First Christian Reformed Church

What First Christian Reformed Church does

First Christian Reformed Church is a non-profit religious congregation founded in 1871 and located at 408 Arizona Ave. SW in Orange City, Iowa. It is affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) denomination and serves the local Dutch-American Reformed community and broader area residents through weekly worship services and a portfolio of faith-based programming.

The church's core offerings include Sunday worship services, Sunday school, youth programs, and age-segregated ministries such as Cadets (boys) and GEMS (girls). Several youth programs are run jointly with neighboring CRC congregations — Calvary CRC hosts the Cadets program and Immanuel CRC hosts the GEMS program — reflecting resource pooling within the local denominational ecosystem. The church also maintains international missionary partnerships, including support for workers in Chad and Uganda and engagement with Youth with a Mission, channeled through Resonate Global Missions. Digital outreach is limited to YouTube livestreaming of services and standard Facebook and Instagram accounts; there is no proprietary technology platform.

The operating model is donation-funded: revenue derives from congregational tithes and offerings with no commercial pricing, fee-for-service, or grant income disclosed. Staffing is lean and pastoral in nature, comprising a Senior Pastor (Rev. Stephen Terpstra, since summer 2024), a Pastor of Congregational Care (Rev. Jordan Helming, since 2019), an administrative Secretary (Maria Byker, since 2013), and a Custodian (Mark Huizenga, since 2005). The entity is a 501(c)(3)-style religious nonprofit and is not an investment target in the conventional PE/VC/M&A sense; this analysis treats it as a stable institutional nonprofit for benchmarking purposes.

Name

First Christian Reformed Church

Legal name

First Christian Reformed Church

Website

https://firstcrcoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1871

Operating status

Operating

Short description

First Christian Reformed Church is a 150-year-old non-profit Christian Reformed congregation in Orange City, Iowa, offering worship, youth programs, and missionary support funded by congregational tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious services (Christian Reformed church)

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian education programs
• Youth ministry programs
• Community fellowship
• Missionary support

Headquarters

HQ city

Orange City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: The church likely operates on voluntary contributions from congregation members, though specific revenue details are not disclosed on the website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

First Christian Reformed Church provides twice-weekly traditional Reformed worship services and a comprehensive suite of age-tiered Christian education and fellowship programs, including Sunday School (PreK-4th), Cadets (boys 4th-8th), GEMS (girls 3rd-8th), Catechism, Youth Group (9th-12th), Young Adult Discipleship ("All Things"), and multiple adult fellowship societies. The congregation also supports missionaries serving in West Africa, Mexico, Bible translation, and college ministry (Launch Global).

Product overview

First Christian Reformed Church offers a unified portfolio of worship services and educational/fellowship programs centered on Christian Reformed faith. The core offering consists of twice-weekly traditional worship services featuring scripture-based preaching and hymn singing. Supporting programs include Sunday School for children (PreK-4th grade), Youth Group for high schoolers, Cadets and GEMS for middle school boys and girls respectively, Catechism for middle/high school students, Young Adult Discipleship (All Things) for post-high to age 30, multiple adult Societies for various life stages, and missionary support programs. These programs operate on varying schedules throughout the school year, with the church serving as a supporting member of Reformed Youth Services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Traditional Reformed worship services held twice each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., featuring scripture reading and preaching, prayer, and congregational singing accompanied by organ and piano. Provided to congregation members and visitors free of charge.
• Sunday School Christian education program for children in PreK-4th grade running during the school year, featuring post-worship fellowship snacks, group singing at 10:45 a.m., and grade-level lessons at 11:00 a.m.
• Cadets Boys' program for 4th-8th grade offered jointly with three other CRC churches in Orange City, featuring Bible studies and badge work. Meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday during the school year at Calvary CRC.
• GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) Girls' program for 3rd-8th grade offered jointly with three other CRC churches in Orange City. Meets every 2nd and 4th Wednesday during the school year at Immanuel CRC.
• Catechism Religious education program for middle and high school students during the school year, focusing on study of the Reformed creeds and confessions, including the Heidelberg Catechism.
• Youth Group Program for high school young adults in 9th-12th grade meeting on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays during the school year, featuring Bible studies and group outings.
• Young Adult Discipleship (All Things) Discipleship group for post-high school to approximately age-30 young adults, meeting every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., studying the book of Acts with monthly in-depth discussions on current issues.
• Societies (Adult Fellowship Groups) Multiple adult fellowship groups including LIFE (post-college/young adults, 2nd Sunday), Growing in Christ Fellowship (middle-aged adults, 3rd Sunday), Faith Fellowship (older adults, 2nd Sunday), and Men's Bible Study (Thursday mornings).
• Fellowship Activities Post-worship fellowship gatherings with cookies, juice, and coffee in the fellowship hall following morning services.
• Missionary Support Financial and prayer support for missionaries and mission organizations including Launch Global (College Station, Texas), Sosthene and Kara Maletoungou (West Africa via Christian Reformed World Missions), Lauren and Connie Runia (Wycliffe Bible Translators worldwide), and Jan and Darlene Van Ee (Merida, Mexico).

