The Pocket Testament League 
Summary
The Pocket Testament League ("TPTL") is a nondenominational, evangelical ministry of evangelism. TPTL's principal activity is assisting and equipping Christians in the effective proclamation of the Gospel through a coordinated program of scripture distribution and evangelism. TPTL has been operating for more than 100 years, with its members making it a goal of their lives to: READ God's Word each day, CARRY God's Word with them wherever they go, and SHARE God's Word with others as He gives opportunities. Over the years, more than 95 million Scripture portions have been distributed by League evangelists and volunteers. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact information
Mailing address:
PO Box 800
Lititz, PA 17543-7543
Website: www.pocketpower.org
Phone: (717) 392-8200
Organization details
EIN: 221616250
CEO/President: Mr. Michael Brickley
Chairman: Mr. Rich Timmons
Board size: 12
Founder: Ms. Helen Cadbury
Year founded: 1908
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 1987
Purpose
The Pocket Testament League ("TPTL") is a nondenominational, evangelical ministry of evangelism. TPTL's principal activity is assisting and equipping Christians in the effective proclamation of the Gospel through a coordinated program of scripture distribution and evangelism. TPTL has been operating for more than 100 years, with its members making it a goal of their lives to: READ God's Word each day, CARRY God's Word with them wherever they go, and SHARE God's Word with others as He gives opportunities. Over the years, more than 95 million Scripture portions have been distributed by League evangelists and volunteers. This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions to it are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Mission statement
The Pocket Testament League's Mission Statement is:
Encouraging Christians everywhere to read, carry and share the Word of God.
Statement of faith
The Pocket Testament League's Statement of Faith is:
The inspiration and authority of the whole Bible (Old and New Testaments) as the full revelation of God by the Holy Spirit.
The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His substitutionary atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection and His personal return.
The necessity of the new birth for entering the Kingdom of God (John 3).
The obligation upon all believers to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ and to seek the salvation of others."
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Publishing
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 138 of 442 | 1 of 9 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 203 of 442 | 4 of 9 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 104 of 442 | 2 of 9 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 219 of 442 | 3 of 9 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 0% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 95% | 99% | 99% | 98% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 5% | 4% | 7% | 0% | 0% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 5% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 86% | 88% | 83% | 0% | 0% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 118% | 103% | 88% | 0% | 0% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 102% | 91% | 73% | 0% | 0% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | -18% | -3% | 12% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | -27% | -4% | 15% | 0% | 0% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 8% | 8% | 10% | 0% | 0% |
| Investing ratios | Median measure for all ministries in MW database | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.27 | 1.42 | 1.19 | 0.93 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.53 | 2.61 | 2.02 | 2.04 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.46 | 3.70 | 2.40 | 1.90 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Liquidity ratios | Median measure for all ministries in MW database | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 7.97 | 8.13 | 17.55 | 10.40 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.05 | 2.84 | 4.71 | 5.70 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Solvency ratios | Median % for all ministries in MW database | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 10% | 19% | 16% | 16% | 0% | 0% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 63% | 57% | 70% | 90% | 0% | 0% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Cash | $512,658 | $942,886 | $1,095,896 | $0 | $0 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $451,558 | $497,222 | $322,215 | $0 | $0 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $964,216 | $1,440,108 | $1,418,111 | $0 | $0 |
| Long-term investments | $1,491,693 | $1,423,791 | $1,470,380 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $3,979 | $6,718 | $10,258 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term assets | $55,200 | $31,950 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,550,872 | $1,462,459 | $1,480,638 | $0 | $0 |
| Total assets | $2,515,088 | $2,902,567 | $2,898,749 | $0 | $0 |
| Liabilities | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $118,645 | $82,058 | $136,362 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $118,645 | $82,058 | $136,362 | $0 | $0 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $358,040 | $387,682 | $335,066 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $358,040 | $387,682 | $335,066 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $476,685 | $469,740 | $471,428 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Unrestricted | $1,869,278 | $2,185,001 | $1,807,779 | $0 | $0 |
| Temporarily restricted | $168,125 | $246,826 | $618,542 | $0 | $0 |
| Permanently restricted | $1,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $2,038,403 | $2,432,827 | $2,427,321 | $0 | $0 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Total contributions | $2,978,020 | $3,335,144 | $3,025,297 | $0 | $0 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $35,269 | $23,941 | $43,850 | $0 | $0 |
| Other revenue | $8,581 | $4,724 | $2,420 | $0 | $0 |
| Total other revenue | $43,850 | $28,665 | $46,270 | $0 | $0 |
| Total revenue | $3,021,870 | $3,363,809 | $3,071,567 | $0 | $0 |
| Expenses | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Program services | $3,082,546 | $3,048,350 | $2,250,893 | $0 | $0 |
| Management and general | $297,889 | $263,334 | $261,560 | $0 | $0 |
| Fundraising | $190,313 | $150,593 | $187,271 | $0 | $0 |
| Total expenses | $3,570,748 | $3,462,277 | $2,699,724 | $0 | $0 |
| Change in net assets | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 |
| Surplus (deficit) | ($548,878) | ($98,468) | $371,843 | $0 | $0 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | ($548,878) | ($98,468) | $371,843 | $0 | $0 |
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
History
The Pocket Testament League was begun by Helen Cadbury in 1893 as a way to win her school friends to the Lord. Helen Cadbury wed Charles Alexander in 1904. The March-League was formally organized in Philadelphia, PA in 1908 by Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman and Mr. Charles M. Alexander. It was during the Chapman-Alexander Mission in Philadelphia in the spring of 1908 the The Pocket Testament League was made a world-wide movement. The first Pocket Testament League office in London was opened in 1914 at the beginning of World War I. The formation and adoption of Principles of League was carried out in 1928. TPTL was heavily involved in the distribution of scripture throughout World War II. TPTL first great overseas campaign of mass evangelization and Scripture distribution was carried out in China in 1945. TPTL continued it overseas work in Japan throughout the late forties. In 1951 the door was opened to TPTL to launch a campaign of Scripture distribution in Korea. In the mid-fifties campaigns were carried out all over Africa. TPTL first participation in the Olympics took place at theh 1960 Rome Olympics. Campaigns in Europe and South America followed. A restructuring took place during 1966 which enabled TPTL to coordinate its home and foreign mission programs to an extent not possible before. Scripture distribution campaigns were carried out throughout the Vietnam War. In 1981 TPTL and Free Bible Literature Society (Operation Campus Ministry) unite. Throughout the eighties and nineties campaigns have been carried out in many parts of the world, including Desert Storm. Special events included the 50th Anniversary of D-Day Commemorative Edition of the New Testament, distribution of 125,000 Gospels during the Atlanta Olympics, distribution of 15,000 Special Edition Gospel's of John for the 1997 Presidential Inauguration and the distribution of 50,000 Gospel's of John during the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.