Wort Des Lebens E.V.

What Wort Des Lebens E.V. does

Wort des Lebens E.V. (WDL) is a German Christian non-profit organization founded in 1964 by four Canadians that operates faith-based youth, family, and adult programs across four locations: WDL Starnberger See (historic castle complex near Munich, headquarters since 1969), WDL Dünenhof (North Sea coast facility in Cuxhaven, integrated 2021), WDL Musicals (relocated to Wetzlar in 2025), and WDL Academy (a one-year Bible and discipleship school in Munich, launched 2024). WDL serves approximately 10,000 participants annually through vacation camps (Sommerfreizeiten, Snowcamps, Musicalfreizeiten), family programs (Familiencamp, Dadcamp, Mutter-Tochter-Wochenende), confirmation camps, group and class trips, musical productions and concerts, and prayer retreats (Klosterzeiten), employing 70 full-time staff plus 50 FSJ volunteers and over 750 annual volunteers.

The organization operates on a multi-revenue-stream non-profit model: per-participant program fees (€205-€505 range across offerings), vacation hotel and group accommodation revenue at Dünenhof and the castle complex, donations through the WDL Stiftung via Evangelische Bank eG including monthly staff supporter programs, and merchandise/musical CD sales through SCM Onlineshop. Pricing is transparently published and operates on a pay-as-you-go model with social-pricing tiers (Bürgergeld and sibling discounts). Distribution combines a self-serve online booking portal (Seminar Manager Cloud) with direct-to-consumer channels, church/school partnership referrals, and event-driven acquisition via the Dünenhof Festival (1,100+ attendees) and touring Musicalkonzerte.

WDL is part of the global Word of Life Fellowship network (operating in 80+ countries) and a member of the Evangelische Allianz in Deutschland, structured as a holding non-profit (Wort des Lebens e.V.) overseeing wholly-owned operating gGmbH entities: WDL gGmbH, WDL Starnberger See gGmbH, and WDL Dünenhof gGmbH. The proprietary platform assets are limited — content (WDL Kids TV YouTube show, Schloss mit Lustig podcast, original musical productions) and physical venues — with technology delivered through standard third-party SaaS integrations. No AI/ML capabilities are present in the current stack.

Name

Wort Des Lebens E.V.

Legal name

WDL gGmbH

Website

https://wdl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wort des Lebens (WDL) is a German Christian non-profit founded in 1964 that runs faith-based vacation camps, family programs, musical productions, and a Bible school across four locations, serving 10,000 participants annually through fees, accommodation revenue, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Youth Ministry and Vacation Programs

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Group Camping & Scout Camps (THAGAOAI), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Christian youth camps
• Vacation retreat programs
• Religious education services
• Faith-based youth ministry
• Discipleship training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Berg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Participant Fees: Registration and participation fees for freizeiten (camps), seminars, musical programs, and group trips. Pricing varies by program type and duration.
2. Ferienhotel & Group Accommodations: Revenue from vacation hotel operations at Dünenhof and group accommodation bookings at both locations.
3. Donations: Financial support from donors through WDL Stiftung via Evangelische Bank eG, including monthly supporter programs for staff.
4. Merchandise & Musical CDs: Sale of musical recordings and merchandise through SCM Onlineshop.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WDL runs Christian faith-based children's and youth vacation camps, family programs, musical productions, and a one-year Bible school across four locations in Germany: Starnberger See adventure castles, Cuxhaven Dünenhof North Sea retreat, Wetzlar Musicals, and Munich Academy. Customers book individual freizeiten (camps), retreats, group trips, and musical concerts either directly through the online Seminar Manager Cloud booking portal or via partner church and school referrals. Supporting media products include WDL Kids TV on YouTube and the Schloss mit Lustig podcast, while the operation is financed by participant fees, hotel/accommodation revenue, and donations routed through the WDL Stiftung.

Product overview

Wort des Lebens (WDL) is a Christian children's and youth organization operating a multi-location portfolio of programs. The core offerings consist of four main divisions: WDL Starnberger See (adventure castle-based vacation camps and group trips), WDL Dünenhof (North Sea coastal retreats with vacation hotel and group houses), WDL Musicals (biblical musical productions and concerts for children and youth), and WDL Academy (one-year Bible and discipleship school). Supporting programs include WDL Kids TV (YouTube children's content), the 'Schloss mit Lustig' podcast, Klosterzeiten (prayer retreats), and a one-year voluntary service program (FSJ). The organization serves approximately 10,000 participants annually across these programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WDL Kids TV: YouTube children's show with Christian content and small group materials
• Schloss mit Lustig
• Erlebnisschlösser
• Dünenhof Festival

Products and services

• WDL Starnberger See Vacation Programs The original WDL location at Lake Starnberger See (Assenbucher Str. 101, 82335 Berg) featuring historical Erlebnisschlösser (adventure castles) facilities. Offers age-segmented vacation freizeiten for children (Sommerfreizeiten, Winterfreizeit, Fußballfreizeit, Musicalfreizeiten), teens (Sommerfreizeiten, Silvesterfreizeit), young adults (Erlebnisfreizeit, Snowcamps, Coaching 51), families (Familienfreizeiten), and confirmation groups (Konfifreizeiten), plus group and class trips. Operating since June 15, 1969, with 300+ bed capacity after the Seeburg-to-Kinderburg renovation (2014-2016).
• WDL Dünenhof Coastal Retreat A coastal retreat center on the North Sea in Cuxhaven (In den Dünen 2-4, 27476 Cuxhaven) offering vacation camps, group trips, conferences, seminars, and the Ferienhotel. Programs include Kinder Sommerfreizeiten, DuneDays (13-17 Jahre), Zukunftswerkstatt for young adults, Familiencamp/Mutter-Tochter-Wochenende/Dadcamp, Becoming seminars for women, Wochenend-Tagungen and Kurzwochen-Seminare for adults, plus the annual Dünenhof Festival. Klosterzeiten (prayer-focused monastery times) offered free to Ferienhotel guests since 2025.
• WDL Musicals Christian musical productions featuring children and youth performing biblical stories through song, dance, and drama. Operated from Berliner Ring 62, 35576 Wetzlar (relocated from Starnberger See in September 2025). Includes Musicalkonzerte (touring concert performances with professional sound, lighting, and stage production), Musicalfreizeiten (residential musical camps for children and youth), and Musicalprojekte (community and school musical partnerships). Recent productions include 'Mirjam' (premiered Pentecost 2026) and 'Lisas Weihnachtsfreude'.
• WDL Academy A one-year Bible and discipleship school in Munich (Alpenveilchenstraße 45, 80689 München) offering theological and practical training for young adults. The Academy helps young adults discover their calling, grow in faith, and develop skills for ministry. Led by Christian Gunka (Leitung) and Eckart Graumann (Studienleiter). Applications are processed via Jotform. First cohort of 15 participants started in September 2024.
• Ferienhotel Dünenhof Vacation hotel at the Dünenhof North Sea location offering barrier-free rooms and full board. Designed for families, church groups, school classes, and conference attendees seeking rest and recovery. Guests also have access to Klosterzeiten prayer times and the surrounding dunes and North Sea coast.
• FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr) One-year voluntary social year program for young people to work, live in community, grow spiritually, and develop personally at WDL. Available at both the Starnberger See and Dünenhof locations. Originates from the 'Lebensschule' started in 1981 with Apollo-15 astronaut James Irwin's tour (now WDL Jahresteam/FSJ program). Approximately 50 young people participate annually.
• Schloss mit Lustig Podcast A WDL podcast hosted by Melli Klepper featuring guests sharing life stories and inspirational topics to encourage listeners to take passionate steps with Jesus in their daily lives. Distributed on YouTube and Spotify with nearly 40 episodes. Targeted at the youth and young-adult audience as a content marketing and community engagement channel.
• WDL Kids TV A YouTube-based children's show teaching Christian faith and values through entertaining video content. Includes accompanying small-group materials designed for Sunday school, youth groups, and religious education use. Features 6 episodes covering topics like identity, honesty, courage, and focus. Distributed via the WDL YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/WDLwortdeslebens).
• Klosterzeiten (Monastery Times) Prayer-focused retreats at the Dünenhof location offering structured prayer times at 8am, 12pm, and 7pm, plus daily spiritual impulses. Available to vacation hotel (Ferienhotel) guests free of charge, with pastoral care and prayer ministry options. Introduced as part of the Dünenhof programming in 2025.
• Musicalkonzerte (Musical Concert Tours) Touring musical concerts featuring young talents performing biblical stories through professional sound, lighting, and stage production. Available for hosting by local organizations through the Veranstalter werden (Become a Host) program. Concerts include premiere events for productions such as 'Johannes und das Licht der Welt' (in collaboration with SDG Entertainment Pictures and Parable Studios) and the 'Mirjam' musical tour (premiered Pentecost 2026 in Baden-Württemberg).
• Gruppenfahrten (Group Trips and Class Excursions) Group trip programs for school classes, confirmation groups, churches, kindergartens, families, and clubs. Offered at both Starnberger See (adventure castles) and Dünenhof (vacation hotel and group houses) locations. Includes dedicated Klassenfahrten (class trips) and Konfifreizeiten (confirmation camps) program tracks.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000 participants annually experience WDL programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Word of Life FellowshipflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1964WDL is part of the global Word of Life Fellowship network operating in over 80 countries. The international connection provides shared resources, training, and a worldwide community for Christian youth work.
• Evangelische Allianz in DeutschlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWDL is a member of the German Evangelical Alliance, providing institutional credibility and connection to broader Protestant Christian networks in Germany.
• DIGUNA e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission organization that originated from WDL's 'Kongo-Team' initiative in the 1970s, maintaining historical ties to WDL's African outreach origins.
• Computer L.A.N. GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of Seminar Manager Cloud booking system used for event registration, Freizeit bookings, and webshop purchases.
• Mailingwork (Positive Group Chemnitz GmbH)coreTechnology or IntegrationEmail marketing and newsletter platform for WDL partner programs and communications.
• YouTube/Google Ireland LimitedcoreTechnology or IntegrationVideo hosting platform for WDL Kids TV, musical performances, podcast content, and promotional videos.
• SDG Entertainment PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm production company collaborated with for 'Johannes und das Licht der Welt' premiere event featuring WDL Musicals.
• Parable StudiosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnimation studio behind 'Johannes und das Licht der Welt' film, partnered for premiere event.
• Yellow TreeminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWeb agency from Siegen responsible for WDL website design and development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fackelträger e.V. Fackelträger is a German Christian youth organization that runs Christian camps, Freizeiten, and discipleship programs for children and teens. It is a directly comparable peer in the faith-based youth camp space with similar target audience and program structure.
• CVJM-Gesamtverband in Deutschland e.V. Germany's YMCA is the most direct peer: a Christian youth organization with overnight lodging, vacation programs, and member-driven community across multiple German locations. Like WDL, it operates camps, sports, and faith-formation programs for similar demographics.
• Christlicher Freizeitdienst e.V. Christlicher Freizeitdienst is a Christian travel and camp organization offering faith-based group trips, youth camps, and family vacations in Germany. It overlaps directly with WDL's Gruppenfahrten and Freizeiten offerings.
• Heliand Werk: Heliand is a German Christian youth and education organization offering retreats, Arbeit unter Kindern und Jugendlichen, and faith-based programming. Comparable to WDL's Freizeiten and instruction offerings for children and youth.
• EC-Jugend (Entschieden für Christus): EC is a major German evangelical youth network running camps, Freizeiten, conferences, and youth ministry programs. It competes with WDL for the same evangelical Christian youth audience and church partnership channels.

Others

• ERF Medien e.V. ERF is a major German Christian media broadcaster and publisher. While not a direct competitor for camp operations, ERF occupies adjacent media territory to WDL's Kids TV and Schloss mit Lustig Podcast, targeting the same Christian youth and family audience.
• Marburger Medien: Marburger Medien is a German Christian publishing and media house producing children's content, books, and Sunday school materials. It overlaps with WDL's Kids TV and faith-education content offerings as adjacent content production.

Emerging players

• Liebenzeller Mission: Liebenzeller Mission is a German evangelical mission organization with youth programs, Bible schools, and retreat offerings. It overlaps with WDL's Academy and faith-formation programs but operates more broadly across missionary and theological training.

Broad incumbents

• Willow Creek Deutschland gGmbH: Willow Creek Deutschland is a larger German branch of the US evangelical movement running church services, leadership conferences, and discipleship programs. It competes with WDL for adult Christian programming and event attendance but is broader in scope.

Regional players

• Christliche Gästehäuser e.V. Christliche Gästehäuser is a network of Christian guesthouses and lodging facilities across Germany. It overlaps with WDL's group accommodation and Ferienhotel operations at Dünenhof, particularly for church and school group bookings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/WDLwortdeslebens
• Facebookfacebook.com/wdl.de
• Instagraminstagram.com/wdl_wortdeslebens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wort-des-lebens-e-v-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Wort Des Lebens E.V.