Faith Builders Educational Programs 
The information on this page was last updated 3/22/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
We provide God-centered learning experiences that equip students for joyful, humble service in God's Kingdom.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Faith Builders Educational Programs
28527 Guys Mills Rd
Guys Mills, PA 16327
Website: fbep.org
Phone: (814) 789-4518
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 251685931
CEO/President: Steven & Cynthia Brubaker
Chairman:
Board size: 8
Founder:
Ruling year: 1988
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2013
Purpose
Faith Builders Educational Programs is a private, co-educational, post-secondary educational institution rooted in the conservative Anabaptist tradition.
Mission statement
Statement of faith
God the Father and creation
We believe in one God who is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent, infinitely perfect, and eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in God as creator and sustainer of all things, and accept the Genesis account of creation as authentic. We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and depravity through willful rejection of the known will of God. We believe that children become accountable before God when they reach a level of maturity in which they can make a voluntary choice to accept or reject Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.
Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God and was born of a Virgin; that He lived a perfect life; that He died and shed His blood to redeem mankind from their sin; that Christ arose from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, intercedes for believers, and empowers for service and victorious living. We believe that Christ will return as He went into heaven and that He will reward the righteous, judge the unrighteous, and bring to fulfillment the restoration of all things.
Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit works in the world to bring men to Christ and that He dwells in the believer to comfort and guide into all truth.
Satan
We believe that Satan is the personal enemy of God and all that is good, and that he is at work deceiving men and promoting evil. We believe Christians are called to resist the devil as well as to seek protection and victory over him through the life, presence, and power
of Christ.
Scripture
We believe that the entire Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, inerrant in the original writings, authentic in its matter, and authoritative in its counsels. We believe that the Bible, as interpreted by the life and teaching of Christ, is the final authority for Christian living. FBEP embraces the historic Anabaptist understanding of Christianity that emphasizes faith, repentance, discipleship, unselfish living, and the application of the Word to daily life.
Salvation
We believe in a salvation theology that makes the life, death, and resurrection of Christ the heart of Christianity and the community of faith the arena through which God reigns in the world. We believe that our relationship with Christ brings us into harmony with the Father, the created order, and the community of believers. As believers surrender to the lordship of Christ and follow Him in obedience, they are delivered from the power of Satan and the practice of sin. Since they are citizens of the heavenly kingdom while they live on earth, believers work in harmony with Christ to bring all that is under their dominion into conformity to the purposes of God for the universe so that all things under their dominion might be reconciled to God. We believe that God has called Christians to flee sin, to follow righteousness, and to fight the good fight of faith (I Timothy 6:11, 12). God is calling Christians to die to sin and to rise with Christ to a victorious lifestyle. The Biblical view of salvation emphasizes both faith in Christ and obedience in life (discipleship).
Church
We believe that the church is the body of Christ and is called to be a brotherhood that encourages, instructs, and disciplines God's people for the maintenance of purity and the promotion of spiritual growth. We believe that FBEP is responsible to assist the church and the home in their task of preparing people for Christian service.
Civil Government
We believe that the civil government is ordained of God to maintain order in society and that it is the Christian's duty to honor and pray for those in authority. Followers of Christ love all men, witness to the lost and to those in authority, and resist evil without the use of carnal force.
In addition to these brief doctrinal statements, we accept the historic creeds of the Christian church (e.g., Apostles and Nicene Creed) and the statement of Christian Doctrine adopted by the Mennonite Church in 1921 at Garden City, Missouri. We also have an appreciation for the Schleitheim Confession (1527) and the Dortrecht Confession (1632).
