Lifeway Christian Resources is a self-supporting nonprofit founded in 1891 that provides biblical resources and services to local churches. Driven by a deep religious mission rooted in Christian scripture, the organization operates as a remote-first hybrid workplace focused on Kingdom work.
Measures how clearly defined the profile is, not whether the culture is good or bad. Methodology
Researched 3 months ago
Leadership
BM
Ben Mandrell
Former CEO
Lifeway Christian Resources is a religious publishing & resources company with 1,000+ employees, founded in 1891. Here’s a detailed look at their workplace culture across six key dimensions.
Lifeway Christian Resources Culture Dimensions
Innovation
50
Process-drivenBoundary-pushing
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to innovation with a score of 50/100.
Hierarchy
50
Flat & fluidStructured & clear
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to hierarchy with a score of 50/100.
Collaboration
50
IndependentTeam-oriented
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to collaboration with a score of 50/100.
Work-Life Balance
50
Always-on hustleStrong boundaries
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to work-life balance with a score of 50/100.
Mission
50
Profit-firstPurpose-driven
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to mission with a score of 50/100.
Growth
50
Stable & steadyHypergrowth
Lifeway Christian Resources takes a balanced approach to growth with a score of 50/100.
What It's Like to Work Here
Lifeway Christian Resources is a self-supporting nonprofit founded in 1891, deeply rooted in serving local churches with biblical truth. Your experience here will be overwhelmingly defined by this religious mission. You'll find a workforce motivated by what they call 'Kingdom work,' where colleagues are described as 'Godly' and purpose-driven. Officially, the company embraces a 'strong Work from Anywhere (WFA) culture,' offering autonomy and providing remote staff with 'equipment and resources to ensure team members have access to a productive and ergonomic workspace.' The traditional headquarters has been replaced by a 'teaming space' designed with a 'student union' vibe to foster collaboration. Leadership focuses on a 'leadership pipeline,' and the organization recently underwent a major transition with Dr. Ryan Blackwell elected as CEO in April 2024. Despite modernizations—including building new digital experiences using Scala and Rust, and offering unique perks like 'mission trip time'—you will also navigate significant operational friction. The mission is a strong unifier, but leadership has openly acknowledged the 'barrenness of a busy life,' aligning with staff reports of extreme understaffing and 60-80 hour workweeks without corresponding pay increases. Ultimately, thriving requires deep alignment with Southern Baptist roots and the resilience to balance intense production demands.
Lifeway Christian Resources Culture Highlights
Remote-first WFA environment with specific stipends for home office equipment.
Strong emphasis on Christian scripture, Kingdom work, and mission-integrated benefits.
Internal leadership pipeline focused on shoulder-to-shoulder mentoring.
Modernizing tech stack utilizing Scala, Rust, and React Native for digital content.
Historical struggles with understaffing and extreme 60-80 hour workweeks.
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Lifeway Christian Resources Leadership
BM
Ben Mandrell
Former CEO
Emphasized shuffling the deck to ensure diverse people exert influence and avoiding silos.
RB
Ryan Blackwell
Incoming CEO
Expected to maintain a first-principles focus on local church needs and organizational alignment.
CN
Connia Nelson
CHRO
Leads human resources during the transition to a remote-first hybrid work model.
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What People Say About Lifeway Christian Resources's Culture
Synthesized from public sources · open to employees who claim their company
From the research
5 themes
Remote Work Autonomy·Positive
Lifeway has a 'strong Work from Anywhere (WFA) culture' where many positions are 'remote-eligible' and offer autonomy with work hours.
Faith-Based Perks·Positive
Full-time employees are eligible for 'mission trip time' and 'care days' in addition to standard vacation.
Home Office Setup·Positive
The company provides 'equipment and resources to ensure team members have access to a productive and ergonomic workspace'.
Family Support·Positive
Offers 'adoption assistance,' 'maternity and paternity leave,' and 'family medical leave.'
Extreme Workloads·Critical
Leadership has openly acknowledged the 'barrenness of a busy life,' which aligns with staff reports of extreme understaffing and 60-80 hour workweeks.
Real voices
Community
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