The Sdb Missionary Society

What The Sdb Missionary Society does

The SDB Missionary Society is a private, member-based nonprofit religious organization incorporated in Rhode Island in 1880 and tracing its roots to the 1802 founding of the Seventh Day Baptist General Conference's missionary movement; the Society was formally constituted in 1842 by merger of an earlier association with the existing American SDB Missionary Society (formed 1828). The organization partners with Seventh Day Baptist conferences and churches across more than 40 countries in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, South America, and North America to support theological education, leadership development, sustainable development projects, and disaster relief — primarily through relational partnership rather than sending traditional long-term missionaries, a model adopted in the mid-1980s after long-term missionary deployment was found less effective than local church-led work.

Core programmatic offerings include the Africa Bible College (a 2-year theological training program with 12 modules launched in July 2021), the SDBU 261 Introduction to Missions course, the Global Partnerships program (a three-party structured international church-to-church matching model replacing the former Sister Church Program), Sustainable Projects (small-scale income-generation initiatives such as freshwater wells, chicken farms, and farmland purchases), Missions Coaching, a resource library, and weekly prayer meetings. The organization operates without proprietary technology platforms, relying on standard digital channels including Zoom, a Wix-hosted website, and the Funraise donation platform.

The revenue model is donation-driven and consists of: (1) voluntary donations from individuals, churches, and organizations via the online Funraise platform with employer matching available; (2) the 365 Supporter Members recurring program ($365/year, $1/day); (3) annual Missions Sabbath offerings and designated Missions Week fundraising campaigns with church recognition awards. The organization is governed by a Board of Managers elected at annual meetings; members must belong to an SDB church in the SDB Conference of USA & Canada. Operations are led by three paid executives — Rev. Andrew Samuels (Chief Executive Director), Rev. Garfield Miller (Director of Mobilization & Projects), and Miriam Berg (Director of Advancement & Operations) — with a Board of approximately 17 unpaid members serving 3-year terms. The mailing address is 1031 33rd Street, Denver, CO; the operational office is at 8 Church Street, Ashaway, RI.

Name

The Sdb Missionary Society

Legal name

Seventh Day Baptist Missionary Society

Website

https://sdbmissions.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1802

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The SDB Missionary Society is a private nonprofit religious organization (founded 1842, Rhode Island) that partners with Seventh Day Baptist conferences and churches in 40+ countries through theological education, leadership development, sustainable projects, and global partnership programs, funded entirely by donations and charitable giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Missions and Nonprofit Ministry Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (81311), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAE

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYEDAHAKAF

Missionary Training Colleges & Schools

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAB

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAG

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

Keywords

• Religious missions
• Theological education
• Leadership development
• Sustainable development
• Global partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The organization relies entirely on voluntary donations from individuals, churches, and organizations. Donation methods include online giving through Funraise platform, with employer matching available. Donations may be designated to specific projects or undesignated for general operations.
2. 365 Supporter Program: The 365 Supporter Members program encourages donors to give at least one dollar per day ($365 annually), providing consistent recurring support for the organization's ongoing ministry work.
3. Mission Offerings: Annual Missions Sabbath offerings and designated campaign giving (such as Missions Week fundraising challenges) generate significant contributions, with churches competing for recognition awards for highest giving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Sdb Missionary Society supports global Seventh Day Baptist mission work through strategic partnerships with SDB conferences and churches in 40+ countries, leadership development programs including the Africa Bible College theological training, and sustainable community development projects (freshwater wells, livestock, agriculture, micro-businesses). The Society provides training, resources, and funding to enable local believers and churches to conduct ministry within their own cultures, rather than deploying traditional long-term missionaries.

Product overview

The SDB Missionary Society offers a portfolio of mission support programs including the Africa Bible College (a 2-year theological training program), SDBU 261 Intro to Missions course, the Global Partnerships program connecting churches internationally, sustainable development projects across 45+ countries, free missions coaching, educational resources, and weekly prayer meetings via Zoom. These programs work together to mobilize Seventh Day Baptists worldwide for effective missions work with a strategic focus on unreached people groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Africa Bible College (ABC): A 2-year theological and ministry training program for pastors and other leaders in African conferences, with 12 training modules and face-to-face seminars. Began July 2021.
• SDBU 261 Introduction to Missions
• Global Partnerships
• Missions Week
• Mission Win One
• Gospel Feet Fun Run

