The history of George Whitefield College

Why George Whitefield?

George Whitefield (1714 - 1770) was an English Anglican priest and preacher who was one of the founders of Methodism and the evangelical movement. He travelled to British North America and preached a series of Christian revivals that became part of the ‘Great Awakening’. It is said that he preached at least 18,000 sermons, averaging more than ten a week - over 500 a year for thirty-four consecutive years. He loved the people he preached to, frequently wept in his sermons, and urgently pleaded with everyone to come to Jesus. His broad-reaching evangelism gave America a united theological backbone that shaped the nation for generations to come.

As we seek to train up ministry workers who will shape Reformed theology on the African continent, our hope is that our students will develop a similar passion for preaching and evangelism, flowing out of their deep knowledge of Scripture and love for the Lord Jesus.

  1. 1989

    George Whitefield College founded

    • On the initiative of Church of England in South Africa (CESA) Bishop Joe Bell, the Rev Dr David Broughton Knox comes from Australia to establish GWC.
    • Dr Broughton Knox is appointed the first Principal, bringing vast experience and knowledge from a long association with Moore Theological College.
  2. 1990s

    Accreditation and expansion

    • 1993: The Rev Dr David Seccombe succeeds as Principal, and leads further growth in programme offerings and reputation.
    • 1995: The Explore correspondence course is established for distance learning students.
    • 1997: The College becomes affiliated with Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (now North-West University), allowing students to graduate with accredited degrees while studying at GWC.
    • 1998: The College moves to its current location in Muizenberg.
  3. 2000s

    A rich theological curriculum

    • Student numbers continue to rise. GWC develops its theological curriculum and attracts learners from across Southern Africa.
  4. 2010s

    Flagship Bachelor of Theology launched

    • 2010: GWC launches its own Bachelor of Theology (BTh) programme, fully accredited by the South African Council on Higher Education (CHE).
    • 2013: The Rev Dr Mark Dickson succeeds Dr Seccombe as Principal.
    • The Masters programme (Research and Structured) is launched.
  5. 2020s

    A hub for African theological training and thought leadership

    • 2022: GWC becomes a founding member of the African Council for Accreditation and Accountability (AfCAA).
    • The Masters and Honours programmes go online, with the establishment of our Hyflex classroom.
    • Explore now has more than 4000 students registered annually across a number of African countries, taught by trained facilitators in the local context.
    • 2025: The PhD programme is submitted for accreditation.
    • 2026: The Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Theological Education is launched