Loving Shepherd Ministries 
The information on this page was last updated 3/25/2025. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
We're reaching the world's vulnerable children - those most in danger of starvation and trafficking - through a variety of programs ranging from Adoption to Foster Care to Family Preservation and Discipleship.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Loving Shepherd Ministries
PO Box 375
1935 N Main St
Bluffton, IN 46714
Website: loving-shepherd.org
Phone: 260-824-9000
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 364495623
CEO/President: Doug Isch
Chairman: Mark Gerber
Board size: 7
Founder:
Ruling year: 2002
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 08/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2004
Purpose
Vision: As vulnerable children reach their God-given potential, they will grow up to become godly leaders and influencers, breaking destructive cycles and creating lasting change in the communities we serve.
We believe in empowering vulnerable children so they can reach their full potential. We serve 250 vulnerable kids in Haiti through our unique continuum of care, which includes Child Development, Trauma Recovery, Vocational Training, Discipleship Programs, Life Skills, Service Opportunities, and more.
LSM operates multiple businesses in Haiti for the purpose of creating revenue streams to support LSM's ongoing work to help vulnerable kids, as well as to provide sustainable jobs within the communities we serve. In Ethiopia we use job training to empower formerly trafficked mothers.
Loving Shepherd Ministries provides vulnerable kids with a unique continuum of care from childhood through adulthood, facilitating spiritual and mental recovery while providing tools to help them grow into self-sufficient leaders, holistically equipped to transform their cultures for Christ.
Mission statement
We help the world's most vulnerable children reach their God-given potential by:
Creating and Sustaining Families
Engaging the Church in the U.S. and Abroad
Developing Educational and Business Opportunities
Statement of faith
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 | | 554 of 1117 | 49 of 108 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 609 of 1118 | 50 of 108 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 185 of 1118 | 18 of 108 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 869 of 1117 | 81 of 108 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 7% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 90% | 78% | 70% | 69% | 74% | 72% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 10% | 22% | 30% | 31% | 26% | 28% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 90% | 91% | 91% | 91% | 90% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 113% | 87% | 88% | 79% | 88% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 83% | 101% | 79% | 80% | 72% | 79% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -13% | 13% | 12% | 21% | 12% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -7% | 9% | 9% | 16% | 9% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.94 | 0.59 | 0.62 | 0.66 | 0.62 | 0.60 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.91 | 2.34 | 2.21 | 2.50 | 2.74 | 3.26 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.15 | 1.39 | 1.36 | 1.65 | 1.70 | 1.95 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 12.04 | 164.79 | 54.18 | 29.98 | 53.90 | 54.51 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.07 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.06 | 8.59 | 8.64 | 7.01 | 6.95 | 6.03 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 83% | 168% | 161% | 149% | 161% | 162% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $2,597,515 | $3,081,816 | $2,417,313 | $1,741,237 | $1,203,162 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $270,835 | $419,260 | $249,144 | $215,244 | $46,520 |
| Short-term investments | $1,112,390 | $976,519 | $919,254 | $1,054,565 | $886,523 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $3,980,740 | $4,477,595 | $3,585,711 | $3,011,046 | $2,136,205 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $5,202,568 | $5,307,140 | $5,302,105 | $5,198,065 | $4,750,068 |
| Other long-term assets | $112,943 | $101,616 | $77,046 | $52,459 | $78,299 |
| Total long-term assets | $5,315,511 | $5,408,756 | $5,379,151 | $5,250,524 | $4,828,367 |
| Total assets | $9,296,251 | $9,886,351 | $8,964,862 | $8,261,570 | $6,964,572 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $24,156 | $82,650 | $119,596 | $55,860 | $39,190 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $24,156 | $82,650 | $119,596 | $55,860 | $39,190 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $164,600 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $164,600 |
| Total liabilities | $24,156 | $82,650 | $119,596 | $55,860 | $203,790 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $6,256,266 | $6,448,759 | $6,155,182 | $5,821,923 | $5,319,067 |
| With donor restrictions | $3,015,829 | $3,354,942 | $2,690,084 | $2,383,787 | $1,441,715 |
| Net assets | $9,272,095 | $9,803,701 | $8,845,266 | $8,205,710 | $6,760,782 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $3,823,811 | $4,952,038 | $4,615,470 | $4,799,623 | $3,435,029 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $66,309 | $51,552 | $52,183 | $81,680 | $35,208 |
| Other revenue | $1,005,261 | $2,023,509 | $2,049,653 | $1,576,507 | $1,299,018 |
| Total other revenue | $1,071,570 | $2,075,061 | $2,101,836 | $1,658,187 | $1,334,226 |
| Total revenue | $4,895,381 | $7,027,099 | $6,717,306 | $6,457,810 | $4,769,255 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $4,964,036 | $5,563,164 | $5,383,453 | $4,657,597 | $3,761,589 |
| Management and general | $316,084 | $295,177 | $302,646 | $233,828 | $233,159 |
| Fundraising | $249,636 | $247,698 | $245,498 | $213,187 | $179,132 |
| Total expenses | $5,529,756 | $6,106,039 | $5,931,597 | $5,104,612 | $4,173,880 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($634,375) | $921,060 | $785,709 | $1,353,198 | $595,375 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($634,375) | $921,060 | $785,709 | $1,353,198 | $595,375 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Doug Isch | President | $87,825 |
| Ed Schwartz | Dir-New Init | $37,188 |
Compensation data as of: 8/31/2024
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 3/25/2025. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
For a timeline, visit: https://loving-shepherd.org/the-lsm-story/
Program accomplishments
Haiti - 240 formerly vulnerable children in 20 Homes of Hope grown into country changers for Christ.
Ethiopia - 590 at-risk families empowered through education, job skills training, discipleship, and more.
USA - 7,300 adoptions navigated, saving prospective adoption families incalculable time and money.