DESPERATION CHURCH INC

What DESPERATION CHURCH INC does

Desperation Church is a private, non-denominational Christian non-profit organization founded and led by Lead Pastor Andy Heis, operating four physical campuses across northern Alabama (Cullman headquarters, North Jefferson in Warrior, Jasper, and Lake in Crane Hill) plus an online campus with live streaming through YouTube and Facebook. The church serves congregants across all life stages through structured ministry programs: Desperation Kids (newborn through 5th grade), Desperation Students (middle and high school on Wednesday nights), The House (college and young adults ages 18-29 on Thursday nights), Desperation Women, and grief support resources, with community groups, Connect Pathway membership classes, and Connect Team volunteer pathways serving as the relational backbone.

The technology stack is composed of integrated third-party SaaS platforms rather than proprietary systems: Pushpay for online and recurring giving via checking account, debit, or credit card; Overflow for tax-efficient stock and cryptocurrency donations; CCB (Church Community Builder) for church management, forms, event registration, and community group administration; YouTube and Facebook for live streaming and on-demand sermon archive; and a custom mobile application on iOS and Android for engagement, content, and giving. A Squarespace-powered online store handles conference registration and merchandise. No AI/ML, proprietary data assets, or differentiated technology platforms are evidenced.

The business model relies primarily on voluntary tithes and offerings collected during services and through digital giving channels, supplemented by a Legacy Team major-gift program, designated campaign donations (including the Generation to Generation building campaign and Giving Hope Christmas outreach averaging $200 per sponsored child), and small-ticket paid programs: Leadership Academy at $500 per semester with a two-year Certificate of Ministry Leadership, the annual Sisterhood Conference at $60 per attendee, and mission trip participation fees of $1,500 to $3,500 per person. Global outreach is executed through partnership with ARC, Seed Company, A21, Compassion International, FIRM Israel, One Hope, Trafficking Hope, and Dream Center Network, with no disclosed revenue, attendance, or membership figures.

Name

DESPERATION CHURCH INC

Legal name

Desperation Church

Website

https://desperationchurch.tv

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Desperation Church is a private non-denominational Christian non-profit operating four Alabama campuses (Cullman, North Jefferson, Jasper, Lake) plus an online campus, serving all age groups with structured ministries, online giving, and paid leadership and conference programs funded primarily by voluntary tithes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

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), Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Christian church services
• Religious community programs
• Church discipleship ministry
• Faith-based education
• Global missions outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Cullman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Traditional church tithes and offerings collected during services and through online giving platforms. Members encouraged to give faithfully as part of spiritual discipline.
2. Legacy Team Major Gifts: Major gift program for donors who commit to giving above and beyond regular tithes to accelerate church vision and Kingdom impact.
3. Campaign Donations (Giving Hope, Generation to Generation): Designated donations for specific initiatives such as Christmas family sponsorship programs (average $200) and building campaigns.
4. Stock and Cryptocurrency Donations: Tax-efficient giving vehicles enabled through Overflow partnership for appreciated securities and cryptocurrency assets.
5. Leadership Academy Tuition: Certificate of Ministry Leadership program charging $500 per semester with payment plan options and need-based scholarships.
6. Sisterhood Conference Registration: Annual women's conference charging $60 per attendee for main sessions, worship, messages, lunch, and exclusive merchandise.
7. Mission Trip Fees: Mission trip participation fees ranging from $1,500-$3,500 per person depending on location and duration, covering travel and ministry costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Desperation Church Inc operates a non-denominational Christian church offering weekly worship services and structured ministry programs across three Alabama campuses (Cullman, Jasper/North Jefferson/Warrior, and Lake/Crane Hill) plus an online campus. Its offerings include age-segmented discipleship (dKidz, dStudents, dYoung Adults, dWomen), small-group discipleship (Freedom Groups), benevolence assistance (dCare), a leadership development pipeline, and global missions (D-Global).

Product overview

Desperation Church is a non-denominational Christian church operating as a single, unified ministry with multiple physical campus locations. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of church programs including worship services across four campuses (Cullman, North Jefferson, Jasper, and Lake), age-specific children's ministry (Desperation Kids for infants through 5th grade), student ministry (middle and high school), young adult ministry (The House for ages 18-29), women's ministry (Desperation Women), and a digital/mobile engagement platform via their church app. Core programmatic offerings include baptism, community groups organized by life stage and topic, Connect Pathway membership classes, volunteer Connect Teams, weekly Wednesday programming (Converge prayer services and Crew student ministry), and the Leadership Academy two-year certificate program. Mission-focused initiatives include local and international mission trips, the Giving Hope Christmas outreach, and the online campus for virtual attendance. The church also operates an integrated online giving platform supporting traditional and alternative asset donations, all unified under the vision of helping people Encounter God, Experience Life Change, Discover Purpose, and Change the World.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Desperation Kids: Children's ministry for newborns through 5th grade focusing on encountering God and building a biblical foundation.
• Desperation Students
• The House
• Desperation Women
• Converge
• Crew
• Giving Hope
• Leadership Academy
• Connect Pathway
• Connect Team
• Legacy Team

