River Ministries International

What River Ministries International does

River Ministries International, operating as River Global Church, is a privately held, non-profit Christian church organization headquartered at 7615 Louisiana Highway 1 South, Addis, Louisiana (West Baton Rouge). Founded in 1999 by Senior Pastors Butch and Susan LaBauve, the organization operates a multi-program ministry ecosystem serving congregants of all ages and ethnic backgrounds through weekly in-person worship services on Sundays at 10 AM and Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, supplemented by home groups, conferences, online media streaming via YouTube (RiverChurchWBR), and community outreach. The product portfolio spans age-segmented ministry programs — RiverKidz (children ages 4-13), Transformed Youth (ages 12-19), Man Up Men's Breakfast, Women's Bible Study, Living Free (a Christ-centered recovery program), River Global Institute (a tuition-based 6-week ministry training curriculum), and RGMA (River Global Ministers Association for clergy fellowship). Supporting digital services include online giving through PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, and Tithe.ly, plus prayer request submission.

The organization is led by Senior Pastors Butch and Susan LaBauve (married 54 years, 25+ years of full-time ministry) alongside a pastoral team of associate, youth, children's, administrative, and music pastors, plus a church administrator and staff. Revenue is generated through three primary streams: voluntary tithes and offerings from the congregation (the dominant revenue source, facilitated across multiple digital payment platforms), tuition from River Global Institute ($200 per person or $350 per couple for the 6-week curriculum, plus $10 per family per Saturday for childcare), and event/conference registrations. The technology stack is modest: a LeadConnector/GoHighLevel-hosted website, YouTube live streaming, A2P 10DLC-compliant SMS messaging, email newsletters, and donation platform integrations. No proprietary software, AI/ML capabilities, mobile applications, or external APIs are present.

The go-to-market motion is community-led, building congregation and donor engagement through life-stage-specific programs, events-driven activation (Family Sunday, Beast Feast Men's Dinner, 50 Forward, Baptism Services), and a multi-channel digital presence spanning Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, email, and SMS. The organization markets itself as having a 'local, regional, and global vision,' with global reach operationalized through YouTube streaming rather than physical expansion. The operating geography is concentrated in Louisiana, USA, with no disclosed multi-site campus strategy, no acquisitions, no funding rounds, and no parent-company ownership structure; control rests with the senior pastoral leadership team.

Name

River Ministries International

Legal name

River Ministries International

Website

https://riverup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

River Ministries International is a non-profit Christian church in West Baton Rouge, Louisiana, founded in 1999, serving a multi-generational congregation through weekly worship, age-specific ministries (children, youth, men, women, recovery), and tuition-based ministry training via River Global Institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

Keywords

• Religious services
• Worship services
• Christian ministry
• Biblical education
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Addis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: The church receives donations through tithes and offerings from congregation members. Giving is facilitated through multiple digital platforms including PayPal, Cash App, and Venmo, as well as in-person during services.
2. School Tuition (River Global Institute): River Global Institute charges tuition for ministry training and education programs. Tuition is $200 per person or $350 per couple for the 6-week curriculum, with additional $10 per family per Saturday for childcare.
3. Event Registrations: Revenue generated from event registrations and programs such as conferences and special gatherings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

River Ministries International operates as a Christian church providing weekly worship services (Sundays 10 AM, Wednesdays 6:30 PM) at its West Baton Rouge campus, supported by age-specific ministry programs for children, youth, men, and women, biblical education through River Global Institute, a Christ-centered recovery program (Living Free), ministerial fellowship (RGMA), and digital services including online streaming via YouTube and online giving through Tithe.ly, PayPal, Cash App, and Venmo. The organization reaches congregants through in-person gatherings, home groups, conferences, and online media.

Product overview

River Ministries International operates as a multi-ministry Christian church with a unified portfolio of in-person and digital programs. The core offering includes weekly worship services (Sundays 10 AM, Wednesdays 6:30 PM) available both in-person and via online streaming. The product suite spans age-specific ministry programs including RiverKidz (children's), Transformed Youth (teens), Man Up (men's), Women's Bible Study, and Living Free (recovery). Educational offerings include River Global Institute (RGI) for ministry training, while RGMA provides fellowship for ministers. Digital services encompass online giving through multiple payment platforms and prayer request submission. The programs work together to fulfill the church's mission of reaching the lost and hurting with the gospel of Jesus Christ through weekly gatherings, home groups, outreaches, conferences, bible school, and online media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• River Global Institute: Training and equipping 21st century, fire-filled reformers and revivalists – men and women of all backgrounds. School tuition is $200 per person or $350 per couple.
• RGMA (River Global Ministers Association)
• Transformed Youth
• RiverKidz
• Man Up
• Women's Bible Study
• Living Free

