This year Midwestern Seminary celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the Midwestern Women’s Institute led by Mrs. Karen Allen. Midwestern Women’s Institute exists to equip women to serve their families, churches, and communities by providing them with ministry training, spiritual encouragement, and biblical fellowship. Offering classes in Old and New Testament, Teaching, Discipleship, Hermeneutics, and more, MWI offers women the opportunity to learn and grow alongside other women as they prepare for a life of ministry and leadership. To recognize this special anniversary, we’ve asked Mrs. Allen to highlight several key components of MWI and its impact.
MBTS: What is the Midwestern Women’s Institute, and how does it seek to edify and equip women, both inside and outside of the Midwestern Seminary community?
Karen B. Allen: Midwestern Women’s Institute is a certificate-level program for any woman seeking encouragement and equipping to serve her family, church, and community. We foster a Titus 2 learning community by providing our courses in an intentionally social environment. We carry out our courses in love and humility, according to the mindset prescribed in Philippians 2. Practically, this means that our instructors not only have a deep passion for their subject matter but also love teaching women and desire to see them strengthened in their spiritual lives and service to God. In all we do, our goal is that of Ephesians 4—that we would “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” That means that our courses are meant to equip students so that they can go back to their families and churches and love others well for the glory of Christ. MWI is never an end in itself but is meant to propel students into greater service to those God has placed around them, whether inside or outside of the home.
MBTS: What are some highlights or joys of MWI’s past 10 years?
Karen: Truly, the deepest joy is in the people. It’s a joy to watch students come through the program and finish feeling more equipped and more prepared to serve. I love that we get to “send” them into their next ministry opportunity surrounded by a community that is rooting for them! A personal joy is serving alongside other women—our instructors, faculty wives, and volunteers—and seeing them cultivate their gifts and then multiply themselves by serving and training other women. And then there’s joy that grew out of trial. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down residential classes, we made the choice to begin an online program. We now see that program growing and flourishing as it serves women around the country!
MBTS: What hopes and desires do you have for the future of MWI and the women it serves?
Karen: The aspects of MWI that have been constant over the past decade will steward us into the future. We desire for our purpose and values to become increasingly evident in all that we do. We look to God to continue to provide instructors who exemplify Christ and who are gifted in exhorting women to know and love Christ more. We seek to “excel still more” in how we love our students—both in the content we are teaching and the way we offer our courses—meaning when and how often courses are offered, clearing obstacles to participation through keeping course costs very low, providing free childcare for students, and making room for fellowship and sisterhood. We are praying for both our residential and online programs to continue to grow, not just in numbers but also in depth. We are asking that God would open doors for MWI to be a resource to many—both individuals and churches in the Kansas City community and beyond.
MBTS: “What would you tell another woman who was interested in taking an MWI course?”
Karen: “I would strongly encourage anyone to take the MWI courses. They are manageable for anyone’s schedule and allow you to deepen your Bible study skills. These courses have been great accountability to keep me growing and learning as a follower of Christ, as well as a ministry leader in our church. The opportunity to learn alongside so many women from around the country at such an affordable price is a gift.” – Christy Cervantes, Sugar Hill, GA
