HILLSBORO, Kan.—Tabor College has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for its M.A. in Ministry graduate degree, marking a significant milestone in the college’s expansion of graduate-level education. The two-year, hybrid program will officially begin in summer 2026, designed to provide biblical and theological depth and practical ministry skills in real-world settings.
Set at 36 credit hours through seven-week modules, this formative degree was crafted by US Mennonite Brethren (USMB) church leadership and Tabor faculty to meet the needs of evangelical churches worldwide.
Born out of the goal to see more Mennonite Brethren-trained church planters, missionaries, pastors, and other leaders, this program will equip students from a broad range of aligned denominational and non-denominational backgrounds to serve their local church and beyond.
“The church-college collaboration has produced a streamlined and innovative master’s degree program that combines the flexibility of online education with live and in-person elements,” said Eric Foster-Whiddon, Ph.D., program director. “The result is a vibrant community of students and faculty who are all embedded in real ministry contexts.”
After launching graduate courses in ministry in August 2025, the accreditation allows these students to have prior credits transferred and graduate with an M.A. in Ministry in May 2027.
“Our faculty are uniquely qualified to instruct current and future generations of church leaders and harvest workers,” said Dale Lemke, Ph.D., vice president of academic affairs. “We are humbled to offer our academics to partner with churches in our denomination and across the globe.”
Guided by a nine-member advisory board in partnership with USMB Central and Southern district churches, the program is designed to elevate students as they minister in their local churches and communities.
“Accreditation of the M.A. in Ministry reflects Tabor’s ongoing commitment to providing graduate education grounded in academic rigor and service to the church,” President David Janzen, Ph.D. (g’90) said. “We’re grateful for our partnership with US Mennonite Brethren (USMB) Churches and excited to equip generations of pastors and church leaders for USMB and many other congregations worldwide.”
Learn more about the M.A. in ministry attabor.edu/maministry and all other graduate offerings at tabor.edu/online.
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Established in 1908 and located in Hillsboro, Kan., Tabor College is a Christian liberal arts college affiliated with the Central, Southern, Eastern, and Latin American Districts of the United States Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.