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Avant Ministries / Gospel Missionary Union

Rating
Sector:

Foreign Missions

Total
Revenue:

$11,119,000

Total
Expenses:

$11,208,000

Net
Assets:

$10,660,000

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Profile Contents

Research Analysis
Financial Information

Ministry Pie Chart

Ministry Pie Chart

Age Size Box:

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Summary

Avant Ministries (AM) is evangelical and interdenominational, holding fellowship fully and heartily with all believers of like precious faith. As a missionary agency, Avant is identified and closely involved with churches in the homeland as well as in the target areas in the cause of world evangelization. Their purpose is to make disciples and to build Christ's church among the peoples of the world to whom God directs them. Avant does this by planting and developing local churches, equipping and mobilizing them for growth, reproduction, and missionary outreach, and through them manifesting Christ's compassion and concern for the whole person and his community.

Contact Information: [ Back to top ]

Mailing Address:10000 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO
64155-4155
Website: www.avantministries.org
Phone:(816) 734-8500, (800) 468-1892
Email:You need to enable javascript to see the email

Organization Details [ Back to top ]

EIN: 440594428
CEO/President: Dr. J. Paul Nyquist Tax Deductible: Yes
Chairman: Dr. Richard Biery Fiscal Year End: December 31
Board Size: 11 Financial info from:
Founder: Mr. George S. Fisher Member of ECFA: Yes
Year Founded: 1892 Member of ECFA since: 1991

Purpose [ Back to top ]

Avant Ministries (AM) is evangelical and interdenominational, holding fellowship fully and heartily with all believers of like precious faith. As a missionary agency, Avant is identified and closely involved with churches in the homeland as well as in the target areas in the cause of world evangelization. Their purpose is to make disciples and to build Christ's church among the peoples of the world to whom God directs them. Avant does this by planting and developing local churches, equipping and mobilizing them for growth, reproduction, and missionary outreach, and through them manifesting Christ's compassion and concern for the whole person and his community.

This organization is a nonprofit. Contributions donated are fully tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. It is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCC).

Mission Statement [ Back to top ]

Avant Ministries uses the following to express its mission:

To Glorify God by partnering with the church in its mission to the world.

Program Accomplishments [ Back to top ]

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Statement of Faith [ Back to top ]

Avant Ministries uses the following to communicate its faith:

We Believe:

The Bible
We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, God’s final written revelation of Himself and His will, and the sole authority for all faith and practice.
(2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:21)

The Godhead
We believe in God, who is revealed in Scripture as subsisting in three distinct persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet one in being, essence and power.
(Matt. 3:16-17; 28:18-19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Gal. 4:6-7; Heb. 9:14; 1 John 2:22-23)

The Lord Jesus Christ
We believe in the supernatural birth of Jesus Christ, who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, the incarnate Son of God, Emmanuel, God with us.
(Matt. 1:20-23; Luke 1:35)

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is very God, the express image of the Father, the One by whom and for whom all things were created and consist.
(John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:16-17)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, that He died as a perfect substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of all men, and that the believer’s justification is made sure by His literal, physical resurrection from the dead.
(Matt. 28:6-76-76-7:6-7; Rom. 3:24-25; 1 Cor. 15:4-8; Heb. 2:9; 4:15; 1 Peter 3:18)

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to the right hand of God, where He is the High Priest and Advocate for His people.
(Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1)

We believe in the imminent coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive His church unto Himself.
(John 14:3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Titus 2:13)

We believe in the subsequent, visible and premillennial return of the Lord Jesus Christ, with His church, to establish His promised worldwide kingdom on the earth.
(Zech. 14:4-11; Rev. 19:11-16; 20:4-6)

The Holy Spirit
We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit, who convicts of sin, who is the supernatural agent in regeneration, and who, at the moment of conversion, baptizes and seals the believer into the body of Christ, immediately indwelling him.
(John 14:16-17; 16:7-11; 1 Cor. 12:12-14; Eph. 1:13-14)

