Anchor
college

calling, equipping, and community.

As followers of Jesus, we long for significance—to discern God’s calling, take faith-filled risks, and make an impact in the world. Anchor College of Discipleship & Ministry is where you can explore and be equipped for your calling in a community of learners where you’re known and valued.

You’ll be challenged, filled with wonder, and experience God’s presence through in-person and online college-level Bible and theology courses taught by Anchor College faculty who integrate theology, ministry practices, and spiritual formation.

At Anchor College you can earn credits toward undergraduate or graduate ministry degrees at a fraction of traditional costs through our collaboration with Crown College.

Spiritual Formation Cohort

In the noise and hurry all around us, we dare to wonder: Is there more?  More of God. More to life. More to who we’re becoming. We sense we’re living at the surface while our souls ache for depth. The Spiritual Formation Cohort is a space to discover that there truly is more.

Learn more

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affordable college credit

Anchor College of Discipleship & Ministry offers affordable college-level Bible and theology courses from trusted and thoughtful instructors. Students can receive a 30-credit Biblical Studies Certificate, earn academic credit at Crown College for eligible courses with a performance of 80% or above, apply eligible Anchor College courses toward a qualifying degree program at Crown College, and receive a tuition discount when they enroll at Crown to complete their degree.

Anchor College programs

Anchor College has established an agreement with Crown College that allows Anchor College to offer selected courses that are accepted by Crown as college credit when students perform at 80% or beyond and transfer into Crown.

Our Agreement with Crown College

Individual
courses

Choose Courses that meet your needs
Individual courses can be eligible for academic credit at Crown

biblical studies certificate

Complete 10 courses (30 credits) over 2-3 years
Satisfiy C&MA educational requirement for licensing
Can qualify Anchor lay leaders as Care Pastors at their campuses.

blended-curriculum degree program

Complete general education requirements at a community college or other institution.
Take 30 to 42 credit hours of Anchor College courses, including ministry practicums that provide hands-on ministry experience in a supervised setting.
Complete remaining degree requirements online through Crown while participating in ministry at Anchor and other partnering ministry sites locally or globally.

Care Pastor pathway

Apply to be part of a community of volunteer Care Pastors at Anchor
Get equipped, developed, and deployed to serve pastorally in the Anchor community
Prerequisites: 2 select Anchor College classes, along with Soul Care and Inner Healing Prayer Training through Anchor Church
Applications required. Click to here to apply.

Spiritual Formation Certification Cohort, Fall 2026

Belong to an 18-month cohort that meets offsite for four four-day retreat-based learning immersions.
Discover contemplative spiritual practices, the nature of the Trinity, your hidden false self and your true self as God’s beloved.
Experience spiritual direction in ongoing Triads, and learn to host others in listening and discernment.
Deepen your understanding of God's loving pursuit of humanity as you encounter the wisdom of earlier voices in Church history.
Be prepared for further training as a Spiritual Director.
Prerequisites: Anchor College courses: Sacred Stories, Spiritual Development, church-based training in Inner Healing Prayer and Soul Care
Click here to learn more about the cohort.
Applications required. Click to here to apply.

have questions?

Have another question? We’d love to speak with you.

Why Anchor College?

The hunger for purpose and need for spiritually grounded leaders are as strong as ever, but the costs for ministry training can be prohibitive. Anchor College of Discipleship & Ministry offers affordable, robust theological training in a thriving ministry setting that understands our cultural moment and invites wrestling with challenging topics, personal formation, and community.
Anchor College students can earn college credit at less than 20% of traditional college costs through our partnership with Crown College, an accredited Christian college affiliated with the Christian & Missionary Alliance.
Anchor College equips students for wherever God is calling them—to personal growth, ministry leadership, or serving and leading in their churches, communities, and homes.
Anchor College students receive a 50% discount on undergrad and 25% discount on graduate tuition when they enroll in Crown College to complete their ministry degrees.

Who teaches Anchor College classes?

Anchor College instructors have a master’s degree or beyond in a biblical or theological field, and are committed to equipping each student for their calling. They are pastors, teachers and ministry leaders who value curiosity, invite questions, and embrace the teaching and traditions of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

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Are all Anchor College classes eligible for college credit at Crown?

When students perform at 80% or above in eligible Anchor College courses, they can transfer these credits to Crown College when they enroll as online or traditional students at Crown. For a complete listing of current Anchor College courses that are eligible for Crown College credit, click here.

Is Anchor College an accredited institution?

Anchor College is recognized by the Washington Student Achievement Council as a church-based seminary program for ministry education. As such, Anchor College undergoes regular reviews by the state, and is exempt from oversight that broader educational institutions undergo. Anchor College’s eligible courses are accepted as credit through Crown College when students perform at 80% or above and transfer their Anchor College credits when they enroll at Crown. Crown College is an accredited higher education institution.

How are Anchor College and Crown College related?

Click here for an easy-to-read version of our agreement with Crown College.

Click here for the long version of our agreement with Crown College.

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What classes and programs are available at Anchor School?

