Founders Ministries

What Founders Ministries does

Founders Ministries is a privately held, non-profit religious organization headquartered in Cape Coral, Florida, with its main operations co-located at Grace Baptist Church where President Tom Ascol has pastored since 1986. It is confessionally Calvinistic and committed to "the recovery of the gospel and the biblical reformation of local churches," with the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith as a doctrinal anchor. The ministry's primary customer segments are pastors and church leaders, lay Christians, theological students, and church seekers across the Reformed Baptist and conservative Southern Baptist ecosystem, with extended reach into prison ministry and international Reformed Baptist networks.

The organization operates a multi-platform content and education stack: a flagship digital platform at founders.org aggregating articles (1,875+), podcasts (The Sword & The Trowel, 447 episodes), Bible studies (1,444), sermons (244), and book reviews (66); Founders Press as a publishing arm producing systematic, historical, pastoral, and practical theology titles including an exclusive modern English edition of the 1689 Confession in paperback and leather formats; Founders Seminary; the Institute of Public Theology (IOPT); the Founders Study Center (online courses); the Founders Church Search directory of 1,357 churches; a mobile app on iOS and Android (built on the Subsplash consulting platform); and a calendar of annual national and regional conferences held at McGregor Baptist Church in Fort Myers, Florida.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across recurring individual and church monthly partnerships, Founders Press book sales (54,050 items distributed in 2025 with $114,000 in discounts), tiered conference registration ($180-270 adults, $60 youth, free for children 10 and under), legacy and estate giving including stocks, securities, retirement plans and charitable gift annuities, and employer matching gift programs. Distribution is global via digital channels, with primary operating geography in the United States. The organization is governed independently with no parent company, no venture or institutional investor ownership, and is supported through a 501(c)(3) donation model under EIN 65-0243661.

Name

Founders Ministries

Legal name

Founders Ministries, Inc.

Website

https://founders.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Founders Ministries is a Cape Coral, Florida-based non-profit religious organization providing confessionally Calvinistic theological education, publishing, conferences, and church search services to pastors, lay Christians, and churches across the Reformed Baptist and Southern Baptist ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Theological Education

NAICS

Religious Organizations (813110), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA), Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Religious publishing
• Pastoral training
• Church directory services
• Christian conference events

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Coral

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations (Monthly Partnership): Monthly individual ministry partners contribute recurring gifts to support the ongoing work of the ministry. One-time gifts are also accepted. This is a primary revenue stream.
2. Church Partnerships (Monthly Church Partner Program): Churches contribute monthly or annual gifts as partners. Churches can also mail recurring checks. This represents institutional support for the ministry.
3. Founders Press (Book and Resource Sales): Revenue from the sale of books, study materials, and resources published by Founders Press. Includes paperbacks, leather editions, and other theological resources. In 2025, 54,050 items were distributed from Founders Press with $114,000 in discounts given.
4. Conference Registration: Revenue from National and Regional Founders Conference registrations. Tiered pricing from $180 (early bird) to $270 (final). Youth registration at $60 per person (ages 11-17). Includes optional pre-conference and specialty event registrations.
5. Legacy / Estate Giving: Charitable gift planning options including stocks and securities, retirement plans, charitable gift annuities, corporate matching, and estate giving. Confidentially discussed with prospective donors through designated staff.
6. Employer Matching Gifts: Corporate matching gift programs where employers match charitable contributions made by employees, effectively doubling or tripling the impact of individual donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Founders Ministries is a confessional Calvinistic Baptist religious non-profit that produces and distributes theological content (articles, podcasts, sermons, Bible studies), publishes books through Founders Press, operates theological education programs (Founders Seminary, Institute of Public Theology, Founders Study Center), and hosts the annual National Founders Conference to support the recovery of the gospel and biblical reformation of local churches.

