It Is Written 2015 Annual Report

2 0 1 5 A N N U A L R

MEET THE

E

P

O

R

IT IS WRITTEN

T

OF TOMORROW

INTRODUCTION

2015

was a big year for It Is Written. We completed the move from California to Tennessee, we began a project in Mongolia, we made Revelation Today available live to anyone with a smartphone, we produced life-changing resources, and much more. Inside these pages you will find an outline of our year and how we have used God’s blessings to further His message.

As we turn the corner into our 60th year, our plans are bigger than ever. With the Lord’s blessing, lives are being changed—here in the United States and around the world—using the most effective technology available to spread the Word of God. Yet the mission field remains vast. There are more than seven billion people living in the world who need the opportunity to choose the life that Jesus offers.

Thank you for joining with us as we cooperate with God to lift up Jesus and share the good news of salvation with the world!

John Bradshaw, Speaker/Director

As we turn the corner into our 60th year, our plans are

BIGGER THAN EVER.

2 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

THEN

6 0 Y E A R S O F S O U L- W I N N I N G E VA N G E L I S M

NOW

THEN Founder George Vandeman began broadcasting in 1956.

CO M ING IN

2 0 1 6

Special anniversary program broadcast

Today, Pastors Robert Costa, John Bradshaw, and Eric Flickinger share the gospel worldwide.

WE’RE STILL PIONEERS IN EVANGELISM It Is Written is using the latest technologies to reach people everywhere. One example is our cross-platform mobile apps.

We are reaching into new areas with direct, personal humanitarian aid. One example is our water well project in Mongolia.

We’re reaching new audiences, such as the deaf community with Every Word in American Sign Language.

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 3

97

E VA N G E L I S T I C M E D I A

NEW TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS

BY EPISODES RECORDED (2015)

■ Escrito Está ■ Every Word ■ Every Word ASL ■ Revelation Today ■ Other Programs* *Includes health, Reformation, and other topics.



Fast Fact: The My Place With Jesus website averages 67 sign-ups per week.

Mhy Place wit

Jesus

4 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

COMI NG IN

2 0 1 6

My Place With Jesus website 2.0 and new Bible studies for kids

67 448 218 44 20



Fast Fact: It Is Written is carried on multiple television networks including Discovery Channel, AFTV, Firstlight, Hope Channel, LifeStyleTV, SafeTV, TBN, and 3ABN.

%

CO M ING

Ninety-seven percent of the world

IN

2 0 1 6

25 new programs about health, history, and the Bible

is covered by satellite broadcasts carrying It Is Written programming.

408,591 Website Visitors

“I watch your program every day with John Bradshaw. It has truly been a blessing to me in my Christian life and it has brought me to a place of repentance and moving forward in

$4.3 million

Jesus Christ.” itiswritten .com (2015)

Spent on Evangelistic Media

22% Visitors Outside U.S.

2.1 million

—E-mail, Jamaica

It Is Written app (2015)

5,248 App Installs

Pageviews

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 5

E VA N G E L I S M

E

vangelism is the driving force of It Is Written. In 2015, the team committed to reach more people for Jesus in ways never done before. In May, It Is Written held a Revelation Today series in Edmonton, Alberta, as the final event in a threeyear citywide project. In October Revelation Today — The Mysteries Revealed was broadcast

In 2015 the team committed to reach more people for Jesus in ways never done before. live around the world via satellite and online streaming from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

It Is Written’s Spanish ministry, Escrito Está, conducted eight evangelistic series and produced TV programs that aired on more than 11,000 television stations.

In 2015 It Is Written launched the It Is Written Bible School, a simple and complete system to turn churches into evangelistic centers. And SALT, It Is Written’s School of Evangelism, had its largest graduating class ever.

6 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

CO M ING IN

110 4,538 Countries Watching

E S C R I T O E S TÁ BAPTISMS IN 2015

App Installs

■ Bolivia ■ Nicaragua ■ Other

(2015)

510

60

Fast Fact: The Mysteries Revealed

was the first Seventh-day Adventist live evangelism event to use a real-time mobile app and social media to offer live audience/viewer participation.

229,624

10

196 Students

Bolivia

Bible Study Invitation Cards Mailed

per 1,000 Response Rate*

67

5,440+ 1,800+ 200+

Baptisms

Host Sites



2 0 1 6

23 evangelistic series, including Zimbabwe and Boston

(2015)

It Is Written Bible School (2015)

Participating Churches

308

13

Conferences

Bible Study Sessions

Canada *Other Bible schools have an average response rate of 2 per 1,000.

