What BCM International does

BCM International is a Pennsylvania-incorporated 501(c)(3) faith-based missionary organization founded in 1936 by Bessie Traber as the Bible Club Movement in Philadelphia. The organization operates a global children's ministry, church-planting, and leader-training platform, deploying more than 800 full-time missionaries who personally raise prayer and financial support across 50+ countries spanning North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia. BCM's programmatic core is the 4-14 Window strategy, targeting evangelism and discipleship for children during the developmental period when the majority of Christian faith decisions are formed.

BCM's product portfolio centers on four curriculum lines: Footsteps of Faith (an eight-volume chronological Bible curriculum for ages 6-12 with flannelgraph visual aids), Tiny Steps of Faith (a preschool curriculum for ages 4-5), In Step with the Master Teacher or ISMT (a 22-hour interactive teacher-training program available in 15+ languages and used in 25+ countries), and Sharing Christ with Kids (a children's evangelism curriculum co-published with Awana, Rorheim Institute, and Celebrate Kids). Materials are translated into 25+ languages and distributed through the BCM Ministry Store. Complementary program lines include 25+ Christian camps reaching 25,000+ children annually, short-term volunteer opportunities ranging from 10 days to 2 years, and compassion ministries (disaster relief, orphan care, health clinics).

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable channels rather than commercial sales: donor contributions channeled through the Global Impact Fund, Special Projects, and direct appeals; planned giving vehicles (bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, donor-advised funds); corporate matching gifts; and a modest curriculum-product sales line. Missionaries are not on BCM's payroll — they raise their own support, which structurally converts fixed salary cost into variable donor-funded field capacity. The organization is ECFA accredited, holds Candid's Platinum Transparency Seal, and is a member of the Child Safety & Protection Network, reflecting governance maturity appropriate to a 90-year-old faith-mission institution.

Name

BCM International

Legal name

BCM International Inc.

Website

https://bcmintl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

BCM International is a 501(c)(3) faith-based missionary organization founded in 1936 that deploys 800+ self-supporting missionaries across 50+ countries to deliver Bible-centered children's curriculum, Christian camping programs, church planting, and teacher training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lancaster

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: BCM International is a faith-based mission that relies on donations from individuals, churches, and organizations. Missionaries personally raise prayer and financial support needed to carry on ministry. The organization teaches donors proven methods to enlist supporters as they depend on God financially.
2. Global Impact Fund (formerly Global Ministry Fund): Foundational financial base that supports all BCM operations. Gifts to the Global Impact Fund support vital work including preparing new missionaries, developing gospel-centered curriculum, providing care for global team members, equipping leaders theologically, delivering global communication, supplying international structure and unity, upholding child safety practices, and building relationships with Kingdom partners.
3. Ministry Store / Product Sales: BCM sells curriculum materials, teacher textbooks, felt resources, and training materials through their Ministry Store. Products include Footsteps of Faith textbooks ($19.99 each), In Step with the Master Teacher downloads ($49.99), Sharing Christ with Kids curriculum ($29.99), and felt figures and backgrounds ($24.99-$64.99).
4. Special Projects Funding: Donors can give to specific projects such as Child Safety Training for BCM Leaders, Travel Expenses for ISMT Trainers in Africa, and the Global Ministry Fund. Money raised goes directly to designated tasks.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts through wills, bequests, Transfer Appreciated Stock, RMD/QCD from IRAs, Donor Advised Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, and Charitable Remainder Trusts. BCM also has a KOINONIA Endowment Fund for long-term stability.
6. Corporate Matching Gifts: BCM accepts corporate matching gifts where employers match employee contributions to amplify donor giving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

BCM International is a global faith-based missionary organization that delivers children's evangelism through Bible clubs, camps, and school programs; strengthens local churches through planting, partnerships, and discipleship; and publishes Bible-centered curriculum materials (Footsteps of Faith, Tiny Steps of Faith) and teacher training programs (In Step with the Master Teacher). Revenue is generated through donations from individuals, churches, and organizations, as well as the sale of curriculum materials through its Ministry Store.

Product overview

BCM International offers a portfolio of Bible-centered educational products and ministry programs. The core offerings include Footsteps of Faith (8-volume chronological Bible curriculum for ages 6-12), Tiny Steps of Faith (preschool curriculum for ages 4-5), In Step with the Master Teacher (teacher training in CD-ROM format), Sharing Christ with Kids (evangelism curriculum), and supporting felt visual teaching materials. These are complemented by Christian camping programs serving 25,000+ children annually across 25 countries, short-term mission opportunities, and BCM World Magazine as a publication vehicle. The curriculum products are available in multiple languages (25+) and are designed to work together as an integrated children's ministry solution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bible Club Movement: Original founding name in 1936, used interchangeably with BCM International
• Footsteps of Faith
• Tiny Steps of Faith
• In Step with the Master Teacher
• Sharing Christ with Kids

