Mission

The Mission of Nazarene Theological Seminary is to form faithful and effective ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to participate in the reconciling of the world to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

  • To explore and develop the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, as a graduate school of theology
  • To support the calling of women and men in ministry
  • To know and love the Lord, walk with the Lord, and speak of the Lord with charity and hospitality
  • To ground persons in the community of faith and in theological disciplines for the practice of ministry in diverse contexts throughout the world
  • To serve as a theological resource for the church, particularly the Church of the Nazarene

The Church of the Nazarene, founded in 1908, has since its beginning stressed the importance of education. It started and developed a number of denominational colleges to meet the demand of its constituents for college training, and for some time it relied on the religion departments of its colleges as the principle means for training students preparing for ministry. However, during the quadrennium of 1940 – 1944, sentiment favoring the establishment of a central theological school grew rapidly and finally crystallized in an action of the Annual Conference of the District Superintendents held in Kansas City, January 5 – 6, 1944. The conference recommended that the Board of General Superintendents appoint a Seminary Commission to study the need for such an institution. On January 10, 1944, the Board of General Superintendents appointed the commission: Russell V. DeLong, chairman, M. Lunn, secretary; E.O. Chalfant; M. Kimber Moulton, and Harlan Heinmiller.

The commission reported its findings to the Eleventh General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene held in Minneapolis in June 1944. This assembly authorized the establishment of the Seminary as a graduate institution of the Church of the Nazarene. The first Seminary Board of Trustees was then elected and the name Nazarene Theological Seminary was chosen. The Board of Trustees unanimously selected Kansas City as the Seminary’s location.

At a special meeting in Kansas City, September 1944, the Board of Trustees unanimously elected Hugh C. Benner as the Seminary’s first president.

Meeting in January 1945, the Board of Trustees elected the following full-time faculty: Russell V. DeLong, district superintendent of the Northwest Indiana District, as Dean and Professor of Philosophy of Religion; Ralph Earle, Professor of Greek and Bible; L.A. Reed, pastor of First Church of the Nazarene, Chicago, as Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Ministry; Mendell Taylor, Dean and Professor of History at Bethany Nazarene College, as Registrar and Professor of Church History; and Stephen S. White, Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Olivet Nazarene College, as Professor of Theology.

The Seminary started its first school year in September 1945 in temporary quarters with 61 enrolled. The Nazarene Publishing House generously provided space for administrative offices and a classroom on the first floor of the General Editorial Building at 2901 Troost; and the management of the denominational headquarters building extended a similar courtesy in providing the Seminary with its main classroom and chapel. The library was housed in the renovated coach house of the Headquarters property.

In January 1950, a 10 ½ acre site was purchased at 1700 East Meyer Blvd in Kansas City, MO. An administration and classroom building was erected on the campus in 1954, and a library building was added in 1966. In 2008, NTS took possession of the King Conference Center, Commons, and additional land that brought the campus to a total of 25 acres.

Nazarene Theological Seminary presidents include:

Dr. Hugh C. Benner, 1944 – 1952
Dr. L.T. Corlett, 1952 – 1966
Dr. Eugene Stowe, 1966 – 1968
Dr. William M. Greathouse, 1968 – 1976
Dr. Stephen W. Nease, 1976 – 1980
Dr. Terrell C. Sanders, Jr., 1981 – 1992
Dr. A. Gordon Wetmore, 1992 – 2000
Dr. Ron Benefiel, 2000 – 2011
Dr. David A. Busic, 2011 – 2013
Dr. Carla Sunberg, 2014 – 2017
Dr. Jeren Rowell 2017 – Present

Albert L. Truesdale, Professor of Philosophy of Religion & Christian Ethics
Charles “Chic” Shaver, Professor of Evangelism
E. Dee Freeborn, Professor of Spiritual Formation
Morris A. Weigelt, Professor of New Testament; Professor of Spiritual Formation
Alex R.G. Deasley, Professor of New Testament
Charles R. Gailey, Professor of Missiology
Harold Raser, Professor of the History of Christianity
Joseph Coleson, Professor of Old Testament
Bill Selvidge, Professor of Intercultural Studies
Judi Schwanz, Professor of Pastoral Care and Counseling
Roger Hahn, Professor of New Testament
K. Steve McCormick, Professor of Historical Theology

NTS is fully accredited by the Association of Theological School’s Commission on Accrediting. Learn more.

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