Right Now Counts Forever
When Dr. R.C. Sproul founded the Ligonier Valley Study Center in August 1971, he sought to help people understand a subject of eternal consequence: the holy character of God. Fifty years later, the global outreach of Ligonier Ministries brings trustworthy Bible teaching to millions of people every month.
With men, women, and children around the world being awakened to the holiness of God and the grace of His gospel, we believe these might still be the early years of Ligonier’s outreach. Right now counts forever, and billions of souls have yet to be discipled. As this report celebrates five decades of the Lord’s faithfulness, it also represents a vision to sustain the next fifty years of ministry. Thank you for joining us in proclaiming the timeless truths of God’s Word to the nations, blessing people for life and eternity.
“We established Ligonier Ministries to help people both inside and outside the church know who God is, particularly in His majestic holiness.”
1970s
Throughout the first decade of the study center’s existence, people came from near and far to hear biblical and theological teaching. Ligonier’s reach began to spread as this teaching was recorded and distributed beyond Western Pennsylvania.
Digging Deep into God’s Word
We believe that every Christian can understand the Bible and grow as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. From the very beginning, Ligonier has gathered a fellowship of gifted teachers dedicated to making the eternal truths of the Christian faith accessible and understandable. Our extensive library of video teaching series makes it possible to share the riches of God’s Word with a worldwide audience.
Thousands of messages are available from R.C. Sproul, the Ligonier Teaching Fellows, and many other theologians, pastors, and teachers. Covering subjects in biblical studies, theology, church history, apologetics, Christian living, and more, this expanding vault of teaching is designed to help Christians think deeply about the things of God and live with an eternal perspective. Each message is less than thirty minutes in length, well-suited for churches, home groups, Christian schools, or personal Bible study.
Since the completion of our upgraded on-campus studio, even more new teaching series are regularly recorded and released. Many of these series are being translated and dubbed into new languages to equip the global church with timeless biblical truths.
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Teaching Growing Christians Every Day
In 1994, we brought the trusted teaching of R.C. Sproul and others to the radio through Renewing Your Mind. Today, this daily broadcast continues to be the first contact many people have with the truth of God’s holiness.
Coming alongside growing Christians on their daily routine with clear, in-depth Bible teaching, we’re seeing minds renewed and lives transformed around the world (Rom. 12:2). Day by day, this teaching of eternal significance is heralded on podcast platforms, RenewingYourMind.org, and hundreds of radio stations across the United States.
Since its launch in 2018, Renovando Tu Mente, the Spanish edition of Renewing Your Mind, has broadcasted on more than 220 radio stations across Latin America. Also available on major online radio portals, this program has seen enormous success, bringing the Word of God into more homes and hearts every year.
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“I would like to thank you for making Renovando Tu Mente available to so many believers. Your teachings in Spanish have been very important both in my own life and in the life of my family.”
Sharing Timeless Truths
As podcasts have gained more interest in recent years, we’ve expanded our library to meet the surging demand for audio teaching. Today, Renewing Your Mind is one in a constellation of podcasts from Ligonier Ministries, bringing timeless truths directly to your devices and helping you devote each day to matters of eternal importance.
January saw the launch of Ultimately with R.C. Sproul. Three days a week, this brief podcast introduces a new generation to Dr. Sproul’s teaching by sharing unique moments of insight from his lifetime of study in God’s Word.
In May, we heard the season 1 finale of our most immersive podcast yet, Luther: In Real Time. Released five hundred years after the events it describes, the podcast follows the dramatic journey of Martin Luther from his heresy charges to his famous stand for the authority of God’s Word at the Diet of Worms. Listen to season 2 every Friday through the end of this year.
All our podcasts are offered freely and conveniently on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen. Edifying new podcasts will be launching soon, and we’re eager for you to hear and share them when they arrive.
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Streaming Trustworthy Teaching
From mailing out cassette tapes in the 1970s to livestreaming online events today, Ligonier is forward-looking when it comes to harnessing emerging technology to enhance gospel outreach. Our teaching resources can now be accessed wherever you like to tune in—YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Alexa, and Roku.
Video streaming allows the ministry to efficiently deliver timeless truths and timely encouragement to the people of God overseas. It’s a lifeline for many Christians who are growing in the knowledge of God’s holiness through live conference messages on social media, unique streaming events in several languages, and online panel discussions with the Ligonier Teaching Fellows and special guests.
Distances are being bridged and language barriers breached as students watch millions of hours of Ligonier videos each year. As viewers grow more established in the historic Christian faith, they become better prepared to live out these truths and leave an eternal impact on their communities.
