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A. Mission Statement

Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary exists to bring glory to God by training God’s people with Reformed theology for the propagation of the gospel of the kingdom of God in the world.

B. Institutional Purpose

To fulfill its mission, RPUS is committed to:

  •  Equip students with a Reformed worldview with its emphasis on the Lordship of Christ over every area of our lives
  •  Nurture students in the grace of our Lord Jesus through the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit
  • Produce pastors who are faithful servant leaders to their flocks
  •  Train students to become both cross-culturally sensitive and culture-transforming.

C. Graduate Competencies / Institutional Outcomes

In accordance with the mission statement, RPUS expects certain outcomes demonstrated by its graduates. Each academic program has its own specific learning outcomes. The following graduate outcomes and the specific program outcomes together will become the basis for measuring students’ progress and institutional e ectiveness in fulfilling their mission.

-Graduating students will:

  • Demonstrate theological depth, rooted in Scripture and traditional Reformed confessions and catechisms

       o Demonstrate firm knowledge of the foundational truths of God’s Word and capability to apply them to life

       o Show ability to think and write clearly, analytically, critically, creatively, and constructively.

  • Practice ecclesiastical skills, with the ability to preach or teach, lead worship, provide spiritual guidance and care, and create or navigate ministry and cultural contexts.

       o Show su icient knowledge of the cultural trends and leadership skills in order to lead a Christian group and ministry

       o Demonstrate su icient knowledge and skills to understand the meaning of OT and NT and be able to preach and teach the Scriptural truth e ectively.

  • Form character, structured by Scripture, modeled after Christ, emphasizing constant growth in godliness.

       o Demonstrate their commitment to the Lordship of Christ in every area of life and to display through their lives that they are submitting to that Lordship in mind and                  in heart

       o Show evidence in their life that they are walking in the Spirit, bearing fruit of the Holy Spirit and becoming more Christ-like

  • Engage with people faithfully in godly love and wisdom, with a humble heart that is confessional, evangelical, and missional. Demonstrate su icient knowledge and proficiency in various Christian ministries and be able to work together with other people.

D. History

Reformed Presbyterian University and Seminary (RPUS) is the denominational seminary of the Korean American Presbyterian Church (KAPC). The latter was founded in February 1978, in Van Til Hall, Westminster Theological Seminary, Glenside, Pennsylvania. The denomination was born from a collective of theologically conservative Korean American churches in North America.  Since then, the KAPC blossomed into the largest Korean Presbyterian denomination outside Korea with approximately 80,000 members and 650 churches across the globe.

The utility of having a denominational seminary was obvious: to train pastors and leaders to fill leadership roles and the needs of the denomination both in North America and around the world. RPUS began as a Korean-speaking Christian university and seminary with great ambitions.  John Junghyun Lee, D. Min was the inaugural president (2016 – 2025). He supervised the start of the university and seminary in August 2016 in Gardena, California.

The school was incorporated as a nonprofit religious corporation in October 2017 by the Secretary of State in California and was granted the verification of exemption by the Bureau of Private and Postsecondary Education (BPPE) in the same year in the state of California.

 David Cho, PhD, as the second and current president (2025-present), continues to refine and strengthen RPUS to meet the accreditation standards of educational agencies including Transnational Association of Christian Schools (TRACS) and the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Under his global leadership, the English program began in January 2026 to help develop ministries that use the English language and to provide theological education in areas in the world where such education is scarce. The true uniqueness of RPUS lies in mission-mindfulness and mindedness with faculty members who have experienced teaching in seminaries and engaging with students both in and outside North America in their local contexts.

E. Core Values (Doctrinal Standards)

Our mission statement is forged from our core values, which are convictions derived from the Scriptures.

  • Biblical Authority: We affirm the inerrant and sufficient Word of God as the foundation for all faith, life, and learning.
  • Reformed Theology: We are anchored in the historic Reformed tradition—confessional, covenantal, and Christ-centered.
  • Spirit-Empowered Formation: We depend on the Holy Spirit for illumination,transformation, and empowerment in every aspect of theological education.
  • Gospel-Centered Mission: We exist to proclaim Christ to all people across theworld through faithful ministry, missions, and service.
  • Humility in Theological Learning: We pursue theological excellence with intellectual rigor and spiritual humility. Academic and spiritual integrity form thefoundation of our theological education.

F. Educational Philosophy

An implication of a “Coram Deo” life for educational philosophy is a holistic approach to education. To live in the presence of God is to teach the whole counsel of God, to the whole person, to whole areas of life, for the whole body of Christ, and to the people of the whole wide world.

