Colorado Christian University 
The information on this page was last updated 1/30/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Colorado Christian University is the premier interdenominational Christian college in Colorado and the eight-state Rocky Mountain region, delivering world class education to thousands of students. The University offers more than 200 academic program options in a variety of disciplines for traditional and adult students through its College of Undergraduate Studies and College of Adult and Graduate Studies and CCU Online.
The Strobel Center for Applied Apologetics at CCU focuses on equipping a vast network of Christians who are actively engaged in the marketplace of ideas in local churches and communities, in the media, in the entertainment world, on the internet, and throughout popular culture in order to bring spiritual renewal to the church in America.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Colorado Christian University
8787 W Alameda Ave
Lakewood, CO 80226
Website: ccu.edu
Phone: (303) 963-3000
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 840442429
CEO/President: Tim McTavish
Chairman: Wil Armstrong
Board size: 21
Founder: Clifton Fowler
Ruling year: 1954
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1981
Purpose
Christ-centered community of learners and scholars committed to the integration of exemplary academics, spiritual formation, and engagement with the world.
Mission statement
Christ-centered higher education transforming students to impact the world with grace and truth.
Colorado Christian University cultivates knowledge and love of God in a Christ-centered community of learners and scholars, with an enduring commitment to the integration of exemplary academics, spiritual formation, and engagement with the world. We envision graduates who think critically and creatively, lead with high ethical and professional standards, embody the character and compassion of Jesus Christ, treasure the gospel, and who thereby are prepared to impact the world in their callings.
Statement of faith
Colorado Christian University unites with the broad, historic evangelical faith rather than affiliating with any specific denomination. In this commitment, the University embraces the following declarations of the National Association of Evangelicals:
We Believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We Believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We Believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We Believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We Believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We Believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We Believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
These declarations do not comprise all that individual Christians may consider important elements of faith; rather, they establish the essential framework within which members of the University both unite in shared beliefs and explore differences.
Donor confidence score
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 643 of 1104 | 82 of 129 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 727 of 1105 | 92 of 129 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 776 of 1105 | 95 of 129 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 299 of 1104 | 34 of 129 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 10% | 13% | 17% | 15% | 18% | 23% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 22% | 16% | 11% | 10% | 8% | 6% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 78% | 84% | 89% | 90% | 92% | 94% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 79% | 80% | 82% | 81% | 81% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 97% | 95% | 98% | 89% | 91% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 78% | 77% | 76% | 80% | 72% | 73% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 3% | 5% | 2% | 11% | 9% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 5% | 3% | 5% | 2% | 11% | 9% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 19% | 18% | 16% | 18% | 17% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.51 | 0.69 | 0.59 | 0.57 | 0.57 | 0.63 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.64 | 2.61 | 2.47 | 2.73 | 3.06 | 2.93 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.40 | 1.81 | 1.46 | 1.56 | 1.74 | 1.85 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.60 | 4.23 | 5.36 | 5.21 | 6.66 | 3.78 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.24 | 0.19 | 0.19 | 0.15 | 0.26 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.34 | 5.06 | 6.68 | 6.22 | 5.85 | 4.77 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 24% | 34% | 34% | 36% | 33% | 31% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 25% | 26% | 28% | 26% | 21% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 151% | 95% | 112% | 113% | 117% | 109% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Cash | $26,096,839 | $28,992,594 | $40,431,763 | $33,609,209 | $28,238,461 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $15,809,217 | $13,197,351 | $11,679,987 | $7,377,371 | $8,706,318 |
| Short-term investments | $38,307,090 | $43,063,797 | $22,451,247 | $21,883,683 | $19,236,783 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $80,213,146 | $85,253,742 | $74,562,997 | $62,870,263 | $56,181,562 |
| Long-term investments | $4,323,240 | $4,468,891 | $4,545,747 | $5,396,376 | $8,579,182 |
| Fixed assets | $124,477,647 | $118,642,885 | $120,847,616 | $117,719,185 | $92,136,718 |
