Frequently Asked Questions

BJC traces our roots back to 1936, when a committee tied to the Southern Baptist Convention and a committee tied to the Northern Baptist Convention decided to work together on an issue they agreed upon: Religious freedom. Since then, we’ve had various “member bodies” composed of a variety of Baptist groups. Our board of directors is made up of people who represent those member bodies.

As a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3), we are supported by the generous donations of individuals, family foundations, denominations, and churches. We also are fortunate to have an endowment, funded in part by friends of BJC who made legacy gifts in their wills and estates, that helps support our ongoing work. We can’t do this important work without the generous support of freedom fighters like you. Invest in freedom today.

Yes! Though we come at our work from the Baptist perspective, our mission is to defend religious liberty for all people — those who claim a specific religious tradition and those who do not. We regularly work in coalition with other religious, civil rights, and civil society groups. We have donors, BJC Fellows, interns, and staff members who are not Baptist or Christian. Everyone has a role to play in protecting faith freedom for all.

You could say it’s in our DNA. Since the founding of the Baptist movement in the early 17th century, defending religious liberty for all has been a core distinction of the faith. It comes from a theology that leaves it to each person to build a relationship with God — a radical concept called “soul freedom.” Any government interference with that relationship is a threat to faith. Baptists have defended someone’s right to say “no” to God as forcefully as we’ve fought for someone’s right to say “yes.” Interested in learning more? Check out this page about our Baptist distinctives.

The legal name of BJC is “Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty.” In 2019, we re-branded to be just “BJC” — allowing us to get quickly to the work we do.

Rooted in a Baptist commitment to soul liberty, we are building a movement toward a just society that cultivates and expands religious freedom for all.

Good question. Baptists are a remarkably diverse group. There is no one “Baptist church,” but instead it is best described as the Baptist movement or the Baptist family. Our coalition currently includes 16 Baptist bodies in the U.S., as well as thousands of churches and individuals, Baptists and non-Baptists. Our faith-based identity is important to us: we’re the only faith-based group working exclusively on protecting religious freedom for all and the separation of church and state working on the national level.

Yes. While our work is concentrated in the United States, we welcome your support. If you have any issue with making a gift, contact us at [email protected].

While BJC is a 501(c)3, we are not obligated to file a 990 with the IRS due to our classification as a religious organization. We do, however, conduct an annual audit. Please contact [email protected] with your specific financial questions.

Our Federal Tax ID number is 53-0214244.

When you give to BJC, your gift makes an immediate impact for faith freedom for all. All gifts, unless otherwise specified, go to the area in which they are needed most. You can also make a gift specifically toward the work of the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation, our ongoing Christians Against Christian Nationalism movement, local groups across the country, and our North Texas Coalition.

Yes, because we are a 501(c)(3) organization, your gifts to BJC can be counted as charitable contributions in your tax returns. This includes gifts to BJC that are earmarked for our specific work via Christians Against Christian Nationalism; the BJC Center for Faith, Justice and Reconciliation; local organizing groups; and the North Texas Coalition.

Yes, BJC (Baptist Joint Committee) is a 501(c)(3) organization.