Tri-State Bible College

What Tri-State Bible College does

Tri-State Bible College is a private biblical higher education institution headquartered in South Point, Ohio, serving the tri-state Appalachian region of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. It offers graduate and undergraduate programs in Bible and Theology — including Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, and Associate of Arts degrees — alongside certificates and, as of Summer 2025, micro-certificates. Programs are delivered through three modalities: Resident Modular, Live Online, and Distance Education Online, with the online channels supported by a Zoom-Populi integration. Specialized assets include the Broomhall Research Center, an Appalachian-focused ministry curriculum, and a biblical counseling certification pathway aligned with ACBC.

The institution is led by President Rex Howe and VP Academic Dr. Mark Phillips, with a faculty reported at roughly 50% doctorates and over 1,000 years of combined experience. Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, supplemented by donations channeled through campaigns such as the 2024 IMPACT initiative, and by free community-facing programming — including a Summer Community Course Series and the annual Appalachian Ministry Conference — that functions as an enrollment funnel. The institution has operated at a small scale, with recent budget shortfalls in the tens of thousands of dollars and an active three-year stabilization plan for its Akron Extension Site indicating both fiscal constraint and a deliberate, modest expansion posture.

Name

Tri-State Bible College

Legal name

Tri-State Bible College

Website

https://tsbc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tri-State Bible College is a private biblical college in South Point, Ohio, offering graduate and undergraduate Bible/Theology degrees, certificates, and micro-certificates via resident, live online, and distance education modalities to students in the Appalachian tri-state region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAKAB

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAG

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

SECONDARYEDAHAKAE

Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Religious & Theological Colleges

Keywords

• Biblical higher education
• Theological education
• Ministry training
• Pastoral education
• Online seminary

Headquarters

HQ city

South Point

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue generated from student tuition and fees for degree programs (MA, BA, AA) and certificate programs. The college offers financial aid options and net price calculator for prospective students.
2. Donor Contributions and Campaign Fundraising: The college relies on charitable donations from churches and individuals, including annual Harvest Offerings, the IMPACT Campaign, and the Fight the Good Fight Campaign. President Howe personally solicits support from churches to address budget shortfalls and strengthen operating funds.
3. Free Community Courses: Free Summer Community Course Series (Daniel, My Witnesses) serves as a marketing/recruitment mechanism to attract potential degree-seeking students rather than as a direct revenue source.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Tri-State Bible College is a private biblical higher education institution that delivers accredited and non-accredited programs in Bible and Theology, including a Master of Arts, Bachelor of Arts, Associate of Arts, a Certificate of Biblical Studies, and Micro-Certificates for Ministry. Programs are offered through three delivery modalities: on-campus Resident Modular (RM) commuter courses at the South Point, Ohio campus, synchronous Live Online (Zoom-Populi Integration), and asynchronous Distance Education Online (DEO). The college also operates the Appalachian Ministry Institute to develop curriculum and conferences tailored to the Appalachian ministry context.

Product overview

Tri-State Bible College offers a multi-tiered theological education portfolio centered on biblical scholarship and ministry training for the Appalachian region. The core academic offerings include graduate (MA), undergraduate (BA), and associate (AA) degrees in Bible/Theology, supplemented by certificate programs and the Micro-Certificates for Ministry initiative launched in 2025. Educational delivery spans multiple modalities: Resident Modular (RM) courses at the South Point, OH main campus and Akron, OH extension site (available live online), and Distance Education Online (DEO) asynchronous courses. The Zoom-Populi Integration platform enables remote access to all programs. Specialized offerings include the Appalachian Ministry Institute, Broomhall Research Center, and free community courses during summer sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Appalachian Ministry Institute: Institute focused on training and equipping ministry leaders in the Appalachian region, hosts annual Appalachian Ministry Conference
• Broomhall Research Center
• Micro-Certificates for Ministry
• Henderson Library

Products and services

• Master of Arts in Bible/Theology

Quantifiable outcome

• Fifty percent of faculty have completed doctoral degrees in their areas of expertise.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered keynote, core and minor.

