The Urban Ministry Institute

What The Urban Ministry Institute does

The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) is a non-profit theological education organization founded in 1995 in Wichita, Kansas, and operated as a ministry of World Impact, a Christian missions organization. TUMI delivers seminary-level theological training through a church-based satellite network model, with its flagship Capstone Curriculum (16 modules, 32 credit hours) leading to three credentials: Certificate in Christian Leadership Studies (CLS), Certificate in Urban Theological Studies (CUTS), and Ministerial Studies Diploma (64 credit hours). Supporting products include the Foundations for Ministry Series, the Fight the Good Fight of Faith introductory course, the Spanish-language Curriculo Piedra Angular, and the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting delivered online via World Impact U plus Zoom coaching.

The platform architecture is built around DVD-based teaching content, printed mentor guides, and online modules — delivered through partner-hosted satellite training centers rather than through a single centralized institution. TUMI is intentionally non-accredited in order to keep resources available to urban leaders lacking traditional academic backgrounds, but credits can transfer to accredited partners including Fuller Theological Seminary, Pilgrim Theological Seminary, Lancaster Bible College, City Vision University, Cairn University, Global University, Biblical Seminary, and ICCS.

Go-to-market is a hybrid community-led/channel-partner model: partner churches, prisons, and denominations host training centers; international expansion requires a U.S. sponsoring church as liaison. Revenue mechanics combine curriculum sales (tumientree.com), one-time satellite site setup fees, and donation support channeled through parent World Impact. TUMI serves urban Christian leaders, incarcerated individuals (notably through its Prison Fellowship partnership operating across California, Florida, and Michigan), and indigenous ministry leaders across 16+ countries including the DRC, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, and South Africa.

Name

The Urban Ministry Institute

Legal name

The Urban Ministry Institute

Website

https://tumi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Urban Ministry Institute is a non-profit ministry of World Impact that delivers affordable theological training through a 16-module Capstone Curriculum and global satellite network. It serves urban Christian leaders, incarcerated individuals, and indigenous ministry partners across more than 16 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Theological education
• Urban ministry training
• Church-based seminary
• Leadership development
• Church planting programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Wichita

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Curriculum Sales: TUMI sells curriculum through tumientree.com including the Capstone Curriculum, Fight the Good Fight of Faith, and Foundations for Ministry Series. Materials include mentor guides and DVD teaching content.
2. Satellite Site Fees: Partner sites pay start-up costs to establish TUMI satellite training centers. Cost information is available in downloadable FAQ and sample costs documents.
3. Ministry of World Impact: TUMI is a ministry of World Impact, a Christian missions organization. Revenue supports operations through World Impact's broader funding mechanisms including donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Urban Ministry Institute provides seminary-level theological education and leadership development curricula designed specifically for urban ministry contexts. Its core offering is the 16-module Capstone Curriculum (32 credit hours) delivered through a global satellite network of partner churches, prisons, and ministries, supplemented by the Foundations for Ministry Series, Fight the Good Fight of Faith introductory course, and the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting program.

Product overview

The Urban Ministry Institute offers a comprehensive church-based seminary training ecosystem. The core portfolio includes the Capstone Curriculum (16-module, 32-credit-hour leadership development program), the Foundations for Ministry Series (supplementary courses), and Fight the Good Fight of Faith (introductory single-volume course). These programs lead to three credential pathways: the Certificate in Christian Leadership Studies (CLS), Certificate in Urban Theological Studies (CUTS), and the Ministerial Studies Diploma. TUMI delivers its training through a global satellite network of partner churches, prisons, and organizations, and offers specialized programming through the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting. All curriculum is available through the TUMI Entree store (tumientree.com).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Capstone Curriculum: A comprehensive 16-module leadership development curriculum covering preparation for effective ministry in and through the church.
• Foundations for Ministry Series
• Fight the Good Fight of Faith
• Evangel School of Urban Church Planting