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Christian worship gatherings for congregants and visitors, delivered across three physical campuses in Alabama (Cullman, Jasper/North Jefferson/Warrior, Lake/Crane Hill) and an online campus.
• Online Campus Digital worship experience streamed live via YouTube and Facebook, extending the church's reach beyond its physical locations to remote attendees.
• dKidz Children's Ministry Christian discipleship and teaching program for children (K-5 / kindergarten through fifth grade), designed for families attending the church.
• dStudents Student Ministry Discipleship and community program for middle and high school students, including dedicated teaching, small groups, and events.
• dYoung Adults Ministry Community and discipleship program tailored to young adults, providing teaching, community, and growth opportunities.
• dWomen Ministry Women's ministry offering teaching, small groups, and events for women across the church's campuses.
• dCare Benevolence Benevolence and care service that provides practical assistance to community members facing hardship, functioning as the church's mercy and outreach arm.
• Freedom Groups Small-group discipleship program designed to foster spiritual growth, biblical community, and accountability among congregants.
• D-Global Missions Global missions initiative supporting international church planting and humanitarian outreach, funded by congregant giving and volunteer engagement.
• Next Steps Pathway Defined onboarding pathway for newcomers and members that moves participants through classes and commitments toward membership, ministry involvement, and leadership development.
• Leadership Pipeline Structured leadership development program designed to identify, train, and deploy emerging leaders within the church and its ministries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Services last 65-70 minutes, creating predictable time commitment for attendees.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Association of Related Churches (ARC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC is Desperation Church's primary church-planting and association network partner. Global mission partner representing work worldwide, particularly within unreached people groups in the 10/40 Window.
• Seed CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal mission partner working among unreached people groups. Part of Desperation Church's international outreach focus.
• A21coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partner focused on human trafficking awareness and prevention. Part of Desperation Church's Freedom ministry focus.
• Compassion InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild sponsorship organization operating globally among unreached people groups. Partnered with Desperation Church for international mission work.
• FIRM IsraelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal partner focused on work in Israel. Part of international mission partnerships representing Desperation Church's global reach.
• One HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal mission organization partnered with Desperation Church for outreach among unreached people groups.
• Trafficking HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on bringing freedom to those trapped in human trafficking. Aligned with Desperation Church's Freedom ministry focus.
• Dream Center NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDream Center Network partner organization. LA Dream Center listed as mission trip destination for October 2024.
• Local Schools (School Partnerships)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal school partnerships for Giving Hope Christmas event identification of families in need. Churches identify and invite families through these partnerships.
• PushpaycoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline giving platform partner enabling simple and secure giving via checking account, debit, or credit card. Supports single gifts and recurring giving.
• OverflowcoreTechnology or IntegrationStock and cryptocurrency donation processing partner making tax-efficient giving available to church donors. Partnership enables donating stocks and crypto online.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North Point Community Church: Andy Stanley's multisite non-denominational church in the Atlanta metro with multiple physical campuses and an online presence. Comparable non-denominational multisite model with strong leadership development programming and small groups backbone.
• Church of the Highlands: The flagship ARC-affiliated multisite church headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama with 20+ campuses across the state. The single most comparable peer — same denomination-free ARC network, same multisite strategy, same Alabama regional footprint — and the dominant incumbent Desperation must compete against for donors, volunteers, and members.
• Life.Church: Craig Groeschel's multisite non-denominational church with dozens of physical locations and a global online presence via the Church Online Platform. Comparable multisite + online architecture, custom mobile app, and broad digital content strategy.
• Elevation Church: Matthew Hagee's multisite non-denominational church based in Charlotte, NC with multiple physical locations, online campus, leadership development programming, and global mission partnerships. Closely analogous multisite non-denominational model with strong digital and broadcast infrastructure.
• Seacoast Church: Greg Surratt's multisite non-denominational church in the Charleston, SC area with multiple campuses, online presence, and ARC affiliation. Comparable ARC-affiliated multisite + online + church planting model.
• Summit Church: J.D. Greear's multisite non-denominational church in the Raleigh-Durham area with multiple campuses, an online campus, and global church-planting emphasis through the Summit Network. Comparable multisite + online + church-planting strategy.
• Saddleback Church: Rick Warren's historic multisite non-denominational church in Southern California with multiple regional campuses, global P.E.A.C.E. plan church planting, and the Purpose Driven leadership development framework. Comparable multisite + global planting + leadership development model.
• McLean Bible Church: David Platt's multisite church in the Washington DC metro with multiple campuses and online presence. Comparable non-denominational multisite strategy with strong global mission and church-planting orientation.
• Gateway Church: Robert Morris's multisite non-denominational church in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro with multiple campuses, online campus, and global outreach. Comparable scale and multisite + online model.
• Christ Fellowship Church: Todd Mullins's multisite non-denominational church in South Florida with multiple campuses, online streaming, and a strong children's/students ministry model analogous to Desperation's demographic-segmentation approach.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/DesperationChurch
• Facebookfacebook.com/DCcampusnews
• Instagraminstagram.com/desperationchurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desperation-church-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 DESPERATION CHURCH INC