Eugene Claremont Sanderson had originally started Evangel Bible University in San Jose in 1934 but was unable to make it viable.

John Jackson, a former pastor at local megachurch Bayside Church, was selected to be the sixth president in March 2011.

As administration was unable to find a new location in the Santa Clara Valley, they decided to move the institution to the Sacramento metropolitan city of Rocklin in April 2003.

[8] The origin of the debt is unclear, although the financing is earmarked as for the refinancing of "a portion of one or more loans used to acquire, construct, furnish and/or equip educational facilities of the Borrower’s campus."

The school made little mention of the action, noting simply in one of its regular publications that "For the first time in our history, we have fixed rate long-term debt financing.

[10][11][12] The school, which is accredited through Jessup, allows students to study with Bethel Music leaders and other industry experts while gaining credits that can be used toward a bachelor's degree.

In the summer of 2023, the school announced that it had been accepted into NCAA Division II and will compete in the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) starting in the fall of 2024.

[21][22] The move echoed decisions by several other Christian universities in California that have left the GSAC and joined the PacWest Conference over the last decade.

[23] William Jessup has a partial exception to Title IX which allows it to legally discriminate against LGBT students for religious reasons.

[24] The university's handbook states "Students who engage in unmarried heterosexual cohabitation or any homosexual/bisexual activity will be subject to judicial action".