Vision

Calvary Chapel University desires to be a premier, Christian higher education community loving God, loving others, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Mission Statement

“Go ye therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES. of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Calvary Chapel University prepares lifelong learners to serve the church by offering rigorous academic programs in the context of a Christ-centered community.

History

The history of CCU is as varied as the travels and ministry of Jesus in his time here on earth.

2000 – Formed as Rock University-designed to be an online and onsite discipleship program for a church of now 15,000 plus people.

2005 – Incorporated by Calvary Chapel San Diego June, 2005-A passion for remote Christian school educators led to the transfer of the Rock University curriculum and vision to an exclusively online program at CCSD serving Christian educators world-wide. The new entity was known as Calvary Chapel Teachers College (CCTC).

2009 – CCTC changed its name to Calvary Chapel University. As the years went by and the educational program grew, CC pastors asked if CCTC had anything to offer them.  So, we started the College of Biblical Studies based on requests to serve the pastors of Calvary Chapel. In doing so, the Lord gave us a much larger vision of being the “hometown university” for the Calvary Chapel movement. In that same year, CCU was assumed as a DBA of Calvary Chapel Educators Association (CCEA) at CC Downey and we merged under them.  Again, CCU was significantly strengthened in this relationship.

2011 – Next, the Lord moved CCU under the leadership of Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement.

2012 – CCU was turned back over to the founding team as Pastor Chuck’s passing led to other transitions. In May, CCU was incorporated in San Diego under the founding team.

2013 – In November, CCU was incorporated in Florida and generously funded by CC Ft. Lauderdale for a season.

2015 – As the founding team answered a call back to CCSD, CCU followed.  Back to our founding roots.  Restated Articles of Incorporation back to founding CCU team in May, 2015.

2017 – CCU began a strategic and fruitful partnership with Youth Development, Inc

2018 – CCU moved to 8344 Clairemont Mesa Blvd  Suite #100 San Diego, CA 92111

2019 – CCU received Candidacy status for accreditation with TRACS

2020 – CCU awarded Accredited Status as a Category III with TRACS.

2021 – The CCU office relocated main office to Arizona to centralize the business operations to the home state of the CCU president. CCU received permission to participate in the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). AZPPSE granted CCU a regular and vocational degree license AVD-01706 legally authorizing CCU to offer Biblical Studies programs and certificates. TRACS approved the return of the Master of Divinity program along with the College of Education to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education and Master of Arts in Christian Education. CCU permanently closed the California office on December 31, 2021.

2022 – AZPPSE updated CCU’s approval license to include the Bachelor of Arts in Christian Education and Master of Arts in Christian Education programs in the College of Education. The programs were launched in January 2022. A Dual Enrollment program was launched for high school students. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) was renewed for another year.

2023 – The Ed.D. program was approved by TRACS and AZPPSE (license AVD-01706), and the program was launched in the Fall 2023-2024 academic year. With the approval and launch of the Ed.D. program, the Accreditation Status upgraded CCU as a Category IV institution. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) was renewed for another year.

2024 – CCU successfully hosted the TRACS accreditation team in Scottsdale, AZ for accreditation reaffirmation, n, and was awarded reaffirmation accreditation through December 2034. The Doctor of Ministry program was approved by TRACS and AZPPSE (license AVD-01706), and the program launched in the Spring 2024-2025 academic year. An Honorary Doctorate program was approved by AZPPSE (license AVD-01706) for two degrees: Honorary Doctor of Ministry degree and an Honorary Education Doctorate in Educational Leadership. The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) was renewed for another year.

2025 – The Doctor of Ministry and honorary degree programs launched in the spring trimester. The AZPPSE (license AVD-01706) and the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) were renewed for another year.

2026 –  The AZPPSE (license AVD-01706) and the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) were renewed for another year. Title IV approval is pending potential approval.

Statement of Diversity

• By building a community of trust among the different ethnic and cultural groups represented in our students and faculty, predicated upon respect for differences, with the purpose of focusing on the culturally-transcendent scriptural admonitions laid out by Paul in Colossians 3:11-15.
• By extending the resources of the University to Christians from various backgrounds for the work spelled out in Ephesians 4:12.
• By assuming a leadership role in extending knowledge accessibility to the multiethnic Christian community throughout the United States and around the world;  by fostering comprehension and acceptance of people of differing viewpoints.
• By including contributions coming from members of diverse populations within the educational process.

Philosophy of Education

Education at Calvary Chapel University is based upon a distinctly biblical view of reality, truth, and values. Ultimate reality is found in God, who created the universe with purpose and sustains it’s existence with His power. Truth originates from God; it is embodied in Christ and revealed inthe Scriptures. Ethics and morals are grounded in scriptural absolutes, and the appreciation of art, worship, and literature is based upon biblical principles.

