Culture Link

What Culture Link does

CULTURELink, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry organization founded in 2010 by Larry Ragan and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. The organization provides cross-cultural training, curriculum, and consulting services primarily to U.S. churches, parachurch organizations, short-term mission team leaders, and missionaries serving internationally. Its core service lines are in-person training seminars (the flagship "Help! We're Going on a Short-Term Trip!" STM seminar priced at $219 per person), printed curriculum (Team Leader and Team Member manuals sold through the website storefront), missions consulting and coaching, worker care for global missionaries, and facilitation of custom short-term trips. The organization has trained over 3,400 leaders since inception across 100+ seminars, with alumni mobilizing teams to 141 nations.

The organization operates with a small core staff — Founder Larry Ragan and Assistant Director Ryan Hurlburt (since 2011) — supported by a Board of Directors and external bookkeepers/CPA firms. It does not build proprietary technology; delivery occurs through in-person seminars hosted at partner churches across U.S. cities (Atlanta, Tampa, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Blacksburg, Lancaster, Northern Virginia), supplemented by virtual Lunch & Learn workshops, online curriculum sales, and donations processed via PayPal. Distribution leans on a multi-channel mix including blog content, email newsletter, conference sponsorships (Mission Connexion Northwest and Southwest, Border Summit, Standards of Excellence), and an Atlanta-area missions collective.

Revenue is generated through fixed-fee seminar registrations, one-time curriculum purchases, monthly recurring and one-time charitable donations, and episodic consulting fees. The organization holds ECFA accreditation, a GuideStar GOLD rating, and a 97% Charity Navigator rating, with a Board-approved $100,000 annual international projects budget. It sustains long-tenured partnerships with ministries in Kenya (Royal Kids School, SERV International), Lebanon (Heart for Lebanon), Iran (elam Ministries), Jordan (Impact Middle East), Costa Rica (Atlas Travel & Study Abroad), and broader MENA/Southeast Asia regions, and leads the Groundwork prayer conference for Christian workers.

Name

Culture Link

Legal name

CULTURE*Link*, Inc.

Website

https://culturelinkinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CULTURELink is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry founded in 2010 that delivers cross-cultural training seminars, printed curriculum, and missions consulting to U.S. churches, parachurch organizations, short-term mission team leaders, and international missionaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cross-cultural ministry training services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs (EDAIAGAI), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Missionary Training Colleges & Schools (EDAHAKAF)

Keywords

• Cross-cultural training
• Missions consulting
• Short-term missions
• Ministry training seminars
• Church consulting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seminar Registrations: Revenue from in-person training seminars where church and organization leaders pay registration fees to attend cross-cultural mission training workshops. Pricing is fixed per seminar ($219 per person typically).
2. Curriculum Sales: Sale of Team Leader's Manual and Team Member's manual training curriculum for short-term mission teams to prepare for cross-cultural ministry.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) organization, CULTURELink receives tax-deductible donations from individuals, churches, and organizations. Monthly giving programs and one-time contributions support international projects and operations.
4. Consulting Services: Fees for missions consulting and coaching services provided to churches and organizations to develop and strengthen cross-cultural ministry programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CULTURELink educates, equips, and empowers churches, missionaries, and short-term mission team leaders for cross-cultural ministry through in-person training seminars, printed STM curriculum, and ongoing consulting and coaching. The organization delivers the "Help! We're Going on a Short-Term Trip!" seminar series, sells Team Leader and Team Member manuals, provides missions consulting to develop church global strategies, and supports global workers through pastoral care and partnership projects. As a 501(c)(3), it is also funded by donations directed to international projects such as the Royal Kids School food program in Kenya.

Product overview

Culture Link is a Christian ministry organization that provides educational training services for short-term mission teams and cross-cultural workers. Their offerings include in-person training seminars, printed curriculum materials, consulting services, and informational resources. They do not offer technology products, software platforms, or SaaS offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Help! We're Going on a Short-Term Trip!: Training seminar curriculum for short-term mission team leaders
• Groundwork Conference
• The Purpose of Pain
• Intentional Living

