West Side Christian Church

What West Side Christian Church does

West Side Christian Church is a non-denominational Christian church established in 1905 and headquartered at 2850 Cider Mill Lane, Springfield, Illinois. For over 119 years it has operated as a community-centered religious organization offering three Sunday worship services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM, with each service running approximately one hour. The church extends its reach through an online streaming campus (TryChurchOnline.com), archived sermons on YouTube, a custom mobile app on iOS and Android, and digital content distributed via Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Spiritual leadership is provided by Lead Pastor Eddie Lowen, supported by a Director of Finance (Brenda Lavin) and a broader staff team.

The church's programming is structured by life stage, serving children from birth through 5th grade (Kids Ministry), students in grades 6-12 (Junior High Ministry and High School Ministry), adults across care groups, and senior adults aged 70+. Specialized offerings include the Buddies Ministry (one-on-one volunteer support for individuals with disabilities), the Rooted 13-week discipleship program, and a portfolio of support and recovery groups including 12 Step Recovery, GriefShare, and Financial Peace University. The Compassion/Missions program coordinates local partnerships (e.g., Harvard Park Elementary, Lanphier High School, Inner City Mission, Washington Street Mission) and global mission work in Kenya (Missions of Hope International), Myanmar, and through Stadia Church Planting.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through voluntary congregational tithes and offerings, supplemented by modest program fees ranging from $20 to $549 for courses and camps. Giving is facilitated across multiple channels — online via Subsplash, text-to-give (217-718-2043), ACH bank transfers, scheduled recurring gifts, checks, in-person offering boxes, and alternative assets including stocks, cryptocurrency, Donor Advised Funds (DAF), and Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD). In 2022, the church disbursed nearly $1.2 million (including child sponsorships) to local and global mission partners. The technology stack is built on standard church-management and content platforms (Subsplash, RightNow Media, YouVersion, Subsplash-powered mobile app) rather than proprietary infrastructure.

Name

West Side Christian Church

Legal name

West Side Christian Church

Website

https://wschurch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

West Side Christian Church is a 119-year-old non-denominational church in Springfield, Illinois offering three Sunday services, online streaming, a mobile app, and age-tiered programming from birth through senior adults. It serves congregants and the broader community through inclusive ministries, support groups, and local and global mission partnerships funded by voluntary tithes and offerings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Faith-Based Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

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

• Christian worship services
• Faith based ministries
• Youth ministry programs
• Community outreach services
• Religious education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Tithes and Offerings: Primary revenue from congregant donations including tithes (one-tenth of income), offerings, and special contributions. Supports local and global missions, church planting efforts, and general operations. Multiple giving methods: online (Subsplash), text-to-give (217-718-2043), bank ACH e-giving, check by mail, and in-person offering boxes.
2. Program Fees: Fees for programs such as Financial Peace University ($20), GriefShare ($30), summer camps ($225-$549), and other educational/spiritual formation courses. These are optional program registrations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

West Side Christian Church provides weekly Christian worship services both in-person at its Springfield, Illinois campus and online via TryChurchOnline.com. Beyond worship, it delivers age-specific programming (Kids Ministry from birth through 5th grade, Student Ministry for 6th-12th grade), the Buddies Ministry for special-needs inclusion, faith-based support and recovery groups (12 Step Recovery, GriefShare, Financial Peace University), and a Compassion/Missions program supporting local and global humanitarian partnerships.

Product overview

West Side Christian Church offers a comprehensive suite of in-person and digital ministry services centered around its core worship gatherings (Sunday services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 AM) and TryChurchOnline.com for remote attendance. Children's programming includes West Side Kids Ministry (birth-5th grade) and the Buddies Ministry for special needs support. Student Ministry serves grades 6-12 through Junior High Ministry (JHM) and High School Ministry (HSM). Care ministries encompass Support & Recovery Groups including 12 Step Recovery, GriefShare, and Financial Peace University. Digital resources include the RightNow Media library and the church's mobile app. Giving is facilitated through electronic giving platforms including E-Giving, text-to-give, and Subsplash integration. The church also operates Rooted (discipleship) and various compassion/missions programs locally and globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fireside Cafe: Church cafe serving food and drinks on Sunday mornings and throughout the week
• Buddies Ministry
• Compassion Ministry

Products and services

• TryChurchOnline.com Online Worship Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $1.2 million dispersed to local and global mission partners in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Harvard Park Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver decade-long partnership serving students and families at this Springfield school. Includes reading buddies, school supply drives, holiday parties, and support for families tackling symptoms of poverty.
• Inner City MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides shelter, sustenance, education, and Christian counseling to homeless children, their parents, and single women in the Springfield community.
• Jefferson Middle SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with JMS serving students in grades 6-8, many from low-income families. West Side volunteers and staff engage with students and families.
• Lanphier High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLanphier United collaborative movement cultivating hope, belonging, and unity among Lanphier's staff, students, and community. Includes sponsorship opportunities for staff members.
• Refuge RanchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmpowers at-risk youth, women, and families with love, hope, healing, and transformation through Christ, using equine-assisted activities, mentoring, ranch life, and Christ-centered community.
• The OutletminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGives young boys from single-parent homes the opportunity to learn and grow from positive, male role models in the Springfield area.
• Washington Street MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeets daytime needs of the homeless including laundry, showers, clothing, and food services in Springfield.
• Missions of Hope International (Kenya)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOHI provides holistic programs in the name of Jesus Christ to bring hope to those living in poverty through education, healthcare services, church-planting, skills training, and micro-financing in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Myanmar Hope Christian MissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrings the eternal hope of Jesus Christ to the people of Myanmar by addressing spiritual, physical, educational, and emotional needs.
• Stadia Church PlantingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partners that plant thriving churches both in the US and globally, extending the church's mission beyond Springfield.
• Springfield Christian School and PreschoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry partner with limited information sharing for educational collaboration purposes.
• SubsplashcoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic giving platform partner enabling online giving, text-to-give, and scheduled donations. Handles payment processing for tithes and offerings.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Subsplash: Church management and giving platform vendor that powers West Side's online giving, mobile app, and streaming — a technology peer reflecting the church's underlying infrastructure.
• Stadia Church Planting: Church planting organization partnered with West Side; comparable to other faith-based missions and church-planting networks operating in the same strategic ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Elevation Church: Large non-denominational church known for strong digital presence, mobile app, online giving infrastructure, and contemporary worship comparable to West Side's tech stack.
• Gateway Church: Multi-campus non-denominational church with comparable family ministry, student programming, and global missions giving that competes for similar member profiles.
• North Point Community Church: Andy Stanley-led non-denominational church with comparable age-segmented programming, online streaming, and small group strategy aimed at unchurched families.
• Life.Church: Large multi-site non-denominational church with strong online streaming platform, mobile app, and digital small-group tools setting the broader benchmark for digital ministry infrastructure.
• Willow Creek Community Church: Long-established non-denominational Midwest church with comparable cradle-to-grave programming, global missions partnerships, and special-needs inclusion emphasis.

Direct peers

• Harvest Church Springfield: Another Springfield-area church competing for the same congregant base with comparable Sunday service programming and family ministries.
• Cross Assembly: Mid-size non-denominational congregation in Illinois with multi-generational programming and contemporary worship model closely comparable to West Side's approach.
• Calvary Church Springfield: Springfield-area evangelical congregation offering family programming, recovery groups, and missions engagement that overlaps directly with West Side's ministry portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wsccspfld
• YouTubeyoutube.com/wschurch
• Facebookfacebook.com/wschurch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/west-side-christian-church
• Instagraminstagram.com/wschurch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 West Side Christian Church