Pittsburgh Leadership

Pittsburg Leadership Foundation: Institutional Transformation

Vision, Mission and Goal

Vision: That one day Pittsburgh would be known as "A City for God"

Mission: To make the vision a reality, the PLF's mission is to encourage the whole church to take the whole Gospel to the whole city.

Goal: To mobilize the collective body of Christ to take the Good News of forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and hope to all the people of South-western Pennsylvania, focusing particularly on the poor, vulnerable and broken.

History

The PLF had its roots in the 1950's with a Christian ministry to business people. This combined with 'Young Life" a ministry to youth, in the 60's. Towards the end of the 60's several other leaders began to catch a vision for making Pittsburgh a "City for God." They combined to found the "Pittsburgh Offensive," the name being a reference to the major battles that needed to be waged against poverty, loneliness, brokeness and sin in all its forms. Several new ministries developed but eventually it was decided that the vision and movement needed an instrument... one that could develop financial and human resources to empower and serve the people of Pittsburgh - the Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation.

Today

The PLF listens to the "cries of the city" and envisions and develops resources needing to claim Pittsburgh as a "City of God." From this standpoint they have developed a clear sense of the principal areas of need in the city and are able to act as catalysts to energise organisations and individuals to bring positive changes to Pittsburgh, its institutions and people. They are particularly committed to:

	empowering and being empowered by the church
	supporting para-church organisations
	working with other organizations
	offering proactive Leadership
	implementing initiatives of national organisation
	networking with other cities

and have a special focus on children and youth, the poor, others who are vulnerable, at risk or marginal in our society.

Projects

The PLF has direct responsibility for fund-raising, administration, supervision, accountability and legal aspects for its projects. These projects include:

	Coalition for Addictive Diseases. The coalition includes more than 100 organisations who represent a broad section of the community's health, religions, social services, business, labour, education and communication sectors. The coalition has created and implemented a chemical dependency unit for adolescents, had a major media/outreach campaigns and sponsored major conferences and training events on chemical dependency.
	Church Leadership Development. It's goal is to provide services necessary to improve its creative and operational effectiveness of churhes.
	Labor-Management Prayer Breakfast.
	Pittsburgh Jubilee. A holistic community development program which provides Leadership to uplift Pittsburgh's poor by improving their accessibility to quality housing, healthcare, employment, child and family development. Jubilee is not a charity but an investment in restoring wholeness to people with broken lives.
	Pittsburgh Youth Network. This is a coalition of more than 300 churches and youth-serving agencies. It provides Leadership, training, education, mentoring, camping, special events and service opportunities for thousands of young people each year. The result of the activities is the nurturing of young people to a deeper personal faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, to active membership in the church and to obedient service in the world.
	Prayer Ministry. The purpose is to encourage people to continue in steadfast prayer for the ministries and people of the region.

Affiliates - No separate legal standing

Dale Craig Ministries. An Outreach effort to Young People

New Hope. New Hope deals with the many issues regarding AIDS, including reaching out with compassion to those with AIDS/HIV and facilitating understanding in the church and general public and creating networks to pray for AIDS related issues.

Membership Organisations - Began by P L F but now they have separate boards and legal standing

Pittsburgh Coalition Against Pornography. Founded to protect human dignity and oppose those who would victimise men, women and children through pornography. Its primary goals are to:

	call for enforcement of existing obscenity laws
	raise public awareness about the effects of hard-core pornography
	facilitate the passage of new obscenity legislation when necessary

Pittsburgh Leadership Endowment Fund. Responsible for generating planned gifts to assure the continuation and expansion of PLF ministries.

Associates

These were begun by P LF, but it now serves in an advisory, supportive and servant-oriented role

Centre for Urban Biblical Ministry. Serves the church in the minority and low-income communities by equipping urban leaders for more effective ministry.

East Liberty Family Health Care Centre. Serves inner-city neighbourhoods with whole person primary health care.

	Family Ministries. Providing education and counselling for couples before and during their marriages with the purpose of creating strong relationships within the family unit.
	Lydia's Place. A neighborhood-based aftercare program for women released from prison.
	Salt Works. A non-profit professional arts organisation that is committed to creating and producing theatre programs that address the physical, social, spiritual and emotional needs of youth in America today.
	Urban Partners. An integrated urban youth ministry that provides approximately 60 young people each year with a Christian opportunity for growth and development.

© Viv Grigg and the Encarnação Alliance Training Commission
For problems or questions regarding this web contact web@urbanleaders.org
Last updated: 05/15/09.