Precept

What Precept does

Precept (legally "Precept Ministries of Reach Out, Inc.") is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization founded in 1970 by Kay and Jack Arthur in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It develops and disseminates the Precept Bible Study Method, an inductive approach to studying Scripture in three steps—observation, interpretation, and application—which is codified across more than 200 study titles covering every book of the Bible, with sub-brands segmented by depth (40-Minute Series through Precept Upon Precept), audience (children, teens, adults), and language (110+ languages). Its portfolio of products and services includes the shop.precept.org e-commerce storefront, in-person and online Bible study groups, paid leader-training workshops ($5–$25), the Precept Leader Kit, the "Know God Deeply" podcast, school curriculum for middle/high school classrooms, and complimentary downloadable resources.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led: it recruits and equips volunteer Bible Study Leaders through workshops and self-paced online certification; these leaders in turn establish and facilitate small groups in churches, homes, and online. Precept earns revenue from three streams: (1) product sales of workbooks and curriculum via its own online shop, (2) donor contributions that fund global operations and subsidize materials for international participants, and (3) paid training workshop fees. Distribution is direct-to-consumer for products, leader-mediated for groups, and is supported by a Country Director network spanning nearly 180 countries. ECFA-accredited since 1984 and a 2023 GuideStar Gold Seal recipient, Precept is led by President/CEO David Arthur (son of the founders) with a 10-member Board of Directors.

Name

Precept

Legal name

Precept Ministries of Reach Out, Inc.

Website

https://precept.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Precept is a 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit founded in 1970 that develops the Precept Bible Study Method and a 200+ title curriculum, training 250,000+ volunteer leaders and serving 2M+ participants across 180 countries and 110+ languages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Education Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Inductive Bible study
• Bible study curriculum
• Bible study training
• Christian discipleship resources
• Bible study workbooks

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of Bible study workbooks, guides, and materials through the Precept online shop. Products include Precept Upon Precept series, In & Out studies, and various topical studies covering books of the Bible and Christian living topics.
2. Donations/Charitable Contributions: Precept operates as a nonprofit ministry supported by donor contributions. Individual givers, including anonymous donors, contribute to fund global operations, leader training, and materials for international believers.
3. Training Fees: Revenue from paid training workshops and courses. Training registrations are typically $25 for workshops like 'How to Study Old Testament History' and $5 for specific training like 'Precept Upon Precept Leader Refresher'.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Precept is a Christian nonprofit that develops and distributes inductive Bible study curriculum and trains volunteer leaders to facilitate small group Bible studies worldwide. Its core offering is the Precept Bible Study Method, a systematic three-step approach (observation, interpretation, application), packaged into more than 200 study titles across multiple depth levels and age groups, sold through shop.precept.org and delivered via trained-leader-led groups in churches, homes, and online.

Product overview

Precept is a Bible study ministry offering a comprehensive portfolio of inductive Bible study products and services. The core offering is the Precept Bible Study Method, a three-step inductive approach (observe, interpret, apply) that serves as the foundation for all curriculum. The product line includes intensive study courses (Precept Upon Precept, Level 5), moderate homework studies (In & Out, Level 4), quick in-group studies (40-Minute Series, Level 1), and the New Inductive Study Series. Children's resources include Discover 4 Yourself for ages 8-12 and school curriculum for middle/high school. Supporting services include Precept Leader Training (virtual and in-person), the Precept Leader Kit, the Know God Deeply Podcast, online and in-person Bible study groups, and free downloadable study resources. The organization operates across nearly 180 countries with materials available in over 110 languages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Precept Upon Precept: Intensive Bible study series requiring 60+ minutes of homework daily, our most time-intensive and popular studies for groups of all sizes.
• In & Out
• Precepts for Life
• Know God Deeply Podcast
• Reach Out Ranch

Products and services

• Precept Bible Study Method
• Precept Upon Precept
• In & Out
• 40-Minute Series
• New Inductive Study Series (NISS)
• "Lord..." Series
• Discover 4 Yourself
• Precept Leader Training
• Precept Bible Study Groups
• Know God Deeply Podcast
• School Curriculum
• Online Training Platform

Quantifiable outcome

• 2M+ Bible study participants have been engaged through Precept materials and programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Cru is a large global Christian discipleship and missions organization with extensive training, leader development, and publishing; comparable to Precept in mission, leader-driven model, and global footprint.
• Gospel Light: Gospel Light publishes age-appropriate Bible study curriculum for children, youth, and adults, distributed through churches; a broader incumbent with overlapping Sunday-school and small-group materials.
• David C Cook: David C Cook is a major Christian publisher of Bible study curriculum and children's ministry resources; comparable to Precept in product type (workbooks, leader kits, children's studies) and church-distribution model.
• LifeWay Christian Resources: LifeWay is the publishing and resource arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, producing Bible study curriculum and training materials at scale; a broad incumbent competitor to Precept's workbook and training product lines.

Others

• Bible Gateway: Bible Gateway is a widely used free online Bible reading and study resource platform, adjacent to Precept's free study resources and online group finder as a complementary (rather than competing) Bible study tool.

Direct peers

• AWANA: AWANA is a global, church-based children's and youth discipleship program that uses a leader-driven model and produces branded curriculum; directly comparable to Precept's Discover 4 Yourself and teen programming in audience, structure, and distribution.
• Bible Study Fellowship (BSF): BSF is a global interdenominational Bible study organization offering structured, leader-facilitated small-group classes—directly comparable to Precept's inductive small-group model, similar volunteer-leader distribution, and similar international footprint.
• The Navigators (NavPress): The Navigators is a global Christian discipleship and Bible study ministry with publishing (NavPress) and a disciple-making movement; comparable to Precept in mission, training materials, and global leader network.

Emerging players

• RightNow Media: RightNow Media is a streaming Bible study and discipleship video library used by churches, overlapping with Precept's Bible study training in audience and delivery format, with a digital subscription model.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators: Wycliffe is a global nonprofit focused on Bible translation and literacy, intersecting with Precept's translated curriculum in 110+ languages and shared donor base among evangelical supporters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/Precept
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Precept-Bible-Study
• Facebookfacebook.com/preceptbible
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/precept-bible-study

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Precept