The International Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1946 established the Southwestern Bible College to train men and women for church leadership. The name was later changed to Southwestern Christian University and eventually evolved into a four-year baccalaureate level degree-granting college in the field of religion, fully accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

In the fall of 1981, the church selected a beautifully wooded site in Bethany for the SCU campus; all of the buildings have been erected since the summer of 1984 making it a relatively new campus. It adjoins the Research and Development Center of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church allowing for interchange with the church leadership on academic, professional and social levels.

SCU is a Christian institution of higher education in the holiness, Pentecostal, and charismatic traditions, whose mission is to provide Christ-centered curricula in the arts and sciences, Biblical/Theological studies, and professional disciplines.