Denver Christian School 
The information on this page was last updated 4/24/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Denver Christian is an independent, PreK-12 Christian school dedicated to serving students from Christian families across the Denver metro area, including those in early childhood, elementary, middle, and high school.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Denver Christian School
3898 S Teller St
Denver, CO 80235
Website: www.denverchristian.org
Phone: 303-733-2421
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 840426076
CEO/President: Michael Ehrenfried
Chairman: Jimmy Masters
Board size: 9
Founder:
Ruling year: 1956
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
At Denver Christian, we are committed to developing the whole child. Our core curriculum goes beyond academics, encompassing athletics, arts, and extracurricular activities that engage the mind, body, and heart. Through these rich experiences, we aim to uncover and nurture the God-given gifts and talents within each student.
Mission statement
Equip and and empower students to love God deeply and use their unique gifts to serve their neighbors, both locally and globally.
Statement of faith
We believe there is one God, the Creator, who exists eternally in three persons-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-and who rules over, provides for, and sustains all things.
We believe God has revealed Himself through creation, through Christ, and through the Bible: the inspired, infallible and authoritative Word of God.
We believe God created all things good, that sin has corrupted humanity and all of creation, that Christ came to redeem His world, and that He will return again in power and glory.
We believe Christ's redemptive work heals what was broken in the fall and offers true restoration of all relationships; God with His image bearers and His image bearers with creation, including our relationships with one another and ourselves.
We believe Christ's disciples are called to love God, live Godly lives, proclaim the good news to the entire world, and be agents of renewal in a broken world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit whose indwelling presence unifies all followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit enables followers to live Godly lives and search continually for effective ways to renew creation.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: K-12 Schools/Academies
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 623 of 1435 | 102 of 191 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 369 of 1435 | 77 of 191 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 257 of 1435 | 28 of 191 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1384 of 1436 | 189 of 191 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 11% | 9% | 19% | 17% | 7% | 19% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 4% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 13% | 19% | 13% | 20% | 33% | 19% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 87% | 81% | 87% | 80% | 67% | 81% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 83% | 89% | 89% | 90% | 91% | 85% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 93% | 99% | 111% | 98% | 81% | 105% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 76% | 88% | 99% | 89% | 73% | 90% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 7% | 1% | -11% | 2% | 19% | -5% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 6% | 1% | -6% | 1% | 9% | -2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 9% | 9% | 6% | 7% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.54 | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.33 | 0.29 | 0.28 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.99 | 28.52 | 16.22 | 11.72 | 7.92 | 14.51 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.80 | 12.11 | 6.85 | 3.92 | 2.34 | 4.03 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 2.80 | 0.95 | 2.05 | 2.61 | 4.42 | 3.15 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.35 | 1.05 | 0.49 | 0.38 | 0.23 | 0.32 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.98 | -0.05 | 0.90 | 1.89 | 3.98 | 2.04 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 29% | 34% | 27% | 27% | 24% | 25% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 25% | 18% | 18% | 20% | 22% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 117% | 155% | 173% | 219% | 259% | 271% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $778,280 | $1,668,599 | $2,511,379 | $4,617,027 | $2,361,941 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $769,160 | $879,634 | $1,091,183 | $536,105 | $220,708 |
| Short-term investments | $79,039 | $0 | $113,321 | $83,937 | $73,759 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $1,626,479 | $2,548,233 | $3,715,883 | $5,237,069 | $2,656,408 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $43,220,732 | $37,410,023 | $38,487,322 | $34,819,482 | $34,312,022 |
| Other long-term assets | $1,546,022 | $1,375,104 | $1,336,342 | $1,419,067 | $1,578,715 |
| Total long-term assets | $44,766,754 | $38,785,127 | $39,823,664 | $36,238,549 | $35,890,737 |
| Total assets | $46,393,233 | $41,333,360 | $43,539,547 | $41,475,618 | $38,547,145 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,042,253 | $692,037 | $702,268 | $715,022 | $455,618 |
| Other current liabilities | $670,690 | $549,842 | $718,747 | $469,498 | $387,045 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,712,943 | $1,241,879 | $1,421,015 | $1,184,520 | $842,663 |
| Debt | $11,772,609 | $7,567,020 | $7,835,853 | $8,096,941 | $8,349,895 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $2,337,767 | $2,379,944 | $2,411,971 | $528,493 | $396,162 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $14,110,376 | $9,946,964 | $10,247,824 | $8,625,434 | $8,746,057 |
| Total liabilities | $15,823,319 | $11,188,843 | $11,668,839 | $9,809,954 | $9,588,720 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $28,231,148 | $27,913,630 | $28,747,028 | $26,639,025 | $25,912,514 |
| With donor restrictions | $2,338,766 | $2,230,887 | $3,123,680 | $5,026,639 | $3,045,911 |
| Net assets | $30,569,914 | $30,144,517 | $31,870,708 | $31,665,664 | $28,958,425 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $3,710,297 | $1,972,660 | $2,902,294 | $5,050,662 | $1,971,461 |
| Program service revenue | $15,723,211 | $13,370,317 | $11,659,925 | $9,776,554 | $8,044,126 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $418 | $1,371 | $1,742 | $1,565 | $1,282 |
| Other revenue | $514,801 | $333,606 | $263,023 | $280,466 | $153,157 |
| Total other revenue | $16,238,430 | $13,705,294 | $11,924,690 | $10,058,585 | $8,198,565 |
| Total revenue | $19,948,727 | $15,677,954 | $14,826,984 | $15,109,247 | $10,170,026 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $17,544,591 | $15,549,986 | $13,140,696 | $11,072,613 | $9,117,676 |
| Management and general | $1,810,432 | $1,529,665 | $917,126 | $827,869 | $1,202,832 |
| Fundraising | $339,221 | $377,549 | $493,720 | $332,342 | $372,994 |
| Total expenses | $19,694,244 | $17,457,200 | $14,551,542 | $12,232,824 | $10,693,502 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $254,483 | ($1,779,246) | $275,442 | $2,876,423 | ($523,476) |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $254,483 | ($1,779,246) | $275,442 | $2,876,423 | ($523,476) |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Brant Epperhart | Director of Finance | $143,977 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2025
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 4/24/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Denver Christian began educating students in 1st grade through 8th grade at their first building on the corner of Florida and Clarkston. In 1945 they expanded to include high school students, and in 1950 opened a high school campus on Pearl Street. The VanDellen campus opened in 1959 and expanded to include preschool in 1976, and in 1988 Denver Christian expanded to include the Highlands Ranch campus. In 2014, Denver Christian consolidated their entire preschool - 12th grade student body onto one campus into their current location on Teller Street in Lakewood.