Word of Life Bible Institute

What Word of Life Bible Institute does

Word of Life Bible Institute is the educational arm of Word of Life Fellowship, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization founded in 1940 by Jack Wyrtzen and Harry Bollback and headquartered in Schroon Lake, New York. The organization operates an integrated ministry platform built around five core verticals: the Bible Institute (collegiate-level biblical studies on NY and FL campuses with 472 enrolled students), US camps (summer, winter, and family camps at three owned properties in NY, FL, and CA serving 18,355 campers in 2025), Youth Ministries (curriculum and coaching services delivered to 451 subscribing churches through the Multiply platform and app), International Ministries (1,595 missionaries and 15 Bible Institute campuses across 80+ countries), and retreat/conference facilities. The underlying technology is a web-based ministry platform integrating camp registration, Bible Institute LMS, curriculum distribution (Fifty1, Olympians, Gopher Buddies), devotional content (Quiet Time three-year reading plan), and the Multiply mobile app with lesson planning, spiritual-habit tracking, and integrations with Dare2Share Cause Circle and Teacher Source.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit-commercial model: $45.8M in restricted contributions, $8.5M in unrestricted contributions, and $18.3M in program revenue (camp fees, Bible Institute tuition, retreats, conferences, curriculum subscriptions) totaling $73.98M in 2025. Pricing is volume-based and granular — camp sessions range $34–$820, conference fees $100, retreat lodging $69–$305/night, and a Messenger monthly giving program starts at $15/month. The organization holds ECFA accreditation, Charity Navigator membership, and Best Christian Workplaces 2024 certification. Its go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer camp registration, event-driven evangelistic programming (Reverb, STORM, Fascar), and channel partnerships through 34 US youth ministry coaches serving local churches.

Name

Word of Life Bible Institute

Legal name

Word of Life Fellowship, Inc.

Website

https://wol.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Word of Life Bible Institute is the educational arm of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Bible Institute campuses, US camps, youth ministry curriculum, and global missions across 80+ countries, serving youth, families, students, and 451 subscribing churches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Education and Youth Ministry Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (8131), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Christian youth ministry
• Biblical education programs
• Youth summer camps
• Church ministry curriculum
• International mission services

Headquarters

HQ city

Pottersville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Primary revenue stream from individual donors, including monthly Messenger donors ($15/month minimum), one-time gifts, and campaign-specific donations for scholarships, missionaries, and facility improvements.
2. Camp and Program Revenue: Fees collected from summer camps, winter camps, family camps, retreats, and Bible Institute tuition. Includes conference fees, accommodation charges, and activity fees.
3. Conference and Event Revenue: Revenue from winter conference series in Florida featuring Bible teaching and gospel concerts, including fundraising events like Legacy Dinner and Bollback Block Party.
4. Curriculum Sales: Revenue from youth ministry curriculum products including Fifty1, Olympians, Gopher Buddies, and the Multiply platform subscription for church youth ministries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Word of Life Bible Institute delivers Christian education, residential camping, youth ministry curriculum, and international missionary training under a single ministry umbrella. Its core, named offerings include a two-year collegiate Bible Institute at NY and FL campuses, summer/winter/family camps at three US properties, age-tiered youth ministry curriculum (Fifty1 for teens, Olympians for elementary, Gopher Buddies for preschool) delivered via the Multiply platform and app, and a portfolio of short- and long-term international mission programs across 80+ countries.

Product overview

Word of Life Bible Institute is part of Word of Life Fellowship, a non-denominational Christian organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of faith-forming products and services. The core offerings include: the Bible Institute (collegiate-level biblical studies with campuses in NY and FL), Word of Life Camps (summer, winter, and family camps across NY, FL, and CA), Youth Ministries (including Fifty1/Olympians/Gopher Buddies curriculum, Multiply platform/app, and events like Reverb, STORM, and Fascar), International Ministries (missions programs ranging from Student Fusion short-term trips to Full Time Career Missions across 80+ countries), and Retreat Facilities (Florida Retreat Center, Palm Grove RV Park, Jenness Park in CA). Quiet Time devotionals provide daily spiritual disciplines across all age groups. These products work together to create faith-defining experiences focused on evangelization and discipleship of youth through camp ministry, Bible Institute education, local church partnerships, and global missions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Word of Life Bible Institute (WOLBI): Collegiate-level program with locations in New York and Florida offering intensive Biblical study, hands-on ministry training, and personal discipleship.
• Word of Life Camps
• Word of Life Youth Ministries
• Word of Life International Ministries
• Word of Life Florida
• Word of Life Retreats
• Multiply
• Quiet Time
• Fifty1
• Olympians
• Reverb
• Word of Life Messengers

Products and services

• Word of Life Bible Institute A collegiate-level biblical studies program with campuses in New York and Florida offering intensive two-year postsecondary studies, hands-on ministry training, personal discipleship, and practical ministry experience to prepare students for lifetime ministry.
• Word of Life Camps Residential summer, winter, and family camp experiences in the Adirondack Mountains (NY), Hudson FL, and Sierra Nevada (CA), offering age-tiered programs with biblical teaching, fun activities, and life-changing spiritual encounters for children and teens in grades 1-12 plus family retreats.
• Word of Life Youth Ministries

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Dare2Share MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for youth ministry resources and gospel-advancing ministry training. Dare2Share inspires teens to share their faith and complements Word of Life's youth ministry curriculum and coaching programs.
• AXIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing parents tools to build deeper relationships with teenagers through meaningful conversations. Supports Word of Life's family ministry initiatives and youth programming.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Young Life: Young Life is a non-denominational Christian youth ministry that runs camps, clubs, and mission trips focused on reaching adolescents. Highly comparable to Word of Life's youth camp model and direct-to-family faith formation offerings.
• Youth for Christ: Youth for Christ operates campus ministries, camps, and outreach programs for teens globally. Directly comparable to Word of Life's integrated youth ministry, camps, and missions portfolio.
• Moody Bible Institute: Moody is a long-established evangelical Bible college offering undergraduate and graduate theological education. Directly comparable to Word of Life Bible Institute's collegiate-level biblical studies model.
• Dallas Theological Seminary: DTS is a graduate-level evangelical seminary offering theological degrees. Comparable as a higher-tier credentialing institution in the same theological education space as Word of Life's Bible Institute training pathway.
• Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Cru is a large interdenominational Christian ministry focused on campus evangelism and global missions. Comparable to Word of Life International Ministries in missionary sending and student outreach.
• Pine Cove: Pine Cove operates a network of Christian summer camps across the US focused on youth and family ministry. Directly comparable to Word of Life Camps' summer and family camp operations.
• Kanakuk Kamps: Kanakuk operates Christian youth summer camps in the Ozarks with similar mission and target audience. Directly comparable to Word of Life's youth camp offerings.
• Group (Group Publishing): Group is a leading provider of children's and youth ministry curriculum, VBS programs, and training resources to churches. Directly comparable to Word of Life Youth Ministries' curriculum distribution business.
• Orange (The reThink Group): Orange provides curriculum and strategy resources for family and youth ministry in churches. Comparable to Word of Life's Fifty1/Olympians curriculum and youth ministry coaching model.
• Awana: Awana is a global, non-denominational children's discipleship ministry providing curriculum used in churches worldwide. Comparable to Word of Life's Gopher Buddies preschool/children curriculum and international church distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wordoflife
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wordoflifefellowship
• Facebookfacebook.com/198935745231
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/word-of-life-fellowship
• Instagraminstagram.com/wordoflife

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries10 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 Word of Life Bible Institute