The mission of the AND Campaign’s Christian Civic Leadership Academy (CCLA) is to form and equip Christian leaders to effectively engage the civic arena with the compassion and conviction of Jesus Christ.

The American political system is in desperate need of leaders who are more committed to human dignity, civility and timeless moral principles than to partisan and ideological tribalism. Accordingly, the Church must begin to recruit and train leaders within its own institutions rather than having our leaders trained by partisan secular institutions. The AND Campaign and our partners have assembled an experienced team of professionals and created a practical, Gospel-centered curriculum to answer that call.

The CCLA is a non-partisan education initiative focused on developing orthodox Christians to run for elected office, manage political campaigns, lead civic organizations, and design policy. We’re seeking applications from biblical Christians, who are seriously interested in serving believers and non-believers alike in the public square from a leadership position. While we encourage all Christians to be civically engaged, the CCLA is not for people with a casual interest in politics. An ideal participant in the CCLA will have a record or demonstrated interest in public service and civic advocacy that is reflected by their professional or volunteer experience. This might look like experience volunteering on a campaign, or organizing community members to take action on a discrete issue. This advanced program is for Christians who are ready to commit a significant amount of time to participate in civic leadership and will treat it, at minimum, like a part-time job.

Though CCLA is a distinctly Christian endeavor, we passionately embrace the call to civic pluralism. Fellows will be trained to uphold biblical tenets within politics, while respecting the beliefs of others and working to improve democracy for all people. CCLA Fellows will become a part of a community of believers who support, inform and hold one another accountable even after the cohort ends.

This is a 10-week program with virtual and in-person courses. The selected applicants will be announced in early March and the cohort will begin in April 2023.

Apostle’s Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; he ascended into heaven, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.