Why We Exist

Our Purpose

The Tennessee Baptist Foundation is an institution of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the charitable giving arm of Tennessee Baptists. The TBF has been connecting church members to Baptist institutions, agencies and causes since 1938.

It’s purpose is to assist Tennessee Baptists, churches and the Convention to lay a strong foundation under those institutions, causes and agencies supported by the churches of The Tennessee Baptist Convention.

Our History

Since 1938 the Tennessee Baptist Foundation has rendered faithful service to Tennessee Baptists.  The president-treasurer, executive secretaries and trustees, past and present, are to be congratulated for the quality of leadership they have given and for providing the Foundation with a heritage of which we can be justifiably proud.

The Tennessee Baptist Foundation is a 501(c)3 corporation chartered by the State of Tennessee for the purpose of serving as the trust and investment institution for The Tennessee Baptist Convention and assisting Tennessee Baptists lay a strong financial foundation under those institutions and Christian causes supported and promoted by the Convention.  This purpose is fulfilled by encouraging and promoting the establishment of living trusts, testamentary trusts, gifts and bequests, and by acting as funds manager and trust agency for our institutions.  The Foundation is directed by a 15-member Board of Trustees elected by The Tennessee Baptist Convention.

Most of the funds coming to the Foundation are trust funds with a designated purpose for the income. Income from many of these trust funds is paid to the Executive Board for world missions through the Cooperative Program.

Each year money earned through trusts is distributed to Tennessee Baptists and various Baptist ministries because of faithful Tennessee Baptists and their concern that the message of Jesus Christ be shared with our world.

While the trustees and management seek to conduct the affairs of the Foundation in a professional and business like manner they are aware that they are conducting God’s business. The awareness of the sacredness of the business causes all involved to ever seek the Lord’s wisdom and direction.

Every Christian is encouraged to have a Faith-Based Estate Plan and we assist individuals and families through this important process. These services are available to Tennessee Baptists and our institutions without cost.

Finances

The Tennessee Baptist Foundation is a member of the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). The ECFA requires member organizations to follow their Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship . One of these standards, Standard #3 – Financial Oversight, states:

Each member shall prepare complete and accurate financial statements. The board or a committee consisting of a majority of independent members shall approve the engagement of an independent certified public accountant, review the annual financial statements and maintain appropriate communication with the independent certified public accountant. The board shall be apprised of any material weaknesses in internal control or other significant risks.

Therefore, as an active ECFA member, the Tennessee Baptist Foundation is audited annually by an outside independent CPA firm.  To view the most recent audited financial statements and supplementary information as of October 31, 2017, audited by Crosslin & Associates CPA’s, Nashville, TN, click on ,Audit Report Oct 31 2017