Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America

What Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America does

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America (CLB) is a 125-year-old Lutheran denomination founded on December 17, 1900, when five churches gathered in Milwaukee, WI. It is incorporated in Minnesota as a private nonprofit religious organization, headquartered at 1020 W. Alcott Ave, Fergus Falls, MN, and governed by a President elected at Biennial Conventions together with a Council of Directors. The CLB serves individual believers and member congregations through a tightly bundled ecosystem of wholly-owned shared ministries: Lutheran Brethren Seminary (LBS) for pastoral and missionary training, North American Mission (NAM) for church planting and revitalization, Lutheran Brethren International Mission (LBIM) for cross-border outreach, plus Women's Ministries, Youth and Young Adults, the Rooted gap year program, and the LB Discipleship Institute. Adjacent operating subsidiaries include LB Homes (senior living), Hillcrest Lutheran Academy, and Inspiration Point Camp.

The CLB's commercial surface is content- and program-based rather than technology-based. Its product portfolio comprises Faith & Fellowship (the official magazine), the CLB Forge online bookstore and resource platform, the DMC Minute weekly video series, the Biennial Convention (next: June 13–16, 2026, celebrating the 125th anniversary), and a centralized Pastoral Calling Process that routes church–minister matches through the Director of Operations. Distribution occurs through local congregations across the US plus international sister-church relationships in Canada, Taiwan, Chad, and Japan, supplemented by a website (clba.org), podcast series, blog, and affiliated ministry partners (Dwelling 1:14, OMF International).

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary tithes and offerings from member congregations and individual believers, with no pricing model, no commercial product, and no disclosed financials. The Disciple-Making Church (DMC) initiative, launched at the 2022 Biennial Convention, functions as the unifying strategic vision across all ministries, emphasizing calling, partnering, unleashing, and multiplying new disciples and leaders. Leadership is in a transition phase, with President Paul Larson not seeking re-election at the 2026 Convention and Rev. Mark Nienow and Rev. Michael Edwards nominated as candidates.

Name

Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America

Legal name

Church of the Lutheran Brethren

Website

https://clba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America is a 125-year-old Lutheran denomination headquartered in Fergus Falls, MN, serving member congregations and individual believers across the US, Canada, Taiwan, Chad, and Japan through its seminary, missions, publishing, and affiliated ministries, funded entirely by tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Denomination Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Lutheran denomination services
• Theological education seminary
• Church planting missions
• Pastoral calling services
• Christian ministry programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Fergus Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary contributions from member congregations and individual believers to support church operations, missions, and shared ministries.

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America is a Lutheran denomination that provides ministry programs and shared services to its affiliated congregations, including theological education through Lutheran Brethren Seminary, domestic and international missions, pastoral placement, youth and women's ministry programs, discipleship training resources, and publishing through Faith & Fellowship Magazine and the CLB Forge online bookstore. The organization's central mission is to support worship, discipleship, fellowship, and community service among member congregations and individual believers.

Product overview

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America is a denomination offering a portfolio of ministry programs and resources rather than a technology product. The organization operates through multiple interconnected programs including: Lutheran Brethren Seminary for theological education; North American Mission and International Mission for outreach; Faith & Fellowship Magazine and CLB Forge for publishing and resources; Women's Ministries, Youth and Young Adults, and Rooted for demographic-specific programming; LB Discipleship Institute for disciple-making training; and the Biennial Convention for governance and fellowship. The Pastoral Calling Process connects churches with available ministers. The Disciple-Making Church (DMC) initiative serves as the overarching vision tying these programs together.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Disciple-Making Church: Ministry advancement initiative focused on making disciples and unleashing new leaders
• Faith & Fellowship Magazine
• CLB Forge
• The Quiet Hour
• Rooted
• LB Discipleship Institute

