The Guatemala Bible Seminary was founded by William Cameron Townsend in 1923 as the Robinson Bible Institute. It was named after the late William Elwood Robinson, who had been Townsend's ministry colleague.

The seminary was initially located in Panajachel, Sololá, Guatemala, with classes held in the indigenous Tzutujil language. In 1959, the school moved to the city of Chimaltenango, and by 1970 the language of classroom instruction had changed to Spanish.

Today, GBS has 68 students in its daily program and 234 enrolled in weekend studies.