CHICAGO FELLOWSHIP

What CHICAGO FELLOWSHIP does

Chicago Fellowship is a 501c3 nonprofit religious community organization founded in 1990 in Chicago, Illinois, serving men seeking Christian fellowship, mentorship, and spiritual growth. Its core offerings consist of weekly Thursday morning gatherings (in-person at One North Kitchen & Bar and via Zoom), small accountability groups, annual retreats (300 attendees), pilgrimage trips (including a Civil Rights Tour to Atlanta and Alabama), service opportunities (including recurring Honduras trips), and a podcast distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify with over 100,000 downloads. The community spans business executives, professionals, nonprofit leaders, educators, and others across the Chicago metropolitan area, with a stated base of 1,300+ men and 50+ events per year.

The organization has no technology product and operates with a small staff of 7 employees, including Director Jon Houghton (who succeeded Ray Carter in 2024 after Carter's 18-year tenure as President), staff member Brady Wright, and rotating contributors Skye Jethani and David Swanson. All programs are offered free of charge, with the organization funded through voluntary tax-deductible donations processed via a Qgiv platform. Governance is provided by a 22-member Board of Directors plus an Emeritus Board for those with 15+ years of service.

The business model is non-commercial: Chicago Fellowship does not sell products or services, has no disclosed revenue, and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or external ownership. Its distribution spans a single physical venue in Chicago, regional retreats and pilgrimages, and global podcast reach. The organization formalized as a 501c3 in 2005 and has grown steadily over three decades from a Bible study of 4-5 financial executives to a multi-generational community of 1,300+ men, with no recent funding rounds, acquisitions, or technology investments indicated.

Name

CHICAGO FELLOWSHIP

Legal name

Chicago Fellowship

Website

https://chicagofellowship.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicago Fellowship is a 501c3 nonprofit established in 1990 serving 1,300+ men in the Chicago area through weekly gatherings, accountability groups, annual retreats, pilgrimages, and a podcast, funded entirely by voluntary donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-based men's community services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYEDAIAGAI

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

Keywords

• Men's ministry
• Faith-based community
• Biblical teaching
• Spiritual formation
• Religious fellowship

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Chicago Fellowship operates a men's faith-based community program centered on weekly in-person gatherings with prayer and biblical teaching, small accountability groups, an annual one-day retreat, and annual pilgrimage trips. It complements these in-person programs with a podcast of recorded talks (100,000+ downloads) and a website/newsletter for ongoing connection. Participation is open to all men with no commitment or fee required.

Product overview

Chicago Fellowship is a men's faith-based community organization offering in-person and virtual gatherings, audio content, annual retreats, and pilgrimage experiences. The organization does not operate a technology product; its offerings are community programs and ministry services including weekly gatherings, podcast/audio content distribution, annual retreats, pilgrimages, and informal social gatherings. These programs connect men to biblical teaching, accountability groups, and service opportunities across Chicago and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Weekly Thursday Gathering In-person weekly gathering held at One North Kitchen and Bar in Chicago (1 N Wacker Drive) every Thursday from 7:30-8:30am, with a Zoom option for remote participation. Open to all men with no signup or fee required; features prayer and biblical teaching.
• Annual Retreat One-day annual retreat held at Christ Church of Oak Brook for men across Chicagoland. Free to attend, with optional tax-deductible donations to help cover the cost of the day. Approximately 300 men attend.
• Annual Pilgrimage Annual pilgrimage trips to sacred or historically significant locations (including a Civil Rights Tour to Atlanta and Alabama), designed for deeper engagement and relationship building.
• Chicago Fellowship Talks Podcast

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ men in community
• +4 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cru: Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) is one of the largest interdenominational Christian ministries globally, running small-group discipleship and leadership development programs that overlap with Chicago Fellowship's Bible study and mentorship model, though across a much broader demographic.
• Watermark Community Church: Watermark runs a comprehensive men's ministry with community groups, recovery (re:gen), and equipping classes. Comparable to Chicago Fellowship in its emphasis on community, accountability, and lay leadership development for Christian adults in professional contexts.

Direct peers

• Promise Keepers: Promise Keepers is a national men's Christian ministry focused on calling men to faith, integrity, and spiritual leadership. It is the closest direct peer to Chicago Fellowship in mission and demographic, with comparable weekly gathering, conference, and small-group programming.
• Man in the Mirror: Man in the Mirror equips churches and ministry leaders to reach men with the gospel, providing resources, events, and men's ministry training. Comparable to Chicago Fellowship as a men's ministry organization focused on spiritual formation in everyday life.
• The Navigators: The Navigators is a long-established interdenominational Christian ministry focused on discipleship, mentorship, and Bible study, organized around small communities. Chicago Fellowship's small accountability groups and mentorship pairings operate on a similar relational-discipleship model.
• Iron Sharpens Iron: Iron Sharpens Iron is a national network of men's ministry conferences and resource hubs, serving the same demographic of Christian men seeking community and accountability. Its regional conference model parallels Chicago Fellowship's annual retreat and weekly gathering structure.

Others

• Park Community Church: Park Community Church is the Chicago church where Ray Carter served as Senior Pastor before leading Chicago Fellowship. It is an allied organization with overlapping community members, leadership pipeline, and pastoral DNA that has historically fed into Chicago Fellowship.

Emerging players

• C.S. Lewis Institute: C.S. Lewis Institute provides discipleship and mentorship training for pastors and ministry leaders. It is comparable to Chicago Fellowship as a Christian formation organization emphasizing long-term mentoring and intellectual engagement with the faith.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chicago-fellowship

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 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 CHICAGO FELLOWSHIP