Lutheran Church of Hope

What Lutheran Church of Hope does

Lutheran Church of Hope is a multi-site Lutheran (LCMC-affiliated) megachurch founded in 1994 and headquartered at 925 Jordan Creek Parkway in West Des Moines, Iowa. It operates as a nonprofit religious organization governed by a church council under Senior Pastor Mike Housholder, with a leadership team spanning outreach, church life, operations, worship, care, missions, communications, and spiritual growth. The church runs seven Hope Campuses across Iowa (West Des Moines, Ames, Ankeny, Grimes, Hope+Elim, Iowa City, Waukee), eight Hope Local Sites throughout the Midwest including a Kansas City metro site, and Hope Online for streaming and digital community, drawing approximately 20,000 weekly worshippers.

Its core products and services span contemporary and traditional worship services, an extensive children's and youth ministry portfolio (HopeKids, PowerLife, Ignition, The Landing, Hope Sports, Vacation Bible School, Nursery, Preschool, Daycare), demographic ministries (Men's, Women's, Encore 50+, REVIVE young adults, Kairos college, Hope en Español), care and recovery programs (Celebrate Recovery, grief and other support groups, Prayer Ministry), community service (The Pantry food assistance, Senior Living Outreach, Local Missions, Global Mission Trips), and sacramental and life-event services (baptisms, weddings, funerals). Digital distribution includes the Pastor Mike Drop podcast, The Word With Webb podcast, and the Whole Holy Bible in a Year reading plan. The underlying technology is built on Ministry Platform by ACS Technologies, a third-party SaaS for member management, giving, groups, registrations, and volunteer coordination; no proprietary technology platform is operated.

The business model is donation-driven: revenue consists of voluntary tithes and offerings from the congregational base, collected through an online 'My Giving Hub' portal and in-person giving, supplemented by ancillary fee-based services (wedding facility fees, daycare tuition, Café Hope food and beverage sales) and mission fundraising. There is no equity ownership, no funding rounds, and no venture or institutional capital; the church operates under a nonprofit governance model with denominational affiliation to Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). The organization employs 51-100 staff and is led by a senior leadership team of 13 named ministers and directors.

Name

Lutheran Church of Hope

Legal name

Lutheran Church of Hope

Website

https://lutheranchurchofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lutheran Church of Hope is a West Des Moines, Iowa-based LCMC-affiliated nonprofit megachurch operating seven campuses, eight Midwest local sites, and a global online stream, serving approximately 20,000 weekly worshippers through worship, youth, recovery, and community service ministries funded by voluntary tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Community Food Services (624210)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Faith-based ministries
• Community outreach programs
• Youth ministry programs
• Small group communities

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: As a nonprofit religious organization, Lutheran Church of Hope generates revenue primarily through voluntary tithes and offerings from its congregation members. Members are encouraged to give financially to support the church's mission, operations, and community programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Lutheran Church of Hope operates as a multi-site megachurch providing weekly worship services (contemporary and traditional), faith-based community programs, youth and family ministries, recovery and pastoral support, childcare services, and global/local mission initiatives. The church serves 20,000 weekly worshippers across seven physical campuses, eight Hope Local Sites, and an online streaming platform in the Midwest.

Product overview

Lutheran Church of Hope is a multi-site megachurch based in West Des Moines, Iowa, with seven physical campuses (West Des Moines, Ames, Ankeny, Grimes, Hope+Elim, Iowa City, Waukee), eight Local Sites across the Midwest, and a thriving online community. The organization operates as a unified ministry platform offering worship services (contemporary and traditional), comprehensive youth programming (HopeKids, PowerLife, Ignition, Hope Sports, Vacation Bible School), community care (Celebrate Recovery, Support Groups, The Pantry food assistance), life event services (baptisms, weddings, funerals), and digital content (Pastor Mike Drop Podcast, Whole Holy Bible in a Year reading plan, Hope Online streaming). The church also provides childcare services (Nursery, Preschool, Daycare), college ministry (Kairos at Iowa State and University of Iowa), and various outreach programs including global and local mission trips. The organization functions as a church with integrated ministry services rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pastor Mike Drop Podcast: A podcast featuring Pastor Mike Housholder and Emily Langpaul discussing faith, life, and where Christ and culture intersect. Available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Products and services

