Church of the Highlands

What Church of the Highlands does

Church of the Highlands is a non-profit religious organization headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, operating 26 campuses across Alabama and Georgia under the legal entity Church of the Highlands, Inc. The organization runs a four-pillar mission (Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, Make a Difference) delivered through weekly worship services, age-segmented ministries (Highlands Kids, Motion Students, ONE College, Highlands Haven), the proprietary 13-week Freedom Groups curriculum, the Growth Track onboarding program, Small Groups, and a Dream Team volunteer program with 21,800 volunteers serving weekly across 29 correctional facilities and community programs. The church also operates adjacent subsidiaries including Highlands College (theological education), Highlands College Leadership Institute (HCLI), The Lodge at Grants Mill (pastoral retreat), and Highlands Resources (free digital ministry resources for external church leaders).

The technology layer supporting this ministry consists of the Highlands App (iOS/Android/TV), Highlands Online livestream at live.churchofthehighlands.com, the Highlands Portal (connect.churchofthehighlands.com) for member profiles, prayer requests, and volunteer scheduling, the Pray First app (guided prayer plans tied to the 21 Days of Prayer initiative), and a Church Management System (ChMs) integrated with Pushpay for donation processing, Meta Pixel, and Google Analytics/Tag Manager for measurement. Free ministry resources (training videos, curriculum, creative assets, job descriptions) are distributed globally through resources.churchofthehighlands.com. The technology stack is functional and integrated but uses mainstream third-party tools rather than proprietary AI or platform infrastructure.

The business model is voluntary donations: services are free to attend, and revenue is generated through tithes and offerings collected in-person, online via Pushpay, through the mobile app, text-to-give, and mail. No pricing model exists for congregants; no advertising is run on the church's digital properties. The organization markets through its website, mobile apps, podcasts, email/SMS, social media, conferences (MOTION Conference), training events (ARC Launch), and the Lodge at Grants Mill retreat center. Geographic reach is concentrated in the US Southeast (Alabama and Georgia), with digital content extending globally via streaming and the resources portal. Financial information is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Church of the Highlands

Legal name

Church of the Highlands, Inc.

Website

https://churchofthehighlands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Church of the Highlands is a non-profit religious organization operating 26 campuses across Alabama and Georgia, serving congregants through worship services, age-segmented ministries, small groups, and a volunteer network of 21,800, funded by voluntary tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA), Places of Worship & Religious Facilities Operations (Cemeteries, Retreat Centers, Pilgrimage Sites) (BPAGAJAL)

Keywords

• Multi-campus church
• Religious services
• Ministry programs
• Online worship streaming
• Theological education

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary donations from attendees through in-person giving, online giving via Pushpay, mobile app giving, text-to-give, and mail-in donations. Church provides annual giving statements for donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Church of the Highlands is a non-profit Christian organization that operates 26 physical campuses across Alabama and Georgia, delivering weekly worship services, small groups, children's and student ministries, and community outreach programs. It sustains a digital ministry ecosystem comprising the Highlands App, Highlands Online streaming, member portal, and a free resources portal for other churches, along with affiliated Highlands College for theological education. Operations are funded entirely through voluntary tithes and offerings from attendees.

Product overview

Church of the Highlands operates a multi-platform ministry ecosystem centered around 26 campuses across Alabama and Georgia. The core digital infrastructure consists of the Highlands App (mobile engagement platform), Highlands Online (live streaming), Highlands Portal (member management), and Highlands Resources (free ministry resources for other churches). Supporting programs include 21 Days of Prayer (annual fasting initiative with Pray First app), Small Groups with the proprietary Freedom Curriculum, Growth Track membership program, and student/children's ministries (Highlands Kids, Motion Students, ONE College, Highlands Haven). The organization also operates Highlands College (theological education), The Lodge at Grants Mill (pastoral retreat), and Highlands en Español (Spanish-language campus). The product portfolio functions as an integrated church management ecosystem rather than a standalone software product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Highlands Kids: Children's ministry for kids 6 weeks through 5th grade
• Motion Students
• ONE College
• Highlands Haven
• Freedom Groups

Products and services

• Highlands App

Quantifiable outcome

• 390,000+ decisions to follow Jesus recorded over 25 years
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ARC (Association of Related Churches)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026ARC hosted its ARC Launch church planter training event at Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, AL with nearly 100 potential church planters and ministry leaders. Church of the Highlands serves as a host venue for ARC training events. Additional ARC Launch events are scheduled for 2026 in Minneapolis, Carlsbad, and Birmingham.
• GrowLeaderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrowLeader is referenced as a ministry partner on the Highlands Resources page, along with ARC and Highlands College.
• Highlands CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighlands College is the church's own Bible college and leadership institute that trains future ministry leaders. Highlands College Leadership Institute (HCLI) provides additional training resources.
• PushpaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPushpay is the third-party payment processor used for online donation payments through Church of the Highlands sites. Financial information provided online is processed by Pushpay.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North Point Ministries: Atlanta-based multi-site church network founded by Andy Stanley with multiple campuses across the metro Atlanta area and digital distribution. Most directly comparable peer due to multi-site model, large volunteer base, and digital ministry infrastructure serving the same Southeastern US region.
• Life.Church: Oklahoma-based multi-site church with one of the most-downloaded church mobile apps and digital ministry platforms (YouVersion Bible app). Highly comparable due to multi-campus footprint, proprietary app technology, and digitally-led engagement model.
• Elevation Church: Charlotte, NC-based mega-church led by Steven Furtick with multiple campuses and a strong digital content/social media presence. Comparable scale, multi-site model, and emphasis on digital streaming and worship content.
• Gateway Church: Texas-based multi-campus church with locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth metro and beyond. Comparable as a multi-site evangelical megachurch with affiliated ministries, volunteer programs, and digital engagement infrastructure.
• Saddleback Church: California-based multi-campus megachurch founded by Rick Warren (Purpose Driven movement) with a global church-planting network and leadership training programs. Comparable in scale, multi-site footprint, and church-planting/resource partnerships.
• Summit Church: North Carolina-based multi-site church (formerly Summit Church Durham) with multiple campuses and a strong online presence. Comparable multi-site Southeastern US evangelical model with digital broadcast ministry.
• Transformation Church: South Carolina-based multi-site church led by Derwin and Tiffany Gray. Comparable in regional Southeast US multi-campus footprint, online streaming, and modern worship content distribution model.
• Southeast Christian Church: Kentucky-based large multi-site evangelical church with multiple campuses and digital engagement programs. Comparable multi-site scale and Southeastern US geographic footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Willow Creek Community Church: Historic Illinois-based multi-site megachurch and pioneer of the seeker-sensitive movement with a global leadership training legacy (Willow Creek Association). Comparable as a large multi-site evangelical church with broad influence, though older and more established than Church of the Highlands.

Others

• ARC (Association of Related Churches): Church-planting network that partners with Church of the Highlands to host training events and resource planters. Relevant as an ecosystem partner rather than a competitor, but operates in the same church-planting and leadership-development domain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/church-of-the-highlands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Church of the Highlands