The church lenders that actually serve churches

AGFinancial

The financial services arm of the Assemblies of God, offering church loans, investments, and retirement plans to AG-affiliated churches.

BCLC (Baptist Church Loan Corporation)

A church lender founded in 1952 to serve Texas Baptist churches, now lending to Baptist and like-minded churches in over 30 states, with no covenant reporting requirements.

CDF Capital

A church extension fund founded in 1953, lending to Christian Churches, other independent churches or para-church ministries, and Christian educational institutions across all 50 states.

Christian Financial Resources

A Florida-based extension fund founded in 1980 that has funded over 1,150 ministry loans totaling over $1.7 billion, serving independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ.

Cornerstone Fund

A United Church of Christ extension fund founded in 1993, offering eight loan types from $10,000 lines of credit to multi-million-dollar loans, in all U.S. states and territories.

Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF)

The lending and investment ministry of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, with a wide range of congregation loans and loan rates it publishes every month.

Solomon Foundation

A national church extension fund founded in 2010, serving the Restoration Movement (Christian Churches and Churches of Christ) with no application or processing fees and a portfolio funded by member investments.

UCC Church Building & Loan Fund

Founded in 1853 and described by CB&LF as the oldest national church building society in the United States, lending $10,000 to $5 million to UCC congregations and other Christian churches in the U.S.

Wesleyan Investment Foundation

An extension fund founded in 1946 by the Pilgrim Holiness Church, lending to Wesleyan churches, Church of the Nazarene churches (since 2011), and churches in many other denominations.

AdelFi

The faith-based credit union (formerly ECCU) lending to Christian churches across all denominations, privately insured (ASI, not NCUA), and merged with Christian Community Credit Union in December 2025.

Church Capital Corporation

A private-money church loan broker arranging asset-based loans, in most cases without personal guarantees, and without personal credit checks or upfront fees, primarily for churches that conventional lenders have declined.

Note: Private-money lender: rates are typically well above extension funds and banks. Usually considered only after conventional lenders decline.

Church Capital Resources

A church loan firm that has directed more than $1.78 billion in lending to churches since 1975, placing each church's loan with correspondent lenders.

Emerging Capital Funding

A church loan brokerage that places loans through a network of banks, church lenders, and private capital partners, with no upfront costs and no personal guarantees.

Faith Based Funding

A Florida-based church loan consultancy that packages applications and presents them to a network of lenders, with founders citing decades of commercial banking experience and substantial educational content for first-time church borrowers.

Griffin Church Loans

A church-only lender since 1999 with two tracks: private money it funds and holds itself, and conventional loans it places with church lenders. Loans from $50,000 to $35,000,000.

Note: Two tracks: on private money Griffin lends its own capital (up to 60% LTV, priced above conventional, not offered everywhere); conventional loans are placed with other church lenders.

Farmers & Merchants Bank

A California community bank operating since 1907, with $11.77 billion in assets (June 30, 2026), 27 California branches, and a Religious Client Services unit.

First Citizens Bank

A top-20 US commercial bank with $241 billion in assets (September 30, 2026) whose nonprofit banking group offers mortgages and loans for congregations.

Thrivent Church Financing

The church lending program of Thrivent, which has lent to churches for over 100 years and lends exclusively to Christian churches and organizations.