CLI Photo 1 (640x335)

The ATA Visiting Evaluation Team consisting of Dr. Theresa Lua, ATA CAED Secretary (Philippines); Dr. Jeannette
Shubert, Faculty, East Asia School of Theology (Singapore); and Dr. Jonathan Ro, Associate Program Director, GETS (California) visited Christian Leadership Institute (CLI) in Sunnyvale, California on March 18-20, 2015. A separate visit to the CLI extension centers in Asia was done by Mr. Percy Deng, Regional Director, Overseas Council (Taiwan).

CLI was established in response to God’s calling to equip Christian leaders, especially Chinese speaking believers in North America and Asia. Its vision is to equip pastors and servant leaders as Kingdom workers through quality theological education and to fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission using theological education as a medium/channel for mission work. CLI was founded by Rev. Dr. Jack Cheng in 2005. The current president, Dr. Frank Liu, has been leading the institution since 2010.

It was officially registered as a non-profit corporation in the USA in 2005 and approved by the city of California to offer higher education programs in 2011. In 2013 the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) acknowledged CLI’s Verification of Exempt Status as a religious non-profit organization not offering physical science degrees. In 2014 CLI became an Associate member of ATA.

As an independent Christian institute, CLI is not affiliated with any specific church or denomination. It offers Graduate Diploma of Christian Studies, Bachelor of Christian Studies, Master of Christian Studies, Master of Divinity, and Doctor of Ministry.