First Baptist Church of Decatur

What First Baptist Church of Decatur does

First Baptist Church of Decatur (FBCD) is a religious non-profit organization founded in 1862 and headquartered at 308 Clairemont Avenue in Decatur, Georgia. It operates a progressive, welcoming, and affirming Baptist congregation affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) and the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB). The church serves congregants across all life stages through age-segmented ministries including children's, youth, young adult, and senior adult programs, alongside two weekly worship services (traditional Sanctuary service and contemporary Fresh Start service) and supplementary programming such as the Allen Memorial Library, Visual Arts Guild, support groups (AA, Grief Support), and the Assistance Ministry for community members in need.

FBCD's product surface extends beyond worship into fee-based education and childcare services. These include the Decatur Fine Arts Academy (DFAA), a separate 501(c)(3) established in 2023 offering private music lessons ($150-$345/month) and summer camps; First School, a preschool program; and First Camp, providing after-school and summer camp programs ($125-$600 per program). The church's technology stack is light, consisting of a Squarespace website, Mailchimp for email newsletters, Eventbrite for event ticketing, QuickBooks for tuition billing, and Airtable/Wufoo for form management — with no AI/ML components.

The church's revenue model is hybrid: primarily sustained by recurring tithes and offerings from congregants (collected in services and via online giving), supplemented by tuition from DFAA music lessons, First School preschool fees, and First Camp registration fees. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, leveraging word-of-mouth, local partnerships (16+ community alliances including Decatur Cooperative Ministry, Boy Scouts, Decatur-Avondale Children's Choir), off-site events (Pub Theology at Wild Heaven Brewery, Ice Creamology at Cremalosa), and the Conversations author event series to attract and retain members in the Decatur, GA catchment.

Name

First Baptist Church of Decatur

Legal name

First Baptist Church of Decatur

Website

https://fbcdecatur.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1862

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Baptist Church of Decatur is a 163-year-old progressive Baptist congregation in Decatur, Georgia offering worship services, age-segmented ministries, fee-based music education via the Decatur Fine Arts Academy, preschool, camps, and community assistance programs to local families and congregants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious services and faith-based community programming

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Infant/Early Childhood Consultation (0–5) (EDACAFAO), Faith-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAN), Community & Nonprofit Before/After Care Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAD), Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Faith community ministry
• Music education programs
• Preschool childcare services
• Community assistance ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional church revenue through member donations, tithes, and offerings collected during worship services and through online giving platforms.
2. Decatur Fine Arts Academy: Private music lessons and summer arts programs for children and adults. Provides revenue through monthly tuition and camp registration fees.
3. First School Preschool: Full and part-time preschool positions generating revenue through tuition for early childhood education services.
4. First Camp: After-school and summer camp programs for children providing before/after care and camp registration fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First Baptist Church of Decatur delivers weekly Christian worship services (Traditional in the Sanctuary and Contemporary Fresh Start in Carreker Hall) alongside age-based ministry programs for children, youth, young adults, and seniors. It also operates affiliated fee-based programs including the Decatur Fine Arts Academy (private music lessons and camps), First School (preschool), and First Camp (after-school and summer camp), plus community support through an Assistance Ministry, Support Groups, and the Allen Memorial Library.

Product overview

First Baptist Church of Decatur is a church offering a portfolio of faith-based programs and community services. The core offering includes worship services (Traditional and Contemporary/Fresh Start) along with age-based ministry programs for children, youth, young adults, and seniors. Related programs include the Decatur Fine Arts Academy (music education with private lessons, camps, and concert series), First School (preschool), First Camp (childcare/summer camp), Allen Memorial Library (media resources), Visual Arts Guild, Support Groups, Assistance Ministry, Pub Theology gatherings, and the Conversations author event series. The church uses Squarespace for its website platform with integrations for Mailchimp (email), Eventbrite (events), QuickBooks (tuition), and Airtable/Wufoo (forms).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Decatur Fine Arts Academy: A 501(c)(3) organization offering private music instruction, camps, and arts education programs established in 2023
• First School
• First Camp
• Allen Memorial Library
• Fresh Start
• Sanctuary