2,500,000+
“The impact of Dr. Sproul and Reformed theology has touched every part of my life.”
“The impact of Dr. Sproul and Reformed theology has touched every part of my life.”
“In the mid-’70s, my campus pastor approached me and asked, ‘Would you mind going to this place in the hills of Pennsylvania to help do some construction work?’ Having nothing better to do, I agreed. That weekend, we helped lay the concrete walkway into the dining hall of the Ligonier Valley Study Center. As our reward, we had this young teacher there by the name of R.C. speak to us. Most people go through a slow transition to the Reformed faith, but I felt like it was in a matter of moments—the scales fell from my eyes. R.C. has been a part of my life ever since. The impact of Dr. Sproul and Reformed theology has touched every part of my life and defines how I understand my existence in the universe.”
1980s
To reach more people with its teaching, the study center moved to Orlando and was renamed Ligonier Ministries. Several instant classics by Dr. Sproul were published in the ’80s, and Ligonier began hosting its annual National Conference.
Helping Disciples Grow
Originally an eight-page newsletter of the Ligonier Valley Study Center, Tabletalk is our discipleship and Bible study magazine. More than forty years later, it now reaches more than 260,000 readers worldwide. Written to help Christians live biblically informed lives, Tabletalk is an established fixture in the daily lives of believers in more than seventy-five countries.
From the first issue in 1977, R.C. Sproul contributed his regular column, Right Now Counts Forever, to apply the teachings of Scripture to daily living. No topic was off-limits. Since God’s Word speaks into all of life (2 Tim. 3:16–17), every part of our lives bears enduring significance.
Keeping with this vision more than four decades later, each seventy-six-page issue of the magazine contains daily Bible studies to help readers grow as students of Scripture who can apply it faithfully. Thought-provoking articles from gifted pastors and Bible teachers address biblical, theological, and practical themes to help strengthen disciples and encourage them in their faith.
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Unlocking a Bible Study Library
Today, subscribers to Tabletalk magazine and Ligonier’s Ministry Partners also gain complete access to TabletalkMagazine.com. This platform provides the same biblical, reliable, and readable teaching from each printed issue, plus a wealth of online-exclusive content.
Our archive lets you browse years of back issues so you can delve even deeper in your study of Scripture. Since every article is steeped in God’s unchanging Word, this ever-growing catalog of teaching is always relevant. Simply search for a topic, a Bible passage, or a specific word to find a multitude of applicable results.
Throughout the week, we also publish exclusive online articles from gifted scholars, pastors, and teachers on a broad range of timely issues and timeless truths. Each article is written to convey the eternal truth of God in an accessible and applicable way.
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“The Lord has used those devotions to strengthen my faith in a hard season in my life.”
Proclaiming the Historic Christian Faith
Martin Luther used Gutenberg’s printing press to make the Bible’s theology accessible to everyday people. Following after the Reformers, R.C. Sproul wrote more than one hundred books to help men, women, and children connect the deep truths of the Christian faith to their daily lives.
Our publishing efforts steward the gospel legacy of the Reformation for future generations. Authored by Dr. Sproul, the Ligonier Teaching Fellows, and other gifted teachers, these titles stand resolutely on the Bible and seek to build up believers in their knowledge of God so they may live for His unending glory today.
New books, study guides, booklets, and devotionals are made readily available thanks to the support of friends like you. These volumes also fuel Ligonier’s partnerships with international ministries and provide trustworthy teaching for Christians around the world.
Contending for the Faith
R.C. Sproul often reminded Christians of their responsibility not only to believe and proclaim the truth but also to contend for the truth (Jude 3). After all, eternal life and death are at stake. As God’s Word came under attack, Dr. Sproul gathered scholars and pastors in 1973 to produce the Ligonier Statement on Biblical Inerrancy, seeking to maintain the purity of the truth and to protect the church from error. That seminal work helped frame the enduring Chicago Statement of 1978.
More than four decades later, Dr. Sproul identified the truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ as the most significant issue for the church in the next generation. That spurred the formulation of the Ligonier Statement on Christology in 2016. This document carefully and succinctly restates and explains the Bible’s teaching. Written for the glory of Christ and the edification of His people, it is available in English and more than twenty other major world languages.
Last year, we published A Field Guide on False Teaching. This booklet surveys prominent theological errors, cults, and world religions to help Christians defend their faith against falsehood and respond with the hope they have in Christ. Now in English, Spanish, and Arabic, this resource will be available in additional translations soon.
