Equipping Leaders for Gospel Ministry

Memphis City Seminary advances the kingdom of God by educating, equipping, and mobilizing Christ-like leaders for effective gospel ministry.

View a one-page overview of our seminary

What It’s Like to Be a Student at Memphis City Seminary

A Seminary for Memphis

Though expressed in various iterations, since 2006, the leadership of MCS has been providing access to Christian higher education in Memphis. Recognizing theological education as a vital need for our city, MCS eventually launched as a standalone entity in 2019 and offered its first class in the Spring of 2020. 

Several years and graduates later, MCS is better positioned than ever to pursue its institutional goals of providing a comprehensive, contextual, affordable, and accessible theological education that enables students to follow our Lord Jesus Christ faithfully and earnestly throughout their lifetime of ministry.

Affordable: Due to the economic difficulties facing many in Memphis, graduate-level training is often out of reach for most ministry leaders. To meet this challenge, MCS keeps its tuition well below typical seminary costs by mobilizing its organizational resources and building an institutional fundraising base.

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Comprehensive: MCS believes in holistic, lifelong theological education, offering degree programs that prepare individuals for ordination and leadership in ministry. These degree programs integrate specific instruction aimed at four interconnected goals: Knowledge, Character, Skills, and Vision.

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Contextual: With professors and courses addressing the ongoing needs of our cultural moment, MCS prepares its students for Christian ministry within and alongside local churches in Memphis. We are a diverse institution that reflects Memphis’ denominational, socio-economic, and ethnic makeup, and we are eager to highlight theological contributions from around the world.

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Accessible: We utilize three class structures to accommodate students at various stages of life, ministry, and work. Evening weekly classes, weekend intensives, and three-day intensives are all designed to provide a high-quality theological education in a format that doesn't require students to put their lives on pause, allowing them to complete their entire degree right here in Memphis.

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In Memphis.
For the Kingdom.

Memphis City Seminary advances the kingdom of God by educating, equipping, and mobilizing Christ-like leaders for effective gospel ministry. Rooted in the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, MCS offers a comprehensive, contextual, affordable, and accessible theological education—preparing pastors, ministry leaders, and lay servants to faithfully follow our Lord Jesus Christ for a lifetime of ministry.

From Called to Equipped

  • Chris Devine

    “I have appreciated the diversity of MCS. The classes generally have been made up of people from a variety of ages, ethnicities, occupations, churches, and neighborhoods. This brings a unique type of in-class discussion that has been very beneficial.”

    –

    Chris Devine
    MABS Graduate

  • Rickey Fondren

    “Gratefully embracing this journey called life, I’m currently serving as the Pastor and Director of the Collective Adults Community at Hope Church Memphis. In a continued pursuit of deeper faith and obedience, I believe the Lord led me to pursue my Master of Divinity at THE Memphis City Seminary! My desire is simple: I want everything God has for me – and I want my life to bring glory to His name.”

    –

    Rickey Fondren
    MDiv Graduate

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    “I have loved being a student at MCS. The leadership deeply loves the Lord, MCS students, and the city of Memphis. You see it in their teaching, their care, and their accessibility. I’ve never felt like just a face in the crowd—they champion each student’s unique calling. MCS has encouraged me to believe that what God has placed before me is possible—and can be done in excellence.”

    –

    Jocelyn Potter
    MABS Student

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Connecting Churches,
Cultivating Relationships

Change in Memphis happens at the speed of trust. 

This map displays the churches and ministries where our students currently serve and/or attend, demonstrating our city-wide passion and vision.

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Church Representation

Denominations, networks, and affiliations represented at our seminary

Student Demographics

Ethnicity of MDiv students

A donut chart showing the racial and ethnic composition of a group with percentages for White (48%), Black or African American (33%), Hispanic/Latino (11%), Indigenous, Pacific Islander, Biracial (8%).

Gender of All Enrolled Students

A donut chart showing gender distribution with 68% male and 32% female.
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Student to
Teacher Ratio

11:1

Leadership and Staff

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Taylor Tollison, MA, ThM, PhD Candidate
President
✉️ Contact

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Joanne Lewis, MA
VP of Advancement
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Jeremy Jones, MDiv, PhD
Academic Dean and Full-Time Professor
✉️ Contact

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George Robertson, MDiv, ThM, PhD
Chancellor and Part-Time Professor
✉️ Contact

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Savannah Green, MDiv
Academic Coordinator
✉️ Contact

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Elizabeth Lambe, MA (in progress)
Advancement Coordinator
✉️ Contact

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Jessica McClure, MLS
Library Consultant
✉️ Contact

Board Members

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Ron Hickman

Board Chairman

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Brian Lewis

President Emeritus of
Memphis City Seminary

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Michael Davis

Chief Collaborative Officer
with the EPC

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Molly Witherington

Member at Second
Presbyterian Church

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Tina Walker

Executive Vice President & COO at Patriot Bank

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Rufus Smith

Senior Pastor, Hope Church
Executive Chairman, Memphis Christian Pastors’ Network

Want to know more?

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