Guido Evangelistic Association, Inc. 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 10/25/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
Guido Evangelistic Association, Inc. ("GEA") is the ministry of Dr. Guido and his Wife, Audrey. Dr. Guido and his wife, Audrey, have produced radio and television spots for more than 30 years under the auspices of Guido Evangelistic Association, Inc. With a staff of 12, the Guidos produce three daily radio broadcasts and release more than 3,500 programs every week, some of which reach all seven continents of the world. "A Seed for the Garden of Your Heart" is shown on more than 1,500 television stations. In addition, the Guidos produce a weekly, camera-ready newspaper column for 1,600 newspapers and send devotional materials to a mailing list of more than 35,000. All of this is written, printed and distributed with no charge.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Guido Evangelistic Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 508
600 N. Lewis Street
Metter, GA 30439
Website: www.sowerministries.org
Phone: (912) 685-2222
Email: lcguido@pineland.net
Organization details
EIN: 580690627
CEO/President: Larry Guido
Chairman: Rev. Michael Guido
Board size: 10
Founder: Rev. Michael Guido
Ruling year: 1959
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Mission statement
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Educational Media
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 261 of 1022 | 16 of 53 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 114 of 1024 | 7 of 53 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 116 of 1024 | 11 of 53 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 898 of 1022 | 45 of 53 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 7% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 92% | 89% | 87% | 93% | 93% | 93% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 7% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 8% | 11% | 13% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 87% | 82% | 96% | 97% | 97% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 108% | 107% | 104% | 112% | 105% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 74% | 94% | 88% | 99% | 109% | 102% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | -8% | -7% | -4% | -12% | -5% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 9% | -4% | -3% | -2% | -5% | -2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 12% | 17% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.93 | 0.45 | 0.42 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.40 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.35 | 2.04 | 2.10 | 2.08 | 2.18 | 2.17 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.74 | 0.92 | 0.88 | 0.90 | 0.89 | 0.86 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 9.50 | 24.92 | 24.97 | 30.19 | 24.65 | 21.57 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.10 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.93 | 12.48 | 13.14 | 12.90 | 12.87 | 13.34 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 12% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 84% | 216% | 235% | 228% | 239% | 247% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $663,149 | $656,394 | $679,543 | $662,214 | $700,028 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $0 | $9,903 | $8,400 | $7,448 | $6,485 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $663,149 | $666,297 | $687,943 | $669,662 | $706,513 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $686,684 | $730,132 | $744,402 | $790,886 | $825,552 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $686,684 | $730,132 | $744,402 | $790,886 | $825,552 |
| Total assets | $1,349,833 | $1,396,429 | $1,432,345 | $1,460,548 | $1,532,065 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $26,613 | $26,687 | $22,790 | $27,164 | $32,757 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $26,613 | $26,687 | $22,790 | $27,164 | $32,757 |
| 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 | $26,613 | $26,687 | $22,790 | $27,164 | $32,757 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Without donor restrictions | $1,323,220 | $1,369,742 | $1,409,555 | $1,433,384 | $1,499,308 |
| With donor restrictions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $1,323,220 | $1,369,742 | $1,409,555 | $1,433,384 | $1,499,308 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $505,207 | $473,698 | $554,337 | $497,034 | $536,650 |
| Program service revenue | $57,909 | $68,103 | $37,905 | $32,954 | $36,620 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $2,466 | $2,454 | $2,540 | $2,938 | $4,434 |
| Other revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $60,375 | $70,557 | $40,445 | $35,892 | $41,054 |
| Total revenue | $565,582 | $544,255 | $594,782 | $532,926 | $577,704 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $531,324 | $480,648 | $590,986 | $579,774 | $590,816 |
| Management and general | $75,686 | $100,094 | $27,625 | $19,076 | $15,330 |
| Fundraising | $5,094 | $3,326 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total expenses | $612,104 | $584,068 | $618,611 | $598,850 | $606,146 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($46,522) | ($39,813) | ($23,829) | ($65,924) | ($28,442) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($46,522) | ($39,813) | ($23,829) | ($65,924) | ($28,442) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Larry Guido | President | $27,000 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2019
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 10/25/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
Michael Gido was born in Lorain, Ohio, where his father was a section foreman on the B & O railroad. It was a warm, close family, full of love and laughter and music. "A lot of teasing, too," Michael said. "I remember my father used to make me play my violin whenever a certain chatterbox neighbor came to call. I finally asked him why. 'Because,' he said, 'it's easier than asking her to leave.'"
