Summary
Bible League's ministry goes beyond providing the Scriptures people need. They make sure those Scriptures are used for evangelism, discipleship, and church growth.
The Bible League and its partners are called by God to provide Scriptures and training worldwide, so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into fellowship with Christ and His Church. Bible League partners currently provide Scriptures and training in more than 55 countries.
They accomplish the ministry to which God has called them by:
1. Providing the Word of God and Bible study materials; training local Christians who use God?s Word to grow God?s family in number and in spiritual maturity.
2. Coming alongside local churches who have a passion for the lost; equipping their leaders with Scriptures and training to establish new churches in areas where there are none.
3. Strengthening the faith of persecuted Christians; placing God?s Word into the hands of those who often have no other source of spiritual nourishment.
4. Introducing Christ to people unreached by the Gospel; using God?s Word in the heart languages of the unreached, churches fulfill Christ?s command to make disciples among all people.
Contributions to Bible League are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In addition, it is a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
Contact Information: [ Back to top ]
| Mailing Address: | P.O. Box 28000 3801 Eagle Nest Drive Crete IL 60417
Chicago, IL
60628-0628 |
| Website: | www.BibleLeague.org |
| Phone: | (866) 825-4636, (708) 367-8500 |
| Email: | You need to enable javascript to see the email |
Organization Details [ Back to top ]
EIN: 362037761
| CEO/President: |
Mr. Robert W. Cole |
Tax Deductible: |
Yes |
| Chairman: |
Mr. James K. Van Drunen |
Fiscal Year End: |
August 31 |
| Board Size: |
18 |
Financial info from: |
990 |
| Founder: |
William & Betty Chapman |
Member of ECFA: |
Yes |
| Year Founded: |
1938 |
Member of ECFA since: |
1980 |
Bible League's ministry goes beyond providing the Scriptures people need. They make sure those Scriptures are used for evangelism, discipleship, and church growth.
The Bible League and its partners are called by God to provide Scriptures and training worldwide, so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into fellowship with Christ and His Church. Bible League partners currently provide Scriptures and training in more than 55 countries.
They accomplish the ministry to which God has called them by:
1. Providing the Word of God and Bible study materials; training local Christians who use God?s Word to grow God?s family in number and in spiritual maturity.
2. Coming alongside local churches who have a passion for the lost; equipping their leaders with Scriptures and training to establish new churches in areas where there are none.
3. Strengthening the faith of persecuted Christians; placing God?s Word into the hands of those who often have no other source of spiritual nourishment.
4. Introducing Christ to people unreached by the Gospel; using God?s Word in the heart languages of the unreached, churches fulfill Christ?s command to make disciples among all people.
Contributions to Bible League are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. In addition, it is a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
The Bible League uses the following to communicate its mission:
The Bible League is mission-minded:
We are called by God to provide Scriptures and training worldwide, so that people prepared by the Holy Spirit will be brought into fellowship with Christ and His Church.
Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]
The Bible League communicates its accomplishments as follows:
The Bible is powerful. When trained Christians in local churches share it, God can transform lives, communities, even whole nations. Each year, as a praise report to God, Bible League ministry partners around the world make a specific count of the impact of His Word to the best of their abilities. In 2005, ministry partners in more that 55 countries submitted thousands of reports. Bible League-trained Christians raise their ?Hallelujahs? with the 2005 ministry results, which reflect the impact of God?s Word on lives changed for eternity:
- 3,354,265 Bible Study Completions (a 26 percent increase over 2004)
- 318, 602 Bible Study Groups (a 31 percent increase over 2004)
- 468,338 New Church Members/Baptisms (a 23 percent increase over 2004)
- 5,521 New Churches Established (a 36 percent increase over 2004)
Because the Bible League is called by God to be a good steward of His resources, we are accountable to both God and man. The Bible League is a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). The Bible League is a member of the National Association of Evangelicals, Christian Service Charities, and the Forum of Bible Agencies, among others.
The Bible League is a nonprofit organization, and contributions to it are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law.
Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]
The Bible League adheres to the statement of faith established by the National Association of Evangelicals:
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
- We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
An Ordinary Christian
William ?Bill? Chapman, a Chicago area businessman, was seriously ill in1936. An elder of his church visited him in the hospital and prayed for God to spare Bill?s life, and to give him a new kind of life serving God?s kingdom. Bill thought deeply about the prayer. He believed in God, but wondered how an ordinary believer like him could be used by God for His kingdom.
A Mission Begins
Bill recovered, slowly. While recuperating, he went on vacation and noticed a Gideon Bible placed in the nightstand of his hotel room. It struck him that if every hotel room in America was supplied with a Bible, why shouldn?t every home in America have the same privilege? Bill took the elder?s prayer to heart, dedicating his life to God?s work.
