Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century

What Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century does

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21) is a nonprofit ministry operating under the United Methodist Church's Discipleship Ministries agency. Founded more than 25 years ago and headquartered at 1908 Grand Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee, SBC21 delivers leadership development, discipleship systems, church revitalization, and social justice programming to more than 2,000 Black congregations within the UMC and the broader faith-based community, along with thousands of pastors, leaders, and lay individuals across dozens of annual conferences. The portfolio is organized around four core programs: Black Church Matters (BCM) with its 3R strategy (ReImagine, ReVitalize, RePurpose); the Collaborative Coaching Network (CCN) for pastoral coaching; the National Network of Young Adults (NNYA) for emerging clergy; and the Office of Social Justice, Mass Incarceration, and Transformation (OSJMIT) for criminal justice ministry. Supporting offerings include the Leadership Forward webinar series, the annual National Summit on Mass Incarceration, the new Shifting the Atmosphere National Worship Revival Conference (Dallas, 2026), an Academy of Interns program, and a digital resources library.

The technical footprint is deliberately modest: the primary platform is the sbc21.org website (built on WordPress), supplemented by Zoom-based webinar delivery, Calendly scheduling for BCM consultations, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, YouTube), and downloadable PDF and video resources. There is no native mobile application, public API, or proprietary AI system; the organization's intellectual property is concentrated in its 3R methodology, CCN coaching process, NNYA pipeline design, and curated curriculum, rather than in software. Operational scale is similarly lean, with approximately six core staff members plus an extended network of volunteer coaches and partner organizations.

SBC21 is funded primarily through tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations (including designated funds such as the Altadena Fund), supplemented by modest conference registration fees ($199 for the National Summit on Mass Incarceration, with group and student discounts at the Shifting the Atmosphere Conference). Most programs are free to participating congregations and pastors. The organization is governed within the UMC denominational structure, with Dr. Michael L. Bowie, Jr. serving as National Executive Director since July 1, 2020. There is no external equity ownership, no venture funding, and no public reporting of operating revenue or budget.

Name

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century

Legal name

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century

Website

https://sbc21.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21) is a United Methodist Church ministry that delivers leadership development, church revitalization, and social justice programming to more than 2,000 Black congregations and thousands of pastors across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Leadership Development and Church Revitalization

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Society Strengthening & Civic Space (BPADAGAD)

Keywords

• Church leadership development
• Clergy coaching services
• Faith-based community programs
• Social justice ministry
• Church revitalization

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SBC21 relies heavily on tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. The organization invites investments to support their work developing lay and clergy leaders, engaging in ministry with the poor, decreasing mass incarceration, and mentoring young adult Black clergy.
2. Conference and Event Registration Fees: Revenue generated from event registration fees. The National Summit on Mass Incarceration charges $199 registration fee, with additional fees for pre-summit intensives.
3. Altadena Fund and Specialized Donations: Designated giving programs for specific initiatives, such as the Altadena Fund for disaster relief and community rebuilding efforts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21) is a ministry of the United Methodist Church's Discipleship Ministries agency that delivers leadership development, discipleship-making systems, church revitalization, and social justice ministry to Black congregations. Its primary offerings include the Black Church Matters (BCM) initiative using the 3R strategy, the Collaborative Coaching Network (CCN), the National Network of Young Adults (NNYA), and the Office of Social Justice, Mass Incarceration, and Transformation (OSJMIT).

