Bible Study Fellowship / BSF

The information on this page was last updated 12/28/2023. 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: Hollie B. Roberts

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

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Christian Growth

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating73 of 11013 of 59
Fund acquisition rating24 of 11021 of 59
Resource allocation rating559 of 110220 of 59
Asset utilization rating71 of 11014 of 59

Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
7%0%0%0%0%0%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
5%0%0%0%0%0%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
82%100%99%105%97%82%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
5%0%0%0%0%0%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
18%0%1%-5%3%18%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
82%84%85%88%88%90%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
94%115%91%102%93%95%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
78%97%77%90%82%86%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
6%-15%9%-2%7%5%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
7%-27%14%-3%11%10%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
12%16%15%12%12%10%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.011.521.211.361.401.67
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.386.013.703.753.823.57
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.429.124.485.115.345.96
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
9.431.756.727.657.234.01
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.100.570.150.130.140.25
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
7.140.562.282.041.941.51
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20222021202020192018
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
11%28%11%12%7%7%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
83%48%73%64%67%56%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20222021202020192018
Cash$2,228,234$1,946,144$1,696,790$1,124,548$1,864,057
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$1,109,853$3,542,808$2,780,379$3,122,523$1,661,048
Short-term investments$6,841$161,492$401,666$342,777$860,542
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$3,344,928$5,650,444$4,878,835$4,589,848$4,385,647
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$16,572,879$15,037,928$13,227,672$12,760,945$11,037,000
Other long-term assets$177,826$198,063$187,523$194,948$217,466
Total long-term assets$16,750,705$15,235,991$13,415,195$12,955,893$11,254,466
Total assets$20,095,633$20,886,435$18,294,030$17,545,741$15,640,113
 
Liabilities20222021202020192018
Payables and accrued expenses$1,913,012$840,724$637,772$634,855$586,738
Other current liabilities$0$0$0$0$507,894
Total current liabilities$1,913,012$840,724$637,772$634,855$1,094,632
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$3,643,890$1,510,665$1,631,977$505,885$0
Total long-term liabilities$3,643,890$1,510,665$1,631,977$505,885$0
Total liabilities$5,556,902$2,351,389$2,269,749$1,140,740$1,094,632
 
Net assets20222021202020192018
Without donor restrictions$14,082,868$15,334,835$13,610,178$13,565,306$13,493,462
With donor restrictions$455,863$3,200,211$2,414,103$2,839,695$1,052,019
Net assets$14,538,731$18,535,046$16,024,281$16,405,001$14,545,481
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20222021202020192018
Total contributions$26,532,725$27,547,944$25,683,867$25,714,552$22,459,797
Program service revenue$0$0$0$564,083$4,962,869
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income($33,419)$270,388($1,391,786)$73,830$82,352
Other revenue$34,769$12,864$234,904$25,837$22,315
Total other revenue$1,350$283,252($1,156,882)$663,750$5,067,536
Total revenue$26,534,075$27,831,196$24,526,985$26,378,302$27,527,333
 
Expenses20222021202020192018
Program services$25,660,256$21,560,757$21,972,454$21,555,112$23,540,176
Management and general$4,847,348$3,735,200$2,971,385$2,959,954$2,583,440
Fundraising$0$0$0$0$0
Total expenses$30,507,604$25,295,957$24,943,839$24,515,066$26,123,616
 
Change in net assets20222021202020192018
Surplus (deficit)($3,973,529)$2,535,239($416,854)$1,863,236$1,403,717
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets($3,973,529)$2,535,239($416,854)$1,863,236$1,403,717

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Susan C RowanFormer Executive Director$564,040
Richard S Mazur Part YearChief Financial Officer$209,473
Hollie B RobertsExecutive Director$205,095
Robert A Birkeneder Part YearChief Operating Officer$179,717
Deborah YoungChief Class Officer$153,032
Jamie LawsonChief Financial Officer$148,979
Todd WethallStudy Content Specialist$131,117
Thom BartzIT Product Owner$128,025
Ramona BishopChief Human Resource Officer$126,773
Russell MantzelChief Project Man. Officer$121,449

Compensation data as of: 8/31/2022


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 12/28/2023. 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.