Thirty Years in Review: A History of Judson College

As we reflect on three decades of Judson College’s history, we celebrate God’s blessings on the institution — how he has grown an undergraduate extension of the seminary into an accredited four-year confessional college that seeks to equip students in a variety of ministry contexts, from the workplace to the mission field to church service. These 30 years stand as a testament to the confessional and missional identity of Judson College and to the Judson community that God has raised up and sent out to advance the cause of Christ.

The Creation of the College

When it was originally voted into existence in October of 1994, the undergraduate program was named Southeastern Baptist Theological College. Over the next thirty years, this name would change twice more before the college became Judson College.

In its first years, only one degree was offered: a two-year Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies designed for college juniors and seniors who had completed the Associates of Divinity under the seminary. However, as young men and women continued to express a desire for ministry preparation at the college level, it quickly became apparent that the college’s degree selection needed to expand to match the growing enthusiasm.

Trustees voted in 1998 to approve a four-year Bachelor of Arts program, adding a major in history of ideas, the first of many more curriculum additions. These developments were the early steps toward an expanding vision for equipping students to grow theologically and academically wherever Christ would call them.

An Expanding Reach

In 2007, a new development in the learning landscape changed the way that students pursued their education. The college offered its first online courses through distance learning, expanding its impact on a global student population. This development, along with increasing financial aid for students, has increased the college’s Great Commission impact, allowing many more students to pursue theological education without concern for financial limitations, time constraints, or distance barriers.

Over the next decade, the student body continued to grow, and in 2016, the administration decided to launch a new residential system that would not only accommodate that growth but also foster intentional Christ-centered, Great Commission community. The scaffolding they developed was the House System, modeled after Oxford University’s collegiate residential program.

Originally composed of four different communities (houses), the house system has provided vibrant undergraduate residence life since its founding. The four original houses were named in honor of Christian figures who demonstrated commitment to the cause of Christ: George Liele, Andrew Fuller, Adoniram Judson, and Francis Schaeffer. Since then, the house system’s structure has expanded and adjusted to accommodate for college growth.

From Ministry Training to Mission Field

With the increase in institutional reach, degree offerings have likewise extended to prepare students for Great Commission ministry wherever God calls them.

The year 2015 marked a renewed focus on the partnership between the college and the seminary with the creation of the first five-year program, a uniquely designed offering that allows students to pursue an undergraduate and graduate degree at an accelerated pace.

Furthermore, in 2017, the first field minister program was established to train and equip incarcerated men and women with a fully accredited bachelor’s degree. Since then, dozens of graduates have joined the college’s alumni and been sent out to serve Christ within the prison system.

In 2022, the Bachelor of Business Administration was introduced, prompting the development of the college’s marketplace degree options, identifying and acknowledging the workplace as a space greatly in need of the hope of the gospel.

It is this same mission that drives every other degree at Judson College, whether students are being trained to serve within the church or equipped to share the gospel, plant churches, or go to the nations as ambassadors for Christ.

A Solidified Identity

God’s provision and kindness have been extraordinarily evident in the history of Judson College, in its growth, its health, and most importantly its continued commitment to the Great Commission. As the college has solidified its identity over the years, the new name Judson College aptly describes both the heart and mission of Judson students.

Like Adoniram Judson, the students of Judson College have a desire to live radically for Christ, demonstrating to all the love that he has shown them.

As such, Judson College exists to equip students to give their lives for the cause of Christ in the church, among the nations, and in every aspect of society so that many might come to know the hope and life available to them through the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our prayer that this mission will continue to embolden and direct Judson alumni for the rest of their lives as they pursue King Jesus and seek his kingdom first.