Products and services

• Help! We're Going on a Short-Term Trip! Seminar A standardized in-person training seminar equipping short-term mission team leaders with biblical perspective, cultural sensitivity, and Christlike humility for cross-cultural ministry. Includes Team Leader and Team Member Manuals, dinner on Friday, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday; priced at $219 per person.
• STM Curriculum (Team Leader and Team Member Manuals)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,400 leaders trained since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FaithVentures & Brotherhood MutualminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to provide insurance coverage for short-term mission trips. CULTURELink refers church partners and seminar alumni to FaithVentures and Brotherhood Mutual for trip insurance. CULTURELink does not receive commission from purchases.
• Royal Kids School (Mombasa, Kenya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSix-year partnership with orphanage and school. CULTURELink supports with food programs for 750+ students, scholarships for graduates, and Inductive Bible Studies training through Daugh ters of the Word program.
• Atlas Travel & Study Abroad (Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Andy Gordley's organization for Gap Year program training. CULTURELink teaches Cross-Cultural Discipleship classes and facilitates partnerships between Costa Rican and US churches.
• elam MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to train and equip Iranian believers. Larry Ragan facilitates quarterly pastoral care and counseling via Zoom with Persian church planters. Virtual and in-person training for Iranian church leaders.
• Heart for LebanoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeadership retreats and staff training for Syrian and Lebanese workers serving refugees. Larry conducted teaching at 100-person Saturate Retreat for cross-cultural church planters.
• Global Frontier MissionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCULTURELink provided member care during 25th Anniversary celebration in Asia. Larry Ragan's teachings were a blessing to staff and missionaries.
• Border PerspectiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRyan Hurlburt shared on Healthy Partnerships at Border Summit conference. Co-taught workshop with Yonathan Moya about designing short-term trips in healthy partnerships.
• Groundwork (Prayer Conference)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual conference for Christian workers across MENA region. Larry and Karen Ragan are on leadership team; 800-1000 workers attend for prayer, teaching, and worship.
• Sojourn (Malaysia & Indonesia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership investigating venues for Groundwork East conference in Malaysia and Indonesia. 18 site visits conducted for future conferences.
• 3 Tree BookkeepingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOutsourced nonprofit accounting firm that oversees every CULTURELink transaction and balances books monthly.
• Mersereau, Lazenby, & Rockas, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCPA firm that prepares and submits government-required annual 990s, keeping CULTURELink compliant to 501(c)3 tax-exempt standards.
• OPEN USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness for Transformation (B4T) mobilization. Larry represented OPEN at conferences and featured at virtual church leaders conference. Larry serves as B4T spokesperson.
• SERV InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing food for students at Royal Kids School in Mombasa, Kenya. Over 800 students receive two meals daily through this partnership.
• Impact Middle East (Jordan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSERV International's partner in Jordan. Luke Ragan works with Impact Middle East as liaison for CULTURELink.
• Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Missions (SOE) / MissionExcellenceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCULTURELink is an approved Resource Provider for SOE. Ryan participates in conference planning committee and conducts workshops for annual STM conference.
• Perspectives on the World Christian MovementminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSeminars recognized by Perspectives for college credit. Larry teaches for Perspectives courses.
• Chick-Fil-A LifeshapeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Chick-Fil-A's international missions ministry. All-day training facilitated for Lifeshape program before COVID-19 disruptions.
• Island OutreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Island Outreach and Missionary Flights International to raise $14,000 for Hurricane Dorian relief in the Bahamas.
• Mission Connexion NorthwestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRyan Hurlburt conducted workshop at annual conference in Portland, OR. CULTURELink is conference sponsor; Ryan serves on planning committee.
• Mission Connexion SouthwestminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCULTURELink sponsored conference in Phoenix, AZ. Ryan conducted pre-conference workshop, gave keynote address, and co-taught workshop.
• Atlanta Missions CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Atlanta-area nonprofits including CULTURELink leadership. Monthly gatherings of staff and mobilizers from churches and missions organizations for networking and collaboration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Emerging players

• Frontiers: A missions sending organization focused on church planting among unreached people groups, with member-care and training programs analogous to CULTURELink's worker-care and partnership services.
• GO International: A missions sending organization focused on short-term and mid-term team deployment and leader training; comparable to CULTURELink as a smaller-scale peer in STM training and mobilization for US churches.

Direct peers

• Adventures in Missions: A missions organization running short-term trips and leader training programs; comparable to CULTURELink in STM focus, church mobilization, and leader-training curriculum, though with a larger trip-deployment model.
• e3 Partners: A church-based missions organization that equips and deploys short-term teams with training and coaching — directly comparable in target customer (US churches), training-led model, and STM mobilization services.
• Latin American Mission (LAM): A missions organization with established STM training and partnership programs in Latin America; comparable to CULTURELink in training-and-deployment model and target church audience.
• Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A flagship 15-week missions discipleship course recognized across the US church ecosystem — directly comparable to CULTURELink because it offers accredited, college-creditable cross-cultural and missions training to the same church-leader audience.

Broad incumbents

• YWAM (Youth With A Mission): One of the largest global Christian missions organizations offering training schools, STM, and cross-cultural ministry — overlapping with CULTURELink in missions training and short-term mobilization but at a much larger, multinational scale.
• Maranatha Volunteers International: A faith-based organization known for STM trips and church volunteer construction projects; comparable to CULTURELink in the STM training and volunteer mobilization niche, though with a more construction-specialized focus.
• Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru): A large, established evangelical missions and discipleship organization with STM, training, and partner mobilization components — overlapping with CULTURELink's training and missions mobilization but at significantly greater scale and scope.
• MissioNexus: A US missions network and STM standards body (parent of SOE); comparable to CULTURELink as a category-shaping organization in the STM training and standards space where CULTURELink is an approved Resource Provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/culturelinkinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Culture Link