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Launch GlobalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst CRC supports Launch Global, an organization that works and trains leaders in College Station, Texas. This partnership aligns with the church's mission to spread the gospel locally and globally.
• Sosthene & Kara MaletoungousupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSosthene & Kara Maletoungou and their family serve in West Africa as part of Christian Reformed World Missions' work to train teachers. The church provides financial and prayer support.
• Lauren & Connie RuniasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLauren & Connie Runia serve Bible translators and media teams around the world with Wycliffe Bible Translators. The church supports their missionary work.
• Jan & Darlene Van EesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJan & Darlene Van Ee serve as missionaries in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The church provides ongoing missionary support.
• Reformed Youth ServicessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst CRC is a supporting church for Reformed Youth Services, which provides youth ministry resources and support to Christian Reformed churches.
• Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst CRC is part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America denomination. They participate in regional assemblies (classes) and denominational ministries, adhering to the Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Canons of Dort, Heidelberg Catechism).
• Calvinist Cadet CorpssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe church participates in the Cadets program in partnership with Calvary CRC and other Orange City churches, which is overseen by the Calvinist Cadet Corps organization.
• GEMS Girls' ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe church partners with Immanuel CRC and other Orange City churches for GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) program, affiliated with GEMS Girls' Club organization.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Calvary CRC (Orange City): A fellow Christian Reformed Church congregation in Orange City, Iowa that jointly operates the Cadets boys' program with First CRC and other local CRC congregations. Operates with the same denominational polity, Reformed doctrinal standards, and small-town Midwestern community context, making it the most directly comparable local peer.
• Immanuel CRC (Orange City): A fellow Christian Reformed Church congregation in Orange City that co-hosts the GEMS girls' program with First CRC. Operates under identical CRCNA polity, Three Forms of Unity doctrine, and Dutch-American community context, offering directly comparable programming structure and demographics in the same local market.

Broad incumbents

• Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA): The denominational parent body governing all CRC congregations including First CRC. Operates regional classes, missionary agencies, theological standards, and shared ministries that First CRC participates in. While broader in scope than any single congregation, it directly shapes First CRC's programming, governance, and accountability structure.

Others

• Reformed Youth Services: A Reformed denomination-affiliated youth ministry resource organization that First CRC supports and partners with for youth ministry infrastructure. Operates within the same CRC/Reformed tradition but at a coordinating role above any single local congregation.
• Launch Global: A mission organization operating in College Station, Texas that trains leaders and is supported by First CRC as part of its global outreach. Functions as a receiving partner for First CRC's missionary giving rather than a direct peer.
• Calvinist Cadet Corps: The national organization that oversees the Cadets boys' ministry program run by First CRC in partnership with other Orange City CRC churches. Provides curriculum, leader training, and program framework — an enabling/administrative partner rather than a direct competitor, but materially comparable as a faith-based youth formation provider.
• Wycliffe Bible Translators: An international Bible translation organization with which Lauren & Connie Runia (supported by First CRC) serve as members. Adjacent mission organization with overlapping donor base and faith formation goals, but operates as a partner rather than a peer congregation.
• Christian Reformed World Missions: The CRCNA-affiliated missions agency through which First CRC channels support for missionaries including the Maletoungou family in West Africa and the Van Ees in Mexico. Functions as an enabling ecosystem partner for the church's global outreach programming rather than a peer church.
• GEMS Girls' Club: The national Christian organization that administers the GEMS (Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior) program First CRC operates jointly with Immanuel CRC and other local churches. Functions as an enabling partner delivering faith-based formation curriculum in the same theological tradition as First CRC's other programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@firstcrcoc/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/First-Christian-Reformed-Church-267872860007693

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Christian Reformed Church