Portland Bible College

What Portland Bible College does

Portland Bible College (PBC) is a private, nonprofit Bible college founded in 1967 and operated as a ministry of Mannahouse Church in Portland, Oregon. It delivers undergraduate theological education through on-campus degree programs (Associate and Bachelor of Theology, Church Music, and Church Leadership), a self-paced online program reaching students in 25 countries, a non-credit auditing platform (PBC Access), and a distributed Church Affiliate / Online Group program that allows partner churches to deliver PBC curriculum locally with academic credit. It also operates a Spanish-language theology track (Diplomado en Teología) and subscription-based Spanish course packages for Hispanic churches globally, with about 31% of the student body international.

The institution's technology backbone is a conventional online learning platform (PBC Online / PBC Access) supporting video-based course delivery, customizable church-branded landing pages for Spanish programs, and group-management capabilities for affiliated church cohorts. As of 2024-2025, PBC is mid-transition from PowerPoint/audio lectures to full video-based courses across its 50+ course catalog, with the first all-video course (Mentoring Epistles) launching Fall 2025. In 2025 it also announced a dual-degree pathway with Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) to provide accredited marketplace credentials alongside its Bible college training.

PBC's revenue model is diversified across per-credit tuition for degree-bearing students (on-campus and online), subscription pricing for Spanish course packages ($20-29/month or $200-300/year), and affiliation fees for church-delivered programs ($100/semester program fee plus per-credit tuition and technology fees). Distribution is multi-channel: a Portland campus for residential students, a self-serve global online portal, a reseller network of affiliate churches worldwide, and event-driven recruitment (Summer Open House, alumni BBQs). The institution is led by Chancellor Derrill Corbin (also senior pastor of Mannahouse) and President Simon Mould, with a faculty roster heavily drawn from PBC alumni and Mannahouse elders.

Name

Portland Bible College

Legal name

Portland Bible College

Website

https://portlandbiblecollege.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Portland Bible College is a private, nonprofit Bible college and ministry of Mannahouse Church in Portland, Oregon, offering on-campus and online Associate and Bachelor degrees in theology, church leadership, and church music, plus Spanish-language programs and church affiliate distribution across 25 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Biblical higher education
• Theology degree programs
• Online bible college
• Church leadership training
• Worship ministry education

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. On-Campus Tuition: Tuition fees for on-campus degree programs including Associate and Bachelor of Theology degrees. Students can complete 64-credit associate degrees or 128-credit bachelor degrees.
2. Online Program Tuition: Online degree programs (Associate of Theology, Associate of Church Leadership, Bachelor of Theology) with per-credit pricing. Online students can study at their own pace while balancing ministry, career, and family.
3. Affiliated Church Group Programs: Church affiliates deliver PBC curriculum locally with academic credit. Fees include $100/semester program fee plus $40/credit tuition and $35/semester technology fee per student.
4. Spanish Online Package Subscriptions: Monthly or annual subscriptions for Spanish-language course packages (3-4 courses at $20/month or $200/year; 5-6 courses at $29/month or $300/year) without academic credit.
5. Independent Study Revenue: Individual study options at $100+ per credit for students who cannot join a group but want to study independently.
6. Curriculum Sales: Sale of independent study curriculum packages including audio lectures and handouts for courses like Basic Doctrine, Covenants, Counseling Techniques, and Pauline Epistles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Portland Bible College is a private nonprofit Bible college offering undergraduate degree programs (Associate and Bachelor) in Theology, Church Leadership, Church Music, and Christian Humanities, delivered on-campus, online, and through affiliated church groups. The college provides Spanish-language theology programs for Hispanic churches globally, a non-credit auditing platform (PBC Access), and a dual-degree pathway with Indiana Wesleyan University for accredited marketplace credentials.

