Brethren Press

What Brethren Press does

Brethren Press is the official publishing ministry of the Church of the Brethren, a Christian denomination in the Anabaptist tradition. Founded in 1853 and headquartered at 1451 Dundee Avenue in Elgin, Illinois, the organization produces and sells religious books, Bible study curriculum, vacation Bible school programs, children's literature, youth ministry materials, church supplies, and heritage publications. Its catalog is organized into sub-brands including SHINE Curriculum (Sunday school), Wee Wonder (early childhood), Reach and Generation Why (youth), Good Ground Bible Studies and Covenant Bible Studies (adult), Believers Church Bible Commentaries (scholarly), Inglenook Cookbooks, and Annual Conference resources. Core technology is a traditional publishing stack delivering products in print and digital (PDF/download) formats, with multilingual offerings in English, Spanish (Sal y Luz), and Haitian Creole.

The company operates exclusively as a direct-to-consumer business through its e-commerce website (www.brethrenpress.com), supplemented by phone orders (800-441-3712) and email ([email protected]). It ships physical products within the United States via UPS, USPS Ground Advantage, and USPS Priority Mail, and explicitly does not ship to Canada. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales across price points ranging from $0.95 (pamphlets) to $259.99 (VBS boxed sets) and $220.00 (Brethren Encyclopedia 4-volume set). The primary customer segment is Church of the Brethren congregations and members seeking denominational-specific curriculum, with a secondary horizontal market of broader Christian churches and individuals drawn to peace, justice, and Anabaptist theological perspectives. The organization maintains a nonprofit ministry structure under direct ownership of the Church of the Brethren, with no venture capital, private equity, or public ownership involvement.

Name

Brethren Press

Legal name

Brethren Press

Website

https://brethrenpress.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1897

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brethren Press is the official nonprofit publishing ministry of the Church of the Brethren, producing and selling denominational Bible study curriculum, children's books, youth materials, and church resources directly to US congregations and individuals via e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Elgin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Brethren Press generates revenue through the sale of religious books, Bible studies, curriculum materials, church resources, and merchandise directly to consumers and churches. Products include adult Bible studies, children's books, vacation Bible school materials, youth curriculum, heritage/historical materials, and church supplies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Brethren Press is the official publishing ministry of the Church of the Brethren, producing and selling religious books, adult Bible studies, children's and youth curriculum, vacation Bible school materials, heritage publications, and church supplies in both print and digital formats. Products are sold directly to churches, families, and individuals in the United States through the company's own e-commerce website, phone, and email channels.

Product overview

Brethren Press is a religious publishing house operated by the Church of the Brethren, offering a comprehensive portfolio of Christian educational materials. The core offerings include: (1) SHINE and Wee Wonder children's curriculum programs for Sunday school and early childhood education; (2) Vacation Bible School (VBS) complete programs; (3) Youth curriculum under the Reach and Generation Why brands covering topics from basic faith formation to mental health and sacred practices; (4) Adult Bible study materials including Good Ground Bible Studies, Covenant Bible Studies, A Guide for Biblical Studies, and Believers Church Bible Commentaries; (5) Membership preparation curriculum (Heart, Soul and Mind); (6) Heritage materials documenting Church of the Brethren history including the four-volume Brethren Encyclopedia; (7) Inglenook Cookbook series and merchandise; (8) General books on faith, peace, justice, and Christian ministry; (9) Church resources including Annual Conference materials, bulletins, and certificates. The company ships physical products via UPS, USPS Ground Advantage, and USPS Priority Mail to customers in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SHINE Curriculum: Children's curriculum program for Sunday school and church education
• Good Ground Bible Studies
• Covenant Bible Studies
• Inglenook

