Founded in 1943 as Florida Baptist Institute in Lakeland, a group of pastors established the school to provide Bible and general education courses for ministry leaders without college degrees. Renamed Baptist Bible Institute (BBI) in 1945, the school relocated to Graceville in 1953 and came under the Florida Baptist State Convention in 1957. Over the decades, the college expanded its academic offerings, adding baccalaureate degrees in 1976 and associate degrees in 1988, leading to a name change to Florida Baptist Theological College. In 2000, reflecting its broader academic scope and distance education approval, it became The Baptist College of Florida. Graduate programs were introduced in 2010. To date, the institution has awarded over 4,500 degrees to ministry-minded individuals worldwide. Under the leadership of its seventh president, Dr. Clayton P. Cloer, the college now moves forward as the Baptist University of Florida (BUF).