First Baptist Church of Indianapolis

What First Baptist Church of Indianapolis does

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis (FBC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization founded in 1822 as the first congregation in the new city of Indianapolis, with continuous ministry in the city for nearly 200 years. The church relocated to its current campus at 8600 N. College Ave. in the Nora neighborhood in 1960 and today operates with 17 employees under Senior Pastor Rev. Evan Bever and Pastor of Faith Formation Rev. Laura Harris-Adam. Its core offerings include weekly in-person worship services on Sundays at 10 a.m., Facebook Live streaming of services, an archived online sermon library, Sunday School for all ages, and pastoral care. The church differentiates itself through an explicitly progressive and inclusive theological stance: it is LGBTQ-affirming (with a dedicated Inclusion Task Force formed in 2020), anti-racism oriented, fully inclusive of women in ministry, and welcoming to immigrants and refugees, including hosting the Karenni Hto Seh Htyar Baptist Church congregation at its sanctuary on Sundays.

Beyond worship, FBC operates several sub-branded community programs that diversify its footprint and revenue base. Beginnings Preschool and Child Care is a registered ministry and Indiana-certified Level 3 Paths to Quality provider serving children from infancy through age five, accepting CCDF and On My Way PreK state vouchers. First Baptist Athletics provides church-affiliated sports programming. The FBC Food Pantry distributes food monthly to Nora neighborhood families through Door 4. The church generates revenue from voluntary member contributions and annual pledge commitments (collected online via Realm, by mail, or in person), cash/check donations for the food pantry, and tuition from the preschool; core worship and community programming have no formal fee structure. FBC distributes its services through its physical Indianapolis campus, online streaming, and a Weekly Update email newsletter, with affiliations to American Baptist Churches USA and the ABC of Greater Indianapolis providing denominational identity rather than funding.

Name

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis

Legal name

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis

Website

https://fbcindy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1822

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Baptist congregation founded in 1822 that serves the Nora neighborhood and broader Indianapolis community through inclusive worship, faith formation, a food pantry, an LGBTQ-affirming ministry, and the Beginnings Preschool and Child Care program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services / Places of Worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61), Child Care Services (624410), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Community food pantry
• Early childhood education
• Faith formation programs
• Inclusive community ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Voluntary Member Contributions: The church is supported entirely by the voluntary generosity of members and friends through weekly/offered contributions, which can be made online via Realm, by mail, or in-person. First Baptist Church of Indianapolis is a 501(c)(3) organization, making contributions tax-deductible.
2. Pledge Commitments: Annual commitment cards allow congregants to pledge financial support for the coming year, helping the church plan its ministry budget.
3. Food Pantry Donations: The church accepts cash and check donations for its community food pantry program, which serves Nora neighborhood families in need monthly.
4. Beginnings Preschool Tuition: Beginnings Preschool and Child Care accepts Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers and On My Way PreK vouchers, suggesting a tuition-based revenue stream for early childhood education services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis is a 501(c)(3) Baptist congregation that provides weekly Sunday worship services (in-person and via Facebook Live), Sunday School religious education for all ages, a monthly community food pantry serving the Nora neighborhood, the Beginnings Preschool and Child Care for children from infancy through age five, and First Baptist Athletics. It also hosts the Karenni Hto Seh Htyar Baptist Church, a Karen-language immigrant congregation.

Product overview

First Baptist Church of Indianapolis offers a suite of faith-based programs and community services. The core offerings include weekly in-person worship services (with Facebook Live streaming), Sunday School for all ages, and archived online sermons. Community outreach is centered on a monthly Food Pantry serving the Nora neighborhood. The church also operates Beginnings Preschool and Child Care (a certified Level 3 Paths to QUALITY provider) and First Baptist Athletics as sub-branded programs. Additional offerings include online giving via Realm and hosting for the Karenni Hto Seh Htyar Baptist Church congregation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beginnings Preschool and Child Care: A registered ministry of First Baptist Church offering high quality, affordable preschool and child care. Certified Level 3 Provider in the Paths to Quality program.

