Crescent Hill Baptist Church

What Crescent Hill Baptist Church does

Crescent Hill Baptist Church is a 117-year-old progressive and inclusive Baptist congregation headquartered at 2800 Frankfort Ave in the Crescent Hill neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The church operates a traditional ministry portfolio — Sunday worship at 10:45 a.m. and Wednesday Fellowship Meals — supplemented by a children's and families ministry, multiple adult Bible study and fellowship groups (Harbor, Barnabas, Agape-Harmony, Unlikely Saints, Inspire, Theology on Tap, pickleball, and a reading group), a music and arts program featuring the Chancel Choir, handbells, pipe organ, and the Crescent Hill Hymn, and care services including Divorce Recovery and two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings hosted on site. Its core delivery technology is a YouTube livestream (tiny.chbc.live / @chbcky) and a sermons podcast distributed on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, with member connectivity via Instant Church Directory and outreach through Facebook, Instagram, and a Mailchimp newsletter.

The church's business model is donation-driven: primary revenue comes from tithes and offerings via weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual pledges, supplemented by online giving (one-time and recurring), text-to-give, automatic bank pay, and stock and IRA charitable distributions. Secondary revenue is generated through facility rentals — Sanctuary ($195/hour, $500 for concerts), Fellowship Hall and Chapel ($150/hour), Heritage Hall and Birchwood Lobby ($75/hour), and gym/classroom space ($50/hour) — for weddings, funerals, and community events, plus suggested donations of $10 per adult / $5 per child for the Wednesday Fellowship Meal. As of mid-2026, the congregation is running a Close the Gap Campaign seeking $68,985 to bridge a projected budget deficit, with $59,670 pledged at the time of reporting.

Strategically, the church differentiates through progressive Baptist identity, formal welcome of all sexual orientations and gender identities, a 50+ year advocacy for women in ministry (it is the birthplace of Baptist Women in Ministry), and deep denominational and community partnerships — including the Alliance of Baptists, American Baptist Churches USA, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, BSK Theological Seminary (which has embedded faculty offices on site since 2023), Kentucky Refugee Ministries, and a coalition of 15 welcoming congregations for community events. Recent leadership transitions include the December 2025 retirement of Rev. Dr. Louie Bailey (40-year Minister of Music) and the February 2026 appointment of Dr. Lewis Brogdon as Interim Pastor for a planned one-year term.

Name

Crescent Hill Baptist Church

Legal name

Crescent Hill Baptist Church

Website

https://chbcky.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Crescent Hill Baptist Church is a 117-year-old progressive, inclusive Baptist congregation in Louisville, Kentucky that provides weekly worship, faith education, pastoral care, recovery and refugee support services, and rents its historic facilities for community events, funded primarily through member pledges, offerings, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Faith Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

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
• Pastoral care ministry
• Community outreach programs
• Faith education classes
• Facility rental hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional church giving through weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual pledges and offerings collected during worship services
2. Online Giving: Recurring or one-time gifts via online portal, text-to-give, automatic bank pay, and stock donations
3. Facility Rentals: Rental income from Sanctuary ($195/hour), Fellowship Hall ($150/hour), Chapel ($150/hour), Heritage Hall ($75/hour), and other spaces for weddings, funerals, and community events
4. Fellowship Meal Donations: Suggested donation of $10 per adult meal and $5 per child meal for Wednesday Fellowship Meal
5. IRA Charitable Gifts: Tax-free IRA gifts for those over 70.5 years old to fulfill Required Minimum Distribution

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Crescent Hill Baptist Church delivers weekly worship services (Sundays at 10:45 a.m. and Wednesday fellowship gatherings), pastoral care, faith education through Bible studies and Sunday School, a music and arts program with choir and pipe organ, and community outreach including refugee resettlement support and recovery groups. It also hosts weddings, funerals, and community events through facility rentals of its Sanctuary, Chapel, Fellowship Hall, and other spaces.

