The earliest beginnings of the European Theological Seminary date back to 1948 when the Bible school ministry for the Church of God in Europe began in Schorndorf, Germany. Young men and women were invited to Schorndorf for Bible training courses from 1948-51. Seven years later, in 1958, the German Church of God Bible School was opened in Krehwinkel under the auspices of the Church of God World Missions Board. In 1962 the school relocated to Heilbronn.

In 1964 it was decided that the school should have an international character and serve the needs of the church throughout Europe. The school was moved to Switzerland and was called the International Bible Seminary (IBS).

In 1973 the college was transferred to Rudersberg, Germany, where it remained until 2002 under the name European Bible Seminary (EBS). Since that time it has retained its European mission and character, offering simultaneous instruction in German and English. In 1982 EBS began the first of a rapidly expanding number of extension ministries (Extension Schools of Christian Ministry). Beginning in the fall of 1999, courses leading to the Master of Arts in Church Ministries were offered at European Bible Seminary by the Church of God Theological Seminary (Cleveland, TN, USA).

In the fall semester of 2002, the European Bible Seminary relocated to the Black Forest area of Germany. In addition to the physical move, the school underwent a name change as well – to the European Theological Seminary. Since 2007, ETS has been offering Master's courses in cooperation with Lee University (Cleveland, TN, US).