A Bible for Every Home
Gradually, the idea that every home should have a Bible became his calling, and Bill asked his wife to join him in his crusade. Armed with a supply of 1,000 Bibles he bought with his own savings, he began his Bible placement ministry in Walkerton, Indiana in 1938. The Chapmans personally canvassed that neighborhood one afternoon and found 45 families who did not own a Bible. After eliciting a promise that the Book would in fact be read, the Chapmans joyfully gave each of these families a Bible of their very own. God?s Word in ordinary hands produced an extraordinary result.
The Bible League Today
As in Chapman?s day, the Bible League remains committed to bringing people into a relationship with Jesus Christ through God?s Word and through partnership with local churches. But today?s Bible League is focused on that task primarily in an international setting. Hundreds of Bible League staff provide Scriptures and discipleship training to hundreds of thousands of volunteers in local churches.
The Bible League?s unique ministry combines evangelism with discipleship. Just as a successful harvest depends on sunlight and water, reaping spiritual fruit requires both evangelism and discipleship. The Bible League provides ordinary, committed Christians around the world with the life-changing Word of God and training they need to spread the Good News effectively.
The Bible League communicates its needs as follows:
Though the Bible League places millions of Scriptures around the world each year, there is still an overwhelming need for more Bibles. Many Christians around the world are among those who don?t have Bibles?to read themselves or to share with others. In Africa alone, an estimated 200 million Christians still don?t have God?s Word! Cults, Islamic influence, and indigenous religious practices threaten to lure Bible-less believers away.
Without Bibles, many others may never come to know Jesus. Unfortunately, the Bible League is forced to turn down almost two-thirds of all requests for Scriptures because of limited funding. Donors can place a whole Bible?including printing, shipment, training, and placement?for the average worldwide cost of $4.00. The average worldwide cost of a New Testament is $1.50.
Additional Ministry Opportunities to Meet the Needs
- Children Caring for Children ? Teaches your elementary school age kids about children in other cultures while they experience the joy of giving.
- Recycle Your Bible ? The Bible League sends your extra Bibles to English-speaking people who need them.
- Persecuted Church Awareness Kit ? Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith every day. The Bible League?s persecuted Church program increases awareness for the plight of the persecuted.
- Monthly Partners ? Share the Bible League?s vision to take God?s Word to people around the world. Pray regularly for this ministry, and support it with the financial blessings God has given you. Designate your monthly gift to wherever it?s needed most, or to a country where believers currently experience persecution. Send God?s Word in Action.
- Ministry Volunteers ? How will you serve? Prayerfully consider a variety of volunteer opportunities. Is God calling you to deliver Bibles into China . . . work in a Bible League Thrift Center . . . represent the Bible League within your church? Contact the Bible League to learn more about these and other volunteer opportunities.
Research Analysis
Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]
| Transparency Grade of : A |
| Criteria category | Grade | Other Comments |
| Timeliness: | 100 | 9/18/2006 10:11:59 AM: Organization made financial information available less than 5 ½ months after their fiscal year end. |
| Financial Information: | 100 | 9/18/2006 10:13:48 AM: Organization provided all financial information requested. Information was clear and thorough. |
| Foundational Clarity: | 100 | 9/18/2006 10:13:01 AM: Descriptive information was abundant and thorough. |
| Level of Cooperation: | 100 | 9/18/2006 10:13:09 AM: Answers to questions were thorough. |
Click here to compare ministries on transparency and other stats
Click here to learn more about how ministries are graded
MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]
| Ranking Category | Rating | Overall Rank | Foreign Missions Sector |
|---|
| Overall Efficiency Rating |  | 261 of 352 | 45 of 54 |
| Fund Acquisition Decision |  | 332 of 352 | 52 of 54 |
| Resource Allocation Decision | | 263 of 352 | 44 of 54 |
| Asset Utilization Decision | | 113 of 352 | 24 of 54 |
Learn how the ratings are calculated for this ministry
Learn how ratings are calculated in general --
or here for a longer explanation
Click here to compare ministries
The Form 990 is an excellent source of financial data, but we want to remind you it is only financial data. The figures listed will probably not give you a real sense of what was accomplished with those finances. In other words, the Form 990 cannot tell you how EFFECTIVE a particular organization is at meeting its particular goal.
For more than 65 years, the Bible League has provided Scriptures and Bible study materials to bring people into fellowship with Christ and His Church. The organization equips local churches around the world to facilitate the spiritual growth of those seeking a relationship with Christ, and to help believers grow in faith through Bible studies. The Bible League also provides training to people in local churches worldwide who have a vision to reach their nations for Christ. Christians learn to lead Bible studies, to grow existing churches, and to establish new churches in areas where none exist.
The Bible League is effectivein meeting our goal of bringing people into fellowship with Christ and His church. Each year we release a summary of our ministry results. This summary answers questions that the Form 990 cannot such as:
Knowing the answers to those questions will reassure you that your partnership with the Bible League is worthwhile and shows good stewardship and wise investing. Our Ministry Results report will give you statistics that prove your investment is accomplishing great things. For example, this past year 18,596,533 Scriptures were provided by the Bible League. These Scriptures were used to accomplish these results: