United Methodist Church Publishing House 
The information on this page was last updated 4/8/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
The United Methodist Publishing House is a publisher and distributor to Christian clergy and laity, with primary responsibilities for the publishing and distribution for The United Methodist Church.
Contact information
Mailing address:
United Methodist Church Publishing House
810 12TH AVE SOUTH
Nashville, TN 37203
Website: www.umph.org
Phone: 615-749-6000
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 620535345
CEO/President: Brian Milford
Chairman: Thomas Salsgiver
Board size: 22
Founder:
Ruling year: 1971
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 07/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
As the official publisher of The United Methodist Church, the Publishing House develops, produces, and distributes materials for home, church, and office. UMPH provides official denominational church school curriculum, books, Bibles, and a wide variety of multimedia resources and supplies that speak to all who seek and would serve God.
Mission statement
Reaching more people in more places with quality services and resources that help them come to know and deepen their knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, learn to love God, and choose to serve God and neighbor.
Statement of faith
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
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 | | 747 of 1412 | 20 of 46 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 586 of 1412 | 18 of 46 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 546 of 1412 | 17 of 46 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1065 of 1413 | 34 of 46 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 94% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 6% | 93% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 80% | 84% | 85% | 90% | 86% | 86% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 86% | 88% | 210% | 119% | 98% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 75% | 72% | 75% | 190% | 102% | 85% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | 14% | 12% | -110% | -19% | 2% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 7% | 7% | 7% | -75% | -37% | 3% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 16% | 15% | 10% | 14% | 14% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.81 | 0.35 | 0.40 | 0.56 | 0.42 | 0.44 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.32 | 1.05 | 1.06 | 1.07 | 1.68 | 1.60 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 0.37 | 0.42 | 0.60 | 0.70 | 0.70 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 11.80 | 7.18 | 7.53 | 12.16 | 8.35 | 7.73 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.08 | 0.14 | 0.13 | 0.08 | 0.12 | 0.13 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.14 | 28.18 | 24.52 | 18.27 | 15.15 | 14.95 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 11% | 17% | 19% | 61% | 82% | 67% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 88% | 237% | 202% | 70% | 42% | 76% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $6,636,144 | $3,809,452 | $3,127,694 | $5,723,498 | $166,924 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $7,132,916 | $7,334,789 | $7,726,284 | $11,263,371 | $14,766,839 |
| Short-term investments | $25,717,253 | $23,401,796 | $53,341,281 | $28,268,847 | $37,607,228 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $39,486,313 | $34,546,037 | $64,195,259 | $45,255,716 | $52,540,991 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $1,711,093 | $1,637,119 | $3,625,427 | $29,397,130 | $30,810,049 |
| Other long-term assets | $425,428 | $289,391 | $1,088,279 | $1,182,874 | $881,446 |
| Total long-term assets | $2,136,521 | $1,926,510 | $4,713,706 | $30,580,004 | $31,691,495 |
| Total assets | $41,622,834 | $36,472,547 | $68,908,965 | $75,835,720 | $84,232,486 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $5,497,984 | $4,586,257 | $5,251,994 | $5,392,826 | $6,795,700 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $27,469 | $24,482 | $4,636 |
| Total current liabilities | $5,497,984 | $4,586,257 | $5,279,463 | $5,417,308 | $6,800,336 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,754,414 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $1,775,379 | $2,228,140 | $36,547,933 | $57,038,261 | $47,657,563 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $1,775,379 | $2,228,140 | $36,547,933 | $57,038,261 | $49,411,977 |
| Total liabilities | $7,273,363 | $6,814,397 | $41,827,396 | $62,455,569 | $56,212,313 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $33,144,066 | $29,658,150 | $27,081,569 | $13,380,151 | $28,020,173 |
| With donor restrictions | $1,205,405 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $34,349,471 | $29,658,150 | $27,081,569 | $13,380,151 | $28,020,173 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $1,214,597 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $366,418 | $770,724 | $3,749,126 | $4,149,759 | $7,003,313 |
| Other revenue | $15,318,359 | $15,888,779 | $14,658,302 | $22,427,869 | $30,496,273 |
| Total other revenue | $15,684,777 | $16,659,503 | $18,407,428 | $26,577,628 | $37,499,586 |
| Total revenue | $16,899,374 | $16,659,503 | $18,407,428 | $26,577,628 | $37,499,586 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $12,097,995 | $12,452,158 | $34,990,658 | $27,137,128 | $31,732,218 |
| Management and general | $2,373,310 | $2,208,535 | $3,708,333 | $4,419,786 | $4,986,652 |
| Fundraising | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total expenses | $14,471,305 | $14,660,693 | $38,698,991 | $31,556,914 | $36,718,870 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $2,428,069 | $1,998,810 | ($20,291,563) | ($4,979,286) | $780,716 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $2,428,069 | $1,998,810 | ($20,291,563) | ($4,979,286) | $780,716 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Brian Milford | Chief Executive Officer | $268,813 |
| Kevin McLoud | Chief Digital Officer | $163,778 |
| Karen Samuel | Director, Human Resources | $131,152 |
| Jeff Barnes | Executive Director Cokesbu | $127,377 |
| Gerald Davis | Executive Director Digital | $124,086 |
| Forrest Sanders | Business Systems Analyst I | $117,507 |
| Jason Pate | Controller | $115,138 |
| Neil Alexander | Previous President & Publi | $107,015 |
Compensation data as of: 7/31/2024
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 4/8/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
The United Methodist Publishing House is the oldest and largest general agency of The United Methodist Church. It was established in 1789 in Philadelphia as the Methodist Book Concern. The Nashville operation was opened in 1854 as the publishing house for the Methodist Episcopal Church South. With the unification of three branches of Methodism in 1939, Nashville was chosen as headquarters for publishing operations for the united church. With the Evangelical United Brethren-Methodist merger in 1968, it became The United Methodist Publishing House.
From the very beginning of the Methodist movement in England, John Wesley distributed books and pamphlets. He insisted that books belonged in every home, and he told his followers to beg from the rich in order to buy books for the poor.
https://www.umph.org/Who-Are-We/History