WordPartners 
The information on this page was last updated 11/6/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
For more than 50 years, we've partnered with people like you to put the Word of God in the driver's seat of the church and put His glory on display.
Today, we continue to see the movement of God's Word accelerate and grow as pastors and their people find life and transformation through His Word.
What a privilege to partner in God's mission together with you.
Contact information
Mailing address:
WordPartners
12575 Ridgeland Ave
Palos Heights, IL 60463-1867
Website: wordpartners.org
Phone: (800) 980-2226
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 362972097
CEO/President: David Sunday
Chairman: Jeffrey Brewer
Board size: 9
Founder: Bill Mills
Ruling year: 1979
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1989
Purpose
We long to see the word of God flowing powerfully through every church to every nation.
Mission statement
WordPartners longs to see the Word of God flowing powerfully through every church, to every nation. We offer a unique value to the global Church, providing both practical training on how to interpret and preach the Word of God, and ongoing relational investment that inherently multiplies the movement. This unique, biblical combination leads to authentic transformation, not only in the congregations these pastors lead, but in the pastors themselves.
Statement of faith
We believe that the Bible is the inerrant, inspired, infallible, and only authoritative Word of God. We believe that God cleanses His people (John 15:3), heals them (Ps. 107:20), creates new life in them (Isa. 55:10, 11), and brings them encouragement and hope through the ministry of His Word. That is why ours is a ministry of preaching and teaching the Scriptures.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe that all we are and do flows out of our vision of God. We believe that God is sovereign in salvation (Eph. 1:3-6), in ministry (Job 42:1; 2 Cor. 3:4-6) and over the lives of His people (Gen. 50:18-21). That is why we seek to bring to His people an exalted view of God.
We believe in the virgin birth and the death of our Lord Jesus Christ - that He is fully God and fully man - in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. We believe that the resources of Christ are all of our hope in life, in relationships and in ministry. (Col. 1:27; John 15:5). That is the reason for our Christ-centered teaching.
We believe in the totally lost condition of man by nature and his need of the new birth by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that salvation is the result of God's sovereign grace and not of man's free will (John 1:10-11; John 6:44; Eph. 1:3-6). We also believe that in all of life and ministry we are dependent on His working in and through us. That is why we are committed to seeking direction through prayer as the power in ministry.
We believe in justification by faith apart from the works of the law (Rom. 3:21-23), and that sanctification is also a work of God's grace as we walk in obedience before Him (Rom. 6:11-23; 8:12-14). That is why ours is a grace-dependent message.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling presence (John 14:15-17) the Christian is enabled to live a godly life and serve the Lord. We believe it is through the gifts of the Holy Spirit that God's people serve and build up one another (1 Cor. 12-14; Rom. 12:1-8). That is why the work of the Spirit is a focus of our teaching.
We believe in the imminent and bodily return of Christ, in the resurrection of the saved and the lost (1 Cor. 15:12-28; Rev.20: 11-15) - the saved unto eternal life and the lost to eternal judgment. That is why we call people to repentance in our teaching.
We believe in the spiritual unity of all believers in our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:20-23) and in the validity of local bodies of believers called churches (as evidenced in the book of Acts and the letters to the churches). God has ordained that it is in churches where believers are to worship and fellowship and through which they may serve the Lord. That is why our ministry is committed to building up local churches, training pastors, encouraging church leaders, and advancing the work of churches through missions.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Evangelism Support
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1010 of 1123 | 36 of 40 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1060 of 1124 | 39 of 40 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 944 of 1124 | 35 of 40 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 635 of 1123 | 25 of 40 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $128,879 in government grants in 2023.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 15% | 15% | 11% | 11% | 14% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 15% | 14% | 11% | 10% | 14% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 97% | 97% | 99% | 100% | 91% | 99% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 15% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 3% | 3% | 1% | 0% | 9% | 1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 76% | 76% | 77% | 77% | 73% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 120% | 117% | 97% | 73% | 92% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 91% | 89% | 74% | 56% | 67% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | -20% | -17% | 3% | 27% | 8% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | -17% | -18% | 4% | 41% | 17% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 10% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.18 | 0.99 | 1.25 | 1.06 | 1.11 | 1.91 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.22 | 1.31 | 1.30 | 1.25 | 1.29 | 1.28 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.52 | 1.30 | 1.62 | 1.33 | 1.43 | 2.44 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 43.19 | 214.00 | 108.46 | 318.64 | 97.58 | 74.38 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.02 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.22 | 9.18 | 7.33 | 8.98 | 8.30 | 4.85 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 4% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 80% | 100% | 79% | 94% | 90% | 52% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $2,433,913 | $2,786,057 | $3,520,271 | $3,266,219 | $1,981,649 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $10,007 | $8,374 | $8,689 | $48,770 | $0 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $2,443,920 | $2,794,431 | $3,528,960 | $3,314,989 | $1,981,649 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $750,139 | $803,516 | $889,949 | $969,151 | $548,175 |
