Denison Ministries 
The information on this page was last updated 11/4/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Dension Ministries is a family of content brands that includes Denison Forum, First15, Christian Parenting, and Foundations with Janet Denison. The ministry creates unique and specific written, audio, and video content principally on digital platforms like web, email, social, and Youtube. Periodically the ministry also offers printed publications. Their content is designed to invite their audiences into a deeper transformational experience with God.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Denison Ministries
17304 Preston Rd.
Suite 1060
Dallas, TX 75252
Website: denisonministries.org
Phone: (214) 705-3710
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 263191442
CEO/President: Craig Denison / Jeff Byrd
Chairman: David Watson
Board size: 5
Founder: Jim Denison and Jeff Byrd
Ruling year: 2016
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2016
Purpose
Denison Ministries was founded in Dallas, Texas in 2009 by Dr. Jim Denison and Jeff Byrd to facilitate a spiritual awakening by equipping Christian believers to engage with the issues and news of the day from a biblical perspective initially through the Denison Forum brand. Today this brand continues to provide leading insight for discerning today's news and cultural events from a biblical perspective.
Since 2009, Denison Ministries has added three other content offerings to its family of brands: First15, a devotional and personal worship brand designed to help believers have an encounter with God that leads them to a sincere search to love God and others; Christian Parenting, offering parents the spiritual and practical help they need to become perfectly "imperfect" parents; Denison Forum, helping believers engage in today's news from a biblical perspective; and Foundations with Janet Denison a Bible study brand teaching people about the transforming power of scripture by helping them to learn how to study the Bible and apply God's truth to their lives.
Mission statement
Dension Ministries exists to help believers understand and respond to today's contemporary cultural challenges and fully live out their faith through the connection between spiritually transformational content and contemporary technology. We believe that meaningful content transforms lives. And transformed lives transform the world around them.
Statement of faith
Denison Ministries is an interdenominational organization. Our nonsectarian identity causes some to ask what we believe. The following faith statement is intended to clarify our theological commitments.
One of the earliest declarations of faith in Christian history is the "Apostle's Creed." Forms of it are used today by Catholics, Anglicans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Methodists, and many non-denominational churches. Its name comes from the early tradition that each of the twelve apostles dictated part of it after Pentecost. As a result, the statement is traditionally divided into twelve articles. Our ministry affirms each assertion:
1. "I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth."
There is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4). He is our Father (Matthew 6:9) and reigns over the universe as the Lord Almighty (Revelation 4:2-11). He created all that exists as Father (Genesis 1:1), Son (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17), and Spirit (Gen. 1:2).
2. "And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord."
"Jesus" means "Savior" (Matthew 1:21), the one who came "to seek and to save what was lost" (Luke 19:10). "Christ" means "Messiah" (John 1:41), the one anointed by God to rule the nations (Psalm 2:1-9). He is God's "only Son" (Matt. 3:17; 16:16). He is "Lord," our Master and King (Rev. 22:20). He came to inaugurate the Kingdom of God (Matt. 4:17), and will consummate it at his return (Rev. 19:16). He calls us to extend his Kingdom (Matt. 10:7) by leading all people (Matt. 28:19; Acts 1:8) to make him their King.
3. "He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary."
Jesus chose to leave heaven for earth (Philippians 2:6-7) to be conceived physically by the power of the Holy Spirit in the body of the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:34-35). His Incarnation was the miracle by which he became Immanuel, "God with us" (Matt. 1:23).
4. "He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried."
Jesus' physical life and death (Luke 23:46) are documented by the Scriptures and by Roman and Jewish historians as well. He came to be "the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 2:2), dying in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21) to pay the penalty for our sins and purchase our salvation (Rom. 5:8-9).
5. "On the third day he rose again from the dead."
Jesus' physical resurrection (Matt. 28:1-10) is the miracle which proves his divinity (1 Cor. 15:12-20). He rose again as he promised (Matt. 16:21), proving that God's word is authoritative (Matt. 28:18), trustworthy (Matt. 5:18) and relevant today (2 Timothy 3:16-17). His resurrection was the central affirmation of early Christian preaching (Acts 2:29-33; 17:31).
6. "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father."
Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:9) further proved his divinity. He is now "at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Rom. 8:34).
7. "He will come again to judge the living and the dead."
As Jesus ascended to heaven, so he will return visibly to earth again one day (Acts 1:10-11). Christians do not know when Jesus will return (Matt. 24:36), so we must be ready for him to come today (Luke 12:40).
8. "I believe in the Holy Spirit,"
The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:4, 9). He indwells every believer at salvation (Rom. 8:18; 1 Cor. 3:16). His gifts for ministry (1 Cor. 12:28-29; Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4:11-13) are still operative today. We are called to submit to his leadership and seek his power for service every day (Ephesians 5:18).
9. "The holy Christian Church, the communion of saints,"
The Church was founded by Jesus (Matt. 16:18) and is his body for ministry today (1 Cor. 12:27). All believers (1 Cor. 12:13) from all time (Hebrews 12:1) are part of the universal Church.
10. "The forgiveness of sins,"
We are saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). Salvation is a gift from God (Rom. 6:23). We must each receive this gift personally (John 3:3) by confessing our sins to God (Proverbs 28:13) with repentance (Acts 3:19; 2 Cor. 7:10), asking Jesus to forgive them (Luke 11:4) and trusting in him as our Lord and Master (Rom. 10:13).