  1. Whole Counsel of God The Word of God is the foundation and the substance of our teaching. RPUS is unapologetic about teaching the Word of God thoroughly, since we believe that the Word of God is the key to all other knowledge. Since partial truth can become an error, RPUS tries to teach the entire Word of God, both theologically and biblically, as well as the development of the understanding of God’s truth throughout history.
  2. Whole Person Many heresies have risen because only one area of man, whether mind, emotion, or will, or one area of life, is focused. RPUS is committed to the Word of God which is sufficient to meet the fundamentals of all areas of man’s need. The faculty and the administration are committed to offering godly examples of spiritual maturity, intellectual rigor, godly judgment, and personal integrity, and to engage in scholarly inquiry and creative activities applicable to the classroom and beyond. Personal interaction between the faculty and the students is emphasized. Student presentations, discussions, faculty-student forums, and thesis writing and presentation provide avenues for such personal interactions. Critical thinking, self-assessment skills, as well as writing, reading, and speaking abilities are emphasized in all classes. Besides the classroom, other avenues provide opportunities for students to grow in their whole being: academic counselor, counselor/chaplain, student association, mentorship, internship with a local church, and other opportunities for cultural and spiritual activities outside of the school.
  3. Whole Areas of Life RPUS is committed to training both professional ministers of the Word of God as well as lay people who desires to apply the Word of God in their field of calling. The Bachelors program and the Masters program serve this purpose. RPUS believes that the Lordship of Christ extends to every area of life, and that a person who is trained in applying the Word of God in his or her particular field stands in a unique situation to transform that field for the glory of God. RPUS is committed to the Reformed emphasis that special revelation fulfills general revelation. An implication is that a well-rounded Christian education entails not only training in the special revelation but in the general revelation as well. Such a balanced education applies to both the professional ministers of God’s Word as well as lay believers. In order to e effectively minister to the congregation members, pastors need to understand the people in all of their life struggles and situations, and he needs to be able to e effectively and wisely apply the Word of God in their situations. Language training, which is a basic component of general education, applies to both the bachelors and master’s programs. For the bachelor’s program, a rigorous reading load in philosophy, literature, history and culture forms general education. For the masters programs, theological and biblical studies are balanced by training in practical ministry, which include preaching, counseling, evangelism, administration, leadership, worship, and missions.
  4. Whole Body of Christ RPUS is committed to building up the Body of Christ. Its implication for teaching is that the faculty of RPUS set an example of a churchman. An active church life, although not necessarily taking on major leadership positions in the church, is required for all faculty and administrators. An active church life is also required for all students. Another implication for educational philosophy is that all knowledge is in vain if it does not build up the body of Christ in love. Seeking the truth is important, but it is also important for the students to learn to apply the truth in the context of the life of the church, as well as in the context of life in the wider society.
  5. Whole World RPUS is committed to assisting the church in fulfilling the Great Commission. It is committed to bilingual education (Korean and English) and eventually to two independent programs, one in Korean, and the other in English. Intercultural training is emphasized. All students are required to take a second language. For Korean speakers, that means English. For those who speak both languages, they would study a third language, although as an elective. All Korean-speaking classes include partial readings and assignments in English. In addition to the bilingual emphasis, RPUS is planning to establish a mission center which focuses on training missionaries. Missionary interns from the States, Korea, and other countries will be trained at RPUS. Continuing education for current missionaries as well as their children in college is included in the plan. In addition to the mission center, the regular program of RPUS will emphasize cross-cultural training as part of its theological education, especially given the unique multiethnic location of RPUS (Los Angeles County) as well as the unique intergenerational and intercultural challenges within the Korean-American churches. Besides in-class training, cross-cultural ministry experience is also encouraged as part of the ministry internship, which is required for the M.Div. program.

G. Instructional Methods

Holistic teaching at RPUS involves not only what we teach but how we teach, or who teaches. RPUS recognizes that good teachers and good teaching methods are important tools by which God’s Word is communicated. The most important component of teaching is the teacher himself or herself. Teaching is not first and foremost about technique and technology, but the transmission of godly knowledge and godly qualities between one person to another. Therefore, RPUS places emphasis on the spiritual as well as the academic qualification of the faculty. Teaching is not merely academic but more of a spiritual training or discipleship.

