Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School (WELS) - Burnsville MN

What Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School (WELS) - Burnsville MN does

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School is a congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) operating from a single campus at 151 East County Rd. 42 in Burnsville, Minnesota, founded in 1963. The organization delivers two Sunday worship services — a traditional 8am liturgical service (pipe organ, choir, formal liturgy) and a contemporary 10am service (praise band, casual atmosphere) — and operates Good Shepherd Lutheran School, a Preschool through 8th grade Christian day school housed at the same campus and branded separately at gsburnsville.com. The ministry portfolio spans cradle-to-senior programming, including Cradle Roll, Children's Bible Studies, Pioneers (grades 1-8), Seekers Youth Group (grades 5-12), Youth Confirmation (grades 7-8), Journey Groups, The Women's Connection, Men's Ministry, and the OWLS senior program (55+), with major family events such as Vacation Bible School, Trunk or Treat, and Easter and Christmas celebrations. The stated mission is "Grow With Purpose - Go With Passion."

The digital infrastructure is built on a conventional SaaS stack: Pushpay for online giving, CCB (Church Community Builder) "The HUB" for member directory and church management, Constant Contact for the HUGS and Panther News email lists, Flipsnack for the monthly Shep Talk newsletter, Google Forms for visitor connect cards, and YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch for live worship streaming. Visitation, prayer requests, and feedback are routed through web forms; outreach to prospects is handled via a "Bible Information Course — Growing in Hope." The organization partners with WELS synod bodies, St. Croix Lutheran Academy (a high-school feeder), and Christian Family Solutions (referral/support services).

As a non-profit religious institution, the organization does not sell products. Revenue is generated from voluntary tithes and offerings from congregation members (in-person and via Pushpay) and from school tuition paid by enrolled families. The organization is led by Pastor Dan Walters (Associate Pastor) alongside an elected Executive Team (President Paul Wirth, Vice President Larry Hoffman, Treasurer Gordy Dierauer) and ministry-area chairmen, supported by approximately 15 paid staff including administrative and school personnel. Distribution is regional to the Twin Cities South Metro, with the livestream stream offering a global reach mechanism, though global footprint is not actively claimed.

Name

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School (WELS) - Burnsville MN

Legal name

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Website

https://goodshep.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School is a WELS-affiliated congregation in Burnsville, MN, founded in 1963, offering traditional and contemporary worship services, a Preschool-8th grade Christian day school, and age-differentiated ministries spanning cradle to senior adults.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Worship and Christian Education Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (81311), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC), Faith-Based Nursery & Playgroups (EDACACAK), Religious Education, Kids & Family Faith Programming (MPABALAM)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Christian education programs
• Youth ministry programs
• Lutheran church ministries
• Bible study instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Burnsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School is a Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) congregation in Burnsville, MN that provides weekly worship services (traditional liturgical at 8am and contemporary at 10am) with online livestreaming, operates a Christian school from Preschool through 8th grade, and runs a full portfolio of age-differentiated ministry programs including Pioneers (grades 1-8), Seekers Youth Group (grades 5-12), Youth Confirmation (7th-8th), adult Bible studies, women's, men's, and senior (55+) ministries, plus family community events.

