2024-03-31-annual-report - Precept Ministries Ireland Ltd

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PRECEPT MINISTRIES IRELAND LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of Precept Ministries Ireland Ltd (PMI Ltd) for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Assoication, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

Objectives and activities

Our Mission and Vision

The mission of Precept Ministries International and Precept Ministries Ireland is, ‘Engaging people in relationship with God through knowing His Word” throughout the Island of Ireland. The vision is “Every believer in Christ living out God’s Word everyday”.

The objects of the company are to advance the Christian religion. This is achieved through:

equipping people with Inductive Bible Study skills to help them to study and understand the Bible for themselves.
providing various levels of study resources and leader training
making training and resources available to all.

Public benefit

The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.

Achievements and performance

Introduction

The year 2023/24 provided Precept Ireland with opportunities to visit churches and provide encouragement to Bible study leaders as well as develop an internship programme.

1. Staff

The staff team consists of a National Director (full time), Finance Manager (part-time) and Administrative Assistant (part-time). Precept Ireland were delighted to offer a paid internship programme for which an intern was appointed to work from 1[st] October 2023 to 31[st] August 2024. This created a broader staff team, and gave Precept an opportunity to invest in a young person. The focus was digital marketing and so Precept was able to consider ways to broaden their digital impact and enhance what they are doing.

In March 2024 Precept staff undertook a trip to Precept UK for development and training. This provided to be very useful with the sharing of ideas for the workplace and it is intended to repeat this exchange in the future.

2. Leader Training & Support

During the year 2023/2024, Precept Ireland has continued to support and encourage leaders.

The administration staff in the office are also trained Bible study leaders and are equipped to advise and encourage leaders who contact the office. These conversations have played a key role in making leaders feel connected to the ministry and given them confidence as to where to find help and support. Precept also delivered a number of leaders’ events and leader training to encourage those who wish to start their own class.

Precept has also hosted a monthly Bible study group exclusively for Precept Bible study leaders. This group works through a study but takes time to consider aspects of leading a study from a leader’s perspective. It is intended that this initiative will continue into the new year.

PRECEPT MINISTRIES IRELAND LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

3. All Ireland Strategy

Precept Ireland has had the opportunity to host an all-Ireland study group online each month which has been attended by students from across Ireland, including Letterkenny in County Donegal and Gorey in County Wexford. This has been beneficial in connecting with students from different parts of Ireland.

In November 2023 Precept was able to visit Tralee Baptist Church and spend a weekend with the congregation. They facilitated workshops on inductive Bible study, leader training, and spent time with church leadership. This weekend provided a template for how Precept could engage with churches across Ireland in the future.

4. Social Media

Precept Ireland have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with an average of 5-8 posts per week. Over the year engagement has increased on all platforms.

Precept Ireland also has a channel on YouTube, and throughout the year has featured interviews with Precept leaders and students.

5. Classes & Training

During the year we were able to deliver six leader training events, with six volunteers trained in the Precept Upon Precept method.

The National Director was also involved in the delivery of two Precept Leader Academies. This was done in partnership with the UK office, and focused on the Discover 4 Yourself resources and the New Inductive Study Series.

Precept Ireland now has a range of workshops available for churches to book throughout the year. The ministry was also able to visit several churches throughout the year and speak about inductive study. These churches included Down Parish (County Down), Markethill Presbyterian (County Armagh), Rasharkin Presbyterian (County Antrim).

6. Bible Study Resources

The Administrative Assistant has produced several free resources throughout the year that have been made freely available. There has been regular encouragement following these and so it is planned to continue producing them.

Resources have been provided by Precept International (Chattanooga, USA) while on demand printing has been provided by Print NI (Mallusk, Northern Ireland).

Precept has had the privilege of being able to continue to provide free resources to Ukrainian refugees living across Ireland.

7. New Initiatives

During the past year Precept Ireland has sought to develop a partnership with Bible Society Northern Ireland. This culminated in a joint event held in January 2024, hosted by both agencies. This event focused on increasing Biblical confidence and was attended by supporters of both groups. Following its success, both agencies intend to partner again at a summer conference to deliver the seminars.

PRECEPT MINISTRIES IRELAND LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The benefit that the charity provides can be demonstrated in the following statistics for the 2023 - 2024 year:

·	The average number of Bible study students (excl. July/Aug)	613
·	Number of Students March 2024	738
·	The average number of classes (excl. July/Aug)	52
·	Number of classes March 2024	61
·	The number of Bible study leaders active	73

These statistics indicate a slight decrease in the total monthly users of Precept material, but also show an increase in classes, which suggests groups are smaller in size.

Financial review

The results are set out in detail on pages 7 to 16. The charity returned net incoming resources for the year of £10,171 (2023 net outgoing resources: £1,296) leaving unrestricted funds of £43,578 (2023: £32,235) and restricted funds of £nil (2023: £1,172). The unrestricted funds are considered to be essential to provide sufficient funds to cover any unforeseen costs which may arise and fulfill legal obligations of the charity in the event that current levels of income are not maintained.

The Ministry’s principal funding sources are voluntary donations, the sale of Inductive Bible Study resources, one off gifts and financial support from Precept Ministries International. Costs have been maintained to a minimum.

The charity operates as a debt-free Ministry.

Reserves policy

In relation to financial planning the Trustees strive to achieve a goal to provide a cash operating reserve of not less than 90 days operating funds (excluding depreciation) at the year end.

Structure, governance and management

The company is registered as a charitable company limited by guarantee, company number NI629985, and was set up by a Memorandum of Association, on 13 March 2015. The company is constituted under a Memorandum of Association and is a registered charity, charity number NIC105799, registered 3 April 2017.

The charity is constituted with a Board of Directors and one National Director who oversees the day to day running of the Ministry. The registered office for the Ministry during this reporting period is Unit 9A, NCM House, 218 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1GY.

At the beginning of the financial year the Ministry employed three members of staff, the National Director (full time), an Office Administrator (part time), and an Administrative Assistant (part time).

The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

Mr N Watts Mr C Green (Chairperson) Mrs P Jones Mr S Broad (Board secretary) Mr D McClurg

Routine decisions are made by the National Director. Major decisions are decided corporately by the Board of Directors and the National Director. The Ministry is affiliated to Precept Ministries International based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.

The day to day management has been delegated by the Trustees to the National Director. GMcG Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors served as accountants during the period of this report.

PRECEPT MINISTRIES IRELAND LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

Other matters

The Trustees regularly review the work of the Ministry to identify the major risks to which the Ministry is exposed. They then implement procedures designed to minimise any potential impact on the Ministry. A special risk assessment was put in place for a return to office working post covid.

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees, and signed on its behalf by:

Mr C Green (Chairperson) Trustee

3 October 2024