Product overview

Founders Ministries operates a multi-platform content and education ministry centered on the recovery of the gospel and biblical reformation of local churches. The core offering is the Founders Ministries Website, which aggregates access to The Sword & The Trowel Podcast, Founders Journal, and a library of articles, sermons, Bible studies, and book reviews. Supporting the website are sub-brands including Founders Press (publishing), The Institute of Public Theology (IOPT), Founders Seminary, and the Founders Study Center (online courses). Additional products include the Church Search directory, the Founders App (mobile application), and the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English resource. The ministry also hosts the annual National Founders Conference and regional events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Sword & The Trowel: Weekly podcast hosted by Tom Ascol and Graham Gunden
• Founders Journal
• Founders Press

Products and services

• Founders Press Publishing arm producing books focusing on systematic, historical, pastoral, and practical theology consistent with the historic Calvinistic Baptist tradition, sold in paperback and premium leather editions through its own online storefront.
• The Sword & The Trowel Podcast Weekly podcast hosted by Tom Ascol and Graham Gunden covering theological topics, current events, church matters, and interviews from a Reformed Baptist perspective; distributed via podcast platforms and serves as a flagship content channel.
• Founders Journal Quarterly theological publication featuring longer academic articles addressing the full range of theological disciplines from a Baptist and confessionally Calvinistic perspective.
• Founders Seminary Seminary providing theological education with a focus on preparing pastors for gospel-centered ministry.
• Institute of Public Theology (IOPT) Training institute established to equip pastors and Christian leaders to engage public discourse with biblical wisdom.
• Founders Study Center Online learning platform providing theological courses and resources for church and individual edification.
• Church Search Online directory enabling users to find gospel-preaching, Christ-exalting, and biblically grounded churches in their area; contains 1,357 churches.
• National Founders Conference Annual conference held in Fort Myers, Florida featuring teaching on theology, church reform, and practical ministry topics; brings together thousands of attendees including pastors, church leaders, and lay Christians.
• Founders Library Digital archive containing the 1689 Confession, theological resources, and confessional Baptist documents, available read online through the Founders Library.
• Founders App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing access to podcasts, articles, and other ministry resources.
• The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith in Modern English Modern English translation of the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, available as a free digital text in the Founders Library and as paperback and premium leather print editions through Founders Press.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,756 physical resources given away and 54,050 items distributed from Founders Press in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McGregor Baptist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Host venue for the annual National Founders Conference in Fort Myers, Florida. The partnership is central to the ministry's flagship annual event, accommodating thousands of attendees for teaching sessions, panels, and networking.
• Joel BeekecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Joel Beeke serves as Chancellor of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary and is a key speaker at the annual National Founders Conference (2026: 'Discipleship in the Home: Learning from the Puritans'; 2027: Conference speaker). Represents a key theological partnership.
• Conrad MbewecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Conrad Mbewe is Pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church and a key speaker at the 2024 and 2027 National Founders Conferences. Represents international Reformed Baptist leadership partnership.
• Grace Baptist Church (Cape Coral, FL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL is the home church of Tom Ascol (President) and Graham Gunden (Assistant Pastor). Serves as the venue for pre-conference events and the primary institutional anchor for the ministry's leadership team.
• Ligonier MinistriesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerListed as a conference sponsor. Graham Gunden previously worked for Ligonier Ministries and Reformation Bible College. Represents a theological alignment and promotional partnership within the broader Reformed ecosystem.
• Reformed Theological SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a conference sponsor. Tom Ascol has served as adjunct professor of theology for Reformed Theological Seminary and as Visiting Professor at the Nicole Institute for Baptist Studies at RTS Orlando.
• Masters SeminaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor. Represents partnership within the conservative Reformed Baptist and Southern Baptist ecosystem.
• Covenant Baptist Theological SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Ascol serves on the board of directors for Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary and is an adjunct professor for the Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies.
• MLJ TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor representing partnership within the Reformed Baptist publishing and media ecosystem.
• Christian Focus PublicationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor — a Christian publishing house specializing in theology and church history titles.
• Heritage BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor — a Reformed Baptist publishing house.
• Banner of TruthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor — a major Reformed Christian publisher and bookstore.
• CrosswayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerConference sponsor — a Christian publisher known for the ESV Bible translation and theological resources.
• The Fletcher SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraham Gunden serves as Dean at The Fletcher School, an organization providing Christian parents in Southwest Florida a classical and Christian education for their children.
• Reformation Bible CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGraham Gunden previously worked for Reformation Bible College and earned his BA in biblical studies from there. Represents an educational pathway partnership.
• Southern Baptist Theological SeminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTom Nettles served as Professor of Historical Theology at SBTS. Graham Gunden is working toward completing his MDiv from SBTS. Tom Hicks earned MDiv and PhD from SBTS with a major in Church History. Represents the ministry's deepest institutional academic partnership.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoundersMin
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@FoundersMinistries
• Facebookfacebook.com/FoundersMin
• Instagraminstagram.com/foundersministries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/founders-journal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Founders Ministries