Education at Calvary Chapel University has desired goals. Education is not merely the acquisition of knowledge or the accumulation of skills for financial success. The pursuit of higher education at Calvary Chapel University is the pursuit of a higher calling. Thus, the environment is one that prioritizes a personal and vibrant relationship with Christ for every student. Then, upon this foundation, a biblical worldview is developed, where individual gifts and talents are molded around a proper understanding of the Scriptures, self, and society. The definitive goal is to produce graduates who combine outstanding general, biblical and professional education and who have the practical experiences necessary to effectively teach and defend the Gospel with exemplary lives of service to God, the local church, and others.

Core Values

We foster an environment characterized by:

1. Simply Jesus

• We acknowledge that God is the origin of all things and the source of the values made known to us in His creation, in human experience, and finally and fully, in Jesus Christ.
• We confess Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, our university, our world, and as the final authority for our faith and life.
• We recognize that redemption by Jesus Christ and personal acceptance of His forgiveness are necessary for human wholeness.
• Authority of the Bible: We hold the Bible as the Word of God, the basis of our faith, and the primary record by which these values are made known.
• The Leading of the Holy Spirit: We rely on the Holy Spirit to help us discover these values. Thereby we call into question the values of the world.

2. Sound Doctrine:

1. We believe that Scripture is the authoritative, sufficient, and unchanging Word of God. Therefore, we affirm the importance of grounding all teaching, learning, and community life in biblical truth. Sound doctrine shapes what we believe, how we think, and how we live as followers of Jesus Christ.  
2. Knowledge: We value a thorough understanding of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith as revealed in Scripture. We affirm the importance of biblical theology, church history, and the major theological issues that inform faithful Christian belief and practice. 
3. Understanding: We value discernment rooted in the Holy Spirit and guided by Scripture. We seek clarity, humility, and faithfulness in interpreting God’s Word, evaluating ideas, and applying biblical truth to every area of life. 
4. Skills: We value the development of skills that enable believers to handle Scripture accurately, communicate truth effectively, and defend the faith graciously. This includes the ability to teach, disciple, counsel, and lead others in ways that reflect biblical fidelity. 
5. Practical Application: We value the lived expression of sound doctrine in everyday life. Right belief must lead to right practice. We pursue obedience to Christ, spiritual maturity, and ministry that strengthens the church and advances the gospel.

3.  Servant Leadership

• We show love toward God and love toward each other.
• We engage in community as members of one body of Christ and maintain a nonsectarian openness toward all Christians.
• We honor our commitments and take responsibility for our personal behavior, decisions, and continuing growth.
• We know from experience that self-discipline, struggle, risk, and confrontation are necessary for growth, and recognize that because of the grace of God, we grow even through our failures.
• We have experiences in self-assessment in every dimension of our lives, including  values clarification based on biblical truths. We plan for continuous individual growth and renewal.
• We understand the capabilities of our physical bodies and are committed to the lifelong nurturing of our physical selves so that we can be of service to the Lord and others.
• We are servants who:
  • Are able to joyfully follow Jesus’ example of service in the world and to pour out our individual and corporate lives for others because of God’s love in Christ for us.
  • Share our faith unashamedly, disciple other Christians, participate in missionary endeavors, and minister to the needs of all persons, regardless of their agreement with our beliefs. We affirm the unique worth of every individual. We regard each individual as having God-given gifts and talents to be discovered, developed, and directed toward service.
  • Are faithful stewards of our time, talents, and resources. We welcome and seek opportunities for service as a means to clarify and practice our faith and knowledge.
• We value truth and humility.
• We value a spiritually surrendered life in both our work and our walk with the Lord.
• We value infectious, optimistic, and enthusiastic attitudes that have the best interests of the team at heart.
• We value a teachable heart and growth in our lives and ministries.
• We are committed to personal sacrifice in meeting the spiritual and practical needs of students and one another.

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13

Institutional Learning Objectives

To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, CCU seeks to accomplish the following Expected Learning Outcomes.

Calvary Chapel University graduates:

Spiritual Objective: Students will grow in their knowledge and understanding of God’s Word and develop a relationship with God that motivates them to serve God and love others.

Institutional Learning Outcomes

• Biblical Knowledge
  • Students will demonstrate biblical proficiency by reading, interpreting, analyzing, and applying the principles of God’s Word to their lives as they fulfill assignments, participate in discussions, and reflect through personal journal

• Christian Character
  • Students will identify godly character through the study of God’s Word and apply the principles to their lives as they share the love of Christ with
• Critical Thinking
  • Throughout the curriculum, students will develop critical thinking skills by constructing knowledge and applying concepts to real-life while analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of content

• Effective Communication
  • Students will innovate, collaborate, and communicate by:
    • Formulating critical thinking and writing skills
    • Demonstrating technology proficiency
    • Implementing other media without cultural or national bias
    • Utilizing the library and research skills