God has sovereignly ordained prayer as a means of grace (1 John 5:14). In order for the church to renew its zeal for the truth and for people to be awakened to God’s holiness, a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit is needed (1 Cor. 2:12). The Awakening Prayer Guide exists to encourage individuals, families, and churches to pray for awakening each week of the year. Thank you for joining believers around the world in seeking a global awakening to the true character of God.
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Deepening Your Study of God’s Word
In one of the most ambitious collaborations of his ministry, R.C. Sproul assembled a team of scholars to produce the Reformation Study Bible. This landmark publication elevates Scripture on every page, carefully crafted to equip Christians for a lifetime of in-depth Bible study so they may glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Edited by Dr. Sproul, the Reformation Study Bible contains more than 1.1 million words of verse-by-verse commentary from seventy-five distinguished theologians. Its pages also contain insightful articles, topical explanations, historic Christian creeds and confessions, and award-winning maps and visuals. More than 263,000 copies have been distributed since March 2015.
Thanks to a strategic partnership with the Rosemary Jensen Bible Foundation, many pastors, church leaders, and students in ten African countries are receiving free copies of the Reformation Study Bible. We have plans to give away 100,000 copies by 2028. Visionary donors make it possible to bring the Word of God to believers in places where Bibles are expensive and trustworthy theological resources are rare.
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Passing Down the Truth to a New Generation
The Reformation Study Bible exists to help God’s people draw out the riches of His Word and equip them for faithful service that bears eternal significance (Heb. 13:20–21). With every new format of this resource, we aim to circulate truth to a broader readership of disciples.
The Condensed Edition contains the best commentary from the Reformation Study Bible in a portable format. It’s suitable for travel, public worship, and life on the go. For a digital alternative, the eBook Edition of the Reformation Study Bible places a wealth of study tools at your fingertips to help you know and grow in God’s Word.
This year, we release the much-anticipated edition designed especially for the rising generation. Expected to be one of our most popular formats for years to come, the Reformation Study Bible, Student Edition contains many unique features to encourage lifelong study and growth. Hundreds of questions and answers give clarity on key subjects of the Christian life, practical lessons from every book of the Bible help readers apply the knowledge of God to daily living, and color highlights help students find answers quickly.
“Because of this study Bible, I have a thirst for God’s Word that I never thought possible before. I thank God for this powerful work and for those involved in its production.”
“There’s a depth of teaching that you just can’t find anywhere else.”
“There’s a depth of teaching that you just can’t find anywhere else.”
“My husband and I homeschool our three children, and Ligonier helps us disciple them. I’m a busy mom, but Tabletalk magazine is a resource that helps me study the Bible and has become a part of my daily routine. It has been instrumental in encouraging me as I then seek to impart wisdom to my children. I feel like we are always digging up better resources and getting great ideas from this ministry. We come back to Ligonier again and again because there’s a depth of teaching that you just can’t find anywhere else. You can know that they are trustworthy and there aren’t any discrepancies among resources, whether they’re for the littlest ones or the most well studied.”
1990s
Ligonier’s third decade of outreach used the radio and the internet to get biblical teaching into homes around the world. The ministry also provided more comprehensive teaching through its new study Bible and overview teaching series.
Supplying Your Most Trusted Bible Teaching
Ligonier.org is the daily destination for Bible study. More than thirteen thousand cross-linked educational resources are only a click away, providing a spiritual feast for growing Christians. And new discipleship material is posted every day, helping you know what you believe, why you believe it, how to live it, and how to share it.
Read devotionals and articles from hundreds of distinguished teachers, or explore thousands of video messages from our many teaching series and conferences. Years of Dr. Sproul’s sermons are available, and you can gain instant access to all our podcasts.
Are you looking for a helpful introduction to an important topic or theme? Visit our Resource Collections to find curated video messages, articles, and more. Do you have a question about the Bible, theology, or the Christian life? Explore our archive of answers from gifted pastors, theologians, and teachers at Ligonier.org/answers, or submit a question of your own.
Thanks to our Ministry Partners and generous donors, many of these resources are available for free, reaching millions of people with trusted teaching that matters for eternity.
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Multiplying Ministry in a Digital Age
Following R.C. Sproul’s vision for expansive outreach, we have spent years laying a new technical foundation for the next generation of Ligonier.org. It is fitting that this new website launched in our fiftieth anniversary year, with many more features planned.
This world-class Bible study and discipleship platform is designed to extend our deep teaching library and foster more encounters with the holiness of God. Faster, more accessible, and featuring even more teaching, the new Ligonier.org is introducing more people around the world to a treasure trove of biblical truth.
