Arizona Christian University 
The information on this page was last updated 4/24/2024. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
ACU is an accredited, private, non-profit, Christian university in Glendale, Arizona offering a wide variety of degrees preparing students for successful careers, while remaining committed to its vision of transforming culture with biblical truth. Students actively engage in biblically-integrated academics and gain a liberal arts foundation with critical thinking skills that last a lifetime. Spiritual development is also integrated within the University experience, where all four-year campus students receive a minor in Biblical Studies, attend chapel twice a week, and complete spiritual formation and service hours each semester.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Arizona Christian University
1 W Firestorm Way
Glendale, AZ 85306
Website: arizonachristian.edu
Phone: 1-800-247-2697
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 860186050
CEO/President: Len Munsil
Chairman: Tom Okarma
Board size: 15
Founder: Ida Clouse
Ruling year: 1983
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2012
Purpose
Arizona Christian University exists to educate and equip followers of Christ to transform culture with the truth.
Mission statement
Arizona Christian University provides a biblically-integrated, liberal arts education equipping graduates to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in all aspects of life, as leaders of influence and excellence.
Statement of faith
Arizona Christian University is the only accredited, evangelical Christian university or college in Arizona where all trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and students declare they are followers of Jesus Christ.
1. We believe in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as being verbally inspired by God and
therefore inerrant in their original writings and the only authority on all issues of faith, life, and practice. Psalm 19:7; Isaiah 8:20; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21
2. We believe in one Triune God, creator of all things, infinite and unchangeable in His being, eternally
existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 45:21-22; Jeremiah
10:10; Matthew 3:16-17; Matthew 28:18-19; I Corinthians 8:6
3. We believe that Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born
of the Virgin Mary, is fully God and fully man in one person, and is the only Mediator between God and
man. Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 2:1-7; John 1:1-14; 1 Timothy 2:5-6
4. We believe the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, who is from all eternity, is sent by the Father and the Son, as promised, to convict the world of sin, to glorify Jesus Christ and to transform the lives of believers into the likeness of Christ. Psalm 139:7; Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; John 16:8; I Corinthians 2:10-11; Ephesians 4:30
5. We believe that God created man and woman in His image and likeness, so they are thus endowed
with immeasurable dignity and worth, but they sinned and therefore all human beings are born separated from God with a sinful nature. Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 3:1-24; Genesis 9:6; James 3:9; Romans 5:12
6. We believe the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins and that all who trust in Him alone are justified on
the grounds of his shed blood. 2 Corinthians 5:15, 21; Romans 3:23-26, 5:1; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Acts 16:30-31
7. We believe that all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith alone are born again of the Holy Spirit
and are called to walk in a manner worthy of this salvation. John 1:12-13; 3:3-7; 14:16-17; Romans 12:1-2; 1
Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:1; 4:20-24; Colossians 1:18, 24
8. We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that He
ascended into heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God the Father to rule and intercede for
us. Romans 1:4; 6:1-11; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19; Acts 1:9; Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:31-34
9. We believe in "that Blessed Hope" of Christ's second coming, which is the personal return of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ. Psalm 110:1; Acts 1:11; Acts 2:34-35; 1 Corinthians 15:22-28; 50-55; Titus 2:13;
Revelation 7:10
10. We believe the Church is made up of believers in Christ; which manifests itself in local assemblies,
gifted by the Holy Spirit for the building up of one another in love and for engagement, service and
influence in the world. Romans 12:4-8; I Corinthians 12:4-13; Ephesians 4:4-13; Philippians 1:1; Colossians
1:8
11. We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and unjust; the everlasting blessedness of the saved
and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost along with Satan and other fallen angels. Matthew 25:34, 41, 46; Revelation 20:10-15; 2 Thessalonians 1:9
