About the Kanakuk Institute
The Kanakuk Institute Student
Class size ranges from 70 to 85 students. The typical student is a college graduate (degrees vary from engineering to nursing to business) between the ages of 21-30.
We have married, engaged, and single students.
There is diversity among our students, but the unifier is that they all share a desire to be equipped with biblical skills for a lifetime of ministry.
Bottom line, if you are interested in being equipped in accurately handling the Word of God, reach out to us. We’d love to have a conversation and connect!
The KI Campus at
The Cottages at Lake Shore
The Kanakuk Institute is located in the beautiful Ozark Mountains in Branson, Missouri. Our beautiful campus is located on the shores of historic Lake Taneycomo. It includes fully furnished cottages, two fishing docks, 8 boat slips, boat ramp, pavilion, conference center for gatherings. Convenient to all of Branson’s family friendly entertainment, Silver Dollar City, shopping and attractions yet nestled quietly in a secluded family friendly property.
The Institute Staff
Our team is here to guide young men and women as they devote time to study God’s Word, establish a foundation of beliefs, work through their broken past, and create a vision for their future.
When you allow the TRUTH of the Word of God to change you, it transforms your CHARACTER. You begin to welcome authentic COMMUNITY that motivates you toward DISCIPLESHIP and ultimately fulfill your PURPOSE to live out the Great Commission.
TRUTH
The Word of God is the foundation of every aspect of this program. By the end of the year, students will be able to navigate the Bible from cover to cover and will be equipped to accurately handle the truth in a world of conflicting viewpoints.
CHARACTER
Character is built through the development of a core belief system and accountability, resulting in moral integrity and excellence in every aspect of daily life.
COMMUNITY
A commitment to corporate worship, authentic accountability, and prayer fosters spiritual growth and development. On-campus living and included meal plan create a great atmosphere as well.
DISCIPLESHIP
The Kanakuk Institute equips students to reproduce Christ followers. Students are mentored, taught principles of discipleship, and have the opportunity to disciple others in the community.
PURPOSE
Students consistently find direction and develop their God-given gifts at the Institute. They leave with a vision to make an impact for the Kingdom of Christ and are equipped with biblical skills for a lifetime of ministry, regardless of occupation.
We believe that the Bible, including the Old & New Testaments, is inspired by God, a divine revelation, and without error in its original writings.
God exists and has revealed Himself as a Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The three have distinct personalities but are of the same substance…one God. (Gen. 1:1; John 10:30; 2 Cor. 13:14)
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God. He is Himself God. He took upon Him our nature, being conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross as a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of man. He was resurrected after three days. He ascended into heaven in a glorified body, where He is now at the right hand of God and our interceding High Priest. He will come again at the rapture of His church, after which He will return to visibly to set up His kingdom. (John 1:1,14, 18; Heb. 1:1-9; Luke 1:35)
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He restrains evil and convicts men of sin. He regenerates those who trust Christ as Savior. He indwells, baptizes, and seals all believers in Christ. He bestows spiritual gifts on each believer and empowers believers that are yielded to Him. These gifts are God-given abilities to be used for service unto Christ. (John 16:7-11; John 3:3-7; I Cor. 2:12,13; Eph. 4:1-16:30).
Man was created in the image and likeness of God. In Adam, all men have fallen into sin and are separated from God. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Salvation is by grace through faith in Christ; men can do nothing to merit salvation. (Rom. 2:2-5, Eph. 2:8,9; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:1)
The Church is made up of believers living life in the power of the Holy Spirit. Its mission being to witness concerning its head, Jesus Christ, and teach and preach the Gospel among all nations.
We believe that Christians are called to a life of service to Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit. Believers are to take the gospel message to the whole world and equip believers to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2017 Graduate
The Kanakuk Institute was initially designed for college graduates as it academically is graduate level school work. A typical student is a college graduate between the ages of 21-30, but as culture and college have changed, we are willing to evaluate each individual scenario to discover if someone may be a great fit despite college experience. Maturity and life experience come into play in this evaluation process. Bottom line, if you are interested in being equipped in accurately handling the Word of God, reach out to us. We’d love to have a conversation and connect!
