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| Motto | "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."2 Timothy 2:15 |
|---|---|
| Type | PrivateBible college |
| Established | 1886; 140 years ago (1886) |
Religious affiliation | Evangelical ChristianHigher Life movement |
| President | Mark Jobe |
| Provost | Timothy Sisk |
Academic staff | 88 full-time[1] |
| Students | 3,442 (2018)[1] |
| Location | 41°53′50″N87°37′59″W / 41.8973°N 87.6330°W /41.8973; -87.6330 |
| Campus | Urban, 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Colors | Blue and White |
Sporting affiliations | NCCAA |
| Mascot | Archers |
| Website | www |
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Moody Bible Institute (MBI) is aprivateevangelical Christian[2][3]Bible college inChicago,Illinois. It was founded by evangelist and businessmanDwight Lyman Moody in 1886. Historically, MBI has maintained positions that have identified it asnon-charismatic,dispensational, and generallyCalvinistic.[4] MBI operates undergraduate programs andMoody Theological Seminary at the Chicago campus. The Seminary also operates asatellite campus inPlymouth,Michigan. MBI also operatesMoody Aviation, an undergraduate flight school and aviation mechanic program inSpokane,Washington.[5]
Emma Dryer organized the "May Institute", a weekly meeting forprayer and fellowship, with Moody's permission in 1883. Participants in the May Institute encouraged Moody to found a school to train young people for evangelism to carry on theChristian revival tradition.
On January 22, 1886, Moody addressed church members: "I tell you what, and what I have on my heart, I believe we have got to have gap-men: men to stand between thelaity and theministers; men who are trained to do city mission work. Take men that have the gifts and train them for the work of reaching the people."[6][7] As a result of this meeting, held at Farwell Hall, the group founded the Chicago Evangelization Society for the "education and training of Christian workers, including teachers, ministers,missionaries, and musicians who may completely and effectively proclaim thegospel of Jesus Christ." The society was renamed "Moody Bible Institute" after Moody died in 1899.
Before 1900, Moody played a significant role in fund-raising to support MBI. After Moody died, however, the institute struggled financially.James M. Gray, the president of the school, invitedHenry Parsons Crowell to financially restructure the institute. Crowell established the school on business principles of productivity and performance. The MBI Executive Committee met nearly every Tuesday for the next 40 years. An administration building took years to complete, but when the building was dedicated there was no mortgage and only $50,000 left to pay.[8][when?]
Since 2012, MBI has received federal financial assistance, which means the religious institution is subject to federal rules, includingTitle IX, which prohibitssex-based discrimination. After several female students complained of being denied access to the then-male-only pastoral ministry program, the institute changed its policy in 2016.[9] However,communications instructor Janay Garrick, who helped the students file Title IX complaints, found that her employment contract would not be renewed at the end of 2017. MBI argued that her "views ongender equity (which the college was aware of when she was hired) made her incompatible with the school." As of March 2024, Garrick is pursuing aTitle VII sex-discrimination lawsuit against MBI because male colleagues "who shared heregalitarian views and joined her in speaking out against sexism on Moody Bible’s campus faced none of the harassment or retaliation directed at Garrick."[10] MBI engaged Grand River Solutions to review its Title IX compliance and make recommendations for change.[11]
In November 2017, the institution announced the closure of its campus in Spokane, Washington (excluding Moody Aviation) and reductions in other programs and services in response to continued drops in enrollment.[12] Faculty were distressed by impending job losses, and penned an anonymous letter to the administration in the student newspaper expressing concerns about faculty layoffs when the administration had just committed $22 million for a new campus building.[13] Two months later, both the President andChief Operating Officer resigned, and the provost retired. In its announcement of these changes, the institution cited "widespread concerns over the direction" of the institution.[14]
Mark Jobe, founder of the multisite New Life Community Church, became the new president in January 2019.[15] In July 2019, Jobe announced a long-range plan to redevelop portions of Moody's campus.[16] Proceeds from the sale of 8.1 acres would be earmarked for campus improvements,scholarships, endowment, and financial reserves.[17] The "North Union" project was approved by theChicago Plan Commission in July 2021[18][19] and by theChicago City Council in October 2022.[20]
| No. | Name | Term | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dwight L. Moody[a] | 1886–1889 | |
| 2 | Reuben Archer Torrey[b] | 1889–1908 | [23][21][22] |
| – | Arthur Percy Fitt[c] | 1901–1904 | [26] |
| 3 | James Martin Gray[d] | 1904–1934 | [29][30] |
| 4 | William Henry Houghton | 1934–1947 | [31] |
| 5 | William Culbertson III[e] | 1947–1971 | [32] |
| 6 | George Sweeting | 1971–1987 | [33] |
| 7 | Joseph Stowell | 1987–2005 | [34] |
| 8 | Michael J. Easley | 2005–2008 | [35][36] |
| –[f] | Ed Cannon/Charles Dyer | 2008–2009 | [36] |
| 9 | J. Paul Nyquist | 2009–2018 | [37] |
| –[g] | Greg Thornton | 2018–2019 | [37] |
| 10 | Mark Jobe | 2019–present | [38] |
MBI's stated mission is to train students for full-time ministry in churches andparachurch organizations.[39] Since 1989, it has beenaccredited by theHigher Learning Commission or its predecessor.[40] It is also accredited by theAssociation for Biblical Higher Education and theNational Association of Schools of Music.[41][42][43]
In addition to aBachelor of Arts degree, which is available in over two dozen fields including theology, the Bible, and ministries of various emphases,[44] MBI offers aBachelor of Science degree in Biblical Studies, a Bachelor of Science degree in Missionary Aviation Technology, a two-year Associates of Biblical Studies degree (ABS), and a five-yearBachelor of Music degree (BMus) in Sacred Music. Furthermore, non-degreeTESOL and Biblical Studies one-year certificates are offered.
The Moody Theological Seminary offers a Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Biblical Studies, and a Master of Counseling/Psychology.[45] A one-year graduate certificate is also offered.
In November 2009, Moody Bible Institute and Michigan Theological Seminary jointly announced plans for Michigan Theological Seminary to merge with Moody Bible Institute's Moody Theological Seminary and Graduate School.[46] In January 2010, Michigan Theological Seminary became Moody Theological Seminary–Michigan located in Plymouth, Michigan.
In addition to its educational programs, Moody has two Christian media ministries:Moody Radio andMoody Publishers.
In 1894, Moody Publishers was founded under the name Bible Institute Colportage Association (BICA). Moody's son-in-law, A. P. Fitt, managed BICA operations. Publishing was contracted to Moody's brother-in-law, Fleming Revell, and his upstart publishing company.[47] In 1895 the Colportage Library began the publication at regular intervals of books which met five specific criteria: 1. a popular readable style; 2. well-known authors or books of existing reputation; 3. strictlyevangelical andnondenominational works; 4. good workmanship, and; 5. low price.[48]
In 1941, BICA became Moody Press.[49]
In 1900, Moody Bible Institute began publishing a monthly magazine titledThe Institute Tie. In 1910, it was renamedThe Christian Workers Magazine to reflect its focus on Sunday school teachers and other Christian workers. Later, it was renamed again, toMoody Bible Institute Monthly, thenMoody Monthly.[50]Moody ceased publication in 2003.[51]
In 1926, the Institute expanded its reach beyond education and publishing by sponsoring the first non-commercial Christian radio station in America, WMBI-AM (nowWXES).[50] Over time, MBI's radio outreach grew to the Moody Broadcasting Network, which now owns and operates 36 commercial-free stations and provides programming via satellite to more than 700 outlets.
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