We offer proactive soul care to global workers, national christian leaders and third culture kids by: joining their journey of faith, challenging their assumptions about life and god, and igniting a deeper hope in him.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
83¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 27 volunteers and 26 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $25K a year · 2% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
83%
of spending
Looks good: 83% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$139K
to officers and key staff · 7% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 7% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
8
named funders · $159K
Looks good: 8 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$15K
2% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 2% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
5
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 5 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.9M
+1% vs prior year
Spent
$2.0M
To programs
83%
Net assets
$746K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$1.9M
FY2025▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$1.4M
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$1.8M
FY2025$1.9M
Expenses
$2.0M
FY2025▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$1.2M
FY2021$1.5M
FY2022$1.6M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2025$2.0M
Net assets
$746K
FY2025▼ -15%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$746K
FY2021$813K
FY2022$829K
FY2023$900K
FY2024$882K
FY2025$746K

From the FY2025 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1996.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 83% · $1.7M Management & general 11% · $219K Fundraising 6% · $120K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $139K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Managing Director & Board Secretary
$62,073Pt VII · Sec A
Guiding Director (president)
$39,889Pt VII · Sec A
Developing Director
$37,314Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary Thru April 2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director Beginning May 2025
$0Pt VII · Sec A

James Wartian’s $62K as Managing Director & Board Secretary is at the 22nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1636 $1–10M religion nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 4 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Chris Gibson————$63,900$114,000
James Wartian$62,073$80,095$58,203$27,298$67,465$69,063
David Shepherd$39,889$50,676$29,326$28,785$39,913$42,696
Jeanni Shepherd$37,314$37,314$42,728$45,977$37,614$38,421

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Ministry Essentials INC executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Supports international Christian leaders and families with spiritual care and community.

Questions for Ministry Essentials INC

Tap to ask. Ministry Essentials INC sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. Ministry Essentials INC answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $1.7M · in their own filed words · FY2025
01

Mei is a non-profit mission agency that establishes and cultivates spiritual community among christian leaders and their families serving internationally. Within this context of community mei aims to provide soul care, spiritual nourishment, and developmental resources to address both urgent and long-term needs of christian leaders and…

$1.7Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 8 funders →
Grants paid · 3 grants · $54K · 2023–2025
Disciple Makers NetworkTN · FY2025$41,741
Unitemized GrantFY2024$5,750
CruFL · FY2023$7,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.9M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Money outPt IX
$2.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$1.7M
Managementcol C$219K
Fundraisingcol D$120K
Owns and owesPt X
$746K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$745K
Total assetsLn 16$761K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A3
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b5
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$2.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$13K
Investment incomeLn 3$8K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$111K
Total revenueLn 12$1.9M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$471K
SavingsLn 2$274K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$745K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$761K
LiabilitiesLn 26$15K
Net assetsLn 32$746K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 526
VolunteersI 627
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$703K$745K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$133K$0
Total assetsLn 16$892K$761K
LiabilitiesLn 26$11K$15K
Net assetsLn 32$882K$746K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$42K$42K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$121K$121K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$160K$135K$18K$8K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$989K$879K$61K$49K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$11K$2K$9K$26
Payroll taxesLn 10$41K$36K$3K$2K
Legal feesLn 11b$16K$2K$14K
Accounting feesLn 11c$55K$55K
Office expensesLn 13$25K$15K$9K$666
Information technologyLn 14$6K$4K$2K$75
OccupancyLn 16$101K$101K
TravelLn 17$249K$215K$7K$27K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$32K$29K$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9K$9K
InsuranceLn 23$16K$16K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$110K$69K$10K$31K
All other expensesLn 24e$16K$10K$6K$4
Total functional expensesLn 25$2.0M$1.7M$219K$120K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $1.9M$2.0M−$136K$746K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.8M$1.9M−$19K$882K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.8M$1.7M$71K$900K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.6M$1.6M$17K$829K 990 PDF
FY2021 $1.5M$1.5M$67K$813K 990 PDF
FY2020 $1.4M$1.2M$152K$746K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,862,782 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $1,830,776$1,966,509
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,937−$103,727
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $1,835,713$1,862,782
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $116,750$162,741
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $1,091,538$1,201,574
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $646,320$634,415
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $1,854,608$1,998,730
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$18,895−$135,948
Part VI · Governance 5 of 7 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members5
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,862,782 across 6 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,966,509
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$13,226
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,966,509
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $7,693$7,693
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$111,420−$111,420
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax −$103,727$1,862,782
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,998,730 across 17 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $41,741$41,741
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $121,000$121,000
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $134,783 · Management $17,650 · Fundraising $8,023$160,456
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $879,027 · Management $60,512 · Fundraising $49,449$988,988
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,527 · Management $9,258 · Fundraising $26$10,811
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $36,447 · Management $2,806 · Fundraising $2,066$41,319
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $1,732 · Management $14,321$16,053
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $55,358$55,358
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $15,409 · Management $8,555 · Fundraising $666$24,630
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $3,855 · Management $2,401 · Fundraising $75$6,331
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $101,122$101,122
IX-17 TravelPrograms $215,105 · Management $6,565 · Fundraising $26,862$248,532
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $29,184 · Management $1,559 · Fundraising $1,563$32,306
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $8,777$8,777
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $15,603$15,603
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $69,062 · Management $9,571 · Fundraising $31,271$109,904
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $9,926 · Management $5,869 · Fundraising $4$15,799
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $1,659,920 · Management $218,805 · Fundraising $120,005$1,998,730
Part X · Balance sheet $760,525 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $343,440$470,580
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $359,138$274,459
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $25,000$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $31,954$15,486
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $132,679$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $892,211$760,525
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $10,692$14,954
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $10,692$14,954
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $338,466$338,021
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $543,053$407,550
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $881,519$745,571
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $892,211$760,525
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $745,571 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,862,782
XI-2 Total expenses$1,998,730
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$135,948
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$881,519
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$745,571

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.