We believe that it is the duty and privilege of the believer to be filled with the Holy Spirit, who illumines, guides and energizes the believer, enabling him to maintain a consistent Christian walk.
(John 16:13; Gal. 5:16; Eph. 5:18; 1 John 2:20, 27)

We believe that the ascended Christ gives gifts through the sovereign will of the Holy Spirit for the edification and unity of the body of Christ.
(1 Cor. 12:4-12; Eph. 4:7-13)

Angels
We believe in the reality and personality of angels, both good and fallen, including Satan, the great enemy of God and man, whose opposition is ever increasing but whose ultimate doom is sure.
(Job 1:6-7; Ps. 103:20; Matt. 4:11; Luke 2:13; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 20:10)

Man
We believe in the creation of man by a direct act of God, and that he fell into sin and thereby became depraved and guilty before God.
(Gen. 1:27; 3; Ps. 51:5; Isa. 64:6; Rom. 1:21-23; 3:23; 5:12, 21)

Salvation
We believe in salvation uniquely by the substitutionary atonement of Christ by grace through faith in His shed blood to accomplish man’s redemption from sin and reconciliation to God.
(Rom. 3:24-26; 5:9; Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:18-21)

The Believer’s Position
We believe in the sonship of all born-again believers in the family of God, their justification, sanctification and eternal redemption being fully provided for and assured in the finished work of Christ on Calvary and in His continued intercession above.
(John 1:12-13; Rom. 5:1; 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; 4:5-7; Eph. 1:13-14; Heb. 7:25; Peter 2:9; 1 John 3:2; 5:11-13)

The Resurrection
We believe in the bodily resurrection of all men, each in his own order: the saints to everlasting life in God’s presence, the wicked to conscious and everlasting condemnation in hell.
(Matt. 25:46; John 3:18, 36; 5:28-29; Rev. 20:5-6, 11-15)

The Church and Its Mission
We believe in the Great Commission as the primary mission of the church; i.e., the preaching to all the world of the gospel of the grace of God, teaching converts to obey the Lord in baptism by immersion in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; to remember Christ’s death till He comes, in observance of the Lord’s Supper; to be always careful to live godly lives in the world; and to pursue fellowship and seek ministry in visible, organized churches.
(Matt. 16:18; Acts 1:8; 13:1-3; 114:23; 1 Cor. 1:2; 4:17; 12:12-13; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23-27; Col. 1:18; 1 Thess. 2:14; Titus 2:11-15)

History [ Back to top ]

Avant Ministries (AM), formerly known as Gospel Missionary Union, emerged out of the missionary movement of the last two decades of the nineteenth century, a movement that propagated numerous foreign missionary societies. Through the evangelistic efforts of the YMCA, young men of Kansas were challenged to Christian service. One of these young men was The Secretary of the Kansas State YMCA, George S. Fisher, whose parents had been missionaries in Jamaica.

He lead a campaign for foreign missions among the local association of the YMCA in Kansas. The movement spread to other States and soon there were a considerable number of young men and women eager to go to West Africa with the gospel. Although the mission was not officially organized until 1892, the first party of nine missionaries landed in West Africa in 1890. Within a few months, five were dead. Soon a second party of twelve sailed to join the survivors. In 1892, Fisher and other Kansas leaders resigned from the YMCA and formed a new independent organization called the World's Gospel Union. The name was changed in 1901 to Gospel Missionary Union.

On March 31, 1975, the Evangelical Union of South America ("EUSA") merged with Gospel Missionary Union. EUSA came into being in 1911 in response to the decision of the 1910 Edinburgh Missionary Conference, which had ruled out South America as a legitimate mission field. At the time of merger with GMU, EUSA had missionaries serving in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Bolivia. Gospel Missionary Union became known as Avant Ministries in 2003.

Ministry Needs [ Back to top ]

This organization has not offered MinistryWatch.com with specific needs to be posted on the profile. At such a time that MinistryWatch.com receives a response from the ministry, it will be posted immediately.

