Denver Seminary

The information on this page was last updated 4/25/2023. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

At Denver Seminary we educate the whole person. In order to meaningfully contribute to the mission of God, believers must become more Christ-like in every dimension of life. The educational experience at Denver Seminary challenges students to grow spiritually, intellectually, relationally, and professionally. We are committed to creating an intentional and transformational educational approach that integrates academic rigor, personal mentoring, spiritual formation, professional competence, and field-based learning.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Denver Seminary
6399 South Santa Fe Drive
Littleton, CO 80120

Website: denverseminary.edu

Phone: 800-922-3040

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 840421879

CEO/President: Mark Young, Ph.D.

Chairman:

Board size: 23

Founder:

Ruling year: 1959

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 06/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1981


Purpose

Our Vision:

We are a seminary whose voice plays a greater role in shaping the identity and future of evangelicalism.

We are a seminary providing relevant, transformative theological education for a broader spectrum of God's people.

We are a seminary more profoundly shaped by the presence and voices of diverse communities.

We are a seminary with the resourcing needed to achieve annual growth in all key institutional indicators.

We are a seminary known for excellence in teaching, scholarship, formation, and governance.


Mission statement

Denver Seminary prepares men and women to engage the needs of the world with the redemptive power of the gospel and the life-changing truth of Scripture.

Through our educational programs and mentoring process the Seminary challenges students to grow spiritually, intellectually, and professionally in order to lead God's people in the accomplishment of His mission in the world. We commit ourselves to being a school that is intentionally and regularly pursuing improvement and innovation in every area of operations. We commit ourselves to being a school that is attracting and retaining exceptional students and employees.


Statement of faith

Denver Seminary is committed to the great truths and abiding fundamentals of the Christian faith as evidenced by its confessional platform:

1. The Word of God - We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original writings, complete as the revelation of God's will for salvation, and the supreme and final authority in all matters to which they speak.

2. The Trinity - We believe in one God, creator and sustainer of all things, eternally existing in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit; that these are equal in every divine perfection and that they execute distinct but harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.

3. God the Father - We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love. He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men and women, hears and answers prayer, and He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.

4. - Jesus Christ - We believe that Jesus Christ is God's eternal Son, and has precisely the same nature, attributes and perfections as God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. He is not only true God, but true man conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. We believe in His sinless life, His substitutionary atonement, His bodily resurrection from the dead, His ascension into heaven, His priestly intercession on behalf of His people, and His personal, visible, return from heaven.

5. Holy Spirit - We believe in the Holy Spirit, His personality, and His work in regeneration, sanctification, and preservation. His ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and implement Christ's work of redeeming the lost and empowering the believer for godly living and service.

6. Humanity - We believe God created humanity, male and female, in the image of God and free from sin. We further believe all persons are sinners by nature and choice and are, therefore, spiritually dead. We also believe that the Holy Spirit regenerates those who repent of sin and trust Jesus Christ as Savior.

7. Salvation - We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This salvation is based upon the sovereign grace of God, and was purchased by Christ on the cross, and is received through faith apart from any human merit, works, or ritual. We believe salvation results in righteous living, good works, and proper social concern.

8. The Church - We believe that the Church is the spiritual body of which Christ is the head and is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. This body expresses itself in local assemblies whose members have been baptized and have associated themselves for worship, instruction, evangelism, and service. The ordinances of the local church are baptism and the Lord's Supper. We also believe in the interdependence of local churches and the mutual submission of Christians to each other in love.

9. Separation of Church and State - We believe that each local church must be free from interference by any political authority. We also believe all men and women are directly responsible to God in matters of faith and life, and that they should be free to worship God according to the dictates of their consciences.

10. Christian Conduct - We believe that the supreme task of every believer is to glorify God in life and conduct and be blameless before the world. Each Christian should be a faithful steward of all possessions and seek to realize in every area of life the full stature of maturity in Christ.

11. Last Things - Each year our trustees, administration, and faculty are required to affirm and sign Denver Seminary's doctrinal statement, while students and staff are required to affirm and sign the National Association of Evangelicals' Statement of Faith.

Donor confidence score

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Transparency grade

C

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Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Colleges/Universities

This ministry has not been rated.


Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
9%12%24%36%30%24%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
2%5%8%8%7%7%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
22%39%32%23%25%29%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
2%7%8%9%7%7%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
78%61%68%77%75%71%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
84%80%80%80%84%84%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
95%64%101%94%109%98%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
77%51%80%75%92%83%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
5%36%-1%6%-9%2%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
5%19%0%2%-4%1%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
13%13%13%12%9%9%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
0.510.310.360.350.350.33
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
2.611.872.021.972.002.06
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
1.400.580.730.690.700.68
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
8.6317.1114.3615.8911.0616.41
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.120.060.070.060.090.06
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
7.3719.3515.2616.3115.6716.55
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20212020201920182017
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
24%8%9%10%15%18%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
11%3%4%4%8%12%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
151%294%250%257%243%248%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20212020201920182017
Cash$2,736,492$2,156,339$2,433,534$3,283,255$2,448,917
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$1,825,714$642,096$578,066$585,906$553,179
Short-term investments$18,969,117$15,047,440$15,429,070$15,049,707$15,601,801
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$23,531,323$17,845,875$18,440,670$18,918,868$18,603,897
Long-term investments$0$0$0$0$0
Fixed assets$16,845,034$17,603,125$17,048,282$18,047,653$18,887,014
Other long-term assets$3,548,890$512,155$834,953$862,596$894,916
Total long-term assets$20,393,924$18,115,280$17,883,235$18,910,249$19,781,930
Total assets$43,925,247$35,961,155$36,323,905$37,829,117$38,385,827
 
