First Christian Church of Fort Myers FL

What First Christian Church of Fort Myers FL does

First Christian Church of Fort Myers (FCC) is a non-profit Christian congregation in the Disciples of Christ tradition, founded November 13, 1923, in Fort Myers, Florida. It has occupied its main campus at the corner of McGregor Boulevard and Tournament Street since 1931 and currently fields 15+ full-time ministry staff — including Lead Pastor Matt Summers, Executive Ministers, dedicated Children's, Student, Worship, Connections, and Seniors Ministers, plus a Facilities Manager and an Administrative Assistant — serving a multi-generational congregation of roughly 500+ members. The church operates a comprehensive age-segmented ministry ecosystem: First Kids (ages 6 weeks–5th grade), First Students (middle and high school), First Groups (small groups), First Seniors (with the Club 90 program for members aged 90+), and a Mission Partners program supporting 25+ missionaries across 15+ countries.

FCC's core "products" are weekly in-person worship services held Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00 AM, supplemented by live-streamed services on YouTube and Facebook, archived as podcasts on Anchor FM, and distributed via the Church Center mobile app (Planning Center's platform). All worship and ministry programming is offered free of charge; revenue is generated almost entirely through voluntary tithes and offerings from congregation members, with approximately 22% of the annual budget allocated to global missions. A secondary revenue stream is tuition from the Connection Point Early Learning Center, a preschool launched in 2018 under Director Laura Petel that operates from repurposed church facilities. The supporting technology stack — Church Center, RightNow Media, and the FCC website at fccfm.org — handles registrations, giving, group enrollment, connection cards, and content distribution, while the church's community-and-event-driven go-to-market motion centers on Sunday services, the quarterly First Step newcomer brunch, age-specific weekly programming, and church-planting partnerships.

Strategically, FCC has pursued a channel-and-product expansion pattern: launching live-streaming in 2020, opening Connection Point in 2018, completing a planned Lead Pastor transition in 2022 (from Gary Cox to Matt Summers), and distributing over $250,000 in Hurricane Ian relief in 2022. The church has also helped plant ten congregations over its history, including Crosspoint Christian Church in Cape Coral in 2005, and remains an owner/founding church of the Lake Aurora Christian Camp near Lakeland, FL.

Name

First Christian Church of Fort Myers FL

Legal name

First Christian Church of Fort Myers

Website

https://fccfm.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Christian Church of Fort Myers is a 100-year-old non-profit church serving roughly 500 multi-generational members in Southwest Florida through weekly worship, age-specific ministries, a preschool, and global missions support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Childcare Centers (EDACAAAN), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Children's ministry programs
• Youth student ministry
• Small group ministry
• Preschool early learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Church receives voluntary financial contributions from congregation members through traditional offering and digital giving via Church Center platform. Members encouraged to tithe (10% of income) as part of spiritual practice.
2. Connection Point Early Learning Center: Preschool program operated by the church generates tuition revenue for early childhood education services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

First Christian Church of Fort Myers delivers weekly Christian worship services in-person and online, supported by age-specific ministry programs for children (First Kids), students (First Students), adults (First Groups), and seniors (First Seniors). The church operates Connection Point Early Learning Center, a preschool, and coordinates a global Mission Partners program supporting 25+ missionaries across 15+ countries. All programming is offered free to attendees, funded through voluntary member tithes and offerings.

Product overview

First Christian Church of Fort Myers FL offers a comprehensive ministry ecosystem centered around its core worship services (in-person and online) and age-specific life-stage programs. The church provides First Kids (children's ministry for 6 weeks through 5th grade), First Students (middle/high school youth ministry), First Groups (small groups including Sunday, Discipleship, and Interest Groups), and First Seniors (senior adult ministry). Supporting offerings include Connection Point Early Learning Center (preschool), Media & Sermon Resources (streaming, podcasts), Online Giving, and a Mission Partners Program supporting global missions. The church uses Church Center software for registrations, events, and giving management, and integrates with YouTube for streaming, RightNow Media for video resources, and mobile apps for parent engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Kids: Children's ministry providing age-appropriate environment for kids to connect with Jesus, from babies through 5th grade
• First Students
• First Groups
• First Seniors
• Mission Partners
• Club 90
• Connection Point Early Learning Center
• The Bridge

