Thru the Bible Radio Network 
Summary
Thru the Bible is the worldwide Bible-teaching ministry of the late Dr. J. Vernon McGee.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Thru the Bible
P.O. Box 7100
Pasadena, CA 91109
Website: ttb.org
Phone: 1-800-652-4253
Email: BibleBus@ttb.org
Organization details
EIN: 956145276
CEO/President: Gregg Harris
Chairman: Leo Karlyn
Board size: 0
Founder: Dr. J Vernon McGee
Year founded: 1967
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 12/31
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
In a 30-minute a day study, Dr. McGee takes listeners through the entire Word of God--Genesis through Revelation--over the course of 5 years.
Mission statement
The whole Word for the whole world.
Statement of faith
The doctrinal statement of Thru the Bible Radio goes into quite a bit more detail than what is presented here, but this in simplified form is what we believe and practice in our ministry: The plenary, verbal inspiration of the Scriptures; The Trinity; The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Nicene Creed states it; That Christ came to this earth to reveal God and to redeem man and that He died a vicarious substitutionary death upon the cross for the sins of man; That Christ sent the Holy Spirit into the world to call out a body of people to His name which is called the church; That man was created perfect but that he disbelieved and then disobeyed God; that man fell into sin and today the entire race of Adam is totally depraved and incapable of saving itself; The pre-tribulational, pre-millennial coming of Christ to take His church out of the world; That Christ will come later to the earth to establish His kingdom, and His coming is the hope of the world.
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Radio/ TV Stations
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 83 of 725 | 3 of 22 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 67 of 726 | 3 of 22 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 51 of 726 | 2 of 22 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 411 of 725 | 13 of 22 |
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 7% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 6% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 90% | 88% | 186% | 90% | 75% | 80% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 6% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 10% | 12% | -86% | 10% | 25% | 20% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 79% | 94% | 94% | 94% | 94% | 94% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 99% | 83% | 179% | 92% | 79% | 88% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 78% | 169% | 86% | 74% | 83% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 1% | 17% | -79% | 8% | 21% | 12% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 8% | -16% | 3% | 10% | 4% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 15% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.47 | 0.37 | 0.35 | 0.31 | 0.31 | 0.27 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.07 | 1.24 | 1.25 | 1.47 | 1.58 | 1.75 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.15 | 0.45 | 0.44 | 0.46 | 0.49 | 0.47 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 21.45 | 28.38 | 31.61 | 29.62 | 34.11 | 27.97 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.04 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 9.35 | 25.50 | 26.67 | 25.46 | 23.90 | 24.86 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 3% | 3% | 6% | 13% | 14% | 17% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 0% | 4% | 11% | 12% | 15% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 209% | 266% | 269% | 280% | 278% | 312% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Cash | $2,080,922 | $1,557,486 | $1,703,246 | $1,503,161 | $2,108,476 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $363,514 | $309,487 | $718,151 | $816,662 | $821,599 |
| Short-term investments | $41,923,091 | $44,760,916 | $42,657,688 | $40,114,685 | $39,646,389 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $44,367,527 | $46,627,889 | $45,079,085 | $42,434,508 | $42,576,464 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $1,341,562 | $1,415,060 | $1,477,521 | $1,461,311 | $1,555,348 |
| Other long-term assets | $9,449,359 | $10,355,864 | $19,713,337 | $23,260,165 | $30,545,047 |
| Total long-term assets | $10,790,921 | $11,770,924 | $21,190,858 | $24,721,476 | $32,100,395 |
| Total assets | $55,158,448 | $58,398,813 | $66,269,943 | $67,155,984 | $74,676,859 |
| Liabilities | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $1,563,446 | $1,475,122 | $1,522,147 | $1,243,897 | $1,522,215 |
