Bible Study Fellowship/ BSF 
The information in this column was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 3/15/2021. To update the information in this column, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
Summary
Bible Study Fellowship ("BSF") conducts Bible study classes in the United States, with registrations located in numberous 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. BSF is organized as an international interdenominational California nonprofit organization.
Contributions to BSF are fully deductible to the extent allowed by the law. BSF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact information
Mailing address:
19001 Huebner Rd
San Antonio, TX 78258-4019
Website: www.bsfinternational.org
Phone: (210) 492-4676
Organization details
EIN: 941514010
CEO/President: Susie Rowan
Chairman: Mr. G. Bruce Smith
Board size: 11
Founder: A. Wetherall Johnson
Year founded: 1959
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 numberous 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.
BSF is organized as an international interdenominational California nonprofit organization. Contributions to BSF are fully deductible to the extent allowed by the law.
BSF is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Mission statement
BSF uses the following to communicate its vision:
The vision of BSF International is classes teaching the Bible to produce in all participants a vibrant relationship with God and, in as many as are called, a passion to commit without reservation to lead in the cause of Christ in the world.
Statement of faith
BSF uses the following to communicate its doctrine:
The Bible Study Fellowship Bylaws, Article VI, contain the following doctrinal basis:
We, the entire Leadership of Bible Study Fellowship, including the Board of Directors, commit ourselves without reservation to the statement of belief as herein set forth:
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 until each one is matured into the preordained purpose of God for him.
Transparency grade
A
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Christian Growth
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 191 of 817 | 12 of 60 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 14 of 817 | 2 of 60 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 174 of 817 | 18 of 60 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 648 of 817 | 43 of 60 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 4% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 82% | 97% | 81% | 84% | 85% | 101% |
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% | 3% | 19% | 16% | 15% | -1% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 79% | 85% | 89% | 89% | 89% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 82% | 86% | 83% | 75% | 89% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 75% | 69% | 76% | 74% | 66% | 77% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 18% | 14% | 17% | 25% | 11% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 5% | 12% | 11% | 14% | 26% | 11% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 15% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 13% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 1.12 | 0.50 | 0.65 | 0.66 | 0.72 | 0.65 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 1.39 | 1.40 | 1.39 | 1.34 | 1.38 | 1.43 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 2.08 | 0.71 | 0.90 | 0.88 | 0.99 | 0.92 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 11.01 | 54.41 | 28.04 | 17.89 | 31.75 | 40.01 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.09 | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.02 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 5.24 | 16.69 | 12.79 | 12.85 | 11.74 | 12.66 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 1% | 3% | 4% | 6% | 23% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 75% | 196% | 150% | 146% | 131% | 119% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Cash | $5,031,794 | $7,335,841 | $9,749,039 | $8,702,396 | $9,005,542 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $3,781,263 | $2,575,056 | $3,229,305 | $1,767,102 | $1,229,284 |
| Short-term investments | $25,874,420 | $21,418,143 | $16,345,015 | $14,663,288 | $11,907,735 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $34,687,477 | $31,329,040 | $29,323,359 | $25,132,786 | $22,142,561 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $13,836,834 | $12,115,805 | $9,958,678 | $9,325,746 | $9,398,844 |
| Other long-term assets | $123,363 | $125,881 | $121,162 | $116,203 | $112,806 |
| Total long-term assets | $13,960,197 | $12,241,686 | $10,079,840 | $9,441,949 | $9,511,650 |
| Total assets | $48,647,674 | $43,570,726 | $39,403,199 | $34,574,735 | $31,654,211 |
| Liabilities | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $637,526 | $609,265 | $525,255 | $553,935 | $553,427 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $507,894 | $1,114,060 | $237,537 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $637,526 | $1,117,159 | $1,639,315 | $791,472 | $553,427 |
| Debt | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,247,939 | $6,814,593 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,247,939 | $6,814,593 |
| Total liabilities | $637,526 | $1,117,159 | $1,639,315 | $2,039,411 | $7,368,020 |
| Net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Unrestricted | $43,770,701 | $40,027,140 | $34,620,135 | $29,069,031 | $20,987,582 |
| Temporarily restricted | $4,232,577 | $2,419,557 | $3,136,879 | $3,459,423 | $3,291,739 |
| Permanently restricted | $6,870 | $6,870 | $6,870 | $6,870 | $6,870 |
| Net assets | $48,010,148 | $42,453,567 | $37,763,884 | $32,535,324 | $24,286,191 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Total contributions | $29,140,433 | $26,866,910 | $26,152,598 | $28,289,517 | $23,331,650 |
| Program service revenue | $564,083 | $4,962,869 | $3,875,168 | $4,331,294 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $316,143 | $1,164,362 | $1,046,715 | $621,143 | ($261,309) |
| Other revenue | $19,887 | $32,111 | $38,035 | $37,644 | $45,575 |
| Total other revenue | $900,113 | $6,159,342 | $4,959,918 | $4,990,081 | ($215,734) |
| Total revenue | $30,040,546 | $33,026,252 | $31,112,516 | $33,279,598 | $23,115,916 |
| Expenses | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Program services | $20,817,291 | $25,080,638 | $23,001,501 | $22,087,097 | $17,855,069 |
| Management and general | $3,666,674 | $3,255,931 | $2,854,114 | $2,783,227 | $2,616,521 |
| Fundraising | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total expenses | $24,483,965 | $28,336,569 | $25,855,615 | $24,870,324 | $20,471,590 |
| Change in net assets | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $5,556,581 | $4,689,683 | $5,256,901 | $8,409,274 | $2,644,326 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | ($28,341) | ($160,141) | ($524,106) |
| Total change in net assets | $5,556,581 | $4,689,683 | $5,228,560 | $8,249,133 | $2,120,220 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Susan C Rowan | Executive Director | $282,762 |
| Richard S Mazur | Chief Financial Officer | $185,672 |
| Robert A Birkeneder | Chief Operating Officer | $148,979 |
| Debbie Young | Chief Class Officer | $126,163 |
| John Eiserman | Pressman | $118,588 |
Compensation data as of: 8/31/2019
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 3/15/2021. To update the information below, please email: info@ministrywatch.com
History
BSF incorporated on October 2, 1961.
The organization is a continuation of the unincorporated association which existed under the name of Bible Study Fellowship from February 21, 1959 to October 2, 1961. The change was made upon advice of their attorney to secure perpetuity of existence, limited liability and to operate more effectively in other jurisdictions.
The predecessor organization was held exempt under the Internal Revenue Code.
The organization was formed for the purpose of providing classes for the study of the Bible. Originally the Director would distribute written questions and suggestions to class members for study at their homes. They then would meet in class study groups for discussion of the lessons under the supervision of the Executive Director and assistants.
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.