Concordia Lutheran Seminary

What Concordia Lutheran Seminary does

Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) is a non-profit theological institution located at 7040 Ada Blvd in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that trains pastors and deacons for Lutheran Church-Canada. The firm's foundational year is reported as 1984 in firmographic records, with initial ATS accreditation by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada in 1998, a comprehensive review in 2021, and the next evaluation scheduled for 2028. The seminary offers a Master of Divinity (MDiv), the only ATS-accredited degree, plus a Graduate Diploma in Parish Services (GDPS) for diaconal ministry, a Colloquy program for pastors from other denominations seeking to serve in Lutheran Church-Canada, and a Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program administered in partnership with Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines. Continuing education is delivered through QUEST courses (online since 2014) and a ~20,000-volume library with German-language and Parish special collections.

The underlying technology stack is limited and conventional: Populi serves as the student information system, DTL2 provides library electronic databases, and the public website is built on Squarespace. There are no public APIs, SDKs, mobile applications, or third-party AI integrations. Headcount is in the 11-50 range across named faculty and administrative staff including the President/Interim Academic Dean, Coordinator of Diaconal Ministries/Academic Dean, a Director of Recruitment & Admissions, Director of Field Education & Vicarage, Director of the Library, and administrative support.

Revenue mechanics are built on three streams: tuition and program fees (MDiv, GDPS), donations and charitable gifts (via e-transfer, pre-authorized debit, credit card, PayPal Giving Fund Canada, and legacy bequests), and the Adopt a Student sponsorship program (October through June 30). Tuition is not publicly disclosed. The customer base is overwhelmingly the Lutheran Church-Canada denomination, with secondary segments comprising pastors from other denominations (Colloquy), international students, and lifelong learners (QUEST). Go-to-market relies on denominational networks and the Lutheran Women's Missionary League of Canada (LWMLC), supplemented by a weekly Mailchimp newsletter, YouTube content, and the annual Sacred Convocation live stream; admissions are handled directly by faculty and staff.

Name

Concordia Lutheran Seminary

Legal name

Concordia Lutheran Seminary

Website

https://concordiasem.ab.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Concordia Lutheran Seminary is a non-profit theological institution in Edmonton, Alberta, offering an ATS-accredited Master of Divinity and diaconal programs primarily to train pastors and deacons for Lutheran Church-Canada congregations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Theological education
• Seminary programs
• Graduate theological degrees
• Pastoral training
• Distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue from degree programs including Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Graduate Diploma in Parish Services (GDPS). Tuition-based educational services form the core revenue stream for the seminary.
2. Donations and Charitable Gifts: The seminary accepts donations through multiple channels: Bank E-transfer (direct deposit), Pre-Authorized Debit, Credit Card, PayPal Giving Fund Canada, and Legacy bequests. Gifts designated toward board-approved programs are used as designated.
3. Adopt a Student Program: Sponsors commit to walking alongside students by writing letters, lifting them up in prayer, and sharing financial support. The program runs from October to June 30, following the academic and fiscal year.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Concordia Lutheran Seminary delivers ATS-accredited graduate theological education that forms pastors and deacons for ministry in Lutheran Church-Canada. Its core offerings include the residential Master of Divinity (MDiv) program, a Graduate Diploma in Parish Services (GDPS) for diaconal ministry, a Colloquy track for pastors from other denominations, and the Pastors with Alternate Training (PAT) program, complemented by QUEST continuing-education courses and an on-site library of approximately 20,000 volumes.

Product overview

Concordia Lutheran Seminary offers a unified seminary education focused on forming Pastors and Deacons who think theologically and serve with spiritual care across Lutheran Church-Canada. The institution provides ATS-accredited theological education through its core Master of Divinity program and supplementary programs including the Graduate Diploma in Parish Services for diaconal ministry, Colloquy for pastors from other denominations, and the PAT program for alternate training situations. The seminary also offers QUEST continuing education courses, maintains a library of approximately 20,000 volumes, and provides student support services including transcript ordering and international student assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (MDiv) ATS-accredited graduate degree program preparing men for pastoral ministry in Word and Sacrament. The program achieves a 69% completion rate with an average GPA of 3.72 and 100% of graduates certified for ordination within 12 months.
• Graduate Diploma in Parish Services (GDPS)

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of graduates certified for ordination and placed in a congregation within 12 months of graduation
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS works on behalf of Lutheran Church-Canada with trained pastors or deacons from other denominations seeking to serve in LCC through the Colloquy program. The seminary develops tailored programs of study for colloquy candidates, typically involving 1-2 years of faculty involvement. PAT program is overseen by LCC President's Ministry Council.
• Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. CatharinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PAT (Pastors with Alternate Training) programme is administered by Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary, St. Catharines, in partnership with CLS. This seminary partnership enables delivery of theological education for extraordinary circumstances in unique ethnic, cultural, or geographical situations.
• Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLS is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of ATS, a membership organization of more than 250 graduate schools. ATS accredits the seminary and approves degree programs including the Master of Divinity.
• Lutheran Women's Missionary League of Canada (LWMLC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLWMLC societies participate as groups in the Adopt a Student program, providing sponsorship and support for seminary students. These church women's groups serve as referral partners and financial supporters.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Horizon College and Seminary: A Canadian Mennonite Brethren college and seminary in Saskatchewan offering graduate theological degrees. Comparable as a small, denominational, ATS-affiliated seminary serving Western Canada.
• Lutheran Theological Seminary (Saskatoon): An ELCIC-affiliated seminary offering MDiv and other theological programs in Saskatchewan. Direct peer in the Canadian Lutheran seminary space, sharing the same target market of denominational ministerial formation.
• Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (St. Catharines): An ATS-accredited Lutheran seminary in Ontario that jointly administers the PAT program with CLS. Most direct peer: same denomination, similar MDiv focus, and explicit operational partnership on alternative training pathways.
• Providence Theological Seminary: An ATS-accredited evangelical seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba offering MDiv and graduate theological programs. Comparable as a small Canadian seminary with denominational backing and a similar ministerial formation mission.
• Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary: A small denominational seminary in Cochrane, Alberta offering theological and ministerial training. Comparable as a small Western Canadian seminary focused on forming church leaders for a specific denomination.
• Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute: Provides Lutheran theological and biblical education in Western Canada, serving a similar student population to CLS. Comparable as a Lutheran formation institution, though more focused on diploma-level studies.

Broad incumbents

• Regent College: An ATS-accredited graduate school of Christian studies in Vancouver offering an MDiv-equivalent and other theology programs. Comparable as a Canadian ATS-accredited theological school, though broader in denominational scope and not Lutheran-specific.
• Wycliffe College: An ATS-accredited Anglican theological school federated with the University of Toronto. Comparable as a denominational graduate theological institution in Canada offering accredited ministerial formation.
• Tyndale University: An ATS-accredited Christian university and seminary in Toronto offering MDiv and other graduate theological programs. Comparable as a larger, established Canadian theological institution that competes for the same general pool of ministerial candidates.

Regional players

• St. Andrew's College (Lutheran): A Lutheran theological college federated with the University of Waterloo serving the Eastern Canada ELCIC constituency. Comparable as a Lutheran ministerial formation institution, though primarily serving a different geographic region than CLS.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL8y3aoNf307fbzGySXIjr-pkrv6wYv4Vg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ConcordiaLutheranSeminary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/concordia-lutheran-seminary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Concordia Lutheran Seminary