Deaf Bible Society

The information on this page was last updated 4/25/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

Around the globe, 98% of Deaf people have never been introduced to the gospel. Deaf Christians are working hard to advance Bible translation and access in their communities, and also to establish and grow church ministries. But the task is simply too big to do without advocates like you. As you discover the passionate people engaged with Deaf Bible Society, will you join us?


Contact information

Mailing address:
Deaf Bible Society
PO Box 180818
Arlington, TX 76096

Website: deafbiblesociety.com

Phone: 1-800-654-3690

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 474285852

CEO/President: Chantel Pagan

Chairman: John Dickinson

Board size: 10

Founder: J.R. Bucklew

Ruling year: 2015

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 03/31

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 2018


Purpose

Our vision is to create local, sustainable, Great Commission initiatives among the Deaf to reveal the hope of the Gospel so that every deaf person has the opportunity to receive, experience, and share it.


Mission statement

Our mission is to provide God's Word in every sign language.


Statement of faith

We believe the Bible, the inspired Word of God; it is completely trustworthy, speaking with supreme authority in all matters of belief and practice.

We believe in one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We believe all people, being created in the image of God, have intrinsic value, but as a result of sin are alienated from God and each other, and therefore in need of reconciliation.

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, is fully God and fully human; He demonstrated God's love for sinners by suffering the penalty of death in their place, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended to heaven where He intercedes for His people.

We believe all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior are, by the grace of God, declared to be right with Him, receiving forgiveness and eternal life.

We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally in glory, raise the dead, and judge the world.

We believe all people will rise from the dead, those who are in Christ to enjoy eternal life with God, and those who are lost to suffer eternal separation from Him.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who imparts new life to those who believe in Christ; through His indwelling presence and transforming power, He gives assurance and equips believers for holy living and effective service.

We believe the Church is the body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and is commissioned to make disciples of all nations.

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

A

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Evangelism

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating389 of 110715 of 48
Fund acquisition rating230 of 11087 of 48
Resource allocation rating433 of 110823 of 48
Asset utilization rating725 of 110727 of 48

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20232022202120202019
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
7%3%4%6%16%13%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
6%3%4%6%16%13%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
97%97%96%98%101%100%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
6%3%6%8%15%14%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
3%3%4%2%-1%0%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20232022202120202019
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
82%82%74%74%70%74%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
98%102%65%74%102%91%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
78%83%48%55%71%67%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
2%-2%35%26%-2%9%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
2%-1%20%38%-5%26%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
11%16%20%18%15%12%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20232022202120202019
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.070.660.361.042.321.97
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.641.151.151.341.601.55
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
2.280.760.411.403.703.06
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20232022202120202019
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
8.9577.1451.3611.923.773.27
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.100.010.020.080.260.31
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
4.6815.6628.407.842.382.72
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20232022202120202019
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
8%1%2%6%18%21%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
82%150%272%90%35%40%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20232022202120202019
Cash$6,726,570$6,780,784$2,938,245$1,749,383$1,594,166
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$0$0$7,217$6,038$266,048
Short-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$6,726,570$6,780,784$2,945,462$1,755,421$1,860,214
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$971,575$989,558$1,003,174$1,023,435$1,002,104
Other long-term assets$8,780$8,780$8,780$26,474$25,528
Total long-term assets$980,355$998,338$1,011,954$1,049,909$1,027,632
Total assets$7,706,925$7,779,122$3,957,416$2,805,330$2,887,846
 
Liabilities20232022202120202019
Payables and accrued expenses$87,199$132,030$247,201$203,399$336,491
Other current liabilities$0$0$0$261,680$232,020
Total current liabilities$87,199$132,030$247,201$465,079$568,511
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$0$0$0$46,682$44,804
Total long-term liabilities$0$0$0$46,682$44,804
Total liabilities$87,199$132,030$247,201$511,761$613,315
 
Net assets20232022202120202019
Without donor restrictions$6,869,518$2,596,056$1,355,134$1,263,403$1,262,308
With donor restrictions$750,208$5,051,036$2,355,081$1,030,166$1,012,223
Net assets$7,619,726$7,647,092$3,710,215$2,293,569$2,274,531
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20232022202120202019
Total contributions$4,858,959$4,157,898$5,438,486$6,462,367$6,288,271
Program service revenue$0$0$67,218$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$107,382$26,505$0($93,679)$0
Other revenue$20,678$167,150$39,463$3,160$5,130
Total other revenue$128,060$193,655$106,681($90,519)$5,130
Total revenue$4,987,019$4,351,553$5,545,167$6,371,848$6,293,401
 
Expenses20232022202120202019
Program services$4,152,541$2,086,067$3,075,578$4,516,156$4,230,847
Management and general$791,272$550,590$735,113$975,369$659,914
Fundraising$142,659$172,643$317,830$1,003,482$809,761
Total expenses$5,086,472$2,809,300$4,128,521$6,495,007$5,700,522
 
Change in net assets20232022202120202019
Surplus (deficit)($99,453)$1,542,253$1,416,646($123,159)$592,879
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets($99,453)$1,542,253$1,416,646($123,159)$592,879

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Chantel PaganCEO$139,938

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 4/25/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

June 2011: A regional manager at Faith Comes By Hearing travels to the Philippines and encounters the needs of their Deaf community.

November 2012: Deaf Bible App version 1.0 is launched by Faith Comes By Hearing as an outreach ministry for the Deaf.

2013: DeafBible.com website launches.

October 2014: Development of a sign language database, which eventually becomes Aveditz, began.

June 2015: A handful of visionaries working within Faith Comes by Hearing establish Deaf Bible Society as a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. J.R. Bucklew serves as founding CEO and President.

July 2015: Deaf Bible Together, a Scripture engagement program, is established and the first microSD cards with sign language Scripture are distributed in Africa.

2016: Scripture Engagement Training in American Sign Language is developed and launched.

October 2016: Deaf Bible Society relocates headquarters to Arlington, TX. Deaf Church Where website launches.

Late 2016: A partnership forms with United Bible Societies to develop a Sign Language Bible Translation Tool (SLTT).

2017: International Scripture Engagement Training is developed and launched. Consultant and Resource Development (CoRD) program is established to address the urgent needs for consultants. November 2017: Museum of the Bible opens in Washington, D.C. and features Deaf Bible resources to educate the public about the need for sign language Bible translation. Deaf Bible Together program expands to Europe and Asia, microSD cards with sign language Scripture are distributed.

2019: The Josiah School of Translation (JST) develops curriculum and launches a pilot training program with the first cohort of five Deaf translation teams.

January 2019: Partnership with the Passion Conference raises nearly $450,000 for sign language Scripture engagement efforts in 16 countries.

April 2019: Aveditz website launches, a centralized place capturing research and information about the sign languages of the world.

January 2020: The mantle of CEO is passed to Chantel Pagan.

March 2020: More than 1,000 Prayer Partners are praying with Deaf Bible Society over the Sign Language Bible cause!

May 2020: Deaf Church Where features 737 churches and averages 1,500 visitors each month!

Today: Translated Bible content in 29+ sign languages are accessible through the Deaf Bible App and website.

The Bright Future: Every Deaf person has access to God's Word in their native sign language!


Program accomplishments

Deaf Bible Society provides free access to Bible translations by video in 25+ sign languages. We're working on even more translations.


Needs

Every $30 allows 1 Deaf person to share God's Word with at least 10 others in their community.