United World Mission / UWM 
The information on this page was last updated 12/29/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
90% of churches in the world are led by men and women who have little or no training for ministry.
Our goal is bold: To make relevant theological education, practical training, and spiritual formation accessible to every ministry leader in every nation!
Contact information
Mailing address:
United World Mission
PO Box 602002
Charlotte, NC 28260-2002
Website: www.uwm.org
Phone: (704) 357-3355
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 596045867
CEO/President: Dr. John Bernard
Chairman: David Dwight
Board size: 14
Founder: Dr. Sidney Correll
Ruling year: 1947
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1987
Purpose
Our Vision - To see a flourishing church, led by well-equipped local leaders, serving every city and neighborhood of the world.
A flourishing church...
- Proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ.
- Demonstrates the gospel through loving community that overcomes the divisions of society.
- Pours itself out for the good of its neighborhood through acts of service, mercy and justice.
A flourishing church requires...
- Local leaders who are formed theologically, spiritually, and practically so that they serve in the Way of Jesus Christ.
Flourishing leaders. Flourishing church. Flourishing world.
Mission statement
To equip leaders, establish churches, and engage in holistic ministry by partnering with the church globally.
Statement of faith
United World Mission has adopted the Statement of Faith of the World Evangelical Alliance. We Believe...
...in the Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy; and the supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct...
One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit...
Our Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, His virgin birth, His sinless human life, His divine miracles, His vicarious and atoning death, His bodily resurrection, His ascension, His mediatorial work, and His Personal return in power and glory...
The Salvation of lost and sinful man through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith apart from works, and regeneration by the Holy Spirit...
The Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the believer is enabled to live a holy life, to witness and work for the Lord Jesus Christ...
The Unity of the Spirit of all true believers, the Church, the Body of Christ...
The Resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation."
In addition to our Statement of Faith, we affirm the Lausanne Covenant (1974) and look to it for wisdom and guidance in our faith and practice.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Foreign Missions
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 686 of 1091 | 87 of 144 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 820 of 1094 | 106 of 145 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 669 of 1094 | 92 of 145 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 380 of 1091 | 48 of 144 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 5% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 5% | 4% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 8% | 10% | 11% | 4% | 4% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 99% | 97% | 97% | 96% | 96% | 97% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 5% | 4% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 1% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 81% | 80% | 80% | 86% | 86% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 97% | 102% | 101% | 93% | 96% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 78% | 78% | 82% | 81% | 81% | 83% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | 3% | -2% | -1% | 7% | 4% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 8% | 6% | -4% | -2% | 14% | 8% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 9% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 9% | 10% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.18 | 1.58 | 1.74 | 1.57 | 1.87 | 2.04 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.18 | 1.09 | 1.06 | 1.14 | 1.09 | 1.12 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.66 | 1.72 | 1.85 | 1.79 | 2.04 | 2.29 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 23.43 | 20.98 | 101.23 | 58.67 | 60.41 | 37.13 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.03 | 0.05 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.03 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.77 | 6.64 | 6.42 | 6.59 | 5.78 | 5.11 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 5% | 7% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 6% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 77% | 59% | 56% | 62% | 51% | 46% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $5,156,997 | $2,306,654 | $4,490,005 | $6,182,934 | $4,166,232 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $0 | $367,958 | $509,215 | $425,317 | $563,416 |
| Short-term investments | $7,167,332 | $8,968,234 | $6,057,419 | $1,755,328 | $2,123,746 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $12,324,329 | $11,642,846 | $11,056,639 | $8,363,579 | $6,853,394 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $501,939 | $732,281 | $799,154 | $792,651 | $820,116 |
