Family Life Communications Inc (previously Family Life Broadcasting System)

The information on this page was last updated 4/24/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

We're a network of 41 Christian radio stations reaching more than 17 million people in our broadcast areas. Our listener-supported ministry will celebrate it's 55th year of ministry in 2021.

As you enjoy Family Life Radio, we also encourage you to learn more about our flagship program, Intentional Living with Dr. Randy Carlson. It will help you grow closer to God and set you on a path toward living a life that is pleasing to Christ.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Family Life Radio
PO Box 35300
Tucson, AZ 85740-5740

Website: myflr.org

Phone: (800) 776-1070

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 860796113

CEO/President: Evan Carlson

Chairman: Dr. Randy Carlson

Board size: 10

Founder: Mr. Warren Bolthouse

Ruling year: 2000

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1980


Purpose

To see individuals, families, churches and nations of the world transformed - as evidenced by individuals living an intentional life in Christ.


Mission statement

To be a Biblical, Christ-centered communications and educational ministry dedicated to reaching people and igniting transformation within by affirming faith, inspiring hope and equipping each person to live an intentional life in Christ.


Statement of faith

What We Believe

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14)

We believe that the Bible in its entirety (composed of 66 books) is the Holy, infallible Word of God; that it is and ever shall be the complete and final revelation of the will of God to man, and the final authority in all spiritual matters. (II Timothy 3:16)

We believe that Jesus Christ is God, the Son. We believe that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, lived a sinless life, and by His voluntary sacrificial death on Calvary and by His bodily and visible resurrection from the dead, paid the penalty of sin and purchased eternal life for all. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:20, 21, 25; John 19:17-19; 20:16, 17)

We believe that God created the universe and that it was perfect; that man was created in the image of God, but fell into sin; that all men are sinners by nature and under God's condemnation. (Genesis 1:1, 2, 27; Romans 5:18a)

We believe that salvation is the gift of God, by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins; that this salvation is the possession of those who by faith accept Christ as their personal Savior. We believe that there is no other way of salvation. (John 3:16; 16:7-11; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:5, 8)

We believe that the Holy Spirit, who is a Person of the Trinity, convicts the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, and that it is by His power that the born-again Christian is enabled to live the Christian life. (Matthew 28:18, 19; Romans 8:1, 14)

We believe that the Bible teaches that each believer can and is commanded to live in separation from all worldly and sinful practices. (II Corinthians 6:17)

We believe that the Scriptural local church is made up of born-again believers, joined together for the purpose of spiritual fellowship, Christian growth and the propagation of the Gospel.

We believe that every born-again Christian should be an active member of such a church; that the local church is God's prime instrument of testimony in this age; that the work of Christian teaching and of worldwide evangelism is entrusted first to such churches; and that no organization or fellowship should have priority over such a church. (Hebrews 10:25)

We believe that Jesus Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He is interceding for each believer; that He will bodily and visibly return again.

We believe that God has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness by Jesus; that those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ shall dwell eternally with Him, and that those who refuse His offer of salvation shall eternally be cast into the Lake of Fire. (John 14:1-3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8)

We believe that marriage was instituted by God as a picture of His love for His church with the intent that it would be a life-long heterosexual union between one woman and one man, to the exclusion of any other person, without separation or divorce; resulting in mutual spiritual, emotional and physical intimacy. (I Corinthians 7:3-5; 7:10-11; Genesis 2:24)

We believe that each parent has a God given responsibility to nurture, love, protect and discipline their children; with the hope of raising a responsible adult, and doing so without being harsh or punitive in the execution of their responsibility. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

We believe that God created human life to begin at conception and end at death; and that each human being, no matter their age, appearance, physical or mental challenges, race, born or unborn, to be of priceless value and of great worth. (John 3:16; Psalm 139:13-14)

We believe that Family Life Communications' success is dependent upon a unified group of employees, board members and volunteers who each willingly, and without reservation, agree with the tenets of this statement of faith and will commit to pattern their life and relationships in accordance with it.

This statement of faith cannot be altered in any way without the expressed approval of the Board of Directors of Family Life Communications Incorporated.

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

A

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Radio/ TV Stations

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating379 of 11018 of 28
Fund acquisition rating567 of 110216 of 28
Resource allocation rating160 of 11024 of 28
Asset utilization rating632 of 110116 of 28

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20222021202020192017
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
6%7%5%0%9%7%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
5%6%5%0%7%6%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
86%94%87%0%84%88%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
7%7%10%0%11%10%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
14%6%13%0%16%12%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20222021202020192017
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
78%84%85%0%83%85%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
93%84%48%0%63%62%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
70%71%41%0%52%53%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
7%16%52%0%37%38%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
6%6%22%0%18%21%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
16%9%5%0%5%5%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20222021202020192017
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.360.300.200.000.290.32
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.931.401.720.001.983.07
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
0.850.420.340.000.580.98
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20222021202020192017
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
15.8133.8230.020.0040.5714.55
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.060.030.030.000.020.07
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
13.7627.9033.830.0020.2611.44
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20222021202020192017
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
11%4%3%0%3%6%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
225%324%489%0%331%295%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20222021202020192017
Cash$11,237,187$9,699,926$0$6,544,283$3,448,312
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$211,262$52,814$0$74,857$0
Short-term investments$1,289,262$0$0$0$0
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$12,737,711$9,752,740$0$6,619,140$3,448,312
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$5,132,302$5,261,521$0$4,954,553$5,524,812
Other long-term assets$20,214$1,775,438$0$1,506,477$1,603,217
Total long-term assets$5,152,516$7,036,959$0$6,461,030$7,128,029
Total assets$17,890,227$16,789,699$0$13,080,170$10,576,341
 