12. We believe God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as either male or female. These two
distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God. We believe rejection of
one's biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person, and is sinful and offensive to God. Gen. 1:26-27
13. We believe the term "marriage" has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a
single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture. We believe God intends sexual intimacy to occur only
between a man and a woman who are married to each other. We believe God has commanded that no
intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman. We believe
any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual conduct, bestiality, incest, or use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God. Gen. 2:18-25; 1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4; Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
14. We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of Arizona Christian University and to provide a biblical role model to students and the community, all persons employed by ACU in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, affirm, agree to and abide by all elements of this Statement of Faith, including those relating to gender identity, marriage and sexuality. Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22
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 | | 379 of 1118 | 36 of 130 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 1054 of 1119 | 122 of 130 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 152 of 1119 | 12 of 130 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 173 of 1118 | 14 of 130 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 57% | 23% | 12% | 30% | 21% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 18% | 9% | 16% | 32% | 17% | 17% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 82% | 91% | 84% | 68% | 83% | 83% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 90% | 92% | 90% | 89% | 79% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 113% | 103% | 89% | 110% | 64% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 101% | 94% | 80% | 98% | 50% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | -13% | -3% | 11% | -10% | 36% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 1% | -25% | -4% | 17% | -12% | 57% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 13% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 15% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.51 | 0.74 | 0.62 | 0.64 | 0.51 | 0.59 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.61 | 5.20 | 5.08 | 4.61 | 4.55 | 4.57 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.41 | 3.86 | 3.12 | 2.95 | 2.34 | 2.67 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.92 | 2.21 | 2.67 | 3.21 | 2.30 | 0.63 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.13 | 0.45 | 0.38 | 0.31 | 0.44 | 1.60 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 7.43 | 1.70 | 2.40 | 2.80 | 2.90 | -2.67 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 24% | 67% | 60% | 52% | 58% | 42% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 11% | 54% | 47% | 44% | 48% | 5% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 45% | 65% | 74% | 81% | 100% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Cash | $3,559,879 | $1,916,238 | $3,669,118 | $1,084,217 | $389,000 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $6,632,945 | $9,574,299 | $7,546,972 | $10,603,236 | $9,373,855 |
| Short-term investments | $1,335,516 | $1,101,307 | $1,364,063 | $1,044,975 | $999,388 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $11,528,340 | $12,591,844 | $12,580,153 | $12,732,428 | $10,762,243 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $44,421,620 | $46,022,374 | $41,441,985 | $36,453,010 | $35,256,857 |
| Other long-term assets | $4,022,171 | $5,305,186 | $3,942,978 | $8,803,090 | $3,121,415 |
| Total long-term assets | $48,443,791 | $51,327,560 | $45,384,963 | $45,256,100 | $38,378,272 |
| Total assets | $59,972,131 | $63,919,404 | $57,965,116 | $57,988,528 | $49,140,515 |
| Liabilities | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $3,357,726 | $3,052,762 | $1,985,044 | $2,573,448 | $2,632,845 |
| Other current liabilities | $1,864,720 | $1,671,134 | $1,930,605 | $2,966,999 | $14,533,571 |
| Total current liabilities | $5,222,446 | $4,723,896 | $3,915,649 | $5,540,447 | $17,166,416 |
| Debt | $32,088,169 | $30,240,000 | $25,646,078 | $27,547,035 | $2,453,329 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $2,727,831 | $3,187,872 | $797,860 | $807,603 | $799,272 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $34,816,000 | $33,427,872 | $26,443,938 | $28,354,638 | $3,252,601 |
| Total liabilities | $40,038,446 | $38,151,768 | $30,359,587 | $33,895,085 | $20,419,017 |
| Net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Without donor restrictions | $14,256,037 | $19,633,866 | $21,346,975 | $15,294,279 | $20,252,107 |
| With donor restrictions | $5,677,648 | $6,133,770 | $6,258,554 | $8,799,164 | $8,469,391 |
