About Us
Mission
The Baugh Foundation supports progressive, inclusive, non-profit organizations that reflect the love of Christ by providing grants to organizations which enrich lives of children and youth, keep faith communities informed and engaged, and guard the wall of separation between church and state.
Introduction to the Baugh Foundation
Values
We deeply value our Baptist roots and we believe that our faith demands that we prioritize compassion, inclusivity, and, above all, love in everything we do.
Historian Walter Shurden collected and researched a large number of Baptist sermons, addresses, and confessions of faith and found consistencies in language among “four fragile freedoms,” a term he coined in his 1993 book titled The Baptist Identity: Four Fragile Freedoms.
We hold these uniquely Baptist confessional ideals as our guiding light, and we strive to ensure that every funding decision we make meaningfully advances the progress and protection of each one.
Our interpretation of these four freedoms is as follows:
Bible Freedom
The Bible is foundational to us as individual Christians and to our various congregations. Every Christian has the freedom, responsibility and the right to interpret and apply Scripture under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. We also believe that religious institutions, especially those focused on theological education and ministerial training, have a responsibility to apply academic rigor in Biblical study.
Soul Freedom
We are each accountable to God individually without the imposition of creed or the control of clergy or government. We believe that this freedom, sometimes described as the “priesthood of all believers,” is indispensable to a deep and personal faith.
Church Freedom
Baptist churches are free to determine their membership, leadership, doctrine, and practice. We believe in the autonomy of each congregation to organize and govern themselves. As Baptists, we do not adhere to a formal hierarchy.
The Baugh Foundation aligns with churches that affirm women in leadership and uphold the belief that every person is made in the image of God.
Religious Freedom
Essential to protecting the other three freedoms, religious freedom requires the separation between church and state. We believe that everyone should be able to worship (or not) as they feel led without unnecessary interference by the government. The separation of church and state affords an important constitutional protection of religious freedom for all.
Take the Next Step
Learn more about the types of projects we fund, if your organization is elegible, and how to apply.