Ligonier Ministries Explained

Formation:	1971
Founder:	R. C. Sproul
Founding Location:	Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Type:	Non-profit
Headquarters:	Sanford, Florida
Leader Title:	Chairman
Leader Name:	W. Robert Godfrey
Leader Title2:	President and CEO
Leader Name2:	Chris Larson

Ligonier Ministries (also known as simply Ligonier) is an international Christian discipleship organization headquartered in the greater Orlando, Florida area. Ligonier was founded in 1971 by R. C. Sproul in the Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania, outside of Pittsburgh. Ligonier is distinguished by its teaching of Reformed theology.

Since the passing of Sproul in 2017, the primary teachers at Ligonier are its teaching fellows:

• Dr. Sinclair Ferguson (Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary)
• Dr. W. Robert Godfrey (President Emeritus, Professor Emeritus of Church History, Westminster Seminary California)
• Dr. Steven Lawson (Professor of Preaching, Dean of D.Min. studies, The Master's Seminary)
• Dr. Stephen Nichols (President, Reformation Bible College)
• Dr. Burk Parsons (Senior Pastor, St. Andrew's Chapel, Sanford, Florida)
• Dr. Derek Thomas (Chancellor’s Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary)^[1]

Ligonier offers undergraduate degrees through its sister organization Reformation Bible College.^[2] Ligonier also offers various teaching series, along with running annual national and regional conferences.^[3]

Primary activities

The main activities of Ligonier Ministries include the following:

• Producing Renewing Your Mind, a daily radio and Internet broadcast wherein Sproul and others teach systematic theology, Reformed theology, and the Bible
• Publishing a monthly magazine called Tabletalk
• Selling and distributing music, audiobook, video and print materials by Sproul, John Gerstner, and others
• RefNet (Reformation Network) internet radio
• Ligonier Connect online classes for lay people
• Reformation Bible College
• Holding conferences in Orlando and, in smaller form, elsewhere around the United States and internationally.
• Educational Church History Tours to the United Kingdom, Europe and Cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska that combines the cruise with Christian teaching

Controversies

In September 2015, R. C. Sproul Jr., the son of Ligonier founder R. C. Sproul, was suspended from the organization until July 1, 2016 due to his visiting the Ashley Madison website.^[4] In December 2016, Sproul Jr. resigned from Ligonier Ministries and Reformation Bible College "for personal reasons."^[5] It was reported the following week that the reason for his resignation was that he had recently been arrested for drunk driving with a minor passenger in his vehicle.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Who We Are . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220416095053/https://www.ligonier.org/about/who-we-are . April 16, 2022 . April 16, 2022 . Ligonier Ministries.
2. Web site: Reformation Bible College .
3. Web site: Ligonier Events .
4. Web site: Adulai, Ernest . September 1, 2015 . Renowned Christian Minister R.C. Sproul Jr. Suspended by Ligonier Ministries over Ashley Madison Visit . February 15, 2016.
5. Web site: A Statement Concerning Dr. R.C. Sproul Jr. . December 12, 2016 . Ligonier Ministries.
6. Web site: Blair . Leonardo . December 16, 2016 . R.C. Sproul Jr. Resigned From Ligonier Ministries After Felonious DUI Arrest With Minor in Vehicle . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220416091020/https://www.christianpost.com/news/r-c-sproul-jr-resigned-from-ligonier-ministries-after-felonious-dui-arrest-with-minor-in-vehicle-172192/ . April 16, 2022 . April 16, 2022 . The Christian Post.