| Net assets | $19,933,685 | $25,767,636 | $27,605,529 | $24,093,443 | $28,721,498 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Total contributions | $3,676,978 | $6,082,871 | $13,351,710 | $4,471,637 | $7,575,458 |
| Program service revenue | $35,442,690 | $32,010,297 | $27,710,043 | $22,533,507 | $19,262,947 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $120,097 | ($80,903) | $149,879 | $18,068 | $17,647,077 |
| Other revenue | $269,943 | $237,695 | $504,304 | ($30,343) | $659,412 |
| Total other revenue | $35,832,730 | $32,167,089 | $28,364,226 | $22,521,232 | $37,569,436 |
| Total revenue | $39,509,708 | $38,249,960 | $41,715,936 | $26,992,869 | $45,144,894 |
| Expenses | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Program services | $40,093,204 | $36,076,280 | $33,555,158 | $26,493,528 | $22,785,508 |
| Management and general | $2,348,388 | $1,867,084 | $1,980,662 | $1,963,027 | $4,372,105 |
| Fundraising | $2,109,210 | $1,402,336 | $1,562,399 | $1,330,935 | $1,597,563 |
| Total expenses | $44,550,802 | $39,345,700 | $37,098,219 | $29,787,490 | $28,755,176 |
| Change in net assets | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($5,041,094) | ($1,095,740) | $4,617,717 | ($2,794,621) | $16,389,718 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($5,041,094) | ($1,095,740) | $4,617,717 | ($2,794,621) | $16,389,718 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Len Munsil | President | $493,733 |
| James Tito | Chief Operating Officer | $248,137 |
| Jeff Rutter | VP of Enrollment | $174,311 |
| James Griffiths | VP of University Engagemen | $157,731 |
| Kelly Bullock | Controller | $139,475 |
| Jon Cline | VP of Campus Operations | $125,853 |
| Peter Dryer | Athletic Director | $120,630 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2023
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 4/24/2024. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Founded in 1960, Arizona Christian University is a regionally accredited, private, non-profit Christian liberal arts university in Glendale, Arizona.
The university traces its roots to Ida Clouse, a Christian missionary and registered nurse who left the Midwest in 1917 and moved to Arizona under the Homestead Act where she opened the Clouse Ranch, which soon became a popular Christian retreat center. Upon her death, Clouse left 35 acres of her ranch to an association of Baptist churches for the creation of a Christian college. More than a decade later they formed Southwestern Conservative Baptist Bible College, later Southwestern College, and since 2011, Arizona Christian University - in recognition of the school's growth from a small Bible college to a Christian liberal arts university.
In 1965, Dr. Wallace Woods, the first College President (1965-1975), wrote: "We want to be current in our thinking and up-to-date in our methods. We want to be relevant to the changing needs of people. Nevertheless, there are foundations upon which we stand as a Bible college, and we fix our anchor in the authority of the scriptures. By God's grace we want to be flexible in the application of biblical principles to the training of students for effective service in their respective careers and yet hold steadfastly to the Statement of Faith which has characterized the College since its founding."
Today, Arizona Christian University continues to hold fast to its foundations and remains committed to equipping students who are followers of Jesus Christ with a sound biblical foundation for their chosen vocation and field of influence.
In 1972 the college first received accreditation with the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and added regional accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in 1992. ACU's desire to serve the broader evangelical community was reflected in the decision in 2007 to become a non-denominational Christian college.
With the leadership of President Len Munsil (2010-present), a constitutional attorney and leader in Christian non-profit and public policy work, ACU has embraced a renewed vision to "transform culture with truth" - preparing graduates to take the hope of Jesus Christ and the Gospel into all the world, while bringing biblical truth into every arena of influence in our culture.
In November 2018, President Munsil announced a miracle - trading its 20-acre campus in north Phoenix to Arizona State University for the historic 68-acre campus that was formerly the home of ASU's Thunderbird School of Global Management. The new campus offers three times the classroom space, dorm rooms, parking, an enhanced student life experience with a historic Tower student union, the Commons dining hall, a state-of-the-art library, an events center, and space for athletic facilities to be built so future Firestorm athletes can practice and compete on-campus.
The move to the new campus - which occurred during the summer of 2019 in time for classes in the fall of 2019 - enables ACU to continue to serve a growing student population without sacrificing its Christian identity, mission and purpose.