Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church
The Great Lakes Annual Conference is a regional body of the Global Methodist Church serving 313 churches and 532 clergy across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It provides denominational affiliation, clergy ordination, and ministry support funded primarily by member-church connectional giving on a ~$1.9 million annual budget.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersKokomo, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church does
The Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church is a regional denominational body covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Established as a Provisional Annual Conference on July 1, 2023, it operates under the Global Methodist Church's Book of Doctrines and Discipline and is led by Conference Superintendent Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison (appointed January 1, 2025). It serves 313 member churches and 532 clergy across four states through a connectional structure of presiding elders, regional Board of Ministry vice chairs, and a six-person core staff (Conference Superintendent, Director of Operations/Treasurer, Director of Equipping, Operations Coordinator/Bookkeeper, Office Manager, Office Manager-adjacent prayer/intercessory coordinator). The conference grew from 4 founding churches to its current scale in roughly four years.
The organization's core "products" are ministry services rather than commercial offerings: the School of Lay Ministry (Certified Lay Minister training via Knack portal), Mission Match (a tool connecting disciples with congregations for Great Commission service), Annual Conference sessions held at rotating university and conference-center venues, the ENGAGE Missions Conference (a two-day GMC Kingdom Advancement Commission training), a Leadership Discovery Tool for identifying service gifts, and downloadable Church & Clergy Profile Forms. The technology stack is built on third-party SaaS (Knack, Church Center, JotForm, YouTube, MinistrySafe) rather than proprietary platforms; there is no AI/ML capability and no API offering.
Revenue is generated through a subscription-equivalent connectional funding model: member churches calculate and remit contributions based on their operating income, with a 2026-27 budget projecting approximately $1.9 million in income. The conference also accepts individual donations (via Church Center), receives grants (notably a $250,000 Lilly Endowment grant for ministerial education with a potential $1.2 million total match impact), and has accumulated roughly $973,000 in reserves. International missional partnerships extend to the Ethiopian Nazrawiyan Annual Conference, Oasis Annual Conference, and Grain Coast Conference (Liberia/Guinea). Go-to-market is relationship-driven, with prospective churches and clergy engaged through presiding elders, district leadership, and Board of Ministry application review rather than commercial sales processes.
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church
- Legal name
- Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church
- Website
- https://greatlakesgmc.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Great Lakes Annual Conference is a regional body of the Global Methodist Church serving 313 churches and 532 clergy across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. It provides denominational affiliation, clergy ordination, and ministry support funded primarily by member-church connectional giving on a ~$1.9 million annual budget.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Religious Denominational Services
- NAICS
- Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB), Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)
Keywords
Where Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kokomo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Connectional Funding: Member churches calculate and contribute connectional funding, sending portions to both the general church and the Great Lakes Conference. Local congregations are not billed unless they request it. The 2026-27 budget projects approximately $1.9 million in income.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: Individual donations accepted through the church center platform for various causes including Formed and Sent campaign, missions, and Venezuela earthquake relief.
- Ministry Endowments and Grants: Lilly Endowment granted $250,000 for ministerial education with additional $150,000 matching funds. Dollar-for-dollar match on pledges up to $400,000 over three years, potentially doubling impact to $1.2 million.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Great Lakes Annual Conference provides denominational administrative, credentialing, training, and connectional support to 313 member churches and 532 clergy across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Its core offerings include the School of Lay Ministry certification program, ordination and clergy credentialing, the Mission Match tool, Annual Conference sessions, the ENGAGE Missions Conference, church planting support, and connectional funding administration under the Global Methodist Church's Book of Doctrines and Discipline.
Product overview
The Great Lakes Annual Conference is a regional church administrative organization of the Global Methodist Church covering Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Rather than a software product company, it provides ministry support services including: the School of Lay Ministry for Certified Lay Minister training, Mission Match for connecting disciples with mission opportunities, annual conference sessions with worship and business meetings, downloadable church/clergy profile forms, a Leadership Discovery Tool for identifying service gifts, and the ENGAGE Missions Conference for missional training. The conference also offers various digital platforms for donations, registration, and member portals through third-party integrations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mission Match Tool that connects disciples eager to serve with congregations already living the Great Commission, facilitating mission matching within the conference for member churches and lay volunteers.
- School of Lay Ministry Courses and training program for becoming a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) in the Global Methodist Church, with Fall 2026 courses and registration available through the online Knack portal.
- Annual Conference Sessions Annual in-person conference sessions held at rotating locations (Indiana Wesleyan University, Spring Arbor University, Green Lake Conference Center) featuring worship, business sessions, breakout training, and ordination services for member churches and clergy.
- Church & Clergy Profile Forms Fillable PDF forms for churches and clergy to submit profiles to the conference for administrative purposes.
- Leadership Discovery Tool Assessment tool to help identify and connect people to conference service opportunities based on their gifts and calling.
