Dave Alford directs the Saddleback Church Leadership Academy, which provides training programs designed to equip the next generation of church leaders. The Academy’s goal is to challenge gifted leaders to consider a call to church leadership and develop pathways to church ministry for them in order to create a leadership pipeline for church planting. The Academy’s programs include ministry apprenticeships for young leaders, residencies for future church planters, and launch training for current church planters.