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 7

H U M A N I TA R I A N Eyes for India One out of every three blind people in the world lives in India.

That totals about 15 million blind people. Many of these people suffer from operable cataracts, which they cannot afford to treat due to economic conditions or lack of local healthcare facilities. With one simple surgery, Dr. Jacob Prabhaker Chindrupu and his Eyes for

India medical team can restore a patient’s sight.

Eyes for India also focuses on opening the spiritual eyes of each patient. Patients are given the book Steps to Christ and a health tract.

As a result, the love of Jesus is shared with Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities who have never heard the name of Jesus.

The love of Jesus is shared with Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim communities who have never heard the name of Jesus.

14,078 Books Distributed

12,000 (2015)

276

8 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Adult Cataract Surgeries

Children’s Eye Surgeries

Health clinics are set up and Jesus

CO M ING IN

2 0 1 6

Two medical mission trips to Mongolia

is shared during each trip.

Mission: Mongolia In 2015 It Is Written launched the Mission: Mongolia project. With a population of nearly 3 million people, Mongolia is still 97 percent non-Christian. The capital city Ulaanbaatar is home to the majority of the country’s population and boasts an average winter temperature of –13°F. Most of the inhabitants enduring the brutal winters there live in gers, the traditional nomadic Mongolian housing, without running water and electricity.

Mission: Mongolia is a three-year health evangelism project and includes hosting health clinics, digging fresh water wells, and printing and distributing Bibles in Mongolian.

5,000

Mongolian Language Bibles Purchased for Distribution

MISSION

Mongolia

2

(2015)

1,500:1 Mongolian People per Seventh-day Adventist Member

Wells Dug

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 9

PUBLISHING COMI NG



I

Fast Fact: More than 1.5 million

individual lessons of the It Is Written Bible Study Guides were printed in 2015, along with more than 300,000 of the Spanish edition.

IN

2 0 1 6

New online ordering system and exciting new resources

n 2015 It Is Written added a Publishing Department. Its mission is to create, update, and offer resources for evangelism, and Christian growth—and it’s off to a great start with 21 products launched in its first year. The Publishing team serves It Is Written’s viewers, supporters, Christian book stores, and churches with publishing, order fulfillment, and customer service.

For more information, call 888-664-5573, or visit store.itiswritten.com.

TOTAL SALES

PRODUCTS SOLD

$433,775

CUSTOMERS

1,038,603

4,932 3,698

426,004

$180,786

2014

2015

10 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

2014

2015

2014

2015

A SAMPLE OF NEW 2015 PROGRAMS

27

21

Digging Up the Truth DVD

The Gift of Freedom DVD

Join archaeologist Dr. Michael Hasel as he shares recent discoveries of ancient artifacts and sites that back up Bible truth.

John Weidner, a Seventh-day Adventist in France, helped save more than 1,000 Jews and Allied troops from certain death during WWII.

Health and Healing DVD set

After Darkness Light DVD set

Dr. David DeRose and John Bradshaw discuss life-changing, biblically sound tips that will help you experience optimum health.

The Reformation unfolds in eight inspiring episodes filmed on location in Europe, at sites where history was altered forever.

New Products

3,107

Publishing

Countries Serviced

(2015)

33,702 Free Offers Mailed

Calls Received

162% Sales Increase

Order fulfillment supervisor Felipe Gonzalez prepares shipments.

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 11

FINANCIALS

428319328 t Is Written is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organiare donated for the purpose of spreading the zation and receives 95 percent of its support gospel are entrusted to the Treasury team who 7E0376120 from direct donations. It Is Written is a are attentive to using these funds in harmony singularly focused organization—everywith the mission of It Is Written.

4V8319328 thing is about evangelism, whether it’s evangeThe chart below outlines how donations are lism through media, evangelism through public designated. We are committed to using your 7A0376120 meetings, or evangelism through printed or gifts to reach the world with the gospel in the recorded resources. The financial resources that most responsible and effective way.

1N4083403 7G4427110 9E5107068 9L3267028 It Is Written is a singularly D O N AT I O N 7I1103918 focused organization— A L L O C AT I O N IN 2015* 1S6473306 everything is about ■ Evangelistic Media evangelism.

4M0737665 ■ Live Evangelism ■ Humanitarian 520590131 ■ Publishing ■ Escrito Está 263767743 240798180 419521003 418524635 839210434 62% 18% 4% 12% 3%

*Operating expenses are included within the projects that they benefited.