Products and services

• In-Person Worship Services Weekly worship services held in the church sanctuary for the congregation and general community, with Sunday services at 10am and Sunday School beginning at 8:50am. Also streamed via Facebook Live for remote participation.
• Sunday School Program Religious education program for children (infant through 5th grade), youth (middle and high school), and adults, meeting at 8:50am on Sundays.
• Community Food Pantry Monthly community food assistance program serving the local Nora neighborhood, open on the last Tuesday of each month from 4-6pm at Door 4 of the church building.
• Beginnings Preschool and Child Care Registered ministry of First Baptist Church offering high-quality, affordable preschool and child care from infancy through age five. Certified Level 3 Provider in the Paths to Quality program, operating 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Friday. Accepts CCDF and On My Way PreK vouchers.
• First Baptist Athletics Athletic programs and activities organized through the church for youth and community members.
• Online Sermon Archive Online archive of sermon recordings and transcripts available on the church website, edited from Facebook Live broadcasts.
• Online Giving Platform Electronic donation platform allowing members and friends to contribute financially to the church's ministries, powered by Realm. First Baptist Church is a 501(c)(3) organization.
• Karenni Hto Seh Htyar Baptist Church (Host Congregation) A Karen-language Baptist congregation that meets in the FBC Sanctuary on Sundays at 1pm, representing the church's commitment to welcoming diverse cultural and immigrant communities.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBC is affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA, sharing the good news of God's unconditional love. This affiliation provides denominational identity, theological framework, and connection to the broader American Baptist network. FBC participates in ABC events such as Space for Grace conferences.
• ABC of Greater IndianapoliscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBC is a member of ABC of Greater Indianapolis, a regional body of American Baptist churches in the Indianapolis area, providing connection to local Baptist ministers and resources.
• Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (AWAB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBC sought advice and resources from AWAB in its journey toward greater LGBTQ inclusion and outreach, as part of its LGBTQ inclusion task force discernment process.
• Nora Neighborhood Ambassadors (NNA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFBC participates in the Nora Neighborhood Ambassadors program through its Witness to Faith group, engaging in community outreach and neighborhood development in the Nora area around the church.
• Karenni Hto Seh Htyar Baptist ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn independent ethnic Baptist congregation that meets at FBC's sanctuary on Sundays at 1pm, representing the church's commitment to welcoming diverse cultural and immigrant communities.
• Indiana Paths to Quality ProgramcoreOthersBeginnings Preschool and Child Care is a certified Level 3 Provider in Indiana's Paths to Quality early childhood education program, a state-sanctioned quality rating system for childcare providers.
• Indiana CCDF / On My Way PreK Voucher ProgramscoreOthersBeginnings Preschool accepts Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) vouchers and On My Way PreK vouchers, partnering with state of Indiana childcare subsidy programs to serve low-income families.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wilshire Baptist Church (Dallas, TX): A progressive Baptist church with a long history of social justice engagement and LGBTQ-affirming stance; comparable to FBC in denominational affiliation and progressive identity.
• Cathedral of Hope (Dallas, TX): A large predominantly LGBTQ-affirming congregation with strong community service programs; comparable to FBC's inclusive welcome stance and faith-based community outreach model.
• Tabernacle Presbyterian Church (Indianapolis, IN): An Indianapolis progressive mainline congregation with active community outreach and social justice engagement — comparable to FBC in operating model and Indianapolis geography.
• Northminster Presbyterian Church: An Indianapolis progressive mainline congregation with similar community programming, social justice emphasis, and local Indianapolis footprint — directly comparable in operating model to FBC.
• Broadway United Methodist Church (Indianapolis, IN): An Indianapolis progressive mainline congregation with strong social justice programming and downtown community service — comparable to FBC in local footprint and inclusive ministry approach.
• Highland Baptist Church (Louisville, KY): A progressive Baptist congregation known for inclusive welcome and community outreach programs; closely comparable to FBC's affirming Baptist identity and ministry structure.
• University Baptist Church (Minneapolis, MN): A progressive Baptist congregation with a strong LGBTQ-affirming stance and active social justice programming; directly comparable in denomination and inclusive ministry approach to FBC.
• All Souls Unitarian Church (Indianapolis, IN): An Indianapolis progressive liberal faith community with social justice, LGBTQ inclusion, and community programming — directly comparable to FBC's inclusive community engagement model.
• Second Baptist Church (Indianapolis, IN): An Indianapolis Baptist congregation in the same city and denomination as FBC — a local denominational peer for comparison on Indianapolis Baptist ministry structure and community programming.

Broad incumbents

• Riverside Church (New York, NY): A large progressive mainline congregation with extensive social justice programming, community services, and broadcast ministry; a broader-scale incumbent comparable to FBC's progressive identity and community programming model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fbcindy
• Facebookfacebook.com/firstbaptistchurchindy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-baptist-church-of-indianapolis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about First Baptist Church of Indianapolis