For 18 months, the Academy of Preachers sought to recruit 50 Founding Partners. This was an effort to secure the endorsement and cooperation of established and recognized organizations and institutions.
That effort was successfully concluded on March 30, 2010, when a letter of partnership was received from Harvard Divinity School.
Now the search is under way to expand that network of support. The Academy is seeking what we are calling National Partners. While our first effort focused upon the region inclusive of Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Tennessee (and 36 of the Founding Partners are from that designated region) we are now expanding our appeal to businesses, congregations, denominations, organizations, and institutions nationwide. And I am glad to report that we have our first National Partner.
The Volunteers of America, Southeast, with headquarters in Mobile, Alabama has submitted a letter of partnership. They heard about our work through a Kentucky-native, Alabama-resident preacher Terry Ellis.
“Volunteers of America is a church,” explained CEO Wallace T. Davis, “but not the sort of church you think of when you hear that word. We have a remarkable web of ministries, some of which are well-known in communities around the country. But we do have network of preachers, as well, and we want to get them involved in the Academy of Preachers.”
We have discussed with Davis and his staff the possibility of the VOA hosting their own internal festival of young preachers; and of course, we are eager for our young preachers to learn more about the varied ministries of the Volunteers of America.
We welcome National Partners such as the Volunteers of America. Their interest illustrates the wide varied of organizations that take serious the role of preaching in Christian mission and ministry. We look forward to collaboration with many more such partners.