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They include successful suits by Texas-based Church Loans and Investments Trust; Wisconsin-based St. Croix Press Inc.; Wisconsin-based Consistent Computer Bargains Inc.; Virginia-based Katalyst Solutions, LLC; Aris J. Gallios and Associates, a law firm in Phoenix; Linder Publishing Inc. in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Arizona-based Realty Executives; Power Trade Media in Phoenix; and Ersland Touch Landscape in Phoenix.

McCollough, who has not sued, said he is surprised Christy remains in business.

"I actually thought I, and others, had convinced him to pack his bags and leave the Christian marketplace before his dishonesty became widely known," McCullough said. "But I was clearly wrong, as he has once again published his fake 'Most Influential' list, a list used primarily to lure ministries into buying ads in his pretend print magazine."

The list of "50 Most Influential Churches" in the country was published on The Church Report's website recently. According to Christy, the list was provided by John Vaughn of Church Growth Today, a Missouri-based consulting firm. Vaughn did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Editors at The Christian Post and Associated Baptist Press published news stories about the list on their websites, then pulled the stories after they were alerted to concerns about Christy and the magazine. The Post released a statement saying editors received information "from a credible source challenging the legitimacy and integrity of The Church Report" and didn't want their story to cause problems for the uninformed.

An earlier issue of The Church Report claimed to rank the top 50 church business administrators. But only two were even known to the 3,000-member professional group that credentials church and denominational administrators.

"We raised questions with Jason about what his criterion was for those selections," said Phill Martin, deputy chief executive officer of the National Association of Church Business Administration, "but we never received any explanation."

Martin, whose association also advises churches and their employees on best business practices, warned there is no Christian version of the secular Better Business Bureau to verify that for-profit companies doing business with churches are legitimate and responsible.

Dan Busby, vice president of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an associate of Christy's, said he has no reason to believe the allegations against him. Busby writes a quarterly column for The Church Report's website. "I'm not aware of a problem or I wouldn't let my name be associated with that magazine," said Busby, a CPA.

The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability monitors the financial practices of 2,000 non-profit Christian ministries — not Christian-owned businesses like Christy's. But ECFA has not received any complaints about Christy, Busby said. He acknowledged a "group of enemies" has been dogging Christy, but he said he has not established the credibility of any of their claims.

With the proliferation of Christian media, selling non-existing advertising is one way unscrupulous companies can take advantage of churches and Christian-related businesses, said Martin of the church-administrators group.

"There is enormous economic value in advertising for companies that are trying to do business with congregations," he said. But ad buyers should beware. "Just because someone says they have the ability to get your product in front of your customers doesn't mean they can or will," he said.

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August (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51