What Discovery Church does

Discovery Church (legal name: Discovery Christian Church) is a nonprofit Protestant congregation founded in 2003 and headquartered at 170 Scharberry Lane, Mars, Pennsylvania. It runs weekly worship services on Thursday evenings (6:45 PM) and Sunday mornings (9:30 and 11 AM), supplemented by online streaming via its website, Facebook, and YouTube, plus an Apple Podcasts feed. The church reports approximately 600 weekly attendees including 100+ children (birth through 5th grade) and 50-70 middle and high school students, served by an 11–50 person staff led by Lead Pastor Matt Mehaffey and Executive Pastor Mike Arnold.

The core product surface spans ministry programs (Discovery Kids for birth-5th grade, Discovery Students for 6th-12th grade, Discovery Groups/Neighborhood Groups for adult small groups, and the 10-week Rooted spiritual formation experience), sacramental services (baptism, child dedications), and community amenities (free 36-hole indoor mini golf, indoor playground, and a "Work From Here" co-working space). The church hosts annual events including Summer Nights, Adventure Camp, Man Camp, Women's Summit, and the A Night to Remember (ANTR) special-needs gala in its 15th year. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations run on commodity church-management and giving tools — Church Center, Planning Center, SubSplash, and Pushpay — alongside Google Calendar for facility scheduling.

Discovery's business model is a hybrid of voluntary member giving (tithes and offerings processed through Church Center, SubSplash, and Pushpay), paid program and event fees (Rooted $50, Adventure Camp $65/child, student trips $25-$100, Thursday dinner $5/person), merchandise sales via a Shopify storefront, and facility rentals (Main Venue $250/hr, Public Room $150/hr, meeting rooms $75/hr, birthday party packages $250-$600). Ten percent of all incoming gifts are redirected to external mission partners (Mission to El Salvador, Stadia, Mustard Seed Network). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with onboarding pathways including "Lunch with the Leaders" and personal invitation through small groups. Customer segments are young families (primary), children, students, the special-needs community, and the broader suburban Pittsburgh local community.

Name

Discovery Church

Legal name

Discovery Christian Church

Website

https://discoverypgh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Discovery Church is a nonprofit Protestant church in Mars, Pennsylvania, serving ~600 weekly attendees through worship services, children's and student ministries, small groups, and the Rooted spiritual formation program, funded primarily by voluntary tithes and supplemented by facility rentals and program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Worship services
• Faith community
• Spiritual education
• Community programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Mars

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: The primary revenue stream comes from voluntary donations and tithes from church members. Every dollar invested supports the mission of partnering with God in bringing Heaven to Earth. The church also gives 10% of all gifts to partner organizations.
2. Building and Event Rentals: The church generates revenue through renting out its facilities including the Main Venue (350 seats), Public Room, meeting rooms, and recreational spaces like mini golf and indoor playground. Spaces are rented for weddings, parties, corporate events, conferences, and other celebrations.
3. Merchandise Sales: Discovery operates an online merchandise store selling branded items including apparel and specialty items like ANTR (A Night to Remember) t-shirts.
4. Program and Event Fees: Revenue from program fees including Rooted ($50), Adventure Camp ($65/child), Student trips (CIY events), and various community event registrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Discovery Church is a non-profit Christian church located in Mars, Pennsylvania that delivers weekly worship services, faith-based ministry programs for children, youth, and adults, and small-group community gatherings for local congregants. The church also makes its facilities available for outside group use and supports outreach and missions initiatives in the surrounding area.

Product overview

Discovery Church is a non-profit Christian congregation offering in-person and online worship services, with a comprehensive suite of ministry programs including children's (Discovery Kids), student (Discovery Students), and adult community groups (Discovery Groups/Neighborhood Groups). The church operates a 10-week Rooted spiritual formation program, facilitates baptism, and connects members through serving opportunities. Discovery also provides community amenities including free building access with an indoor playground, 36-hole mini golf course, and co-working space. The church hosts regular events (Summer Nights, Adventure Camp, student trips), offers facility rentals for weddings and events, processes online giving through Church Center/SubSplash/Pushpay platforms, and provides on-demand sermon content via its website and podcast. Discovery partners with external organizations including A Night to Remember, Mission to El Salvador, Stadia, and Mustard Seed Network for missional outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Discovery Kids: Children's ministry for birth through 5th grade
• Discovery Students
• Discovery Groups
• A Night to Remember (ANTR)
• Rooted

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services
• Children's Ministry
• Student (Youth) Ministry
• Small Groups / Adult Ministries
• Facility Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ weekly attendees across all services
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A Night to Remember (ANTR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2026ANTR is an annual formal gala serving special needs guests with a red carpet experience including dancing, games, appetizers, and limousine transportation. Discovery hosts this event at their facility, with the 15th annual event scheduled for May 17, 2026. The event has grown to serve hundreds of special needs teens and adults from the Pittsburgh and Cranberry communities.
• Mission to El Salvador (MTES)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTES exists to empower Salvadorans to find freedom and pursue their dreams and futures. Discovery launched Jon and Danielle Snyder to start and lead this mission organization. Discovery gives 10% of all gifts to partners including MTES.
• StadiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStadia trains, equips, and sends church planters to start new churches bringing heaven to earth in their communities. Discovery tithes 10% to this church planting organization as part of their mission giving.
• Mustard Seed NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMustard Seed Network's mission is to glorify God by making disciples through planting gospel-centered churches in urban Japan. Discovery supports this partner through their 10% tithing program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gateway Church: Texas-based multi-site evangelical church with strong family, kids, and student ministry infrastructure at significant scale; comparable family-centric programming architecture to Discovery.
• Life.Church: One of the largest US churches with a strong digital-first strategy including the YouVersion Bible app and online streaming, directly comparable to Discovery's multi-channel streaming and podcast approach.
• North Point Community Church: Large Atlanta-area evangelical church known for community-focused small groups and practical teaching, similar in approach to Discovery's Neighborhood Groups and Rooted programs. A regional-scale comparable in the same modern Protestant segment.
• Saddleback Church: Large California megachurch with extensive small group, family discipleship, and missions programs; comparable scope of programs (small groups, missions partnerships, family ministry) to Discovery's portfolio.

Direct peers

• Summit Church: North Carolina-based evangelical church with robust small groups, kids/student ministry, and missions partnerships; comparable mid-large community congregation with similar program breadth.
• Crosspoint Church: Modern evangelical congregation emphasizing community groups, family ministry, and missions; comparable mid-sized community-focused church model in the same contemporary Protestant segment.
• Transformation Church: South Carolina-based contemporary church with strong digital presence, family ministry, and youth-focused programming; comparable modern worship and next-generation focus to Discovery.
• Faith Church: Mid-size evangelical congregation with strong family and next-generation programming comparable to Discovery's Discovery Kids and Students structure.
• Elevation Church: Charlotte-based modern evangelical church with strong youth and family programming, contemporary worship, and multi-site presence; directly comparable family-focused ministry model to Discovery.
• North Coast Church: San Diego-area evangelical church emphasizing community groups, family ministry, and serving opportunities; similar mid-size community church model with Neighborhood Groups analogue.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/discoverypghstudents
• Facebookfacebook.com/discoverypgh
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/discoverychristianchurch

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 Discovery Church