Fact Sheet
Updated December 2015
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary is a system of five campuses situated near urban cities of the western region of the United States. The priority of this 71-year-old theological graduate school is to educate men and women to take the Gospel to the nations. Known as one of the most multi-cultural seminaries in the world, Golden Gate Seminary’s diversity enables it to equip and challenge its students to more effective ministry leadership in the 21st century.
MISSION STATEMENT
Shaping leaders who expand God’s kingdom around the world
QUICK FACTS:
• Golden Gate Seminary is one of the 10 largest seminaries in the United States
• We are a seminary system, consisting of five fully accredited campuses
• Since 1949, Golden Gate Seminary has conferred degrees on more than 8,000 graduates
• Celebrated 70th year in 2014, 55th year at our Northern California campus
• 90% of all hours taught at the Seminary are taught by faculty holding a doctoral degree
• One of the most multi-cultural seminaries in the world
• Established in 1944 in Oakland, California by Isam Hodges, pastor of Golden Gate Baptist
Church; became an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1950.
• Fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools and the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges
STUDENTS – 2014 - 2015 Enrollment
Total enrollment: 1,717
MDiv/PhD/DMin/Other: 876
CLD students: 841
Male: 73.63% Female: 26.37%
Average student age: 39 years
Married: 67.24% Single: 32.76%
Breakdown of ethnicities
• 47.15% Caucasian
• 26.37% Asian-American
• 8.33% African-American
• 5.59% International
• 4.45% Hispanic
• 7.19% Other (includes unknown)
• .91% Native-American
302 of enrolled students attend NCC
574 of enrolled students attend other 4 campuses
CLD was not included in the percentages reported in this “Students” section.
FACULTY
At the beginning of the 2015-16 academic year, there were 24 permanent faculty members plus numerous adjuncts.
PROGRAMS AND DEGREES OFFERED
Masters Programs
• Master of Divinity (MDiv)
Concentrations are available only at the Northern California Campus unless otherwise
noted:
o Biblical Studies (Northern California & Arizona Campuses)
o Church Planting (Northern California & Rocky Mountain Campuses)
o Collegiate Ministry (Northern & Southern California Campuses)
o Educational Leadership (Northern California & Southern California Campuses)
o Global Missiology (Northern & Southern California Campuses)
o Pastoral Counseling
o Spiritual Formation
o Theological/Historical Studies
o Urban Ministry (Northern California & Southern California Campuses)
o Youth Ministry (Northern California & Southern California Campuses)
• Master of Divinity – Advanced Track
• Master of Divinity – Korean English Bilingual
• Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies (MAIS)
• Master of Missiology (MMiss)
• Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
• Master of Theological Studies – Korean English Bilingual
• Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MAEL)
• Master of Theology (ThM)
Doctoral Programs
• Doctor of Ministry
• Doctor of Philosophy
Diploma Programs
• Diploma in Theology
• Diploma in Educational Leadership
Certificate Programs
• Bible Teaching
• Collegiate Ministry
• Early Childhood Education
• Early Childhood Education Administration
• Missions Studies
• Youth Ministry (Northern & Southern California Campuses)
Contextualized Leadership Development (CLD) is an educational outreach program which provides quality, Bible-based ministry training in a geographically convenient and contextualized setting. Sixty-seven CLD centers throughout North America provide classes at a post-high school level in order to train effective Christian leaders for the churches of many people groups, so that there may be a culturally-relevant church for every people group in the country. This program is currently taught in 22 states and 12 languages.
Students are working toward earning one of six certificates:
• Bible Teaching Certificate-CLD
• Pastoral Ministry Certificate-CLD
• Educational Leadership-CLD
• Small Church Leadership-CLD
• Church Planting Certificate-CLD
• Mission Studies Certificate-CLD
Students are also pursuing one of three diplomas:
• Diploma in Christian Ministry-CLD
• Diploma in Theology-CLD
• Diploma in Church Planting-CLD
Partnership Programs
• Saddleback Church (Lake Forest, CA) –Saddleback lay ministry leaders and staff members can attend fully-accredited Seminary courses at the church, leading to the Master of Arts in Theological Studies from our Southern California campus.
• Korean Baptist Theological University and Seminary (Daejon, South Korea) - Golden Gate and the Korean Baptist Theological University and Seminary maintain an exchange program between the two seminaries. The agreement allows degree-seeking students enrolled at either institution, to request concurrent admission to the partner school for up to one year. The agreement also encourages the collegial exchange of faculty members from the partner institutions.
• Seminario Teologico Bautista Mexicano (Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary) Mexico City, Mexico - Golden Gate signed a partnership agreement with the Mexican Baptist Theological Seminary initiating a closer working relationship between the two institutions. A key aspect of the partnership will be Golden Gate’s efforts to facilitate faculty development, as well as consult with the Mexican leaders about curriculum design. Another goal for the Mexican Seminary is to take advantage of Golden Gate’s advanced academic programs as a source for training selected students with potential to become their future faculty members.
• North American Mission Board (Atlanta, GA) The North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention provides a partnership with Golden Gate Seminary for special training in church planting, short- and long-term internships and two-year deployments in strategic church planting opportunities.
