Deaf Bible Society 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/27/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
The Deaf Bible Society works with various organizations bringing them together with a unified mission to get the Word of God to all Deaf people in their heart sign language. Deaf Bible Society currently offers Scripture access in 25+ unique sign language Bible translations on our Deaf Bible mobile app. The Deaf can now access God's Word from anywhere in the world using their Apple and Android devices.
The app offers the hope of Christ to the Deaf in the most dynamic way possible - in their heart sign language.
Deaf Bible Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization accredited with ECFA. We are a member of the National Association of the Deaf and a member of the Forum of Bible Agencies International.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Deaf Bible Society
PO Box 180818
Arlington, TX 76096
Website: deafbiblesociety.com
Phone: 1-800-654-3690
Email: info@deafbiblesociety.com
Organization details
EIN: 474285852
CEO/President: Chantel Pagan
Chairman: John Dickinson
Board size: 5
Founder: J.R. Bucklew
Year founded: 2015
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 03/31
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2018
Purpose
Throughout history, Deaf people have been shunned or cast out of hearing communities. During the time of Greek philosophers Aristotle and Socrates, Deaf people were thought to have no intelligence. During Hitler's reign, Deaf people were tested and tormented in science experiments. In the United States during the 1800s, certain groups tried to pass laws to prevent Deaf people from marrying and having children. Even within the last century, Deaf people have been forced into orality and the use of signed systems that represent spoken languages, instead of being allowed the freedom to use their native sign language.
In 1960, William Stokoe, an English professor at Gallaudet University, began researching and writing about signed languages. For the first time, signed languages became recognized as full fledged, living languages, independent of spoken languages.
The work of translating the Bible into other languages has been around for centuries. For example, the English Bible was translated in the 1500s. Yet, not one of the world's 400+ known sign languages has a full Bible translation yet.
The historical mistreatment of the Deaf, the recent recognition of sign languages as unique and distinct languages, and the stark reality that no full Bible translation exists in any sign language yet-these reasons, and more, all contribute to the Deaf being one of the last and most unreached and unengaged people groups with the Gospel.
To fulfill our mission and to reflect our core values, Deaf Bible Society ensures that the truth of God's Word is clearly communicated in sign language videos with the Deaf community and culture in mind. Our vision is to create local, sustainable, great commission initiatives among the deaf to reveal the hope of the gospel so that every deaf person has the opportunity to receive, experience, and share it.
Mission statement
Our mission is to provide God's Word in every sign language.
Statement of faith
We believe the Bible, the inspired Word of God; it is completely trustworthy, speaking with supreme authority in all matters of belief and practice.
We believe in one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit.
We believe all people, being created in the image of God, have intrinsic value, but as a result of sin are alienated from God and each other, and therefore in need of reconciliation.
We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the virgin Mary, is fully God and fully human; He demonstrated God's love for sinners by suffering the penalty of death in their place, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended to heaven where He intercedes for His people.
We believe all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ alone as Lord and Savior are, by the grace of God, declared to be right with Him, receiving forgiveness and eternal life.
We believe the Lord Jesus Christ will return personally in glory, raise the dead, and judge the world.
We believe all people will rise from the dead, those who are in Christ to enjoy eternal life with God, and those who are lost to suffer eternal separation from Him.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, who imparts new life to those who believe in Christ; through His indwelling presence and transforming power, He gives assurance and equips believers for holy living and effective service.
