Who we are
About Kingdom Partners
An alliance of more than 150 churches, nonprofits, business and community leaders, driven by faith and focused on transforming Greater Chattanooga for good.
Our mission
To encourage, equip, and empower grassroots leaders to serve Greater Chattanooga families by forming transformational relationships between schools, churches, government, and businesses.
Our vision
To replace battlegrounds with playgrounds
To replace silos with shared work
To replace charity with change
Why we exist
We believe congregations thrive when they get outside the walls of their buildings and become light in the city. Local churches are already present in every neighborhood, which makes them uniquely placed to bring lasting change. Our work lives out Jeremiah 29:7.
“Seek the peace and well-being of the city where I have sent you… for in its peace you will have peace.”
Our story
Relationships first. Then results.
2018
A citywide cohort begins
Faith leaders begin studying Loving the Neighbor Who Doesn't Look Like You together. The cohort grows past 200 leaders: multiracial, multi-denominational, urban and suburban. Pairs meet several times a month, and congregations begin sharing services, pulpits, and prayer.
[Photo: early cohort]
2020
Responding to COVID-19
Hamilton County Schools asks for help reaching students it had lost contact with. Churches and the city fund four virtual learning centers in historically Black churches. With foundations and local businesses, we help 40 churches go online.
[Photo: learning center]
2020
Charity to Change
Through Leadership Foundations and Lilly Endowment Inc., more than 20 churches meet monthly for nine months, then design two shared projects: affordable housing, and youth mentoring and literacy.
2022
The city takes notice
The City of Chattanooga awards $1.8 million for affordable housing, $500,000 to recruit and train 300 mentors, and a five-year, $250,000 literacy grant.
Now & next
Tend Fold, then LINK Chattanooga
The Tend Fold Initiative brings executive-level leadership development to pastors. LINK Chattanooga will scale the model to 30–45 congregations over four years.
See the LINK planWhat drives us
Our core values
Kingdom Collaboration
Working alongside individuals, churches, and faith-based organizations with a Kingdom mindset.
Community
Helping churches build relationships and mutually beneficial partnerships.
Excellence
Adding value to schools, government, churches, and community organizations.
Integrity
Building trust through consistency in every relationship and partnership.
Partnership
Joining church resources through intentional, strategic joint projects.
Sustainable
Human transformation with solutions other communities can replicate.
Part of a global network
The Chattanooga member of Leadership Foundations
A network of more than 40 member cities working through relationships for the spiritual and social renewal of their cities, especially for the marginalized.
Visit Leadership Foundations →
The people
Board of directors
Rev. Robert T. J. Childers
Chairman · Church of the Good Shepherd
Novella S. Miller
Vice-Chairman · Ordained minister
Judge Walter F. Williams (Ret.)
Treasurer · Former Chattanooga City Court Judge
Charlotte Berry McKee
Secretary
Pastor Marcellus Barnes Sr.
Grace Pointe Church
Mark Straub
Board member · Affordable Housing Consultant
Staff & consultants
Oliver Richmond
President & CEO
Minister Pamela Richmond
Program Coordinator & Spiritual Director
Gabe LePage
Development Director · Co-Director, Food Forest Coalition
Thomas Castillo
Strategic Planning Consultant
Rev. Edward L. Ellis III
Pastor & Lay Leadership Development Consultant
Rev. Dr. Adam E. McKee III
Pastor & Lay Leadership Development Consultant
Deborah Gunn
Mentoring Administrative Consultant
Pastor Mark Love
Digital Engagement Consultant
Leadership Council
Business leaders who advise and engage in the work of Kingdom Partners.
Frank Brock
Former President, Covenant College
Brad Cobb
President, Bowers Automotive
Fred Decosimo
Decosimo Corporate Finance
Terri Holley
Former owner, Embellish
Ken Jones
Senior Director, Chattanooga EPB
Robert Maclellan
Rise Partners
Maria Matthews
Director of Generosity, Generosity Trust
Kathi Grant Willis
Retired Director, BCBS
In memoriam
We give thanks for the service of Rev. Paul A. McDaniel (1930–2021), pastor emeritus of Second Missionary Baptist Church and former Hamilton County Commissioner, and Jefferson Davis Herring (1941–2025), former Board Chair and senior advisor.