Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision

What Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision does

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) is the public policy and ethics entity of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), a U.S. nonprofit headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with origins dating to 1908. It operates a second office in Washington, D.C., and is supported financially through the SBC's Cooperative Program and tax-deductible donations stewarded under a 33-member board of trustees independently selected by SBC messengers. The ERLC assists Southern Baptist churches and individuals in applying Christian principles to moral, social, and public policy issues across four focus areas: life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity.

The ERLC's product portfolio is content-and-advocacy oriented rather than technology-based. Core offerings include the ERLC Podcast, LIGHT Magazine (biannual), The Weekly email newsletter, practical theological guides for pastors, long-form research essays and white papers, and the Psalm 139 Project—a pro-life initiative that places ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers and has reached a 100th-machine milestone. The organization also runs an internship program cultivating future ministry leaders and maintains a full-service media relations operation. Distribution is primarily digital (erlc.com, YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, social channels) augmented by partnerships with state Baptist conventions.

Go-to-market is advocacy-driven rather than commercial: the ERLC engages in policy outreach before Congress, the executive branch, and the courts; files amicus briefs (e.g., United States v. Skrmetti) and coalition policy letters; monitors 9 active Supreme Court cases in 2026; and produces resources to equip churches distributed through digital channels and state Baptist convention partnerships. Pricing is not applicable as a publicly funded nonprofit; all donations are tax-deductible, and the organization complies with Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) standards.

Name

Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision

Legal name

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission

Website

https://erlc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Advocacy Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Evangelical & Charismatic Broadcasting (MPABALAC)

Keywords

• Religious policy advocacy
• Pro-life ministry
• Theological education
• Religious liberty
• Faith-based publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The ERLC is funded primarily through tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Financial resources are stewarded under the guidance of a board of trustees independently selected by the Southern Baptist Convention. The organization is also supported by the SBC's Cooperative Program.
2. Cooperative Program Funding: The ERLC is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention and is supported by the SBC's Cooperative Program, which is a unified giving plan where Southern Baptist churches contribute to fund SBC entities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The ERLC is the public policy and ethics entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, equipping SBC churches with theological guides, policy advocacy, research essays, podcasts, and a print magazine to apply Christian principles to life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity issues. It conducts advocacy before Congress, the executive branch, and the courts and runs the Psalm 139 Project, which places ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers.

Product overview

The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) is a policy and research organization serving Southern Baptist churches. Its offerings are not a unified technology product but rather a portfolio of advocacy resources, publications, and programs. The core offerings include the ERLC Podcast for audio content, LIGHT Magazine (biannual print/digital publication), the Psalm 139 Project for pro-life ultrasound placement, Practical Guides for pastors on cultural issues, an Internship Program, Research Essays and White Papers for theological depth, and The Weekly newsletter. These resources are distributed through the organization's website to assist churches in understanding moral and public policy issues grounded in biblical principles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Psalm 139 Project: Pro-life ministry initiative of the ERLC that places ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers to promote a culture of life
• LIGHT Magazine
• The ERLC Podcast
• The Weekly
• Across State Lines

Products and services

• ERLC Podcast A podcast providing brief, informed, practical, and biblically-based answers to important cultural issues for Southern Baptists, covering topics related to life, religious liberty, marriage and family, and human dignity.
• LIGHT Magazine A biannual magazine taking an in-depth look at cultural and moral concerns, applying God's Word and Baptist convictions to help shape voice in the public square.
• Psalm 139 Project An ERLC initiative that places ultrasound equipment in pregnancy resource centers and provides medical staff training to promote a culture of life. Celebrated delivery of the 100th ultrasound machine.
• Practical Guides for Pastors Theologically-grounded and accessible guides for churches covering topics such as gender and sexuality, assisted reproductive technologies, religious liberty, and political engagement.
• ERLC Internship Program A program cultivating the next generation of ministry leaders to assist Southern Baptist churches with complex cultural issues and represent them in policy matters, based in Nashville, TN and Washington, D.C. offices.
• One Nation Under God Resources