Products and services

• Worship Services Weekly worship services offering Traditional and Contemporary styles for church members, prospective visitors, and the broader Decatur community.
• Children's Ministry

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)coreOthersFBCD is a member of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, a national Christian organization. FBCD also partners with CBF of Georgia state organization for missions and ministries.
• Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB)coreOthersFBCD is a member of AWAB, an organization of Baptist churches committed to being welcoming and affirming communities.
• Decatur Cooperative Ministry (DCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, shelter for women with children, groceries, and clothing assistance. Located at New Life Community Center.
• Decatur-area Emergency Assistance Ministry (DEAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing weekly groceries, occasional utility and prescription assistance. Located at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
• AJC Decatur Book FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual book festival partnership supporting literary community engagement and author events.
• Decatur-Avondale Children's ChoircoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChildren's choir organization that performs in worship services and holds concerts at the church. Joint summer music camp programs offered.
• Boy Scouts of America (Troop 134; Pack 134)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal scouting organization meeting at FBCD facilities for youth development programs.
• Threshold Ministry at Decatur Presbyterian ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing referrals, sack lunches, MARTA cards for job searches, and other assistance.
• Georgia Center for the BookminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Conversations author events series hosting public dialogues on faith, purpose, and values.
• Wild Heaven BreweryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvondale Estates brewery hosting Pub Theology events - a space for gathering with pastors around tables over beer for theological discussion.
• Cremalosa Ice CreamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ice cream shop hosting Ice Creamology events for grades 3-5 students, providing space for kids to explore faith questions.
• Music Together of DecaturminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroup music lessons for babies and toddlers offered through FBCD facilities, recommended for children under 4.
• Andrew P. Stewart CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization focused on community development and support services.
• Decatur Business AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business organization partnership supporting economic development in the Decatur community.
• Decatur Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership supporting public safety and community relations initiatives.
• Developmental Disabilities MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
• Edgewood ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal church partnership for interfaith collaboration and community support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Inman Park Baptist Church: Atlanta progressive Baptist church known for inclusive theology and community engagement. Comparable missional positioning, urban Atlanta location, and multi-program ministry structure to FBCD.
• Northside Drive Baptist Church: Atlanta CBF-affiliated progressive Baptist church with similarly diverse programming including arts, education, and community outreach. Comparable denominational alignment and mid-sized urban congregation profile to FBCD.
• Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church: Progressive Baptist congregation in Atlanta affiliated with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and AWAB. Shares FBCD's welcoming/affirming identity, multi-generational ministry model, and Atlanta-metro footprint, making it the most directly comparable church peer.

Others

• Callanwolde Fine Arts Center: Atlanta-area nonprofit fine arts education center offering music lessons and arts programming. Compares directly to FBCD's Decatur Fine Arts Academy subsidiary in instrument range, lesson-based revenue model, and community-concert offerings.

Regional players

• Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church: Historic progressive mainline church on the Emory University campus in the Decatur/Atlanta corridor. Comparable regional footprint, welcoming progressive identity, and broad community programming including music and social outreach.
• Holy Trinity Episcopal Church (Decatur): Progressive Episcopal parish in Decatur, GA that already hosts FBCD's community partner DEAM. Comparable in-city Decatur geography, progressive Christian identity, and outward-facing community assistance programs.
• Clairmont Presbyterian Church: Decatur-area Presbyterian congregation with similar progressive identity and community outreach. Operates in the same local ministry ecosystem and competes for the same Decatur-resident donor and family base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/live/XMNKHKkIYh4?feature=share
• Xx.com/decaturchurch
• Facebookfacebook.com/decaturchurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/decaturchurch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 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 First Baptist Church of Decatur