Ep. 262: Florida Baptists Defrauded of $700-k, Carl Lentz is Back, and Saddleback Appeals Disfellowshipping by SBC

On today’s program, the Florida Baptist State Convention has been defrauded of more than $700-thousand. We’ll explain how the fraud worked, and how you can keep your church or ministry from becoming a victim. Former Hillsong pastor Carl Lentz is back in the news, and is soon coming to a television near you. And we look at a group of Christian ministries in Nebraska who are withdrawing from the local community foundation over the foundation’s requirements to affirm LGBTQ rights. We begin today with a pair of stories related to Rick Warren and California’s influential Saddleback Church. Final Thoughts: I want all of my friends in Orlando to know that I’ll be there on Monday for the annual meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters, and I’ll be holding a lunch for readers and donors on May 22 at Carrabba’s Italian Grille near the Orlando airport.  If you live in the Orlando area, you should have received an invitation already.  And we already have about a dozen people signed up for this event.  It’s absolutely free, but you do need to sign up to attend. I’ll be doing similar lunches in Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles, in June, in part to celebrate the 25th anniversary of MinistryWatch. So keep an eye on your in-box for invitations to those events. The producers for today’s program are Rich Roszel and Jeff McIntosh.  We get database and other technical support from Stephen DuBarry, Emily Kern, Rod Pitzer, and Casey Sudduth. Writers who contributed to today’s program include Anne Stych, Bob Smietana, Emily McFarlan Miller, Adelle M. Banks, Yonat Shimron, Kim Roberts, Jessica Eturralde, Rod Pitzer, Christina Darnell—and you, Warren. Special thanks to The NonProfit Times for contributing material for this week’s podcast. Until next time, may God bless you.