Equipping young men and women with biblical skills for a lifetime of ministry.
Upon graduation from the Kanakuk Institute, each student receives:
- Certificate of Leadership and Biblical Studies from the Kanakuk Institute
- Up to 24 credit hours toward various degrees from our seminary partners (For more information about our seminary partnerships, click here )
No, several universities and seminaries recognize KI training as transfer credit or advanced standing toward several degree options but it is not an actual degree.
Our 1,200+ graduates primarily have gone into 4 different fields: Education (14% of our alumni), Medicine (7% of our alumni), Ministry (32% of our alumni), and Business (41% of our alumni).
The Kanakuk Institute is an eight-month discipleship training program that equips young men and women who want to impact others with the Gospel, regardless of their occupation. This is accomplished primarily through two avenues: Truth (Biblically-based curriculum) and Training (one-to-many, one-to-few, and one-to-one discipleship). For more information on a typical day at KI, click here.
The approximate cost per student attending the Kanakuk Institute is around $20,750. However, through the generosity of our donors, each student will receive a $7,500 scholarship to attend. The remaining cost is $13,000.
For more information on tuition, click here.
- Housing: each Cottage has bedroom(s), bath(s), fully stocked kitchen with appliances, dining room, and living room with SmartTV.
- Each Cottage is different with different number of bedrooms.
- Each Cottage has wifi and a Weber Grill.
- Food: 5 buffet-style meals per week
- Lunch Monday-Friday
- Books and facility fees
- Up to 24 credit hours towards various degrees from our academic partners
- Free gym membership at FBC Life Center
- Participation in an array of student life activities
Upon signing your Commitment of Excellence contract, each student will send in a $250 deposit (this is included in your overall tuition amount). After your deposit is received, the timeline for making tuition payments are as follows:
- You may pay your full tuition all at once at the beginning of the school year by September 15th.
- You may pay half of your tuition at the beginning of each semester (September 15th and January 15th).
- You may pay a set amount (determined by student based on ability to make payments) at the beginning of each month.
Your full tuition is expected to be made by Graduation in April unless a specific agreement has been made with Chad.
Note: A 5% annualized interest will be applied to any tuition that has not been paid for upon graduation.
It depends. Most of the time, a 529 plan requires the institution they make payments toward to be an accredited institution with a Federal ID #. The Kanakuk Institute is not accredited, but we would encourage you to call the company that holds your 529 plan and ask them if they allow payments to be made to a post-graduate program that is not accredited.
Yes, this is a common way students are able to financially attend the Kanakuk Institute. However, it is important to be clear with donors that gifts given to the Institute on behalf of a specific student’s tuition are not tax-deductible. Our recommendation to students raising support is to have donors give gifts directly to you as an individual, then you collect all of the gifts together and make the payment out of your account.
Yes, most students who attend KI also work a part-time job. We encourage our students to work no more than 15-20 hours/week.
65 – 75 Students
As awareness of the need to be equipped and trained in truth grows, interest and demand for the Kanakuk Institute continues to increase. Therefore, the deadline for applications is a moving target as it is dependent upon current enrollment in the upcoming class. We encourage you to apply as soon as you know you are interested. If you are interested in filling out an application in the late Spring or Summer, please contact us at admissions@kanakukinstitute.com in order to know if there are still spots available.
Classes reach maximum capacity at different times each year so knowing the latest you can sign up is a moving target. After you have been accepted to the Kanakuk Institute, your spot will be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact us at admissions@kanakukinstitute.com if you would like more detail.
Yes. Each year we have married couples that are part of the program. Both spouses do not have to participate, but you will live on campus. Contact us for more information.
Parent Testimonials
I cannot even express in words the heart transformation that Hannah experienced this year. Her maturity in Christ, her understanding of God and His purpose for her life just blossomed. It transformed her heart, her mind and her attitude. It is a testimony to the fact that when we are open to Christ, He changes us.
Cindy Ellis, parent of Hannah in Class of 2020
Questions?
Do you have questions or need more information about the Institute? We are happy to give you a call to provide more details and come alongside you as you decide what is next.