The Master’s Seminary

What if I told you that The Master’s Seminary, right here in Sun Valley, began not in a grand hall but amidst the financial struggles of the Great Depression? The Master’s Seminary, as we know it today, is intrinsically linked to The Master’s University. The university’s journey started in 1927 as Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary, founded by Dr. William A. Mathews. He envisioned a West Coast seminary dedicated to biblical inerrancy and a passion for global evangelism. The early years were lean. Faculty members at The Master’s Seminary often went without salaries, even selling personal property to keep the institution afloat. One story tells of the first president, Dr. Matthews, desperately trying to sell a flood-prone 35-acre plot of land. His prayers were answered, not by a developer, but by a goat farm, proving that “any land is good for something.” The Master’s Seminary moved several times in its early days. From a temporary space at Calvary Baptist Church, it found a more permanent home at the Kaspar Cohn Hospital in Los Angeles in 1933. Then, in 1942, it relocated again to Boyle Heights. Post World War II saw significant growth, leading to the creation of an undergraduate program in 1946, specifically designed for returning veterans. This expansion marked the beginning of The Master’s Seminary as a separate entity. By the mid-1950s, The Master’s Seminary had outgrown its Boyle Heights location. In 1961, under President John Dunkin, the institution found a new home 35 miles away at the site of Happy Jack’s Dude Ranch in the Santa Clarita Valley. The Master’s Seminary’s current chapter began in 1986, under the leadership of Dr. John MacArthur. He shared the institution’s commitment to biblical inerrancy and led the transition to a non-denominational model, changing the name from Los Angeles Baptist College to The Master’s College. Today, The Master’s Seminary stands as a testament to the enduring power of faith and dedication, a beacon of theological education in the heart of Sun Valley.