• Hope West Des Moines Campus Main campus location in West Des Moines, Iowa, serving as the central hub of the multi-site network with worship spaces seating 2,500+ people, contemporary and traditional services, and comprehensive ministry programs.
• Hope Online
• Hope Kids Children's ministry program for ages 3 through Grade 5, featuring age-appropriate biblical teaching and activities.
• PowerLife Middle school youth ministry for Grades 6-8, providing spiritual growth and fellowship opportunities.
• Ignition High school youth ministry for Grades 9-12, offering spiritual development and community engagement.
• One Body Special Needs Inclusive ministry program for individuals with disabilities, ensuring accessibility and participation for all.
• Celebrate Recovery Christ-centered 12-step recovery program for adults seeking healing from hurts, habits, and hang-ups, meeting weekly on Thursday evenings.
• Alpha Course exploring Christianity and faith questions, designed for those exploring Christianity or new to church.
• Small Groups Community groups meeting regularly for prayer, connection, growth, and service, fostering Christ-centered relationships.
• The Pantry Food assistance program providing groceries to community members in need, open twice monthly.
• Daycare Full-day childcare services for children, operated by the church.
• REVIVE Young Adult Ministry Ministry for young adults (roughly 20s-30s) focused on faith, fellowship, and life-transition support.
• Kairos College Ministry Ministry for college students at Iowa State University and University of Iowa campuses.
• Hope en Español Spanish-speaking congregation and ministry providing services and worship in Spanish.
• Pastor Mike Drop Podcast Weekly podcast hosted by Pastor Mike Housholder discussing faith, life, and culture, available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
• Whole Holy Bible in a Year Church-wide reading plan covering the entire Bible in one year with daily readings, audio recordings, and podcast accompaniment.
• Baptism Services Baptism services for infants, children, and adults offered weekly through sprinkling or full immersion.
• Wedding Services Wedding coordination and officiating services in the Chapel or Prayer Garden, including pre-marriage classes.
• Funeral Services Celebrations of Life and memorial services with pastoral support and optional luncheons.
• Global Mission Trips International mission trip opportunities for congregants to serve globally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000 weekly worshippers across seven campuses
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran Church of Hope is a member of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC)—a growing movement of over 1,000 Christ-centered churches rooted in Scripture, saved by grace, and united in mission to love and serve the world. This affiliation provides denominational connection and shared mission alignment with other like-minded Lutheran churches.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gateway Church: Gateway Church operates multiple DFW-area campuses plus online services and a large children's/youth programming operation. Directly comparable as a multi-site megachurch with contemporary and traditional services, children's ministry, and outreach programming.
• Life.Church: Life.Church is one of the largest multi-site churches in the U.S., operating dozens of campuses across multiple states plus the YouVersion Bible app and online services. Closely comparable to Lutheran Church of Hope on multi-site scale, digital content distribution, and weekly attendance in the tens of thousands.
• LCBC Church: LCBC (Lancaster County Bible Church) operates a multi-site network across central Pennsylvania with online services, similar multi-site scale, and contemporary programming. Comparable as a multi-site church leveraging video teaching and consistent programming across locations.
• Saddleback Church: Saddleback Church is a historic multi-site megachurch with regional campuses, signature small-group and recovery ministries (Celebrate Recovery originated here), and global PEACE Plan missions. Directly comparable on multi-site model, Celebrate Recovery programming, and global mission footprint that Lutheran Church of Hope mirrors.
• Woodlands Church: Woodlands Church operates multiple campuses in the greater Houston area with contemporary and traditional services, children's programming, and online streaming. Comparable as a multi-site contemporary church with similar programming portfolio and broadcast strategy.
• North Point Community Church: North Point Ministries operates a large multi-site network across the Atlanta metro and beyond, with broadcast-quality online teaching and decentralized campuses. Comparable to Lutheran Church of Hope as a multi-site megachurch with strong online presence and centralized content production.
• Elevation Church: Elevation Church is a multi-site megachurch headquartered in Charlotte, NC, with numerous satellite campuses and a strong online teaching presence led by Pastor Steven Furtick. Directly comparable on multi-site expansion, digital content distribution, and large weekly attendance.
• Crossroads Church: Crossroads Church is a large multi-site church serving the Cincinnati metro with multiple regional campuses and significant online viewership. Comparable Midwest/regional multi-site megachurch with similar weekly attendance scale and programming breadth.
• Willow Creek Community Church: Willow Creek is a Midwest-based (Chicago suburbs) megachurch known for pioneering small groups, seeker-sensitive services, and leadership development. Highly comparable as a long-established Midwest megachurch with similar ministry programming and multisite evolution.
• Christ Community Church: Christ Community Church is a large multi-site church based in the Omaha metro area serving Nebraska and Iowa. Comparable regional/Midwest peer with a multi-site model, contemporary services, and community outreach programs that overlap directly with Lutheran Church of Hope's footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PastorMikeDrop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lutheran-church-of-hope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Lutheran Church of Hope