Peter & John Ministries
Peter & John Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry operating River Valley Ranch, a 450-acre summer camp and retreat facility in Carroll County, Maryland, and Brighter Media Group, a multi-station Christian radio network (BRIGHT-FM and WRBS-AM) broadcasting across the Baltimore/Washington region, supported by donations, planned gifts, and capital campaigns.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersHunt Valley, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Peter & John Ministries does
Peter & John Ministries (legal name Peter and John Radio Fellowship, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian ministry founded in Baltimore in 1948 by Scottish pastors and brothers Peter and John Bisset. The organization operates two principal subsidiaries under a unified mission to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. River Valley Ranch (RVR) is a 450-acre premier Christian summer camp and year-round retreat and outdoor education center in Carroll County, Maryland, serving families, churches, and schools through summer camps, youth retreats, and outdoor education programs. Brighter Media Group is the media arm operating the BRIGHT-FM radio network — 95.1 FM Baltimore, 104.7 FM Hagerstown/Frederick, 103.1 FM Grasonville, and 95.1 HD-2 WRBS-AM — integrated with online streaming at brightfm.com and wrbsam.com and live events across the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond.
The underlying technology is conventional radio broadcasting infrastructure combined with digital media streaming platforms; no proprietary software, AI capabilities, or patents are disclosed. The business model is donation-driven rather than product-priced. Revenue streams consist of tax-deductible individual donations, planned/legacy gifts (wills, ethical wills, donor advised funds, asset-based giving), and capital campaign contributions — currently the Amplify Hope Capital Campaign supporting facility improvements, dining hall expansion at River Valley Ranch, and broadcast initiatives. Services are not sold to consumers; supporters contribute voluntarily and may direct gifts to either RVR or BRIGHT-FM through separate online donation portals.
The organization is led by President Jon Bisset (who also serves as Executive Director of River Valley Ranch), Executive Vice President Steve Lawhon (General Manager of BRIGHT-FM), and Vice President of Development Tina Bisset Blackman, continuing multi-generational Bisset family leadership. PJM is ECFA-accredited and maintains a GuideStar transparency profile (EIN 52-6051058). The ministry received a $3.9 million bequest in May 2026 — the largest single gift in its 78-year history — and has 51–100 employees headquartered at 11350 McCormick Road, EPI Suite 900, Hunt Valley, Maryland.
Peter & John Ministries firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peter & John Ministries
- Legal name
- Peter and John Radio Fellowship, Inc.
- Website
- https://gopjm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Peter & John Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry operating River Valley Ranch, a 450-acre summer camp and retreat facility in Carroll County, Maryland, and Brighter Media Group, a multi-station Christian radio network (BRIGHT-FM and WRBS-AM) broadcasting across the Baltimore/Washington region, supported by donations, planned gifts, and capital campaigns.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peter & John Ministries industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Ministry Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks (MPABABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)
Keywords
Where Peter & John Ministries is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hunt Valley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Peter & John Ministries business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the ministry's mission through River Valley Ranch and BRIGHT-FM
- Legacy Giving and Bequests: Planned giving programs including wills, ethical wills, donor advised funds, and asset-based giving
- Capital Campaign Contributions: The Amplify Hope Capital Campaign raising funds for facility improvements, dining hall expansion, and broadcast initiatives
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Peter & John Ministries product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Peter & John Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry that operates River Valley Ranch, a 450-acre Christian summer camp and retreat center in Carroll County, Maryland, and Brighter Media Group, which runs the BRIGHT-FM radio network and WRBS-AM. Together, the two ministries provide faith-based summer programming, year-round retreats, and Christian radio broadcasting to families, youth groups, and church communities.
Product overview
Peter & John Ministries operates as a unified ministry organization with two cornerstone programs. River Valley Ranch (RVR) is a 450-acre Christian summer camp and year-round retreat facility in Carroll County, Maryland. Brighter Media Group encompasses the BRIGHT-FM radio network (95.1 FM Baltimore, 104.7 FM Hagerstown/Frederick, 103.1 FM Grasonville) and WRBS-AM station, integrating positive messages through broadcasting, digital media, and live events across the Baltimore/Washington region and beyond.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- River Valley Ranch (RVR): Premier Christian summer camp and year-round retreat and outdoor education center on 450 acres in Carroll County, Maryland.
