Bible Study Fellowship / BSF

The information on this page was last updated 12/6/2022. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary



For more than 60 years, Bible Study Fellowship has offered free, in-depth Bible study with trained group leaders for men, women, students and children of all denominations. We study Holy Scripture to know God and apply His Truth. Only then can we be fully alive, fully human and fully relational.

BSF believes it's important for everyone to personally explore the Word of God in community. Groups of all ages around the world meet weekly for about one and a half hours.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Bible Study Fellowship
19001 Huebner Rd
San Antonio, TX 78258

Website: www.bsfinternational.org

Phone: (210) 492-4676

Email: bsfinternational.org/contact-us/


Organization details

EIN: 941514010

CEO/President: Susie Rowan

Chairman: G. Bruce Smith

Board size: 12

Founder: A. Wetherall Johnson

Ruling year: 1960

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 08/31

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1981


Purpose

Bible Study Fellowship ("BSF") conducts Bible study classes in the United States, with registrations located in numerous countries around the world. BSF is a lay Christian organization, not affiliated with any church or group of individuals or underwritten in any way. Classes are held in churches, which invite BSF to use their facilities for community outreach. BSF was founded in 1959.


Mission statement

Our mission is global, in-depth Bible studies producing passionate commitment to Christ, His Word and His Church. Our vision is to magnify God and mature His people.


Statement of faith

The leadership of Bible Study Fellowship, including the Board of Directors, is committed without reservation to this Statement of Faith.

We believe that the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture as originally given are in their entirety the Word of God verbally inspired and wholly without error in all that they declare and, therefore, are the supreme and final authority of faith and life.

We believe in one Triune God--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe in the Virgin Birth and the Deity of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who is also Son of Man, with two distinct natures in one Person forever.

We believe the vicarious substitutionary death of Jesus Christ on the cross made atonement for the sin of the world, efficient for all who repent and believe.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ which ensures the resurrection of all believers who have received God's gift of eternal life.

We believe also in a resurrection of judgment in regard to unbelievers who reject the gospel.

We believe in the imminent, visible, and bodily return of Christ to this earth to set up His kingdom and to judge the world in righteousness.

We believe that man was originally created in the image of God, that he fell into sin through the first Adam, and that he is responsible for all sin committed. Sin causes him to be separated from God and lost eternally.

We believe that salvation from everlasting punishment and entrance into a state of fellowship with God are secured only by a personal belief that Christ bore our sins in His own body on the cross and by a definite receiving of Christ, through the Person of the Holy Spirit, into one's inner being. This is to receive eternal life and to be sealed unto the Day of Redemption.

We believe that the Holy Spirit thus indwells all who receive Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is responsible for the quickening from death into life and for the continuing of the work of sanctification in the believer.

We believe that the church is the body of Christ, a spiritual organism of born again believers who are called to be identified with Christ in baptism and to remember His death in the Lord's Supper.

We believe that all believers are called to be in the world but separate from it.

We believe that Christians are called to witness for Christ, to preach the gospel to all nations, and to study the Bible personally through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

A

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Christian Growth

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating33 of 10762 of 57
Fund acquisition rating34 of 10772 of 57
Resource allocation rating136 of 107710 of 57
Asset utilization rating203 of 107614 of 57