| Other current liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current liabilities | $1,563,446 | $1,475,122 | $1,522,147 | $1,243,897 | $1,522,215 |
| Debt | $0 | $2,209,003 | $7,172,575 | $8,351,310 | $11,287,834 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $0 | $2,209,003 | $7,172,575 | $8,351,310 | $11,287,834 |
| Total liabilities | $1,563,446 | $3,684,125 | $8,694,722 | $9,595,207 | $12,810,049 |
| Net assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Unrestricted | $52,151,085 | $53,388,282 | $56,279,570 | $56,265,126 | $60,571,159 |
| Temporarily restricted | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Permanently restricted | $1,443,917 | $1,326,406 | $1,295,651 | $1,295,651 | $1,295,651 |
| Net assets | $53,595,002 | $54,714,688 | $57,575,221 | $57,560,777 | $61,866,810 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Total contributions | $21,423,171 | $21,021,811 | $20,091,426 | $19,652,919 | $17,917,177 |
| Program service revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $2,765,910 | ($9,826,477) | $1,952,731 | $6,212,531 | $4,302,332 |
| Other revenue | $156,751 | $129,703 | $347,873 | $347,681 | $252,154 |
| Total other revenue | $2,922,661 | ($9,696,774) | $2,300,604 | $6,560,212 | $4,554,486 |
| Total revenue | $24,345,832 | $11,325,037 | $22,392,030 | $26,213,131 | $22,471,663 |
| Expenses | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Program services | $18,968,516 | $19,097,509 | $19,314,248 | $19,340,320 | $18,659,735 |
| Management and general | $1,072,365 | $1,103,527 | $1,104,241 | $1,212,053 | $1,025,629 |
| Fundraising | $106,066 | $112,093 | $107,728 | $130,981 | $131,658 |
| Total expenses | $20,146,947 | $20,313,129 | $20,526,217 | $20,683,354 | $19,817,022 |
| Change in net assets | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2013 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $4,198,885 | ($8,988,092) | $1,865,813 | $5,529,777 | $2,654,641 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $4,198,885 | ($8,988,092) | $1,865,813 | $5,529,777 | $2,654,641 |
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
History
John Vernon McGee was born in Hillsboro, Texas, in 1904, the son of very poor parents. At age 14, "Vernon" lost his dad to a cotton gin accident and his mother moved him and his sister to Nashville, Tennessee. Through the investment of significant mentors, Vernon was able to attend college and then seminary. After completing his education (earning degrees from Southwestern University in Memphis, Tennessee; Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia; Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas), he was the pastor of churches in Decatur, GA, Nashville, TN, and Cleburne, TX. It was in Cleburne that Vernon met Ruth Inez Jordan and fell in love with her at first sight. He proposed on their second date, and the two married a year later. Eventually, he and Ruth settled in Pasadena, California, where Dr. McGee accepted a pastoral call to the Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church. He recalled this period as the happiest in his life, with a young family and a young congregation whom he loved.
In 1941, Dr. McGee was persuaded to begin a Sunday radio program, The Open Bible Hour, on just one station. It later became High Noon Bible Class, which laid the foundation for the 1967 launch of Thru the Bible as we know it today. Dr. McGee recorded the "Sunday Sermon" messages from the pulpit of the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles, where he served as pastor from 1949 to 1970.
After cancer surgery in 1965, the doctors gave Dr. McGee six months to live. The Lord gave him 23 more years.
After retiring, Dr. McGee devoted his life to Thru the Bible. On any given day, you'd find him at the Pasadena office with an open Bible on his desk in front of a microphone.
Dr. McGee and the Board of Directors planned in advance that the recorded 5-year program would stay on the air after Dr. McGee's death. "Just play the tapes until the money runs out," was Dr. McGee's directive. On December 1, 1988, Dr. McGee fell asleep in his chair and quietly passed into the presence of his Savior.
Today, the worldwide work of Thru the Bible continues through a small staff and the prayers and faithful giving of wonderful listeners-committed to keeping the Bible Bus traveling through the whole Word of God until Jesus comes.
Program accomplishments
Thru the Bible airs on over 800 stations in the U.S. and Canada, and is translated and heard in more than 100 languages and dialects around the world.