About KLA
The Kingdom Leadership Alliance. “Practical training for missional living in the marketplace and on the margins.”
Vision: The spiritual and social transformation of the city.
Mission: To engage, equip, and encourage Christ-followers within a community of practice to effectively and inclusively work toward the welfare of the city within their realm of influence.
Description
There is an abundance of churches, church programs, organizations, and well-intentioned agencies that work in silos and fall within the service-industry motif. While there may be a place for this in our cities, there must be a greater shift toward that of capacity-building work. In addition, most programs, both academic and nonacademic, are organized and designed for the learning objectives and gain of the individual rather than the group or the community. The Kingdom Leadership Alliance (KLA) consists of communities of practice (grassroot, churches, agencies, and both formal and informal organizations) that desire to collectively address the projects, concerns, issues, opportunities, and capacities of their community. Thus, the educational curriculum, structure, and process of the KLA is built around community learning objectives, rather than individual ones.
The KLA exists to act as a community and network of Christ-followers holistically trained in ministry to the margins, marketplace, and neighborhoods of cities. The margins being people and populations who are usually not heard and not offered a seat at tables where decisions are made (i.e. minorities, the poor and marginalized, the LGBTQ community, etc.). The marketplace being both the common Christ-followers place of work, as well as the different sectors that a functional city consists of (i.e. business, health care, education, government, etc.). The neighborhoods being the physical places we live and move in. The KLA will engage its community or practitioners where they currently are in ministry by focusing on relevant, but often difficult topics. It will equip practitioners to lead and love well within a pluralistic society that is more and more turned off by Christians. Through active learning, training, workshops, networking, and leadership support groups, it will encourage all participants by connecting them to a larger community of practice, resources, coaching, consultation, and accountability.
*Communities of practice- an organic form of training built around a: domain of knowledge, community of people, and shared practice
Outcomes
-A collective network of faith-based leaders that are neighborhood, sector-based, and citywide.
-Developing leaders who can interact with a pluralistic society with integrity
-Developing leaders with a centered and holistic theological perspective that can be practiced
-Developing leaders competent in these areas: active listening, cultural humility/competency, developing functional unity, serving and loving “the other”, applying scripture to practice and difficult subject matters, self-awareness, connecting communities, integrating into community, and whole-person ministry
-Linking faith-based community leaders to resources and institutions
What we believe
Through the influence and guide of the Spirit of God, we use the Bible as the deliberate foundation of every aspect of programming.
We agree with the basic tenants expressed in the Nicene and Apostles Creed.
Program Schedule
The KLA is a network of urban leaders from the Greater Akron area. There is no membership, only participation. The KLA gathers city servants from across communities to come together, share best-practices, support one another, and grow.
The KLA offers a 16 month training program called the KLA School of Urban Leadershhip beginning in June designed to engage, equip, and encourage current and aspiring leaders with relevant knowledge that can transform mind, heart, and soul. This learning program is both academic and practical, but designed to develop strong leaders and practitioners.
The KLA School of Urban Leadership meets regularly on the second Saturday of the month from 9am-12pm.
The KLA also offers a Leadership Workshop Series that are offered to any interested groups of individuals from Greater Akron area. There are 10 leadership workshops spread across the 16 months. Workshops are always free.
Certification
A certificate is received upon completion of the KLA School of Urban Leadership.
Completion requires the submission of projects and assignments, 80% attendance, and eight workshops.