Arizona Christian University Announces Launch of Tom Elliff Center for Missions at ACU
New center will equip students to live out the Great Commission in every vocation and every nation
GLENDALE, Ariz. — August 5, 2026 — Arizona Christian University is pleased to announce the launch of the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at ACU, a major new campus initiative designed to equip students to embrace their Great Commission calling and to carry the hope of Jesus Christ into every sphere of life, vocation, and culture.
The center is named in honor of Dr. Tom Elliff, a pastor, preacher, missionary statesman, and former president of the International Mission Board whose life and ministry have helped shape generations of churches, missionaries, and Christian leaders. Through the Elliff Center, ACU will strengthen its commitment to preparing graduates who are grounded in biblical truth, engaged in the local church, and prepared to serve faithfully wherever God leads.
“At Arizona Christian University, our mission is not simply to send graduates into careers, but to equip them with a biblical worldview so they can influence, engage and transform culture with truth,” said ACU President Len Munsil. “The Tom Elliff Center for Missions brings that mission into sharp focus. It will help students understand that the Great Commission is not a program on the edge of the university, it is central to why we exist: preparing young men and women to know Christ, follow His teachings, and carry the Gospel with courage and conviction to Arizona, America and the world.”
Equipping Students for the Great Commission
The Elliff Center — made possible by a $2 million gift from generous, missions-minded ACU supporters — will serve as a hub for missions formation at ACU, connecting students with churches, missionaries, ministry leaders, and cross-cultural opportunities that help them discern and live out God’s calling. The center will encourage students who sense a call to full-time missions while also helping students in every academic field understand that the Great Commission is not limited to one profession or location.
The center’s work is expected to include regular student gatherings, missionary mentoring, forums and chapel emphases, church partnerships, missions education, and mission trip opportunities. Through these experiences, students will be challenged to see their studies, careers, and relationships as arenas for faithful Christian witness.
“God is calling many students to serve as missionaries, church planters, and ministry leaders,” said Dr. Scott MacDonald, Director of the Tom Elliff Center for Missions. “But God calls every Christian student to live on mission and steward their various vocations for the glory of God and the spread of the gospel among the nations. Our desire is to see every ACU student trained and sent as bold and biblical witnesses for Jesus Christ wherever they go, whatever their vocation.”
A Center Rooted in Church Partnership and Student Mobilization
The Tom Elliff Center for Missions will emphasize the essential relationship between the university and the local church. ACU leaders envision the center as a bridge that helps students remain rooted in church life while being equipped and sent into meaningful service.
Adam Mosbrucker, Special Assistant to the President for Great Commission Initiatives, will help advance the university-wide vision for the center by cultivating partnerships, supporting strategic planning, and working with leaders across campus to ensure that missions remains woven into the student experience. He commented that “The Tom Elliff Center for Missions represents an incredible opportunity for ACU to prepare students to faithfully live out the Great Commission wherever God calls them. By partnering with local churches and mission organizations while collaborating with leaders across campus, we have the opportunity to cultivate a university culture where God’s mission is not simply a program, but a defining part of the student experience and a catalyst for lasting Kingdom impact.”
The launch of the Tom Elliff Center for Missions also reflects Arizona Christian University’s continued growth as a destination for students who want an education rooted in biblical truth and directed toward a life of Kingdom purpose. As ACU expands its academic programs, campus life, and national reach, the Center will strengthen the University’s ability to attract students who are serious about following Christ, engaging the world with a biblical worldview, and preparing for lives of influence and service. For students sensing a call to ministry, missions, business, education, health care, public service, or any other vocation, the Center will provide a distinctive reason to choose ACU: the opportunity to be formed in a university community where the Great Commission is not peripheral, but central to the mission of educating and equipping graduates to transform culture with truth.
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Tom Elliff
Dr. Elliff’s ministry has been marked by a lifelong passion to proclaim the Gospel, strengthen churches, and call believers to the harvest. His leadership in pastoral ministry, denominational service, missionary advocacy, and mentoring has made him a trusted voice for Great Commission faithfulness.
By bearing his name, the Tom Elliff Center for Missions will call ACU students to the same spirit of biblical conviction, prayerful dependence, and joyful obedience that has characterized Dr. Elliff’s ministry. Dr. Anthony Allen, Vice President for External Relations at ACU, stated that “We are thrilled to have the Tom Elliff Missions Center on the ACU campus, made possible through the generosity of university donors who share a deep passion for taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Dr. Elliff has modeled exemplary Christian leadership through his service as pastor, IMB President, and through his lifelong commitment to advancing the gospel around the world. A man of prayer, Dr. Elliff has demonstrated steadfast faithfulness, humility, and a profound dedication to equipping future generations to carry the message of Christ to the nations.”
A Great Commission Vision for Arizona Christian University
Founded in 1960, Arizona Christian University began as a Bible college and has grown into a regionally accredited, private, nonprofit Christian liberal arts university in Glendale, Arizona. ACU remains committed to equipping students who are followers of Jesus Christ with a sound biblical foundation for their chosen vocation and field of influence.
The launch of the Tom Elliff Center for Missions comes as ACU continues to grow and serve students from across the United States and around the world. The university, following 9 straight years of record enrollment, serves more than 1,600 students and is located on its historic 75-acre campus in Glendale, where students are formed through academic excellence, biblical worldview, Christian community, and opportunities for service. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, ACU is the 5th-fastest growing university in America over the past decade.
More information about the Tom Elliff Center for Missions at ACU, including student opportunities, church partnerships, and upcoming events, will be announced in the months ahead.
About Arizona Christian University
Arizona Christian University is a regionally accredited, private, nonprofit Christian liberal arts university in Glendale, Arizona. Founded in 1960, ACU is committed to transforming culture with truth by equipping students with a biblical worldview, academic excellence, and a calling to bring the hope of Jesus Christ and the Gospel into every arena of influence. ACU offers undergraduate, graduate, and online programs and serves a growing student body from across the United States and around the world. Learn more at azcu.edu.
