Bethesda Lutheran Church

What Bethesda Lutheran Church does

Bethesda Lutheran Church is a non-profit religious congregation affiliated with the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA), headquartered at 123 W. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The organization operates as a multi-service church delivering traditional (8:30 am) and contemporary (10:30 am) Sunday worship, with in-person and live-streamed delivery via its own online.church portal and a dedicated YouTube channel (youtube.com/bethesdalbc). Its program surface spans the full congregational life cycle: LIFEgroups (small groups), Children's Ministries (infants through 5th grade), Student Ministries with Confirmation, Women's Ministry (Gather), College-age/Young Adult ministry, Marriage Ministry built around Gary Chapman's The 5 Love Languages, Bethesda Care Ministries (including GriefShare), Pathfinders youth program, and international missions with the Fulbe people of Chad, Africa.

The underlying technology stack is fully off-the-shelf and congregation-typical: a Squarespace-hosted website (c3ec.org), Church Center for online giving, event registration, and calendar, Planning Center/Wistia for hosted video, YouTube for live-streaming and sermon archive, Spotify for a worship playlist, RightNow Media for video-based learning, and a Wednesday email newsletter for direct member communication. There is no proprietary technology, no developer API, and no AI/ML components disclosed. The organization employs approximately 38 staff, including six named pastors (Andrew Clausen, Sawyer Brunkow, Brian Quade, Todd Lenz, Paul Larson, Brandon Pangman) and a Marriage Ministry leader (Fred Fetzer), supported by a network of volunteers.

The business model is donation-funded and non-commercial: revenue is generated through voluntary tithes, offerings, and capital campaign contributions from congregation members and supporters, with no set pricing for spiritual services. Online giving is centralized through Church Center, and a Bethesda Legacy Fund endowment vehicle supports major building projects, international ministry expansion, and seminary scholarships. A multi-phase Building Refresh Campaign totaling approximately $5.2 million is currently underway for sanctuary upgrades and new Gathering Space/Kitchen/Fireside Room construction. The organization also maintains strategic community engagement partnerships with eight local Eau Claire-area nonprofits spanning pregnancy care, food insecurity, homelessness, addiction recovery, incarceration re-entry, and street ministry.

Name

Bethesda Lutheran Church

Legal name

Bethesda Lutheran Church

Website

https://bethesdalutheran.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bethesda Lutheran Church is a CLBA-affiliated congregation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, offering traditional and contemporary worship, LIFEgroups, age-stage ministries, marriage and care programs, and international missions, funded by donations and supported by a multi-channel digital infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Worship Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

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 Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian ministry programs
• Spiritual growth resources
• Community outreach services
• Marriage enrichment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Eau Claire

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, Others

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bethesda Lutheran Church delivers weekly Christian worship services — a Traditional service at 8:30 am and a Contemporary service at 10:30 am — held in person at its Eau Claire, Wisconsin campus and live-streamed online. Beyond worship, the church operates a layered set of ministries (children, students, women, college-age, marriage, care, missions) and small group community (LIFEgroups), all funded by voluntary donations and tithes from congregation members and supporters.

Product overview

Bethesda Lutheran Church operates a multi-service church offering with Sunday worship services (traditional and contemporary), small group ministries (LIFEgroups), age-specific programs (Children's, Student's, Women's, College-age), care ministries, Marriage Ministry, and International Missions. The church provides digital engagement through online giving via Church Center, live-streamed services, sermon archives, spiritual growth resources via RightNow Media, and a weekly newsletter. A major Building Refresh Campaign is underway for facility renovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services
• Live-Stream Worship Services
• LIFEgroups
• Children's Ministries
• Student Ministries
• Women's Ministry (Gather)
• College-age & Young Adult Ministries
• Bethesda Care Ministries
• Marriage Ministry
• International Missions
• Pathfinders

Quantifiable outcome

• Building Refresh Campaign estimated at $5.2 million for sanctuary upgrades, Fellowship Hall/hallways/classrooms/bathrooms ($1.1 million), and Gathering Space/Kitchen/Fireside Room ($3.4 million)

