Second Baptist Church, Evanston

What Second Baptist Church, Evanston does

Second Baptist Church of Evanston is a 140+ year-old historic African American Baptist congregation, founded November 17, 1882, as the first Black Baptist church organized in Evanston, Illinois. It operates as an independent, self-governing nonprofit religious organization with 13 paid staff and a volunteer ministerial team of 15+ designated ministers, offering weekly Sunday worship at 9:30am, Sunday School, Wednesday prayer and Bible study, and a multi-generational ministry portfolio spanning Little Sprouts (toddlers), Orange Ministry (children's Christian education using the 252 Kids curriculum from Think Orange), LightHouse Young Adult Ministry (ages 18–35), family ministries, and senior engagement. Pastoral care, counseling, and member support are delivered through CareLink and a Visitation Ministry.

The church's digital ecosystem comprises the SBC Beacon mobile app (iOS and Android), the SBC Live streaming platform, a YouTube media library organized by series/topics/speakers/scripture, and an online giving portal, all built on a SnapPages website. Distribution is anchored at its 1717 Benson Avenue campus in Evanston, with a secondary community garden property at 2312 Church Street. Revenue is generated entirely from voluntary tithes and offerings, delivered via in-person envelopes, mailed checks, online giving, and mobile-app giving, with no program fees charged.

Name

Second Baptist Church, Evanston

Legal name

Second Baptist Church

Website

https://secondbaptistevanston.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1882

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Second Baptist Church of Evanston is a 140+ year-old historic African American Baptist congregation providing worship, multi-generational Christian education, pastoral care, and community outreach programs, supported by voluntary tithes and offerings from its membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Christian worship services
• Religious education programs
• Pastoral care ministry
• Community outreach services
• Live streaming worship

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary tithes and offerings from congregation members. Members are encouraged to tithe (give 10% of income) as a spiritual practice of generosity and stewardship. Giving supports church ministry, staff compensation, community programs, and mission work.
2. In-Person Giving: Giving envelopes available in the Sanctuary for in-person contributions during worship services
3. Mail Giving: Mailing checks to Church Business Office at 1717 Benson Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201, Attn: Trustees

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Second Baptist Church is a historic African American Baptist congregation providing weekly Sunday worship services, midweek prayer and Bible study, tiered Christian education (Little Sprouts nursery, Orange Ministry for elementary/middle schoolers, LightHouse Young Adult Ministry), pastoral care and counseling, member-support services via CareLink, and community outreach programs such as the Tuesday Soup Kitchen. Its digital ecosystem—SBC Live streaming, the SBC Beacon mobile app, and an archived Media Library—extends worship and engagement beyond the Evanston campus.

Product overview

Second Baptist Church operates as a faith-based organization offering a portfolio of digital and in-person ministry programs. The digital ecosystem includes the SBC Beacon App for mobile giving and church connectivity, SBC Live for online worship streaming, and a comprehensive Media Library archive. In-person programs span LightHouse Young Adult Ministry, Orange Ministry (children's Christian education using the 252 Kids curriculum from Think Orange), Little Sprouts nursery, Tuesday Soup Kitchen community outreach, and CareLink member support services. The church utilizes SnapPages website builder for its digital presence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LightHouse: Young Adult Ministry for ages 18-35 founded in 2014
• Orange
• Little Sprouts

Products and services

• Sunday Worship Services Weekly Sunday worship services held at 9:30am at 1717 Benson Ave, Evanston, IL 60201, featuring uplifting music, heartfelt worship, and sermons from Pastor Nabors for congregation members and visitors.
• Sunday School Sunday Christian-education gathering held at 8:15am each week to provide faith formation and Bible teaching ahead of worship.
• Wednesday Prayer and Bible Study Midweek Prayer gathering at 6pm and Bible Study at 7pm for ongoing spiritual formation, intercession, and Scripture engagement for congregation members.
• LightHouse Young Adult Ministry Young adult ministry for ages 18–35 offering Bible studies, 'The Beacon' YouTube conversation series, 'The Toolkit' life-application workshops, social outings, service projects, and annual events including Christmas and Superbowl parties.
• Orange Ministry (Children's Christian Education) Christian education ministry for elementary and middle-school-aged children using the 252 Kids curriculum from Think Orange, teaching core biblical truths through interactive Bible stories, music, and creative activities.
• Little Sprouts Nursery Nursery room for families with active toddlers offering age-appropriate books, toys, activities, and changing tables, with a live stream of the Sanctuary service so parents can worship while children are cared for.
• Tuesday Soup Kitchen Weekly community outreach providing warm meals in a welcoming environment to neighbors in need, with volunteer opportunities for meal preparation, serving, and cleanup.
• SBC Live (Online Worship Streaming) Live-streaming platform for church services, allowing members and visitors to join worship services virtually with recent sermons and Sunday worship broadcasts.
• Media Library Comprehensive archive of church sermons and media content organized by series, topics, speakers, and scripture, allowing users to browse and watch past services and teachings.
• SBC Beacon Mobile App Mobile application available on Apple and Android devices enabling church members and visitors to give online, access the church calendar, and stay connected with Second Baptist Church activities.
• Pastoral Care and Counseling One-on-one pastoral care, counseling, and family support services delivered through dedicated ministers including those responsible for Visitation and Congregational Care, In-Reach and Wellness, Family and Service, and Outreach and Mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• First municipal reparations program in the United States facilitated, allocating $10 million to Black Evanstonians
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• First Baptist Church of Evanston: First Baptist Church of Evanston is the historic congregation from which Second Baptist's founders came in 1882. It is the most direct local peer, sharing Baptist theology, Evanston geography, and overlapping community demographics.
• Bethel AME Church (Evanston/Chicago): Bethel AME is a nearby African American congregation in Evanston and the broader Chicago area with a comparable historically Black identity, community programming, and worship traditions. It serves the same Evanston North Shore community, providing direct competition for members.
• Hartford Memorial Baptist Church (Detroit): Hartford Memorial is a historic African American Baptist church in Detroit with a long-standing progressive ministry tradition and community uplift focus. It is comparable in size and mission orientation to SBC, including Sunday morning broadcast reach.
• Tabernacle Baptist Church (Chicago): Tabernacle Baptist Church is a historic African American Baptist church in Chicago with comparable community outreach, social justice focus, and programming. It is comparable as a peer Black Baptist congregation in the broader Chicago metropolitan area serving similar demographics.

Broad incumbents

• Ebenezer Baptist Church (Atlanta): Ebenezer is a large historic African American Baptist congregation with a national profile and a long legacy of social justice leadership. It is comparable as an established Black Baptist church operating at much greater scale, serving as a structural model for SBC's ambitions.
• Riverside Church (New York): Riverside Church is a large progressive congregation in New York known for social justice advocacy, arts programming, and televised worship services. It is comparable as a faith leader combining progressive theology, broadcast reach, and community organizing at scale.
• Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago): Trinity UCC is a prominent progressive African American congregation on Chicago's South Side known for social justice programming and large-scale ministries. It is comparable as a fellow Black faith community with a strong political and community-empowerment mission, though UCC denominational structure differs.
• Abyssinian Baptist Church (New York): Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem is one of the most prominent African American Baptist congregations in the US with a national justice-oriented platform. It shares SBC's combination of historic Black Baptist identity, progressive ministry, and community development leadership.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBeacon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sbcevanston

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Second Baptist Church, Evanston