The A.M.E. Zion Church

What The A.M.E. Zion Church does

The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (A.M.E. Zion Church) is one of the oldest African American Methodist denominations in the United States, founded in 1821 and headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It operates as a nonprofit religious organization with 11–50 employees at its denominational headquarters and serves a global Christian community organized into 12 Episcopal Districts spanning six continents, encompassing more than 1,500 local churches and a Christian Living Council (CLC) membership of 33,000+. Its core function is the governance, credentialing, and support of affiliated congregations and clergy, including doctrine-setting through its Book of Discipline and oversight of connectional programs.

The denomination's core products and platforms include theological publishing (producing the Book of Discipline, curricula, and denominational literature), the AMEZ TV digital streaming channel, centralized member benefits services, and the CLC lay engagement organization. Its technical surface is conventional — religious media, publishing, and administrative infrastructure — rather than technology-led, with no disclosed AI, data, or software platform capabilities.

The revenue model relies on tithes and offerings flowing from members and local congregations, supplemented by denominational publishing sales, membership dues (including CLC), and event/conference fees (such as the Connectional Council). Because the A.M.E. Zion Church is a nonprofit religious body, it does not publicly disclose consolidated financials; the central denominational budget is funded by a share of congregational contributions, while the bulk of giving remains at the local church level.

Name

The A.M.E. Zion Church

Legal name

The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Website

https://amezion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1821

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The A.M.E. Zion Church is a historic African American Methodist denomination founded in 1821, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, governing more than 1,500 congregations across 12 Episcopal Districts on six continents through worship, publishing, the AMEZ TV channel, and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Denomination Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Broadcasting (TV & Radio) (MPABALAA), Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB), Religious Radio Broadcasting (MPAIAEAF)

Keywords

• Religious denomination services
• Christian ministry programs
• Faith-based education
• Religious publishing
• Missionary outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlotte

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Voluntary donations from church members at local congregations
2. Publishing House Sales: Sale of Christian literature, educational materials, church supplies, vestments, and publications through the James Varick Christian Bookstore
3. Membership Dues: Connectional Lay Council membership dues ranging from $5 (Regular) to $125 (Life) and $20 (Four-Year) covering connection, region, conference, district, and local fees
4. Conference and Event Fees: Registration fees for annual conferences, Connectional Council, quadrennial conventions, and retreats

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The A.M.E. Zion Church operates religious worship services, Christian education, community outreach, social programs, and global missionary work through 12 Episcopal Districts and 1,500+ local congregations. It delivers denominational publishing, a streaming television network (AMEZ TV), pastoral benefits, and women's missionary society programming for members across the United States, Africa, and Central Southern Africa.

Product overview

The A.M.E. Zion Church is a religious denomination offering a portfolio of ministry products and services centered on spiritual growth, education, and mission work. The core offerings include AMEZ TV (the Official Television Network providing live and on-demand religious content) and the AMEZ Publishing House (producing Christian literature and operating the James Varick Christian Bookstore). Supporting these are organizational departments including the Connectional Lay Council (a lay ministry organization with 33,000+ members), Global Missions (operating across six continents), the Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society, the Christian Education Department, Church Growth and Development, and Zion Benefits Services. The church operates 12 Episcopal Districts globally with headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AMEZ TV: Official Television Network of The A.M.E. Zion Church offering live and on-demand content
• James Varick Christian Bookstore
• Connectional Lay Council

Products and services

• AMEZ TV The Official Television Network of The A.M.E. Zion Church, offering live and on-demand video content for viewers. This is the premiere destination for Zion-related video content, streaming services, and religious programming.
• AMEZ Publishing House and James Varick Christian Bookstore The official publishing arm of The A.M.E. Zion Church that produces Christian literature, educational materials, church school literature, pamphlets, and religious resources. Operates the James Varick Christian Bookstore for retail sales of books, church supplies, clergy vestments, and accessories.
• Connectional Lay Council A connectional organization within the A.M.E. Zion Church with over 33,000 members, focused on preparing and equipping lay members for life discipleship in the Kingdom of God through ministries that evangelize, encourage, and edify laity.
• Global Missions Department Oversees international and home missions across six continents, including church planting, schools, clinics, and disaster relief efforts.
• Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society (WH&OMS) A women's missionary organization supporting domestic and global missions, with departments for various mission initiatives and community outreach programs.
• Christian Education Department Provides educational programs, teacher resources, Sunday school literature, and publications for Christian development across the denomination.
• Church Growth and Development Department Provides leadership for evangelism and assists the denomination's growth and expansion through training resources, Bible study materials, and mission support.
• Zion Benefits Services Provides retirement benefits, death benefits, relief funds for widows/widowers, and risk management services for pastors and church employees.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)minorOthersEcumenical partnership through Connectional Lay Council affiliates. NCNW focuses on commitment, unity and self-reliance to provide humanitarian services for social justice and political empowerment, with special emphasis on Black women and families.
• National Council of ChurchesminorOthersEcumenical partnership through Connectional Lay Council affiliates. Council of Churches unites Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox denominations in worship and work.
• NAACPminorOthersPartnership through Connectional Lay Council and Women's Home and Overseas Missionary Society affiliates. NAACP ensures political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights and eliminates racial hatred and discrimination.
• World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women (WFM&UCW)minorOthersWH&OMS ecumenical affiliate sharing abundant life of Christ through evangelism, healing, ministries, education and social services to build Christian community worldwide.
• Church Women United (CWU)minorOthersWH&OMS ecumenical affiliate representing women from Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox denominations united in Christ, with ecumenical celebrations including May Friendship Day and World Community Day.
• The Balm In GileadminorOthersWH&OMS ecumenical outreach partner improving health status of African Diaspora by building capacity of faith communities to address life-threatening diseases, especially HIV/AIDS.
• Bread for the WorldminorOthersWH&OMS ecumenical outreach partner collective Christian voice urging decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad through policy advocacy.
• The Children's Defense FundminorOthersWH&OMS ecumenical outreach partner non-profit child advocacy organization working to ensure a level playing field for all children through policy and program advocacy.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN): The largest religious broadcaster in the U.S.; comparable to AMEZ TV as a faith-based streaming/broadcast platform serving Christian audiences with on-demand and live programming.
• EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network): Global Catholic religious broadcaster with a streaming and on-demand digital ministry comparable to AMEZ TV in scope and platform strategy, though denominational focus differs.
• United Methodist Church (UMC): A much larger Methodist body sharing Wesleyan theological roots and connectional polity; operates global missions, seminaries, publishing (Abingdon Press), and benefits services closely mirroring AMEZ's subsidiaries, making it a strong broad-incumbent peer.
• Church of God in Christ (COGIC): A historically Black Pentecostal denomination with overlapping congregational demographics, episcopal governance, and publishing activity; relevant as a peer for community-driven Black church growth and brand competition.
• Presbyterian Church (USA): A mainline Protestant denomination with a connectional structure, publishing house (Westminster John Knox), pension/benefits arm, and a membership profile that faces similar generational and demographic headwinds to AMEZ.
• National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. One of the largest African American Protestant denominations, with overlapping member demographics, similar publishing and education ministries, and a comparable annual convention footprint — a broad incumbent in the same target audience.

Direct peers

• African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church: The parent denomination from which AMEZ separated in 1821; shares the same African American Methodist heritage, connectional polity, episcopal district structure, and publishing house model, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church: Another historically Black Methodist denomination with a similar episcopal district structure, publishing operations, and college/HBCU affiliations; operates at a comparable scale to AMEZ and serves as a closely matched reference point.

Others

• National Council of Churches (NCC): An ecumenical umbrella body of which AMEZ is an affiliate member; relevant as a peer/partner ecosystem participant for coalition advocacy, joint programming, and interfaith outreach rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Howard University School of Divinity / Livingstone College: HBCU theological institutions historically affiliated with African American Methodist denominations; relevant as peers in the religious higher-education and clergy-formation ecosystem that AMEZ connects to through its own colleges and universities department.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theafricanmethodistepiscop7989
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheAMEZionChurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-a-m-e-zion-church
• Xx.com/TheREALAMEZion

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries5 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 The A.M.E. Zion Church