We believe the Church is the body of Christ, the fellowship of all believers, and is commissioned to make disciples of all nations.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Evangelism
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 646 of 817 | 36 of 45 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 731 of 817 | 41 of 45 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 719 of 817 | 41 of 45 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 225 of 817 | 12 of 45 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 6% | 13% | 11% | 4% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 5% | 13% | 11% | 4% | 3% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 96% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 5% | 14% | 12% | 4% | 6% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 82% | 74% | 74% | 89% | 88% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 91% | 91% | 86% | 98% | 50% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 78% | 67% | 63% | 87% | 44% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 9% | 9% | 14% | 2% | 50% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 8% | 26% | 37% | 4% | 100% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 11% | 12% | 14% | 7% | 6% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.30 | 1.97 | 1.84 | 1.67 | 0.97 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.64 | 1.55 | 1.48 | 1.58 | 1.91 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.43 | 3.06 | 2.74 | 2.65 | 1.86 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 6.51 | 3.27 | 3.87 | 5.31 | 18.68 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.15 | 0.31 | 0.26 | 0.19 | 0.05 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 3.86 | 2.72 | 3.25 | 3.68 | 6.11 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 14% | 21% | 17% | 12% | 3% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 65% | 40% | 45% | 53% | 100% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | ||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Cash | $1,594,166 | $1,267,907 | $562,029 | $483,113 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $266,048 | $40,510 | $107,335 | $0 |
| Short-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $1,860,214 | $1,308,417 | $669,364 | $483,113 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $1,002,104 | $608,561 | $142,770 | $189,294 |
| Other long-term assets | $25,528 | $25,528 | $248,514 | $249,147 |
| Total long-term assets | $1,027,632 | $634,089 | $391,284 | $438,441 |
| Total assets | $2,887,846 | $1,942,506 | $1,060,648 | $921,554 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $336,491 | $174,232 | $125,965 | $25,868 |
| Other current liabilities | $232,020 | $163,996 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $568,511 | $338,228 | $125,965 | $25,868 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $44,804 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $44,804 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total liabilities | $613,315 | $338,228 | $125,965 | $25,868 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Unrestricted | $1,262,308 | $1,030,424 | $894,614 | $411,448 |
| Temporarily restricted | $1,012,223 | $573,854 | $40,069 | $484,238 |
| Permanently restricted | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Net assets | $2,274,531 | $1,604,278 | $934,683 | $895,686 |
| Revenues and expenses | ||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Total contributions | $6,288,271 | $4,162,236 | $1,809,891 | $1,793,508 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $0 | $6,223 | $0 | $0 |
| Other revenue | $5,130 | $441 | $229 | $220 |
| Total other revenue | $5,130 | $6,664 | $229 | $220 |
| Total revenue | $6,293,401 | $4,168,900 | $1,810,120 | $1,793,728 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Program services | $4,230,847 | $2,645,344 | $1,574,966 | $788,388 |
| Management and general | $659,914 | $497,252 | $128,508 | $57,978 |
| Fundraising | $809,761 | $439,950 | $67,649 | $51,676 |
| Total expenses | $5,700,522 | $3,582,546 | $1,771,123 | $898,042 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $592,879 | $586,354 | $38,997 | $895,686 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $592,879 | $586,354 | $38,997 | $895,686 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Jr Bucklew | President/CEO | $101,061 |
| Adan Burke | Dir. of Oper. | $81,209 |
Compensation data as of: 3/31/2019
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 2/27/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
June 2011: A regional manager at Faith Comes By Hearing travels to the Philippines and encounters
the needs of their Deaf community.
November 2012: Deaf Bible App version 1.0 is launched by Faith Comes By Hearing as an outreach
ministry for the Deaf.
2013: DeafBible.com website launches.
October 2014: Development of a sign language database, which eventually becomes Aveditz, began.
June 2015: A handful of visionaries working within Faith Comes by Hearing establish Deaf Bible
Society as a (501)(c)(3) nonprofit organization. J.R. Bucklew serves as founding CEO and President.
July 2015: Deaf Bible Together, a Scripture engagement program, is established and the first microSD
cards with sign language Scripture are distributed in Africa.
2016: Scripture Engagement Training in American Sign Language is developed and launched.
October 2016: Deaf Bible Society relocates headquarters to Arlington, TX. Deaf Church Where website
launches.
Late 2016: A partnership forms with United Bible Societies to develop a Sign Language Bible
Translation Tool (SLTT).
2017: International Scripture Engagement Training is developed and launched. Consultant and
Resource Development (CoRD) program is established to address the urgent needs for consultants.
November 2017: Museum of the Bible opens in Washington, D.C. and features Deaf Bible resources to
educate the public about the need for sign language Bible translation. Deaf Bible Together program
expands to Europe and Asia, microSD cards with sign language Scripture are distributed.
2019: The Josiah School of Translation (JST) develops curriculum and launches a pilot training program
with the first cohort of five Deaf translation teams.
January 2019: Partnership with the Passion Conference raises nearly $450,000 for sign language
Scripture engagement efforts in 16 countries.
April 2019: Aveditz website launches, a centralized place capturing research and information about the
sign languages of the world.
January 2020: The mantle of CEO is passed to Chantel Pagan.
March 2020: More than 1,000 Prayer Partners are praying with Deaf Bible Society over the Sign
Language Bible cause!
May 2020: Deaf Church Where features 737 churches and averages 1,500 visitors each month!
Today: Translated Bible content in 29+ sign languages are accessible through the Deaf Bible App and
website.
The Bright Future: Every Deaf person has access to God's Word in their native sign language!
Program accomplishments
Deaf Bible Society provides free access to Bible translations by video in 25+ sign languages. We're working on even more translations.
Needs
Every $30 allows 1 Deaf person to share God's Word with at least 10 others in their community.