AbleLight Resigns From ECFA

The large Christian ministry to the disabled community determined it no longer needed the accreditation.

AbleLight, formerly known as Bethesda Lutheran Communities, has voluntarily resigned its membership in the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

Photo by Nathan Anderson / Unsplash / Creative Commons

“We always review our expenses to ensure we are directing as much of our resources as possible towards our mission. ECFA is a paid designation that given our strong history of ethical and transparent practices, we determined was no longer needed. Accordingly, we decided not to renew the paid subscription,” AbleLight told MinistryWatch in response to our inquiry about its decision.

The ECFA accreditation fee is based upon the ministry’s cash contributions and total revenue. At the end of its 2021 Fiscal Year, AbleLight reported nearly $16 million in contributions and over $107 million in total revenue. According to the ECFA fee schedule, AbleLight would have to pay about $7,000 in accreditation fees.

ECFA accredits ministries based on its Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship, including the group’s governance, doctrine, transparency, compensation, financial oversight, use of resources, and stewardship.

In January 2022, AbleLight changed its name from Bethesda Lutheran Communities. It chose the name to reflect “the many skills and abilities of people with disabilities while also demonstrating how the Christian organization is a guiding light for people with developmental disabilities and their families.”

AbleLight has been working with people with disabilities since 1904, providing housing, job skills training, financial services, and day programs. It has locations in at least 11 states. It is a recognized service organization partnered with the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

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Not long after its name change, Keith Jones joined AbleLight as its new president on January 31, 2022. The board of directors says Jones will facilitate its recent transformation efforts expanding into “new and innovative areas, improving its financial performance, and rebuilding its legacy foundation.”

Recently, it established AbleLight Village in Minnesota as an independent residential community for people with disabilities. It has also expanded the campuses of AbleLight College to enable its students to earn a certificate based on skills that facilitate a more independent life.

AbleLight receives a donor confidence score of 82 out of 100 and a two-star efficiency rating in the MinistryWatch database. Because it is not a member of the ECFA but makes its IRS Form 990s and audited financial statements available, it receives a C transparency grade.