Campaign Updates

The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries Advances
July 10, 2012

To date, commitments totaling two thirds of our $15.6 million goal have been received from over 3,000 ministry stakeholders nationwide. With such generous support, the vision for a new campus home for Ligonier Academy, its Reformation Bible College, and ministry headquarters has become a reality. The first class of undergraduate freshmen have completed the inaugural year as admissions processes applications for enrollment fall semester 2012. God has been gracious to provide such progress in this bold venture intended to equip new generations of believers to advance and defend the gospel.

Dr. Sproul, Academy chancellor and president of Reformation Bible College has noted the deep commitment of the students to biblical and theological truth. He declared, “I would have given anything to have been able to go to a college like this after I graduated from high school.” And many of our students have expressed that their expectations have been met and exceeded. According to one, who travelled all the way from Ireland to study with our faculty, “This is a great, great place and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but sitting in a classroom at Ligonier’s Reformation Bible College. I think it will be a great blessing; it will be a great seat of learning for generations to come.”

The success of the recently completed campaign matching challenge will infuse an additional $500,000 into the campus. This funding is greatly needed as we prepare for double the number of students when the doors open again late August. And there remains much to do. The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries will continue as we seek to fully establish the Academy and meet the needs of the growing bible college. In addition to expanded facilities such as a student union with cafe, a learning center to include a library, classrooms and offices, dormitories, and retiring the debt on the property, the eventual addition of endowments and scholarships will help to secure a sound future for the institution.

If you have already supported the capital campaign, thank you. If you have not, please consider an investment in this outreach of Ligonier that looks forward with anticipation to preparing men and women to meet the spiritual needs of the church and the culture. Be sure that your gift intended to support the capital campaign is specifically designated as such.

Reformation Bible College Opens Its Doors
August 24, 2011

It is with much rejoicing that we announce the commencement of Reformation Bible College as it officially opened its doors August 22. The inaugural class of 28 full-time and more than 20 dual enrollment students has come to Central Florida from places as far away as New York, Washington, Texas, and even Dublin to immerse themselves deeply in the study of Scripture, theology, philosophy, church history, apologetics, and the great works that have historically informed thinking and impacted society. Their vision is ours – the preparation of a new generation of soldiers for Christ who will be equipped to advance the kingdom, defend the historic Christian faith, and continue to reform the church.

Following a day of orientation on our beautiful new 42-acre lakefront campus, faculty, staff, students and their families gathered for dinner at a welcome barbecue serving more than 110. The enthusiasm was palpable as like-minded believers enjoyed food, fellowship, and the knowledge that together they begin an exciting new venture together. Born of Ligonier’s commitment to expand our outreach by establishing a place of formal education, the multi-generational promise of Ligonier Academy derives naturally from the covenantal calling to those that follow.

Dr. Sproul’s vision for the academy and its Bible college has its roots in John Calvin’s Geneva Academy which welcomed the spiritually hungry Protestant refugees of the mid-sixteenth century. There they were trained under scholarly reformers and sent forth to expand reformation throughout Christendom. The impact of this one small institution on history, the church, and the world can hardly be measured.

This significant ministry milestone could not have been reached apart from the investment of two thousand supporters who have stood with us in The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries. We are grateful for their prayers and financial support and for God’s mercy and favor in this entire endeavor. We look forward with hopeful anticipation to seeing who He will raise up to provide fully for the campus and how He will use the graduates of Reformation Bible College to glorify His name.

Ligonier Moves to Our New Campus
May 10, 2011

It’s official — we’ve moved! With $7.3 million in campaign commitments, the completed remodeling of the three standing buildings, and a certificate of occupancy in hand, Ligonier Ministries has moved its operations to our beautiful new campus. Our offices now share one integrated 42-acre property with Ligonier Academy as well St. Andrew’s, the church where Dr. Sproul serves as senior minister of preaching and teaching. We praise God for seeing us to the joyful fulfillment of this long-held vision.

Reformation Bible College will open its doors to its inaugural class on August 22nd of this year. As of this writing we are pleased to announce that 36 students from around the country have been accepted. They are seeking an education that will immerse them in Scripture and sound theology but will also prepare them to engage the world with mature discernment. As they add studies in apologetics, church history, philosophy, and the great works that have informed thinking and impacted culture, they will be well equipped to defend historic Christianity and advance Christ’s kingdom wherever God places them. Thank you for the gifts that have enabled us to reach this important ministry milestone.

With hundreds of inquiries from all over the United States, it has become apparent that providing student housing is a pressing need. For the short-term, two townhouses have been purchased in a neighboring subdivision to accommodate residential students. In addition, construction of several small campus dormitories – part of the approved site plan – will begin as funds are received for this purpose. Please continue to uphold this entire endeavor, as well as our incoming students, in prayer.

