October 14, 2026 (Denver) — Gateway Seminary President Adam Groza reported significant enrollment growth, increasing partnerships, and strong fundraising to trustees at the fall 2026 board meeting held October 12-13 in Denver, Colorado.
“We are grateful to God for bringing us more students,” said Groza.
“Most importantly, serving more students fulfills our mission and has a positive effect on the churches we serve.”
Groza reported record enrollment numbers for fall 2026, due in part to a large class of new students. Headcount for new students was 46% from fall 2025. Enrollment in core programs reached a headcount of 1,095, an all-time high for the Seminary.
Enrollment in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) increased 9.4% by headcount and 12.2% by hours. This growth is significant, as Gateway has maintained a 90-hour MDiv degree despite recent trends among seminaries to lower the required hours.
“We often hear that the MDiv is declining across the country, but we are seeing strong demand for it at Gateway,” said Groza.
The new Master of Biblical and Theological Studies (MBTS) is up 37.5% in headcount and 22% in hours; this program was designed for students with an extensive background in biblical studies and theology at the bachelor’s degree level.
Most of the students in MBTS are recent graduates from California Baptist University’s Christian studies program. They joined Gateway through the Seminary’s 4+1 program that allows select students to complete a master’s degree in one year. The Master of Missiological Essentials (MME), another new degree associated with the 4+1 program, launched this past fall with 20 students and 109 credit hours. The MME is a 36-credit master’s degree that prepares students for overseas missions work; it fulfills the educational requirements to serve full-time with the International Mission Board.
The Seminary’s Beyond Program, a short-term missions program that allows all qualified students to participate in a fully-funded international experience, sent 86 students to ten locations in the 25-26 academic year. Students reported more than 800 gospel conversations and 15 conversions this past year.
Most of the Seminary’s campuses grew in both headcount and credit hours sold. The new site in Hawaii, launched in partnership with the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention this past fall, has an inaugural class of 24 students.
New teaching sites in Kern County, Reno, and Lake Havasu were established since last fall. Additionally, a partnership with Agricola Theological Seminary (ATS) in Espoo, Finland, allows ATS students to be Gateway students and for Gateway faculty to teach courses at ATS.
“Expanding partnerships for enrollment growth remains a top priority,” Groza said.
Groza also reported the California Southern Baptist Convention (CSBC) has completed its relocation of its primary offices from Fresno to Gateway’s Ontario campus. The CSBC joins the Baptist Foundation of California and the Inland Empire Southern Baptist Association on site in Ontario.
A series of major gifts in the 25-26 academic year contributed to more than 75% of the $5.8 million raised last year. A $2.2 million established a student benevolence scholarship fund. The Seminary received a $1 million grant from the Lilly Foundation to support Gateway Español. Sunnybrae Baptist Church provided more than $640 thousand through the net proceeds of the sale of its church property. The total endowment of Gateway Seminary has reached $97.8 million. The Seminary is on track to achieve its goal of $100 million endowment by next academic year.
The board accepted sabbatical requests from Dr. Kevin Chen and Dr. Chris Chun. They also accepted the 25-26 financial audit.
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