Research Analysis

Transparency Grade [ Back to top ]

Transparency Grade of : A
Criteria categoryGradeOther Comments
Timeliness:1004/26/2005 11:12:35 AM: Organization made financial information available less than 5 ½ months after their fiscal year end.
Financial Information:1004/26/2005 11:12:20 AM: Organization provided all financial information requested. Information was clear and thorough.
Foundational Clarity:
Level of Cooperation:
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MinistryWatch.com 5 Star Financial Efficiency Ratings [ Back to top ]

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Ministry Statement or Response [ Back to top ]

This organization has not offered MinistryWatch.com with an official statement or response for their profile. This area is meant as a mechanism for the profiled ministry to communicate anything they may choose. It is open ended as to the topic, issues, facts or news to address. It is not negative if there is no official statement as many don’t have anything to add than what is already on the profile. This section is not tied to transparency or to communication in general. Many very open and talkative ministries with us choose not to post an official statement. This section is just an open ended offering to the profiled ministry for anything extra to say as they may choose.

Financial Information:

Financials[ Back to top ]

Balance Sheet
Assets20042003200220012000
Cash$1,742,000$3,254,000$1,767,000$1,790,000$1,873,000
Receivables, Inventories & Prepaids$52,000$60,000$111,000$748,000$49,000
Short-Term Investments$4,049,000$2,894,000$4,202,000$5,913,000$7,467,000
Other Current Assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total Current Assets$5,845,000$6,210,000$6,081,000$8,452,000$9,389,000
Long-Term Investments$677,000$673,000$666,000$0$669,000
Fixed Assets$5,592,000$5,201,000$5,404,000$4,907,000$0
Other Long-Term Assets$0$124,000$133,000$267,000$4,990,000
Total Long-Term Assets$6,270,000$5,999,000$6,203,000$5,175,000$5,659,000
TOTAL ASSETS$12,116,000$12,209,000$12,285,000$13,627,000$15,049,000
Liabilities20042003200220012000
Payables & Accrued Expenses$211,000$256,000$178,000$252,000$83,000
Other Current Liabilities$105,000$97,000$92,000$109,000$116,000
Total Current Liabilities$317,000$353,000$271,000$361,000$200,000
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due To (From) Affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other Long-Term Liabilities$1,138,000$1,106,000$1,157,000$1,210,000$1,209,000
Total Long-Term Liabilities$1,138,000$1,106,000$1,157,000$1,210,000$1,209,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES$1,455,000$1,460,000$1,428,000$1,572,000$1,409,000
Assets20042003200220012000
Unrestricted$6,444,000$6,125,000$6,332,000$7,241,000$8,773,000
Temporarily Restricted$4,168,000$4,578,000$4,478,000$4,769,000$4,832,000
Permanently Restricted$46,000$45,000$45,000$44,000$34,000
NET ASSETS$10,660,000$10,749,000$10,856,000$12,055,000$13,639,000
Revenue and Expenses
Revenue20042003200220012000
Total Contributions$10,376,000$8,839,000$9,828,000$9,636,000$9,917,000
Program Service Revenue$507,000$589,000$332,000$568,000$548,000
Membership Dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment Income$148,000$606,000($958,000)($867,000)$57,000
Other Revenue$87,000$215,000$109,000$135,000$151,000
Total Other Revenue$743,000$1,411,000($516,000)($162,000)$756,000
TOTAL REVENUE$11,119,000$10,251,000$9,312,000$9,473,000$10,673,000
Expenses20042003200220012000
Program Services$8,391,000$7,610,000$7,958,000$8,481,000$8,170,000
Management & General$2,359,000$2,437,000$2,248,000$2,186,000$2,077,000
Fundraising$457,000$310,000$302,000$269,000$334,000
TOTAL EXPENSES$11,208,000$10,358,000$10,510,000$10,937,000$10,581,000
Change in Net Assets20042003200220012000
SURPLUS (DEFICIT)($88,000)($107,000)($1,198,000)($1,464,000)$91,000
Other Changes in Net Assets$0$0$0$0$0
TOTAL CHANGE IN NET ASSETS($88,000)($107,000)($1,198,000)($1,464,000)$91,000