A Mission of Multiplication

Christian Leadership Alliance President and CEO Tami Heim reflects on God's faithfulness.

Outcomes Editor-in-Chief W. Scott Brown recently interviewed Tami Heim, President and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance.

Tami Heim has served as president and CEO of the Alliance since 2012. In 2026, Christian Leadership Alliance celebrates its 50^th anniversary. The “Multiply” theme of this edition of Outcomes magazine mirrors the theme of the 2026 Outcomes Conference which will be held in Dallas, April 28-30.

Tami’s professional journey includes executive leadership experience in technology, marketing, publishing, and retail. She has served in executive leadership roles at Federated Department Stores and was the president of Borders, Inc. She was also the executive vice president and chief publishing officer of Thomas Nelson Publishers and a partner in a technology firm.

Tami was certified in for-profit board governance through the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her nonprofit board experience includes EQUIP, Lead Like Jesus, Christian Alliance for Orphans, Growing Leaders, Christianity Today, National Association of Evangelicals, Best Christian Workplaces, and Christian Leadership Alliance.

She completed the Credentialed Christian Nonprofit Leader (CCNL) program in 2013. She facilitates 10-week online cohorts for CCNL Leadership and the Thriving Leader Series.

Tami is passionate about equipping leaders to steward their organizations with excellence as they seek God in everything they do. She believes mission-critical competency and Christ-like character are essential for Christian leaders to thrive.

What encourages you as you consider Christian Leadership Alliance and its mission today?

Our mission to equip and unite leaders is expressed in all we do. It is exciting when I see leaders engaging in the places and spaces we create. I value their commitment to come and invest their best in each other. They know everyone has something valuable to give and receive.

Every day, I am inspired by leaders who are faithful stewards…

It encourages me to witness Alliance ministries achieving breakthroughs because they are eager to put into practice what they learn. Every day, I am inspired by leaders who are faithful stewards, dedicated to seeking God’s will in all they do! And I can’t help but cheer them on when they intentionally invest in their teams’ growth and development. That is a clear sign they are passionate about transformation.

I celebrate the collaborative attitude that shapes the entire Christian Leadership Alliance Experience. The aroma of Christ abounds as we focus on our shared mission. There is deep joy in observing ministries when they meet, pray, and explore how to be stronger, together.

Once God reveals the theme for our conference, the CLA team wholeheartedly embraces it. Prayer brings us to the theme, but over the year, we go deep, and God shows us more than we ever imagined, and so it is with the 2026 theme, “Multiply.”

For over 50 years, multiplication through the Alliance has occurred whenever leaders gather and freely share their insights, knowledge, and wisdom. Members of the Alliance recognize that what God gives to them is never just for their benefit. The core verse that describes the Alliance is found in Paul’s letter to the Church in Corinth.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. “ (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

Paul was addressing the church in Corinth, which was abusing spiritual gifts, becoming selfish, and creating factions. By highlighting that God is the source of all gifts and that they are for the common good, he was correcting their self-serving, competitive, and divisive attitudes. He was fostering an environment of collaborative, harmonious service.

Multiplication and growth follow as ministries put to work what they learn.

Paul emphasized unity in diversity and the power of the singular divine source and the common goal they shared. It was from unity and the acceptance of the truth that multiplication happened then. That is also why it continues to happen today.

Christian Leadership Alliance is an expression of what is possible when we gather and how this generous exchange of ideas seeds the minds and hearts of our community. Multiplication and growth follow as ministries put to work what they learn.

How has God strengthened and guided you in your leadership role for the Alliance? Where have you felt his presence on the journey?

When I surrendered my life to Christ, my brother told me that following Jesus would fill my life with thrills, romance, and adventure. That was a compelling promise, and I was all-in to see it unfold. Every day I am learning more about the significance of what he told me.

I remember the day of my interview with the Christian Leadership Board in 2011. I walked the Azusa Pacific University campus and knew my whole professional life was boot camp for what God had planned. And never did I question for a moment that CLA was God’s next best plan for me. I came to this position expecting thrills, romance, and adventure!

Daily, I gain strength from the thrill of my front-row seat, as God does all the things only he can do. It keeps my daily testimony fresh. I know relying on my own competency is dangerous, and humility is heart-healthy. God’s plans are always best. The thrill often begins when the hassle factor rises, because I have learned the glory that awaits on the other side always exceeds my expectations.

The romance of following Jesus comes from being consumed by the width, depth, and breadth of his never-ending love. I am a sinner saved by grace. I could never earn it, and I don’t deserve it. Yet because of the cross, he calls me beloved, daughter, and chosen. Following Jesus, I understand I am under construction and waiting for the utter relief of holiness. I grew up loving the idea of God, but now I live intimately knowing his love is real.

Embracing the Adventure

Adventure comes every time I encounter whatever is uncomfortable or seemingly impossible. God guides me one step at a time. If I knew the whole story, well, that would not be much of an adventure! Instead, experience teaches me I can be fully convinced that God is who he says he is. My years at Christian Leadership Alliance have been marked by many great adventures. All things do become possible when you are living to serve the One who is faithful and true.

What inspires you as you reflect on the history of this Alliance?

God’s faithfulness to this ministry and community inspires me. No matter the obstacles or challenges we face God is with us. The Alliance history reinforces the truth that whatever God initiates, he permeates.

The beauty of Christ is woven throughout the Alliance story.

The beauty of Christ is woven throughout the Alliance story. It echoes repeatedly throughout the entire community. Since January 1, 2012, I have given thanks daily for God’s provision, protection, and presence. He is always there when we seek to lead from the center of his will. He keeps us on mission and helps us to never lose sight of the vision.

The success and impact of Christian Leadership Alliance are a testimony to the many Christian men and women who have invested their wealth of experience and knowledge in a legacy for the future of emerging Christian leaders.

For over 50 years, faith-based organizations have been transformed by the Alliance’s biblically based resources, experiences, and collaborative community. It is humbling to consider all the great leaders whom this ministry has influenced, and those God is calling and raising up now to significantly impact the next decade of Christ-centered ministry.

As you look to the future for the Alliance, what most inspires and encourages you?

It inspires me to live in this unprecedented time. When I consider the timeline of history, I am amazed to be entrusted with this one. We are blessed by all that God is making possible to accelerate knowledge, capacity, and capability. As an Alliance, we get to be in on all of it.

Today, we are stewards of a time where it is highly probable that God’s Word will reach the ends of the earth. It is also a time when the battle is fierce. Therefore, we must stay grounded in the Word, take heart, suit up, and be ready. I am grateful for all the ways that God continues to use the Alliance to equip and unite the Christian leaders he has called to transform the world.

How would you encourage other Christian leaders to trust God to multiply fruit through their lives?

Without hesitation, I go to 2 Corinthians 4 in The Message translation. Regardless of the situation, this Scripture has been my fight song since the day I decided to follow Jesus. I encourage every Christian leader to read this chapter daily. Hold on to the fact that whatever comes, the multiplication factor will be immeasurable on this side of eternity!

As we’re reminded in these excerpts from 2. Cor. 4:16-18: “So, we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.” And, “The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.” (The Message)

Amen!

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To learn more about Christian Leadership Alliance visit: christianleadershipalliance.org

To register to attend the Alliance’s Outcomes Conference 2026, April 28-30 in Dallas, visit: outcomesconference.org