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VISIONBUILDERS FOR DONORS, FRIENDS, AND ALUMNI OF BETHEL SEMINARY SAN DIEGO FALL 2017
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40 YEARS OF LEADERSHIP PREPARATION The History of Bethel Seminary San Diego by Jamie Strauss
Purpose. Passion. Equipping. These words have shaped Bethel Seminary San Diego from the day the doors first opened. Since its humble beginnings in 1977, the mission and purpose of the seminary has been to raise up leaders who are difference-makers, equipped to make a lasting impact in the world and faithfully serve wherever they are called. The Beginning The Bethel Seminary San Diego we know today began when Bethel Theological Seminary in St. Paul decided to launch a campus in southern California. Pastoral leadership at College Avenue Baptist Church had expressed a need for a San Diego location, and an agreement was worked out with the church. The agreement called for the launch of an accredited extension program for pastors and Christian leaders. Originally called Bethel Seminary West, the program began in 1977 with 17 credit and 8 non-credit students. For 14 years, the seminary met in the church’s facilities and looked forward to a bright future, full of potential.
ministry. Each leader has demonstrated this desire in their own unique way during their time at Bethel. In 1978, Clifford Anderson became Bethel Seminary’s first dean. Within two years, enrollment jumped from 68 to 93 students. Anderson built a strong core of faculty and administrators, and Bethel celebrated its first commencement in 1980 with a total of three graduates. In 1981, after several years of growth, a group was formed to discuss the future of the campus, and a new vision was approved. To accommodate growth, the seminary needed more space, so a campaign led by David Price was launched called A Time to Build. In 1988, construction began on a new building, and on February 25, 1990, the project was completed. The new seminary, built across the street from the church, included a chapel, library, classrooms, —40 Years continued on page 2
Growth and Change Bethel Seminary has been shaped by the passion of its past and present leaders, fueled by their desire to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ by preparing leaders for —1—