In the spring of 2003, Dr. Tom Elliff and Dr. Ralph Speas shared the dream of organizing a school of higher education with the purpose of providing practical training for pastors, church staff members, church leaders, and laity desiring to be equipped for ministry.

In the fall of 2003, MUBT was incorporated under the laws of the State of Oklahoma and First Southern Baptist Church of Del City, Oklahoma became its official sponsoring entity.

In the fall of 2003, MUBT began classes with 10 students enrolled.

In 2004, MUBT became an approved Seminary Extension Center to provide ACE approved Seminary Extension courses accepted by all SBC seminaries for undergraduate studies.

In 2005, MUBT was approved by Association of Christian Schools International as a CEU provider.

In the spring of 2005, MUBT had a record of 253 students enrolled in classes.

In 2005, MUBT established an extension school in Manipur, India for the purpose of training church leaders. The school is within 300 miles of 169 unreached language groups and is training pastors and national missionaries to reach the unreached in Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, and northeast India.

In 2006, MUBT was IRS approved as a 501(C) 3 non-profit religious organization.

In 2006, MUBT entered into an agreement with Oklahoma Baptist University to become a Ministerial Training Institute center allowing MUBT students to receive accredited hours.

In the summer of 2006, MUBT was transferred to the Tulsa area. First Baptist Church of Sapulpa became Meridian’s sponsoring entity and provided an office and classrooms for the school. Dr. Doyle Pryor, pastor of FBC, and former chairman of the Board of Directors of Oklahoma Baptist University, became the school’s second chancellor.

In the fall of 2006, the newly elected Board of Regents met to re-elect Dr. Ralph Speas as president, Dr. Michael Shaw as vice president, and Jay Orr as vice president of development. Classes were scheduled to start up again in the fall of 2007.