Updates to the Faithlife Team

Today is a significant day at Faithlife, and I want to share some news directly with you all and explain what’s happening and why.

We’ve made the difficult decision to downsize our workforce and part ways with a number of Faithlife employees. We’re very sad to see these colleagues and friends go, and we’ll be supporting them as they find their next employer.

Faithlife is not in financial trouble, and we are committed to serving and supporting you, our users - and are confident in our ability to do so for decades to come.

2020 and 2021 (especially the first half) were strong growth years for us, as we added more new users than in any comparable period. We now realize that much of that growth was fueled by what’s been referred to as the “COVID bump,” the growth in consumer eCommerce spending due to economic stimulus and extra time and occasion to study the Bible. We didn’t sufficiently appreciate that some of this growth was temporary and would slow after things started getting back to normal and the stimulus funds ended. Nor did we anticipate the current economic slowdown and the impact that it would have on spending.

Our cost structure has been growing faster than revenue for a few years now, and we’ve accepted this as a worthy tradeoff as we invest in the future of our business and the furtherance of our mission. Unfortunately the current economic climate has exposed the limits of this model, and made clear that we cannot continue investing at this rate. While we’re still growing, are financially stable and are very optimistic about our future, we’ve chosen to take action now to provide breathing room to weather changes in the global economy, and to give us the flexibility to invest more intentionally in future growth opportunities.

While this is incredibly painful, we believe it’s the right decision to ensure we’re around for decades to come as we steward our responsibility to “use technology to equip the Church to grow in the light of the Bible” and “increase biblical literacy and accessibility for every Christian around the world.”

We invite you to join us in praying for those who are no longer with us that God would be their strength and provide for them and their families.

Vik

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Comments

Kiyah

Tough decision. Thanks for communicating this with us. My prayers are for the employees and families impacted. May God continue to provide for them in new ways that they couldn't have otherwise imagined. My prayers are also for wisdom for Faithlife leaders to make sound decisions to continue to take Faithlife into a sustainable future.

DMB

Well, about every 6 years or so.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article53186915.html

Bill

While this is incredibly painful,

In deed, and very sad for us as well. You all are as friends in many ways

We invite you to join us in praying for those who are no longer with us that God would be their strength and provide for them and their families.

Absolutely, many here will be praying, I will be for sure.

Kiyah

Well, about every 6 years or so.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article53186915.html

Paywall. [:(]

Dave Hooton

Thank you for communicating, Vik.

I pray for all that are affected by this decision.

David Paul

Fire someone while it is called "Today"!

Joey Midgett

Prayers for those that had to be let go and for Faithlife to continue to grow and prosper as a company.

skypeace

GaoLu

I am sure this tough for everyone. Looking for a new job, Losing a great one. Taking on other work. Missing friends and co-workers. Readjusting. Prayers for all.

Doc B

So, who'd we lose?

Some of those folks have been very helpful to me; I'd like to pray for them by name.

Surely a still-profitable company gave them generous severance and didn't just put them out on the street, right? I'd kinda like to know this if I'm going to continue sending you money on occasion.

(On a side note, not meaning to be overtly political but simply factual, if you didn't anticipate what the stimulus payments and gross printing of funny-money would do to the economy, you haven't been paying attention for the last 50 years. That theoretical notion comes home to roost when it costs good people (and not just at FL!) their jobs.)

Joseph Turner

So, who'd we lose?

I wouldn't expect Faithlife to say who was let go, but I would be interested to know which departments were cut. It seems that if the point of this post is to get out in front of the news in order to provide comfort and reassurance to Faithlife's customers, then knowing what departments were cut would help in that regard.

DMB

Well, if FL's sextuple-year (had to see if that word would pass) layoffs are any guide, you find out 'who' or 'what' when 'oh, he's gone' drips .... and drips.

I agree with Doc ... and also not political, but fake money disappears. I know FL tries to be forward thinking, but they do have a habit of dumping (customers, along with employees).

Ronald Quick

Does anyone know if is Mark Barnes still with Faithlife?

xnman

Well, if FL's sextuple-year (had to see if that word would pass) layoffs are any guide, you find out 'who' or 'what' when 'oh, he's gone' drips .... and drips.

I agree with Doc ... and also not political, but fake money disappears. I know FL tries to be forward thinking, but they do have a habit of dumping (customers, along with employees).

Dumping customers? YIKES! Hope I don't get dumped.... [8-|]

EastTN

...My prayers are for the employees and families impacted. May God continue to provide for them in new ways that they couldn't have otherwise imagined. My prayers are also for wisdom for Faithlife leaders to make sound decisions to continue to take Faithlife into a sustainable future.

Amen

Robert M. Warren

For our friends whom we are accustomed to see here on the forums, a profile picture gone generic can be a clue.

So, who'd we lose?

I wouldn't expect Faithlife to say who was let go, but I would be interested to know which departments were cut. It seems that if the point of this post is to get out in front of the news in order to provide comfort and reassurance to Faithlife's customers, then knowing what departments were cut would help in that regard.

MJ. Smith

copied from facebook:

Well this has been a very challenging week. Wednesday was my last day at Faithlife, after 9 years due to the company restructuring I along with about 40 other amazing co-workers were let go. I am still kind of processing everything, but I know the Lord has a plan for what happens next and will be with me and my family on this next step of our journey. Please pray for me and the others who were let go.

GregW

So, who'd we lose?

i just had a search on “Faithlife” on LinkedIn and then looked at the people showing “Past” in their FL experience. Quite a few of these show them having left in September 2022. There are also some showing green #OpentoWork emblems on their profile pictures who left in September 2022. Apart from Philana, there wasn’t anyone I’ve seen who frequents the forums. I did learn, however, that Steven Runge left a while ago.