With the move, note that the address for our administrative offices have changed. The new address is:
Ligonier Ministries
421 Ligonier Court
Sanford, FL 32771

Our phone numbers remain the same, as does the address for gifts: Post Office Box 863595, Orlando, FL 32886-3595. Gifts intended to support The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries should be specifically designated as such.

Winter 2011 Update
January 31, 2011

As we enter 2011, the Campaign for Ligonier Ministries has received $6.6 million in commitments representing over 42% of our funding goal. Such generous support has allowed us to near completion of building renovations and plan the move of our operations to the new campus in spring of this year.

Much of these results are due to events that we have held both on the campus and as the Ligonier team has traveled to regional conferences. Such face-to-face activities provide the opportunity to thank our vital supporters, share our vision for the Academy and campus initiative, and solicit an investment that we believe will advance Reformation truth for generations. Should you receive an invitation to a Here We Stand event, take advantage of the unique opportunity to meet Dr. Sproul and hear first-hand his biblical rationale for this enterprise.

If you plan to attend our national conference this March 24-26, we will be offering tours of the property and buildings in conjunction with Ligonier Sunday services at St. Andrew’s. In addition to viewing the striking campus, guests will have an opportunity to meet Academy staff and have their questions answered. We simply ask that you sign up at the exhibit booths for either Ligonier Academy or the Campaign for Ligonier Ministries.

Ligonier Academy has just completed its annual winter conference and, with it, a highly successful preview luncheon for 70 inquirers, including many prospective students. Now attention focuses on the opening of the Bible college fall semester this year. Several dozen applications are being reviewed for admission, with additional inquiries coming regularly. It is gratifying to see this vision become reality.

Fundraising for this ambitious project continues in earnest to construct student residential facilities. The future site plan includes additional office and classroom space, a library, guest quarters, and other campus buildings. As God provides the resources, we will move forward. Dr. Sproul desires nothing less than to establish an educational institution that will impact the lives of individual believers, their churches, their communities, and the world with biblical truth to the glory of God.

Campaign Update Spring 2010
May 5, 2010

The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries has reached a new milestone. With over $6 million in commitments to date, the remainder left to fund is now below the $9.6 million mark – or 38.5% of the original $15.6 million goal. We are grateful to God who moves in the hearts of His people that we have made such progress despite two years of relentless economic recession.

Renovations to the three standing buildings that will house Ligonier Academy, our international headquarters, and a new media center are well underway. We anticipate that the remodeling and commercialization of the property will be completed some time this summer. We must comply with additional county requirements, such as completing specific road improvements, before we receive a certificate of occupancy. We are also praying for additional cash gifts to be donated by June 30th to compensate the contractors for their work and materials during this initial phase.

The enthusiasm of our supporters to stand with us in establishing this work has enabled us to move forward with plans to launch the Academy’s undergraduate programs. The doors to the Bible college are slated to open fall semester 2011. Applications and a course catalog are now available. This summer’s courses for the Doctor of Ministry program are near capacity and enrollment numbers for our Certificate Programs continue to increase. Coursework for these distance learners will be available on-line in the near future and Academy classrooms are being equipped to both record classes and eventually offer teaching via live streaming video.

Funds to construct a library are the next priority. Ligonier currently possesses a collection of 27,000 volumes and several constituents have contacted us about donating their own significant personal libraries. Architectural plans for this building include the housing of 50,000 volumes as well as additional classrooms, faculty offices, and study space. For this building, as well as other elements of the buildings and campus, memorial naming opportunities are available.

For further information about Here We Stand: The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries and ways to help Ligonier Ministries fulfill this vision, please contact Ligonier and ask for Randi Walter, Director of Stewardship. And please uphold this entire endeavor in prayer as we establish a new place of learning in central Florida that will have global impact for generations.

Campus Renovation Begins
October 18, 2009

The end of September marked the one year anniversary of Ligonier Ministry’s first-ever capital campaign. Here We Stand: The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries was launched to fund the entire campus project that will be home to the new Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and our other ministry outreaches. To date, we have received commitments totaling more than $5,080,000, a figure that represents one third of our funding goal of $15.6 million. Such enthusiastic response is a great encouragement and indicates that many share our vision and see the value of investing in this enduring work. By God’s grace, this enterprise will allow Ligonier and those who partner with us to fulfill our covenantal responsibility by proclaiming truth to the generations that follow.

With the selection of a contractor, work on the standing buildings has begun in earnest. Construction permits are being processed to allow for remodeling the structures that will become home to Ligonier Academy, ministry international headquarters, and a new media studio. While awaiting permit approval, demolition of the interior of the Academy building and removal of unusable residential materials is underway with construction of the classrooms and offices planned to begin within a few weeks.