With every message watched, every article read, and every podcast heard, more people are encountering the truth of God’s Word, equipping them to live today for His glory and His everlasting kingdom (Matt. 6:33).
“God has used this ministry to help me grow in the knowledge of theology and is also using the Word to sanctify me more.”
Serving Christians on the Go
When the Ligonier app launched in 2010, it quickly became one of our most popular ministry platforms. Now, faithful teaching is always within reach, wherever you go. This daily gospel resource provides immediate access to a vast theological library on your devices, gathering daily audio clips, video messages, devotional articles, and much more. It’s like carrying the best theological library with you, at no cost.
Accessed more than 6.5 million times annually, this highly rated resource lets Christians redeem the time today to impact their lives for eternity. In addition to discipleship resources from R.C. Sproul, the Ligonier Teaching Fellows, and more of your favorite teachers, you’ll also find easy access to Ask Ligonier, our biblical and theological chat service.
Even now, we are working on improvements to the Ligonier app. Make sure you enable notifications so you can keep up with the latest teaching, events, and news from Ligonier.
1,000,000+
“Thank you so much for such great teachings made available in the app. I am from India and listening to you.”
Curating Trustworthy Teaching 24/7
RefNet is our popular internet radio app, streaming trustworthy teaching and preaching of the Word of God twenty-four hours a day. Committed to the historic Christian faith, RefNet delivers truths of timeless significance to growing believers and their families in more than 180 countries.
Each day brings a fresh playlist with teachers including Alistair Begg, John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul, and the Ligonier Teaching Fellows. The daily schedule also includes Bible readings, audiobooks, music, and much more, making RefNet a go-to source of Christian internet radio.
RefNet is also available as a Skill on Alexa. Since right now counts forever, why not listen to edifying programming that helps you devote all of life to the glory of God? Tune out the noise and tune in to RefNet—anytime, every day.
180+
“Ligonier has a consistent, user-friendly, and spiritually encouraging digital presence.”
“Ligonier has a consistent, user-friendly, and spiritually encouraging digital presence.”
“We were given a gift subscription to Tabletalk from a family member, and it was eye-opening to learn about the doctrines of grace. Now we see them on almost every page of the Bible, and it is something we wish we would’ve known about years ago. Many people in our society today are susceptible to widespread false teaching that is easily available in the palm of their hand. We really appreciate that Ligonier has a consistent, user-friendly, and spiritually encouraging digital presence that provides reliable Bible teaching in many forms. As part of the content-consuming generation, we know how important it is to have a high level of excellence in digital media. We also know achieving that takes investment. We are confident that supporting Ligonier’s mission of providing trustworthy teaching encourages future generations to follow Jesus Christ.”
2000s
The acquisition of a new campus made it possible to launch many more ministry outreaches. Christians came for residential study, in-house publishing provided the church with discipleship resources, and international broadcasts began to bear fruit.
Gathering for an Annual Family Reunion
Ever since R.C. Sproul invited students to the Ligonier Valley Study Center for Bible teaching, Ligonier Ministries has been gathering Christians around God’s Word for mutual edification. Each spring in Orlando, our National Conference brings together thousands of Ligonier friends and supporters for three days of Bible teaching, fellowship, and corporate singing.
As we gather Christians from many different backgrounds who make up the Ligonier family, it gives us a small foretaste of eternity, when God’s people from every tribe, nation, and tongue will come together to behold the glory of the Lord (Rev. 5:9). With that ultimate end in mind, we aim to encourage the global church and equip its members for greater service.
Every year, it is thrilling to see more first-time attendees gathering from many different places. The National Conference also streams live online, bringing the truth to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
90,000+
“Our brief three days in Orlando were like an oasis of truth in a desert of error, which refreshed our souls and energized us for spiritual battles in the cause of Christ.”
Gathering Locally and Around the World
Ligonier conferences are much more than momentary gatherings of like-minded believers. These times of fellowship foster lifelong relationships, uniting Christians around God’s truth and equipping them to impact their communities for eternity.
One of this year’s regional conferences met in Pittsburgh, the “Steel City,” where R.C. and Vesta Sproul grew up. Gathering near where it all began for the ministry fifty years ago, we drew strength from Scripture to move forward with conviction into future generations of faithful ministry.
