Guideposts
Guideposts is a nonprofit Christian ministry publishing faith-based magazines, devotionals, books, and lifestyle products, operating the Abide meditation app and e-commerce storefront serving individual Christian consumers across the US and Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1940
- HeadquartersDanbury, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Guideposts does
Guideposts, legally organized as Guideposts a Church Corporation, is a nonprofit Christian ministry headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, founded in the 1940s (firmographic data lists 1945). The organization publishes faith-based content across print magazines (Guideposts Magazine, Mornings with Jesus), annual devotionals (Walking in Grace Devotional 2026), Bible studies, fiction series (Secrets of Mary's Bookshop, Gift Shop Mysteries), non-fiction titles, and complementary lifestyle products including jewelry, candles, mugs, planners, and journals. Its digital footprint includes the guideposts.org e-commerce and content platform, the Abide Christian meditation app (5.5 million cumulative downloads, acquired in October 2021), and the Devoutly app.
The technology stack consists of a content management system, an e-commerce storefront, two mobile applications, and standard payment processing integrations (Stripe, PayPal, Chase Paymentech, Apple Pay, Google Pay) supported by Google Analytics. Physical products are distributed primarily within the United States and Canada through owned e-commerce and a dedicated fulfillment operation in Tipton, Iowa (mailing addresses), while eBooks are available globally where permitted. The organization maintains institutional outreach partnerships with hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, and veteran centers.
Guideposts monetizes through four streams: recurring magazine subscriptions (annual billing, ~$17-$24), one-time product sales via e-commerce, donations funding its ministry mission, and digital content/app revenue from Abide. It serves individual Christian consumers as its primary audience, with a secondary segment of institutional recipients of its outreach content. There are no disclosed financials, funding rounds, executive leadership profiles, or M&A activity beyond the 2021 Abide acquisition, and the organization operates as an independently governed Church Corporation without traditional ownership or external investors.
Guideposts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Guideposts
- Legal name
- Guideposts a Church Corporation
- Website
- https://guideposts.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1940
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Guideposts is a nonprofit Christian ministry publishing faith-based magazines, devotionals, books, and lifestyle products, operating the Abide meditation app and e-commerce storefront serving individual Christian consumers across the US and Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Guideposts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Christian Publishing and Faith-Based Media
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Periodical Publishers (513120)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI), Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC), Religious & Spiritual Books Retail (CRALAAAE), Religious & Specialty Publishing Distribution (CRAOALAD)
Keywords
Where Guideposts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Danbury
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Guideposts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct sales of faith-based products including books, magazines, devotionals, jewelry, home décor, candles, and planners through the Guideposts e-commerce storefront. Products are sold as one-time purchases with occasional promotions and discounts.
- Magazine Subscriptions: Recurring subscription revenue from Guideposts Magazine, Mornings with Jesus, and other devotional publications with automatic renewal billing and delivery every 4-10 weeks.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: Guideposts operates as a nonprofit Christian ministry that accepts donations to fund outreach programs including nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, and veteran centers. Donations are non-refundable and may be tax-deductible.
- Digital Content and App Revenue: Revenue from the Abide meditation app including potential in-app purchases and premium content subscriptions for devotionals, prayers, and biblical meditations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Guideposts Magazine subscription - starting price |
| Subscription | Annual | Mornings with Jesus Magazine subscription |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Book products - various titles |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Jewelry and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Home décor and candles |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Guideposts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Guideposts is a nonprofit Christian ministry that produces and sells faith-based content and products, including print magazines (Guideposts Magazine, Mornings With Jesus), devotionals, Bibles, Christian fiction and non-fiction books, jewelry, home décor items, and the Abide Christian meditation mobile app. The organization distributes this content through its e-commerce storefront, subscription fulfillment, and digital platforms, while funding outreach programs in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, and veteran centers through donations and product revenue.
Product overview
Guideposts is a Christian ministry offering a multi-product portfolio centered around faith-inspired content. The core offerings include Guideposts Magazine and Mornings With Jesus Magazine (publications), the Abide Christian meditation mobile app with 5.5 million downloads, and Devoutly App. The product line extends to devotional publications (Walking in Grace, Rejoice in All Things), Bibles and Bible studies, fiction book series (Secrets of Mary's Bookshop mystery series, Gift Shop Mysteries, Chesapeake Antiques Mysteries), non-fiction titles on prayer and spirituality, jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, earrings), and home/gift items (candles, mugs, journals, planners). The portfolio is sold through the guideposts.org e-commerce store and supports donations to fund the ministry's mission of spreading faith, hope, and prayer.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Abide: Christian meditation app offering devotions, prayer, sleep stories, and Biblical meditations designed to bring peace and draw users closer to God. Claims 5.5 million downloads.
