Question 1

What is Freikirchen.Bank?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank is a specialized German cooperative bank (Genossenschaftsbank) headquartered in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Hesse. The bank exclusively serves evangelical free churches (Freikirchen), Christian ministries, and faith-based organizations throughout Germany. Founded nearly a century ago to support Baptist congregations, the bank has evolved to serve a broader spectrum of free church denominations and Christian nonprofits. As of 2024, the bank manages approximately €272 million in total assets, serving over 1,700 members with nearly 12,000 accounts, €126 million in loan volume, and €242 million in deposits.

Question 2

When was Freikirchen.Bank founded?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank was founded on August 23, 1927, as the Sparkasse deutscher Baptisten (Savings Bank of German Baptists) in Berlin. The founding was initiated by Wilhelm Baresel from Stuttgart, who was a member of the German Baptist Union's federal board.

In his invitation letter to the founding meeting, Baresel explained the bank's mission: to channel savings from Baptist congregations toward building meeting houses and pastors' residences, rather than allowing these funds to flow through secular banks to purposes unrelated to "pure Kingdom of God work." The bank was established as a cooperative to achieve this goal.

The bank was officially registered in the cooperative register at the Berlin-Mitte District Court on December 30, 1927, under number 1727. Its headquarters were located in the then-headquarters of the Free Church in Berlin-Südende.

In 1942, the bank underwent its first name change to Spar- und Kreditbank Evangelisch-Freikirchlicher Gemeinden eG (Savings and Credit Bank of Evangelical Free Church Communities). After World War II, the bank resumed operations in 1957 with new authorization from the Berlin Banking Supervision Authority and an initial business capital of 50,000 Deutsche Mark.

The bank relocated to Bad Homburg vor der Höhe in 1977, moving into new offices in the Federal Mission House on Friedberger Strasse on November 11. In 2005, the bank expanded its mandate beyond the Baptist Union to serve other free church denominations and Christian organizations. In 2020, the bank began operating under the brand name Freikirchen.Bank, and on September 9, 2024, it officially changed its legal name to Freikirchen.Bank eG.

Question 3

Where is Freikirchen.Bank headquartered?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank is headquartered in Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Hesse, Germany, in the Hochtaunus district. The bank has been located in Bad Homburg since 1977.

Question 4

Where does Freikirchen.Bank operate?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank operates throughout Germany, serving evangelical free churches, Christian ministries, and faith-based organizations nationwide. The bank does not maintain a traditional branch network but instead operates from its Bad Homburg headquarters while serving clients across all German states.

The bank serves members from various free church denominations beyond its original Baptist constituency, including churches and organizations affiliated with different evangelical free church unions throughout Germany. Following German reunification in 1990, the bank expanded its services to churches and ministries in the former East Germany, conducting information events in Leipzig, Rostock, and East Berlin.

Question 5

What services does Freikirchen.Bank offer?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank provides specialized banking services tailored to evangelical free churches and Christian organizations. Core offerings include:

Retail and organizational banking: Current accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, debit cards, credit cards, and payment services (domestic and international).

Church and ministry financing: Construction loans for church buildings, meeting houses, parsonages, schools, kindergartens, and community centers. The bank specializes in understanding the unique financial needs of church building projects and congregational growth initiatives.

Digital banking: Online banking platform and mobile banking apps for smartphones and tablets. The bank pioneered online services for its niche market in 1993, allowing customers to check balances, make transfers, and communicate with the bank electronically.

Advisory and consulting services: Through its Freikirchen.Bank Akademie (Academy), the bank offers seminars, lectures, and training sessions specifically designed for free church congregations and their institutions. The bank provides extensive consulting on building projects, drawing from nearly 100 years of experience financing church construction.

Fundraising support: The bank assists churches with fundraising efforts, including donation button integration and crowdfunding platforms to help congregations mobilize financial support for projects.

Mission-aligned investing: Deposit funds are reinvested exclusively in projects that advance Christian ministry and Kingdom work, ensuring that customer savings support other churches and Christian organizations.

Question 6

What makes Freikirchen.Bank unique?

Accepted Answer

Faith-based mission: Unlike conventional banks, Freikirchen.Bank's primary purpose is not profit generation but supporting evangelical free churches and Christian organizations in their ministry work. The bank explicitly states that faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of all its operations.

Specialized expertise: With nearly 100 years serving churches exclusively, the bank possesses deep expertise in church finances, building projects, and the unique challenges facing religious nonprofits and congregations.

Kingdom-focused capital deployment: All deposits are used to finance other Christian projects, creating a closed ecosystem where church savings directly support other churches' building projects and ministry initiatives.

Comprehensive church consulting: Beyond financial products, the bank offers extensive advisory services through its academy, consulting on everything from construction management to organizational development for churches.

Cooperative structure with faith criteria: As a cooperative, the bank is owned by its church and ministry members. Membership is open to all Christian free churches, ministries, and organizations that share biblical faith and values, regardless of specific denominational affiliation.

Fair, transparent pricing: The bank offers what it describes as fair conditions for Kingdom work, with transparent pricing models designed to support ministry rather than maximize profits.

AA- credit rating: Despite its specialized niche and relatively small size, Freikirchen.Bank maintains an AA- rating from Fitch, indicating very high credit quality and financial stability.

Question 7

What type of financial institution is Freikirchen.Bank?

Accepted Answer

Freikirchen.Bank is a Genossenschaftsbank (cooperative bank), which is a specific type of credit institution under German banking law. As a registered cooperative (eingetragene Genossenschaft, abbreviated "eG"), the bank operates according to German cooperative law (Genossenschaftsgesetz) and its articles of association.

The bank is registered in the cooperative register at the Bad Homburg District Court under GnR 120. Its governance structure includes a management board (Vorstand), supervisory board (Aufsichtsrat), and representative assembly (Vertreterversammlung).

Freikirchen.Bank is a member of the BVR Institutssicherung GmbH, the officially recognized institutional protection scheme of the German Cooperative Banking Association (Bundesverband der Deutschen Volksbanken und Raiffeisenbanken). This provides deposit protection beyond the statutory €100,000 guarantee through a mutual support system among German cooperative banks. The bank also participates in the additional voluntary protection scheme of the BVR, offering comprehensive deposit security to its members and customers.

Freikirchen.Bank

in Germany 🇩🇪

Crypto-Friendliness

All done!

About Freikirchen.Bank in Germany

Freiki­rchen.­Bank