Highland Baptist Church - Waco Texas

What Highland Baptist Church - Waco Texas does

Highland Baptist Church is a non-profit Baptist congregation headquartered in Waco, Texas, founded circa 1923 and celebrating its centennial in May 2023. The organization operates a comprehensive multi-generational ministry portfolio structured around a Gather-Grow-Go framework, with four weekly Sunday worship gatherings (8:40am, 10am, and 4pm, per the current schedule) held at the Life Center (1900 N 30th St / 2924 Trice Ave). Programming spans the full life cycle: Preschool Ministry (newborn-PreK), Kids Ministry (K-5th), Students Ministry (6th-12th), College Ministry, Adult Bible Fellowships, Connection Groups meeting in homes throughout Waco, Senior Adults, Young Adults, Men's and Women's ministries, the Shine Special Needs Ministry, and Soul Care Groups addressing grief, divorce, addiction, and related needs. A one-year Highland Residency program develops young church leaders, and Highland Music functions as a songwriting and global equipping arm that has hosted training conferences in Nigeria and Uganda.

The organization's revenue model is built entirely on voluntary financial contributions - recurring tithes and offerings from congregation members via an online giving portal (Shelby Giving) and donation platform (Overflow), supplemented by designated capital campaign pledges. The Future Generations campaign commits $6.175M across a new Student Building ($3.5M), Education Building redesign ($1.25M), additional parking ($1.25M), and a Mission Waco partnership ($145K). The technology stack is built on the Monk CMS platform with third-party integrations for streaming (YouTube, Vimeo), group/event management (Church Center), content library access (RightNowMedia with 20,000+ videos), multilingual accessibility (CaptionKit across 15 languages), and donation processing. Distribution occurs through physical Sunday gatherings, online livestream, and home-based small groups dispersed throughout the Waco area; the church also maintains partnerships supporting missionaries in 25+ countries.

Highland reported 25% year-over-year Sunday Gathering attendance growth from 2022 to 2024 and added a fourth Gathering in August 2024 to relieve capacity constraints. In 2023, giving produced a $700K surplus over the ministry budget, and $430K was deployed to three new Texas church plants within eight months. With 73 employees and a full specialized pastoral team, the church is positioned for continued operational scale, supported by an active capital campaign and disciplined stewardship that has produced both programmatic expansion and external reallocation capacity.

Name

Highland Baptist Church - Waco Texas

Legal name

Highland Baptist Church

Website

https://hbcwaco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Highland Baptist Church is a Waco, Texas-based non-profit Baptist congregation founded circa 1923, offering multi-generational ministry programming (Preschool through Senior Adults) anchored by four Sunday worship gatherings and a Gather-Grow-Go framework, funded by voluntary tithes, offerings, and capital campaign gifts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services / Christian Worship

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Worship services
• Biblical teaching
• Community groups
• Religious education
• Missions outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Waco

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: Voluntary financial contributions from church members and attendees during weekly worship services and through online giving portal
2. Capital Campaign Giving: One-time and monthly gifts designated for Future Generations campaign projects including Student Building, Education Building redesign, additional parking, and Mission Waco partnership

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Highland Baptist Church is a non-profit Baptist congregation in Waco, Texas that delivers weekly Sunday worship gatherings and a full life-stage discipleship portfolio. Core offerings include four weekly Sunday Gatherings with livestream, age-tiered ministries (Preschool, Kids, Students, College, Adults, Senior Adults), Connection Groups and Adult Bible Fellowships for small-group community, Soul Care Groups for healing, the Shine Special Needs ministry, Prayer Ministry, a Wellness Center, a one-year Highland Residency for young church leaders, and the Highland Music equipping arm that hosts international worship-leader training conferences.