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services In-person and online Sunday worship services held at 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM, featuring worship music and Bible-based teaching from Lead Pastor Matt Summers and the teaching team. Free to attend and streamed via Facebook Live and YouTube.
• First Kids Children's Ministry Children's ministry program for ages 6 weeks through 5th grade, providing safe, age-appropriate environments where kids connect to Jesus through games, bible lessons, and small groups. Free to attend.
• First Students Youth Ministry Middle and high school youth ministry offering Wednesday and Sunday gatherings, FCA chapters at local schools, small groups by grade and gender, and relevant teaching for spiritual growth. Free to attend.
• First Groups Small Group Ministry Small group ministry featuring Sunday Morning Groups, Discipleship Groups, and Interest Groups designed for spiritual growth through authentic relationships and biblical community. Free to attend.
• First Seniors Ministry Ministry for senior adults offering fellowship, learning, grief support, service projects, and Club 90 recognition program for members 90 years and older. Activities nearly every week of the year. Free to attend.
• Connection Point Early Learning Center Preschool and early learning center providing educational and spiritual development for young children, led by Director Laura Petel. Tuition-based program operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the church.
• Mission Partners Program Global missions initiative partnering with 25+ missionaries and organizations worldwide including New International, Ends Adventures, Josiah Venture, Agape Flights, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and others for evangelism, church planting, humanitarian aid, and Bible translation across 15+ countries.
• Media and Sermon Resources Online access to sermon recordings, worship service streams, podcast episodes, and RightNow Media resources for spiritual growth. Free streaming and podcast access.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• New International (Center for Global Outreach)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCC partners with New International, a missions organization based in Fort Myers. Multiple missionaries associated with FCC serve with New International including Susan Caple (CFO), Dave & Mara Pickering (Directors of Missionary Resources and Care), and Josh Walker (Media and Digital Design). Glen & Wendy Gibson serve as Regional Directors for Middle East and Africa.
• Ends AdventurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive adventure community impacting youth locally and globally through Christ-centered adventure events. Matthew & Jennifer Miller serve as Associate Director. Karen Weber leads Ends Equestrians. Josh Walker formerly served as Lead Designer. FCC provides support and missionaries to this ministry.
• Josiah VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJosiah Venture works in Eastern Europe to equip young leaders and plant churches. Tsvetan & Maia Stoitsev serve as Bulgaria Country Leaders. Gabriel Hillman, a long-time FCC member, previously held this role.
• Impact Campus MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry to college students at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Kerry Eastridge serves as Campus Minister and has been with Impact since 2009. Seeks to lead students into passionate pursuit of Jesus Christ.
• Lake Aurora Christian CampflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCC is an owner and founding church of Lake Aurora Christian Camp near Lakeland, FL. Established 1947, the 80-acre campus serves children through seniors with summer programs and year-round retreats. FCC helped found this camp over 75 years ago.
• Crosspoint Christian ChurchflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIn 2005, FCC commissioned Executive Pastor Jeff Swearingen to plant Crosspoint Christian Church in Cape Coral. This was FCC's largest church plant, giving significant financial donation and sending 125 members to help launch the new congregation.
• Wycliffe Bible TranslatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMike & Karen Osborn, former FCC members (Mike served as Elder), joined Wycliffe Bible Translators in 2010. Mike serves as Senior Director of Workforce Experiences on Wycliffe's HR team.
• Christian Campus Fellowship (FSU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry on Florida State University campus. Community of college students from various backgrounds seeking to further the Gospel at FSU. Celebrated 50th anniversary at FSU in 2020.
• Midwest Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCC partners with Midwest Food Bank to alleviate hunger in Southwest Florida. MFB shares Christ's love by meeting both physical and spiritual needs of people in need.
• Open Door LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlen Gibson serves as Executive Director and Wendy Gibson as Director of Missionary Care. ODL makes disciples through public lending libraries and community centers. Operates in Berlin, Prague, Sacramento, and Middle East.
• Living Water MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry taking the Gospel to remote villages of Northwest Haiti for 35+ years. Builds and maintains schools, clinics, and churches. Has 40+ Haitian workers on payroll and operates a 600-acre campus.
• Guiding GraceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Thrive, founded 1996 in Cape Coral. Safe haven for pregnant women and single mothers. Dismantles barriers, restores families, and builds culture of life.
• Verity (Pregnancy Medical Clinic)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLife-affirming, gospel-centered nonprofit pregnancy medical clinic providing free services including pregnancy testing, limited ultrasound, STI testing, material assistance, and counseling for those facing unplanned pregnancy.
• Hoops on MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Dwayne Jackson, reaches youth through school mentoring programs, basketball, monthly events, and missions trips. Based in Fort Myers with focus on urban youth.
• Christian Medical Ministries (SWFL Free Pain Clinic)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free medical treatment without opioids to low-income uninsured people using holistic principles. Located in Southwest Florida. Added mold illness treatment after Hurricane Ian.
• Joey Potter MissionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership serving poor and oppressed children by providing clean water and daily meals.
• Milligan UniversityminorOthersChristian liberal arts college in Johnson City, TN dedicated to educating men and women to lead and serve. Over 150 years of Christ-centered education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fellowship Church: Established Texas-based megachurch with extensive global missions footprint and multi-generational programming. Larger and broader in scale but operates the same evangelical ministry model.

Direct peers

• Christ Fellowship Church: Large Florida-based evangelical multi-site church with global missions, preschool, and full children's-to-seniors ministry stack. Operates in the same statewide market with similar programming philosophy.
• Bayside Community Church: Florida-based evangelical church with multiple campuses, contemporary worship, and dedicated children's, student, and small-group ministries. Direct peer in ministry architecture and target demographic.
• First Baptist Church of Fort Myers: Historic downtown-area Baptist church in Fort Myers serving overlapping Southwest Florida families. Comparable in size and longevity to FCC, with similar broad-appeal programming across age groups.
• North Naples Church: Non-denominational church in nearby Naples, FL serving the same Southwest Florida commuter and retiree market as FCC. Comparable in scale and programming breadth.
• Real Life Christian Church: Multi-site evangelical church in the Tampa Bay area with comparable mid-sized flagship campus and similar life-stage ministry structure. Operates preschool and global missions programs with comparable staffing model.
• McGregor Baptist Church: Large Baptist congregation located within minutes of FCC's McGregor Blvd campus in Fort Myers. Directly competes for the same Fort Myers congregants and family demographics with a multi-generational ministry model.

Others

• Lake Aurora Christian Camp: Christian camp near Lakeland, FL co-founded by FCC in 1947. Operates as an extension of FCC's ministry ecosystem for youth and family programming rather than a competing church.
• New International: Fort Myers-based missions organization that FCC partners with and supplies missionaries and staff to. Functions as a strategic ecosystem peer rather than a competing ministry.

Regional players

• Watermark Community Church: Large Dallas-area evangelical church with a similar ministry architecture (age-segmented programs, global missions, community outreach). Comparable in operational philosophy but serves a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/firstchristianchurchoffortmyers
• Facebookfacebook.com/FCCFtMyers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-christian-church-of-fort-myers-fl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries2 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 First Christian Church of Fort Myers FL