Josiah Venture 
The information on this page was last updated 3/27/2024. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
King Josiah began seeking God at age 16. By the time he was 26, God had used Josiah to bring revival to the land, rebuild the house of God, and restore the Word of God to its central place (2 Chr. 34). Central and Eastern Europe desperately needs its own Josiahs, young men and women who lead the way spiritually, as this young king did. More than just conversion, we want to see passionate followers of Jesus Christ, with a vision to reach and disciple their generation for Him.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Josiah Venture
PO Box 4317
Wheaton, IL 60189-4317
Website: josiahventure.com
Phone: (630) 221-9332
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 364469008
CEO/President: Dave Patty
Chairman: H. Philip Vierling
Board size: 12
Founder: Dave Patty
Ruling year: 2001
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2006
Purpose
Our vision is a movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe that finds its home in the local church and transforms society.
Our mission is to equip young leaders in Central and Eastern Europe to fulfill Christ's commission through the local church. We want to see passionate followers of Jesus Christ, with a vision to reach and disciple their generation for Him. WE BELIEVE that the Holy Scriptures, both the Old and the New Testaments, are fully inspired by the Holy Spirit, without error in the original manuscripts, infallible, and the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.
Young people were the primary energy and momentum behind the revolutions that broke the power of communism in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 80's. But a revolution that changes the government doesn't change the hearts of people. The work is only half done. Young people must be reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ. The energy of youth must be mobilized into a mighty force for the Kingdom of God. The potential is clear. Central and Eastern Europe's young people have already proven they can change the course of history. Now they must change the course of eternity.
We value the bold faith we see modeled in the book of Acts, a dynamic community that functions as the body of Christ, excellence that draws attention to God, the kind of integrity that permeates unseen corners, and the empowering of indigenous leaders to reach their own people.
Mission statement
Statement of faith
WE BELIEVE in one God, Creator of all things, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
WE BELIEVE that man was created in the image of God, but through Adam's sin became alienated from God, acquired a sin nature, and came under the judicial sentence of death. As a consequence, man is lost, unable to save himself from the wrath of God, and needs to be saved.
WE BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ, fully God and fully man, born of a virgin, sinless and perfect, the only Savior. We believe that He carried our sins in His body on the cross, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and is now at the right hand of God, mediating for us. We believe in the personal and physical return of Christ in power and glory.
WE BELIEVE that salvation is a gift of God, sovereignly offered by grace to those who repent and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; and that all who truly believe in Him are eternally saved on the basis of His shed blood.
WE BELIEVE in God the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers to convict, enlighten, sanctify, empower, and guide them in life and service.
WE BELIEVE that the true Church is composed of persons who, through saving faith in Jesus Christ, have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and are united together in the body of Christ, of which He is Head.
WE BELIEVE in the bodily resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto eternal life with God, and they that are lost unto eternal punishment separated from God.
WE BELIEVE that Christ commanded the church to make disciples of all peoples, by going into all the world, baptizing people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that Christ commanded.
(Josiah Venture also accepts the Lausanne Covenant and the World Evangelical Fellowship Statement of Faith.)
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Leadership Training
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 462 of 1115 | 6 of 21 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 146 of 1116 | 2 of 21 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 493 of 1116 | 4 of 21 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 864 of 1115 | 16 of 21 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 9% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 99% | 100% | 100% | 99% | 100% | 101% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 1% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 0% | -1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 87% | 85% | 86% | 87% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 94% | 81% | 90% | 91% | 93% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 80% | 71% | 77% | 79% | 82% | 80% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 6% | 19% | 10% | 9% | 7% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 11% | 19% | 8% | 7% | 6% | 8% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 10% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 10% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.42 | 0.82 | 0.72 | 0.71 | 0.87 | 0.88 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.23 | 1.44 | 1.63 | 1.76 | 1.81 | 1.90 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.93 | 1.18 | 1.17 | 1.25 | 1.58 | 1.68 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 12.19 | 90.15 | 116.84 | 109.83 | 86.58 | 138.93 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.08 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.12 | 10.03 | 10.13 | 9.51 | 7.50 | 7.11 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 57% | 121% | 138% | 140% | 114% | 113% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Cash | $14,439,424 | $10,306,901 | $8,767,625 | $7,921,682 | $7,042,131 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $108,076 | $24,914 | $23,181 | $24,958 | $15,261 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $14,547,500 | $10,331,815 | $8,790,806 | $7,946,640 | $7,057,392 |