Quantifiable outcome

• 100th ultrasound machine placed through Psalm 139 Project
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Psalm 139 ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Psalm 139 Project is an ERLC initiative that places ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers. The initiative covers equipment costs, training for PRC staff, and promotes a culture of life through caring for those involved in unplanned pregnancies.
• Alabama Baptist State Board of MissionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlabama Baptists partnered with Alaska Baptists through the Across State Lines initiative to place ultrasound machines in Alaska, serving mothers and championing preborn lives in pro-choice states.
• Alaska Baptist ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlaska Baptists partnered with Alabama Baptists through the Across State Lines initiative, receiving ultrasound machine placement at Community Pregnancy Center in Anchorage.
• Texas Baptists / Southern Baptists of Texas ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTexas Baptists leveraged resources to serve mothers and champion preborn lives in New Mexico through partnership with ERLC's Psalm 139 Project at Legacy Pregnancy Resource Center in Hobbs, NM.
• New England BaptistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouthern Baptists across the country linked arms with New England Baptists to advocate for preborn lives in Vermont, where abortion remains widely accessible.
• North Carolina BaptistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth Carolina Baptists partnered with ERLC's Psalm 139 Project to place the 100th ultrasound machine, continuing longtime partnership in advocating for lives.
• Tennessee Baptist Mission BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTennessee Baptist Mission Board partnered with ERLC's Psalm 139 Project to dedicate ultrasound machine to Hope Resource Center in Knoxville, TN.
• Southern Baptist Convention of VirginiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia to dedicate ultrasound machine to IMGN Life in Fredericksburg, VA.
• First Choice Women's Resource CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst Choice Women's Resource Centers in New Jersey, which won a Supreme Court case (First Choice Women's Resource Centers, Inc. v. Davenport) regarding pregnancy resource center speech protections.
• Southern Baptist ConventioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe ERLC is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention, supported by the SBC's Cooperative Program. Works in cooperation with churches and other Southern Baptist entities to promote religious liberty and apply Christian principles to public policy.
• Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)minorOthersThe ERLC complies with the standards of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, demonstrating commitment to financial accountability and transparency.
• US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERLC as part of IRF Roundtable's Congressional Working Group has sent letters supporting reauthorization and continuation of USCIRF.
• IRF RoundtableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerERLC participates in the IRF Roundtable's Congressional Working Group for advocacy on international religious freedom issues.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• First Liberty Institute: A non-profit legal organization dedicated to defending religious liberty for all Americans through litigation, policy advocacy, and education. Closely comparable to the ERLC's religious liberty advocacy and coalition work, including participation in the IRF Roundtable.
• Focus on the Family: A Christian ministry that produces family-focused resources, policy advocacy, and media content (including a daily radio broadcast) addressing marriage, parenting, and cultural issues from an evangelical perspective. Closely parallels the ERLC's combination of resources, policy advocacy, and media distribution to Christian families.
• National Association of Evangelicals: An umbrella organization representing evangelical churches, denominations, and ministries that engages in public policy advocacy on religious liberty, life, and justice issues. Comparable to the ERLC as a faith-based policy convener, though broader in denominational scope than the SBC-specific ERLC.
• Alliance Defending Freedom: A Christian legal advocacy organization that litigates religious liberty, life, and marriage cases in courts across the United States, including at the Supreme Court. Directly comparable to the ERLC's legal advocacy and amicus brief work in religious-liberty and life cases.
• American Center for Law and Justice: A Christian legal advocacy organization that represents policy interests before Congress, the executive branch, and courts on issues including religious liberty, life, and free speech. Comparable to the ERLC's federal-level legal advocacy and policy engagement.
• Ethics and Public Policy Center: A Washington-based research institute focused on the intersection of religion, ethics, and public policy, producing scholarly essays and policy recommendations on life, family, and religious liberty. Comparable to the ERLC's research and white paper output addressing moral and cultural issues from a Christian worldview.
• Family Research Council: A Christian public policy advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. that engages Congress, the executive branch, and courts on issues including religious liberty, life, marriage, and family. Highly comparable to the ERLC in policy focus, advocacy style, and evangelical Christian constituency.
• American Family Association: A Christian advocacy organization focused on traditional family values, religious liberty, and pro-life issues that engages in policy lobbying, media campaigns, and grassroots mobilization. Comparable to the ERLC as a faith-based public policy voice with strong media and grassroots programs.

Broad incumbents

• Heritage Foundation: A large conservative public policy think tank that produces research, policy papers, and engages in advocacy across religious liberty, life, and family issues. Comparable as a policy and research organization addressing overlapping topics, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope than the ERLC.

Others

• Americans United for Separation of Church and State: A non-profit advocacy organization that litigates and lobbies on church-state issues, often in opposition to ERLC positions. Comparable as a religious-liberty advocacy organization engaged in litigation and policy work, though operating from an opposing policy perspective.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/erlc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/erlcsbc
• Facebookfacebook.com/erlcsbc
• Instagraminstagram.com/erlcsbc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ethics and Religious Liberty Commision