- Brighter Media Group
- BRIGHT-FM
- WRBS-AM
Products and services
- River Valley Ranch (RVR)
- Brighter Media Group (BRIGHT-FM and WRBS-AM)
Companies that use Peter & John Ministries
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Peter & John Ministries technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Peter & John Ministries partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Charles Jones, Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLPminorLegal counsel for legacy planning inquiries, offering initial free consultations for estate planning matters related to charitable giving to PJM
- ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)coreAccreditation body providing oversight and certification of financial accountability for Christian nonprofits; PJM holds active ECFA accreditation
- GuideStarminorCharity information website providing nonprofit transparency and profile for PJM; PJM maintains an active profile (EIN: 52-6051058)
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Peter & John Ministries competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kanakuk Kamps: Network of Christian summer camps in Branson, Missouri, serving families and church youth groups. Direct comparable to River Valley Ranch's Christian summer camp and family programming model.
- Word of Life: Christian ministry combining summer camps, retreats, youth programs, and broadcast media. Direct comparable combining camp ministry (like River Valley Ranch) with media distribution (like BRIGHT-FM).
- Bott Radio Network: The largest independently owned Christian radio network in the U.S., operating multiple FM/AM stations across multiple markets. Direct comparable to BRIGHT-FM and WRBS-AM in mission, format, and geographic distribution model.
- Pine Cove: Christian summer camp network operating multiple camp sites across the U.S. with year-round retreat facilities. Direct comparable to River Valley Ranch's camp and retreat business model.
- Focus on the Family: Christian media and broadcasting organization distributing content via radio, podcasts, and digital channels. Direct comparable to Brighter Media Group's Christian media distribution mission.
- Billy Graham Evangelistic Association: Major Christian evangelistic organization with radio broadcasts, publishing, and event programming. Comparable faith-based media and donor-supported ministry structure.
- Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ): Interdenominational Christian ministry with global reach, combining media, education, and outreach programs. Comparable multi-platform ministry model with donations-based funding.
- Young Life: Christian youth ministry that combines local club programs with summer camps and retreat experiences. Direct comparable to River Valley Ranch's youth camp and retreat operations and shares the faith-based mission.
Broad incumbents
- K-LOVE: National Contemporary Christian music radio network operated by Educational Media Foundation, reaching over 600 markets. Broad incumbent peer with overlapping Christian radio mission but significantly larger scale and national reach.
- Salvation Army: Large Christian nonprofit with diverse programs including community services, camps, and media. Comparable faith-based nonprofit structure with diversified ministry portfolio and donor-supported funding.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Peter & John Ministries social profiles
Digital presencePeter & John Ministries compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Peter & John Ministries financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peter & John Ministries leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Peter & John Ministries subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Peter & John Ministries funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peter & John Ministries M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Peter & John Ministries
What does Peter & John Ministries do?
Peter & John Ministries is a 501(c)(3) Christian ministry that operates River Valley Ranch, a 450-acre Christian summer camp and retreat center in Carroll County, Maryland, and Brighter Media Group, which runs the BRIGHT-FM radio network and WRBS-AM. Together, the two ministries provide faith-based summer programming, year-round retreats, and Christian radio broadcasting to families, youth groups, and church communities.
Is Peter & John Ministries a public or private company?
Peter & John Ministries is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Peter & John Ministries founded?
Peter & John Ministries was founded in 1948. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Peter & John Ministries based?
Peter & John Ministries is headquartered in Hunt Valley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Peter & John Ministries make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are legacy Giving and Bequests and capital Campaign Contributions.
Who are Peter & John Ministries's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kanakuk Kamps, Word of Life, Bott Radio Network, Pine Cove, Focus on the Family, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) and Young Life. Broad incumbents are K-LOVE and Salvation Army.
Does Peter & John Ministries have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peter & John Ministries.
What industry is Peter & John Ministries in?
Peter & John Ministries's product category is Religious Ministry Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABABAC, Religious/Faith-Based Radio Networks, with a secondary code of BPAGAJAG, Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling). Its NAICS code is 8131.