William E. Wolfe has spent more than a decade inside the Southern Baptist Convention and another in the conservative world of Washington, D.C. Taken together, those years have positioned him as a recognizable figure in ongoing debates over Baptist leadership and the place of evangelical politics in American public life.
Early Life and Education
Wolfe moved to Washington, D.C., and settled into Capitol Hill Baptist Church, where he spent roughly ten years. During that period, he was baptized and drew closer to the church’s inner life, participating in reform and revitalization efforts that shaped his view of congregational leadership.
He later relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, to complete in-person studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. There he entered the Presidential Internship program, a track that places students close to the institution’s leadership. Wolfe also completed the Pastoral Internship at Capitol Hill Baptist Church, a program that functions as a finishing school for a certain slice of conservative Baptist clergy.
Political and Government Career
Before launching the Center for Baptist Leadership, Wolfe spent ten years in and around federal power in Washington. His résumé includes:
- Staff roles for three Members of Congress
- Work with Heritage Action for America
- Service as a Director at the U.S. State Department
- A post as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Department of Defense during the Trump administration
These positions brought him into the world of public policy, campaigns, and conservative movement strategy. That background now informs the way he talks about politics from a Baptist vantage point.
The Center for Baptist Leadership
In early 2024, Wolfe founded the Center for Baptist Leadership (CBL). The group presents itself as a project to “revitalize the Southern Baptist Convention by cultivating courageous and uncompromising Baptist leadership for the 21st century.” On its website, CBL describes its work as providing resources for churches and addressing internal debates over theology, practice, and governance within the convention.
The advisory board reflects a network of pastors, academics, and attorneys already known in conservative Baptist circles, including:
- Pastor Tom Ascol, President of Founders Ministries
- Pastor Mark Coppenger, former Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
- Oklahoma State Senator and Pastor Dusty Deevers
- Pastor Steve Gentry
- Christian ethicist Craig Mitchell
- Pastor Lewis Richerson
- Attorney Sam Webb
- Attorney Jon Whitehead
Published Work and Media Presence
Wolfe has built a media presence that spans both secular and Christian outlets. His articles have appeared in Newsweek, The American Conservative, Christian Post, American Reformer, The Federalist, and Daily Caller. He has contributed to initiatives at The Center for Renewing America and written for ministries and platforms such as 9Marks and Founders Ministries.
He is also a regular contributor to Liberty University’s Standing for Freedom Center, a hub for conservative Christian commentary.
Alongside his written work, Wolfe hosts the Center for Baptist Leadership podcast. The show features pastors, commentators, and activists from the Southern Baptist Convention and the broader evangelical world, with conversations that turn on theology, culture, and the political pressures facing American Christians.
Focus Areas
Across these efforts, several themes recur in Wolfe’s work:
- Christian public ethics
- National security and foreign policy
- The relationship between faith and political power
- Institutional reform within the Southern Baptist Convention
- Developing and promoting a particular model of Baptist leadership
Conclusion
Wolfe presents himself as a steward of what he sees as the Southern Baptist Convention’s conservative theological identity. Through the Center for Baptist Leadership, a stream of articles, and a growing podcast platform, he is working to shape the conversation over where the denomination goes next and how Baptist leaders should navigate the political and cultural landscape of 21st century America.
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