Emmanuel is a gift-driven school, dependent on the gifts of individuals and churches. Undergraduate schools are typically funded in large part by the tuition and fees of students. Because our graduates will be pursuing ministry vocations which don’t normally bring high salaries, we are committed to keeping the cost of education low. We would not want our graduates to be discouraged from following their call to be preachers, missionaries, youth ministers or pursuing any other form of ministry.

The mission of Emmanuel is best understood in light of the name of the school and the design of its educational programs. "Emmanuel" states our confidence in the revelation of God in Christ that must permeate all studies. It points to the expectant reception by faculty and students of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of theological learning. Emmanuel is a school "of Religion" because it teaches the Bible and also those subjects that contribute effectively to an understanding of God and humankind. It includes, in addition to biblical studies, those of a historical, theological, and pastoral nature, with a view to assisting the students in attaining a comprehensive, accurate, and sympathetic understanding of their work as servants of Christ. The word "School" emphasizes the humble discipleship designed to produce a leadership and servant ministry of quality, particularly for Christian Churches/Churches of Christ. This term accents the principles of scholarship, along with the skills and character of a ministry of reconciliation within and through the Church.