Code compliance is essential to all construction projects of this scope. Those objectives are a priority for the commercialization of the properties and include handicap accessibility and the installation of federally-mandated elevators. In addition, Ligonier has filed a new property use plan with the county that incorporates anticipated site planning for future use, including space for the new library and additional expansion.

Weekly meetings held with interior space planning consultants will help us to achieve maximum use of the space for our educational objectives. Architectural plans are being finalized for the design of the new library which will not only contain book stacks for 30,000+ volumes, but also faculty offices, study carrels, and an additional classroom. Demolition on the interior space of the building selected for our headquarters is slated to begin in a few weeks.

As the dust clouds of a work in progress arise over our idyllic new campus location, we stand in awe of God’s sovereign work in our midst. Please continue to uphold this entire endeavor in prayer and, as the Lord leads, provide the support that will help to fulfill this vision and make it a reality.

Plans for Ligonier’s New Campus Move Forward
June 3, 2009

Architectural plans for the three main structures now situated on Ligonier’s new campus have been approved by Seminole County in central Florida. This allows for project development to move forward for Ligonier International Headquarters, and Shadowlake Studios, which will house our new media center.

While architecturally beautiful and of significant size, the buildings now standing on our 34-acre lakeside property were originally designed as private residences. To receive a certificate of occupancy, those former homes must be renovated to be in compliance with county code for commercial property. That includes providing handicapped accessibility, adding an elevator to each building, and retrofitting the space to accommodate classrooms and offices for ministry use. 

With this approval, Ligonier is now seeking a general contractor to oversee the project and is taking bids for the necessary construction and renovation to follow. In planning for a number of years, Ligonier Academy has been established to more completely fulfill our mission both now and to future generations. Here We Stand: The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries is designed to fund this ambitious endeavor. This unwavering commitment to historic Christianity will, by God’s grace, be used to impact the church and the culture with a new generation of reformers to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ligonier Publicly Announces its First-Ever Capital Campaign
March 21, 2009

After years of planning and a quiet phase begun in the second half of 2008, Ligonier announced the launch of the first capital campaign in ministry history in March 2009 at the National Conference in Orlando. With great anticipation, almost 600 ministry partners and friends gathered for a special evening that introduced the vision for Here We Stand: The Campaign for Ligonier Ministries.

Guests from around the country heard from various ministries leaders who set forth the historical context for this initiative, the rationale for such bold expansion, and the funding priorities that comprise the $15.6 million campaign goal. In a timely message, Dr. R.C. Sproul echoed the cry of the prophet Hosea who proclaimed the consequences to those who lack true knowledge of God and His Word. For this reason, Dr. Sproul emphasized, the state of both the culture at large and the contemporary evangelical church demands that we act now. He is convinced that we cannot wait for a more expedient time to expand our ministry capabilities and ensure that Reformation truths are passed to the next generation.

All 4,700 students who attended the conference had the opportunity to learn about the campaign, ask questions of the development team, and invest in the project. Many took advantage of the opportunity to tour Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies and the beautiful 34+ acre campus that will also become home to our international headquarters and various ministry outreaches. At the conclusion of the 3-day conference, Ligonier had received $164,000 in new campaign commitments from those eager to partner with us in providing a new place for study, ministry, and fellowship.

Ligonier Academy Launches Initial Programs
March 19, 2009

After almost four decades committed to grounding believers in biblical truth, Ligonier Ministries has launched a new outreach intended to continue our mission for generations. Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies has been established as a destination for academic pursuits and Christian fellowship designed to prepare lay people and pastors for real-world service and ministry.

The centerpiece of The Capital Campaign for Ligonier Ministries, the Academy will perpetuate the intellectual proficiency and theological depth for which the teaching fellowship of R.C. Sproul is known. To that end, instruction will take place in both the classroom and via distance learning through a variety of course offerings.

We are excited to announce that the Certificate program is now open for registration. It is a non-degree distance education curriculum for laypeople, ministers, and educators who desire a structured way to study biblical and theological subjects at their own pace, at their own level of interest, and in their own home. Three levels of study are available through the Certificate program: Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced.

The Doctor of Ministry degree program is the first on-campus program offered, with courses beginning Summer 2009. It serves the educational goals of ordained men serving in pastorates, mission fields, and other full-time ministries. With an emphasis on the application of theology to ministry, the program is designed specifically for those desiring greater competence in the practice of ministry. Classes on the doctrine of justification and preaching will be taught in July by Dr. R.C. Sproul and Dr. Steven Lawson to those enrolled as candidates.

As God provides, the Academy plans to introduce additional degree programs and continuing education seminars, lecture series, and retreats for laypeople and pastors.