Product overview

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School is a WELS-affiliated congregation in Burnsville, MN offering a comprehensive ministry portfolio centered on two worship services (traditional 8am and contemporary 10am) with live streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch. The church operates Good Shepherd Lutheran School (Preschool–8th Grade) and a broad spectrum of age-differentiated programs including Pioneers (Lutheran Girl Pioneers and Lutheran Pioneers for grades 1–8), Seekers Youth Group (grades 5–12), Youth Confirmation (grades 7–8), Bible Education, Journey Groups, The Women's Connection, OWLS senior ministry (55+), and Men's Ministry. Family-oriented events include VBS, Trunk or Treat, and a Gymnasium Dedication Ceremony (August 2026). Digital operations include Pushpay for online giving, CCB (The HUB) for member directory and church management, Flipsnack-hosted Shep Talk newsletters, and Google Forms for visitor connect cards. The church also provides the Bible Information Course 'Growing in Hope' for inquirers and prospective members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Traditional Worship Service (8am) A formal liturgical worship service following the Christian Worship Hymnal (1993 and 2020) and Christian Worship Supplement, featuring pipe organ, traditional hymns, choir, formal gown and stoles, and a contemplative, reserved atmosphere for congregants preferring a classical worship style.
• Contemporary Worship Service (10am)
• Live Worship Streaming
• Good Shepherd Lutheran School (Preschool-8th Grade)
• Youth Confirmation (7th & 8th Grade)
• Seekers Youth Group (5th-12th Grade)
• Pioneers (Lutheran Girl Pioneers & Lutheran Pioneers)
• Bible Education Programs
• Journey Groups
• The Women's Connection (TWC) A women's ministry launched in August 2021 hosting monthly gatherings, social events, or service outings for females aged 13 and older, focused on personal and spiritual growth, encouragement, and relationship building.
• OWLS (Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors, 55+)
• Men's Ministry - More Than a Beer
• Vacation Bible School (VBS)
• Trunk or Treat
• Bible Information Course - Growing in Hope

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood Shepherd is a member congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), a conservative Christian church body. Through this affiliation, they share ministry around the world with other WELS congregations and participate in synod-wide resources including WELS Kingdom Workers, Northwestern Publishing House, Martin Luther College, and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.
• St. Croix Lutheran AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood Shepherd maintains a partnership with St. Croix Lutheran Academy, a WELS-affiliated school. The church recommends this academy as a resource for families seeking continued Christian education beyond 8th grade.
• Christian Family SolutionsminorOthersChristian Family Solutions is a WELS outreach agency providing spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical support. Good Shepherd refers members with pressing personal issues to this organization, which serves thousands regardless of faith affiliation.

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Christian Family Solutions: WELS-affiliated counseling and family services organization that Good Shepherd formally refers members to. Comparable as a WELS ministry organization serving overlapping congregants in the Twin Cities area.
• Northwestern Publishing House: WELS-owned publishing house producing the Christian Worship Hymnal, catechism materials, and Sunday school curricula used at Good Shepherd. Comparable as a WELS institutional partner supplying content and curriculum.
• Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS): Confessional synod and parent network for Good Shepherd, governing doctrine, ministerial education, and shared ministry resources. Comparable as the umbrella organization whose structure Good Shepherd operates within.
• WELS Kingdom Workers: WELS-affiliated missions and service organization that Good Shepherd lists as a synod partner. Comparable as a WELS ministry entity supporting outreach, service, and global missions for member congregations.
• Martin Luther College: WELS college in New Ulm, MN training pastors, teachers, and staff ministers for WELS congregations and schools. Directly relevant as the primary feeder institution for Good Shepherd's future pastoral and teaching staff.

Regional players

• Concordia Academy: LCMS-affiliated Christian K-12 school in Roseville, MN serving Twin Cities families. Comparable as a Lutheran-tradition K-12 institution in the same metro that competes for Christian-school families in the region.
• Bethany Academy: Non-denominational Christian K-12 school in Ham Lake, MN operating in the broader Twin Cities market. Comparable as a regional alternative Christian school competing for similar parent demographics.

Direct peers

• Faith Lutheran Church (WELS, Apple Valley MN): Nearby WELS congregation in Apple Valley, MN serving the same south-metro Burnsville-area demographic with similar worship, school, and family ministry programming. Directly comparable as a neighboring WELS church-and-school.
• Crown of Life Lutheran Church (WELS): WELS congregation in West St. Paul, MN with a K-8 school and similar age-differentiated ministry model. Comparable as a WELS church operating an integrated school and family programs in the Twin Cities.
• St. Croix Lutheran Academy: WELS-affiliated Christian high school in West St. Paul, MN that Good Shepherd formally partners with as the recommended next step after 8th grade. Directly comparable as a WELS educational institution serving the same congregational families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GoodShepNews
• Facebookfacebook.com/GoodShepChurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/good-shepherd-lutheran-church-&-school-wles---burnsville-mn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School (WELS) - Burnsville MN