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20202019201820172016
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
6%0%0%0%0%0%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
3%0%0%0%0%0%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
84%105%97%82%85%84%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
4%0%0%0%0%0%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
16%-5%3%18%15%16%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20202019201820172016
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
83%88%88%90%90%91%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
92%102%93%95%84%97%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
73%90%82%86%76%89%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
8%-2%7%5%16%3%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
11%-3%11%10%30%8%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
12%12%12%10%10%9%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20202019201820172016
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.921.361.401.671.462.37
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.313.753.823.572.895.17
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.475.115.345.964.2312.28
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20202019201820172016
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
13.847.657.234.013.333.34
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.070.130.140.250.300.30
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
6.952.041.941.511.980.68
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20202019201820172016
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
11%12%7%7%11%17%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
87%64%67%56%61%35%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20202019201820172016
Cash$1,696,790$1,124,548$1,864,057$2,753,918$888,766
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$2,780,379$3,122,523$1,661,048$2,069,246$1,115,763
Short-term investments$401,666$342,777$860,542$278,181$147,290
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$4,878,835$4,589,848$4,385,647$5,101,345$2,151,819
Long-term investments$0$0$0$533,002$521,021
Fixed assets$13,227,672$12,760,945$11,037,000$8,876,958$8,247,774
Other long-term assets$187,523$194,948$217,466$235,135$211,216
Total long-term assets$13,415,195$12,955,893$11,254,466$9,645,095$8,980,011
Total assets$18,294,030$17,545,741$15,640,113$14,746,440$11,131,830
 
Liabilities20202019201820172016
Payables and accrued expenses$637,772$634,855$586,738$418,898$407,376
Other current liabilities$0$0$507,894$1,114,060$237,537
Total current liabilities$637,772$634,855$1,094,632$1,532,958$644,913
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$1,631,977$505,885$0$75,355$1,247,939
Total long-term liabilities$1,631,977$505,885$0$75,355$1,247,939
Total liabilities$2,269,749$1,140,740$1,094,632$1,608,313$1,892,852
 
Net assets20202019201820172016
Without donor restrictions$13,610,178$13,565,306$13,493,462$11,311,748$7,462,349
With donor restrictions$2,414,103$2,839,695$1,052,019$1,826,379$1,776,629
Net assets$16,024,281$16,405,001$14,545,481$13,138,127$9,238,978
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20202019201820172016
Total contributions$25,683,867$25,714,552$22,459,797$21,604,212$22,738,356
Program service revenue$0$564,083$4,962,869$3,875,168$4,331,294
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income($1,391,786)$73,830$82,352$51,079$22,816
Other revenue$234,904$25,837$22,315$30,917$33,571
Total other revenue($1,156,882)$663,750$5,067,536$3,957,164$4,387,681
Total revenue$24,526,985$26,378,302$27,527,333$25,561,376$27,126,037
 
Expenses20202019201820172016
Program services$21,972,454$21,555,112$23,540,176$19,478,975$24,118,301
Management and general$2,971,385$2,959,954$2,583,440$2,113,407$2,304,100
Fundraising$0$0$0$0$0
Total expenses$24,943,839$24,515,066$26,123,616$21,592,382$26,422,401
 
Change in net assets20202019201820172016
Surplus (deficit)($416,854)$1,863,236$1,403,717$3,968,994$703,636
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets($416,854)$1,863,236$1,403,717$3,968,994$703,636

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Susan C RowanExecutive Director$289,203
Richard S MazurChief Financial Officer$192,300
Robert A BirkenederChief Operating Officer$155,502
Thom BartzIT Product Owner$128,650
Debbie YoungChief Class Officer$128,142
John EisermannPressman$116,236
Alan WhiteDirector of Finance$101,059

Compensation data as of: 8/31/2020


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 12/6/2022. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

Miss Johnson's first group of five women grew until groups sprang up all across the U.S., and ultimately around the globe. By 1980, Miss Johnson had been writing BSF lessons and leading a blossoming ministry for more than 25 years. Her decision to retire led to a major move for the organization to San Antonio, Texas. Today, Bible Study Fellowship - through Men's, Women's, Student, Children's and Newborn groups, BSF Online and BSF's WordGo app - serves more than 400,000 class members on six continents in more than 120 nations.


Program accomplishments


Needs

All of the receipts are derived from voluntary contributions by persons attending the Bible Study Fellowship classes conducted by the corporation and by gifts received from interested friends.

The basic means of support is an offering plate at the door at the end of class supplemented by unsolicited gifts sent to headquarters.