| Other long-term assets | $5,671 | $28,095 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $755,810 | $831,611 | $889,949 | $969,151 | $548,175 |
| Total assets | $3,199,730 | $3,626,042 | $4,418,909 | $4,284,140 | $2,529,824 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $11,420 | $25,765 | $11,075 | $33,973 | $26,643 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $11,420 | $25,765 | $11,075 | $33,973 | $26,643 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $6,129 | $30,051 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $6,129 | $30,051 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $17,549 | $55,816 | $11,075 | $33,973 | $26,643 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $2,580,850 | $3,324,884 | $4,018,038 | $3,921,907 | $2,161,906 |
| With donor restrictions | $601,331 | $245,342 | $389,796 | $328,260 | $341,275 |
| Net assets | $3,182,181 | $3,570,226 | $4,407,834 | $4,250,167 | $2,503,181 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $2,571,210 | $3,827,656 | $4,836,277 | $5,914,351 | $5,221,208 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $467 | $1,301 | $7,763 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $84,188 | $53,015 | $21,490 | $28,278 | $42,329 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $545,215 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $84,188 | $53,015 | $21,957 | $574,794 | $50,092 |
| Total revenue | $2,655,398 | $3,880,671 | $4,858,234 | $6,489,145 | $5,271,300 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $2,406,736 | $3,441,643 | $3,597,512 | $3,662,635 | $3,553,274 |
| Management and general | $384,354 | $531,886 | $551,702 | $455,441 | $568,183 |
| Fundraising | $390,213 | $557,820 | $551,353 | $624,083 | $714,377 |
| Total expenses | $3,181,303 | $4,531,349 | $4,700,567 | $4,742,159 | $4,835,834 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($525,905) | ($650,678) | $157,667 | $1,746,986 | $435,466 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($525,905) | ($650,678) | $157,667 | $1,746,986 | $435,466 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| David Sunday | President | $129,697 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2023
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 11/6/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
1970 - Personal Ministries
The ministry begins as Personal Ministries. Our founder, Bill Mills, meets one-on-one with young Christians to disciple them in biblical truth. Within a few years, others join the staff, Bible study curriculum and workshops are developed, and a printing press is purchased to produce materials.
1977 - Church conference ministry
With a growing conviction that ministry should take place within the local church, Personal Ministries transitions from a one-on-one ministry to teaching Bible conferences in U.S. churches, with a focus on the heart of God as revealed in the Word of God.
1981 - International work begins
Bill Mills travels to Quito, Ecuador to teach a Bible conference to missionaries. Afterwards, Bill and Americo Saavedra sit together on a bench at the airport and dream and pray about how the Lord might lead them to work together. Bill also travels to other countries to do conferences for Wycliffe Bible Translators.
1985 - Pastoral training begins
The ministry begins conferences to train pastors in Latin America as Americo and Kathy Saavedra - and later, other Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters - join the ministry.
1990 - Leadership Resources
The ministry changes its name to reflect a new focus. Leadership Resources International better expresses our passion to equip and encourage pastors in countries where rapid church growth is outpacing the development of church leaders.
2001 - A new strategy
The ministry launches a new strategy for training pastors. Instead of doing large, one-time conferences, we begin to focus on small groups of pastors who will then train others according to the model of 2 Timothy 2:2. Soon the ministry broadens outside of Latin America to Asia and Africa, and the focus of the training narrows to equipping pastors to teach God's Word with God's heart.
2012 - Investing in training partners
With our staff at the extent of their capacity to do training, God opens our eyes to another shift in strategy. As gifted leaders emerge in training groups around the world, we begin to invest more in these key training partners. As our work with these partners grows, they are able to reach exponentially more pastors in even more places than we could alone.
2021 - WordPartners
The ministry takes on a new name to reflect what God has been doing in the last several years - not through us alone, but through the many global partners God has given us the privilege to work with. How is God accomplishing the work? Through the power of His Word and through the partners He's given us. And so - we change our name to WordPartners.
Program accomplishments
Global Impact
44 countries
261 training partners
649 training groups
16,442 pastors and leaders