While he was still just a youngster, Michael became leader of a local band. They played at dances, in nightclubs, even in burlesque shows because the Depression was on and everyone was struggling to survive.
This career came to a sudden halt when he found himself walking past a revival meeting in Lorain. On impulse he went in "just to see what was going on." But when the preacher asked people to come forward and surrender their lives to Christ, Michael was among them. After that, everything was different.
He decided to go to Bible school and become an evangelist himself. He had almost no money, but nobody else had much either. "Once, I remember, I was embarrassed because my only pair of shoes wore out. My toes were coming through. I didn't think the Lord wanted my feet appearing in public like that, so I prayed. 'Lord, I'm Your child. Please give me a pair of shoes.' Soon after that a man I hardly knew said to me, 'I have the strangest feeling that I'm supposed to buy you some shoes.' He took me down to a Thom McAnn store and bought me a pair for three dollars, a lot of money in those days. I knew then that the Lord was aware of all my needs and would take care of them if I just trusted Him."
After Bible school Michael did a lot of traveling as a religious speaker. One day in the little town of Metter a friend said, "There's a girl here you ought to meet. Her name is Audrey Forehand, and she's as bright and pretty as a new dime. Going to be a doctor; she's been offered a scholarship at Johns Hopkins. You ought to know, however, that she's an agnostic."
As soon as he met Audrey, Michael knew that he didn't want to live without her. They argued passionately about religion, though. One day Michael asked her to read aloud the first verse of the Fourteenth Psalm, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God..." "When I did, she gave me a stern look. She said, 'Are you calling me a fool, Michael Guido?' 'Honey,' I said, 'I think the Lord beat me to it, don't you?' Well, she finally accepted the Lord, gave up her medical plans, and married me."
Audrey wanted to be a helpful partner in her husband's work. She didn't sing, or play a musical instrument, so she decided to become a magician, using the tricks and illusions to gain people's attention and help Michael win them to Christ. They traveled all over the country, living out of suitcases, making friends wherever they went.
Then one night in 1957 on the road between Metter and Atlanta a small truck pulled suddenly out of a side road. There was a terrible crash. When Michael staggered out of the wreck he saw Audrey lying on the ground unconscious, hands crushed, face terribly lacerated. Doctors thought her injuries might be permanent, but with an out-pouring of prayer and the skill of some splendid surgeons eventually she recovered.
While in the hospital Audrey found that there were almost no religious radio programs worth listening to. The conviction grew that the direction she and Michael should take was into a radio ministry.
They knew almost nothing about broadcasting, but they learned that people responded to short, anecdotal messages with a touch of humor along with the religious element.
Program accomplishments
Guido Evangelistic Association distributes using three media:
TV:
"A Seed For the Garden of Your Heart" a daily one minute feature program filmed in the fabulous Guido Gardens.
Radio:
"A Seed From the Sower,"is a one-minute daily inspirational radio spot. "Seeds From the Sower," is a five-minute daily radio program, "The Sower," is a fifteen minute daily program, and "The Sower 25" is a twenty-five minute weekly radio broadcast.
The Printed Word:
Each month the Association mails out "Seeds From the Sower," which is the daily devotional booklet; "The Sermon of the Month," which is the message Dr. Guido records for his 25 minute radio program; and "Sowing and Reaping," a collection of facts, anecdotes, witticisms, reminders, Scriptural thoughts, ministry updates and more.