Product overview

Portland Bible College operates as a Bible college offering both on-campus and online educational programs. The core product portfolio includes undergraduate degree programs (Associate and Bachelor degrees) in Theology, Church Leadership, and Church Music, along with a Spanish-language Theology Diploma program. The PBC Online Program serves distance learners with 50+ courses reaching students globally, while PBC Access provides auditing capabilities for continuing education without credit. The institution also offers church partnership programs including the Church Affiliate Program, Online Groups, and Package Access subscriptions for Spanish-speaking churches, plus the PRIME Internship program and PBC+IWU Dual Degree partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PBC Online: Online program offering Bible training in accessible format with 50+ courses serving 1800+ students in 25 countries
• PBC Access

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of graduates complete their degree debt-free
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025PBC + IWU Dual Degree Program offers pathway for students to earn an accredited marketplace degree through Indiana Wesleyan University while receiving Bible college training at PBC. This partnership provides credential legitimacy for graduates.
• Mannahouse ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1967Mannahouse Church is the founding and parent church of Portland Bible College. PBC is described as 'Built by the church, in the church, for the Church.' The church provides operational support, student pipeline, faculty connections, and strategic governance through Chancellor Derrill Corbin (senior pastor of Mannahouse).
• Affiliated Churches (Spanish Program)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHispanic churches globally serve as local hosts for PBC's Spanish-language programs, delivering theology courses to ministry leaders in their communities while receiving PBC curriculum, training, and academic credit administration.
• IFGF Global (International Church Network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPBC welcomed 21 students from IFGF Global into a two-year online program for training to translate PBC Bible courses into local languages and launch 9-month church planting schools internationally.
• Ministers' Fellowship International (MFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBC is connected to MFI network of churches. Ken Malmin serves on the Apostolic Leadership Team of MFI. PBC alumni serve in MFI churches globally, and MFI Global Conference serves as alumni engagement platform.
• Western SeminaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBC alumni (e.g., Travis Arnold) have completed Master of Arts degrees at Western Seminary. Faculty have advanced degrees from Western Seminary.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Large accredited Christian university offering undergraduate and graduate theological degrees with a dominant online enrollment model. Comparable to PBC in evangelical positioning and online Bible college offerings, but at massive scale with significant pricing and accreditation advantages.
• William Jessup University: Accredited Christian university in California offering undergraduate and graduate theological programs with significant online enrollment. Comparable to PBC in faith-based undergraduate offerings but broader and accredited, representing a competitive threat.
• Biola University (Talbot School of Theology): Accredited Christian university offering undergraduate and seminary-level theological degrees, including fully online programs. Comparable to PBC's theological curriculum and online offerings but at much larger scale and with stronger credentials.

Direct peers

• Prairie Bible Institute: Canadian evangelical Bible college offering undergraduate degrees, diplomas, and online theological training with a church-planting emphasis. Comparable to PBC in mission, church-leader training focus, and small-college operating profile.
• Moody Bible Institute: Chicago-based evangelical Bible college and seminary offering undergraduate theology degrees, online programs, and church-leader training. Most comparable to PBC in mission, doctrinal alignment, and undergraduate theological focus, though substantially larger and accredited.
• Columbia Bible College: Small Canadian Bible college offering undergraduate degrees and certificate programs with online and modular delivery. Comparable to PBC in scale, evangelical identity, and online/affiliate-style program design.
• Lancaster Bible College: Pennsylvania-based Christian Bible college granting undergraduate degrees in Bible, theology, and ministry with online and on-campus options. Comparable to PBC in faith-based undergraduate focus and degree mix.
• Nazarene Bible College: Small, denomination-affiliated Bible college with a strong online and adult-learner focus offering associate and bachelor's degrees in theology and ministry. Closely comparable to PBC in scale, online-first delivery, and church-network-driven enrollment.
• Calvary Chapel Bible College: Multi-campus Bible college affiliated with the Calvary Chapel church network offering certificate and degree programs in theology. Comparable to PBC's church-integrated model and undergraduate ministry preparation focus.

Others

• Indiana Wesleyan University: Accredited Christian university that partners with PBC via the dual-degree pathway to provide marketplace credentials. Adjacent rather than competing; serves as a strategic partner and a reference point for the kind of accredited institution PBC partners with rather than competes against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQ3K_Z2RGDgmLDT_gAqAi6g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/portland-bible-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Portland Bible College