Lighthouse Ministries, Inc. 
The information on this page was last updated 3/6/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Lighthouse Ministries began in 1977 to aid the poor, homeless, and at-risk in Polk County. Since then, we have helped men, women, and children get off the streets, find the Lord, and rejoin society.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Lighthouse Ministries, Inc.
PO Box 3112
Lakeland, FL 33802
Website: lighthousemin.org
Phone: 863-687-4076
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 591722768
CEO/President: Steve Turbeville
Chairman: Ashley Troutman
Board size: 11
Founder: Jim Welch and Carl Warnock
Ruling year: 1978
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2006
Purpose
Our vision is for the individuals we serve to achieve an overall outcome of God's peace, life purpose, and fulfillment of potential.
Mission statement
Lighthouse Ministries is set apart by the Spirit of God to communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ to meet the physical, emotional, and other needs of the poor and at-risk population.
Statement of faith
Articles
| 7/10/2026 | Leading the Way, Fellowship Christian School Resign from ECFA |
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Rescue Missions/Homeless Shelters
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1055 of 1420 | 109 of 159 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 558 of 1420 | 57 of 159 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1254 of 1420 | 145 of 159 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 904 of 1421 | 107 of 159 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $1,500 in government grants in 2024.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 8% | 7% | 10% | 11% | 10% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 8% | 13% | 11% | 14% | 10% | 9% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 173% | 150% | 142% | 97% | 97% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 10% | 11% | 13% | 16% | 12% | 10% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | -73% | -50% | -42% | 3% | 3% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 73% | 72% | 74% | 79% | 79% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 97% | 117% | 87% | 86% | 86% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 86% | 63% | 63% | 68% | 72% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 3% | -17% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -16% | 15% | 19% | 25% | 19% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 16% | 15% | 10% | 9% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.56 | 0.49 | 0.48 | 0.53 | 0.69 | 0.67 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.07 | 3.97 | 3.26 | 3.68 | 3.58 | 4.55 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.05 | 1.95 | 1.57 | 1.94 | 2.47 | 3.07 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 10.24 | 6.38 | 21.80 | 20.62 | 8.66 | 7.11 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.09 | 0.16 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.12 | 0.14 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.18 | 5.18 | 7.28 | 5.89 | 4.30 | 3.36 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 55% | 49% | 53% | 56% | 65% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 49% | 47% | 46% | 53% | 62% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 145% | 92% | 105% | 89% | 64% | 52% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $371,719 | $319,126 | $1,009,740 | $808,138 | $813,977 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $949,850 | $1,059,444 | $956,183 | $867,382 | $742,692 |
| Short-term investments | $973,524 | $1,494,623 | $388,067 | $438,896 | $25 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $2,295,093 | $2,873,193 | $2,353,990 | $2,114,416 | $1,556,694 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $6,606,962 | $6,370,413 | $5,757,257 | $5,420,762 | $5,480,168 |
| Other long-term assets | $219,202 | $126,999 | $549,733 | $24,414 | $47,412 |
| Total long-term assets | $6,826,164 | $6,497,412 | $6,306,990 | $5,445,176 | $5,527,580 |
| Total assets | $9,121,257 | $9,370,605 | $8,660,980 | $7,559,592 | $7,084,274 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $358,670 | $122,614 | $114,169 | $244,083 | $218,885 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,000 | $9,200 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $359,670 | $131,814 | $114,169 | $244,083 | $218,885 |
| Debt | $4,457,774 | $4,379,648 | $3,980,800 | $3,973,309 | $4,364,919 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $190,110 | $102,628 | $525,558 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $4,647,884 | $4,482,276 | $4,506,358 | $3,973,309 | $4,364,919 |