| Other long-term assets | $169,969 | $2,136,888 | $3,568,117 | $6,086,177 | $7,613,552 |
| Total long-term assets | $128,970,856 | $125,248,664 | $128,961,480 | $129,201,738 | $108,329,452 |
| Total assets | $209,184,002 | $210,502,406 | $203,524,477 | $192,072,001 | $164,511,014 |
| Liabilities | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $8,629,232 | $5,981,877 | $4,554,708 | $4,547,997 | $5,410,566 |
| Other current liabilities | $10,322,113 | $9,916,876 | $9,755,756 | $4,898,107 | $9,469,050 |
| Total current liabilities | $18,951,345 | $15,898,753 | $14,310,464 | $9,446,104 | $14,879,616 |
| Debt | $51,365,278 | $53,824,384 | $57,345,923 | $49,569,526 | $34,891,963 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $331,736 | $919,175 | $910,549 | $5,005,337 | $1,229,617 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $51,697,014 | $54,743,559 | $58,256,472 | $54,574,863 | $36,121,580 |
| Total liabilities | $70,648,359 | $70,642,312 | $72,566,936 | $64,020,967 | $51,001,196 |
| Net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Without donor restrictions | $99,483,600 | $112,253,824 | $109,460,413 | $111,717,993 | $101,525,704 |
| With donor restrictions | $39,052,043 | $27,606,270 | $21,497,128 | $16,333,041 | $11,984,114 |
| Net assets | $138,535,643 | $139,860,094 | $130,957,541 | $128,051,034 | $113,509,818 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Total contributions | $23,493,241 | $14,987,027 | $12,411,216 | $9,594,786 | $7,261,227 |
| Program service revenue | $121,755,658 | $113,300,354 | $102,153,172 | $106,112,765 | $105,833,885 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $3,613,228 | $2,517,069 | $4,173,671 | $7,755,737 | $1,388,542 |
| Other revenue | $95,761 | $84,074 | $98,515 | $62,174 | $66,531 |
| Total other revenue | $125,464,647 | $115,901,497 | $106,425,358 | $113,930,676 | $107,288,958 |
| Total revenue | $148,957,888 | $130,888,524 | $118,836,574 | $123,525,462 | $114,550,185 |
| Expenses | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Program services | $114,379,826 | $99,629,105 | $95,618,850 | $88,392,407 | $84,172,771 |
| Management and general | $27,701,064 | $22,395,639 | $18,714,547 | $19,378,566 | $18,038,261 |
| Fundraising | $3,132,913 | $2,485,908 | $1,838,994 | $1,741,663 | $1,668,372 |
| Total expenses | $145,213,803 | $124,510,652 | $116,172,391 | $109,512,636 | $103,879,404 |
| Change in net assets | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $3,744,085 | $6,377,872 | $2,664,183 | $14,012,826 | $10,670,781 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $3,744,085 | $6,377,872 | $2,664,183 | $14,012,826 | $10,670,781 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Donald Sweeting | President/CEO | $351,784 |
| Daniel Cohrs | EVP/CFO | $272,081 |
| James McCormick | Senior VP & VP Student Life | $217,237 |
| Sarah Scherling | VP Academic Affairs/ Cags | $209,060 |
| Shannon Dreyfuss | VP Campus Development | $207,702 |
| Jeffrey Hunt | VP Centennial Institute | $194,936 |
| Allison Burkhart | VP Cags Enrollment | $191,459 |
| Tim McTavish | Board Chair | $12,000 |
| Thomas Scheffel | Corporate Counsel / Secretary | $9,000 |
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 1/30/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
In 1914, Denver Bible Institute was founded on two principles - grace and truth. The first classes encompassed only two students and one teacher, but from those modest beginnings, Colorado Christian University was born.
In 1945, Denver Bible Institute became Denver Bible College, a four-year college with three academic schools: the College of Liberal Arts, the Theological School, and the Bible Institute. Four years later, the school became Rockmont College - around the same time that Western Bible Institute was founded.
It wasn't until the 1980s that drastic change occurred again. The two schools merged in 1985, forming Colorado Christian College. By 1989, however, the need for a flagship Christian institution in Colorado was evident: Colorado Baptist University joined Colorado Christian College to form the school we know today.
Throughout our history, CCU has seen God's hand orchestrating each step in the journey and we look toward the future with great anticipation for where he will lead us as the journey continues.
Today, there are more than 9,000 CCU undergraduate and graduate students spread throughout all 50 states and several countries - scholars dedicated to integrating high-level academics with timeless faith. More than 100 years later, students continue to learn in grace and truth.
Through the years many things about Colorado Christian University have changed. The University now consists of two colleges, the College of Undergraduate Studies with a traditional residential program and the College of Adult and Graduate Studies, offering undergraduate programs and master's degrees for adult students.
Thousands of students have come and gone, the campus facilities have seen countless improvements, new programs have been launched to train the next generation of Christian leaders, students have gone on mission trips to countries that didn't exist when we were founded, and the University has been blessed by growing enrollments. Even now CCU continues to grow and change with a firm foundation that rests on the grace and truth of Christ.
Program accomplishments
As a member of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, CCU is ranked among the top universities nationwide.