Products and services

• Capstone Curriculum A comprehensive 16-module, 32-credit-hour leadership development curriculum that prepares God-called leaders for effective ministry in and through the church. Designed for church-based delivery through TUMI satellite centers.
• Foundations for Ministry Series Various courses designed to help leaders grow in their knowledge of Scripture, theology, the Christian life, and practical ministry. Ideal for individual or group study including Sunday schools, Bible studies, and small groups.
• Fight the Good Fight of Faith A single volume introductory course useful for introducing new students to TUMI's training. Students who complete it are ready to enter TUMI's Capstone seminary training.
• Curriculo Piedra Angular Spanish-language version of the foundational curriculum for urban ministry training, serving Spanish-speaking partners in Latin America and other regions.
• Evangel School of Urban Church Planting A training program offered through Certified Evangel Deans who train and coach church plant teams using the Ripe for Harvest guidebook to develop contextualized models and twelve-month plans for planting churches in urban communities of poverty.
• Ripe for Harvest: A Guidebook for Planting Healthy Churches in the City The official textbook of the Evangel School, outlining a process of church planting that respects unique cultures, environments, and communities.
• Certificate in Christian Leadership Studies (CLS) The most popular certificate, conferred upon students who complete the 16-module, 32-credit-hour Capstone Curriculum program through an approved TUMI satellite.
• Certificate in Urban Theological Studies (CUTS) A 32-credit-hour certificate program combining courses from Capstone Curriculum, Foundations Series, and Site Developed Courses.
• Ministerial Studies Diploma An advanced program requiring completion of 64 credit hours total, beginning with a Ministry Assessment Project and including Biblical Studies, Theology and Ethics, Christian Ministry, and Urban Mission coursework.
• TUMI Satellite Program Partner ministry structure allowing churches, Christian organizations, prisons, and denominations to establish training centers using TUMI curriculum, administrative tools, and experience while maintaining their own identity and independence.
• Prison Ministry Training Specialized TUMI programming for state and federal prisons, developed in partnership with Prison Fellowship, providing seminary-level training behind prison walls to incarcerated individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 218 state prisoners currently enrolled in California program; planned expansion to reach 960 additional inmates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prison FellowshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership expansion announced March 2012 for leadership training program for prisoners. TUMI program operates 7 classes in 5 California prisons involving 218 state prisoners, with plans to expand to 32 classes and 960 additional inmates over 24 months. Prison Fellowship handles prison access and relationships while TUMI provides curriculum.
• World ImpactcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995TUMI is a ministry of World Impact, a Christian missions organization that has been sharing the gospel in inner-cities of America since 1971. World Impact evangelizes and disciples the unreached urban poor, helping them form dynamic congregations. TUMI serves as the training arm for developing leaders in these congregations.
• Fuller Theological SeminaryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited seminary partnership offering credit for successful completion of TUMI's Capstone Curriculum. Students can transfer TUMI credits toward graduate level credit at Fuller.
• Pilgrim Theological SeminaryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartners with TUMI to offer modified Associate in Ministry degree. TUMI courses count as one credit per module (18 credits total) toward degree. No tuition or fees for credit transfers; $10 exam fee waived for TUMI students.
• Lancaster Bible CollegeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited liberal arts college partnership offering credit for TUMI Capstone Curriculum completion.
• City Vision UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited university partnership offering credit for TUMI program completion.
• Cairn UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited university partnership offering credit for TUMI Capstone Curriculum.
• Global UniversityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited university partnership offering credit for TUMI program completion.
• Biblical SeminaryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited seminary partnership offering credit for TUMI Capstone Curriculum.
• ICCS (International Christian College of Seminary)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited seminary partnership offering credit for TUMI program completion.
• Mission IndiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing TUMI curriculum access to ministry partners in India.
• Association of Biblical Higher EducationminorOthersTUMI affiliates with ABHE, an accrediting association of schools and seminaries. While TUMI itself is non-accredited, this affiliation demonstrates commitment to academic excellence.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fuller Theological Seminary: Accredited evangelical seminary that is both a TUMI credit-transfer partner and a direct comparable in urban ministry/theological education. Overlaps heavily in target student and curriculum areas, with Fuller as the accredited counterpart to TUMI's non-accredited model.
• Lancaster Bible College: Accredited Bible college that accepts TUMI Capstone credits. Direct peer in mission (training Christian leaders), curriculum (biblical/theological/ministry studies), and target student (undergraduate-level ministry preparation), with a similar evangelical identity.
• City Vision University: Accredited online university focused on urban ministry, nonprofit leadership, and addiction studies. Closely comparable in target market (urban Christian leaders), delivery model (online/affordable), and thematic focus — essentially a direct adjacent competitor in urban theological education.
• Pilgrim Theological Seminary: Accredited seminary that transfers TUMI credits into a modified Associate in Ministry / Bachelor of Divinity pathway with no tuition charged. Closely aligned with TUMI's mission and operates as both a partner and a direct comparable in urban-focused ministerial training.

Broad incumbents

• Prison Fellowship: National prison ministry organization that is TUMI's strategic partner for prison-based theological training. Comparable in mission (equipping incarcerated individuals as leaders), customer base (incarcerated populations), and operational scope, though its core function is prison ministry operations rather than curriculum delivery.
• Moody Bible Institute: Long-established evangelical Bible college/seminary offering theological education and ministry training. Comparable in product category (undergraduate and graduate ministry credentials) and target market (Christian leaders), but with broader scope and accredited degree-granting status that TUMI deliberately forgoes.
• Dallas Theological Seminary: Accredited graduate-level theological seminary with a similar evangelical orientation and a portfolio of ministry-leadership programs. Comparable as a seminary training peer, though DTS focuses on traditional accredited pathways rather than TUMI's church-based satellite model.
• World Impact: Parent organization of TUMI and a broader urban missions agency operating in inner cities since 1971. Closely related in mission, donor base, and operational geography; effectively the strategic platform TUMI sits within.
• Liberty University: Large accredited evangelical university with a School of Divinity and online theological degrees at low cost. Comparable as a low-cost, accessible theological education option for Christian leaders, though with much broader scope, accredited credentials, and substantially larger scale.

Others

• Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE): Industry accrediting association for Bible colleges and theological schools, of which TUMI affiliates. Not a competitor but a peer in the broader ecosystem that defines quality standards TUMI opts not to pursue as an accredited institution.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-urban-ministry-institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Urban Ministry Institute