Colorado Springs area Bible ministry’s revenue soars more than 300% after years of decline
Century No. 3 started rough for the oldest of Colorado Springs’ many international evangelical organizations.
Biblica, which was founded in 1809, saw its income fall from more than $26 million during some years of the 1990s and 2000s to less than $14 million in 2018.
That’s the year the ministry brought on Geof Morin, former CEO of American Bible Society, which had 2022 revenue of $102 million. Morin has helped turn things around.
Revenue grew to more than $15.7 million in 2019 and more than $16.8 million in 2020 before more dramatic increases.
In 2021, revenue rose to almost $29.8 million, a 76% increase, followed by income of almost $46.5 million in 2022, an increase of 56%, making Biblica the nation’s 10th largest Bible ministry.
Overall, income has risen 344% in five years.
A long history
Biblica was founded as the New York Bible Society to reach the city’s “lost and destitute,” distributing Bibles in subways, on beaches and to immigrants arriving at Ellis Island. In 1810, it partnered with legendary missionary William Carey to translate the Bible into languages spoken in India.
The ministry changed its name to International Bible Society in 1988 when it relocated to a 50,000-square-foot office near New Life Church in the Springs. The name changed to Biblica in 2007. The ministry now uses Biblica and IBS. It sold its Springs office and has offices in Palmer Lake.
Historically focused on translation, publication and distribution of Bibles and Scripture booklets, in 1968 Biblica launched its effort to produce a new version of the Bible in contemporary English.
A decade later, it released the completed New International Version, which remains the world’s most widely read contemporary English translation.
Technological changes
As publishing trends shifted from print to digital, Biblica made the NIV available on YouVersion, a virtual Bible that debuted in 2008 in the Apple app store. By 2021, YouVersion had been installed on more than 500 million devices worldwide, the first faith-based app to reach such a number. Biblica says its YouVersion texts are downloaded 481 million times per month.
The ministry’s Tech Advisory Group also is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to help translate the Bible into some of the many remaining languages with no Scripture.
In 2021, it released a Bible in Ewe, a language spoken by 20 million in Ghana and other African countries.
Power of partnerships
Just as Biblica partnered with William Carey in 1810, the ministry now partners with dozens of international ministries, including Springs-based Compassion International and Young Life.
“Biblica works with strategic mission partners to get print and digital Bibles to the people and places that need them most,” its website says.
Biblica representatives said they would answer questions for this article but later declined. Compassion did provide information about its partnership with Biblica.
“Compassion partners with more than 8,500 churches around the world to deliver our child development program to babies, children and youth in poverty, and Biblica serves as a resource for Bibles and discipleship materials used within our program,” said Herb Ehresman, Compassion’s director of strategic alliances.
“For example, many of Compassion’s program countries use ‘Reach4Life,’ Biblica’s discipleship curriculum for youth ages 12 to 18+. This resource helps equip our local church partners to provide long-term discipleship to the children and youth in their care.”
In August, Biblica announced its plans to “align with and absorb technology and innovation” of Clear Bible, one of its translation partners.
Financial reports show that in 2022, Biblica spent 69% of its $46.5 million on program services, which is low for Bible ministries.
Biblica was founded as the New York Bible Society. The ministry changed its name to International Bible Society in 1988 when it relocated to a 50,000-square-foot office near New Life Church in Colorado Springs. The name changed to Biblica in 2007. Its offices are now in Palmer Lake.
Geof Morin, CEO, Biblica, The International Bible Society
