McMahon v. World Vision

A humanitarian ministry rooted in faith 

Christian minister Bob Pierce founded World Vision in 1950 after he witnessed the power of the gospel demonstrated through those who provided food, clothing, and care for the suffering overseas. Today, World Vision primarily focuses on helping the world’s most vulnerable children—those who live in extreme poverty or fragile situations, as they are deeplyaffected by societal hardship and broken relationships. The ministry works alongside donors, supporters, and churches to serve these children, and has trained over 100,000 pastors and faith leaders to minister to millions abroad.   

World Vision embraces its Christian faith in all aspects of its ministry. Its religious mission permeates not only its humanitarian service across the globe, but also its internal workplace culture, which includes frequent chapel services, religious meetings, and prayer. To effectuate its mission, World Vision US hires only Christians and asks all its employees to agree to live by biblically grounded standards of conduct both in and outside of work.  

Faithful ministry sued for its beliefs 

In 2021, Aubry McMahon applied for a customer service representative role. World Vision’s representatives are known as the “voice, face, and heart” of World Vision because they areon the front lines of advancing its humanitarian service by speaking to donors, supporters, and partner churches about its ministry. Representatives are expected to personally pray with and for donors and supporters, and to help them grow in their understanding of God’s love for the poor.  

During her interview process, McMahon repeatedly said that she would fully support and comply with World Vision’s Christian beliefs. But after she received an offer to become a representative, McMahon disclosed that she could not in fact abide by World Vision’s religious expectations for its employees. After prayerfully considering the correct and loving response, World Vision chose to withdraw McMahon’s offer, explaining that it asks all employees to support its religious mission in both word and deed. McMahon responded by suing World Vision, asserting that its religious hiring practices are illegal.  

The law protects World Vision’s freedom to hire in accordance with its faith

A lower court initially sided with World Vision, ruling that it was free to withdraw McMahon’s job offer because she openly disagreed with World Vision’s religious standards for employees. But McMahon promptly asked the court to reconsider, arguing that World Vision’s religious hiring expectations were illegal on their face and that World Vision had no constitutional right to follow them. The court agreed with her this time, reversed its prior decision, and ruled in favor of McMahon. 

On August 21, 2024, Becket and its co-counsel filed an opening brief at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to protect World Vision’s ability to operate consistent with its faith. The brief argued that as a religious ministry, World Vision has the freedom to ensure that its employees uphold and model its beliefs, including its customer service representatives, who play a critical role in advancing its religious mission. On August 5, 2025, a unanimous three-judge panel ruled for World Vision, holding that its customer service representatives qualify as “ministers” under the ministerial exception because of the critically important religious functions they perform. 

Importance to Religious Liberty:  

• Religious Communities: Churches and religious organizations have a right to live, teach, and govern in accordance with the tenets of their faith. When the government unjustly interferes in internal church affairs, the separation of church and state is threatened. The First Amendment ensures a church’s right to self-definition and free association.