We offer courses on a 1-2-year rotation, so that you can take all the courses that are required for the 30 credit Biblical Studies Certificate and that satisfy the education requirements for licensing in the C&MA can earn your Biblical Studies Certificate in 2 years or less.
Students can take any number of Anchor College courses for personal growth and development.
Some Anchor College courses have a graduate level option. See the catalog for details.
Any course can be audited by students who want to participate by reading the content and attending class, but who don’t desire to do assignments that lead to college credit.
Check out the Anchor College Course Catalog, with current and proposed future course descriptions and program offerings.

How much do Anchor College Courses cost?

2023-24 Anchor College course fees are per class, and each class is 3 credit hours.

$270 for undergrad level classes
$320 for graduate level classes
$150 for auditing any class

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How do I sign up for Anchor College?

If you’d like to pursue the Biblical Studies Certificate or are pursuing a call to ministry, reach out to Susan Bouterse for academic advising and for connections at Crown College that you’ll find helpful.

Are Anchor College classes both in-person and online?

Yes! While in-person participation offers advantages, most classes have an online option for students outside the Tacoma area. Students register as in-person or online participants, and online students receive a Zoom link that enables them to attend during the scheduled class time. Due to the value of participation and engagement as a class, Anchor College does not offer an asynchronous online option.

Reap the Benefits

As a student at Anchor College, you can expect engaging instruction with small class sizes and content that's curated for personal and ministry growth. Anchor College class sessions are two hours per week for seven weeks, and include readings and assignments appropriate to the academic level taken--Audit (reading and class participation only), Undergraduate, or Graduate (if available).

Small class sizes
Personal engagement
Freedom to wonder and question
Affordable ministry training
Opportunities for ministry practicums

Community based
Trusted instructors
Integration of theory with practice
Tracks toward lay leadership at Anchor
Credentials toward licensing and ordination

A hand holding a pen writing on a piece of paper.

Compare the costs

Per undergrad credit, no fees.

Pacific Lutheran University

$871
‍

Northwest university

$592
‍

Crown
college

$540
‍

Grand canyon university

$275
‍

Anchor
College

$90
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Current Courses

View Full course catalog

Ministry Practicum

In this undergraduate course, you'll gain practical ministry experience through mentored leadership opportunities that leverage your gifts and calling and help advance the mission of Anchor Church. Over a 16-week period, you’ll spend 112 ministry hours developing competencies under the supervision of a designated ministry leader who has pre-approved your practicum with them.

Ministry Residency

In this graduate course, you'll gain practical ministry experience through mentored leadership opportunities that leverage your gifts and calling and help advance the mission of Anchor Church. Over a 16-week period, you’ll spend 112 ministry hours developing competencies under the supervision of a designated ministry leader who has pre-approved your practicum with them.

Sacred Stories

Sep 21

Nov 2

Recognize your sacred story and how God has been present in it amidst the people, experiences, successes, and challenges you've known. Experience him more deeply as you explore your own God-given identity, gifts, and unique design, and discover deeper soul formation through the rich theology and practice of Christianity through the ages. This course is a prerequisite for the Spiritual Formation Certification Cohort. Not eligible for Crown College credit.

Teaching & Preaching for Transformation

Sep 24

Nov 5

We’re always communicating—our thoughts, plans, hopes, and our experience of God. What if you could share the hope of Jesus in a way that truly connects? In Teaching & Preaching for Transformation, you’ll grow as a communicator who speaks with clarity and purpose. You’ll discover your voice, learn to engage others, and develop the skills to communicate the hope of Jesus with humility and impact.

Biblical Leadership in a Global Culture

Oct 14

Dec 2

What if using your voice, gifts, or influence to their fullest begins not with a platform, but with humility? In this course, you’ll explore the scriptural vision of leadership with a focus on the way of Jesus—servant leadership. You’ll grow as a leader who listens well, leads humbly, and engages thoughtfully across diverse cultural contexts.

The New Testament Story

Jan 11

Mar 1

Enter the world behind the New Testament—its people, places, and first-century context—and discover how it all fits together. Following the unfolding story of Jesus and the new creation, you’ll learn to read Scripture with greater clarity, recognize its unifying themes, and understand the structure and message of each book.

Knowing God I: God, Scripture, & the Human Story

Jan 14

Mar 4

How do we come to know God—and ourselves—rightly? In Knowing God I, you’ll examine core doctrines including revelation, the trustworthiness of Scripture, the nature of God, creation, humanity, and sin. You’ll engage diverse theological perspectives while thoughtfully considering these themes through the lens of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

The Christian Imagination: Art as Spiritual Formation, Prophetic Witness, and the Pursuit of Beauty

Jan 20

Feb 17

Knowing God II: Jesus, the Holy Spirit, & God's People

Mar 15

May 3

What we believe shapes how we see God, the Church, and the world. Dive into core doctrines—the atonement, the person of Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the nature of the Church, and the future God promises. You’ll engage diverse theological viewpoints while considering these themes through the lens of the Christian & Missionary Alliance.

Living for the Good: Word, Deed, & Life on Mission

Mar 18

May 6

Deepen your understanding of the mission of God as you develop a life that draws others to Jesus. Consider challenging questions about eternal destiny as you explore what scripture teaches about the story and mission of God, and our part as Jesus-followers in making him known through our words and deeds in our neighborhoods and nations.