Building Trust
The Association of Christian Education (ACE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening Christian education through ministry preparation, institutional support, and accreditation. We partner with Christian colleges, seminaries, Bible institutes, Christian high schools and ministry training organizations to promote educational excellence while equipping leaders to faithfully serve the Church.
We believe that strong Christian institutions produce strong Christian leaders, and strong Christian leaders strengthen the Church for generations to come.
Our Story
Recognizing Excellence. Expanding Opportunity. Strengthening the Church.
The Association of Christian Education was founded on a simple conviction: Christian institutions deserve a partner that understands their mission.
Too often, schools are forced to choose between maintaining their biblical convictions and pursuing academic excellence. We reject that false choice.
The Association of Christian Education was born from a challenge. As its founding institution, Queens College of Theology sought an accrediting partner that would evaluate academic quality while respecting the institution's unique mission, values, and theological convictions. Rather than finding an organization that fully embraced that philosophy, we recognized an opportunity to create one.
ACE was founded to partner with Christian schools, not by asking them to conform to a single institutional identity, but by helping them pursue excellence while remaining faithful to their own mission. Today, we continue that commitment by supporting Christian institutions, educators, and ministry leaders as they strengthen their schools, expand their impact, and faithfully serve the Church.
Whether serving an established seminary or an emerging Bible college, our goal remains the same: helping Christian education flourish.
Our Purpose
Building Stronger Christian Leaders. Building Stronger Christian Schools.
The Association of Christian Education exists to strengthen Christian education by empowering institutions, equipping leaders, and advancing excellence through accreditation. We also help empower students through financial scholarships.
Every classroom, every mentor, every theological discussion, and every ministry program has the potential to influence hundreds of lives for generations. Our purpose is to equip institutions with the tools, guidance, and recognition they need to fulfill that calling with excellence.
Through accreditation, educational resources, institutional support, and leadership development, we encourage continuous improvement while honoring the unique mission and convictions of every institution we serve. It's about helping those institutions have the solid foundation for success, to serve their faculty and students, who serve their Churches and their communities.
We envision a future where Christian schools flourish, ministry leaders are faithfully prepared, and Christ-centered education remains accessible to those called to serve around the world.
Whether serving an established seminary or an emerging Bible college, or a new Christian high school teacher looking for certification, our purpose remains the same: advancing Christian education for generations to come.
We are committed to serving every institution with integrity, fairness, respect, and professionalism. We believe accreditation should encourage growth, celebrate excellence, and strengthen the mission God has entrusted to each institution.
Our Approach
At the Association, we believe accreditation should be more than a process, it should be a partnership. Our role is not simply to evaluate institutions, but to encourage growth, strengthen quality, and support Christian schools as they faithfully fulfill the mission God has entrusted to them.
We recognize that no two institutions are exactly alike. Each school has its own calling, community, theological tradition, and educational model. Rather than asking institutions to conform to a single identity, we evaluate how effectively they achieve their own mission while meeting established standards of academic quality, governance, and institutional effectiveness.
Our approach is built on collaboration, continuous improvement, and mutual respect. We celebrate excellence, provide constructive guidance, and encourage innovation that strengthens both the institution and the students it serves. Throughout every stage of the accreditation process, our commitment is to uphold rigorous standards while honoring the biblical convictions that define Christian education.