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Community Development
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 303 of 1106 | 43 of 122 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 235 of 1107 | 26 of 122 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 109 of 1107 | 28 of 122 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 899 of 1106 | 96 of 122 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 92% | 45% | 42% | 49% | 41% | 38% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 8% | 55% | 58% | 51% | 59% | 62% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 92% | 88% | 89% | 87% | 84% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 97% | 68% | 79% | 78% | 82% | 81% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 75% | 63% | 70% | 70% | 71% | 68% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 3% | 32% | 21% | 22% | 18% | 19% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 4% | 24% | 17% | 17% | 15% | 18% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 8% | 12% | 11% | 12% | 16% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.84 | 0.23 | 0.31 | 0.36 | 0.36 | 0.44 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.76 | 1.38 | 1.32 | 1.42 | 1.48 | 1.75 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.77 | 0.32 | 0.41 | 0.51 | 0.53 | 0.77 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 13.67 | 1.34 | 1.51 | 1.67 | 1.42 | 1.32 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.74 | 0.66 | 0.60 | 0.70 | 0.76 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.08 | 9.48 | 9.96 | 9.48 | 6.74 | 3.76 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 54% | 50% | 42% | 47% | 43% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 101% | 198% | 161% | 162% | 148% | 129% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $8,964,400 | $6,469,795 | $4,165,008 | $3,700,011 | $2,429,529 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $354,623 | $274,809 | $279,352 | $216,881 | $177,086 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $9,319,023 | $6,744,604 | $4,444,360 | $3,916,892 | $2,606,615 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $3,259,678 | $1,884,299 | $1,816,202 | $1,833,288 | $1,848,747 |
| Other long-term assets | $319,808 | $251,559 | $72,251 | $58,482 | $117,943 |
| Total long-term assets | $3,579,486 | $2,135,858 | $1,888,453 | $1,891,770 | $1,966,690 |
| Total assets | $12,898,509 | $8,880,462 | $6,332,813 | $5,808,662 | $4,573,305 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $90,072 | $96,904 | $44,003 | $106,317 | $40,641 |
| Other current liabilities | $6,848,062 | $4,377,173 | $2,610,479 | $2,646,916 | $1,935,129 |
| Total current liabilities | $6,938,134 | $4,474,077 | $2,654,482 | $2,753,233 | $1,975,770 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $6,938,134 | $4,474,077 | $2,654,482 | $2,753,233 | $1,975,770 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $4,524,258 | $2,810,162 | $2,718,366 | $2,700,041 | $2,416,679 |
| With donor restrictions | $1,436,117 | $1,596,223 | $959,965 | $355,388 | $180,856 |
| Net assets | $5,960,375 | $4,406,385 | $3,678,331 | $3,055,429 | $2,597,535 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $2,006,614 | $1,440,134 | $1,408,163 | $1,045,410 | $941,566 |
| Program service revenue | $1,857,562 | $1,628,185 | $1,127,537 | $1,133,393 | $1,177,052 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $227,368 | $56,855 | $51,193 | $75,655 | $65,537 |
| Other revenue | $327,893 | $337,397 | $301,336 | $274,246 | $302,022 |
| Total other revenue | $2,412,823 | $2,022,437 | $1,480,066 | $1,483,294 | $1,544,611 |
| Total revenue | $4,419,437 | $3,462,571 | $2,888,229 | $2,528,704 | $2,486,177 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $2,785,922 | $2,418,410 | $2,023,448 | $1,801,740 | $1,701,714 |
| Management and general | $228,950 | $316,107 | $241,879 | $255,469 | $313,695 |
| Fundraising | $0 | $0 | $0 | $13,601 | $0 |
| Total expenses | $3,014,872 | $2,734,517 | $2,265,327 | $2,070,810 | $2,015,409 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $1,404,565 | $728,054 | $622,902 | $457,894 | $470,768 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $1,404,565 | $728,054 | $622,902 | $457,894 | $470,768 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Steven Brubaker | President | $67,490 |
| Sheldon Kauffman | Treasurer | $55,520 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2023
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/22/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