Christians need encouragement and instruction (Prov. 27:17). So, in support of the local church, we aim to bring gifted preachers and teachers to local gatherings in order to provide focused discipleship opportunities. Ligonier holds regional conferences in cities throughout the United States, and international conferences have taken place in Canada, England, Germany, Mexico, and Northern Ireland. Future events are planned for other European countries as well as Asia, Africa, and South America.
Building a Worldwide Discipleship Community
Ligonier Connect enables Christians to grow together online through an ever-expanding library of interactive video courses. With flexibility to pursue a course at your own pace or study with others, how you learn is up to you. Now, you can also unlock our course library for your family, Bible study, or church with a community subscription to Ligonier Connect.
More than 1,100 lessons from over one hundred courses are available to choose from, covering subjects in the Bible, theology, Christian living, church history, apologetics, and more. Each course provides an interactive study guide. The study group feature also provides you with online classrooms where you can invite friends to take any course together.
Thanks to the generous support of ministry friends such as you, the Spanish edition of Ligonier Connect is being tested by pastors and will be publicly available soon. This expansion of our worldwide discipleship community will help more Christians, families, and churches grow with other believers in daily discipleship that will bear fruit for eternity.
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Teaching the Knowledge of God
In many ways, the founding of Reformation Bible College in 2011 was a return to our roots. The face-to-face discipleship vision behind the Ligonier Valley Study Center came into full bloom with the creation of this educational institution rooted in the Reformed classical tradition.
Even more importantly, Reformation Bible College encapsulates R.C. Sproul’s vision for the future. With a curriculum handcrafted by Dr. Sproul, RBC is intensely focused on equipping students to fulfill their highest vocation—knowing God. The eternal impact is already evident as a new generation of young Christian men and women are sent out to serve their families, churches, and communities for the glory of the Lord.
By God’s grace, RBC is seeing remarkable success for a college that is only ten years old. We’re serving our largest on-campus student body in our history. In addition, more than two hundred students have participated in online classes since they launched in 2020. We’re welcoming our first international students on campus this semester, and construction on our new on-campus residence hall is coming along well.
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Gathering and Exploring Together
From the Old City of Jerusalem to the Black Cloister in Wittenberg, R.C. Sproul loved to bring church history to life for inquisitive Christians on Ligonier study tours. Ligonier Teaching Fellows and other teachers travel with our guests to key places in the story of Christianity, explaining the everlasting significance of our spiritual heritage. While these are not donor-funded tours, we believe these excursions provide an edifying opportunity to experience our family history firsthand, encouraging believers to live boldly for God’s eternal kingdom today.
Ligonier also hosts study cruises, small conferences at sea, to provide trusted teaching from God’s Word against the glorious backdrop of creation. Dr. Sproul enjoyed these opportunities to share extended times of fellowship with ministry supporters, and they continue to be favorite occasions for like-minded believers to gather around the enduring truths of our shared faith.
Popular study cruise destinations include Alaska, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Mediterranean. We eagerly anticipate sailing again in 2022.
Preparing God’s People for Service
Seeking to flood the world with knowledgeable and articulate Christians, Ligonier offers several training events to help establish the people of God for fruitful ministry of enduring significance.
The Institute for Expository Preaching equips pastors, church leaders, and Bible teachers to faithfully proclaim the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:2). Drawing from decades of preaching and pastoral experience, Steven Lawson leads these events across the United States and around the world, assisting preachers in expounding the eternal truths of Scripture for God’s people today.
Every year, Reformation Bible College hosts its annual Winter Conference on its Central Florida campus. Gifted teachers train students and Christian leaders in the knowledge of God, urging them to hold to the truth of Scripture—especially when it is under attack. With eternity on the line, believers must not shrink back from being bold for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Reaching and equipping high school students to confidently defend their faith is the goal of Always Ready. These apologetics conferences blend the discipleship work of RBC and Ligonier as we tour cities across the U.S. and online. Each one-day event is designed for Christian students, equipping them to answer objections to their faith and present the gospel to their friends. In an age when the Bible’s teaching is being rapidly marginalized, Always Ready encourages young people to stand firm on God’s Word (1 Peter 3:15).
“Ligonier Ministries helped me become confessionally Reformed and love our historic Christian faith!”
“Ligonier Ministries helped me become confessionally Reformed and love our historic Christian faith!”
“I grew up in a Christian home and was baptized into a Christian family, but I spent much of my life in confusion about who God is. I couldn’t answer some of the tough questions on my own, so I looked up ‘predestination’ on YouTube, and then I found Ligonier. I started watching What Is Reformed Theology? and that was a really big stepping stone for me. Ligonier Ministries helped me become confessionally Reformed and love our historic Christian faith!