Product overview

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21) is a ministry of the United Methodist Church's Discipleship Ministries agency offering an integrated portfolio of programs and resources designed to strengthen Black congregations through leadership development, discipleship systems, and community transformation. The core offerings include Black Church Matters (BCM) with its 3R strategy (ReImagine, ReVitalize, RePurpose), the Collaborative Coaching Network (CCN) for pastoral coaching, the National Network of Young Adults (NNYA) for young adult clergy development, and the Office of Social Justice, Mass Incarceration, and Transformation (OSJMIT) for social justice engagement. Supporting programs include the Leadership Forward webinar series, annual summits and conferences, and a resources library with books, downloads, and partner materials. Together, these programs provide intensive training for clergy and laity to build leadership capacity and serve Black communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Black Church Matters (BCM) A nationwide movement helping congregations thrive through a 3R strategy (ReImagine, ReVitalize, RePurpose), offering a unique discipleship system with expert-created strategies and real-time tools for mobilizing ministry and transforming communities. Targeted at Black United Methodist congregations and pastors.
• Collaborative Coaching Network (CCN) A network of trained coaches who use the CCN process to help pastors and churches ReImagine, ReVitalize and RePurpose for effective ministry. Provides coaching, consulting, and strategic planning tools for United Methodist Black churches.
• National Network of Young Adults (NNYA) A young adult network offering African American clergy and young adults support and mentoring as they hear, discern, and practice their call to ministry. Builds a pipeline of transformational leaders to serve within the church and HBCU campuses, with a goal of recruiting 500 young adult leaders.
• Office of Social Justice, Mass Incarceration, and Transformation (OSJMIT) Empowers leaders and lay individuals through training, networking, and resource development to address mass incarceration. Provides practical tools, best practices, and training to help churches engage with social justice issues including the cradle-to-prison pipeline, supporting children with incarcerated parents, aiding returning citizens, and legislative advocacy.
• National Summit on Mass Incarceration & Social Justice

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,000 congregations served and thousands of pastors and leaders impacted over 25+ years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Hamilton Park United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Host venue for the Shifting the Atmosphere Conference 2026 in north Dallas, TX. The church provides facilities for the national coaching and networking event bringing together worship teams, musicians, preachers, and ministry leaders.
• Junius B. Dotson Institute for Worship and Music in the Black Church and BeyondflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2025A ministry of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL partnering with SBC21 to present the Shifting the Atmosphere National Worship Revival Conference for Black Churches. The institute, founded by Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson, cultivates and expands Black sacred music and worship traditions to equip Christian congregations to meet socio-economic and spiritual community needs.
• Resource United Methodist Church (Resource UMC)minorOthersPartner resource organization providing materials and resources for church leadership development and ministry optimization.
• United Methodist Discipleship Ministry (UMC Discipleship)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent agency of SBC21 within the United Methodist Church structure. SBC21 is a ministry of the Discipleship Ministries agency offering intensive training for clergy and laity to build leadership capacity for Black communities.
• The Upper RoomminorOthersPartner organization providing devotional and spiritual resources that SBC21 references and distributes through its resource library.
• WesPath Benefits and InvestmentminorOthersUnited Methodist Church agency providing benefits and investment resources referenced as a partner resource organization for SBC21.
• United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (Global Ministries)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission agency of the United Methodist Church providing global ministry resources and support. SBC21 works in connection with this agency for mission and ministry development.
• The Carter AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia contact for the Shifting the Atmosphere Conference 2026. Ron Carter serves as media contact alongside M. Garlinda Burton from the Dotson Institute.
• 35+ Partner Organizations (NNYA Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe National Network of Young Adults connects with over 35 partner organizations to resource, support, and empower young adult leaders in ministry. Network includes HBCU campuses, Wesley Foundations, and youth ministry organizations.
• Hilton Club PlazaminorOthersConference hotel for National Summit on Mass Incarceration offering special rate of $159 per night. Hotel registration available through dedicated event link.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Churches: Larger ecumenical umbrella organization for mainline Protestant denominations in the U.S. Overlaps with SBC21 in faith-based leadership development and congregational support but operates at a denomination-aggregate level.

Direct peers

• The Balm In Gilead: Faith-based public health and social justice organization partnering with Black churches to deliver community programming. Comparable in the way it equips Black congregations with training, resources, and structured initiatives.
• Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference: An interdenominational network focused on social justice, leadership development, and congregational vitality in the Black church. Closely comparable to SBC21 in mission, audience, and programmatic structure.

Others

• General Board of Discipleship (Discipleship Ministries): SBC21's parent UMC agency; comparable in mission to develop leaders and vital congregations, but serves the entire denomination rather than the Black church niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sbc21media
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC8mjNvJXTDchx_lrkp4RZeA
• Facebookfacebook.com/strengtheningtheblackchurch
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbc21_media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century