First Roanoke

What First Roanoke does

First Roanoke (legal name: First Baptist Church of Roanoke) is a historic Southern Baptist church located at 321 Marshall Ave SW in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (SBCV), a fellowship of 740 churches. The church operates as a privately held nonprofit religious organization under Baptist polity, led by Senior Pastor Bryan Smith since August 2006, and serves a multi-generational congregation through a comprehensive ministry ecosystem spanning every life stage — from birth through senior adulthood. The organization delivers its core worship and community programming through Sunday services at 10:30AM, Connect Groups at 9:00AM, and a wide portfolio of specialized ministries including FirstKids (birth-5th grade), FirstStudents (6th-12th grade), Kainos (young adults), Generations (adults 55+), Men's and Women's ministries, and a Spanish-language Servicio en Español led by Pastor Pedro Alvarado.

The organization operates a diversified portfolio of fee-based and free services. Educational offerings include the First Place Child Development Center (preschool for ages 18 months through Pre-K at $200-$235/week, plus summer camp at $240/week) and the First Baptist Academy of Music (private music lessons, family classes, preschool music) launched in 2020. Community service programs include CarCare (free auto services for single mothers and widows, launched November 2020) and Care Portal Ministry (serving 140+ at-risk families). Global mission work extends to 5 continents through partnerships with IMB, NAMB, and SBCV, including planned trips to Puerto Rico, Brazil, England, Lesotho, and India. Distribution channels span in-person attendance, online live streaming at firstroanoke.online.church, on-demand sermon archives, regional TV broadcast "Experience First" on WSLS10, and dedicated social media accounts for each ministry.

The business model is structured around voluntary tithing (10% of income as the Biblical standard) and donations — accepted via online giving, physical drop boxes, mail, and in-person contributions — supplemented by tuition revenue from the Child Development Center, Academy of Music private lesson fees, and summer camp tuition. The church is governed by pastoral leadership and operates without traditional ownership, parent company, or institutional investor structure. Staffing encompasses approximately 30-40 named personnel across ministry, administrative, educational, and facilities functions, anchored at the main Roanoke campus with a secondary parking facility at 360 Luck Ave SW supporting the CarCare ministry.

Name

First Roanoke

Legal name

First Baptist Church of Roanoke

Website

https://firstroanoke.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

First Roanoke (First Baptist Church of Roanoke) is a historic Southern Baptist church in Roanoke, Virginia, operating a multi-generational ministry ecosystem with educational programs (Child Development Center, Academy of Music), community services (CarCare, Care Portal), and global missions across five continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Educational Services (61), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Preschools (EDACABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early Childhood Music Education (Ages 0–7) (EDAMANAD)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian education programs
• Preschool childcare
• Faith-based music academy
• Community outreach ministry

Headquarters

HQ city

Roanoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: First Roanoke practices tithing as the primary revenue stream, asking members to give 10% of their income as the Biblical standard for supporting Christ's body, the church.
2. Donations and Contributions: Church receives voluntary donations and contributions through online giving (credit/debit cards, electronic bank transfers), physical drop boxes at the sanctuary, mail-in checks, and in-person contributions at the church office.
3. Online Giving Platform: Secure online giving through the church's website allowing donors to give via credit card, debit card, or electronic debit from checking/savings accounts with password-protected access and privacy controls.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

First Roanoke (First Baptist Church of Roanoke) is a historic Southern Baptist church in Roanoke, Virginia that delivers weekly worship services, age-specific ministry programs (children, students, young adults, seniors, men, women, Spanish-speaking), early childhood education through its Child Development Center, faith-based private music instruction through its Academy of Music, and community outreach programs including CarCare (free auto services) and global missions. The church is supported primarily through tithes, donations, and tuition-based preschool and music programs.

Product overview

First Roanoke is a multi-generational Baptist church offering a comprehensive portfolio of ministry programs and services. The church operates as a unified ministry ecosystem with its core worship services supplemented by specialized programs: FirstKids (children's ministry ages 0-5th grade), FirstStudents (youth ministry 6th-12th grade), Kainos (young adults), Generations (seniors 55+), and the Spanish-language Servicio en Español. Educational offerings include the First Place Child Development Center (preschool) and First Baptist Academy of Music (private lessons and group classes). Community outreach includes the CarCare free auto service ministry and extensive global/local missions program. The church also broadcasts its Experience First ministry via regional television and online streaming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• First Baptist Academy of Music: Faith-based music education center offering private lessons, family music classes, and preschool music programs. Located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia.
• First Place Child Development Center
• First Roanoke CDC
• FirstStudents
• Kainos
• Generations
• CarCare
• Care Portal Ministry