“Since I did not have a local church during the lockdown, it was tough to grow spiritually, but I continued to grow in my faith because of Ligonier’s articles, videos, and podcasts. Since Ligonier emphasizes the importance of the local church, once things reopened I was able to find an amazing Reformed church where I can worship and serve. My worship and love for God have greatly increased after embracing Reformed theology. Now, I want to pursue a career in academia—hopefully, Lord willing, even teaching at seminary or university one day.”
2010s
The years leading up to Ligonier’s fiftieth anniversary laid a firm foundation for future ministry. As the Teaching Fellows were formally established and Reformation Bible College opened its doors, international outreach expanded to serve more Christians worldwide.
Measuring Theological Health
Our founder taught us that “everyone’s a theologian.” However, Dr. Sproul would be quick to add that not everyone is a good theologian. Since we were made in the image of our Creator, all of life and all its questions ultimately relate to God and His truth. But where are people turning to find their answers to life’s questions of eternal significance? The State of Theology survey provides eye-opening insights.
Since 2014, we’ve taken the theological temperature of Americans every two years to find out what people on the street and in the pews actually believe. This professionally conducted survey reveals key findings about how U.S. adults and, more importantly, professing evangelicals think about God, truth, worship, ethical issues, and more. The most recent results, available at TheStateOfTheology.com, show an urgent need for faithful Bible teaching as society in the United States drifts from accepting the truth claims of the Christian faith. Our next survey results will be available in 2022, providing further clarity on ongoing theological trends.
As a service to the global church, we commissioned our first ever State of Theology survey in the United Kingdom in 2018. We’re currently planning to perform the survey in Canada. Understanding the worldviews and beliefs of people around the world can equip the church for discipleship, helping Christians respond to life’s questions with the revealed truth of God (Titus 1:9).
Answering Your Biblical and Theological Questions
From the weeknight “Gab Fests” with Dr. Sproul at the Ligonier Valley Study Center to the popular Q&A sessions at our conferences, Ligonier has sought to provide clear, trustworthy answers to your theological questions of eternal importance. This outreach grew markedly in 2018, when we launched Ask Ligonier, our real-time online chat service staffed by team members around the world.
Drawing on Ligonier’s vast database of teaching and our decades-long ministry of answering students’ questions, we’re now able to answer your biblical and theological questions twenty-four hours a day, six days a week. More than 164,000 questions have already been answered through Ask Ligonier, providing clarity to growing Christians and thoughtful inquirers.
Last year, we launched the Ask Ligonier podcast as another way for inquirers to receive answers from some of the most trusted pastors and theologians who are serving the church today. Our teaching fellows and special guests also join us online several times a year to answer your questions during Ask Ligonier livestreams.
Do you have a question about a Bible passage or theology, or do you feel stumped by someone else’s question? Just ask Ligonier. Well-trained team members are stationed in many different time zones, standing by to answer your questions.
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Serving Those in Need
Ligonier exists to support the church of Jesus Christ in its discipleship task in service to the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16–20). As God’s people go to the ends of the earth to make disciples, we strive to see them well equipped for ministry that will leave an everlasting impact.
Military chaplains bring the gospel to those who are literally on the front lines. By outfitting them with gospel resources, we provide a spiritual supply line for those on active duty around the world. More than 340 chaplains are currently enrolled in our Military Chaplain Outreach, serving more than one million people, including men and women in uniform as well as their families. Free for the asking, they receive bulk subscriptions to Tabletalk magazine, copies of the Reformation Study Bible, and many other books and teaching supplies. Chaplains are being armed with truth for the good fight of the faith (1 Tim. 6:12).
One of our fastest-growing outreaches is seen through the hundreds of prisoners who write to us every month, hungry for gospel resources to help them grow in Christ. Care packages provide inmates with a special edition of the Reformation Study Bible and books by trusted teachers. Prison chaplains are also supplied with the teaching resources they need, bolstering their ministry so no one may be forgotten behind bars (Matt. 25:36).
“This morning, a soldier asked if I had any extra Bibles to give away. He then proceeded to ask my advice on how to start reading the Bible. Please tell everyone I said thanks for supplying me with biblically faithful resources to give away.”
Taking the Truth to the Nations
Ligonier is not an English-only ministry. R.C. Sproul challenged us to have an increasingly global focus in our gospel outreach, and translating Ligonier’s wealth of theological resources is one of the first steps in assisting the church to take the gospel to the nations (Matt. 24:14).
