What Group Publishing does

Group Publishing is a privately held Christian education publishing company headquartered in Loveland, Colorado, operating as a ministry within Cook Media Global since its acquisition around 2007-2008. The company sells ready-to-use curriculum, training, and programming for Protestant churches across children's, youth, adult, and family ministry, with Vacation Bible School (VBS) as the marquee annual product. Its portfolio includes owned Sunday school brands (Simply Loved, DIG IN, BE BOLD, Two or More, FaithWeaver NOW, Hands-On Bible Curriculum, KidsOwn Worship, Play-n-Worship) and youth and adult curricula (LIVE, Following Jesus, small group studies), distributed both directly to churches and through a trade partner network. Revenue comes from one-time physical starter kits ($304.99-$319.99 for VBS Ultimate Starter Kits), recurring quarterly digital curriculum subscriptions via the DIG IN platform, lifetime membership plus per-check fees for the Shepherd's Watch background check service, paid in-person FunShop training events, and wholesale distribution. Group Publishing extends its reach into adjacent ministry services via the VBS PRO event management tool, the Digital Download Center, Group U online training, Simply Text mass messaging, Safe and Secure Church security kits, and a partnership with David C Cook that distributes additional curricula (Wonder Ink, Bible in Life, HeartShaper, Gospel Light, Tru, Echoes) through group.com.

Name

Group Publishing

Legal name

Group Publishing, Inc.

Website

https://group.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Education Publishing

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Religious Education & Catechetical Publishing (Sunday School, Catechism, Study Guides) (MPAJAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD), Children’s Religious & Values-Based Publishing (MPAJAFAL), Religious Children’s Publishing (Faith-Based Kids & YA) (MPAJAHAJ), Faith-Based Media, Publishing & Broadcasting (Radio, TV, Digital, Press) (BPAGAJAI)

Keywords

• Christian curriculum publishing
• Vacation bible school
• Sunday school curriculum
• Children ministry resources
• Church education materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Loveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Curriculum and Resource Sales: Sale of Sunday school curriculum, VBS programs, children's ministry resources, youth curriculum, and adult ministry materials through physical products and digital downloads. Products include starter kits, lesson books, activity materials, music, and videos.
2. Subscription/Digital Access: Quarterly subscription-based access to digital curriculum content through platforms like DIG IN, billed recurring on quarterly basis. Teachers guides remain accessible for 9 months from quarter release date.
3. Background Check Services: Shepherd's Watch membership provides access to background check services with per-check fees. Packages range from $9 Basic Starter to $42.50 All Inclusive. Membership is a one-time fee with no annual costs.
4. Training Events: Revenue from in-person FunShop training events where churches receive hands-on VBS training. Pricing is $35/person early bird, $30/person for groups of 4+, and $49/person standard rate.
5. Trade Partner/Wholesale: Wholesale distribution through trade partners including bookstores, Christian retailers, and church supply distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Group Publishing creates, publishes, and sells Christian education curriculum and ministry resources for churches, including Vacation Bible School (VBS) programs, Sunday school curricula for all age groups (children, preteen, youth, adult), family ministry materials, and supporting digital tools. The company also operates ancillary church services such as volunteer background checks, ministry leadership training events, event management software, and mass texting communication tools designed to help churches run safe and engaging ministry programs.

Product overview

Group Publishing provides a comprehensive suite of Christian education resources for churches, centered around Vacation Bible School programs and Sunday school curriculum. The portfolio includes core offerings like VBS programs (Rainforest Falls, Rome, Galaxy, and upcoming 2027 themes), Sunday school curriculum under multiple brands (Simply Loved, DIG IN, BE BOLD, Two or More, FaithWeaver NOW, Hands-On Bible Curriculum, KidsOwn Worship, Play-n-Worship), youth ministry curriculum, adult ministry resources, and family ministry programs. Additional services include Digital Download Center for content access, Shepherd's Watch background checks, church security training, mass texting, Group U ministry training, and VBS PRO event management. The company also distributes David C Cook curriculum through partnership. Group Publishing operates primarily in the United States as a ministry of Cook Media Global.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Shepherd's Watch: Background check services for churches and ministries, partnered with First Advantage for screening staff and volunteers.
• DIG IN
• VBS PRO
• Group U
• LIVE Curriculum
• Simply Text
• Simply Loved
• Two or More
• FaithWeaver NOW

