Membership

The Kingdom Network (TKN), founded by the Reverend Matthew Lawrence Watley, Senior Pastor, is an extension of Kingdom Fellowship AME Church, a 501(c)(3), which desires to establish a level playing field for African American clergy and their communities to thrive. Regardless of church size, community demographics, years of experience, or financial portfolio, TKN’s mission is to be a source and convenor of resources to ensure Black Mainline churches have the tools necessary for compelling preaching, effective executive leadership, and the establishment of conditions for their communities to flourish. Since its inception in the fall of 2022, TKN has convened over 500 African American pastors and other clergy seeking engaging and transformative resources that will improve sermon delivery, strengthen their leadership skills, and mobilize their congregations to serve with greater capacity. The residual benefits of the faith leaders’ development translate to an improved experience for their congregations and communities.  

The Kingdom Network aims to expand executive leader development efforts through our TKN Leadership Academy which includes various components for faith leaders to learn and grow in a cohort setting enhanced by their shared experiences, sharpen their skills through a collection of on-demand self-paced courses across a variety of topics relevant to leading and growing thriving congregations, receive guidance to enhance their compelling preaching homiletics skills, and a culminating annual event. This combination of carefully curated courses, executive coaching, cohort experiences, networking opportunities, and resource libraries will help bolster the conditions for pastors, churches, and their broader communities to thrive.   

In addition to the individual and cohort year-round professional development opportunities, The Kingdom Network hosts an annual three-day summit and renewal experience for faith leaders to gather with new and familiar colleagues, grow through dynamic workshops and worship sessions, and go back to their home communities with renewed vision and resources to help their congregations thrive. TKN brings together a cadre of experts to model the successful impact, church growth, and community engagement that they have nurtured through the years. The sharing of best practices by these mentor leaders of the Gospel ignites and inspires a more extensive network of faith leaders to do the same.