Teams of people are now translating Ligonier Ministries’ trustworthy teaching into many of the most-spoken languages on earth. We hand-select translators whose fidelity to Scripture is complemented by a firm grasp of their language. Thanks to fruitful partnerships with ministries and missionaries around the world, study Bibles, books, teaching series, and other desperately needed resources are being translated, dubbed, and published, positioning us to serve more than half of the world’s population with region-specific outreach.
The Reformation Study Bible is now available in German, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. Translation is underway in Arabic and French, efforts that will unlock its unparalleled study notes for more than a billion souls. Once these editions are complete, the Reformation Study Bible will be available in at least one language spoken on every continent in the world. We believe that access to this unique resource rooted in the historic Christian faith will strengthen the global church for generations to come, bearing fruit that will last for eternity.
More than 4 Billion
“We prayed for years in the Arab world to have Reformed and biblically conservative resources in our own language, and we trust that Ligonier Ministries is the Lord’s response to our prayers.”
“Now, we even have the Reformation Study Bible in Spanish!”
“Now, we even have the Reformation Study Bible in Spanish!”
“When I came from Puerto Rico in 2003, I could barely speak English. I became a Christian in a Pentecostal church. Shortly after, a friend gave me the English edition of R.C. Sproul’s book Chosen by God. It was really a blessing to me because, at that time, I was struggling with the Bible and struggling with many issues. I translated that book paragraph by paragraph, page by page, just trying to understand the doctrines of grace. I learned English because of R.C. Sproul, and he has blessed me with the Word of God. These resources helped me to stand firm on my faith and in the right doctrine—the holiness of God and the authority of the Bible. Even at that time, it was not so common to find good materials in Spanish. But now, we even have the Reformation Study Bible in Spanish! It is such a blessing for the Latin American community.”
The Next 50 Years in a Changing World
Only the Lord knows what the future holds. Relying on His grace and pressing on in the mission set before us, Ligonier strives to continue proclaiming the eternal truth of God in a constantly changing world.
Looking Toward the Next 50 Years of Ministry
Dr. R.C. Sproul told us a few years ago that he never could have imagined how God would use Ligonier Ministries to proclaim His holiness and support the church throughout the world. Today, the Lord is renewing minds, transforming lives, and awakening millions through the clear teaching of His Word (Rom. 1:16).
Witnessing God’s faithfulness in blessing this outreach, Dr. Sproul had a bold vision for the future of Ligonier. He positioned this ministry to have an expanding, global outreach in service to the church—as long as we are faithful. Anchored in the authority of God’s Word and the gospel of Jesus Christ, Ligonier is standing firm but not standing still. We remain resolute in our commitment to take the truth of God to the nations.
More people than ever are seeking out biblical and theological teaching from Ligonier. But there are many more souls yet unreached. Billions more. As God opens new opportunities before us, we believe the most fruitful years of ministry are still ahead.
Even now, the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3) is only beginning to reach the uttermost parts of the world, testifying to the great need that remains for this mission of eternal consequence.
Reaching the World with Trusted Teaching
With eyes set on taking the truth of God to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), our global vision is facilitated by regional strategies to reach and equip people in distinct parts of the world with faithful Bible teaching that is so desperately needed. By God’s grace, this vision is accelerating through the formation of partnerships with local ministries, missionaries, churches, and publishers committed to the historic Christian faith and the Great Commission.
An increasing number of discipleship resources from Ligonier are being translated to serve Latin America, the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula, Asia-Pacific, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and many other parts of the world that share both language and culture. Through regional partnerships, resources in key languages can blanket entire continents with faithful teaching.
These regional initiatives are made possible through the translation and distribution of teaching in the twenty most-spoken languages on earth. By the year 2050, we estimate that Ligonier’s Bible-teaching resources will be accessible to nearly 80 percent of the world’s population in their first language.
The outreach expansion that R.C. Sproul prayerfully pursued is happening. Right now counts forever, and it seems that we’re only just getting started. As we labor to put these projects into motion, we ask God to fulfill His promise that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).
Stewarding a Legacy of Faithfulness
The Bible teaching of R.C. Sproul is a testament to the enduring relevance of God’s Word. Because Dr. Sproul devoted himself to expounding the unchanging truths of Scripture, not the new and novel, his countless hours of teaching on the foundational doctrines of the Christian faith remain just as applicable today. God has used this teaching to build up His people for fifty years, and we will ensure it remains available for generations to come.