Liabilities20212020201920182017
Payables and accrued expenses$380,599$356,897$337,794$344,974$308,517
Other current liabilities$994,782$885,422$822,654$1,365,445$825,505
Total current liabilities$1,375,381$1,242,319$1,160,448$1,710,419$1,134,022
Debt$1,421,821$1,472,089$1,530,631$2,991,025$4,523,301
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$794,977$649,353$952,655$1,134,432$1,268,224
Total long-term liabilities$2,216,798$2,121,442$2,483,286$4,125,457$5,791,525
Total liabilities$3,592,179$3,363,761$3,643,734$5,835,876$6,925,547
 
Net assets20212020201920182017
Without donor restrictions$15,862,342$16,031,777$15,943,061$14,156,883$14,443,496
With donor restrictions$24,470,726$16,565,617$16,737,110$17,836,358$17,016,784
Net assets$40,333,068$32,597,394$32,680,171$31,993,241$31,460,280
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20212020201920182017
Total contributions$8,431,712$4,150,970$3,092,178$2,969,075$3,768,467
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$4,859,409($314,622)$1,093,626$0$0
Other revenue$8,191,938$9,156,202$9,286,012$9,082,261$9,140,224
Total other revenue$13,051,347$8,841,580$10,379,638$9,082,261$9,140,224
Total revenue$21,483,059$12,992,550$13,471,816$12,051,336$12,908,691
 
Expenses20212020201920182017
Program services$10,930,493$10,408,507$10,143,076$11,086,800$10,696,970
Management and general$1,814,041$1,646,306$1,465,441$1,210,159$1,078,025
Fundraising$992,100$1,003,950$1,105,394$879,982$894,374
Total expenses$13,736,634$13,058,763$12,713,911$13,176,941$12,669,369
 
Change in net assets20212020201920182017
Surplus (deficit)$7,746,425($66,213)$757,905($1,125,605)$239,322
Other changes in net assets($10,751)($16,564)($70,975)$1,658,566$2,415,366
Total change in net assets$7,735,674($82,777)$686,930$532,961$2,654,688

Compensation

Compensation data for this ministry has not been collected.


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 4/25/2023. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

Denver Seminary began in the minds of several Colorado Conservative Baptist pastors, who presented the idea at the annual meeting of the Conservative Baptist Association of Colorado in May 1950. By September of 1951, thirty-one students had enrolled and Dr. Carey S. Thomas-the Seminary's first president-presided over the first graduating class the following year. In 1955, the Seminary would appoint one of the most significant shapers of its future as the second president, Dr. Vernon Grounds. This man would be responsible for initiating, directing, and managing the Seminary's extensive growth and progress over the next 24 years. Specifically, in June 1962, Denver Seminary was granted associate membership in the American Association of Theological Schools (now the Association of Theological Schools). And, amid a location change to accommodate the expanding student body, faculty, and library, full accreditation was achieved in the Association of Theological Schools in 1971 and in the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools in 1972. Forty years after Denver Seminary's inception (1991) the student body numbered over six hundred students who came from forty states, fifty-three denominations, and fifteen countries. Dr. Clyde McDowell, the fifth president, pioneered the groundbreaking effort behind becoming the first seminary ever to receive accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) for its counseling degree program. Additionally, Dr. McDowell reinvented the school's approach to seminary education by incorporating an intensive, contextualized mentoring experience into its core curriculum-a program of training and mentoring for which Denver Seminary has become well known. By the early 2000s, the student body grew to around 900 students, which prompted the move in 2005 to a beautiful campus in Littleton, Colorado where the school currently resides. Built from the ground up specifically for the Seminary, the campus features an academic/leadership training center; a learning resource center (home to the library and student center); an administrative building, which includes the Denver Counseling Center (formerly Shepherd's Gate Counseling Center); and nearly 100 student apartments. Situated next to the historic Platte River and looking at the Rocky Mountains, simply put, the campus is gorgeous.

So with multiple changes in location, accreditations, extensive growth in every way, seven presidents, and over 6,000 graduates, that idea to create a flagship seminary by a group of pastors in the 1950s is now a vibrant reality in the Denver Seminary you see today.


Program accomplishments

900+ students

50 denominations

6,000 alumni

12 degree programs

7 100% online programs


Needs