Products and services

• Vacation Bible School (VBS) Programs Turn-key, all-in-one Vacation Bible School program kits for churches, refreshed annually with new themes. Each kit includes lessons, music, crafts, snacks, decorations, volunteer training materials, and promotional items designed for a complete five-day VBS event. Targeted at churches of all sizes running summer or seasonal outreach programs for children.
• Simply Loved Sunday School Curriculum

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of U.S. Criminal Screens completed in 1 day through Shepherd's Watch background check partnership with First Advantage
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• David C CookcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup Publishing has partnered with David C Cook to offer additional Sunday school curriculum options. This partnership expands Group's curriculum portfolio with David C Cook brands including Wonder Ink, Bible in Life, HeartShaper, Gospel Light, Tru, and Echoes. Churches can access these curriculums through Group's website with links opening to David C Cook's platforms.
• First AdvantagecoreTechnology or IntegrationShepherd's Watch Background Checks is partnered with First Advantage, described as the leading global background check company. First Advantage provides the database infrastructure for church volunteer screening services. First Advantage is FCRA compliant and PBSA accredited, providing comprehensive criminal record searches, sex offender registry checks, and county courthouse searches.
• Cook Media GlobalcoreOthersGroup Publishing operates as a ministry of Cook Media Global. All Group Publishing job opportunities are posted and managed through Cook Media Global's job portal. The copyright notice states materials are published by Group Publishing, a ministry of Cook Media Global.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LifeWay Christian Resources: LifeWay is the largest US Protestant publisher of Sunday school curriculum, VBS programs, and ministry resources, serving the same church customer base with overlapping product categories. It is the most direct comparable to Group Publishing's core curriculum and VBS portfolio.
• David C Cook: David C Cook publishes Wonder Ink, Bible in Life, HeartShaper, Gospel Light, Tru, and Echoes — Sunday school curriculums that overlap directly with Group Publishing's Simply Loved, DIG IN, BE BOLD, and FaithWeaver NOW lines. Group already distributes David C Cook curriculum through a Core partnership, underscoring how directly the two compete and collaborate.
• Concordia Publishing House: Concordia Publishing House produces Sunday school curriculum, VBS programs, and children's ministry resources for Lutheran and broader Christian markets. Its product mix, denominational reach, and resource-based distribution make it a close functional comparable.
• Standard Publishing: Standard Publishing has long produced Christian Sunday school curriculum and VBS programs sold to churches nationwide. It competes head-to-head with Group Publishing in age-graded Bible teaching curriculum and seasonal program kits.
• Abingdon Press: Abingdon Press, the United Methodist publishing arm, produces Sunday school curriculum and adult Bible study resources sold to the same church buyer. Its curriculum-first product strategy mirrors Group Publishing's approach and targets overlapping customers.
• Church Publishing Incorporated: Church Publishing Incorporated (Episcopal) produces curriculum, worship resources, and formation materials sold to congregations. Its denomination-anchored curriculum and resource distribution operate as a focused comparable to Group's ministry-resource model.
• Ascension Press: Ascension Press produces Catholic faith-formation curriculum and Bible study resources distributed to parishes and individuals. Its curriculum-and-study publishing model is comparable to Group Publishing's ministry-resource publishing, though denominationally distinct.
• Lifeway VBS (formerly LifeWay VBS): LifeWay's annual VBS program line is the most direct seasonal competitor to Group's flagship Vacation Bible School offerings; both companies compete on annual themes, starter kits, music, and training events sold to the same church buyer.

Emerging players

• Answers in Genesis: Answers in Genesis sells creation-based VBS programs and Sunday school curriculum through its own conferences, web store, and partner resellers. It overlaps with Group Publishing's VBS and children's ministry verticals but with a content-niche (creation theology) and a non-overlapping audience segment.
• RightNow Media: RightNow Media distributes streaming Bible-study and ministry-training video to churches via subscription. It competes with Group Publishing's DIG IN digital curriculum and Group U training as a digital-first alternative for the same church budget.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/groupvbs
• Facebookfacebook.com/GroupPublishing
• Instagraminstagram.com/groupvbs
• Xx.com/grouppublishing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/group-publishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Group Publishing