Many of Ligonier’s outreaches, such as Renewing Your Mind, were first introduced as new ways of sharing Dr. Sproul’s extensive body of work with the world. Today, we’re adapting this teaching to new formats to reach a new generation. Ultimately with R.C. Sproul is just one recent example. With short episodes that dive directly into teaching, this podcast presents the same theological insight you enjoy in a popular format for new listeners. At the same time, more and more content from Dr. Sproul is being released from the archives, and existing content is being made available in new languages.
In a day when internet censorship is a real possibility for convictional Christian ministries, we have been shoring up every facet of our digital infrastructure. If Ligonier is ever threatened with being censored for our faithfulness to the Lord and His eternal truth, we must endeavor to keep our web outreaches accessible to as many people as possible. God’s Word can never be silenced, and we are dedicated to maintaining worldwide access to the teaching library entrusted to us.
Delivering Reformed Theology to a New Generation
From the Ligonier Valley, to Orlando, to cities around the world, God has raised up many teachers over the years to apply the deep truths of Scripture and Reformed theology to generations of Ligonier students.
Formally established in 2010, the Ligonier Teaching Fellows bring unique gifts and broad experience to this ministry. Dr. Sproul and the board gathered this team of men to help us remain true to our founding purpose and to inform our future outreach. They also continue to expand Ligonier’s teaching library through discipleship resources to build up growing Christians with timeless truth.
As we actively prepare for the next fifty years of Ligonier’s gospel outreach, the Lord is raising up a new generation of gifted pastors and theologians to serve His church. We are working strategically with many of these promising young teachers to produce new books, teaching series, podcasts, and more. It is a privilege to invest in tomorrow’s church leaders, who will carry the torch of biblical faithfulness into the future, bearing fruit that will remain for all eternity. While generations rise and generations pass away, the Word of the Lord abides forever (1 Peter 1:25).
“Twenty-five years from now, if Ligonier is faithful to its foundations—and I believe it will be—we should have ourselves in the middle of a worldwide renewal of the Reformed faith that we can’t even begin to anticipate from this perspective today.”
Dear Friend,
It is for God’s glory that Ligonier Ministries exists. Right now counts forever—this theme of Dr. Sproul’s has been constantly on our minds as we cross this fifty-year anniversary milestone. It reminds us that the life we live today before the presence of God matters for eternity.
Preparing a Ministry Report like this is not something we do that often, but in a small way it is a stone of remembrance for us all, including the more than 190 team members who currently serve at Ligonier. Join us in praising God for what He has done and is presently doing. Also, our pulse quickens as we glance around the corner at where we see the ministry going. Can you imagine the countless people whose lives have been forever changed through fifty years of ministry? In 1971, God used the prayerful efforts of so many dear saints to begin a movement to recover the teaching of the holiness of God in the life of the church and in the culture at large. Activity from that small study center in the Ligonier Valley now reverberates throughout the world. We hear every day from Christians who tell us of their gratitude for learning more about the Lord through this ministry’s instruction. Decade after decade, Ligonier has borne witness to God’s steadfast love. As Martin Luther said, we are only beggars helping other beggars to know where they can find bread.
R.C. taught us not to rest on past accomplishments but to press on in greater service to God’s people. “What’s next?” he would often ask. This report hints at the new vistas of ministry opportunities now unfolding. More Bible teaching is being added to our deep theological library in multiple languages, and partnerships are solidifying that will widen the reach of every discipleship resource. Billions of souls lack access to faithful teaching that exalts the character of God; therefore, our aim is to reach and equip billions with the truth of God’s Word. Humanly speaking, the consequences of inaction are eternal, and we will not be idle. As the Lord continues to bless our shared ministry efforts, and with every dollar of support stretched further and further, sustainable outreach is steadily expanding.
Our future is hopeful because Jesus keeps His promise to build His church (Matt. 16:18). Just imagine what the Lord may do in the next fifty years of Ligonier’s global gospel outreach as you and an army of faithful supporters extend this work to the nations. It is a sobering stewardship. Will you join us in praying for faithful, fruitful ministry in the years to come?
Ligonier Ministries began before I was born. As long as there is a need to proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness, may our outreach continue that mission long after you and I are in heaven, rejoicing around the throne of the risen Lord. Many co-laborers came before us, and there will be many after us doing their part to serve the kingdom of God through their talents, treasures, and, most importantly, their time. But in God’s providence, this moment has come to us, and it counts. Right now is our time to lean into this ministry called Ligonier with everything entrusted to us. Let us forever bear witness to the works of the Lord, for He has done wondrous things.
Onward by God’s grace,
Chris Larson
President & CEO