In early 2016, the founders of Open Christian Ministries (OCM), Prof. Dr. Sixbert SANGWA and Prof. Dr. Placide MUTABAZI met in the workplace, by the grace of God, to initiate a ministry whose mission was entrusted to them independently. The unison ushered in God-guided preparations that encompassed a series of personal development and networking opportunities that ultimately culminated in the formation of Open Christian Ministries and its sister ministry “Open Christian University” in 2019.

The mission of Open Christian Ministries is to foster the integration of biblical principles into business and professional affairs. The organization was guided to focus on [1] Marketplace Ministry, [2] Christian Charity] and [3] Christian Education. Open Christian University, being one of the ministries of Open Christian Ministries, was mandated to train and empower marketplace ministers for an effective end-time harvest.

Open Christian Ministries was first registered in South Africa on July 21, 2021, and hosted the Open Christian University, which provided online ministerial training for global ministers, in the same office. Open Christian University, after reviewing its strategic direction, particularly its transnational status as determined by the diversity of its students, faculty, staff, and volunteers across 30 countries (2022 data), made the United States United its headquarters after being incorporated in the State of Delaware on April 29, 2022. 

On April 20, 2023, The Open Christian University was licensed to operate as a private postsecondary institution under religious exemption, pursuant to the California Education Code (CEC) Section 94874(e), by the State of California through its Bureau for Private Post-Secondary Education (BPPE).

Since then, the Open Christian University continued to offer ministerial education leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees using e-learning and blended learning across the world, with help of different national study centers and affiliated Bible Colleges spread across different countries in the 5 continents.

OCU ’s Values that enable us to pursue our Mission are:

1. Be a Servant to Others: “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for these least of mine, you did it for me.” (Matthew 25:45). Serving others is one of the most essential components of the Christian life. When we practice charity in the world around us, it is an act of social justice, compassion, and love. As our students know, at Open Christian University we encourage serving others through different volunteer ministry and service opportunities. While Christian Service outside of university is an important component of living your values, there are plenty of opportunities to be a servant to others during the school day. When you strive to be helpful, or even simply cheer someone up if they’re having a rough day, you are putting the needs of others before your own, and that has a huge impact—on others and on yourself!

2. Practice Honesty: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbour, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:25). You may not think about it, but we all have many opportunities to tell white lies throughout the day. Practising honesty is one way to become more mindful of your values. In the classroom, on the sports field, and during other activities throughout the day, strive to be truthful with your words and actions. 

3. Work and Learn with Integrity: “For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.” (2 Corinthians 8:21). We all encounter difficult or frustrating situations throughout the day. As members of a Christian institution, working with integrity means trying your best, even when it may feel challenging to do so. It also means, whether you win or lose, doing so graciously. Another way to show integrity at school is to meet your responsibilities.

4. Demonstrate Respect: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Matthew 7:12). Every human being deserves respect, and school is the perfect place to teach and practice giving it. During the school day, practice showing respect to everyone you come across, whether teachers, fellow students, or support staff. 

5. Show Forgiveness: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13). We can’t control the actions of others, but we can control the way we respond to them. Even though other people may not always act in a way we agree with, we can make an effort to forgive them. It’s important to forgive others—but it’s just as important to be forgiving of yourself. Maybe you didn’t do as well as you wanted on a test, or maybe you feel that you performed poorly during a competition. Sometimes, failure is inevitable. The important thing is that you are able to pick yourself up and try again; in other words, be forgiving of your own mistakes and learn from them to do better next time.

We are committed to achieving excellence in Christian education for business and professional missions, and to maintaining international leadership in executive teaching. The university emphasizes providing affordable and mission-driven flexible higher education leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, through online and distance education. Our courses are open to anyone who meets our admission criteria. All of our courses require extensive study / research and self-discipline.

OCU also has various Affiliate Centers in many countries, providing an innovative online learning and research experience for students from many countries around the world. We also partner with universities that have programs with the highest curriculum standards contextualized to the 21st-century framework.