Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Grove City College are pleased to announce a new partnership that efficiently and holistically prepares future leaders for pastoral ministry. Students in the program will start a discipling journey together with their classmates, participate in retreats, practice the integration of faith and work, and have opportunities for church internships.

A generous grant from the Kern Family Foundation enables the two institutions to launch an accelerated pastoral degree pathway that mitigates educational debt and eliminates curriculum redundancies. In only 5 years, students will graduate from Grove City College with a B.A. in Ministry or Theology and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or M.A. in Christian Ministries from Gordon-Conwell. In the Northeast, Gordon-Conwell has a similar partnership with Gordon College.

“Grove City College and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary have a long-standing partnership in the work of equipping students for ministry and theological studies,” Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. “The College is pleased to collaborate with one of the nation’s leading seminaries to create this new, more efficient pathway for our students to pursue careers in ministry and provide desperately needed, theologically sound leadership for the church.”

Both schools are beneficiaries of the legacy of J. Howard Pew, an oil industry pioneer and philanthropist who helped found Gordon-Conwell five decades ago with famed evangelist Billy Graham and noted theologian Harold J. Ockenga. A 1900 graduate of Grove City College, Pew was a major benefactor of the College and served for decades as the chairman of its Board of Trustees.

“We are excited to strengthen our historically strong relationship with Grove City College to form well-equipped pastors for churches,” says Gordon-Conwell president Dr. Scott Sunquist. “This partnership is about building the Church in a way that lowers barriers for future pastors. Students in the program will benefit from Grove City College’s strong footprint in Mid-Atlantic area churches.”

The College and Seminary have long prepared high-quality leaders for the Church inspired by shared commitments to the gospel of Christ, the Church, and academic rigor. Many students from Grove City College, in Grove City, PA have matriculated at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, in South Hamilton, MA. Some of the seminary’s best and brightest graduates have even gone on to faculty positions at Grove City College. Through this new partnership, our institutions look forward to better equipping pastoral leaders for Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic region, and beyond.

Dr. Sunquist continues, “The church in America is facing strong challenges from the culture. And yet, we know Christ is on the throne and more than ever we need strong pastors to proclaim the Gospel.”

The program launches in fall 2022. A distinctive of the partnership emerges from the lack of proximity between the Seminary and the College. For 4 years, students remain at Grove City College, in their communities and relational networks, while continuing seminary studies online. In year 5, students can continue in their community or at a church internship, while taking seminary courses online. Alternatively, students can relocate to Massachusetts for a distinctive New England residential experience.

Visit gcc.edu/admissions to learn more about the program.

About Grove City College
Grove City College is a highly ranked, national Christian liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor. The College is a pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds.

About the Kern Family Foundation
The Kern Family Foundation of Waukesha, WI, seeks to empower the rising generation of Americans to build flourishing lives anchored in strong character, inspired by quality education, driven by an entrepreneurial mindset, and guided by the desire to create value for others. The Foundation intentionally focuses on systemic change, rather than charity, by partnering with broad-impact, long-term programs that align with one or more of their focus areas.