Product overview

Highland Baptist Church is a Waco, Texas congregation offering a comprehensive portfolio of ministry programs centered around three core pillars: Gather (worship gatherings), Grow (Bible study and small groups), and Go (missions and service). The core worship offering includes four weekly Sunday Gatherings (8:40am, 10am, 11:20am, and 4pm) held at the Life Center. Discipleship programming spans all age groups: Preschool Ministry, Kids Ministry (K-5th), Students Ministry (6th-12th), College Ministry, Adult Bible Fellowships, Connection Groups, and Soul Care Groups. Specialized ministries include the Shine Special Needs Ministry, Senior Adults Ministry, Prayer Ministry, and Wellness Center. Highland Music is the worship songwriting and equipping arm with global conference outreach. The church also operates a one-year Highland Residency program for young church leaders and conducts an ongoing Future Generations capital campaign for campus expansion. All programs integrate with Church Center for registration, YouTube/Vimeo for content delivery, and RightNowMedia for video resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sunday Gatherings Weekly worship services held at 8:40am, 10:00am, and 4:00pm on Sundays in the Life Center at 2924 Trice Ave, Waco TX, with a livestream option available for the morning gatherings. Designed for the multi-generational Waco congregation and online viewers.
• Adult Bible Fellowships (ABFs) Sunday morning on-campus Bible study classes for adults seeking community and spiritual growth in God's Word, traditionally called Sunday School.
• Connection Groups (Community Groups) Small groups meeting in homes throughout the Waco area during the week for fellowship, mutual accountability, prayer, and encouragement in applying God's Word together.
• Preschool Ministry Ministry for children newborn through PreK, providing a safe and loving environment where preschoolers learn that God loves them; attached to the Life Center Sunday Gatherings.
• Kids Ministry Ministry for children in Kindergarten through 5th grade with Wednesday night programs and Sunday morning lessons about God and His purpose for their lives.
• Students Ministry Ministry for students in grades 6-12 creating an environment for Kingdom Culture through fellowship, following Jesus' Kingship, seeking His will, and advancing His Kingdom.
• College Ministry Ministry encouraging college students to grow in the likeness of Christ through weekly opportunities and Sunday gatherings, surrounded by a strong community of believers.
• Highland Music Songwriting and equipping arm of Highland Baptist Church with a strategy to support global equipping ministry, particularly in countries lacking training resources; holds training conferences approximately every two years in locations such as Nigeria (Shabach Conference, 2018) and Uganda (Restoration Gateway, 2021).
• Prayer Ministry Multiple prayer opportunities including Men's Prayer (Sundays 8am), Women's Prayer (Sundays 8am), All Church Prayer (Sundays 3:30pm), and Wednesday Watch & Pray (4-5:15pm).
• Wellness Center Facility offering health and wellness programs for the church and community.
• New Member Class Required class for church membership covering Highland's direction and vision, ministry overview, God's plan of rescuing humanity, followed by a free dinner.
• Highland Residency One-year program equipping young church leaders through intentional spiritual development and practical ministry experience, focusing on head, heart, and hands for God's glory.
• Future Generations Capital Campaign Capital campaign funding major campus expansion projects including a new Student Building ($3.5M), redesigned Education Building ($1.25M), additional parking ($1.25M), and Mission Waco partnership ($145K), totaling $6.175M.
• Shine: Special Needs Ministry Special needs ministry providing support and inclusive programming for individuals with special needs and their families.
• Senior Adults Ministry Ministry for senior adults with opportunities for fellowship, service, and spiritual growth.
• Missions Ministry Local and international missions programming supporting church plants, mission teams, and missionaries to 25+ countries.
• Soul Care Groups Groups providing a safe and compassionate environment for healing from sin and suffering through Christ, His Word, and biblical community; addresses grief, brokenness, divorce, addiction, infertility, and hurt.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sunday Gathering attendances grew 25% year over year from 2022 to 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Restoration Gateway (Uganda)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Highland Music partnered with Restoration Gateway in Northern Uganda to host a training conference. Originally slated for June 2020 but moved due to pandemic. Pastors, Worship Leaders, and Musicians from the district were trained in church ministry, preaching, worship leading, musicianship, doctrine and more.
• ECWA Blue Roof / Shabach Conference (Nigeria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Highland Music partnered with ECWA Blue Roof and Pastor Nehemiah Maji for Shabach Conference in Kaduna, Nigeria. Over 4 days, 1,200+ Pastors, Worship Leaders, Musicians, and Production Teams from across Nigeria were trained and equipped for church ministry. Highland Music is the songwriting and equipping arm of Highland Baptist Church supporting global equipping ministry.
• Mission WacocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighland partners with Mission Waco to purchase three new homes for their Creekside Community Village development offering low-cost housing for people who have been homeless in Waco for at least one year. Cost of $145,000 for three homes. Highland has had a long-standing relationship with Mission Waco caring for the marginalized in Waco.
• Harris Creek ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighland consulted with Harris Creek Church in Waco regarding their 4pm worship time experience, which proved favorable for their congregation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Broad incumbents

• North Point Community Church: Large multi-campus church recognized for small-groups-driven discipleship model that parallels Highland's Connection Groups / ABFs architecture.
• Watermark Community Church: Large Dallas-based church known for extensive discipleship programming and community engagement; comparable in scale and operating sophistication though denomination-agnostic.

Regional players

• Woodway Baptist Church: Nearby Waco-area Baptist congregation with comparable worship service programming and community outreach to overlapping Waco MSA population.

Direct peers

• Lakepointe Church: Multi-site Texas-based Baptist church with similar cradle-to-grave ministry programming, adult Bible fellowships, and a Worship/Highland Music-style equipping model.
• McLean Bible Church: Multi-site church with similar comprehensive ministry programming (kids, students, adults, special needs, missions) and digital livestream infrastructure.
• Gateway Church: Large multi-site Texas church with parallel next-gen, missions, and Bible-study programming structure; broadly comparable operating model within the same state ecosystem.
• First Baptist Church Waco: Long-established Baptist church serving the same Waco market; comparable denominational identity, full-family programming, and local community footprint.
• Harris Creek Church: Waco, Texas-based Baptist church explicitly named as a peer/partner in the data; comparable multi-generational ministry model and shared geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLsFqAebY29e1wVRHYuISwQMD_9PypfyU7
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highland-baptist-church---waco-texas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Highland Baptist Church - Waco Texas