Ep. 409: Operation Underground Railroad, Eric Metaxas, Joni and Friends

MinistryWatch Podcast

On today’s program, Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation after six women accuse him of sexual assault. We’ll have details.

And, MinistryWatch reporter Marci Seither visits Joni & Friends in Tennessee as the ministry ships off hundreds of donated wheelchairs. They head to a prison, where inmates are repairing the equipment, even as they work to repair their own lives.

Also, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference announces the launch of new health initiatives, including mental health and financial health. We’ll take a look.

But first, relatives and scholars of Dietrich Bonhoeffer have issued a warning to Eric Metaxas and others, accusing them of misusing his legacy for political reasons.

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 Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Brittany Smith.

Until next time, may God bless you.

MANUSCRIPT

FIRST SEGMENT

Warren:

Hello everybody. I’m Warren Smith, coming to you this week from our nation’s capital, Washington, DC.

Natasha:

And I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado. And we’d like to welcome you to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Warren:

On today’s program, Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation after six women accuse him of sexual assault. We’ll have details.

And, MinistryWatch reporter Marci Seither visits Joni & Friends in Tennessee as the ministry ships off hundreds of donated wheelchairs. They head to a prison, where inmates are repairing the equipment, even as they work to repair their own lives.

Also, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference announces the launch of new health initiatives, including mental health and financial health. We’ll take a look.

Natasha:

But first, relatives and scholars of Dietrich Bonhoeffer have issued a warning to Eric Metaxas and others, accusing them of misusing his legacy for political reasons.

Warren:

In recent years, author and radio host Eric Metaxas and other conservative Christian supporters of Donald Trump have compared themselves to the famed German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer — who was put to death, in part, for participating in a plan to assassinate Adolph Hitler.

In a recent interview on Flashpoint, a Christian television talk show on the Victory network, both Metaxas — author of a bestselling biography of Bonhoeffer — and the show’s host called the current election a “Bonhoeffer moment” and urged Christians to rise up and oppose evil.

His newest book, “Religionless Christianity” — a phrase used by Bonhoeffer — describes America’s current politics as a spiritual war and sign of the end times.

Natasha:

A group of Bonhoeffer scholars — and the theologian’s descendants — have had enough.

Warren:

In a statement issued Friday (Oct. 18) members of the International Bonhoeffer Society called on Metaxas and others to stop comparing the current election to the rise of the Nazis. The statement, in particular, called out Metaxas for social media posts featuring a gun and a Bible and his support of Jan. 6 rioters.

“This portrayal glorifies violence and draws inappropriate analogies between our political system and that of Nazi Germany,” the scholars said in a statement, which has been signed by more than 800 Bonhoeffer scholars and other Christian leaders.

Natasha:

What prompted the statement?

Warren:

In part by the upcoming release of a new Bonhoeffer biopic, which will be out in theaters in late November. One of the posters for the film shows Bonhoeffer with a gun, and a trailer for the film shows his involvement in the plot to kill Hitler. Some of the early social media tweets about the film included messages about the “battle against tyranny” and a line from the trailer, “My country was invaded from within.”

During Metaxas’ Victory Channel interview, the trailer for the movie — which is being distributed by Angel Studios, was shown and afterward Metaxas and other guests urged Christians to wake up to the evil of their political enemies.

Natasha:

But Bonhoeffer’s family has come forward about the film

Warren:

In an interview for a German news publication, relatives of Bonhoeffer criticized that depiction of the theologian. Relatives also released a statement Friday rejecting the idea that Bonhoeffer would have embraced Christian nationalism.

Family members said in a statement passed on by Bonhoeffer scholars. “He would never have seen himself anywhere near the right-wing extremist, violent movements that are trying to appropriate him today. On the contrary, he would have criticized these very attitudes.”

Natasha:

Next up, OUR founder Tim Ballard sues for defamation.

Warren:

Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad and subject of the anti-trafficking movie “Sound of Freedom” has filed a defamation lawsuit against six women who accused him of sexual misconduct and assault.

In his lawsuit, Ballard, who is married with nine children, calls the women’s accusations a “vicious onslaught of false allegations.”

Natasha:

What happened?

Warren:

Five women filed suit against Ballard in October 2023, accusing him of sexual assault and claiming he used psychological and spiritual manipulation to coerce them into sexual contact.

Ballard claims he waited for nearly a year for his accusers to “withdraw their false claims” and now “reluctantly” brings the lawsuit.

The lawsuit addresses each of the women’s allegations against him.

Ballard is no longer with Operation Underground Railroad. He left the organization before “Sound of Freedom” was released, and moved his anti-trafficking efforts to the SPEAR Fund.

According to its most recent IRS Form 990, the SPEAR Fund had about $1.25 million in revenue and $1.39 million in expenses, meaning it operated at a deficit of nearly $150,000.