| Other long-term assets | $571,171 | $0 | $781,365 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,073,110 | $732,281 | $1,580,519 | $792,651 | $820,116 |
| Total assets | $13,397,439 | $12,375,127 | $12,637,158 | $9,156,230 | $7,673,510 |
| Liabilities | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $141,491 | $115,014 | $188,467 | $138,454 | $176,210 |
| Other current liabilities | $446,056 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $8,350 |
| Total current liabilities | $587,547 | $115,014 | $188,467 | $138,454 | $184,560 |
| Debt | $96,862 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $244,858 | $245,465 | $262,926 | $264,974 | $280,905 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $341,720 | $245,465 | $262,926 | $264,974 | $280,905 |
| Total liabilities | $929,267 | $360,479 | $451,393 | $403,428 | $465,465 |
| Net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Without donor restrictions | $4,604,289 | $5,050,461 | $5,037,803 | $2,795,725 | $2,195,023 |
| With donor restrictions | $7,863,883 | $6,964,187 | $7,147,962 | $5,957,077 | $5,013,022 |
| Net assets | $12,468,172 | $12,014,648 | $12,185,765 | $8,752,802 | $7,208,045 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $21,302,699 | $20,442,094 | $18,849,732 | $17,636,078 | $15,761,421 |
| Program service revenue | $386,367 | $507,060 | $513,907 | $522,893 | $347,038 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $105,359 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other revenue | $128,959 | $131,001 | $171,234 | $120,468 | $156,277 |
| Total other revenue | $620,685 | $638,061 | $685,141 | $643,361 | $503,315 |
| Total revenue | $21,923,384 | $21,080,155 | $19,534,873 | $18,279,439 | $16,264,736 |
| Expenses | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $17,165,396 | $17,342,614 | $15,752,032 | $14,760,790 | $13,512,542 |
| Management and general | $2,206,232 | $2,142,189 | $1,903,313 | $1,518,311 | $1,510,433 |
| Fundraising | $1,828,652 | $2,072,291 | $2,144,802 | $800,964 | $647,704 |
| Total expenses | $21,200,280 | $21,557,094 | $19,800,147 | $17,080,065 | $15,670,679 |
| Change in net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $723,104 | ($476,939) | ($265,274) | $1,199,374 | $594,057 |
| Other changes in net assets | ($269,580) | $305,822 | $3,698,237 | $345,383 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $453,524 | ($171,117) | $3,432,963 | $1,544,757 | $594,057 |
Compensation
Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.
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 12/29/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Overseas Council merged into United World Mission in 2018 and the Latin America Mission merged into United World Mission in 2014.
United World Mission was born in the heart of a local church pastor in Dayton, Ohio. Dr. Sydney Correll and his wife, Helen, led their church on evangelistic and compassion trips to India, Africa, and Latin America. They established a Bible School and local churches in Cuba, with a vision to see Cubans go as missionaries to Latin America. Their vision attracted seventeen like-minded churches in Ohio that "united" for world mission. In 1946 they incorporated as United World Mission (UWM) and began to grow into a global interdenominational ministry with a passion for church planting, ministry training, and ministries of compassion and development. Since the early 1990s, UWM has focused on partnership with the national church around the world. UWM leaders made an intentional shift in the missionary role from "doing" to "facilitating," especially by equipping and capacity-building, rather than by leading and directing. An era of partnering was born.
The Latin America Mission
The Latin America Mission was born in the hearts of Harry Strachan, a Canadian-born Scot and his Irish-born wife Susan who felt God's missionary call to Argentina. In 1921, the Strachans moved from Argentina to San Jose, Costa Rica, where they founded what would later be called the Latin America Mission. The Latin America Mission was innovative, inter-denominational, and bold in its efforts to bring the whole gospel to all of Latin America. Evangelism and social concern were always integrated in the LAM, which became known for "integral mission." In 1971, control of all LAM ministries was legally transferred to Latin partners. The LAM's conviction was that the future of the gospel in Latin America was with the Latin Church, and missionaries needed to serve Latin vision and under Latin leadership. An era of partnering was born.
Overseas Council
Overseas Council was born of the vision of several businessmen in Indianapolis. While attending a building dedication of the Seoul Theological Seminary (STS) in 1974, they noticed the inability of students to pay for their seminary studies. The group returned home, determined to raise scholarship funds for STS, and Overseas Council for Seoul Theological Seminary was born! Within five years, the ministries of Overseas Council expanded beyond scholarships for Korean students to include various programs and strategies for assisting seminaries and men and women in many nations who were called to Christian ministry. By 2017, Overseas Council was helping provide excellent theological education to equip Christian leaders through 130 seminary partners in 70 nations.
Program accomplishments
415 global staff members
53+ nations served missionally
700 global partners