Date Founded: 1935
Membership/Number of Clergy: 250,000/NA as of 2014
Headquarters: 5233 Mt. View Road, Antioch, TN 37013
Schools & Seminaries: Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College, Southeastern Free Will Baptist College, Welch College
Publications: One Magazine
Website: http://nafwb.org/
Social Media: Facebook and Apple and Android apps.
Core Beliefs: While most Baptist denominations recognize only two sacraments--immersion baptism, and the Lord's Supper, Free Will Baptists also recognize the washing of the feet.
Short History: The southern branch, or Randall movement, and the northern branch, or Palmer movement both began in the 1700s with no relationship to each other. The northern branch spread more quickly, and in 1911 merged with the Northern Baptist Association. Those churches that preferred not to merge created the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists. The southern branch formed and reformed various conferences until, in 1921, the General Conference Association was formed. In 1935 representatives of the northern and southern groups met in Nashville, TN and the National Association of Free Will Baptists was formed.
Local Churches: First FWB Church, 4618 Poplar Level Rd., Louisville,, KY 40213 is the only church in the Louisville area. You can use the Church Finder to locate other congregations.
