Midwest College of Theology

What Midwest College of Theology does

Midwest College of Theology (MCT) is a privately held, 501(c)(3) online theological education provider founded by Dr. Don G. Jones and headquartered in Iberia, Missouri. The institution delivers four sequential online degree programs (Associate of Biblical Studies, Bachelor of Biblical Studies, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Theology), each structured as 30 online lessons, priced between $2,320 and $4,060, and targeted at individuals preparing for Christian ministry, pastoral work, missions, and personal biblical study rather than secular careers. MCT holds private religious accreditation through the Association of Independent Christian Colleges and Seminaries and has explicitly chosen not to pursue U.S. Department of Education recognition, positioning its low-tuition philosophy as a differentiator from accredited seminaries that typically rely on student loans.

The underlying technology is a lean e-commerce stack: a WordPress website with a WooCommerce course catalog and Stripe payment processing, augmented by PayPal for charitable donations. Students register, are accepted, then purchase individual lessons or full programs, with 0% interest 12-month financing and a 10% discount for upfront payment. Beyond core US online delivery, MCT operates a subsidiary (Midwest International) and a claimed network of 157 affiliated sites including prison ministries and retreat centers across 28 US states and 5 countries, most notably Haiti and Mexico. The operating team is unusually small at six employees, and revenue or financial figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Midwest College of Theology

Legal name

Midwest College of Theology

Website

https://midwestct.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Midwest College of Theology is a private, 501(c)(3) online theological education provider offering four low-cost degree programs (Associate through Doctorate) for individuals pursuing Christian ministry, delivered via a WordPress/WooCommerce platform with Stripe payments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Online theological education
• Biblical studies degree
• Ministry training programs
• Distance learning theology
• Christian higher education

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Course Sales: Students purchase individual lessons for each degree program on a per-lesson basis. Each program consists of 30 lessons. First lesson is $5, subsequent lessons vary by degree level. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Degree Program Fees: Full program pricing with payment plans. Associate $2,320, Bachelor $2,610, Master $3,190, Doctoral $4,060. 0% financing available for 12 months with automatic payments. 10% discount for paying in full on second lesson.
3. Thesis/Dissertation Reading Fees: Master thesis reading fee $100-$300, Doctoral dissertation reading fee $200-$400. Additional reading fees for Master ($300) and Doctoral ($400) programs.
4. Administrative Fees: Transcript fees (official $50, unofficial $20), transfer credit fees ($2/hour for Christian college credits, $500/level for secular credits), diploma replacement fees, $2 processing fee per application.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Midwest College of Theology delivers online biblical and theological degree programs at four academic levels — Associate of Biblical Studies, Bachelor of Biblical Studies, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Theology — each comprising 30 self-paced online lessons accessible via a WooCommerce-powered learning platform. Students purchase lessons individually at tiered pricing ($80-$140 per lesson) with the option of full-program payment for a 10% discount, and graduate/doctoral tracks include thesis or dissertation reading fees. The institution is privately accredited through the Association of Independent Christian Colleges and Seminaries and focuses exclusively on preparation for Christian Gospel ministry.

Product overview

Midwest College of Theology offers an online biblical and theological education platform structured as four distinct degree programs at increasing academic levels: Associate of Biblical Studies (ABS), Bachelor of Biblical Studies (BBS), Master of Theology (TH), and Doctor of Theology (THE). Each degree program consists of 30 sequential online lessons delivered through a WooCommerce-based course catalog. Students purchase individual lessons at tiered pricing ($80-$140 per lesson depending on degree level) or pay in full for a 10% discount. Graduate and doctoral programs include thesis/dissertation requirements with additional reading fees. The platform is built on WordPress with WooCommerce for course delivery and Stripe for payment processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associate of Biblical Studies (ABS) Entry-level online degree program consisting of 30 lessons covering foundational biblical studies topics including Old and New Testament surveys, hermeneutics, and theological foundations. Tuition is $2,320 at $80 per lesson, with 10% discount for full payment. Designed for individuals beginning Christian ministry preparation.
• Bachelor of Biblical Studies (BBS) Undergraduate-level online degree program with 30 lessons building on foundational biblical knowledge. Tuition is $2,610 at $90 per lesson, with 10% discount for full payment. Designed for individuals pursuing deeper biblical education for Christian ministry.
• Master of Theology (TH) Graduate-level online theology degree requiring 180 course credits across 30 lessons. Includes a thesis requirement of 50 pages. Tuition is $3,190 at $110 per lesson plus a $100 thesis reading fee. Designed for advanced ministry preparation including pastoral and missionary roles.
• Doctor of Theology (THE) Doctoral-level online theology degree requiring 60 course credits across 30 lessons. Includes a dissertation requirement of 100 pages. Tuition is $4,060 at $140 per lesson plus a $200 dissertation reading fee. Designed for senior ministry leadership and scholarly theological preparation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0% interest financing for 12 months
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Independent Christian Colleges and SeminariescoreTechnology or IntegrationMCT is a member of and accredited with the Association of Independent Christian Colleges and Seminaries. This is their primary accreditation body for religious education. Note: This accrediting association is not formally recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and MCT has chosen not to be affiliated with any state or federal governmental agency.
• Drug Free World FoundationminorOthersTax-deductible donations are divided between Drug Free World Foundation for distribution of Drug Intervention tools around the world and Lifeline Ministries to help feed starving children in Haiti.
• Lifeline MinistriesminorOthersTax-deductible donations are divided between Drug Free World Foundation and Lifeline Ministries to help feed starving children in Haiti.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bob Jones University: Fundamentalist Christian university with a strong theological curriculum, Bible-focused degree programs, and an explicit ministry-preparation mission. Comparable to MCT in evangelical/Protestant theology orientation and Bible-college identity, though BJU is regionally accredited and substantially larger.
• Moody Bible Institute: Historic evangelical Bible college offering Associate through graduate-level biblical and theological degrees with a ministry focus. Directly comparable to MCT in mission (evangelical ministry preparation) and degree ladder, though Moody is much larger and operates both on-campus and online.
• Dallas Theological Seminary: Long-established evangelical seminary offering master's and doctoral theology degrees with online and hybrid options. Directly comparable to MCT in offering graduate-level theology degrees aimed at ministry professionals, though DTS is accredited, much larger, and priced substantially higher.
• Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary: Major SBC-affiliated seminary offering undergraduate through doctoral theological degrees, including fully online options. Directly comparable to MCT in seminary-level theology and ministry training, with significantly larger scale and denominational backing that heavily subsidizes tuition.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University Online: Largest online Christian university in the U.S., offering accredited undergraduate and graduate theology degrees at scale. Comparable to MCT in online theological delivery and ministry-preparation positioning, but vastly larger, regionally accredited, and federally aid-eligible.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-college-of-theology

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Midwest College of Theology