word on fire

What word on fire does

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate founded in 2000 by Bishop Robert Barron to evangelize through digital media, publishing, and educational programming. The organization serves the English- and Spanish-speaking Catholic faithful — practicing Catholics seeking deeper formation, seekers and converts, theology students, and devotional users — through a multi-platform content ecosystem spanning the wordonfire.org website, the WOF Digital streaming mobile application, three podcast series (WOF Show, Evangelization & Culture, The Votive), and the Evangelization & Culture Journal. Core products include the multi-volume Word on Fire Bible with Bishop Barron's commentary, the 2025 second-edition Liturgy of the Hours, children's literature, and eBooks distributed through owned e-commerce storefronts.

The underlying technology is a conventional multi-platform digital media stack: streaming video delivery via the WOF Digital app, podcast distribution through third-party aggregators, an online course management system powering the Word on Fire Institute, and the Luminor Literary Imprint for fiction. The Institute adds an accredited Master of Arts in Evangelization & Culture alongside freemium online courses and live seminars. There are no disclosed proprietary AI/ML systems, APIs, or SDK integrations.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit monetization structure. Recurring and one-time donations (Founders Society planned giving, Ignite monthly giving) sustain operations; bookstore sales, paid Institute tuition, and publishing revenue provide commercial income. Distribution combines owned digital channels, the Hallow prayer app partnership, and theatrical release of documentaries through Fathom Entertainment. Geographic operations are anchored in the United States with a wholly-owned UK subsidiary established in September 2023 and Spanish-language content serving Latin American markets.

Name

word on fire

Legal name

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries

Website

https://wordonfire.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit media apostolate producing Catholic digital content, podcasts, streaming video, books, and an accredited Institute degree program to evangelize and form Catholics and seekers globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Media and Publishing

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Media, Publishing & Broadcasting (Radio, TV, Digital, Press) (BPAGAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Religious Nonfiction & Theology Publishing (Apologetics, Doctrine, Ethics) (MPAJAHAG), Catholic Broadcasting (MPABALAB), Devotional & Prayer Publishing (Devotionals, Prayer Books, Meditation Guides) (MPAJAHAB), Sermon, Homiletics & Ministry Resource Publishing (Preaching Aids, Pastoral Resources) (MPAJAHAD)

Keywords

• Catholic media ministry
• Religious book publishing
• Faith formation programs
• Online theology courses
• Catholic content streaming

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Bookstore Sales: Sales of Catholic books, Bibles, children's books, and devotional materials through the online bookstore
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: One-time and monthly (Ignite) donations from supporters, plus planned giving through the Founders Society
3. Institute Course Enrollment: Revenue from the Word on Fire Institute including Master of Arts degree programs and individual courses
4. Publishing: Revenue from publishing books and the Word on Fire Bible multi-volume series

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate that produces and distributes Catholic content across multiple platforms, including streaming video (WOF Digital), podcasts, the multi-volume Word on Fire Bible, the Liturgy of the Hours (2nd Edition), children's books, eBooks, and the Word on Fire Institute online learning platform offering courses and an accredited Master of Arts in Evangelization & Culture. It also publishes the Evangelization & Culture Journal and produces documentary films such as Heaven in Stone and Glass.

Product overview

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate led by Bishop Robert Barron. The organization operates a multi-platform content ecosystem centered on evangelization through digital media, publishing, and educational programs. The core offering is the Word on Fire website and streaming platform (WOF Digital) providing articles, videos, podcasts, and Gospel reflections. Key products include the Word on Fire Bible (multi-volume publication), Liturgy of the Hours (2nd Edition), and the Word on Fire Institute offering courses and the Evangelization & Culture Journal. Additional offerings include multiple podcast series (WOF Show, Evangelization & Culture, The Votive), Word on Fire Publishing (including the Luminor Literary imprint), eBooks, children's books, and study programs like ENGAGE. The portfolio spans content creation, publishing, streaming media, and faith-based education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Word on Fire Institute: Educational platform offering online courses, seminars, journals, and community forums on theology, philosophy, and evangelization for Catholic intellectual formation.
• Word on Fire Publishing
• Word on Fire Bible
• WOF Digital
• WOF Show Podcast
• Evangelization & Culture Podcast
• The Votive Podcast
• Luminor Literary Imprint

