About Us

Who We Are

Who We Are

Rev. John Chandler and China Cleveland are international conference speakers who have served as Lead Pastors for over 20 years. They have apostolic oversight of churches and ministries in North and South America. The Clevelands come highly graced with a wealth of God’s Word, operating in the prophetic gifts as well. They have been married for over 38 years and have a son, John Jr. and 2 daughters, Christena and Desiree. They reside in Northern California.

In 2000, they founded Global Impact Group, Inc. (GIGI), a nonprofit organization, which trains leaders around the world, especially in the area of healthy and vibrant relationships in all sectors of society. GIGI serves the Church and world by training ministry teams to impact the nations.

Rev. Chandler attended Yale University and the University of California at Berkeley. He has done graduate work towards a M.Div. at U.C. Berkeley. Further, he has completed developmental training in group dynamics and leadership. Rev. China is a teacher by profession and she enjoys speaking on the topic of leadership principles. One of her passions is bridging cross-generational gaps and she is committed to minimizing socio-economic, racial and cultural barriers.

Currently they are traveling internationally to disciple and equip leaders world-wide.

Our History

Through decades of ministry to precious leaders and people, I secretly wondered if we were really being effective. I wondered if our best efforts were producing lasting, enduring, permanent change in the behavior of the hearers. Many listeners around the globe proclaimed that our ministry to them was inspiring, uplifting, encouraging, enriching, power-packed and anointed, I still couldn’t quiet that persistent, nagging, all-pervasive voice buried deep in my head questioning whether our work in ministry was only manufacturing a temporary, emotional, nonpermanent, feel-good time. These thoughts haunted me too many times; for we knew that our sincere and earnest dream and spiritual calling was to bring credible change in people’s lives that would even be passed on to the next generations.

Thank God, now we know that this mandate form God is no longer a “dream”, it is now a reality. God has shown us a powerful, reliable approach to help people actually experience heart ,and thus, behavioral transformation. It is certainly a process, but it has worked in hundreds of normal lives.

We believe we have a divine call and grace to bring this awesome, transforming healing to LEADERS! Why, because it is no secret that we have a crippling, leadership crisis in this country and around the world. Our strong desire and commitment is to see leaders whole and well. We are convinced that leaders can become sustainably healthy, servant-hearted and generous of soul. We’ve seen the Lord heal countless leaders and release them into a brave, brand, new world of leadership potential, maturity, innovation and fruitfulness. God has this for every leader in the Body of Christ whether they serve in the church or the market place. No heart or soul wound, trauma or agony is beyond our Loving Lord’s ability to touch, heal and restore the best and finest, inner part of us. No past event(s) are fatal and unredeemable in God’s economy. Also, there are positive solutions and reconciliation in conflict situations.

We have been eye-witnesses to impasses and divorces in marriages, families and leadership teams that were halted and reversed because God was permitted to speak “truth” to the human heart that brought about miraculous restitution and recovery. The Lord still raises the dead in every human context and reality.

The Lord Jesus was the best leader that ever walked this planet. As His followers, we should be the healthiest leaders people encounter. A person becomes emotionally and relationally healthy by going through the process of allowing the Holy Spirit access to the deepest parts of their heart through enlightening, biblical teaching and listening prayer in partnership with a trained facilitator. The Living God will speak profoundly to any prepared, open heart to achieve lasting, radical, life-changing alteration in the thoughts and behaviors emanating from that heart. The Master emphatically taught in the Gospels that all human words and behavior come from the human heart. So, to change a person, it is necessary to do so from the heart. Unfortunately, most teaching and education, Christian and non-christian, is directed at the human mind and intellect which creates learning but little growth and transformation. Those who crave and require real change and maturity must permit an authentic, heartfelt process.

Our school offers a two week process in the form of 14 consecutive days or three 5-day modules. It is our firm belief that every will receive major healing, reconstruction and hope in their life and leadership setting. God wants all of us to experience and enjoy WIN-WIN leadership interactions where the both the leader and the follower leave an interaction feeling honored, respected and heard. We desperately need WIN-WIN leaders in God’s church and the world. As believers, we are primed candidates because of our heart proximity to the Keeper of our Hearts to model and practice strong and sensitive leadership. We endeavor to produce leaders who are wise, strong and understanding.

Thus, we welcome every seasoned and emerging leader to give them godly character, skills, wisdom and healing to recover from and avoid future pitfalls, pitfalls which are craftily intended by the enemy to discourage, destabilize, derail and destroy you as a leader and builder of hope in others. Fortunately. our God never ends anything on a negative. In fact, the Lord is determined to establish, healthy, nurturing, loving, balanced leaders in the army of the Lord. Further, there is a desire deep in the heart of God for all of us to enjoy leading and being led. All things are possible with God. MARANATHA, Lord come and do it now!

Mission, Vision & Values

The Cleveland Leadership Institute’s mission is to bring emotional and spiritual healing to leaders by teaching them life skills to achieve relational balance and accountability while maintaining moral and spiritual wholeness. We envision the Cleveland Leadership Institute to be a premier leadership and ministry training organization with annual interactive, spiritual formation processes (both in a traditional and virtual classroom) that equips leaders for ministerial and business endeavors.

The following are our core values:

Teamwork

The Godhead is the perfect example of teamwork and unity. This, it is more about “we” and less focus on “me” in accomplishing God’s will and vision.

Spiritual Power

Nothing is impossible with God. Therefore, we wholly depend on, require and pursue God’s power, ability and help in all matters

Discernment

We can do nothing without the Holy Spirit; and so we willfully seek and surrender to Spirit-led, biblical directives and direction.

Excellence

We believe that biblical humility, teachability, and introspection in the heart produces an extraordinary life and lasting fruitfulness.

Honor

We are all made in the image of God. Therefore, every human being deserves the right to be treated with respect and dignity at all times. How we treat people reveals everything about us.

Authenticity

We endeavor to create an atmosphere where each person can be who they truly are from their head without fear of criticism and judgement.

Integrity

We believe in choosing Godly thoughts, attitudes, and actions, based upon biblical values rather than personal gain and comfort.