Products and services

• RiverKidz Children's ministry program for ages 4-13 providing a safe, fun atmosphere for children to learn about God through the Word of God, interactive games, lessons, and wholesome activities. Meets Sundays at 10:00 AM in the River Up building.
• Transformed Youth Youth ministry for ages 12-19 that teaches young adults to know Jesus in a fun and interactive way. Led by Jason and Macy Poirier, meets weekly on Fridays at 6:30 PM in the River Up Building.
• Man Up Men's Breakfast Men's community group that connects and challenges men to be all that God has called them to be. Led by Thomas Olinde, meets weekly on Fridays at 7:00 AM in the River Church cafe.
• Women's Bible Study Bible study program for women offering straight talk and biblical truth built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. Led by Becky Nolan, meets on Mondays at 6:30 PM in 6-week study sessions.
• River Global Institute (RGI) Ministry training and education program that trains and equips 21st century reformers and revivalists. Offers a 6-week curriculum covering faith topics with classroom schedules on Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays. Tuition is $200 per person or $350 per couple.
• Living Free Christ-centered recovery program designed to help people find freedom from hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Provides a safe, anonymous space for sharing struggles including substance abuse, codependency, anger, and past trauma. Meets Wednesdays at 5:45 PM in the River Up Building.
• River Global Ministers Association (RGMA) Association that facilitates the fellowship and support of ministers with a common vision of revival. Holds biannual meetings for ministers seeking to see revival shake their land.
• Online Streaming Services Live and recorded streaming of church services via YouTube, allowing remote participation in weekly Sunday and Wednesday worship gatherings.
• Online Giving Digital donation platform enabling church members to give via PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, and Tithe.ly, with QR code scanning capability for mobile giving.
• Prayer Request Submission Online form for submitting prayer requests to the church prayer team, with options for SMS and email notification consent.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54 years of marriage demonstrated by senior pastors
• +1 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gateway Church: Multi-campus charismatic church with strong broadcast production, digital giving, and educational/school programs. Comparable as a Spirit-emphasis, multi-generational church operating broadcast and educational extensions of weekly services.
• North Point Ministries: Multi-campus church network with age-segmented ministries (children, students, adults) and digital media distribution. Comparable as a multi-generational, programmatic church organization with strong operational systems.
• Lakewood Church: Large charismatic non-denominational church with broadcast-grade streaming, recovery programs, and youth/children's ministries. Comparable as a Spirit-emphasis church with a comprehensive ministry portfolio and strong digital reach.
• Bethel Church: Charismatic/Pentecostal church known for miracles, signs and wonders, schools of ministry (Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry), and global online audience. Highly comparable in theological emphasis, power-preaching style, and educational arm.
• Church of the Highlands: Large multi-campus non-denominational charismatic church with comprehensive ministry programming, online streaming, and a church-planting network. Comparable as a broadly scoped contemporary church operating an integrated ministry ecosystem across demographics.
• Elevation Church: Multi-site charismatic church with online streaming, youth and children's programs, and conference-driven engagement. Comparable as a contemporary charismatic church using digital channels and demographic-specific ministries.

Regional players

• Cross Church: Multi-site church in Arkansas/regional South with comprehensive family ministry, recovery programs, and online broadcast. Comparable as a regional charismatic church with parallel ministry programming.
• Celebration Church: Multi-campus charismatic church headquartered in the same South-Central U.S. region (Jacksonville, FL / Slidell, LA roots) with similar Spirit-emphasis teaching and youth programming. Comparable as a regional charismatic peer with similar doctrinal posture.

Others

• Association of Related Churches (ARC): Cooperative church network providing resources, coaching, and peer support to independent charismatic and Pentecostal churches. Comparable as an enabling ecosystem adjacent to a church like River Ministries seeking growth resources and ministerial networks.

Direct peers

• Celebrate Recovery: Christ-centered 12-step recovery program that originated at Saddleback Church and is now used by thousands of churches. Highly comparable to Living Free as a faith-based recovery program targeting addiction, codependency, and trauma.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/RiverChurchWBR/streams
• Facebookfacebook.com/riverglobal
• Instagraminstagram.com/riverglobalwbr?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/river-ministries-international

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 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 River Ministries International