Products and services

• WOF Digital Bishop Barron's dedicated streaming application providing access to video series, sermons, Catholic programming, and the CATHOLICISM series, available on iOS, Android, and the web for individual Catholic faithful and seekers.
• Word on Fire Bible A multi-volume Catholic Bible published by Word on Fire featuring Bishop Barron's theological reflections, published across multiple volumes covering the Gospels, Acts, Letters, Revelation, Pentateuch, and historical books, sold to individual Catholics for study and devotion.
• Liturgy of the Hours (2nd Edition) Word on Fire's edition of the Liturgy of the Hours (2nd Edition), described as the highest form of prayer after Mass, an ancient way of praying Scripture throughout the day with a focus on the Psalms, sold as a physical book and digital resource to Catholic faithful for daily prayer practice.
• Word on Fire Institute An online learning platform offering courses, seminars, the Evangelization & Culture Journal, and a Master of Arts in Evangelization & Culture accredited degree program, targeting theology students, Catholic educators, and lay faithful seeking deeper intellectual formation.
• Evangelization & Culture Journal A quarterly journal published by the Word on Fire Institute covering topics such as Social Media, Saints, Beauty, Music, and Prayer, distributed digitally to Institute members and the broader Catholic intellectual audience.
• WOF Show Podcast Bishop Robert Barron's flagship weekly podcast featuring discussions, dialogues, and commentary on faith and contemporary culture, available free across major podcast platforms for Catholic faithful and general seekers.
• Evangelization & Culture Podcast A podcast featuring interviews and discussions on evangelization, culture, politics, and contemporary issues from a Catholic perspective, available free to the general public across podcast platforms.
• The Votive Podcast A podcast exploring Catholic themes in literature, art, and culture, distributed across podcast platforms to Catholics and culture-interested audiences.
• Word on Fire Publishing The publishing division producing Catholic books, eBooks, and literary works including the Luminor Literary imprint, distributing through the Word on Fire bookstore to individual Catholic readers.
• Word on Fire eBooks Digital books including titles such as How to Be Happy, How to Discern God's Will, Creating a Rule of Life, Thomas Aquinas 101, and The Sign of the Cross, sold as one-time digital purchases to Catholic readers.
• Word on Fire Kids' Books Children's Catholic literature including titles such as The Story of All Stories, Past Watchful Dragons, Princesses of Heaven, The Catholic Kids' Cookbook, Light of the Saints, and Light of the Sacraments, sold to Catholic families for faith formation of children.
• ENGAGE Study Program A structured Catholic study program resource for evangelization and education, designed for use by parishes, schools, and small faith-formation groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reaches millions of people globally with Catholic content
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• Fathom EntertainmentmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Fathom Entertainment partnered with Word on Fire to distribute the documentary 'Heaven in Stone and Glass' by Bishop Robert Barron to U.S. theaters in September 2026. The documentary explores themes of sacred art and architecture.
• HallowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWord on Fire content, specifically Daily Gospel Reflections, is available through the Hallow prayer and meditation app, reaching Hallow's user base.
• University of MaryminorOthersMonsignor James Shea, President of University of Mary, contributes articles to Word on Fire and is featured as a writer.
• Loyola Marymount UniversityminorOthersDr. Christopher Kaczor, Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University, contributes articles to Word on Fire.
• University of DallasminorOthersDr. Chad Engelland, Professor of Philosophy at University of Dallas, serves as author and contributor to Word on Fire.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dynamic Catholic: A Catholic nonprofit producing books, parish programs, and email content for evangelization. It directly competes with Word on Fire Publishing for consumer book sales and parish adoption programs.
• Our Sunday Visitor: A Catholic publishing and media company producing parish resources, magazines, books, and digital content. It competes with Word on Fire on Catholic publishing, formation materials, and digital evangelization.
• Catholic Answers: A Catholic apologetics and evangelization media organization producing articles, podcasts, videos, and books. It directly competes with Word on Fire on intellectually rigorous Catholic content addressing seekers and converts.
• Ave Maria Press: A Catholic book publisher associated with the University of Notre Dame, producing theology, spirituality, and ministry resources. It competes with Word on Fire Publishing for Catholic book market share and author relationships.
• EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network): The largest Catholic media network globally, EWTN operates a TV channel, radio, news agency, and digital platforms producing evangelization and formation content. It is the closest direct competitor to Word on Fire's multi-platform Catholic media apostolate model and commands a substantially larger donor base.
• FORMED (Augustine Institute): A Catholic digital media and parish-licensed streaming platform offering video studies, audio, and eBooks. FORMED competes directly with Word on Fire Institute and WOF Digital for parish and Catholic-school subscription budgets.
• Ascension Press: A Catholic publishing and media ministry producing Bible studies, books, and the Ascension app. It overlaps with Word on Fire Institute's educational programming and Word on Fire Publishing's catalog.
• National Catholic Register: A Catholic news publication covering Church, culture, and politics. It competes with Word on Fire's news and commentary content for Catholic media mindshare and digital readership.

Emerging players

• Hallow: A leading Catholic prayer and meditation app with tens of millions of users. Hallow is both a partner (distributing Word on Fire's Daily Gospel Reflections) and a competitor in the digital Catholic engagement space, with overlapping content formats (audio, video, devotionals).
• Magnificat (Catholic publication): A subscription-based monthly devotional publication combining Scripture, prayers, and meditations. It partially overlaps with Word on Fire's Liturgy of the Hours and devotional content offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WordOnFire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WordonFire
• Facebookfacebook.com/WordOnFire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/word-on-fire-catholic-ministries
• Instagraminstagram.com/wordonfire

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 word on fire