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Apple Pregnancy Care CentercoreOthersLocal Eau Claire pregnancy care organization serving women considering abortion and providing support to parents. Bethesda encourages volunteers to pray, volunteer, donate baby items, and participate in the Walk for Life event each September. Located at 2600 Stein Blvd # 2, Eau Claire, WI 54701.
• Chippewa Valley Street MinistrycoreOthersMinistry dedicated to helping those in need with respect and dignity, meeting needs of those not able to find housing, clothing and basic needs. Located at PO Box 51, Eau Claire, WI 54702. Key Contact: Pastor Mike Henry.
• Choose AftercarecoreOthersProvides transitional housing, support, and empowerment to men with histories of incarceration, homelessness, and addictions. Located at 420 Washington Street. Bethesda members can give scholarships for rent assistance or serve as mentors.
• Good News Global - Western WisconsincoreOthersMinistry that plants and builds the church of Jesus Christ in correctional facilities. Serves Eau Claire County Jail at 710 2nd Avenue. Key Contact: Brian Jahn. Volunteers can teach bible studies, mentor, or give to support chaplains.
• Hope Gospel MissioncoreOthersRescue, Rebuild and Renew lives of men, women and children in the community. Located at 2650 Mercantile Drive. Volunteers can sort donations, cook, drive residents, tutor, or volunteer at Bargain Center.
• The Salvation ArmyminorOthersLocal Salvation Army chapter at 2211 S. Hastings Way. Bethesda members can collect hygiene items, help at food pantry, and participate in Christmas Bell-Ringing at Red Kettles. Key Contact: Amanda Radle.
• The Community TablecoreOthersNourishes hungry bodies and spirits in Eau Claire by serving one meal each day, 365 days a year on a no-questions asked basis. Approximately 140 meals each day. Located at 320 Putnam Street.
• Feed My People Food BankcoreOthersFood bank serving the Chippewa Valley area. Bethesda already has a regular volunteer group that comes once a month. Located at 2610 Alpine Road. Key Contact: Assistant Director Suzanne Becker.
• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethesda Lutheran Church is part of a family of churches called the Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America. The CLBA is the denominational affiliation providing theological alignment and connection to a network of Lutheran Brethren churches.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Park Region Lutheran Brethren Church: A fellow Church of the Lutheran Brethren congregation in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, operating a similar ministry mix (worship, LIFEgroups, youth programs, missions). Direct denominational peer with comparable size and rural-Midwest market profile.
• Calvary Lutheran Brethren Church: A Lutheran Brethren-affiliated congregation offering traditional/contemporary worship, discipleship, and missions — directly comparable in denomination, ministry structure, and Upper Midwest footprint.
• Bethlehem Lutheran Brethren Church: Another CLBA-affiliated congregation with comparable programming across worship, youth, and small groups. Useful direct peer for benchmarking ministry mix and congregational scale within the same denomination.

Emerging players

• Lutheran Brethren Seminary: The seminary of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, also located in Fergus Falls, MN. Not a competing congregation, but a denominationally-aligned institution that trains clergy for Bethesda and its sister churches and is referenced in Bethesda's Bethesda Legacy Fund scholarship program.
• Christ Community Church, Eau Claire: A non-denominational evangelical church in Eau Claire offering contemporary worship, small groups, and family ministry. Useful as a cross-denominational peer for measuring how Bethesda's Lutheran Brethren identity competes for the same contemporary-worship audience in the local market.

Regional players

• First Lutheran Church (ELCA), Eau Claire: The largest ELCA Lutheran congregation in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Comparable as a regional peer operating traditional and contemporary Lutheran worship in the same Chippewa Valley market, though denominationally different (ELCA vs. Lutheran Brethren).
• Immanuel Lutheran Church (LCMS), Eau Claire: A confessional Lutheran congregation (LCMS) in the Eau Claire market with traditional worship and parochial education programs. Regional peer with overlapping liturgical style but distinct confessional identity from Bethesda's Lutheran Brethren affiliation.
• Peace Lutheran Church, Eau Claire: A local Lutheran congregation in the Eau Claire market with overlapping worship, children/youth, and community-outreach programming. Comparable for assessing local congregational competition and giving-pool dynamics.
• Hope Lutheran Church, Eau Claire: Another ELCA Lutheran congregation serving the Eau Claire / Chippewa Valley area with traditional worship, youth, and small-group ministries. Regional market peer for comparing local Lutheran engagement.

Broad incumbents

• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLBA): The denominational body to which Bethesda belongs. CLBA provides theological alignment, network support, and shared resources across the family of Lutheran Brethren congregations, making it the closest broad-incumbent comparator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/bethesdalbc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bethesda-lutheran-church

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Bethesda Lutheran Church