Wagner University

What Wagner University does

Wagner University (WU) is a private, non-profit Christian educational institution headquartered in Pasadena, California, that was founded in 1998 as the Wagner Leadership Institute (WLI) by Dr. C. Peter Wagner and rebranded to Wagner University in 2017. WU delivers hybrid online-plus-residential theological education through a portfolio of non-accredited degree programs (two B.A., three M.A., two D.Min.), certificate programs, and a church-subscription offering called Wagner Leadership Global. Programs are delivered via the Moodle LMS and organized into cohorts of 12-15 students meeting over 24-30 months, supplemented by 3-4 day in-person residential training sessions held twice per year with internationally recognized faculty such as Bill Johnson, Kris Vallotton, Patricia King, Cindy Jacobs, and Lance Wallnau. Tuition is structured as a one-time fee per degree ($5,000-$10,000) with monthly, annual, or upfront payment options; certificates are $1,000 each, and Wagner Leadership Global is sold at $500 for a five-course bundle to individual students or via church subscriptions. Revenue is supplemented by charitable donations; the institution has no DOE-recognized accreditation but partners with Kairos Pacific University and Faith International University to provide accredited degree pathways and is authorized by California BPPE and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. WU operates through a small core team of approximately 11 employees, leveraging the affiliated Harvest International Ministry network for global distribution across 11 nations.

Name

Wagner University

Legal name

Wagner University

Website

https://wagner.university

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wagner University is a private, non-profit Christian institution based in Pasadena, California, delivering hybrid online and residential theological degree, certificate, and church-subscription programs to in-service ministry leaders worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM)

Keywords

• Christian ministry education
• Theological degree programs
• Hybrid online learning
• Religious leadership training
• Ministry certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Degree Program Tuition: One-time tuition rate for full degree programs paid via monthly installments, annual payments, or one-time upfront payment. Programs include D.Min. ($10,000), M.A. ($7,500), and B.A. ($5,000).
2. Certificate Courses: 10-week online certificate courses priced at $1,000 per course, payable upfront or spread over 4 months ($250/month). Wagner Leadership Global certificates at $500 total ($100/course).
3. Donations: Charitable donations from supporters to enrich student experience, recruit faculty, and expand academic programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wagner University delivers cohort-based theological degree programs (B.A., M.A., D.Min.) and certificate programs for in-service Christian leaders, combining online coursework delivered via Moodle with mandatory 3-4 day residential training sessions held in-person and online. Programs span Practical Ministry, Apostolic Leadership, Healing/Deliverance/Spiritual Warfare, Creativity & Social Transformation, and Women's Leadership, with tuition ranging from $5,000 (B.A.) to $10,000 (D.Min.) per program.

Product overview

Wagner University is a global Christian University offering a portfolio of theological and ministry training programs. The university provides a hybrid online and in-person educational model combining e-learning with residential training. The degree programs include undergraduate (B.A. in Practical Ministry, B.A. in Creativity & Social Transformation), graduate (M.A. in Apostolic Leadership and Applied Ministry, M.A. in Healing/Deliverance/Spiritual Warfare, M.A. in Women's Leadership), and doctoral levels (D.Min. in Apostolic Leadership, D.Min. in Healing/Deliverance/Spiritual Warfare). Additionally, the university offers certificate programs including Wagner Leadership Global and various certificate courses. All programs follow a cohort-based model with online courses supplemented by mandatory residential training sessions, delivered through the Moodle learning management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B.A. in Practical Ministry Bachelor's degree program (42 credits) designed for students desiring to deepen their relationship with God and gain understanding of personal identity, gifts, and calling; courses provide practical and applied understanding of God, Scripture, and ministry, preparing students as servant leaders, reformers, and revivalists in their cultural influence arena. Priced at $5,000 total tuition with $166.67/month payment plan.
• B.A. in Creativity & Social Transformation Bachelor's degree program (42 credits, 24 months) for students gifted in the Arts who want to utilize their gifts to influence the world; teaches practical art skills, art development theory, business plans, and marketing of creative art gifting for marketplace success. Priced at $5,000 total tuition with three required residential trainings.
• M.A. in Apostolic Leadership and Applied Ministry Master's degree program (48 credits, 24 months) that develops the leader within each student and prepares them for competent apostolic leadership in their sphere of cultural influence; provides pragmatic biblical foundation for church governance through Christ's 5-fold ascension gifts with specialized training in prophetic ministry, healing, power evangelism, spiritual warfare, and the 7 Mountain Kingdom Mandate. Priced at $7,500 total tuition with $250/month payment plan.
• M.A. in Healing, Deliverance & Spiritual Warfare Master's degree program (48 credits, 24 months) providing practical, hands-on training with thorough background, history, systematic theology, and practices of effective healing ministries; includes strategies for addressing ground, occult, and strategic level spiritual warfare with a practicum and portfolio completion. Priced at $7,500 total tuition with three required residential trainings.
• M.A. in Women's Leadership Master's degree program designed to enlarge personal and professional capacities of participants by leveraging God-given strengths, enhancing influence, and facilitating development of lasting relationships with women from diverse backgrounds; includes mentoring from spiritually mature leaders and instruction from experts in Marketplace, Ministry, Family, Government, and Education.
• D.Min. in Apostolic Leadership and Applied Theology Doctor of Ministry program (55 credits, 30 months) designed to enhance corporate apostolic leadership and applied theological understanding; emphasizes applied ministry for persons engaged in substantial ministerial leadership with focus on religious heritage, 7 missional mountains of cultural influence, context, spiritual depth, and capacity for ministerial and public leadership. Priced at $10,000 total tuition with $333.33/month payment plan and three required residential trainings.
• D.Min. in Healing, Deliverance & Spiritual Warfare Doctor of Ministry program (24 months) designed to develop highly skilled Spiritual Healing Practitioners equipped to launch, lead, and grow inner-healing ministries, deliverance ministries, pastoral counseling initiatives, and other forms of spiritual healing practice. Priced at $10,000 total tuition with three required residential trainings.
• Wagner Leadership Global Global certificate program with 5 core courses designed to rapidly equip and release 5-Fold Leaders to serve the Body of Christ; focuses on core theologies and Kingdom action that multiplies churches, makes disciples, and strengthens existing local churches. Accessible 100% online or through local church subscriptions at $500 total ($100/course).
• Wagner University Certificate Courses Standalone certificate courses designed to equip and empower modern leaders with Biblical principles; includes the Apostolic Leadership Certificate (10-week course), Christian Life Coach course (30-hour, 12-week program), and Women's Apostolic Leadership Certificate (10-week online program). Priced at $1,000 per course or $250/month over 4 months.
• Residential Training Intensive 2-4 day face-to-face training sessions required three times during degree programs where students receive live instruction, activation, and fellowship with internationally recognized leaders; available both in-person and online for international students, and a core component of the hybrid learning model.