- ENGAGE Missions Conference Two-day interactive training in best practices for Acts 1:8 local and global missions, sponsored by the GMC Kingdom Advancement Commission, held September 22-24, 2026 at Pathfinder Church in Portage, MI.
Quantifiable outcome
- Grew from 4 churches and 6 pastors to 313 churches and 532 clergy in four years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Venezuela Now, Inc.minorApproved Global Methodist Church partner headquartered in North Georgia that has served in Venezuela for years. Working with GM Church leadership on earthquake relief efforts following June 2026 earthquakes.
- Ethiopian Nazrawiyan Annual ConferencecoreMissional partnership supporting global Methodist work in Ethiopia. Conference members invited to Q&A sessions with Anbessu Feyissa.
- Oasis Annual ConferencecoreMissional partnership. Conference members invited to Q&A sessions with Dan Miller.
- Grain Coast Conference (Liberia and Guinea)minorPresented a handmade map as a token of friendship at 2026 Annual Conference, representing international connection and call to multiply disciples globally.
- MinistrySafeminorPartnership for child protection policies and procedures. Conference updated guidelines for protecting children, youth, and vulnerable adults through this partnership.
- Church AnswersminorProvides certification for church consulting and revitalization services. Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison is a Certified Church Consultant and Church Revitalizer through Church Answers.
- Fresh Expressions US and United SeminaryminorCertification partner for Fresh Expressions coaching. Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison received certification as a Fresh Expressions Coach through this partnership.
- GMC Kingdom Advancement CommissioncoreSponsors the ENGAGE missions conference, providing Kingdom Advancement training for Great Lakes Conference churches to carry out Acts 1:8 local and global missions.
- Grace Global Methodist Church of New Albin, IowacoreNewly received church from far northeast corner of Iowa, representing continued growth of the movement. First church from Iowa to join the conference.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Church Answers: Provides church consulting and revitalization certification referenced by Great Lakes GMC leadership (Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison is certified through them); adjacent ecosystem partner rather than a direct competitor.
Emerging players
- Church Multiplication Network: Church-planting focused network serving evangelical denominations and networks; relevant as a peer in the church multiplication strategy Great Lakes GMC is prioritizing.
Broad incumbents
- Christian and Missionary Alliance: Evangelical denomination with district structure, ordained clergy, and district-level leadership comparable to a Methodist Annual Conference's presiding elder model.
- Michigan Area United Methodist Church: UMC regional body covering Michigan, with similar conference-level structure, clergy credentialing, and connectional funding — and a key source of disaffiliating churches feeding Great Lakes GMC growth.
- The Wesleyan Church: A Wesleyan-holiness denomination with a similar district/conference structure, ordained clergy system, and member-church funding model. Comparable as an evangelical Methodist-adjacent denomination.
- Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church: The pre-disaffiliation UMC conference covering the same geographic footprint (and source of many Great Lakes GMC member churches). Directly comparable in mission and structure, but operates within the larger UMC connectional system.
- Church of the Nazarene (USA/Canada Region): Wesleyan-Arminian denomination organized into districts with similar clergy credentialing, district superintendent structure, and member church support functions.
- Free Methodist Church USA: Methodist Wesleyan-holiness denomination organized into conferences/regions with similar ordained clergy pathways and member-church support services. Comparable operating model at smaller scale.
Direct peers
- Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church: Sister GMC Annual Conference serving a multi-county region with the same conference-level structure, Board of Ministry, and district presiding elder system.
- South Georgia Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church: Another regional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church, sharing identical structure, governance model, and revenue mechanism (connectional funding). Most directly comparable peer given same denomination and operating model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church social profiles
Digital presenceGreat Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles43 records
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church
What does Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church do?
The Great Lakes Annual Conference provides denominational administrative, credentialing, training, and connectional support to 313 member churches and 532 clergy across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Its core offerings include the School of Lay Ministry certification program, ordination and clergy credentialing, the Mission Match tool, Annual Conference sessions, the ENGAGE Missions Conference, church planting support, and connectional funding administration under the Global Methodist Church's Book of Doctrines and Discipline.
Is Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church a public or private company?
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church founded?
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church based?
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church is headquartered in Kokomo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Connectional Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Giving and ministry Endowments and Grants.
Who are Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church's main competitors?
Church Answers is listed as an others. Church Multiplication Network is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Christian and Missionary Alliance, Michigan Area United Methodist Church, The Wesleyan Church, Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, Church of the Nazarene (USA/Canada Region) and Free Methodist Church USA. Direct peers are Western North Carolina Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church and South Georgia Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church.
Does Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church have an API?
No public API is recorded for Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church.
What industry is Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church in?
Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church's product category is Religious Denominational Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAJAB, Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences), with a secondary code of EDAHAKAB, Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies). Its NAICS code is 8131 and its SIC code is 8600.