Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

What Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church does

Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic religious non-profit organization founded in 1847 in Atlanta, Georgia. It is recognized as Atlanta's oldest congregation (Black or white) and the mother church of African Methodism in Georgia, operating from its National Register-listed sanctuary at 220 Auburn Avenue NE in the Sweet Auburn district. The church runs dual Sunday worship services (traditional at 10:00 AM, contemporary at 2:00 PM), Sunday School, and weekday Bible studies, supplemented by live streaming and an on-demand archive distributed via YouTube and Facebook and a global online membership program with virtual small groups, Zoom pastoral calls, and member-only content.

Its ministry ecosystem extends well beyond worship into community services: the Youth Advocacy Program (YAP) serves 30-40 youth weekly during the academic year and 50-75 in summer through after-school tutoring for grades 3-12; the Trinity/Big Bethel halfway house partnership with Trinity United Methodist Church runs a 12-18 month residential recovery program for 35 men with substance abuse issues; the Caregivers Ministry partners with Emory University's ALTER program to provide dementia-friendly programming; and Beauty for Ashes delivers hot showers, meals, laundry, and weather items to homeless individuals in the Auburn Avenue community. Worship & Arts programming includes multiple choirs, dance ministry, handbells, and the long-running Heaven Bound religious drama (now in its 95th year).

The organization's revenue model is built on voluntary tithes and offerings collected through multiple channels — in-service collection, giving kiosk, Givelify, Pushpay, Zelle, Cash App, and text-to-give — supplemented by grants and partner support (e.g., Waffle House Foundation, Georgia State University) and income from affiliated initiatives such as the Heaven Bound production. Worship attendance is free and open to the public; no mandatory fees apply. The wholly-owned Big Bethel Church A.M.E. Federal Credit Union was divested via merger into Georgia United Credit Union in February 2025. Leadership transitioned in May 2025 with the appointment of Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine as senior pastor following the retirement of Dr. John Foster, framing a new revitalization phase for the institution.

Name

Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Legal name

Big Bethel A.M.E. Church

Website

https://bigbethelame.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1847 in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn district, is a historic non-profit congregation providing worship, education, youth, recovery, and homeless outreach services to its local community and global online audience.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization / Faith-Based Worship Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), 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), Religious Music & Worship Broadcasting (MPABALAN)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Community outreach programs
• Christian education
• Youth ministry programs
• Live stream worship

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional church giving through tithes and offerings collected during worship services, both traditional 10:00 AM and contemporary 2:00 PM Sunday services.
2. Online/Mobile Giving: Digital giving platforms including Givelify, Pushpay, Zelle, CashApp, and text-to-give for convenient congregation contributions.
3. In-Service Offerings: Physical offerings collected during in-person worship services at the church sanctuary.
4. Kiosk Giving: Giving kiosk available during worship services for in-person digital donations.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic nonprofit religious organization that delivers weekly Christian worship services (traditional at 10:00 AM and contemporary at 2:00 PM on Sundays), live and on-demand streaming, Bible study and Christian education programs, youth tutoring (Youth Academy), caregiver support, homeless outreach (Beauty for Ashes), recovery housing (Trinity/Big Bethel), and worship and arts programming. Worship attendance is free and open to the public; the organization is funded by voluntary tithes, offerings, and digital donations.

