BCLC Resources

An overview of our products and services.

Church Loans

BCLC has been providing churches with affordable, simplified loans for the following purposes for nearly 70 years:

NEW CONSTRUCTION

We offer interest-only payments during construction. Additionally, BCLC will provide guidance throughout the construction process.

REMODEL PROJECTS

Renovations are vital in keeping churches relevant and adaptive. BCLC funds various types of church remodeling projects, from roof replacements to sanctuary overhauls.

LOAN REFINANCING

Whether your church is seeking to refinance on its own accord or your existing lender is requiring a refinance, BCLC would be glad to review an appliation and share about our loan products.

PROPERTY PURCHASES

We support both raw land purchases and existing church building purchases, so long as the property will be use for church purposes.

Church Loan Information

Loan Requirements

BCLC accepts loan applications from Baptist and like-minded churches, which cooperate with their local Baptist association or their state Baptist convention, and from BCLC Supported Churches as defined in our Vision, Mission, & Core Beliefs.

Liens/Collateral

BCLC takes a first lien on all church land and improvements. The maximum loan to value permitted is 75%. This is typical of most church lenders and means that the requirement for a church loan is a 25% cash injection by the church into the project.

Supported Project Types

BCLC provides church loans for new construction, remodeling, parking, land, facilities, and refinancing. Most property-related projects qualify as projects that BCLC supports. BCLC will use the property as collateral for the loan.

Loan Approval

The approval of church loans is not based solely upon financial ratios. BCLC also looks at other areas such as: leadership, ministry impact, commitment of the members, growth potential, and church location when reviewing loan requests.

Loan Sizes and Terms

The minimum loan amount for church renovation projects varies by state, ranging from $50,000 to $250,000. Please contact us for your state’s minimum loan amount. The minimum loan amount for a church construction loan with BCLC is $500,000.

New loans are fully-amortizing, 15 or 20-year term notes that adjust according to the interest rate option that was selected by the church at loan closing (one-year, three-year, and five-year rate options available).

Rates

Please call 844-273-7713 for low one-year, three-year, and five-year interest rates.

Church Mortgage Calculator

Mortgage Calculator

Enter a loan amount to the right in our helpful Mortgage Calculator to calculate what a typical monthly payment might be.

Please use 20 years as the amortization period.

The actual loan amount available may be limited by your ability to demonstrate that you have enough cash flow available to make the monthly payments. Contact BCLC Church Lending for more information.

Calculate a Payment

How Much Can You Afford

Loan Amount Calculator

Why BCLC?

When you choose BCLC, you are partnering with a gospel-center ministry. BCLC has been serving Baptist and like-minded churches through the ministry of finance for over 60 years. Our loan products give our customers the opportunity to have efficient and affordable church real estate loan options.

Listed below are some interesting facts about the BCLC:

BCLC has processed requests for over $1 billion in church loans from since it was started in 1952.
BCLC is a non-profit, self supporting corporation. All of BCLC’s corporate officers are members of Baptist churches.
Based upon capital adequacy ratios, BCLC is at least five times stronger than most commercial banks.
Approximately 175,000 per week are worshipping in BCLC-financed church facilities.

In addition to sharing the same ultimate goal as churches — to advance God’s Kingdom — BCLC also distinguishes itself in the loan products it offers:

BCLC does not charge any origination fees at loan closing.
There are no prepayment penalties. Our churches are free to pay down or pay off their loans as quickly as they would like.
None of BCLC loans are balloon notes. This means that churches are not required to refinance every three or five years.
BCLC does not require cash flow covenants that borrowers have to adhere to over the life of the loan in order to remain in good standing.

Statement of Faith

We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible and authoritative word of God.
We believe in one God who exists eternally as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the full deity and the full humanity of Jesus Christ. We believe that eternal salvation and restored relationships are only possible through faith in Jesus Christ who died for us, rose from the dead, and is coming again. This salvation is offered to all people.
We believe that the church was instituted by Jesus Christ to be the people of God and is made up of all true believers regardless of race, gender, age or station in life.
We believe in the autonomy of the local church and the priesthood of all believers.

BCLC seeks to support and serve mission minded Baptist and non-Baptist churches who share these same affirmations of faith.

Recent Blog Posts

7 Things You Should Know About Church Loans

When paired with healthy budgeting practices and a humble leadership team, church loans can be extremely helpful in facilitating necessary expansions or improvements to church buildings. However, it is important for church leaders to be aware of these various dynamics in institutional lending before taking on a church loan.