ministry settings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Student Settlement Against Hillsong Falls Apart Due To NDA|first=Kim|last=Roberts|date=May 13, 2024|access-date=October 30, 2024|website=Religion Unplugged|url=https://religionunplugged.com/news/2024/5/13/hillsong-settlement-fails-due-to-nda}}</ref>
==References== <!--See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags--> {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.MinistryWatch.org MinistryWatch website] * [https://db.ministrywatch.com/compare.php MinistryWatch 1000 database]
Category:Evangelical organizations Category:Charity review websites Category:Christian organizations established in 1998 Category:American review websites
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