A Rich Heritage of Faith
One of the oldest Baptist groups in the nation, Free Will Baptists can be traced to the General Baptists of England and Holland. Early American founders of the denomination include Elder Benjamin Randall in the North (New Hampshire, 1780) and Paul Palmer in the South (North Carolina, 1727). These northern and southern Free Will Baptists grew independently over the centuries, at times splitting or merging with other groups.
By the late 19th century, Free Will Baptist churches dotted the rural landscape of the nation, often with little connection to any church or association. In 1935, however, Free Will Baptists from across the nation gathered at Cofer’s Chapel in Nashville, Tennessee, to form the National Association of Free Will Baptists.
Since that moment, the denomination has grown steadily, expanding to meet the needs of its members. Today, the National Association of Free Will Baptists includes nearly 2,500 churches and more than 200,000 members.
The denomination supports 96 missionaries in 20 international locations and 68 missionaries in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The national departments are located at 5233 Mt. View Road, Antioch, Tennessee.