Products and services

• SHINE Curriculum Comprehensive Sunday school curriculum for children and youth across multiple age groups (PreK-K, Elementary, Junior Youth), offered as teaching kits, student materials, and digital downloads with seasonal editions.
• Wee Wonder Curriculum Early childhood curriculum for young children featuring Bible activity cards covering foundational faith themes for preschool-aged children.
• Vacation Bible School (VBS) Complete Vacation Bible School program including director guides, activity posters, Bible studies, art and science activities, early childhood materials, and boxed sets.
• Reach Youth Curriculum Youth ministry curriculum covering topics including Jesus, discipleship, church membership, faith and mental health, and sacred rhythms, available in digital format.
• Generation Why Youth Curriculum Youth Bible study materials exploring faith topics including conflict resolution, miracles, peer pressure, and biblical wisdom in print and PDF formats.
• Good Ground Bible Studies Adult Bible study series covering books of the Bible including Mark, Corinthians, Job, Judges, and Luke-Acts in digital and print formats.
• Covenant Bible Studies In-depth Bible study series covering Old and New Testament books including Daniel, 1 & 2 Peter, Jude, and 1 Corinthians, with focus on faithfulness and encouragement themes.
• The Language of Lament (Covenant Bible Study) New Covenant Bible Study title released in 2024 as part of the Covenant Bible Study series.
• A Guide for Biblical Studies Quarterly Bible study guide providing structured study materials for congregations with Standard Lesson Commentary in NIV translation.
• Believers Church Bible Commentaries Scholarly commentary series on Bible books from an Anabaptist perspective covering 1 & 2 Corinthians, Acts, Daniel, Kings, Chronicles, Timothy, Titus, James, and others.
• Salt & Light Bible Studies Biblical studies guide available in English and Spanish (Sal y Luz) with seasonal Fall editions and ongoing curriculum.
• Heart, Soul and Mind Membership Curriculum Church of the Brethren membership preparation program with DVD, leader's guide, and membership handbook components.
• Let Our Joys Be Known Heritage Curriculum Brethren heritage education curriculum for adults and children exploring Church of the Brethren history and traditions, with DVD support.
• Inglenook Cookbooks Cookbook series including Granddaughter's Inglenook Cookbook, Inglenook Desserts, New Inglenook Cookbook, and historical reprints of the 1901 and 1911 Inglenook cookbooks, plus Inglenook-themed merchandise such as mugs and aprons.
• Children's Books Children's literature including faith-based stories, heritage education, and multicultural resources, with featured titles such as 25 Days to Jesus, Beatrice's Goat, Faith the Cow, and Nathan's Secret.
• Washing My Sister's Feet Children's book celebrating family, tradition, forgiveness, and faith, written by Gimbiya Kettering and illustrated by Gabhor Utomo; launched in 2024.
• Heritage Publications Books covering Church of the Brethren history, beliefs, and identity, including the four-volume Brethren Encyclopedia, historical fiction, and children's heritage materials.
• General Books General book publishing covering children's books, heritage materials, faith resources, Christian ministry titles, peace and justice literature, and multilingual resources in Spanish and Haitian Creole.
• Church Resources Annual Conference materials, bulletins, certificates, pamphlets, deacon resources, hymnal and songbooks, offering envelopes, yearbooks, and disability ministry resources.
• Annual Conference Materials Official Church of the Brethren Annual Conference resources including wrap-up materials, sermons, statements, and USB or downloadable yearbooks.

Segments4 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.

• Church of the BrethrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrethren Press is the official publishing arm of the Church of the Brethren. The company publishes resources that challenge the Church of the Brethren and the wider world to embrace a practical faith. The organization operates as part of the broader Church of the Brethren network, with cross-promotion through denominational websites including www.brethren.org, Shine Curriculum, and Messenger Magazine.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Abingdon Press: Publishing arm of The United Methodist Church, producing adult Bible studies, curriculum, and ministry resources. Directly comparable in mission-driven denominational publishing structure and product mix to Brethren Press.
• Judson Press: Official publisher of the American Baptist Churches USA, producing books on Christian living, ministry, peace, and justice themes. Comparable in mission-driven denominational publishing with similar theological and social-issue content overlap.
• David C Cook: Christian publisher producing children's curriculum (including the Triumph and Beam brands), VBS, and adult Bible studies. A larger but directly comparable competitor in the Sunday school and VBS curriculum space where Brethren Press also competes.
• Concordia Publishing House: Publishing arm of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, producing Sunday school curriculum, VBS materials, Bible studies, and theological books. Highly comparable denominationally-aligned publishing house with similar curriculum-centric product portfolio.
• Standard Publishing: Christian publisher historically tied to the Christian Church/Churches of Christ, producing Sunday school curriculum, VBS, and Bible study materials. A long-standing direct peer in denominational Christian education publishing.
• Augsburg Fortress: Official publishing ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Operates as a denominational publisher producing Sunday school curriculum, Bible studies, hymnals, and theological books — a closely analogous model to Brethren Press's role for the Church of the Brethren.
• Cokesbury: Retail and distribution arm of The United Methodist Publishing House, selling curriculum, Bible studies, and church supplies directly to churches and individuals. Operates a similar DTC catalog model to Brethren Press.
• MennoMedia: Mennonite/Anabaptist-aligned publisher producing curriculum, Bible studies, and books reflecting peace church traditions. Highly comparable given the Anabaptist heritage shared with the Church of the Brethren.
• Church Publishing Incorporated (CPI): Official publisher of The Episcopal Church, offering curriculum, liturgical resources, books, and church supplies. Closely parallels Brethren Press as the publishing ministry of a mainline Protestant denomination.

Broad incumbents

• Wipf and Stock Publishers: Independent academic and religious publisher with a large catalog of theology, biblical studies, and ministry titles. Adjacent competitor in the religious nonfiction and commentary space where Brethren Press's Believers Church Bible Commentaries compete.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brethren-press

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Brethren Press