Product overview

Crescent Hill Baptist Church offers a comprehensive suite of ministry services centered around worship, education, community care, and facility hosting. The core offerings include Sunday and Wednesday worship services (available in-person and via YouTube livestream), a sermons podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, children and family ministry programs, adult Bible studies and fellowship groups, music and arts programming (choir, handbells, pipe organ), care and support services (Divorce Recovery, AA meetings), facility rentals for weddings and community events, and online giving. The church also maintains a member directory through Instant Church Directory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Worship Services Sunday worship services at 10:45 AM (in-person and online livestream) and Wednesday fellowship gatherings, featuring hymns, choir, pipe organ, and preaching. Open to the public and the surrounding Louisville community.
• Sermons Podcast Weekly sermons available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube, allowing congregants and seekers to engage with preaching on-demand.
• Online Livestream Live and recorded worship services streamed online via YouTube (tiny.chbc.live), with downloadable bulletins for remote participation.
• Children and Families Ministry Sunday School classes for birth through 5th grade, children's activities, and family programs including Vacation Bible School and Messy Art Day, serving church families and the surrounding community.
• Adults Ministry Programs Bible studies, Sunday School classes (Harbor, Barnabas, Agape-Harmony, Unlikely Saints, Inspire), Fellowship Meal, Women's Gathering, Men's Breakfast, Reading Group, Theology on Tap, and Pickleball — for adult congregants and visitors.
• Music and Arts Program Chancel Choir, handbells, pipe organ, and the Crescent Hill Hymn. Art Spirit class meets monthly for creative expression. Open to congregants and visitors.
• Care and Support Services Divorce Recovery support group (Sundays 5–6:30pm), two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings (Frankfort Avenue Group on Wednesdays and Change of Heart on Thursdays), and prayer request ministry for congregants and the broader community.
• Facility Rentals Sanctuary ($195/hour), Chapel ($150/hour), Fellowship Hall ($150/hour), Heritage Hall ($75/hour), gym ($50/hour), and classrooms ($50/hour) available for weddings, funerals, concerts, community events, and meetings.
• Online Giving Online tithes and offerings with options for one-time or recurring gifts via debit/credit card, text-to-give, automatic bank pay, and stock donations; supports IRA charitable gifts for donors over 70.5 years old.
• Wednesday Fellowship Meal Weekly Wednesday community meal at 5:00 p.m. with suggested donation of $10 per adult and $5 per child (12 and under), fostering fellowship among congregants and neighbors.
• Refugee Resettlement Ministry Pastoral and community support for refugees from Burma (Karen, Chin, Karenni groups) in Louisville, delivered through CBF field personnel Steve Clark and Annette Ellard in partnership with Kentucky Refugee Ministries and Catholic Charities of Louisville.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BSK Theological SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2023, CHBC provides office and meeting space for BSK Theological Seminary faculty and staff. Dr. John Inscore Essick works from the church office suite, and Abby Sizemore has office in Fellowship Hall. Dr. Lewis Brogdon and Rev. Erica Whitaker share office in West Tower. BSK also shares an audio/video studio with CHBC in the basement.
• Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHBC was the birthplace of BWIM, a group committed to advocating for women in ministry for over 50 years. Church proudly affirms and advocates for the full leadership of women in ordained ministry.
• Alliance of BaptistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch participates in ministries through relationships with the Alliance of Baptists, a progressive Baptist network.
• American Baptist Churches USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch maintains partnership with American Baptist Churches USA for denominational affiliation and support.
• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch participates in CBF ministries and hosts CBF field personnel Steve Clark and Annette Ellard who serve as Ministers for Refugees from Burma.
• Association of Welcoming and Affirming BaptistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch is a member of AWAAB, which advocates for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Baptist communities.
• Baptist World AllianceminorOthersChurch maintains partnership with the Baptist World Alliance for international Baptist fellowship and cooperation.
• Steve Clark and Annette Ellard (Ministers for Refugees from Burma)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteve Clark and Annette Ellard serve as CBF field personnel ministers for refugees from Burma, working with Karen, Chin, Karenni and other groups from Burma in Louisville.
• Scarlette Jasper (Olive Branch Ministries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScarlette Jasper serves as CBF Encourager Church Partner through Olive Branch Ministries.
• Rick and Ellen Burnette (Cultivate Abundance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRick and Ellen Burnette serve as CBF Encourager Church Partners through Cultivate Abundance.
• United Crescent Hill MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ministry partnership for community service and support within the Crescent Hill neighborhood.
• Kentucky Refugee MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support refugee resettlement and integration services in Louisville.
• Catholic Charities of LouisvilleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on community support and refugee services.
• Empower WestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community empowerment organization.
• Guns to GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity initiative for gun safety and violence prevention.
• Moms Demand ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGun violence prevention organization.
• Sowing Seeds with FaithminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity garden and food security initiative.
• Water StepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClean water mission organization.
• Louisville Racing FCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHBC participates in Pride Night events hosted by Louisville Racing FC at Lynn Family Stadium, co-hosting with 15 welcoming faith congregations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Cooperative Baptist Fellowship: Denominational/network organization of which CHBC is a member congregation. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player supporting progressive Baptist churches through field personnel, missions funding, and congregational resourcing.
• Baptist Women in Ministry (BWIM): Faith-based nonprofit that was birthed at CHBC and continues as a close partner. Thematically and organizationally adjacent — comparable as a faith-based nonprofit advocating for women in ministry, with similar constituency and programming focus.
• Alliance of Baptists: Progressive Baptist denominational network in which CHBC participates. Comparable as an adjacent, enabling organization that connects and supports inclusive Baptist congregations with similar theology and missions model.

Direct peers

• Wilshire Baptist Church: A progressive, welcoming Baptist congregation affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists and CBF, similar in theological stance, social-justice emphasis, and inclusive programming. Comparable as a model peer for inclusive Baptist operations.
• Myers Park Baptist Church: Historic progressive Baptist church affiliated with CBF and the Alliance of Baptists. Comparable in theological positioning, community-outreach programming, livestream/podcast distribution, and mid-size staff model.
• Highland Baptist Church: Another progressive, inclusive Baptist congregation in the Louisville metro. Directly comparable in denomination, progressive theology, community-outreach emphasis, and mid-size congregational scale — competing for the same seeker demographic in Louisville.
• University Baptist Church: Progressive Baptist congregation (Alliance of Baptists/CBF affiliated) with long-standing inclusive identity. Comparable in theological stance, progressive mission, and community-partnership operating model.
• Pullen Memorial Baptist Church: Welcoming and affirming Baptist congregation within the Alliance of Baptists network. Comparable as a progressive Baptist peer with strong social-justice, LGBTQ+ affirming, and arts/community programming emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@chbcky
• Facebookfacebook.com/CHBCKY
• Instagraminstagram.com/crescenthillbaptistchurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/crescent-hill-baptist-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Crescent Hill Baptist Church