In terms of teaching, RPUS recognizes that the diversity of learning abilities in a human being should be reflected in the diversity of teaching methods. Having already spoken of the need to address the different aspects of our being such as intellect, emotion, and will, RPUS tries to balance cognitive, affective, and volitional or experiential approaches to teaching. The traditional didactic presentation with its attendant quizzes, mid-terms, final exams, and term papers are complemented with dialogical, interpersonal emphasis in all classes. This is further complemented by volitional or experiential approach to teaching and learning which involves case-studies, real-life examples, mock-situations, group projects, group presentations, and group-debates. Using multi-media in teaching also facilitates an experiential approach to teaching since multi-media involves using multiple forms of media at the same time, thereby bringing the learning experience as close to the real-life situation as possible.

H. Location and Facility

Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary is located in sunny Southern California. It is 20 minutes from downtown Los Angeles and shares its campus with Dae Hueng Presbyterian Church. The educational facility contains administration o ices and classrooms. The school is easily located o the 110 freeway.

I. Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary that applicants for admission as well as all sta and employee of Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, or handicap. This admissions policy is in compliance with the following federal statutes prohibiting such discrimination:

  • Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended)
  • Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  • Age Discrimination Act of 1975

J. Academic Freedom & Doctrinal Commitment

Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary guarantees academic freedom for its students, staff , and faculty within the bounds of its doctrinal commitment. Without compromising basic academic freedom, and as provided by California Code of Regulations 71720 (i), each member of the Board of Trustees, faculty, and ministerial advisors is required initially and annually to subscribe to the following Statement of Belief and Covenant as set forth in the university’s by-laws:

Believing that there is but one only, the living and true God, and that there are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; and that these three are one and the same in substance, equal in power and glory, and with solemn awareness of accountability to Him in all that we feel, think, say and do, the undersigned engages in and subscribes to this declaration:

  1. All Scripture is self-attesting and, being truth, requires the human mind wholeheartedly to subject itself in all its activities to the authority of Scripture complete as the Word of God, standing written in the sixty-six books of the Holy Bible, all therein being verbally inspired by Almighty God and therefore without error.
  2. Reformed theology as set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms as accepted by the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America as its standard of doctrine at its first General Assembly in 1789 is the system of doctrine taught in Scripture; and, therefore, it is to be learned, taught and proclaimed for the edification and government of Christian people, for the propagation of the faith and for the evangelization of the world by the power of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  3. Each member of the RPUS community solemnly promises and engages not to inculcate, sanction, teach or insinuate anything that appears to me to contradict or contravene, either directly or implicitly, any element of that system of doctrine.
  4. Each faculty, student, and administrator in the presence of God, states and signifies that the person consents, agrees, and binds oneself to all of the foregoing without any reservation whatsoever, and that further obligates oneself immediately to notify in writing the Trustees should a change of any kind take place in one’s belief and feeling not in accord with this statement.

K. Library Resources

RPUS campus library is limited. For more theological resources, students can check books out from three libraries: 1) International Theological Seminary, located at 540 E. Vine Ave., West Covina, CA 91790; 2) Grace Mission University, located at 1645 W. Valencia, Fullerton, CA 92833; and 3) World Mission University, located at 500 Shatto Pl., Los Angeles, CA 90020. To access these libraries, students must see the Dean of Academic Affairs to get a library card and more information. Students will not be allowed into the libraries without RPUS issued cards. RPUS has MoUs with these schools so that students can check out books according to the rules and regulations of the libraries and the stipulations in the MoUs.

There are many other libraries that students may want to explore in Southern California. California residents can apply for free library cards in the Los Angeles Public Library and Los Angeles residents can access online resources for free. Here students can access theological books and more importantly, it’s a great place to access JSTOR for journal articles. The closest LA Public Library to the campus is 10 minutes away at the Mark Twain Branch Library, located at 9621 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90003. Students can also access theological books at the Richard J. Riordan Central Library (aka LA Central Library), located at 630 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071. This library has an unusually high number of theological, historical, and biblical resources for a public library. Students can go online or to an LA Public Library branch to apply for a library card.

Alumni usually have free borrowing privileges from their undergraduate alma mater. Master’s degree students should check with their undergraduate school for more information. Such information is usually found online.

Students can also borrow books at their own expense at other university libraries. For example, anyone from the general public can purchase a borrower card at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) or at Azusa Pacific University (APU). Students can make an appointment with the Dean of Academic A airs for more information.

L. Approvals and Recognitions

Reformed Presbyterian University & Seminary (RPUS) is exempt by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) to grant degrees related to religious studies.