Products and services

• Faith & Fellowship Magazine Official magazine of the Church of the Lutheran Brethren featuring articles and the latest issue for CLB members and followers.
• CLB Forge Bookstore and Resource Center Online platform serving as the official bookstore and resource center for the CLB, offering books, devotionals like The Quiet Hour, documents, and access to Faith & Fellowship Magazine.
• Lutheran Brethren Seminary Seminary equipping and preparing pastors and missionaries for ministry within the CLB and beyond.
• North American Mission Church planting and congregation revitalization efforts throughout North America.
• International Mission (LBIM) International mission efforts reaching unreached populations with the gospel, including operations in Chad, Cameroon, Japan, and Taiwan.
• Women's Ministries Women's ministry providing resources, gatherings, and support for women within CLB congregations.
• Youth and Young Adults Ministry Youth ministry including programs, conventions, and resources for young people across CLB churches.
• Rooted Gap Year Program Gap year program for young adults as part of the Disciple-Making Church initiative, helping develop future leaders.
• LB Discipleship Institute Discipleship training program supporting the development of disciples within CLB congregations.
• Pastoral Calling Process Structured service connecting CLB congregations seeking a pastor with ministers open to call, facilitated by the Director of Operations.
• DMC Minute Series Weekly video series supporting the Disciple-Making Church vision and initiative.
• Biennial Convention Official biennial gathering of the CLB for learning, growth, partnership, leadership elections, and celebration; June 13-16, 2026 will celebrate the 125th Anniversary.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• China Lutheran Brethren Church (CLBC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026International sister church relationship. President Enoch Chou of CLBC in Taiwan sent congratulations to CLB on its 125th Anniversary. Historical partnership launched from missionaries sent first to China and later to Taiwan, establishing close brother church relationship spanning over a century.
• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026International sister church relationship with CLB Canada. President Harold Rust leads the Canadian region, with congregations including Living Hope Lutheran Brethren Church in Beaumont, AB.
• Church of the Lutheran Brethren of ChadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026International sister church relationship with President Potifar Souina representing Chad Lutheran Brethren Church. Long-standing mission partnership with seminary involvement.
• Japan Lutheran Brethren ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026International sister church relationship with President Fumiyuki Wakamatsu representing Japan. Missionary presence with Linda and Dean Bengtson serving in Ishinomaki, Japan.
• Association of Free Lutheran CongregationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLike-minded Lutheran group with whom the CLB explores cooperation opportunities. Mentioned in context of seeking ways to cooperate with like-minded groups.
• Dwelling 1:14minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit ministry offering consulting and training for congregations in how to join Jesus on mission. Founder Rev. Greg Finke conducted training at the 2022 Biennial Convention.
• OMF InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecondment agreement between LBIM and OMF International for missionaries serving in east Asia since 2001.
• Grace Community Church (Wesley Chapel, FL)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember congregation that welcomed two new elders with participation from CLB President Paul Larson.
• Faith Chapel (Cranston, RI)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFormer church where Rev. Mike Natale served as pastor before joining Lutheran Brethren Seminary staff.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod: Another large confessional Lutheran body with its own seminary system (Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary) and missionary outreach. Comparable theological and structural orientation to CLB but at substantially greater scale.
• Christian and Missionary Alliance: An evangelical denomination with a strong international mission emphasis paralleling CLB's LBIM, and a comparable congregational polity model. Operates at greater scale but offers a useful comparison point for denominations combining domestic ministry with cross-border missionary work.
• Evangelical Free Church of America: A larger non-denominational evangelical body rooted in Scandinavian immigrant Lutheran Pietism, with similar congregational polity and an emphasis on church planting. Comparable in theological orientation (free church congregational governance) and missionary ethos, but with materially greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod: The largest confessional Lutheran body in North America with an extensive seminary system (Concordia), missionary organizations, and international reach. While orders of magnitude larger than CLB, it shares the Lutheran confessional tradition and provides the broader ecosystem in which CLB operates.
• Baptist General Conference (Converge): A medium-sized evangelical denomination with roots in Scandinavian immigrant churches, emphasizing church planting and missions. Similar in heritage (Nordic Pietist) and ministry philosophy to CLB, though operating at greater scale and across a wider geographic footprint.

Others

• The Lutheran Brethren International Mission (LBIM): The international mission arm of CLB itself — included as a peer reference for organizations operating international missionary partnerships, denominational missions boards, and cross-cultural church-planting networks in similar geographies (Chad, East Asia).

Direct peers

• Association of Free Lutheran Congregations: A small, conservative Lutheran body in North America that shares CLB's confessional Lutheran identity and congregational polity. Explicitly cited as a like-minded partner exploring cooperation opportunities, making it the most directly comparable peer in size, theology, and structure.
• Evangelical Lutheran Synod: A small confessional Lutheran denomination with a similar history of Norwegian-American heritage and a focus on theological education. Comparable in scale, theological orientation, and ministry structure to CLB, including its own seminary (Bethany Lutheran Theological Seminary).
• Church of the Lutheran Confession: A small, confessionally conservative Lutheran body with a similar theological stance and comparable congregational scale. Operates with its own seminary (Immanuel Lutheran Seminary) and shared ministry model, making it a direct structural parallel to CLB.

Emerging players

• Free Methodist Church USA: A smaller Wesleyan-holiness denomination with comparable scale to CLB, sharing an emphasis on small-group discipleship and global missions. Comparable in organizational size and denominational structure though theologically distinct.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/church-of-the-lutheran-brethren-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Church of the Lutheran Brethren of America