Baptist International University was established in 1977 to train clergy for the work of the ministry — a calling its faculty have continued for nearly five decades.
Dr. Desent has led Historic Baptist Church in North Kingstown, Rhode Island since its founding in 1991, where he established the Rhode Island Baptist Seminary that same year. In 2023 he expanded the university to Peru, where he serves as pastor of First Baptist Church of Pachacamac in Lima.
Dr. Carrier serves as president of Baptist International University of Bellingham and pastors Bellingham Bible Baptist Church in Massachusetts. He earned his doctorate from the university on January 26, 2025.
Baptist International University deliberately avoids governmental accreditation, holding to a strong belief in the separation of powers and preferring independence from state oversight in matters of conscience and doctrine.
The university is accredited through ACI (Accrediting Commission International), the largest non-governmental accrediting commission, which validates both curricular and administrative standards.
Our core curriculum derives from the Baptist International School of the Scriptures, developed over two decades under Baptist Christian University International in Texas under the direction of Donald M. Fraser, and commissioned by J. G. Tharpe. The programs were transferred to Rhode Island Baptist Seminary in 1991. Today the institution offers degrees from associate to doctoral level and maintains conventional standards for class credits, credit hours, and practicum work.
