After learning more about what GCU is all about by reading the GCU doctrinal statement and Christian Identity and Heritage, how do you think GCU’s Christian heritage makes the GCU academic experience different than at a non-faith-based university? What value will this difference add to your educational experience?

Since our founding in 1949, Grand Canyon University (GCU) has been a Christian college with a biblically rooted mission. Founded as a Baptist university, today GCU is an interdenominational university that welcomes students from all backgrounds. Throughout its rich history, GCU has remained a vibrant Christian university that is committed to distinctively Christian beliefs, values and practices in accord with its mission and vision. While the university is clear about its identity as a Christian university and its foundational convictions, we are intentionally committed to living out the faith within the context of a missional community.

A missional community is a community of people strategically united in carrying out a mission that centers on following Jesus Christ in word and in deed, and in sharing the love of Christ generously to all who participate in the life of the community. Following Jesus in this way requires selflessness, sacrificial service and an ever-increasing love of the Lord and our neighbors. At GCU, we believe that right doctrine is essential and we are committed to the foundational beliefs that distinguish Christianity from other worldviews. Yet we are convinced that right practice is just as important and that following Christ must involve a living faith that is active and transformative for the individuals and the community that we serve.

Missional communities differ from what may be called covenant communities, in which all members of a school commit to affirming and practicing the same faith. While a covenantal approach may be appropriate for some colleges and universities, GCU has intentionally cultivated a missional community and a culture that is characterized by a welcoming spirit and loving service to all. As a missional community, GCU has the unique opportunity to welcome students from all walks of life, some of whom may experience Christianity for the first time at the university. As a Christian university, we integrate faith, learning, work and service in an effort to honor God in all that we do, and we encourage others to join us in these endeavors.