Tabor College has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission for its Master of Arts in Ministry graduate degree, a significant milestone in the college’s expansion of graduate-level education.
The two-year, hybrid program will officially begin in summer 2026, designed to provide biblical and theological depth and practical ministry skills in real-world settings.
Set at 36 credit hours through seven-week modules, this formative degree was crafted by U.S. Mennonite Brethren churches and Tabor faculty to meet the needs of evangelical churches worldwide.
Born out of the goal to see more Mennonite Brethren-trained church planters, missionaries, pastors and other leaders, this program will equip students from a broad range of aligned denominational and non-denominational backgrounds to serve their local church and beyond.
“The church-college collaboration has produced a streamlined and innovative master’s degree program that combines the flexibility of online education with live and in-person elements,” says Eric Foster-Whiddon, program director. “The result is a vibrant community of students and faculty who are all embedded in real ministry contexts.”
After launching graduate courses in ministry in August 2025, the accreditation allows these students to have prior credits transferred and graduate with an M.A. in Ministry in May 2027.
“Our faculty are uniquely qualified to instruct current and future generations of church leaders and harvest workers,” says Dale Lemke, vice president of academic affairs. “We are humbled to offer our academics to partner with churches in our denomination and across the globe.”
Guided by a nine-member advisory board in partnership with USMB Central and Southern District churches, the program is designed to elevate students as they minister in their local churches and communities.
“Accreditation of the M.A. in Ministry reflects Tabor’s ongoing commitment to providing graduate education grounded in academic rigor and service to the church,” says David Janzen, president of Tabor College. “We’re grateful for our partnership with U.S. Mennonite Brethren churches and excited to equip generations of pastors and church leaders for USMB and many other congregations worldwide.”
Learn more about the M.A. in ministry.
Tabor College is the Mennonite Brethren college located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The mission of Tabor College, founded in 1908, is to prepare people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his kingdom.
