Truth For Life 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 9/21/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
Truth For Life is a Bible teaching ministry using the unique, expositional sermons of Alistair Begg. The program is heard daily across the U.S. and abroad on over 1,900 radio outlets, its website, mobile apps, podcast and streaming television. Truth For Life seeks to faithfully proclaim the Word of God and is passionate about helping transform the lives of those who listen to the program, through the Holy Spirit.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Truth for Life
P.O. Box 398000
Cleveland, OH 44139-9000
Website: www.truthforlife.org
Phone: (888) 588-7884
Email: letters@truthforlife.org
Organization details
EIN: 341787585
CEO/President: Rev. Alistair Begg
Chairman: Mr. John Rothenbuhler
Board size: 6
Founder: Rev. Alistair Begg
Year founded: 1994
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2005
Purpose
The purpose of Truth For Life is to deliver Christ-focused, life-changing, expository Bible teaching every day, to all people wherever they are, without cost barriers and with formats that are up to date and easy to access.
Mission statement
Truth For Life uses the following to communicates its mission:
We are committed to teaching the Bible with clarity and relevance so that:
Unbelievers will be converted,
Believers will be established,
Local churches will be strengthened.
Statement of faith
Truth For Life uses the following to express its statement of faith:
We accept the scriptures as our only authority in matters of faith and practice and our interpretation of Bible Doctrine leads us inexorably to believe:
(1) The scriptures of the Old and New Testament as being verbally inspired by God and inerrant and infallible in the original writings, and that they are of supreme and final authority.
(2) In one God eternally existing in one essence, yet co-equal persons, the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
(3) That Jesus Christ was begotten by God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born to the virgin Mary.
(4) In the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, Who convicts the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. He is the life of the believer and He empowers the preaching and teaching of the Gospel.
(5) That mankind was created in the image of God, sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but spiritual death, which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature.
(6) That the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in Him are justified on the basis of His shed blood.
(7) In the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into heaven and His present life there as High priest and Advocate for us.
(8) In the blessed hope, which is the personal, visible and imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
(9) That all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born again by the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God and heirs of eternal life.
(10) In the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting conscious suffering of the lost in hell and the fellowship of the saved in heaven.
(11) In the existence of a personal devil, who is still working in the world to destroy the souls of men and that he and all his angels and all who do not receive Christ as their personal Savior will eternally perish in the lake of fire.
(12) In the Church, whose mission it is to preach the Scriptures to all the world, all of its endeavors being guided by multiple leadership and supported by the wise stewardship of God's people.
(13) That the ordinances of the Church, given by the Lord, are Baptism and the Lord's Table (Communion).
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Educational Media
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 423 of 940 | 28 of 51 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 225 of 942 | 17 of 51 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 356 of 942 | 21 of 51 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 764 of 940 | 44 of 51 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 93% | 100% | 99% | 99% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 7% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 85% | 85% | 86% | 84% | 86% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 98% | 78% | 88% | 94% | 87% | 89% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 66% | 74% | 81% | 73% | 76% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 2% | 22% | 12% | 6% | 13% | 11% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 3% | 18% | 10% | 5% | 10% | 8% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 12% | 10% | 10% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.92 | 0.62 | 0.66 | 0.66 | 0.61 | 0.53 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.38 | 1.93 | 2.33 | 2.65 | 3.07 | 3.01 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.74 | 1.19 | 1.53 | 1.74 | 1.86 | 1.60 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.16 | 14.74 | 6.89 | 6.44 | 5.81 | 1.78 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.11 | 0.07 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.56 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.69 | 9.39 | 6.71 | 5.83 | 5.33 | 3.30 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 14% | 4% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 19% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 85% | 156% | 142% | 143% | 154% | 153% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $3,571,889 | $2,270,073 | $2,381,952 | $3,786,488 | $4,112,137 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $671,927 | $649,220 | $458,624 | $255,653 | $307,620 |
