GuideStone

What GuideStone does

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention is a non-profit financial services organization founded in 1918 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with 251-500 employees. The company provides retirement plans (403(b)s, IRAs, rollovers, wealth management), insurance products (health, dental, life, disability, accident, property and casualty), and faith-based investment management through its GuideStone Funds family, all aligned with biblical values and tailored to the unique tax situations of ministers (dual tax status, housing allowance, SECA vs. FICA). It serves Southern Baptist churches and affiliated ministries, Christian institutions and schools (including the Evangelical Covenant Church and Dallas Baptist University), Christian nonprofits, and individual Christian households, with services offered in English, Spanish, and Korean.

GuideStone distributes through a multi-channel model combining toll-free phone sales (1-888-98-GUIDE), self-service digital platforms (MyGuideStone member portal, Employer Access, Institutional Access, online insurance enrollment, account opening at start.guidestone.org), dedicated bilingual representatives, and denominational outreach through state Baptist conventions. Operating affiliates include GuideStone Agency Services (a licensed P&C insurance agency, NPN#11466614) and GuideStone Advisors (an SEC Registered Investment Adviser). Revenue is generated through recurring insurance premiums, plan administration fees, and asset-based investment management fees on fund AUM. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with reference points including $50,000 term life coverage from $2.50/month for a 30-year-old and $3,000 in supplemental retirement contributions over five years for churches with budgets under $75,000.

The company operates a platform-plus-modules architecture built on member-facing web infrastructure hardened with AES encryption, multi-factor authentication, voice biometrics, and security text alerts, and supports its offerings with extensive educational content (GuideStone Magazine, the Member Journey program, financial calculators, webinars, and minister-specific resources). Its Mission:Dignity charitable program provides financial assistance to retired Southern Baptist ministers, workers, and widows, reinforcing the denominational social contract. GuideStone does not offer a public API, mobile app, or disclosed AI/ML capabilities, and its technology footprint is conventional for an established insurance/retirement administrator.

Name

GuideStone

Legal name

GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention

Website

https://guidestone.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1918

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

GuideStone is a non-profit financial services organization affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, providing faith-based retirement plans, insurance, and investment management products to SBC churches, ministries, Christian institutions, and individual Christian households across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Financial Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Trust, Fiduciary & Estate Planning Services (FSABADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Faith-based retirement plans
• Ministry insurance products
• Church financial services
• Faith-aligned investments
• Minister benefits administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Insurance Premiums: GuideStone offers health plans, dental, life insurance, disability, and accident coverage. Premiums are collected from individuals and organizations (churches, ministries). Property and casualty insurance is offered through GuideStone Agency Services for churches.
2. Retirement Plan Administration: GuideStone provides 403(b) retirement plans for employees of churches, schools, associations, universities, hospitals, and other eligible organizations. Revenue is generated through plan administration fees.
3. Investment Management: GuideStone Funds offers faith-based investment options. Revenue is generated through investment management fees on fund assets under management.
4. GuideStone Agency Services: Property and casualty insurance agency offering unique coverage for ministries with risk management resources. Earns commissions on insurance products sold.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GuideStone is a faith-based financial services organization that provides retirement plans, life and disability insurance, investment management products, and wealth advisory services to Southern Baptist churches, pastors, ministry workers, and related institutions. It also operates Mission:Dignity, which provides direct financial support to retired Southern Baptist ministers and their spouses.

Product overview

GuideStone is a financial services organization serving Southern Baptist churches, ministries, and Christian households with a comprehensive suite of biblically-aligned financial solutions. The offering is a platform-plus-modules architecture built around three core pillars: Retirement Solutions (individual and employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, IRAs, rollovers, wealth management, and institutional consulting), Insurance and Health Plans (health, dental, life, disability, accident, and property/casualty coverage), and Investments (GuideStone Funds with Christian values alignment). These are supported by digital platforms (MyGuideStone member portal, Employer Access for organizations, Institutional Access for large clients, and insurance enrollment/quote tools), educational resources (GuideStone Member Journey, financial calculators, videos, webinars, and GuideStone Magazine), and the Mission:Dignity charitable program for retired ministers. Services are available in English, Spanish, and Korean. The company leverages Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption and multi-factor authentication for security, but does not offer a public API or AI/ML capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GuideStone Funds: Faith-based mutual fund family offering investments aligned with Christian values
• GuideStone Agency Services
• GuideStone Advisors
• Mission:Dignity
• MyGuideStone