| Long-term investments | $1,245,371 | $1,406,339 | $1,512,131 | $1,510,290 | $1,584,543 |
| Fixed assets | $276,939 | $296,730 | $316,518 | $309,671 | $320,822 |
| Other long-term assets | $4,855,233 | $4,855,233 | $4,855,233 | $4,626,258 | $4,478,468 |
| Total long-term assets | $6,377,543 | $6,558,302 | $6,683,882 | $6,446,219 | $6,383,833 |
| Total assets | $20,925,043 | $16,890,117 | $15,474,688 | $14,392,859 | $13,441,225 |
| Liabilities | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $161,372 | $88,425 | $80,040 | $91,780 | $50,799 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $161,372 | $88,425 | $80,040 | $91,780 | $50,799 |
| 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 | $161,372 | $88,425 | $80,040 | $91,780 | $50,799 |
| Net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Without donor restrictions | $8,722,300 | $8,381,911 | $8,112,124 | $8,046,038 | $7,686,687 |
| With donor restrictions | $12,041,371 | $8,419,781 | $7,282,524 | $6,255,041 | $5,703,739 |
| Net assets | $20,763,671 | $16,801,692 | $15,394,648 | $14,301,079 | $13,390,426 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Total contributions | $21,263,746 | $13,583,806 | $12,018,035 | $13,473,781 | $13,037,748 |
| Program service revenue | ($122,954) | ($81,084) | $25,628 | ($45,837) | ($103,813) |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $23,979 | $41,279 | $44,331 | $34,234 | $21,811 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $28 |
| Total other revenue | ($98,975) | ($39,805) | $69,959 | ($11,603) | ($81,974) |
| Total revenue | $21,164,771 | $13,544,001 | $12,087,994 | $13,462,178 | $12,955,774 |
| Expenses | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Program services | $15,045,511 | $10,363,680 | $9,490,852 | $10,978,199 | $10,339,481 |
| Management and general | $1,756,620 | $1,474,030 | $1,234,576 | $1,254,551 | $1,153,713 |
| Fundraising | $401,228 | $293,685 | $268,938 | $329,375 | $332,173 |
| Total expenses | $17,203,359 | $12,131,395 | $10,994,366 | $12,562,125 | $11,825,367 |
| Change in net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $3,961,412 | $1,412,606 | $1,093,628 | $900,053 | $1,130,407 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $3,961,412 | $1,412,606 | $1,093,628 | $900,053 | $1,130,407 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| David Bordner | Missionary | $130,314 |
| Dave Patty | President | $117,707 |
| Jonathan Rosen | Missionary | $115,206 |
| Shawn Werdebaugh | Missionary | $114,417 |
| Mel Ellenwood | Executive Vice President | $90,446 |
| Paul Williams | Chief Financial Officer | $73,485 |
| Dann Spader | Director/GYI Director | $57,000 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2022
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 3/27/2024. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
The seeds of a vision for Josiah Venture were first sown in Germany in 1989 among a group of American youth pastors who were ministering on U.S. military bases in Western Europe. The sweeping changes that followed the removal of the Berlin Wall that year opened new doors of ministry to Central and Eastern Europe as the region became accessible for summer missions projects. Those youth pastors brought teams of youth to Hungary, and then to Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia.
In spite of forty years of communist oppression, they found an unexpected openness to the gospel. A new generation of young people was hungry for truth and anxious to chart a new course. Soon it became obvious that more than short-term work was necessary. In 1992, three couples made initial 10-year commitments to help local churches in Central and Eastern Europe reach young people for Christ.
By June 1993, the couples entered into strategic partnerships with Sonlife Ministries and International Teams. Sonlife gave permission to adapt their training materials to the needs of Central and Eastern Europeans, and International Teams provided the organizational infrastructure necessary to support the work. The partnership took on the name "Josiah Venture" in honor of the godly Jewish king in 2 Chronicles whose devotion to the Word of God brought revival to an entire nation while he was still in his teens.
In November of that year, the first two Josiah Venture couples moved into Czech and Poland and began learning the language and training youth leaders. By the fall of 2001, the work had outgrown the original structure, and the leadership recognized the need to open the way for expanded growth. In January of 2002, Josiah Venture was launched as its own mission organization, with administrative offices in Wheaton, Illinois. Today, Josiah Venture has grown with over 320 staff members in 16 countries across Central and Eastern Europe.
Program accomplishments
We currently serve in 16 countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine