Stand to Reason
Stand to Reason is a 1993-founded, donor-supported Christian apologetics ministry that trains individual believers to defend the Christian worldview through podcasts, broadcasts, online training (STR U), and conferences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersSignal Hill, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stand to Reason does
Stand to Reason (STR) is a private Christian apologetics ministry founded in 1993 by Greg Koukl and headquartered at 1438 E. 33rd St., Signal Hill, California. The organization trains Christians to articulate and defend the classical Christian worldview in cultural conversations, serving individual believers, church leaders, and students who want to engage skeptics on topics ranging from theology, bioethics, and philosophy to sexuality, science, and other worldviews. Its core delivery is content-based rather than technology-based: a portfolio of podcasts (STR Weekly, #STRask, Thinking Out Loud with Alan Shlemon), a bimonthly Solid Ground publication (139+ archived issues), a live radio-style broadcast, mobile apps, an online store, and structured training including the STR U online course platform and the annual Reality Apologetics Conference held in Los Angeles.
STR operates as a donor-supported non-profit with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or external funding rounds. Revenue comes from three streams: recurring monthly donations from Strategic Partners ($25+/month, with incentives such as signed Koukl books), ad hoc annual giving campaigns (Giving Tuesday, year-end), and modest one-time product sales through its online store (books, DVDs, and MP3s priced roughly $4.95–$59.95). The go-to-market motion is community-led: free top-of-funnel content (articles, podcasts, apps) builds audience, with email series and live broadcasts nurturing subscribers into donors and training-program participants.
The speaker roster includes founder Greg Koukl, president-elect Alan Shlemon, and speakers Tim Barnett, Jonathan Noyes, Megan Almon, and Tripp Almon. A planned founder succession to Alan Shlemon is in progress. The organization is actively operating, maintains a presence across Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and distributes audio via Podbean through major podcast directories. No AI/ML capabilities, public API, proprietary software platform, or enterprise technology product is offered.
Stand to Reason firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stand to Reason
- Legal name
- Stand to Reason
- Website
- https://str.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stand to Reason is a 1993-founded, donor-supported Christian apologetics ministry that trains individual believers to defend the Christian worldview through podcasts, broadcasts, online training (STR U), and conferences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stand to Reason industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious and Christian Apologetics Education
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Phonograph Records & Prerecorded Audio Tapes & Disks (3652), Retail-Record & Prerecorded Tape Stores (5735)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABALAA), Denominational & Community Periodicals (Church Magazines, Diocesan/Temple Newsletters) (MPAJAHAI)
Keywords
Where Stand to Reason is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Signal Hill
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Stand to Reason business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Monthly Giving: STR relies heavily on donations from supporters. Monthly strategic partners at $25+ receive gifts including signed copies of Greg Koukl's books. Annual end-of-year giving campaigns and Giving Tuesday campaigns drive donation revenue.
- Product Sales: STR operates an online store selling books, DVDs, MP3s, and merchandise. Products include titles like 'The Ambassador's Guide to Islam' ($6.95 book, $4.95 PDF), 'The Bible: Fast Forward' DVD ($59.95) and MP3 ($39.95), and conference t-shirts.
- Subscription Content: Free email subscriptions for content (Solid Ground publication, STR Highlights, Tactics email series, Ambassador Insights) with donation-supported operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Ambassador's Guide to Islam by Alan Shlemon |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Bible: Fast Forward DVD (4-disc set) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | The Bible: Fast Forward MP3 Download |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Strategic Partner Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels13 records
Stand to Reason product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stand to Reason is a Christian apologetics ministry that produces and distributes training content to help Christians defend classical Christianity. Its core offerings include the STR Weekly Podcast, #STRask, the Thinking Out Loud podcast, the bimonthly Solid Ground publication, a daily live broadcast, STR U online courses, mobile apps, an annual Reality Apologetics Conference, and an online store selling books, DVDs, MP3s, and merchandise. Revenue is generated primarily through donor support (monthly strategic partners) and product sales, with all content delivery channels aimed at equipping believers to engage skeptics.
Product overview
Stand to Reason (STR) is a Christian apologetics ministry operating as a content-based organization, not a software technology company. The organization offers a portfolio of content products including podcasts (STR Weekly Podcast, #STRask, Thinking Out Loud), publications (Solid Ground bimonthly magazine), live broadcast programming, and training resources (STR U courses). Digital products include two mobile applications (Stand to Reason App and STR Quick Reference App), an online store for books and media, and email teaching series. The products center on training Christians to defend classical Christianity through content, not software platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- STR U: STR University - training platform offering courses for Christian ambassadors to develop skills in apologetics and worldview thinking
- Solid Ground
- STR Weekly Podcast
- #STRask
- Reality Apologetics Conference
Products and services
- STR Weekly Podcast Weekly podcast hosted by Greg Koukl featuring commentary and caller questions on Christian worldview topics, apologetics, and current cultural issues, distributed via podcast directories.
- #STRask Podcast Short-form Q&A podcast featuring responses from Greg Koukl and other STR speakers to common questions about Christianity and cultural issues.
- Thinking Out Loud Podcast Podcast series hosted by Alan Shlemon covering topics related to Christian apologetics and engagement with Islam.
- Solid Ground Bimonthly publication featuring in-depth articles on theology, philosophy, science, bioethics, and cultural issues from a Christian worldview perspective, available in print and digital formats.
- Live Broadcast Live radio program broadcast weekdays featuring Greg Koukl taking live calls and discussing Christian apologetics topics, accessible via the STR website.
- STR U (STR University) Online training platform offering courses on Christian worldview, apologetics, and related topics including "Building the Body" and access to Reality Apologetics Conference materials.
- Stand to Reason Mobile App Free iOS mobile application enabling users to access STR content, stream the live broadcast, and engage with podcasts on mobile devices.
- STR Quick Reference App Mobile application summarizing key information on tactics, abortion, and other relevant topics through text and video for engaging in thoughtful conversation from a Christian perspective, available on iOS, Android, and web.
- The Bible: Fast Forward Video and audio course providing a practical historical overview of the Old Testament, covering God's plan of salvation through covenants with Israel and their fulfillment in Jesus, sold via the STR store as DVD or MP3 download.
- The Ambassador's Guide to Islam Booklet by Alan Shlemon providing strategy for engaging Muslims from a Christian perspective, covering worldview penetration and winsome dialogue tactics, sold via the STR store in book or PDF format.
- Tactics Email Series Free email subscription series based on STR's Tactics resource, teaching effective and engaging discussions about Jesus, available via subscription form on the STR website.
- Ambassador Insights Email Series 26-week email series from Greg Koukl on becoming an effective ambassador for Christ in daily life, available via subscription form on the STR website.
- STR Store E-commerce platform selling books, DVDs, audio recordings, merchandise, and other resources for Christian apologetics and worldview training, including conference t-shirts.
- Reality Apologetics Conference Annual conference providing training on Christian apologetics, held in Los Angeles, CA, with livestream options available for broader reach.
Companies that use Stand to Reason
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Stand to Reason technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Stand to Reason partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Stand to Reason competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Desiring God: John Piper's Christian teaching ministry producing articles, podcasts, conferences, and resources — overlapping Christian content/training mission with STR but covering broader spiritual-life topics rather than apologetics specifically.
- The Gospel Coalition: Broad evangelical Christian content network publishing articles, podcasts, and conference content across theology and ministry — comparable digital-content distribution, with a broader theological and ministry focus than STR.
- Christianity Today: Established evangelical Christian media organization producing news, magazine, and multimedia content — a broad-incumbent comparable in operating a multi-channel Christian content platform reaching a similar demographic.
- Focus on the Family: Large Christian media and family-advocacy organization with broadcasts, podcasts, and resources spanning much broader topics than STR; comparable content-distribution model but at much larger scale and scope.
Direct peers
- Summit Ministries: Christian worldview and apologetics training organization that runs student conferences (e.g., the National Leadership Forum) and curriculum — directly comparable in worldview-formation training and conference-led delivery to STR.
- Probe Ministries: Long-running Christian apologetics ministry (founded 1973) producing articles, podcasts, and speaker training on worldview issues — overlapping content, audience, and ministry scale with STR.
- Reasonable Faith: William Lane Craig's Christian apologetics ministry, focused on training believers to defend the faith through philosophy, theology, and worldview engagement — the closest direct peer to STR's core apologetics-training mission.
- Ratio Christi: Campus-based apologetics fellowship network training Christian students and faculty in worldview engagement — analogous to STR's ambassador-training mission with a more collegiate, chapter-based delivery model.
- CrossExamined: Frank Turek's Christian apologetics organization producing podcasts, live events, and training content aimed at equipping Christians to articulate their faith — directly comparable in mission and delivery to STR.
- Cold-Case Christianity: J. Warner Wallace's apologetics ministry using forensic-investigation methods to defend Christianity, with podcasts, books, and live training — comparable niche, audience, and content-driven training model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Stand to Reason social profiles
Digital presenceStand to Reason financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stand to Reason leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Stand to Reason funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stand to Reason 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 Stand to Reason
What does Stand to Reason do?
Stand to Reason is a Christian apologetics ministry that produces and distributes training content to help Christians defend classical Christianity. Its core offerings include the STR Weekly Podcast, #STRask, the Thinking Out Loud podcast, the bimonthly Solid Ground publication, a daily live broadcast, STR U online courses, mobile apps, an annual Reality Apologetics Conference, and an online store selling books, DVDs, MP3s, and merchandise. Revenue is generated primarily through donor support (monthly strategic partners) and product sales, with all content delivery channels aimed at equipping believers to engage skeptics.
Is Stand to Reason a public or private company?
Stand to Reason is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Stand to Reason founded?
Stand to Reason was founded in 1993. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stand to Reason based?
Stand to Reason is headquartered in Signal Hill, United States, in the North America region.
How does Stand to Reason make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Monthly Giving is the primary driver. The others are product Sales and subscription Content.
Who are Stand to Reason's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today and Focus on the Family. Direct peers are Summit Ministries, Probe Ministries, Reasonable Faith, Ratio Christi, CrossExamined and Cold-Case Christianity.
Does Stand to Reason have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stand to Reason.
What industry is Stand to Reason in?
Stand to Reason's product category is Religious and Christian Apologetics Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAD, Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis), with a secondary code of MPABALAA, Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 3652.