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services
• FirstKids Ministry
• FirstStudents Ministry
• Kainos Young Adult Ministry
• Generations Senior Ministry
• Servicio en Español
• First Place Child Development Center
• First Baptist Academy of Music
• Experience First Television Broadcast
• Missions Program
• CarCare Ministry
• Connect Groups
• Men's Ministry
• Women's Ministry
• AWANA Wednesday Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 140 at-risk families through Care Portal Ministry
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Straight StreetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStraight Street is a youth center partnering with the church to provide a safe place for teenagers to hang out, meet friends, and find assistance for themselves and their families. It is more than a youth center offering support beyond typical youth programming.
• Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (SBCV)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Roanoke is affiliated with SBCV, a fellowship of 740 conservative Southern Baptist churches in Virginia and surrounding areas. SBCV supports church planting, strengthens existing churches, and supports pastors and staff families.
• Rescue Mission of RoanokeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Rescue Mission offers comprehensive services to people burdened by homelessness, disabilities, addictions, and abuse. The church supports this ministry through donations and volunteers.
• Blue Ridge Women's CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical clinic improving well-being of women and families through services specializing in unplanned pregnancy, relationships, and reproductive health.
• Keystone Community CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity center spreading God's message of hope through after-school care, backpack giveaways, community garden, and various community programs. Church supports with volunteers and donations.
• Friendship HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization offering after-school and food pantry programs, as well as refugee housing to assist displaced people from overseas.
• The LampstandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormerly Street Ransom, The Lampstand serves victims of trafficking through awareness and support programs, helping individuals in their greatest time of need.
• The Least of These MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLOT Ministries provides services for the homeless including free lockers, moving assistance, and warm buses on cold nights to improve quality of life for the unsheltered.
• Habitat for Humanity RoanokeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoanoke Valley Habitat for Humanity builds houses for the less fortunate, with fundraising coming from donations and sales at their Re-Store. Church supports through volunteers and donations.
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFCA serves 35 schools in the Roanoke area with approximately 13,000 student athletes served monthly through athletic ministry programs.
• Love LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization uniting and mobilizing the Church to create a culture of love and life to end abortion and the orphan crisis.
• CarePortalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarePortal connects individuals and churches with children in need, helping keep children out of foster care, helping families in crisis stay together, and rallying communities.
• Roanoke Area Ministries (RAM)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterfaith non-profit advocating for those facing or threatened by homelessness and hunger since 1971, providing care coordination, day shelter, meals, and emergency financial assistance.
• International Mission Board (IMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Baptist global missions organization that First Roanoke supports through prayer, giving, and sending mission teams internationally to support church planting and evangelism efforts worldwide.
• North American Mission Board (NAMB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Baptist North American missions organization supported by the church through prayer, giving, and mission trips for domestic evangelism and church planting efforts including Puerto Rico.
• SBCV Missions OpportunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState mission board offering training, coordination, and opportunities for Virginia Baptist churches to participate in local and regional missions and disaster relief.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First Baptist Nashville: Southern Baptist church in Nashville with extensive Christian education programming (including preschool and music instruction), making it a strong comparable for First Roanoke's paid educational operations within the same denomination.
• First Baptist Dallas: Historic Southern Baptist church in downtown Dallas with a comparable single main campus model, multi-generational ministry programming, and similar denominational affiliation. Operates comparable educational and music ministries and serves a mid-to-large congregation.
• First Baptist Atlanta: Historic Southern Baptist church in downtown Atlanta with a comparable single-campus model, multi-generational ministry structure, and similar theological alignment within the SBC family.
• Second Baptist Church Houston: Large Southern Baptist church in Houston, TX with multi-generational ministries, a well-developed preschool and academy program, and significant music ministry — a strong operational analog for the CDC and Academy of Music components.
• Prestonwood Baptist Church: Large Southern Baptist church in Plano, TX operating extensive children's, student, and adult ministries plus preschool, music academy-style programming, and global mission initiatives. Same denomination with similar scale and operational portfolio.
• Bellevue Baptist Church: Large historic Southern Baptist church in Memphis, TN with single main campus, multi-generational ministries (children, students, adults, seniors), preschool/daycare operations, and an extensive music ministry — directly comparable in denominational alignment and program breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Elevation Church: Large multi-generational church with strong digital/broadcast reach (YouTube-first), young adult and student ministry emphasis, and multi-site model. Comparable in pursuit of digital expansion and generational reach, though non-SBC.
• McLean Bible Church: Large multi-generational non-denominational church in the same Virginia/Mid-Atlantic region with strong children's, student, young adult, and global-mission programming. Non-SBC but offers the closest geographic and programmatic analog.
• North Point Community Church: Large Atlanta-area multi-generational church known for its small-group model (analogous to First Roanoke's Connect Groups), children's and student ministry depth, and digital-first communications strategy. Different denomination but similar operational philosophy.
• Saddleback Church: Large multi-generational church with cradle-to-grave programming, global PEACE Plan missions across multiple continents, and extensive small-group infrastructure — directly comparable in life-stage coverage and global-mission footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp1KpeBBeeiRXjjjSqYu61Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/FirstRoanoke
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstroanoke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-baptist-church-roanoke

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Roanoke