| Total liabilities | $5,007,554 | $4,614,090 | $4,620,527 | $4,217,392 | $4,583,804 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $2,565,529 | $3,336,777 | $3,054,656 | $3,276,944 | $2,350,939 |
| With donor restrictions | $1,548,174 | $1,419,738 | $985,797 | $65,256 | $149,531 |
| Net assets | $4,113,703 | $4,756,515 | $4,040,453 | $3,342,200 | $2,500,470 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $6,617,163 | $7,839,872 | $7,577,071 | $5,860,921 | $5,099,848 |
| Program service revenue | $148,405 | $180,124 | $205,164 | $170,718 | $163,622 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $60,859 | $38,746 | $17,671 | $23,601 | $0 |
| Other revenue | ($3,004,793) | ($2,836,054) | ($2,471,936) | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | ($2,795,529) | ($2,617,184) | ($2,249,101) | $194,319 | $163,622 |
| Total revenue | $3,821,634 | $5,222,688 | $5,327,970 | $6,055,240 | $5,263,470 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $3,271,610 | $3,266,879 | $3,374,025 | $4,116,889 | $3,783,075 |
| Management and general | $700,729 | $682,735 | $446,248 | $464,496 | $502,632 |
| Fundraising | $511,618 | $568,678 | $743,974 | $632,125 | $490,809 |
| Total expenses | $4,483,957 | $4,518,292 | $4,564,247 | $5,213,510 | $4,776,516 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($662,323) | $704,396 | $763,723 | $841,730 | $486,954 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($662,323) | $704,396 | $763,723 | $841,730 | $486,954 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Steve Turbeville | Chief Executive Officer | $186,911 |
| Lauren Ballard Cpa | Director of Finance | $91,212 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2024
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 3/6/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Ministries such as Lighthouse Ministries are not created overnight. They start with an available spirit, an idea, a vision, a plan, and a step of action. This is the story of how Lighthouse Ministries began, and a story of how Carl Warnock and Jim Welch's choice to be available to God not only impacted their lives, but also impacted the lives of others.
In the mid 1970s, Carl Warnock, a businessman in Lakeland, was asked to counsel a young man who was interested in starting a homeless shelter. Carl had visited a shelter in the Tampa area and knew that location was a key step in the process. Carl agreed to help the young man. They discovered many locations, but they weren't the right ones. The locations were too far from the city and the transient population. "You need to be down around where the transients hang out," Carl told him.
The young man needed to bring a shelter to the people. He needed a location near the train stations and bus terminals. Soon, a former liquor store and bar located on the corner of Kentucky Avenue and Bay Street - the heart of Lakeland's transient community - was chosen.
Carl had allowed himself to be used by God in helping the young man fulfill his vision for a shelter. Carl spoke with the property owner about purchasing the building, and he agreed. However, he had one condition: Carl had to take responsibility for the building in case the young man was unable to open the shelter. Carl agreed.
Putting his trust in God, Carl informed the young man that he was successful in purchasing the property, but the young man had bad news: He was not going to be able to open the shelter. His church and other supporters had decided not to back him up in his efforts at the time. In a matter of moments, Carl found himself standing outside of a rundown liquor store that he was now the sole owner of.
Standing there at the corner of Kentucky and Bay, Carl immediately called his friend Jim Welch, a judge and practicing lawyer. He asked him to come down and see the building. When Jim got there, Carl explained what happened. Jim looked at Carl and responded, "God's using you. He knows you're available."
"It's not about ability or inability. It's about availability." It didn't matter if Carl and Jim had the ability or inability to run a shelter. God only asks that people make themselves available to be used as tools to accomplish His will. Carl and Jim were available.
That day, both Carl and Jim stood on the street corner and prayed. They prayed thanking God for the journey they were about to take. They prayed for guidance in the days to come. They prayed to be used by God in a way that would help others.
In 1977, the former liquor store opened as the new Lakeland Lighthouse Rescue Mission. Dedicated to reaching the least, the last, and the lost for Jesus Christ, the ministry grew and later became Lighthouse Ministries, Inc.
Today, Lighthouse Ministries, Inc. continues its fight against homelessness by providing food, clothing, shelter, and various programs to the homeless communities of Central Florida.