Liabilities20222021202020192017
Payables and accrued expenses$376,644$324,921$0$163,151$237,006
Other current liabilities$0$0$0$0$0
Total current liabilities$376,644$324,921$0$163,151$237,006
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$298,305$105,344$0$267,755$390,489
Total long-term liabilities$298,305$105,344$0$267,755$390,489
Total liabilities$674,949$430,265$0$430,906$627,495
 
Net assets20222021202020192017
Without donor restrictions$17,211,877$16,356,033$0$12,645,576$9,945,445
With donor restrictions$3,401$3,401$0$3,688$3,401
Net assets$17,215,278$16,359,434$0$12,649,264$9,948,846
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20222021202020192017
Total contributions$5,917,070$6,093,499$0$5,126,381$4,789,439
Program service revenue$205,651$239,937$0$297,585$271,849
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$120,959$432,615$0$400,098$4,413
Other revenue$51,001$231,160$0$279,452$372,653
Total other revenue$377,611$903,712$0$977,135$648,915
Total revenue$6,294,681$6,997,211$0$6,103,516$5,438,354
 
Expenses20222021202020192017
Program services$4,440,479$2,840,380$0$3,182,108$2,859,523
Management and general$488,194$179,361$0$201,732$163,964
Fundraising$387,735$324,285$0$439,404$344,495
Total expenses$5,316,408$3,344,026$0$3,823,244$3,367,982
 
Change in net assets20222021202020192017
Surplus (deficit)$978,273$3,653,185$0$2,280,272$2,070,372
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets$978,273$3,653,185$0$2,280,272$2,070,372

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Randy L CarlsonChairman as of 1/1/2022$202,711
Evan CarlsonPresident/CEO as of 1/1/2022$186,861
Mack A PiotrowskiTreasurer/CFOO$157,923
Michael KankelfritzProgram Director/Announcer$133,457
Adam BiddellChief Broadcast Systems Officer$116,709
Sally BartonChief Broadcast Engagement Officer$104,356

Compensation data as of: 6/30/2022


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 4/24/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

God-given goals can make a difference in your life and, potentially, the lives of thousands of others. It all starts with determining and doing One Thing each day over time to make lasting change.

For Warren Bolthouse and his wife Char, that One Thing was a desire to bring Christ-centered Christian radio to their community of Jackson, Michigan, back in the 1960s. This was a time when Christian programming was relegated to a few hours of Sunday morning airtime on secular stations.

Early Years:
In 1961, Warren began producing "Teen Time," a half-hour program produced in the basement studio of Warren and Char's home on Jericho Road. The program aired Sunday mornings on WIBM. Later, he started the "Happy Day Express" program for pre-teens and began producing 20 hours of weekly programming for broadcast on WIBM.

In April 1966, Warren launched the Family Radio Evangelistic Corporation which would ultimately become Family Life Radio. Broadcast time on WIBM expanded to 12 hours each day from Warren's basement studio.

Times of Trial
In December of that year, a lightning storm torched the station transmitter knocking Christian radio off the air for eight months. During that time, Warren and Char almost lost their home. Warren considered returning to pastoral work, but Char encouraged him to persevere. Ultimately, the transmitter was repaired and they went back on the air in August 1967.

Warren then formed a Board of Directors for oversight and protection of the Family Radio Evangelistic Corporation. And in December 1968, he held a fundraiser to gain $24,000 to purchase WUNN in Mason, Michigan. January 12, 1969, marked the first day of broadcasting on the ministry's first owned and operated station.

Building & Expansion
After changing its name to the Family Life Broadcasting System, two more Michigan stations were purchased in 1971 and 1973.

"Sometimes I wonder, 'What if we'd just stopped with three stations and said we've got enough work'," Warren said. "But we didn't stop there because the Lord continued to expand the vision. Once we had a station or two going, we knew how to do it, so why stop?"

Family Life Radio expanded west with stations in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona, in the late 1970s. A few years later, Family Life Radio's ministry headquarters was moved to Tucson, followed by more station purchases in Albuquerque, Detroit and West Texas.

A Growing Network Today, the network boasts 20 full power stations and 21 translators covering 11 states with a broadcast reach of more than 17 million listeners.

"Warren and Char [established] early on that we were going to be built upon God's Word, built upon prayer, and build upon integrity," said Dr. Randy Carlson. "Those [values] were set and stay firmly in place today."

The life-changing music and Biblical teaching you hear on Family Life Radio are due in large part to the commitment Warren and Char over 55 years ago. Their One Thing has grown to an expanding network of Christian radio stations stretching coast to coast, reaching millions of people with music and programs that declare Christ and help listeners live intentionally.

God has been faithful to take One Thing and multiply. He's done more than anyone could ever ask or imagine through His ministry at Family Life Radio.


Program accomplishments


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