Evangel president: Seminary must ‘stand on its own’ financially

Wade Mumm: Seminary is reviewing programs, looking for ways to save money.

Founded over five decades ago, the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary has been an embedded part of Evangel University since a consolidation was approved in 2013, but an effort is underway to put space between the institutions’ operating budgets. 

“The seminary has to stand on its own,” said Evangel President Mike Rakes in a recent interview with Springfield Business Journal. “Evangel is not going to underwrite the red ink over at the seminary.” 

Rakes said the university and seminary have a close, mutually beneficial relationship and share efficiencies – including certain overhead expenses – because they are on the same campus. 

He said Evangel will continue to provide a level of support, but the goal is for the seminary to generate enough revenue through tuition, fees and other sources including grants to cover its annual operating expenses.  

Rakes said the move will strengthen both institutions’ financial positions and noted the seminary is “not going anywhere.” 

He said the seminary has been steadily growing its enrollment. However, in an effort to make it more affordable, tuition per credit hour was cut roughly in half.  

Last fall, it reported an overall headcount of 414 students – an increase of 23% over the prior year – but only 202 full-time, according to the Association of Theological Schools, which accredits AGTS.  

The seminary is approved to offer a series of master’s and doctoral degrees, but the mix of students has shifted. More than 85% of students now study online, meaning there is limited foot traffic on the campus. 

“Almost nobody is moving to Springfield to go a seminary. They are working jobs. Their adjuncts are all over the world teaching,” Rakes said. “They have to make their cost model work, and they are working through that.” 

Rakes said even with more students and tighter spending, Evangel has long absorbed any shortfall.  

“We need to cover as much of our expenses as we can. The university is there … and they cover a lot of expenses we don’t have to cover, and we thank God for that,” said Wade Mumm, vice president of AGTS since 2023.  

Mumm said the annual operating budget for the seminary has been “between $2.5 and $3.5 million” in recent years. Asked if the seminary generated enough revenue to currently cover the entire cost, Mumm answered: “We still need the university.” 

He said talks are ongoing about what expenses the seminary will cover versus Evangel. Those details were not yet finalized.  

The seminary opened its doors to students on Sept. 4, 1973, 18 years after the founding of Evangel. There are other Assemblies of God seminaries with graduate programs, but this is the only one founded by the Assemblies of God National Office, which is based in Springfield.  

Mumm said seminaries are often embedded in a university because they need extra support.  

“We’re beholden to the national office, and our job is to provide that theological education from our Pentecostal perspective as we raise up and educate pastors, missionaries, chaplains and other church leaders,” he said. 

Nailing down the exact number of employees is tough, Mumm said. Its accrediting body listed just two full-time faculty in fall 2025. 

Mumm said there are full-time staffers who take care of day-to-day activities – and many also teach classes – plus a slew of adjunct instructors. Some positions are paid for by grants. 

Evangel recently cut 16 faculty positions, through a mix of attrition and contract release, and two were in the seminary. Mumm confirmed Rick Wadholm and Paul Lewis were released “because of financial constraints.” 

“I was the only full-time Bible faculty at the seminary,” said Wadholm, associate professor of Old Testament, who learned in April that his contract had not been renewed. “Everyone else is part-time.” 

Wadholm, hired in 2021, said he remains baffled the seminary is cutting positions while enrollment is growing, driven in part by new programs and an option that makes it easier to work toward a degree from other parts of the globe. 

“I am grieving for my students, past and present,” he wrote in a social media post in April. “I am grieving the loss of co-workers who have been family.” 

Lewis, professor of historical theology and intercultural studies, arrived at the seminary as a missionary in residence since 2012 and worked in different roles. One was associate dean of the seminary for a time. 

Lewis said in an interview with SBJ he was called to a meeting two months ago and told his contract would not be renewed.  

“It was like ‘OK, I need to pivot now,’” he said. “For academics, the timing is absolutely horrible because to be notified April 2 and to try and get a new teaching position for the fall, it’s woefully late.”  

Wadholm and Lewis said their final paychecks were dated May 15. Both are looking for other jobs, primarily outside of Missouri. 

Mumm said in addition to generating more revenue through tuition, the seminary is also scrutinizing programs to look for savings. 

“We are making sure we use what resources we have responsibly,” he said. “That’s just the right thing to do, particularly in our current climate.” 

For example, AGTS will no longer accept new students to a doctoral program in Bible theology.  

“We’re pausing it and then we’re hoping to go to a different model, more of a cohort model,” Mumm said.