Products and services

• GuideStone Retirement Plan (Individual)
• GuideStone Retirement Plan (Organization-Sponsored)
• GuideStone Life and Health Insurance
• GuideStone Funds
• GuideStone Wealth Management
• GuideStone Agency Services
• Mission:Dignity

Quantifiable outcome

• Churches with budgets under $75,000 may receive $3,000 in retirement contributions over 5 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Southern Baptist ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary denominational partnership - GuideStone is the official financial resources entity for the Southern Baptist Convention, providing retirement plans, insurance, and investment services to affiliated churches and ministers. This is the foundational relationship upon which GuideStone was established.
• State Baptist ConventionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with state conventions enable churches to receive free family protection benefits and disability benefits, and allow qualifying churches to receive additional retirement contributions from GuideStone.
• GuideStone FundscoreTechnology or IntegrationGuideStone Funds is a controlled affiliate offering faith-based mutual fund investments. The funds align with Christian values and are distributed exclusively through GuideStone's platforms.
• GuideStone Agency ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed insurance agency (NPN#11466614) that is an affiliate of GuideStone, offering property and casualty insurance products specifically designed for churches and ministries.
• GuideStone AdvisorscoreTechnology or IntegrationSEC Registered Investment Adviser affiliate that provides financial planning and advisory services. Registered in the United States with advisory services available across jurisdictions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company: Insurance company that specializes in protecting churches and faith-based organizations with property, liability, and ministry-specific coverage. Directly comparable to GuideStone Agency Services' P&C offering for Southern Baptist and evangelical churches.
• Church Mutual Insurance Company: Specialty insurer serving religious organizations, churches, and faith-based schools with property, liability, and related coverage. Comparable to GuideStone's property & casualty insurance line targeted at ministry facilities.
• GuideOne Insurance: Mutual insurance company focused on churches, religious organizations, and schools. Direct competitor to GuideStone Agency Services in the faith-based P&C market, with overlapping customers in evangelical ministry segments.
• Everence Financial: Anabaptist/Mennonite faith-based financial services organization offering retirement plans, insurance, investments, and banking to churches and members. Closest direct peer to GuideStone as a denomination-affiliated financial services platform.
• Concordia Plan Services: Benefits and retirement services arm of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, providing health, retirement, and disability benefits to LCMS workers and congregations. Same denominational-affiliation model as GuideStone's relationship with the SBC.
• Mennonite Financial Associates (MMA): Mennonite-affiliated insurance and financial services organization offering property/casualty insurance, annuities, and retirement products to Anabaptist churches and members. Comparable faith-aligned financial services model.
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Pension Fund: Denomination-affiliated retirement benefits provider serving Disciples of Christ clergy and lay employees. Directly analogous to GuideStone's role administering retirement plans for SBC ministers and staff.

Broad incumbents

• TIAA: Large non-profit financial services organization serving academic, research, medical, and cultural sector employees with retirement, investment, and advice. Broader-scale incumbent operating in adjacent non-profit/employer retirement markets that overlap with GuideStone's institutional reach.
• Fidelity Investments: One of the largest U.S. asset managers and retirement plan administrators, offering 403(b), IRAs, wealth management, and insurance products. Broad incumbent that competes with GuideStone for institutional retirement plan mandates and individual wealth management dollars.

Regional players

• Ministerial Association of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (MACA) Retirement Plan: Denominational retirement program serving Christian and Missionary Alliance pastors. Smaller scale faith-aligned retirement administrator with a comparable minister-focused product model, illustrating the broader competitive set of denomination-specific retirement providers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GuideStone

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GuideStone