The Church is ultimately responsible for raising up the next generation of faithful men for pastoral ministry and church leadership. Accordingly, the Seminary understands its role as assisting congregations for achieving that goal. The Seminary’s Church Partnership Program is designed to link the Seminary and congregations to provide spiritual accountability, financial stewardship, pastoral student development, and mutual educational benefit. From application to graduation, a bond of partnership between the Seminary and local churches is crucial to successfully equip future pastors and church leaders.

Keeping Tuition Affordable for All

We believe this bond should include financial partnership. No student should bear the cost of preparing for ministry and church leadership alone, independent of their home church. So we ask congregations, especially those members who are benefitting from the Seminary’s instruction, to partner with us financially. This helps keep the costs of pastoral and theological education as low as possible for your student and affordable for all students. This is crucial for students from abroad and those with significant financial need.

If students from a partner congregation still cannot attend without additional financial assistance, their tuition may be “scholarshipped” or “discounted.” If students from partner churches are able to cover their own expenses, then their congregation’s church-partner donation may be redirected to assist other more needy students.  Either way, partner donations help keep the Seminary affordable and accessible to all.

Becoming a Church Partner

We invite all congregations to become Church Partners. Because full-time tuition, fees, and other student expenses cost about $7,000 per year per student, we ask larger churches (with 200 members or more) to donate $5,000 each year for three years to become a Church Partner. That covers roughly 70 percent of a student’s estimated Seminary costs. For smaller congregations (with fewer than 200 members), we ask contributions of $2,500, or more if they are able, each year for three years.

These sized-based levels of Church Partner support allow us to provide one degree-seeking student from each partner congregation 50 percent off the regular $200 per credit tuition rate and to give congregants a full range of Church Partnership benefits listed in the chart below.

If you have questions or want to pursue church partnership, please submit the Church Partnership Form below.

Church Partner Benefits

The Seminary blesses our supporting Church Partners with significant discounts on tuition for selected courses open to their pastors, leaders, and congregants. Partner benefits apply to those who wish to enroll in our degree programs and/or to those who simply wish to grow in their biblical and theological understanding.

Church partners receive congregational access to several no- to low-cost courses offered by the Seminary. Each partner congregation’s annual contribution allows one qualified (admitted) student to pursue a degree at the Seminary at a 50 percent discount off the regular $200 per credit tuition rate. Church Partner congregants may enroll for free with a non-credit “Listener’s Pass” in all our “Church Enrichment” courses. These classes are appropriate for elder and deacon training, church counselor training, Sunday School teacher training, adult Sunday School classes, adult Bible studies, and more. Church-partner congregations and their members may also enroll as auditors or get a “Listener’s Pass” at a discounted rate on select regular degree-related Seminary courses.  See the Partnership Benefits chart below for more details. All courses are available on a “space-available” basis.

If you wish to become a Church Partner, please complete the Church Partnership Form below.