12 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Illustration: River Street Architecture

I

NEW BUILDING CO M ING IN

2 0 1 6

Capital fundraising for new ministry headquarters

Left: Architect’s model of the proposed It Is Written facility.

Below: Approximate location of the new ministry headquarters.

S

ince relocating to Tennessee in 2014, we have been leasing separate office and warehouse spaces. In 2015 It Is Written purchased land in Collegedale, Tennessee, which will be the site of the new It Is Written ministry headquarters.

The new facility will enable upgraded productions of our media projects. Studio recording combined with office, warehouse, and resource space will allow It Is Written to grow into the It Is Written of tomorrow. Our current estimate indicates that we will need approximately $5 million to complete this project. Our goal is to build debt-free while maintaining our current evangelistic outreach endeavors.

The new facility will allow It Is Written to grow into the It Is Written of tomorrow.

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 13

PA RT N E R S H I P

E Right: John and Melissa Bradshaw speaking at Partnership.

Below: Staff members Kristi Byrkit and Jocelyn Mejias welcome guests.

COMI NG IN

2 0 1 6

Seven special 60th anniversary Partnership events

ach year, our supporters touch the lives of hundreds of thousands of people for the Lord through It Is Written. Our Partners are a special group of supporters who commit $1,500 or more each year to this ministry. Partners are also eligible to be It Is Written Ambassadors.

Every year, our Partners are invited to a Partnership Weekend hosted by Pastor Bradshaw to learn firsthand about the events of the past year and the plans for the future. We invite you to become a Partner this year and experience the inspiration for yourself.

To see this year’s dates and locations, visit itiswritten.com/partnership.

150

Partners for 5+ Consecutive Years

711

Partnership (2015)

Partners Attended

7

Weekends

14 IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

$1.9 million

Pledged at Partnership

PLANNED GIVING & TRUST SERVICES

36%

CGAs That Pay 8% or More*

6.8% Average CGA Payout*

Planned Giving (2015)

73

People Who Made Estate Plan Donations

5.9% Average CRT Payout*

P

lanned Giving and Trust Services offers multiple possibilities to It Is Written supporters to secure a gift for evangelistic outreach, while ensuring a personal income stream for life. The department also facilitates individuals and families in creating or updating their last will and testament or revocable family trust.

Our Planned Giving and Trust Services team is specially trained and certified to guide the entire planning process of Christian legacy development.

5–10 YEARS

1,015 11–15 YEARS

343 16–20 YEARS

247 21–25 YEARS

135 26–30+ YEARS *Statistics are from recently created gift plans (2015). CGA: Charitage Gift Annuity. CRT: Charitable Remainder Trust.

203

I

CONSECUTIVE YEAR DONORS

t Is Written is indebted to our faithful and generous donors— many who make sacrificial gifts each month to see souls won to Christ. This chart highlights the number of supporters who have given to this ministry for five or more consecutive years.

IT IS WRITTEN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 15

IT IS WRITTEN LEADERSHIP TEAM

JOHN BRADSHAW Speaker/Director

General Manager/IT Director

JESSE JOHNSON

CHARLES REEL

FRED KNOPPER

ELLEN METCALF

MICHAEL PREWITT

Production Director

Development Director

ROBERT COSTA

Treasurer

Creative Director

Speaker/Director Escrito Está

CHAD STARR

Publishing Director

ERIC FLICKINGER Associate Speaker

OLAN THOMAS

Planned Giving Director

YVES MONNIER Evangelism Director

CHERIDAH WALTERS Media Director

A big THANK YOU to all of our talented staff and volunteers!

CONNECT WITH US!

 Sign up for a daily devotional, Every Word (ASL also available): iiw.us/devotional

 Subscribe to our free Impressions magazine, mailed quarterly: iiw.us/subscribe

 Watch the weekly It Is Written television program online: iiw.us/tv

 Download the It Is Written app for Android or iPhone: iiw.us/mobile

For the Escrito Está weekly broadcast, daily devotional, and other offers, please visit www.escritoesta.org PO Box 6, Chattanooga, TN 37401-0006 423.362.5800 TEL 877.507.3239 FAX www.itiswritten.com

 facebook.com/itiswritten  twitter.com/itiswritten  youtube.com/itiswritten Also on Instagram, Pinterest, Google+

Copyright © 2016, It Is Written, Inc. It Is Written is a registered service mark of It Is Written, Inc. Escrito Está, Every Word, Eyes for India, and SALT are trademarks and/or service marks of It Is Written, Inc.