Natasha:

Next, a Michigan based youth & music director has been fired and arrested for Child Sexual Abuse Crimes.

Warren:

Zachary Radcliff, 29, the former youth and music director at Oakwood Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan, was arraigned on October 20 for 11 felony charges, including criminal sexual conduct, child sexual abuse, and the use of a computer or the internet to commit a crime.

Radcliff, the son of Oakwood’s Senior Pastor Frank Radcliff, had served at the church for almost eight years, the elder Radcliff told MinistryWatch.

Natasha:

What was the churches’ reaction to the news?

Warren:

In a statement, the church said it was recently made aware of “disturbing news” about Zach Radcliff. “We realized while talking to him that there was more to the situation than was being expressed. He was suspended with pay on October 3rd, pending further investigation.”

Immediately after the church was provided with “more information,” Frank Radcliff said, “Zach was terminated from his job, without pay effective Saturday, October 12th.”

The church said it alerted state police alongside other families involved. Leaders also said they are not fully aware of the extent of Zach Radcliff’s alleged crimes, but they are cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.

If Zach Radcliff is found guilty of first degree criminal sexual conduct, he could face life in prison.

According to the Michigan Courts website, Zach Radcliff is being held on a $3 million bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for October 31.

Natasha:

Warren, let’s take a quick break. When we return…the American Dream encourages us to seek and hoard wealth. But one couple has rejected that notion, and embraced a counter cultural approach to generous living.

I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and we’ll have that story and much more, after this short break.

BREAK

SECOND SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, along with my co-host Warren Smith, and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch podcast.

Next, the story we promised before the break, a couple who has taken the principle of compounding interest and applied it to generosity.

Warren:

It’s the story of David and Keelie Luttrell. And it’s the next story in our series on radical generosity.

For as long as he could remember, David was fascinated with money and how to grow what you had, earn more of it, and invest it in order to have more in the future.

David was not new to the world of finance. David’s dad, D. Scott Luttrell, was a successful money manager who founded the LCM Group in Dallas, Texas, over 30 years ago with a mission statement emphasizing “being a good steward of our God given resources and manag[ing] them with excellence.”

David is the co-founder of Dallas-based Christian giving collaboration, the Ambassadors Club. There’s a lot to this story that we can’t explore here, but if you are interested in giving cooperatives, or if you want to see other stories in the “Generous Living” series, hit MinistryWatch.com or look for a link in today’s show notes.

Natasha:

Next, a story of how wheelchairs are impacting the world.

Warren:

Volunteers for Joni and Friends in Knoxville, Tennessee, waited on Monday, September 30 outside the commercial building where donated wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches had been stored.

A group of young men from University of Tennessee’s Sigma Chi Fraternity lifted equipment into the truck and carefully arranged the load that would soon be heading to the South Central Correctional Facility in Clifton, Tennessee.

Natasha:

Since 1979, Joni and Friends, the organization started by Joni Eareckson Tada after a diving accident left her a quadriplegic, have advocated for those living with disabilities and their families. Part of their thriving global ministry includes their “Wheels for the World” program where over 235,000 wheelchairs have been donated, restored to like-new condition, and given to those in need in less resourced countries.

Warren:

Donated wheelchairs and mobility equipment are dropped off at offices or through collection events and stored until they can be shipped to one of the program’s restoration centers located in prisons within the United States. Once there, inmates who have applied to work in the program begin to clean and restore the equipment. When a wheelchair project is complete, inmates sign their name on a “Given in love by Joni and Friends” sticker they place on the wheelchair.

Natasha:

That’s beautiful.

Warren:

It is, and not just for those receiving the wheelchairs. Mike Gaura, supervisor of Joni and Friends Domestic Operations. “Every time I go into a prison where inmates are working on the wheelchairs, I hear how the program is impacting them. “Restoring a wheelchair or a walker for someone else restores something deep in the soul of those putting in the work. They have an opportunity to give back to someone in need.”

Gaura makes sure that after each distribution, a poster with photos and stories about the wheelchair recipients is sent back to those who labored in the effort.

The World Heath Organization estimates that 80 million people are in need of a wheelchair, yet only 5-35% have access to one, depending on the country they live in.

Natasha:

Let’s look at one more story before our next break

Warren:

It’s a reminder that even though Hurricane Helene is no longer much in the news, the recovery efforts will take months, even years.

Last Sunday (Oct. 13), worshippers returned to Biltmore Church, a megachurch in Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time in person after Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina. It was bittersweet, said Bruce Frank, the church’s pastor. People were glad to be together, even as many are still grieving. “There is a lot of loss,” Frank said simply in his sermon.

Among the lost were Nora and Michael Drye, lay leaders at Biltmore, and their 7-year-old grandson, Micah, who became trapped on their roof and drowned in Helene’s flooding. Others in the church had lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods.