Product overview

Big Bethel AME Church offers a comprehensive worship and ministry ecosystem centered on its dual in-person Sunday services (traditional at 10:00 AM, contemporary at 2:00 PM) supplemented by live and on-demand streaming via YouTube and Facebook. The church provides online membership with virtual small groups, prayer support, and member-exclusive content. Key programs include the Youth Academy (YAP) after-school tutorial program, Caregivers Ministry with dementia support services, Beauty for Ashes homeless outreach, and the renowned Heaven Bound annual production. Additional offerings span Worship & Arts (choirs, dance ministry), Christian Education (Bible studies, devotional guides), digital giving (Givelify, Pushpay, Zelle, Cash App), and various community ministries. The church operates Big Bethel Federal Credit Union (merged with Georgia United in 2025) and provides online groups for member engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services Free, open-to-the-public Sunday worship services — traditional at 10:00 AM and contemporary at 2:00 PM — plus Sunday School at 8:30 AM and Children's/Youth Church at 10:00 AM at the Auburn Avenue sanctuary. Includes weekday Bible studies and prayer meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• 177+ years of continuous service to Atlanta community
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Georgia United Credit UnionmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2025Big Bethel Church A.M.E. Federal Credit Union members voted to merge with Georgia United Credit Union in February 2025. This merger ensures Big Bethel members have access to a broader range of financial products and services, digital services, and branch/ATM locations across Georgia. Georgia United has more than $2 billion in assets and 150,000+ members.
• Trinity United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Partnership began in 2004 to support a halfway house program for men with substance abuse issues. The Trinity Big Bethel (TBB) Community Outreach program offers a 12-18 month program with full-time room and board, mentoring, and training, enrolling a steady-state of 35 male participants. Supported by religious entities, non-profits, state and federal government agencies, foundations, and the Atlanta business community.
• ALTER Program (Emory University/Brain Health Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCaregivers Ministry partnership with ALTER (Aging, Life, Transition, Education and Resources) program, an affiliation of Emory University and the Brain Health Center, working to make the church dementia-friendly through educational programs, special worship experiences, and supportive services for members with dementia and their caregivers.
• Bethel TowerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership with Bethel Towers, a low-income high-rise apartment housing complex. YAP program provides tutorial and outreach services to youth residing at Bethel Towers, supporting the broader community through the Youth Advocacy Program.
• Georgia State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership supporting the Youth Advocacy Program (YAP), providing educational enrichment and mentorship opportunities for economically disadvantaged youth in downtown Atlanta.
• Waffle House FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropic partnership supporting the Youth Advocacy Program (YAP) with funding for tutorial services and youth enrichment activities for grades 3-12.
• Morris Brown CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric relationship - Morris Brown College was founded at Big Bethel in 1881. Big Bethel member Dr. Stanley Pritchett served as president of Morris Brown College from 2006-2018. The church maintains ongoing connection through the Morris Brown College ministry.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church: One of the most prominent AME congregations in the U.S. (Washington, D.C.), with comparable scale, multi-ministry programming, and a profile as a flagship historic Black church. Direct peer along AME denomination lines, worship format, and community engagement model.
• Ebenezer Baptist Church: Historic Black Baptist congregation on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta's Sweet Auburn district, sharing the same neighborhood, civil rights heritage, and member base as Big Bethel. Both serve as anchor institutions for the 4th Ward community.
• Brown Chapel AME Church: Historic AME congregation in Selma, Alabama, site of civil rights marches and a comparable institution to Big Bethel in terms of AME denomination, civic role, and African American heritage significance.
• St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (New Orleans): The previous senior pastor senior-ministry placement of Rev. Dr. Augustine; a historic AME congregation with deep civic engagement and a comparable member-driven ministry model. Direct successor-pastor connection makes this a particularly relevant peer.
• First African Methodist Episcopal Church (Los Angeles): Mother church of the AME denomination on the West Coast, the historical counterpart to Big Bethel's role as mother church of Georgia AME. Both operate dual traditional/contemporary services, extensive community ministries, and historic preservation.
• Saint Joseph AME Church (Durham, NC): Another former pastorate of Rev. Dr. Augustine; AME congregation with comparable community outreach profile and denomination. Useful peer for benchmarking post-Augustine growth trajectory.
• Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church: Named peer congregation within the AME denomination serving a similar urban community. Comparable in denomination, faith-based social services orientation, and Christ-centered community outreach.

Others

• Morris Brown College: HBCU founded at Big Bethel in 1881 and historically tied to the church through shared leadership (Dr. Stanley Pritchett). An adjacent ecosystem institution rather than a direct competitor, but materially comparable in HBCU and Atlanta heritage footprint.

Regional players

• New Birth Missionary Baptist Church: Large Atlanta-area Black church with extensive community outreach, live-streamed worship, and multi-site ministry. Comparable in scale and digital engagement, but Baptist denomination and a different geographic submarket.
• Antioch Baptist Church North: Major historic Black church in Atlanta with comparable scale, youth and community programming, and citywide civic profile. Same metropolitan market and overlapping donor base but Baptist rather than AME.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigbethelamec
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUugvakMrYvM9uae7rK5w6g
• Facebookfacebook.com/BigBethelAME
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigbethelamechurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-bethel-ame-church-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church