Mission Statement:

GRTS is a graduate school that prepares biblically and culturally informed ministry leaders for service through Christ's church.

The seminary exists to achieve the following six purposes:

To advance biblical, theological and ministry knowledge and skill.
To nurture theological, spiritual and leadership formation.
To encourage the development of critical thinking and worldview formation governed by biblical teaching.
To nurture a global ministry perspective.
To enhance the cultural relevance of ministry practice within the bounds of a distinctively Christian theological framework.
To encourage lifelong and collaborative learning.

History:

Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University was founded as a degree-granting institution in 1948 when the State of Michigan authorized it to grant the Bachelor of Divinity degree (now called the Master of Divinity). The first graduating class in 1949 had two graduates.

The institution originally opened in January 1941 as an evening Bible institute at Wealthy Street Baptist Church. In 1944, a day school started that became the seminary four years later, at which time the school was renamed Grand Rapids Bible Institute and Theological Seminary. The Bible institute became a state-approved, degree-granting Bible college in 1963, moved to its present location in 1964 and transitioned into a Christian liberal arts college in 1972. In 1999, the entire institution, now named Cornerstone University, acquired state-approved university status.

Today, Cornerstone and GRTS share a 130-acre campus less than five miles from downtown Grand Rapids and operate under a single board of trustees and university president. The seminary is located in the Leon J. Wood Seminary Building, which opened in 1977, and it has its own administrative staff and faculty.