Products and services

• Footsteps of Faith An eight-volume Bible curriculum designed for children ages 6-12 that presents the Bible chronologically from Genesis to Revelation. Includes complete Bible lessons, colored flannelgraph visual figures, felt figures and backgrounds, and a unique review system. Sold via BCM's Ministry Store at $19.99 per textbook.
• Tiny Steps of Faith A Bible-centered, activity-oriented preschool curriculum designed for ages 4 and 5 that lays a foundation of Bible truth using colorful plastic figures on a Stick-on Storiboard. Sold via BCM's Ministry Store.
• In Step with the Master Teacher (ISMT) An interactive CD-ROM teacher training program offering 22 hours of biblical, integrated teacher training sessions for preparing and training teachers to disciple children. Available in more than 15 languages and used in more than 25 countries. Sold via BCM's Ministry Store at $49.99 for the Revised Edition Download.
• Sharing Christ with Kids A children's evangelism curriculum published in joint venture with Awana, Rorheim Institute, and Celebrate Kids that trains children's ministry leaders and local churches to share the gospel with kids. Sold via BCM's Ministry Store at $29.99 for the complete curriculum.
• Felt Resources Visual teaching aids including felt figures, felt backgrounds, and felt review charts used with Footsteps of Faith curriculum to present Bible stories visually. Sold via BCM's Ministry Store, ranging from $24.99 to $64.99.
• Christian Camping Programs Christian camping programs that reach over 25,000 children each year in 25 different countries, offering Bible teaching, sports, crafts, music, and specialized activities. Operated across multiple regional camp locations including Big Sky Bible Camp, Bliss Summit, Camp Sankanac, Corning Area Bible Club, Cortland Bible Camp, Camp Mandaville, Mill Stream, and Mount Traber.
• Short-Term Ministry Opportunities Ministry opportunities ranging from 10 to 90 days with options of 1 to 2 years, including camp staff (international and USA camps), ESL/cultural exchange, street ministry, 5-day Bible Clubs, puppeteering, construction work, and internships.
• BCM World Magazine A magazine that tells the story of God's work through BCM missionaries around the globe, providing updates, news, and encouragement. Archives available back to 2007.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ churches planted since 1975
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and support.

• New Hope InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1989New Hope International is committed to equipping the Church in Eastern Europe through partnerships that provide training, materials and encouragement as they win the next generation for Christ. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, New Hope established equipping and publishing ministries in six of the former Communist countries.
• Handi*Vangelism Ministries InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1973H*VMI began as a stateside ministry under BCM International in 1973 with a staff of two and now exists as an independent mission with more than thirty full-time individuals and scores of volunteers assisting people in many countries around the world. The mission exists to share the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and equip the church to share His love with people who have disabilities, medical or mental health challenges or broken hearts.
• Missio NexuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMissio Nexus (a merger of CrossGlobal Link and The Mission Exchange) exists to accelerate the fulfillment of the Great Commission in servant partnership with the global church. The purpose is to develop the largest and most inclusive expression of Great Commission oriented evangelicals in North America that fosters shared learning, opens doors for collaborative action and produces increased effectiveness.
• Comfort FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComfort Foundation financially and emotionally supports the staff of Comfort Foundation, Russia and Living Word Bookstore as they minister to orphans and underprivileged children in the Vologda Oblast of northern Russia. The foundation creates a network of prayer and financial supporters from churches, organizations and individuals in the USA who partner for long-term ministry.
• AwanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partnership to publish Sharing Christ with Kids curriculum, training children's ministry leaders and local churches to boldly and biblically share the gospel with kids.
• Rorheim InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in publishing Sharing Christ with Kids curriculum for children's evangelism.
• Celebrate KidsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner in publishing Sharing Christ with Kids curriculum for children's evangelism.
• BlackbaudsupportTechnology or IntegrationThird-party donation processing platform used by BCM International.
• MailchimpsupportTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing platform used for BCM communications and newsletters.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Operation Mobilisation (OM): Global evangelical mission organization with 3,000+ workers in 110+ countries focused on church planting, discipleship, and short-term mission trips. Comparable scale, global reach, and church-planting mission emphasis.
• Pioneers: Church-planting mission agency operating in 100+ unreached people groups, using a similar faith-based support model for missionaries. Comparable in global footprint, church-multiplication focus, and dependence on donor-raised missionary support.
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM): Large interdenominational Christian mission organization operating in 180+ countries with emphasis on discipleship, training, and church planting. Comparable global scale, missionary deployment model, and short-term ministry programs to BCM.
• Awana: Worldwide children's discipleship ministry with church-based clubs, Scripture-based curriculum, and extensive global reach. BCM is actually a partner with Awana on Sharing Christ with Kids, indicating deep operational overlap in children's ministry curriculum and training.
• Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF): Global evangelical ministry focused on evangelizing children, operating Good News Clubs and 5-Day Clubs in schools and communities. Directly comparable to BCM in target audience (children 4-14), curriculum-based evangelism model, and global missionary footprint.
• Scripture Union: International Christian movement focused on children and young people, producing Bible-based curriculum, school ministries, and family programs across 130+ countries. Closely aligned with BCM's children's Bible teaching focus and curriculum publishing.

Broad incumbents

• Samaritan's Purse: Evangelical relief and development organization with global humanitarian and spiritual ministry operations. Overlaps with BCM on compassion ministries and disaster relief, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader program mix.
• Compassion International: Major child-focused Christian NGO operating child sponsorship programs across 25+ countries. Comparable focus on at-risk children and global footprint, but operates via sponsorship model at much larger scale (~$1B+ revenue).
• Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Larger interdenominational evangelical organization with global staff in 190+ countries. Overlaps with BCM on evangelism, discipleship, and leader development, but serves a broader audience including college students and has significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Wycliffe Global Alliance: Bible translation organization operating in 100+ countries with focus on Scripture access in local languages. Partial overlap with BCM's curriculum localization efforts and language-driven ministry model, but with a narrower translation focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/bcmintl
• Facebookfacebook.com/BCMInternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bcminternational
• Instagraminstagram.com/bcminternational
• Xx.com/bcmintl

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 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 BCM International