The service was formed at the suggestion of the editors of the state newspapers convention in 1946. Since then, it has grown into the largest religious news service in the United States, based in Nashville, Tennessee. State papers reprint stories and opinion pieces from Baptist Press to inform Baptists in the respective states about the news those editors deem significant for their readers. Recognizing its role to serve the broader evangelical community, Baptist Press seeks to carry stories and report news that is of interest to numerous likeminded evangelical readers.