Heartland Christian College began in 1992, under the name of Northeast Missouri Bible College, when a local church leadership team of Covenant Life Fellowship Church in Kirksville, MO, had a vision to help young people become grounded in biblical principles before sending them into their next stage in life. The goal was to help students have a solid foundation in the Word of God before they embarked on further education, vocation, or career. 

Through the years, the Bible College grew, demanding new housing options and resources, and in 2002 the name was changed to Nations Harvest Bible College. As a result of the growing needs of the College, in the fall of 2002, a new campus was established at Heartland, near Newark, Missouri. Heartland is an intentional Christian community that is built around a strong local church. The community also includes recovery programs for men and women, as well as children and youth homes for at-risk youth. Throughout this move, the College continued to disciple students and provide a strong foundation to prepare them for their next step in life.

By 2005, the Bible College had become an integral part of the family at Heartland Community Church, and it adopted its current name, Heartland Christian College (HCC). Today HCC is an accredited 2-year Bible College which continues to serve traditional students with a strong emphasis on discipleship, as well as non-traditional students who desire to strengthen life foundations based on the Word of God. The college offers an Associate Degree in Biblical Studies as well as a non-accredited Certificate in Biblical Studies and Certificate of Completion. These programs equip students with the ability to develop a biblical worldview as they prepare for their next season of life.