Products and services
- Guideposts Magazine The flagship inspirational magazine featuring faith-based stories, prayers, and positive living content, distributed by subscription with automatic renewal and home delivery every 4-10 weeks. Targeted at individual Christian readers seeking daily spiritual encouragement.
- Mornings With Jesus Magazine
Quantifiable outcome
- 5.5 million app downloads (Abide)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Guideposts
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Guideposts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
Guideposts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Guideposts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- DaySpring: Christian greeting card and gift company (a subsidiary of Hallmark) producing faith-inspired cards, gifts, and home décor. Directly comparable to Guideposts' jewelry and home décor product lines targeting the same Christian consumer base.
- Thomas Nelson Publishers: Leading Christian book publisher (part of HarperCollins) known for Bibles, devotionals, and inspirational titles. Direct peer in the devotional publishing space with comparable product offerings and target audience.
- Our Daily Bread Ministries: Nonprofit ministry producing widely distributed daily devotionals across print, digital, and app channels. Comparable mission-driven nonprofit structure producing devotional content for broad Christian audiences worldwide.
- Zondervan (HarperChristian): Major Christian publishing imprint (a division of HarperCollins) producing Bibles, study resources, and Christian books. Competes with Guideposts in devotional and Bible study categories and operates a similar direct-to-consumer publishing model.
- Tyndale House Publishers: One of the largest Christian book publishers in the world, producing Bibles, devotionals, and faith-based fiction. Directly comparable to Guideposts as a faith-focused publisher with overlapping product categories including devotionals, Bibles, and Christian fiction.
- Crossway: Christian publisher of the ESV Bible and a wide range of Christian books and study resources. Overlaps with Guideposts in the Bible and devotional publishing space with a similar direct-to-consumer distribution model.
Broad incumbents
- CBD (Christianbook.com): Largest online Christian retailer offering Bibles, books, gifts, and church supplies across hundreds of thousands of SKUs. A broad incumbent serving the same Christian consumer purchasing devotionals, Bibles, and gifts that Guideposts produces.
- Hallmark: Major greeting card and gift company with a substantial Christian/faith product line through its DaySpring subsidiary. Overlaps with Guideposts' home décor, jewelry, and gift categories targeting faith-inspired consumers.
Others
- Calm: Leading secular meditation and wellness app with broad consumer appeal. Comparable to Abide in the meditation app category but operates in the general wellness market rather than the Christian niche.
Emerging players
- YouVersion (Life Church): The most popular digital Bible app globally with hundreds of millions of installs, offering devotional plans and faith content. Comparable to Abide as a digital faith platform with overlapping audience but different primary content focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Guideposts social profiles
Digital presenceGuideposts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Guideposts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Guideposts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Guideposts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Guideposts
What does Guideposts do?
Guideposts is a nonprofit Christian ministry that produces and sells faith-based content and products, including print magazines (Guideposts Magazine, Mornings With Jesus), devotionals, Bibles, Christian fiction and non-fiction books, jewelry, home décor items, and the Abide Christian meditation mobile app. The organization distributes this content through its e-commerce storefront, subscription fulfillment, and digital platforms, while funding outreach programs in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, and veteran centers through donations and product revenue.
Is Guideposts a public or private company?
Guideposts is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Guideposts founded?
Guideposts was founded in 1940. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Guideposts based?
Guideposts is headquartered in Danbury, United States, in the North America region.
How does Guideposts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are magazine Subscriptions, donations and Charitable Giving and digital Content and App Revenue.
Who are Guideposts's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are DaySpring, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Our Daily Bread Ministries, Zondervan (HarperChristian), Tyndale House Publishers and Crossway. Broad incumbents are CBD (Christianbook.com) and Hallmark. Calm is listed as an others. YouVersion (Life Church) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Guideposts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Guideposts.
What industry is Guideposts in?
Guideposts's product category is Christian Publishing and Faith-Based Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAHAB, Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides), with a secondary code of MPAJAHAI, Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 2731.