Christians have long been on the front lines of relief and development efforts. So it’s no surprise that among the largest relief and development agencies in the country are Christian ministries. Two of them, World Vision and Compassion International, top $1 billion in revenue.
This list should not be interpreted as a list of recommended ministries. They are ranked by total revenue, and not by ministry effectiveness, financial efficiency, or any other measure. We have, however, included ratings for the ministries so you can make informed decisions about which ministries you should support. To learn more about these ministries, click on the ministry’s name and read the full MinistryWatch profile on this organization.
A comparison of this year’s list to last year’s list (which you can find here) reveals a few differences. Here are a few of them:
- The total revenue of the 50 ministries on this list tops $8.9 billion. The top 50 last year had combined revenue of $8.2 billion.
- Two years ago, annual revenue of $3 million would land you on this list. Last year, it took $5 million in revenue to make it into the top 50. This year it takes revenue of at least $5.8 million to make this list.
- Five new ministries are on the list this year: Charity:Water, Healing Hands International, Plant with Purpose, Mercy Chefs, and Echo