When we make this commitment to Jesus, he makes us a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) and holds us in his hand forever (John 10:28). As believers, we must continue to confess our sins to God and seek his forgiving grace (1 John 1:8-10). Since the results of sin are death (Rom. 6:23), those who refuse God's offer of salvation in Christ are separated from him forever in hell (John 3:18; Rev. 20:15).
11. "The resurrection of the body,"
Jesus' resurrection assures us of eternal life with him (1 Cor. 15:22). Believers never die (John 11:25-26). At the moment of physical death, we are instantly united with Jesus in Paradise (Luke 23:43).
12. "And life everlasting."
Christians will spend eternity with God in imperishable bodies (1 Cor. 15:42-44, 53-55), worshipping him forever (Rev. 5:13). Jesus came to give us abundant life now (John 10:10) and eternal life with him in heaven (John 14:1-3).
These statements constitute "the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 3). They form the theological foundation for all our ministry does to extend God's Kingdom around the world (Habakkuk 2:14).
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Christian Growth
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 875 of 1050 | 49 of 58 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 914 of 1051 | 46 of 58 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 906 of 1051 | 50 of 58 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 406 of 1050 | 24 of 58 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 10% | 11% | 7% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 4% | 9% | 10% | 7% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 86% | 99% | 99% | 99% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 10% | 11% | 9% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 14% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 71% | 64% | 64% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 91% | 92% | 96% | 73% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 73% | 66% | 61% | 47% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 9% | 8% | 4% | 27% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 11% | 11% | 5% | 41% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 12% | 19% | 26% | 27% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.91 | 1.30 | 1.14 | 1.05 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.35 | 1.03 | 1.04 | 1.04 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.62 | 1.34 | 1.18 | 1.10 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 13.68 | 13.52 | 51.04 | 16.17 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.72 | 8.32 | 9.94 | 10.26 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 7% | 2% | 6% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 89% | 71% | 86% | 89% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Cash | $2,683,824 | $2,163,057 | $2,080,159 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $750 | $16,500 | $10,455 |
| Short-term investments | $516,759 | $472,622 | $529,064 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,201,333 | $2,652,179 | $2,619,678 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $52,386 | $70,014 | $75,066 |
| Other long-term assets | $33,521 | $31,292 | $30,752 |
| Total long-term assets | $85,907 | $101,306 | $105,818 |
| Total assets | $3,287,240 | $2,753,485 | $2,725,496 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $190,961 | $51,593 | $154,216 |
| Other current liabilities | $45,785 | $373 | $7,799 |
| Total current liabilities | $236,746 | $51,966 | $162,015 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $236,746 | $51,966 | $162,015 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Without donor restrictions | $2,533,735 | $2,228,897 | $2,045,698 |
| With donor restrictions | $516,759 | $472,622 | $517,783 |
| Net assets | $3,050,494 | $2,701,519 | $2,563,481 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Total contributions | $4,559,424 | $3,249,926 | $3,869,879 |
| Program service revenue | $4,779 | $38,639 | $24,977 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $79,421 | ($12,456) | $28,742 |
| Other revenue | ($19,929) | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $64,271 | $26,183 | $53,719 |
| Total revenue | $4,623,695 | $3,276,109 | $3,923,598 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Program services | $3,038,772 | $1,992,754 | $1,835,079 |
| Management and general | $798,375 | $803,895 | $778,725 |
| Fundraising | $437,573 | $341,422 | $260,596 |
| Total expenses | $4,274,720 | $3,138,071 | $2,874,400 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $348,975 | $138,038 | $1,049,198 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $348,975 | $138,038 | $1,049,198 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Jim Denison | President/Director | $235,253 |
| Jeff Byrd | Chief Operating Officer | $195,839 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2015
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 11/4/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Dr. Denison's Testimony
My father was so active in his church that his friends thought he might go into vocational ministry. When World War II began, he enlisted in the Army and was stationed in the South Pacific. He experienced such horrific atrocities that he never attended church services again.
As a result, I was raised in a family that was loving and supportive but with no spiritual life and all my father's questions. He contracted a skin disease during his military service that plagued him for the rest of his life. He had his first heart attack when I was two years old and died of a second heart attack when I was in college.
Consequently, faith questions have been part of my life for all of my life.
When I was fifteen years old, a Baptist church in our community invited me to ride their bus to church. That's how I first heard the gospel. I did not understand everything I heard, but I saw something in these Christians I did not find in my life-a sense of peace, joy, and purpose.
I kept attending Sunday school and church. Several weeks later, I asked my Bible study teacher how I could have what she had. She then led me to personal faith in Christ.
However, my father's questions were still my questions: How do we know the Bible is true? What about other religions? Why does God allow bad things to happen? Over time, I concluded that there was something wrong with my faith because I still had doubts.
Then a friend gave me a copy of C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity and it changed my life. For the first time, I encountered someone who dealt with faith intellectually. I still have that copy and reread it occasionally.
Over time, God drew me into vocational ministry and then into the academic study of my faith. I received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in philosophy of religion and have taught apologetics (methods of defending the faith) with four seminaries over the years. As a pastor of four churches, I often focused on faith questions as well.
In 2009, we launched Denison Forum so I could devote myself full-time to answering cultural questions with biblical truth. Our purpose is to equip Christians to think biblically about contemporary issues so they can use their influence more effectively for Christ.
But the common denominator across these many years has been the same: answering my father's questions. I've learned that my Father's answers are enough for my mind and my soul.