The Master’s University Placed on Probation by Regional Accrediting Organization

The Western Association of Schools and Colleges has placed The Master’s University on probation, citing a “climate of fear, intimidation, bullying, and uncertainty among significant numbers of faculty and staff” among many other concerns.  Grace to You preacher John MacArthur is also the current president of TMU.

Read the letter outlining the action steps required for TMU

The school must address issues in four broad areas to maintain accreditation. These concerns include board independence, personnel and management practice, operational integrity and leadership. Specifically, the action letter from the WASC says “The institution does not meet the WSCUC requirement for governing board independence since many members of the Board are employed by the institution or another organization for which the president has authority.” When board members report to the president in another capacity, they cannot truly supervise the president or carry out their fiduciary responsibility as board members.

Of particular concern is a finding of conflict of interest involving president’s son-in-law Kory Welch who functions as an administrator. According to the action letter, this individual oversees contracts which have gone to friends and relatives.

There is also mixing of staff and payments between MacArthur’s ministry Grace to You and TMU. For instance, on the 2015 990 form for Grace to You, MacArthur’s son-in-law Kory Welch’s businesses were awarded nearly $790,000 for contract work.

According to the report, the conflict of interest had been known for six months without any action. This was not acceptable to the accrediting commission and they recommended the school seek legal counsel to “insure resolution of all reported conflicts of interest.” (p. 44 of the report)

The school has two years to remedy these matters. The WASC will send a team back to the school in November of this year to check on progress.

TMU Action Letter

TMU Accreditation Report

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Image: The Master’s University, by Lukasinla [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons 

31 thoughts on “The Master’s University Placed on Probation by Regional Accrediting Organization”

  1. According to the letter the Chief Operating Officer of the University doesn’t know what the Clery Act or FERPA are (something any employee above the absolute lowest level at a US college or university would know at least by name). A bit of searching shows that Kory Welch is the COO. The Clery report statistics looked very low to me possibly due to the safety report which states:

    https://www.masters.edu/media/870363/2017-annual-security-and-fire-safety-report.pdf
    “While policy violations cannot be overlooked, there is the potential for limited amnesty from any consequences of minor policy violations that come to light as a result of a reporting party’s report of sexual misconduct, for the reporting party or those who offer their assistance to others in need.”

  2. “John MacArthur’s son-in-law Kory Welch’s business were given nearly $790,000 for contract work”

    WAT?

  3. Interesting that Jeremy Vuolo who married Jinger Duggar was accepted by this university and allowed to do his classes on-line from Laredo Texas. One wonders how much his marriage to a Duggar gave him the importance to be admitted to this place and being seated in the front row when they have visited in the past. I don’t think Jeremy would have had the front row treatment if he wasn’t married to a Duggar.

  4. This news about the university is unfortunate, but not surprising in our current culture of celebrity pastors where Christianity becomes the family business.

  7. John E Coleman called out Johnny Mac and his “business” way back in 2009. Of course the internet was horrified and eviscerated John and attacked him because he touched everyone’s idol. I went back this afternoon and listened to the old podcasts Pastor Coleman did on MacArthur. He was so right then and the proof is coming out.

      1. Go to Pastor John Coleman..website. Look for these dates. 8/6/09 The MacArthur Statement. 1/23/10 Just Listen and Grow. 11/21/09 Phil Johnson calling. You will have to scroll down on the page to find those but don’t be discouraged they are in there. One is where he calls out MacArthur on his conversion story because of his wording. The Just Listen and Grow podcast is more than MacArthur but others on the Christian scene he knows. It will be very interesting.

        1. I’ve been listening to him for over 9 years. Your assertion is ridiculous and so are you. He doesn’t take any money from anyone. His wife worked in the public sector during their marriage. Only thing he believes is that women can’t be pastors and I agree. Your smear tactic is just not gonna fly. And I’ll say whatever I want. Whatever meds you forgot to take I suggest you go back on them.

        2. To continue commenting, use some discretion and speak to others kindly. You are not doing well so far.

  8. Seriously? https://www.masters.edu/academics/undergraduate/science

    “Doctrinally sound: interpreting science through faith
    rather than faith through science, including teaching a literal six-day
    creation and a historical Space-Time Fall.”

