To Equip Urban Churches to advance the Gospel by engaging schools in their Urban communities

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Discover how to connect with other Urban Church leaders to find out how you can support and partner with Urban Church Advocates.

The Vision

To see the Gospel saturate our cities across the country through a measurable increase in Christ-Centered Urban Churches who will bring renewed hope, fuel inter-generational revitalization, to their churches and develop the next-generation leaders in their unique communities.

The Mission

  • Urban Church Advocates (UCA), exists to do school ministry through the urban church by adopting neighborhood schools in order to share God’s love through the Gospel and be discipled through the church.
  • We believe that the local church is the hope of the World. UCA’s intent is to build a plan for the Institution called the “Church” to be empowered to discover, design, develop, and deploy new solutions in sustainable ways for the church to scale and last while making a difference in their urban community.
  • We believe that by the church partnering with the schools, the youth, their families, faith-lead individuals, suburban churches, para-church ministries, and marketplace corporate businesses, it can make an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God.

“Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I have sent you. Pray to the Lord, for its welfare will determine your welfare”.
Jeremiah 29:7

Learn About Our Programs

The Mission

  • Urban Church Advocates (UCA), exists to do school ministry through the urban church by adopting neighborhood schools in order to share God’s love through the Gospel and be discipled through the church.
  • We believe that the local church is the hope of the World. UCA’s intent is to build a plan for the Institution called the “Church” to be empowered to discover, design, develop, and deploy new solutions in sustainable ways for the church to scale and last while making a difference in their urban community.
  • We believe that by the church partnering with the schools, the youth, their families, faith-lead individuals, suburban churches, para-church ministries, and marketplace corporate businesses, it can make an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God.

“Work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I have sent you. Pray to the Lord, for its welfare will determine your welfare”.
Jeremiah 29:7

Learn About Sponsorship Programs

A 2021 Barna survey revealed that 79% of urban church Lead pastors struggle with burnout and lack the resources needed to bring about spiritual, emotional, and mental revitalization in themselves and the communities they serve. This includes youth.

The Challenge

A 2021 Barna survey revealed that 79% of urban church Lead pastors struggle with burnout and lack the resources needed to bring about spiritual, emotional, and mental revitalization in themselves and the communities they serve. This includes youth.

  • Urban cities have always been crucial and strategic to the mission. Paul the Apostle moved from city center to city center because he knew that when the Gospel is engaged in the urban center, it spills into the broader region and positively impacts the civic, social, cultural, and Family life of the larger society.
    • But today, most urban church leaders lack the relationships and resources to achieve sustainable ministry in their urban settings. Economic challenges combined with the significant needs of their community diminish their time and energy, creating massive barriers to growth and development.
  • Churches without healthy youth ministries are considered less “family friendly” and present barriers to family connection and age-appropriate discipleship.

The Solution

Our Ministry Transformation Plan (MTP) will focus on Coaching Churches to become Kingdom -Driven in their calling to be Missional Leaders in their communities.

We will develop a specific Missional Pathway that tracks the church outreach to the community through the schools in which they have adopted from the beginning to the end by engagement.

We will create opportunities for the youth to be discipled by the church throughout the year on weekends or weekdays after school and find fellowship with other youth who are on the same path to trust Jesus as Lord.

We will help the Church to share Career Exposure and Workplace Field Trip opportunities with the local youth of the schools as future choices and life options.

With the goal of seeing more of those school’s students and families to consider making that local church their place of worship. 

The Solution

Our Ministry Transformation Plan (MTP) will focus on Coaching Churches to become Kingdom -Driven in their calling to be Missional Leaders in their communities.

We will develop a specific Missional Pathway that tracks the church outreach to the community through the schools in which they have adopted from the beginning to the end by engagement.

We will create opportunities for the youth to be discipled by the church throughout the year on weekends or weekdays after school and find fellowship with other youth who are on the same path to trust Jesus as Lord.

We will help the Church to share Career Exposure and Workplace Field Trip opportunities with the local youth of the schools as future choices and life options.

With the goal of seeing more of those school’s students and families to consider making that local church their place of worship. 

Meet The Founder

Keith E. Gordon

He serves as the Chairman of Evangelism for the Illinois Missionary Baptist State Convention. 

Keith is a gifted Pastor-Evangelist that passionately preaches with a great sense of humor and teaches God’s WORD in an expositional … verse by verse WAY … for people to lovingly grow stronger in knowing Christ, and making Christ known.

  • Keith is a Graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and Human Resource Management. 
  • A Graduate of Moody Theological Seminary & Graduate School of Chicago with a Master’s Degree in Urban Ministry. 
  • A Graduate of Wheaton College Graduate School with a Master’s Degree in Evangelism and Leadership.
  • He is a Graduate of the Professional Christian Coaching Institute (PCCI) with over 100 hours of Coach Training and 600 hours of Professional Pastoral and Church Leadership Coaching. He is a “Strengths Champion” Certified Coach.
  • A Graduate of The Billy Graham Center’s Church Evangelism Institute’s Pastoral Cohort – With a Focus in Coaching and Developing Pastors and Churches to become Missional Leaders, Relational (One on One) Evangelism.
  • He is a Graduate of the Mt. Carmel Biblical Counseling and Discipleship Ministry

Keith is married to his lovely wife (& Best friend) Latricia. Together in Chicago, they are raising in the Lord three children and trying to convert their two big dogs (a Pitbull and a Doberman) to Salvation. Keith enjoys reading, playing chess, a great cup of tea, having fun with friends and spending time with his family going biking, walking, amusement parks, watching a movie, playing board games and taking family trips (with the dog).

Meet The Founder

Keith E. Gordon

He serves as the Chairman of Evangelism for the Illinois Missionary Baptist State Convention.  Keith is a gifted Pastor-Evangelist that passionately preaches with a great sense of humor and teaches God’s WORD in an expositional … verse by verse WAY … for people to lovingly grow stronger in knowing Christ, and making Christ known.
  • Keith is a Graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business and Human Resource Management. 
  • A Graduate of Moody Theological Seminary & Graduate School of Chicago with a Master’s Degree in Urban Ministry. 
  • A Graduate of Wheaton College Graduate School with a Master’s Degree in Evangelism and Leadership.
  • He is a Graduate of the Professional Christian Coaching Institute (PCCI) with over 100 hours of Coach Training and 600 hours of Professional Pastoral and Church Leadership Coaching. He is a “Strengths Champion” Certified Coach.
  • A Graduate of The Billy Graham Center’s Church Evangelism Institute’s Pastoral Cohort – With a Focus in Coaching and Developing Pastors and Churches to become Missional Leaders, Relational (One on One) Evangelism.
  • He is a Graduate of the Mt. Carmel Biblical Counseling and Discipleship Ministry
Keith is married to his lovely wife (& Best friend) Latricia. Together in Chicago, they are raising in the Lord three children and trying to convert their two big dogs (a Pitbull and a Doberman) to Salvation. Keith enjoys reading, playing chess, a great cup of tea, having fun with friends and spending time with his family going biking, walking, amusement parks, watching a movie, playing board games and taking family trips (with the dog).

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