Products and services

• Africa Bible College (ABC) A mostly virtual 2-year theological and ministry training program for pastors and leaders across African SDB conferences, encompassing 12 training modules with home study and face-to-face seminars. Designed for SDB pastors and ministry leaders seeking structured theological education.
• Global Partnerships Program Connects churches, conferences, and believers across cultures for mutual encouragement, shared ministry, and spiritual growth through a structured three-partnership model. Replaces the former Sister Church Program. North American churches partner with international churches for prayer, mentoring, and optional financial support.
• Sustainable Development Projects Small-scale localized projects including freshwater wells, chicken farms, sewing businesses, fish farms, farmland, pregnant heifers, and orphan support projects across partner countries. Designed to empower communities through sustainable income generation and humanitarian relief.
• SDBU 261 - Introduction to Missions A broad overview of missions course offered through SDB University covering biblical basis for missions, history, current state of the world, mission strategy, and culture. Designed for SDB members and church leaders seeking foundational missions education.
• Missions Coaching Free one-on-one consultations to help churches and individuals find the right path for missions involvement. Provided by the Society's directors to guide engagement strategies.
• Missions Resources Library Educational materials and resources for church mobilization including WorldViews, Window on the World, Explore study, Perspectives, and various books and videos. Recommended for churches seeking to understand and engage in global missions.
• Mission Win One A global evangelism and discipleship initiative developed by the Seventh Day Baptist World Federation Evangelism & Discipleship Committee, encouraging every believer to prayerfully reach one person for Christ.
• Missions Week Campaign Annual fundraising campaign held each February featuring daily devotionals, virtual symposiums, and fundraising challenges with church recognition awards. Supports various missionary initiatives including unreached people groups work, South Asia National Field Workers, and church building projects.
• Gospel Feet Fun Run An annual 5k fun run fundraising event supporting missionary initiatives through community engagement and athletic participation.
• 365 Supporter Program Recurring donor program encouraging supporters to give at least one dollar per day ($365 annually), providing consistent ongoing support for the organization's ministry work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 countries (2019); 40+ countries (2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Regions Beyond Ministries (RBM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2021RBM Retreat Center near Nairobi, Kenya hosted the inaugural Africa Bible College seminar, providing facilities for in-person training sessions bringing together students from multiple African countries.
• Salem SDB ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American church partnership that sent teams to Kenya to conduct medical clinics serving more than 1,200 patients while local believers provided children's ministries reaching up to 300 children.
• West Palm Beach SDB ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American church partnership serving 140 children through Vacation Bible School in Nicaragua, providing medical and vision care to over 90 patients and distributing hundreds of reading glasses.
• Full Gospel SDB Church, Cumberland, MDsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHas been informally mentoring and discipling the SDB group in Bangladesh alongside Grace SDB Church.
• Grace SDB Church, Bloomington, MNsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHas been informally mentoring and discipling the SDB group in Bangladesh alongside Full Gospel SDB Church.
• Indian Conference of Andhra PradeshcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSDB World Federation member since 1969 with ministry in Manipur reaching primarily Burmese people; included in Bangladesh/India mission trip planning.
• SCSC JamaicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung adult missions program that served simultaneously in Jamaica and North America for first time in 2025, strengthening cross-cultural relationships and leadership development.
• Global Frontier MissionssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of missions education videos and resources including Biblical Basis for Missions, What is a UPG, State of the World, and other training materials recommended on the resources page.
• AIMS.ORGsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission organization providing resources including Attributes of a Missions-Mobilized Church assessment tool and various mission education materials.
• Joshua ProjectminorOthersResource website for unreached people group information used for prayer and missions education.
• Operation WorldminorOthersResource website for global missions prayer and information used in conjunction with Window on the World materials.
• Perspectives MovementsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal movement awakening the Body of Christ to pursue God's global purpose within every people group; recommended as in-depth mission study resource.
• Missions Mobilization Network (MMN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormalized partnership network providing clearer structure for communication, coordination, and shared mission engagement among SDB conferences. 2026 Missions Week funds support this network.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Avant Ministries: Church-planting mission agency focused on unreached people groups, with structures for church mobilization, missionary training, and global partnerships. Closely mirrors SDB Missions' emphasis on UPGs and partnerships with local churches.
• TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission): Inter-denominational evangelical mission agency emphasizing church planting, leadership development, and member care across 40+ countries. Comparable scale of geographic footprint and balance of education, relief, and church planting.
• Regions Beyond Ministries (RBM): Active operational partner of the SDB Missionary Society (hosted inaugural Africa Bible College seminar). An evangelical missions organization focused on church planting, leadership training, and unreached people groups in Asia and Africa — closely aligned mission philosophy and target geography.
• OMS International (One Mission Society): Holiness/evangelical mission society with operations in 30+ countries emphasizing church planting, theological education, and partnership with national churches. Strong structural parallel as a denominational mission society.
• ABWE (Association of Baptists for World Evangelism): Fundamentalist Baptist mission agency with 1,000+ missionaries across 70+ countries, emphasizing church planting, theological education, and national leader development. Closely aligned mission philosophy and Baptist denominational heritage.
• American Baptist International Ministries: Historic Baptist foreign mission board (founded 1814) coordinating global partnerships, theological education, and community development. Closest structural peer: another Baptist-rooted mission society with similar church-partnership model and global footprint.
• Baptist Mid-Missions: Fundamentalist Baptist mission agency with focus on church planting in restricted-access regions. Comparable as a Baptist-denomination mission society supporting missionaries, theological education, and indigenous leader development globally.

Broad incumbents

• Presbyterian World Mission (PCUSA): Global mission program of the Presbyterian Church (USA) coordinating 200+ mission personnel in 100+ countries. Comparable as a denominational foreign mission program with focus on partnership, theological education, and sustainable community development.
• International Mission Board (Southern Baptist Convention): The largest Protestant mission-sending agency in North America, sending thousands of missionaries globally. Comparable as a denominational foreign mission board coordinating church planting, theological training, and humanitarian aid across continents, though at far larger scale.
• United Methodist Global Ministries: Global mission agency of The United Methodist Church, supporting missionaries, sustainable development, and theological education in 100+ countries. Directly comparable model of denominational mission board coordinating global partnerships and training programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SDBMissions
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SDBMissions
• Facebookfacebook.com/SDBMissions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seventh-day-baptist-missionary-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Sdb Missionary Society