• Dr. David WheelerkeynoteStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Plenary Speaker for the 2025 Appalachian Ministry Conference. Author of 'The Great Commission to Worship: Biblical Principles for Worship-Based Evangelism' and 'Evangelism Is...: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence.' Faculty member at Liberty University.
• Pastor Phil NeighborskeynoteStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Appalachian Storyteller and Breakout Session presenter at the 2025 Appalachian Ministry Conference. Valley Baptist Church, Bakersfield, CA. Has deep roots in Appalachian revival movements going back generations.
• Chosen RoadcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Worship band that has become part of the TSBC family, leading worship at the annual Appalachian Ministry Conference and other college events.
• The Chapel (Akron)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 April 2025Host venue for the Akron Extension Site at 135 Fir Hill, Akron, OH. Provides physical space for TSBC courses in the greater Akron region.
• Dr. Jay Moon (Asbury Theological Seminary)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenter at 2025 AMC on 'Not Interested: Evangelizing Those Who Are Indifferent to the Gospel.'
• Dr. Jacob Marshall (Antioch Baptist Church, Ona, WV)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenter at 2025 AMC on 'Church Cooperation for Evangelism in Appalachia.'
• Josh Perry (Redemption Church, Huntington, WV)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenter at 2025 AMC on 'Church Planting in Appalachia.'
• Dr. Yakubu Jakada (Tri-State Bible College)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025TSBC faculty presenter at 2025 AMC on 'A Missional Approach to Appalachian Evangelism.'
• Dr. Matt Shamblin (TSBC Appalachian Ministry Institute)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025TSBC faculty and Institute director presenting 'Leading Evangelistic Small Groups' at 2025 AMC.
• Scott and Pam Bruns (Scioto Hills Christian Camp & Retreat Center)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenters at 2025 AMC on 'Camp in the Discipleship Experience of Appalachian Youth.'
• Heath and Amber Bauer (Unity Baptist Church)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenters at 2025 AMC on 'Reaching Appalachians When You're Not an Appalachian.'
• Jeff Canterbury (First Baptist Church of Ceredo, WV)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025Breakout Session presenter at 2025 AMC on 'The Evangelistic Sermon in the Worship of the Local Church.'
• Dr. Mark Phillips (Tri-State Bible College)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025TSBC Vice President of Academics presenting 'Apologetics in Appalachian Evangelism' at 2025 AMC.
• Association of Biblical Counselors (ACBC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2025TSBC's CC307DEO Biblical Counseling in the Local Church (ACBC Track 1) provides a pathway toward ACBC Certification.
• Temple Baptist Church (Portsmouth, OH)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 February 2025Host venue for the 2025 Scioto County Pastors' Fellowship Dinner. Pastor John Gowdy leads the hosting church for this networking event.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Piedmont Baptist College: Conservative Baptist college in Winston-Salem, NC offering Bible-centered degrees for ministry students; comparable as a small, Bible-only institution serving a regional, ministry-oriented student base.
• Kentucky Christian University: Christian university in Grayson, KY offering Bible and ministry degrees to the eastern Kentucky region; directly comparable as a regional Bible-focused institution serving an overlapping Appalachian-adjacent catchment.
• Welch College: Free Will Baptist Bible college in Gallatin, TN offering undergraduate and graduate biblical/theological degrees; comparable as a denomination-affiliated, small-enrollment Bible college with similar degree stack.
• Appalachian Bible College: Small Bible college located in Bradley, WV serving the Appalachian region with undergraduate and graduate ministry programs; closest geographic and mission peer to Tri-State Bible College.
• Ohio Christian University: Christian university in Circleville, OH providing associate, bachelor, and master's degrees in Bible and ministry, including online modalities; competes for the same Ohio-based Bible college students.

Regional players

• Mid-America Christian University: Oklahoma-based Christian university offering Bible and ministry degrees with online delivery; serves a similar rural, ministry-oriented student demographic but in a different U.S. region.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Large non-profit university in Lynchburg, VA with extensive online Bible, divinity, and ministry programs; competes broadly for the same online ministry-degree students as TSBC's MA in Bible/Theology.
• Bob Jones University: Fundamentalist Christian university in Greenville, SC offering Bible and ministry degrees, including online undergraduate and graduate programs; overlaps with TSBC's doctrinal positioning and curriculum.
• Moody Bible Institute: Established Chicago-based Bible institute with online undergraduate and graduate theology programs; broader and more mature incumbent serving the same lay-leader and bi-vocational pastor segments.

Others

• Asbury Theological Seminary: Graduate-level seminary in Wilmore, KY with online master's programs; currently a strategic partner (AMC breakout presenter) but represents an adjacent competitor for graduate ministry students in the broader tri-state region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tsbcoh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9G8r1txMcZqk3Ls9fHB_mw
• Facebookfacebook.com/223660734341234
• Instagraminstagram.com/tsbc_ohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Tri-State Bible College