First Love International Ministries 
The information on this page was last updated 12/21/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
First Love is a non-denominational mission agency founded for the purpose of bringing love and hope to people residing in impoverished regions of the world.
Contact information
Mailing address:
First Love International Ministries
PO Box 15836
Loves Park, IL 61132
Website: firstloveinternational.com
Phone: 815-229-3065
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 364423774
CEO/President: Phil Smith
Chairman: Jerry Winslow
Board size: 10
Founder: Dr. Tom Clinton
Ruling year: 2001
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2002
Purpose
The purpose is activated through First Love's ministries of: (1) Exhortation - calling believers back to their first love for God and to His priorities for their lives, (2) Education - equipping disciples for the purpose of making them fruitful participants in Christ's Great Commission as active parts of the harvest force, and (3) Evangelization - demonstrating our passion for the Lord through minisitries of active compassion for the lost.
Mission statement
First Love International is a missions leader dedicated to connecting believers together in order to tangibly surround the most vulnerable with wholistic, Jesus-saturated love.
Statement of faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, 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 for the salvation of lost and sinful man regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Foreign Missions
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 373 of 1123 | 43 of 123 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 153 of 1124 | 21 of 123 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 201 of 1124 | 17 of 123 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1024 of 1123 | 113 of 123 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 5% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 98% | 99% | 82% | 99% | 99% | 99% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 18% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 85% | 91% | 91% | 91% | 92% | 94% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 114% | 72% | 88% | 96% | 105% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 85% | 104% | 65% | 80% | 88% | 98% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -14% | 28% | 12% | 4% | -5% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -17% | 40% | 19% | 8% | -11% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 5% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.38 | 1.36 | 0.99 | 1.41 | 1.94 | 2.34 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.30 | 6.27 | 1.07 | 1.13 | 1.14 | 1.45 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.28 | 8.53 | 1.07 | 1.59 | 2.22 | 3.40 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 18.96 | 0.00 | 188.37 | 330.79 | 0.00 | 199.54 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.00 | 0.01 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.07 | 1.41 | 11.19 | 7.52 | 5.40 | 3.51 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 7% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 62% | 73% | 100% | 71% | 51% | 42% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $155,059 | $3,034,202 | $1,618,123 | $1,227,322 | $793,902 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $35,129 | $36,491 | $9,896 | $10,786 | $37,146 |
| Short-term investments | $309,548 | $298,484 | $320,637 | $281,650 | $281,396 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $499,736 | $3,369,177 | $1,948,656 | $1,519,758 | $1,112,444 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $82,221 | $82,221 | $82,221 |
| Fixed assets | $211,896 | $236,072 | $163,866 | $137,278 | $139,296 |
| Other long-term assets | $2,422,861 | $10,893 | $126 | $100 | $279,867 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,634,757 | $246,965 | $246,213 | $219,599 | $501,384 |
| Total assets | $3,134,493 | $3,616,142 | $2,194,869 | $1,739,357 | $1,613,828 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $0 | $17,886 | $5,891 | $0 | $5,575 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $0 | $17,886 | $5,891 | $0 | $5,575 |
| Debt | $25,849 | $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 | $25,849 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $25,849 | $17,886 | $5,891 | $0 | $5,575 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $3,108,644 | $3,598,256 | $2,188,978 | $1,739,357 | $1,608,253 |
| With donor restrictions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $3,108,644 | $3,598,256 | $2,188,978 | $1,739,357 | $1,608,253 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $3,694,606 | $4,098,345 | $3,475,143 | $3,483,750 | $3,581,928 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $50,743 | $922,349 | $36,403 | $33,285 | $23,537 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $1,449 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $50,743 | $923,798 | $36,403 | $33,285 | $23,537 |
| Total revenue | $3,745,349 | $5,022,143 | $3,511,546 | $3,517,035 | $3,605,465 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $3,893,426 | $3,265,815 | $2,822,227 | $3,095,989 | $3,544,518 |
| Management and general | $324,647 | $275,912 | $246,348 | $232,269 | $200,617 |
| Fundraising | $46,676 | $53,228 | $32,514 | $51,465 | $39,103 |
| Total expenses | $4,264,749 | $3,594,955 | $3,101,089 | $3,379,723 | $3,784,238 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($519,400) | $1,427,188 | $410,457 | $137,312 | ($178,773) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($519,400) | $1,427,188 | $410,457 | $137,312 | ($178,773) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Dr Thomas Clinton | Fmr Presiden | $107,740 |
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 12/21/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
This is our story. I, like many in the church today, have been a very active follower of Christ and faithful church attender most of my life. I've read and studied my Bible for years, earned divinity and theology degrees, and served as a Sunday School teacher and on many church boards. I've been a Youth for Christ director, local church pastor, and overseas mission leader and yet, over the years, I felt that something was missing. I had an anxiousness in my heart that could only be relieved by busyness and change. I sensed that there had to be something more to the Christian life, but I just couldn't put my finger on what it was.
Several years ago after I had just returned from an overseas trip to India, I began meditating on the Lord's words which He gave to the Apostle John to write to the church at Ephesus, as recorded in Revelation chapter 2. I remember feeling burdened by the reproof these believers had received. Because even though they worked hard, did many good deeds, were very ministry minded, had their theology straight, and persevered under tribulation, the Lord told them they still lacked one thing...They had forsaken their first love.
This caused me to ask myself, "What was it that caused the loss of this group of believer's initial passion for Christ?" My search for answers lead me to the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew's gospel chapter 24 verse 12: Because of the increase of evil, the love of most will grow cold.
This verse challenged me, because I immediately knew that evil...and its by-products of wickedness and worldliness in my own life, were serving as a barricade to my intimacy with the Savior.
I began to realize that the something more that I had been looking for wasn't something that I needed to "get" but something that I needed to "give". I needed to give Jesus all of my heart, soul, mind and strength and seek to make Him the #1 object of my attention and affection in all facets of my life.
A.W. Tozer once said: The difference between believers today and the saints of old, is that when they felt the upward nudge of God, they did something about it.
In my response to a sensed call of God on my life and in my desire to "Do something" with my love for the Savior, I determined that if I ever founded a mission agency I would call it First Love. Seven years later the time was right and First Love International Ministries was born in February 2001 as a ministry of Exhortation...calling believers back to their First Love, Evangelization...introducing the lost to the One who loved them first, and Education...teaching them all that Christ has commanded.
And now, 20 years later, God has allowed us to grow from a two person "ma and pa" organization, to a staff of over 350 full-time missionaries and national staff members serving in 14 countries around the world. But we don't want to stop there...many doors are opening before us and it is our prayer that like-minded people would sense that tug of God to join with us as together we seek to reach out in love to those Jesus called...The least of these.
After forty years of ministry and twenty years as the president of First Love International Ministries, Tom Clinton, along with his wife Linda, believes God has led him to pass the torch to a new leader. Tom and Linda plan to continue with First Love as missionaries and advisors to the incoming president. When First Love began, Tom carefully chose Galatians 5:6 which says, "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love," as the theme behind the efforts to bring God's love to those Jesus called "the least of these." First Love continues to thrive and expand as new missionaries, countries and ministries are added each year. Most importantly, the lives of thousands of men, women and children across the globe are impacted with the love of Jesus each day. We trust God will provide the right person to serve as the new president and lead First Love International Ministries into the next chapter of our story.
Testimony from Dr. Tom Clinton