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

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Faith International UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement providing transfer credits for WU students to Faith International University degree programs. Students can transfer credits toward FIU programs, creating educational pathway options.
• Kairos Pacific UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing accredited degree pathway for Wagner University students, allowing them to earn accredited credentials through the partnership.
• Academic Council for Educational Accountability (ACEA)coreOthersWU is a member of ACEA which provides accountability through relationship-based peer input and peer reviews for adult Christian schools and ministry training institutions.
• Harvest International MinistrycoreOthersAssociated organization led by Dr. Che Ahn; HRock Church in Pasadena serves as the founding church. WU works alongside the network's churches and leaders.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry: Spiritual-formation/ministry training school affiliated with Bethel Church (where Bill Johnson, a Wagner University residential instructor, is senior pastor). Overlapping student persona (in-service charismatic leaders) and overlapping faculty; key competitor for the same pool of students seeking impartation-style education.
• Christian Leadership University: Faith-based distance-learning university offering non-accredited ministerial degrees (including a D.Min.) with an apostolic-prophetic theological framework. Direct competitor in the same online, in-service-leader niche with overlapping charismatic faculty and curriculum.
• Christ For The Nations Institute (CFNI): Charismatic/Pentecostal ministry-training school in Dallas offering certificates and degrees (including ministry-focused programs) with an emphasis on missions, healing, and Spirit-empowered ministry. Comparable target market and theological posture to Wagner University.

Others

• Harvest International Ministry: Network ministry led by Dr. Che Ahn (Wagner's President) that functions as both a feeder and distribution channel for Wagner University. Not a direct academic peer, but the principal ecosystem partner through which Wagner's church-subscription and global reach operate.

Broad incumbents

• Regent University – School of Divinity: Accredited online seminary with online M.Div., M.A., and D.Min. programs. Competes for the same working-ministry-leader persona, but with the advantage of DOE-recognized accreditation — a structural head-to-head for Wagner's accreditation gap.
• Oral Roberts University: Larger accredited charismatic university offering online and residential programs in theology and ministry. Wider portfolio (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral) but overlaps with Wagner on the Spirit-empowered ministry training segment.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: Major accredited evangelical seminary offering online and hybrid M.Div., M.A., and D.Min. programs. Some Wagner faculty (Che Ahn, Ken Fish) are Fuller alumni, indicating the same candidate-student persona but a much larger and fully accredited alternative.
• Southeastern University:

Emerging players

• Eternity Bible College: Charismatic/evangelical Bible college offering affordable, accessible ministry degrees online. Comparable in target market (working ministry leaders) and theological posture, though smaller and more academically focused than Wagner.
• Destiny University: Smaller faith-based institution focused on apostolic-prophetic leadership and marketplace ministry training. Overlaps with Wagner in theology and online delivery, and serves a comparable in-service-leader segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wagneruniversity/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wagner-university

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Wagner University