| Short-term investments | $7,531,811 | $5,359,352 | $3,720,675 | $1,362,614 | $1,220,494 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $11,775,627 | $8,278,645 | $6,561,251 | $5,404,755 | $5,640,251 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $10,909,433 | $10,966,788 | $10,831,147 | $11,161,334 | $11,330,817 |
| Other long-term assets | $50,000 | $65,000 | $0 | $2,080 | $7,101 |
| Total long-term assets | $10,959,433 | $11,031,788 | $10,831,147 | $11,163,414 | $11,337,918 |
| Total assets | $22,735,060 | $19,310,433 | $17,392,398 | $16,568,169 | $16,978,169 |
| Liabilities | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $751,151 | $1,150,089 | $963,692 | $875,941 | $3,143,185 |
| Other current liabilities | $47,632 | $51,069 | $54,821 | $54,821 | $17,533 |
| Total current liabilities | $798,783 | $1,201,158 | $1,018,513 | $930,762 | $3,160,718 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $22,310 | $67,714 | $87,161 | $141,405 | $38,706 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $22,310 | $67,714 | $87,161 | $141,405 | $38,706 |
| Total liabilities | $821,093 | $1,268,872 | $1,105,674 | $1,072,167 | $3,199,424 |
| Net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Without donor restrictions | $21,863,967 | $17,976,561 | $16,286,724 | $15,496,002 | $13,778,745 |
| With donor restrictions | $50,000 | $65,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $21,913,967 | $18,041,561 | $16,286,724 | $15,496,002 | $13,778,745 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $17,831,432 | $14,327,872 | $12,135,983 | $11,662,798 | $10,125,903 |
| Program service revenue | $44,051 | ($22,257) | $17,040 | ($10,862) | $3,375 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $34,461 | $114,832 | $55,406 | $13,899 | $4,209 |
| Other revenue | ($4,122) | $0 | ($3,378) | ($57,421) | ($6,160) |
| Total other revenue | $74,390 | $92,575 | $69,068 | ($54,384) | $1,424 |
| Total revenue | $17,905,822 | $14,420,447 | $12,205,051 | $11,608,414 | $10,127,327 |
| Expenses | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $11,861,888 | $10,731,381 | $9,852,827 | $8,491,858 | $7,720,795 |
| Management and general | $1,438,693 | $1,321,694 | $942,518 | $902,269 | $783,740 |
| Fundraising | $732,835 | $612,535 | $618,984 | $682,054 | $504,494 |
| Total expenses | $14,033,416 | $12,665,610 | $11,414,329 | $10,076,181 | $9,009,029 |
| Change in net assets | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $3,872,406 | $1,754,837 | $790,722 | $1,532,233 | $1,118,298 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $185,024 | $1,439,202 |
| Total change in net assets | $3,872,406 | $1,754,837 | $790,722 | $1,717,257 | $2,557,500 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Alistair Begg | President | $354,146 |
| Robert Butts | Chief Operating Officer | $219,384 |
| Jonathan Linczak | IT Manager | $142,099 |
| John Schwartz | Digital Manager | $141,462 |
| Michael Costlow | Operations Manager | $128,057 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2020
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 9/21/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
TFL was legally incorporated in 1994 as a listener funded radio ministry organized to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The 25 minute daily broadcast began on February 27, 1995 and the program can now be heard throughout the week by radio listeners all across the United States and throughout the world on the internet. All programs feature the Bible teaching of Alistair Begg. The IRS recognizes all gifts given to the work of TFL as tax deductible. TFL operates under the direction of a seven member board of trustees who are responsible for achieving its stated mission.
Program accomplishments
Truth For Life uses the following to communicate its accomplishments:
Truth For Life, the bible-teaching ministry of Alistair Begg, distributes a daily bible-teaching program to listeners in all major radio markets across the U.S. through approximately 1,900 radio outlets. Listeners in the U.S. and from around the world can access the program for free on one of two mobile apps, online at truthforlife.org, on Pod Cast, through Facebook, and by way of Amazon Fire and Roku TV. Truth For Life is committed to delivering clear, relevant bible-teaching without cost as a barrier and makes Alistair's entire teaching archive free online. Each month, over four million messages are downloaded for free by listeners across the globe. Followers of the ministry can also share Alistair's teaching or access the daily blog through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For listeners who prefer to own Truth for Life's bible-teaching messages on CD, DVD, or USB, hard copies can be purchased at cost, with no mark up for profit, thanks to the generous and faithful giving of the ministry's donors.
Needs
How can I support Truth For Life?
Our ministry is dependent on the prayer and financial support of our listeners. Here are some ways that you can financially support the ministry:
- Pray for the ministry of Truth For Life.
- Introduce new people to Truth For Life.
- Become a Truth Partner and support TFL's ministry with a monthly gift.
- Give online or via PayPal, contact TFL's customer service department at (888) 588-7884.