    Sorry, but that’s not how science is done. Any student graduating in the sciences from this place should sue for fraud.

  9. Wow. Conflict of interest, cronyism, workplace bullying, likely misuse of finances, lack of transparency. All of this can be traced to abuse of power, in one form or another. Discounting John MacArthur’s honorary degrees that were handed to him, he earned a Masters Degree in Divinity back in 1963. So why appoint him as president of a university? There’s a snide remark about Calvinists and post-graduate degrees here somewhere…

    Anyway, it’s encouraging to see a (forced) move toward accountability in the near future. Perhaps some resignations are in order?

    1. Likely they will make just enough “adjustments” to get WCUS off their backsides then go back to business as usual.
      My friend had a similar experience in the secular world. She was hired as a compliance officer at a nursing home (they needed someone with an RN). Her first day was on a Monday, the same day the reviewers came in. She worked there Monday through Wednesday, the day they left. Thursday, they let her go.

  10. This does not surprise me. We have got a huge swamp to clean up ourselves. Forget Washington, we have lots of narcissists taking advantage of and fleecing the sheep in our churches. Many who are talking about cleaning up swamps elsewhere have created the same environment right where they are. MacArther has been up on my radar ever since he held that “Strange Fire” conference. In it he tells the Holy Spirit where He can shove His gifts (no John, the gifts all belong to the Holy Spirit and He can do whatever He wants with them.) There is a grain of truth in that many Pentecostals are doing the same thing John is and just blaming it on the Holy Spirit, but they all are abusing their platforms for fame and loads of Mammon for them and their special friends and family members. Then they turn around and claim to be “Great Men of God!” God gets blamed in the end either way. Men in their pride and greed calling out others about their hypocrisy, yet refusing to look at their own belly button.

    1. I am no atheist. Just the opposite. Looks like we have another narcissist trying to rack up their hit count on their video. I do not like narcissism period. It is horrible from other “believers.” They are just hypocrites acting like the Devil. I do not like it from anyone. This post is not about you or your “rational” explanations of “God” moments. I hope you get over yourself…

      1. I deleted your second comment because this is off topic. If you all want to argue about narcissism and atheism, find a post about that. This isn’t it.

  11. Hope that Grace To You doesn’t display the same kind of nepotism & greed that Ligonier has.

      1. I’m having trouble digging up the links, but I’ve read about the way that Ligonier has covered up RC Jr’s various scandals & has provided a lavish lifestyle to those at the top of the organization, on donors’ dime.

      2. Just for starters re: Lingonier..

        https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2015/august/ligonier-suspends-rc-sproul-jr-over-ashley-madison.html

        https://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2016/12/14/r-c-sproul-jr-steps-down-from-ligonier-ministries-and-reformation-bible-college/

        https://cryingoutforjustice.com/2017/12/19/r-c-sproul-changed-his-view-on-abuse-as-grounds-for-divorce-but-to-our-knowledge-he-never-publicly-announced-that-change/

        https://christiannews.net/2017/06/15/r-c-sproul-jr-accepts-plea-agreement-for-drunk-driving-with-children-in-vehicle-sentenced-to-probation/

        http://rc-sproul-jr.blogspot.com/

        1. Interesting links. After skimming the story of Ligonier and RC Jr, I’d like to think Master’s University will take the honest route as they head toward upcoming audits. But honesty is not something I expect from John MacArthur.

        2. Interesting links. After skimming the story of Ligonier and RC Jr, I’d like to think Master’s University will take the honest route as they head toward upcoming audits. But honesty is not something I expect from John MacArthur.

        3. These links all discuss R.C. Sproul Jr.’s actions. Sproul Jr. being suspended from Ligonier for 6 months for the visit to Ashley Madison, and then leaving Ligonier after the DUI, don’t constitute nepotism and greed on Ligonier’s part. Nor do R.C. Sproul’s conventional views on divorce (incorrect or otherwise) that were subsequently revised.

          Not defending or attacking the Sproul family here, but Astrapto stated that Ligonier displayed nepotism and greed. The links KDH provided do not address that claim.

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