FACILITIES
Our fully accredited campuses are located in five of the seven largest metropolitan areas in the western half of the country. The regional campus approach allows students to receive theological training without leaving their ministry setting, and allows Golden Gate Seminary to contextualize education.
• Northern California (NCC) Mill Valley, California –Established in 1949 in Mill Valley just north of San Francisco, the 148-acre campus is located in one of the most beautiful regions in the world. Surrounded by cultural landmarks and more than 12 million people, the campus’ strategic location provides a wonderful setting for laboratory learning and ministry. Students at this campus have the opportunity to directly apply their classroom education to a multicultural ministry context and engage with individuals from nearly every people group in the world. This is the only Golden Gate campus to offer residential housing for singles, couples and families with children. In addition, this campus houses most of the Seminary’s administration offices, the main library, a chapel and the Marian Eakins Archaeological Museum. Also on the Mill Valley campus is Golden Gate Academy, a Christian preschool serving Marin County, which is also a lab school for Seminary students. The campus is staffed by 61 full-time employees and 43 part-time employees.
• Southern California (SCC) Brea, California – Surrounded by mountains, beaches, desert and millions of people, Golden Gate Southern California Campus began providing theological education to church leaders in the Los Angeles area in 1973. Today, students attend classes at the campus in North Orange County and an extension site at Saddleback Community Church. The Southern California area provides an excellent context for learning and ministry within a multitude of cultures. With diversity in the ministry and the classroom, students are prepared for global, urban and rural ministries. The campus is staffed by a site coordinator, two administrative support persons, five full-time faculty and library staff.
• Pacific Northwest (PNWC) Vancouver, Washington – Established in 1980, this is the Seminary’s first regional campus founded outside of California. It offers accredited courses in the facilities of the Northwest Baptist Convention in Vancouver, Washington to those living in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The region is known for its natural beauty including the snow-capped Cascade mountain range, the high deserts of Eastern Oregon and Washington, as well as hundreds of miles of rugged coastline. The campus is staffed by a director, an administrative assistant, two full-time faculty, and library staff.
• Arizona (AZC) Scottsdale, Arizona – Founded as a partnership between the Seminary and the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention in 1995, Golden Gate Arizona Campus is located in the ethnically-diverse Phoenix metropolitan area. The region boasts a population of over 3.5 million, which enjoys a Southwestern culture famous for its Mexican food, desert surroundings and dry heat. Mountains to the north and south of the campus offer opportunities for camping, hiking, mountain biking and winter snow skiing. Golf as well as professional sports venues are also in abundance. The Seminary is next door to one of the largest university campuses in the nation, Arizona State University, and is close to numerous community colleges. Resident staff includes a director, two faculty, an administrative assistant, an office assistant and a librarian.
• Rocky Mountain (RMC) Centennial, Colorado – Formed in 1996 through a partnership between Colorado churches and the Colorado Baptist General Convention, the campus is easily accessible to students and church leaders in the greater Denver metropolitan area and the front range of Colorado. In addition, students attend from Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Utah. Classes, offices and the library are all housed in the building of the Colorado Baptist General Convention. This enables students to interact with state leaders as well as with leaders within the Southern Baptist Convention at large. The combined resources of these two agencies assure that there is a long-term commitment to the stability and success of each student at this campus. Resident staff includes a director, one faculty, an administrative assistant and library staff.
BUDGET
Budgeted Revenue for 2015-16 $14,020,000
Sources (traditionally)
28% from SBC Cooperative Program
26% from Tuition
35% from Gifts & Investments
11% from Auxiliary
TUITION AND FINANCIAL AID IN 2015-16
• The annual tuition cost for a full-time Southern Baptist student is reduced due to support from Southern Baptists through their giving to the Cooperative Program. Click here for current tuition.
• Forty percent of enrolled students annually receive partial scholarships from donor-contributed funds.
SEMINARY PRESIDENT
Dr. Jeff Iorg is the seventh president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University (B.A.), Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (D.Min.).
From 1995 to 2004, Dr. Iorg served as Executive Director-Treasurer of the Northwest Baptist Convention. He also taught preaching, evangelism, and leadership at the Pacific Northwest campus of Golden Gate Seminary. He was the founding pastor of Greater Gresham Baptist Church in Gresham, Oregon, and has also served as pastor of a church in Missouri and as a staff pastor in Texas.
Seminary president since August 2004, Dr. Iorg's publications include - Ministry in the New Marriage Culture, The Case for Antioch, Live Like a Missionary, The Painful Side of Leadership, The Character of Leadership and Is God Calling Me? He has also written numerous articles, curriculum materials, and maintains a leadership resources website at www.jeffiorg.com.
BRIEF HISTORY
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary was established in 1944 in Oakland, California by Isam Hodges, pastor of Golden Gate Baptist Church. The Seminary moved to Berkeley in 1946, and became an agency of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1950. The faculty and student body continued to expand and in 1959 the Seminary moved to Marin County to begin classes at its current location. The all-new facilities were built on 148 acres in Mill Valley, California. Jeff Iorg was elected as the seventh president in 2004.
For more information, please contact:
Katherine Chute
Director of Communications
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary
communications@ggbts.edu
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