If you have a paid-for LinkedIn account you can probably do a more sophisticated search. I don’t!

Brian Kent

Faithlife is a great company, I'm so thankful for my time there. As hard as it was for me to leave just a few months ago by my own choice, I can only imagine where the hearts of many of my former team members are at. Thanks for praying for them. Some of the former Faithlifer's have chosen to share their information as they are re-entering the job market. You'll find the link in this public post from Andrew.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/daddy-you-lost-your-job-andrew-gustafson/?trackingId=7HLVVoEwThWlRqpBpsikxA%3D%3D

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6977749880974843904/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6977749880974843904%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

Joseph Turner

Faithlife is a great company, I'm so thankful for my time there. As hard as it was for me to leave just a few months ago by my own choice, I can only imagine where the hearts of many of my former team members are at. Thanks for praying for them. Some of the former Faithlifer's have chosen to share their information as they are re-entering the job market. You'll find the link in this public post from Andrew.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/daddy-you-lost-your-job-andrew-gustafson/?trackingId=7HLVVoEwThWlRqpBpsikxA%3D%3D

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6977749880974843904/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6977749880974843904%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

In the post linked, Andrew states, "An entire team of very talented first party content creators, the Instructional Media Team, had also been eliminated. Their work over the last decade, creating over 600 amazing seminary level 2-12 hour video courses will live on as royalty free high margin products in the expansive SKU library, but no new courses will likely be produced."

Does this mean no more Mobile Ed courses will be produced?

Kiyah

In the post linked, Andrew states, "An entire team of very talented first party content creators, the Instructional Media Team, had also been eliminated. Their work over the last decade, creating over 600 amazing seminary level 2-12 hour video courses will live on as royalty free high margin products in the expansive SKU library, but no new courses will likely be produced."

Does this mean no more Mobile Ed courses will be produced?

I noticed that too. That's definitely what it sounds like. I wonder if they're shifting toward selling other people's courses rather than producing their own, or are they moving away from selling courses altogether?

HansK

I also noticed that Bob has started a new firm.

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SineNomine

We invite you to join us in praying for those who are no longer with us that God would be their strength and provide for them and their families.

Will do.

Faithlife is a great company, I'm so thankful for my time there. As hard as it was for me to leave just a few months ago by my own choice, I can only imagine where the hearts of many of my former team members are at. Thanks for praying for them. Some of the former Faithlifer's have chosen to share their information as they are re-entering the job market. You'll find the link in this public post from Andrew.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/daddy-you-lost-your-job-andrew-gustafson/?trackingId=7HLVVoEwThWlRqpBpsikxA%3D%3D

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6977749880974843904/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6977749880974843904%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

Wow, this layoff seems really brutal! Even Sean Boisen has been eliminated!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d3znRXx9AWQxpgnFcyP5V9UFoe5RI-hFl3wtcPqMFGY/edit#gid=0

The new CEO shows his true colors. Firing the entire Mobile Ed team, plus the Senior Information Architect.

Perhaps the CEO or Executive Chairman (Bob) can explain what's the strategy / strategic shift behind all this (e.g. exiting x market or product type; doubling down investment in y market or product line, etc)?

MJ. Smith

Even Sean Boisen has been eliminated!

It will be interesting to watch the data architecture evolve over the next few years - it's an important but undervalued role in IT.

Jon

Faithlife is a great company, I'm so thankful for my time there. As hard as it was for me to leave just a few months ago by my own choice, I can only imagine where the hearts of many of my former team members are at. Thanks for praying for them. Some of the former Faithlifer's have chosen to share their information as they are re-entering the job market. You'll find the link in this public post from Andrew.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/daddy-you-lost-your-job-andrew-gustafson/?trackingId=7HLVVoEwThWlRqpBpsikxA%3D%3D

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6977749880974843904/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6977749880974843904%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

Wow, this layoff seems really brutal! Even Sean Boisen has been eliminated!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d3znRXx9AWQxpgnFcyP5V9UFoe5RI-hFl3wtcPqMFGY/edit#gid=0

The new CEO shows his true colors. Firing the entire Mobile Ed team, plus the Senior Information Architect.

Perhaps the CEO or Executive Chairman (Bob) can explain what's the strategy / strategic shift behind all this (e.g. exiting x market or product type; doubling down investment in y market or product line, etc)?

Mobile Ed courses were my on-ramp into Logos, as they have been for many people I know. It wasn’t the software itself or the books that drew me to it initially, and I would never have gotten into it for either of those features. If it wasn’t for wanting a seminary level education from top scholars, I never would have wound up learning to love and appreciate the Logos ecosystem. I really hope they aren’t doing away with producing future Mobil Ed courses, or replacing them with the crappy Zondervan courses that don’t even come with transcripts, which is a dealbreaker for many.

Mattillo

Faithlife is a great company, I'm so thankful for my time there. As hard as it was for me to leave just a few months ago by my own choice, I can only imagine where the hearts of many of my former team members are at. Thanks for praying for them. Some of the former Faithlifer's have chosen to share their information as they are re-entering the job market. You'll find the link in this public post from Andrew.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/daddy-you-lost-your-job-andrew-gustafson/?trackingId=7HLVVoEwThWlRqpBpsikxA%3D%3D

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6977749880974843904/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A6977749880974843904%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

Thank you for sharing this... I really wish I didn't read it as it was very sad. I pray that all find some resolution to the situations they are now in.

Mattillo

So, who'd we lose?

I did learn, however, that Steven Runge left a while ago.

I didn't know that but it makes sense since I haven't seen his name in a while. I really, really liked his High Def commentaries. I wish they sold better and they are a gem and undervalued IMHO

Jim Erwin

Well, about every 6 years or so.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article53186915.html

Paywall.

Turn off your Ad Blocker. That fixed it for me.