The birth and growth of the Christian school movement among conservative Mennonites was accompanied by a growing need for qualified teachers. During the early 1980's, a few concerned brethren met to discuss the possibility of starting a Christian college for conservative Mennonites. The result of that discussion was a meeting in Hartville, Ohio, on February 13, 1982, which was attended by about 15 persons. From those present an ad-hoc committee composed of John D. Martin, Joseph Hostetler, Roman J. Miller, and Dale Heisey was formed and given the responsibility to develop a proposal for a Christian college. During 1983, this ad-hoc committee completed a document called "Proposal for a Christian College," which proposed a four-year college with the following emphases: a work-study program that provides a tuition-free education, a teaching program that equips people to live in the community of faith after finishing school, a discipleship program that encourages people to follow Christ in life and to use their gifts to build the Kingdom of God, and an educational program that equips people to serve the church and spread the gospel. Although a year-round, on-site educational program was not developed until after facilities were purchased in 1992, many of these emphases were incorporated into the developing program. Between 1984 and 1992, the Board of Faith Builders Educational Programs (hereafter FBEP or FB) struggled to develop plans for a Christian college
that a wide range of conservative Mennonites could support. Board members during this time included Dale Heisey, James Landis, Milo Zehr, Enos Heatwole, Orval Zehr, Lyle Kropf, David Weaver, Paul Miller, Vernon Mullet, Joe Schmucker, and Melvin Lehman. As a step toward achieving the goal of establishing a year-round post-high-school program of study, the board decided to offer classes during the summers for two types of students: content classes for teachers and issues classes for students attending other schools. As a result of that decision, summer terms were held from 1987 through 1992 at rented facilities in Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. During these years FBEP received many calls for teachers. In 1991 the board decided that FBEP could not meet the great need for teachers by offering classes only during the summer. The decision was made to purchase a property and to develop a year-round teacher apprenticing program. The nineteen acres and 85,000 sq. ft. complex at Guys Mills, PA were purchased in July, 1992, and renovation began soon afterward. In an attempt to develop work projects that would allow FBEP to offer a work-study educational program, a bakery was started in 1992 and plans were developed to open a personal care home. One year after renovation began, the year-round Teacher Apprenticing Program (hereafter TAP) became a reality in the fall of 1993 when a Christian school for grades 1-12 was established on-site as a platform for the apprenticing process. Despite having limited financial and personnel resources, Faith Builders was able to make progress in building a program of instruction for teachers. During 1994 and 1995 a basic curriculum of core courses was developed, and Faith Builders began to accept year-round students. In January, 1999, an intensive self-evaluation of FBEP was initiated in an attempt to strengthen Faith Builder's educational programs and discipling methods. As a result of this self-evaluation, changes in the teacher-training curriculum, the addition of a two-year program for students interested in areas of Christian service other than teaching (Ministry Apprenticing Program, abbreviated as MAP), strengthening of mentoring methods, and a transition from quarter hours to semester hours were effected. To strengthen FB's apprenticing programs, a three-week apprenticing term was added during the 2003-2004 academic year. During the same year, terms were changed to twelve weeks of study with one week of focused mentoring. A five-week winter term during January was added to the school's offerings in 2004 with an emphasis on offering courses of biblical, theological, and practical ministry interest. Faith Builders discontinued several work-study programs over the years. The bakery was discontinued in 2002 and the Personal Care Home in 2007 due to increasing regulation and conflicts with student schedules. The emphasis on developing the hands continues with school service and apprenticing throughout terms.
In 2006, the FBEP Board of Directors voted to form the FB Resource Group with the purpose of producing, publishing, and distributing books, audio, video, and live resources that promote an Anabaptist-Christian worldview. The Resource Group provides resources and services for Mennonite schools and church communities. In November, 2010 Faith Builders underwent a process of course evaluation by the National Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction (National PONSI). This evaluation provides a way for students to transfer course work done at FB to colleges and universities. (See page 63 for more information.) In 2011 the board and administration of Faith Builders restructured the core programs to bring greater clarity and real-world experience to the training in Christian ministries. Faith Builders began offering three tracks of study at FBEP, as follows: 1) Teacher Apprenticing, with only slight modifications; 2) Christian Ministries (replacing Ministry Apprenticing Program), offering a number of concentrations such as discipleship, music, and Bible; and 3) General Studies, for those students who would like to pursue education beyond FB.