Natasha:

Biltmore church has done a lot to support their community through this tragedy

Warren:

Church members have rallied to support those affected, offering their parking lot to disaster relief groups and state workers and organizing drive-by centers where people can pick up water, ice, diapers and food for those affected by the disaster.

The church is also collecting donations through a website they created called 828Strong, named for the area code for Asheville and nearby communities.

The coming months, Frank said, will be like a “stay-at-home mission trip” for church members, as they’ll be helping others near home. Biltmore church is working closely with North Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief. Volunteers have already cooked more than 100,000 meals in the church parking lot.

Natasha:

And other disaster relief groups are busy in the region as well

Warren:

Two hours away, in Boone, North Carolina, staff and volunteers from Samaritan’s Purse has been working to clear debris, set up water filtration systems and deliver food and other supplies by helicopter to communities cut off by the storm.

In rural communities the group has set up some 50 Starlink kits to restore internet service and has furnished generators to supply power. “We’ve also set up oxygen shelters,” said Graham, for patients unable to receive their usual supplies, “and refilled more than 1,000 oxygen tanks.”

So far, more than 16,000 volunteers have shown up to help, with more expected. The group is working at sites from Georgia to Florida in Helene recovery, as well as close to home in North Carolina. More help will be needed in the months to come, said Graham.

Natasha:

What other groups are serving the area?

Warren:

The Salvation Army, has sent relief workers to Florida to respond to Milton, where it has served nearly 6,000 meals to residents affected by the hurricane so far through 20 mobile feeding units. It has served more than 400,000 meals in communities affected by Helene. The group also plans to assist with long-term recovery.

Todd Unzicker, executive director of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, said that so far, more than 2,000 of its volunteers have been deployed to assist with recovery from Helene, but he is telling churches and volunteers who are ready to help right now that there is plenty of work ahead.

“The challenge is saying, hold on,” he said. “We are going to need you a month from now and six months from now.”

Natasha:

Warren, we’re going to take another break. When we return, our lightning round of ministry news of the week.

I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith. More in a moment.

BREAK

THIRD SEGMENT

Natasha:

Welcome back. I’m Natasha Cowden, with my co-host Warren Smith and you’re listening to the MinistryWatch Podcast.

Warren, we like to use this last segment as a sort of lightning round of shorter news briefs.

First, news for ministries with a ‘Donate’ button on their website.

Warren:

Ministries who have a “Donate Now” button on their website should evaluate whether they may need to register in each of the 38 states and District of Columbia with a charitable solicitation law.

According to a webinar hosted by the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations and Don Kramer’s Nonprofit Issues, the “Donate Now” button that is ubiquitous in the Christian charity world may trigger the registration requirement.

Attorney Karl Emerson, who advises charities on compliance with state charitable solicitation statutes, recommends that charities start by checking to see if their home state has a charitable registration statute.

Natasha:

What’s next?

Warren:

Latino evangelical pastors met on Tuesday (Oct. 15) to hear about a new mental health initiative launched by the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference’s Center for Ministerial Health.

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the organization’s president said The Center for Ministerial Health is the first of three new centers that will form a new structure for the Hispanic network of thousands of evangelical congregations, many of them Pentecostal or charismatic.

At next year’s leadership summit, the organization plans to launch the Center for Public Policy, which will be based in Washington, D.C., and then a year later, it plans to debut the Center for Kingdom Collaboration, with a focus on uniting different Christian organizations.

Natasha:

And who is in our Ministry Spotlight this week?

Warren:

Wycliffe Bible Translation Foundation, a ministry of Wycliffe Bible Translators, recently saw its MinistryWatch rating rise from 2 Stars to 3 Stars, and its Donor Confidence Score rise from 45 to 60, which is still an “Exercise Caution” designation.

Its Transparency Grade remains a C because it does not release its Form 990s to the public.

According to the foundation’s Guidestar profile, it is not required to file a Form 990 because it is classified as a “religious organization” with the IRS.

The organization does release audited financials on its website. In 2023, the audited financials show a revenue of $27.4 million and total expenses of $50.5 million.

Regardless, both Wycliffe Bible Translation Foundation and Wycliffe Bible Translators saw a drop in revenue and a rise in expenses in 2023.

According to Wycliffe Bible Translator’s ECFA profile, in 2023 the organization had a revenue of $278.4 million with its expenses totaling $307.4 million.

Natasha:

Warren, any final thoughts before we go?

Warren:

Webinar: October 24. Understanding MinistryWatch’s Rating System.

Faith Based Fraud

Natasha:

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 Bob Smietana, Kim Roberts, Marci Seither, Aleja Hertzler-McCain, and Brittany Smith.

I’m Natasha Cowden, coming to you from Denver, Colorado.

Warren:

And I’m Warren Smith, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Natasha:

You’ve been listening to the MinistryWatch podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.