Founders Ministries, previously known as the Southern Baptist Founders Conference, is a Reformed Baptist[1] group within the Southern Baptist Convention in the United States. Its goal is to return Southern Baptists to their roots,[2] and it has contributed to the Southern Baptist Convention conservative resurgence. The executive director is Thomas Ascol.
 | |
| Formation | November 13, 1982 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Cape Coral, Florida |
Executive Director | Thomas Ascol |
| Website | founders |
Formerly called | Southern Baptist Founders Conference |
The Southern Baptist Founders Conference was established in 1982, holding its first annual conference in 1983.[3] The organization which developed was renamed Founders Ministries in 1998.[4] As of 2007, there were 807 subscribing congregations in the United States.[5]
According to Nathan Finn, non-Calvinists within the Southern Baptist Convention "seem to be especially concerned with the influence of Founders Ministries."[6] Critics argue that Southern Baptists have never been Calvinistic. Tom Ascol, Executive Director of Founders Ministries, stated a majority of the founders of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1845 held to the doctrines of grace.[7]
Founders Ministries has operated Founders Press since 1983,[8] and publishes Founders Journal, a quarterly journal established in 1990.
In December 2020, Founders Ministries established the Institute of Public Theology, which has undergraduate and certificate programs.[9] In January 2025, Founders Ministries established Founders Seminary, a residential seminary in Cape Coral, Florida. Ascol, Voddie Baucham, and Tom Nettles were the founding faculty.[10]
References
edit- ^ Olson, Roger E. (2004). "Calvinism/Arminianism". The Westminster Handbook to Evangelical Theology. p. 297. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "Abstract of Principles – The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary". SBTS. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
- ^ Robinson, Jeff (29 July 2002). "Founders Ministries marks 20th anniversary". Baptist Press. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ "FAQ". Founders Ministries. Archived from the original on 23 July 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ Brackney, William H. (2009). Historical Dictionary of the Baptists. Scarecrow Press. p. 224. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ Finn, Nathan A. (2010). "Southern Baptist History: A Great Commission Reading". The Great Commission Resurgence: Fulfilling God's Mandate in Our Time. B&H Publishing Group. p. 73. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
- ^ Robinson, Jeff. "Founders Ministries marks 20th anniversary". www.bpnews.net. Retrieved 2018-06-26.
- ^ "Announcing Founders Press". Founders Ministries. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ^ "ntroducing the Institute of Public Theology". Founders Ministries. Founders Ministries. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Founders Seminary". Founders Seminary. Retrieved 24 January 2025.