Assemblies of God Graduate Theology School (1973)

On September 4, 1973, the Assemblies of God opened its first theological graduate school in Springfield, Missouri, near the denomination’s national offices. The new seminary-level work marked a decisive step toward strengthening the church through serious biblical study and devoted preparation for ministry. It signaled that Pentecostal conviction and disciplined learning could serve side by side, for the good of congregations and the spread of the gospel.

Springfield, Missouri: A Strategic Center

Springfield was already a hub for training and mission-minded cooperation, with longstanding Bible and ministry education in the area and denominational leadership close at hand. Planting the graduate school there provided stability, accountability, and access to experienced pastors, evangelists, and missionaries who could shape students with both classroom rigor and tested spiritual wisdom.

A Bold Pentecostal Commitment

As only the second Pentecostal denomination to establish its own school of theology—following Oral Roberts’ school in Tulsa—this venture reflected courageous resolve. Leaders recognized a rising need for shepherds who could preach with clarity, counsel with discernment, and lead with integrity amid cultural change. The “heroism” was not theatrical but faithful: the quiet endurance of building institutions that form servants for decades, often without applause, yet with long-term fruit in local churches and hard places worldwide.

Scripture and Spirit Together

The school’s founding affirmed that faithful preaching and thoughtful theology belong together. Students were called to handle Scripture carefully, not as an academic trophy but as holy trust: “Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). At the same time, training insisted that ministry remains powerless without God’s enabling: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses…to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Enduring Legacy

From its beginning, the school aimed to raise up pastors, missionaries, and teachers marked by humility, holiness, and perseverance—servants who could think clearly, pray fervently, and labor steadily for Christ’s mission.