Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Clark.
Michael, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I had the incredible privilege of growing up in a home where loving and serving our community wasn’t just something we talked about—it was our family’s way of life. My parents founded KICKO (Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach) when I was a tween, and in many ways I simply grew up alongside the ministry. I was just another kid being brought along, but those early moments of serving, playing, and being present in East Knoxville laid a foundation that shaped my heart for people, for diversity, and for the transforming hope of Christ.
As a teenager, I began traveling on short-term mission trips—first to Ecuador, and later throughout Mexico with the ministry out of Brooklyn that originally inspired KICKO. Those experiences stirred something deep in me. I started sensing that my purpose would involve walking with people, pointing them to the hope of Jesus, and stepping into the hard but holy work of community transformation.
That led me to Bible college in Pensacola, followed by an internship in Los Angeles at the Dream Center. Living in what used to be the Queen of Angels Hospital, I was immersed in a multiethnic ministry context—Spanish, Korean, and English-speaking congregations all worshiping on the same campus. I lived on the third floor while the first floor served as an AIDS hospice. I spent my days among programs for the unhoused, youth struggling on the streets, and families in crisis. As a young adult, that exposure was life-changing. It expanded my worldview and deepened my conviction that the gospel must look like love with sleeves rolled up.
After returning home, I continued my education at Johnson University with a double major in Bible and history, then went on to earn a master’s degree in missiology from Regent University. Throughout those years, I served in the urban ministry my parents had started, married my wife, and began building our family.
Shortly after our second child was born, I stepped into full-time ministry at KICKO as the Youth Director. Over time, the leadership baton passed from my parents to me, and I stepped into the role of Executive Director. My great joy has been walking alongside kids from the time they run up to our Sidewalk trucks as preschoolers to the time they become teenagers, leaders, and sometimes even staff—watching them discover their potential and purpose.
Around that same season, my wife and I felt called to open our home to children in foster care. For eight and a half years, we fostered 13–14 children, three of whom eventually became part of our forever family through adoption. Each child shaped us, broke us open in new ways, and taught us more about God’s heart for the vulnerable than any classroom ever could.
Our love for both the church and the community has always been intertwined, so serving in both worlds has felt natural. Today, in addition to leading KICKO, I also serve as the Campus Pastor for our newly launched Powell Campus of City Hills Church. Our passion is to equip and elevate local leaders, to strengthen families, and to see generations walk in the fullness of their God-given purpose.
Looking back, every experience—my upbringing, education, ministry seasons, foster and adoptive journey, and leadership roles—has shaped the way I see people and the way I lead today. At the core of it all, I simply want to help others realize they are seen, valued, and created for a purpose, and to build pathways of hope throughout our city.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think anyone’s journey is ever truly smooth. Ours has been incredibly blessed, but we’ve also walked through very real challenges—just like most families do. Life has its ebbs and flows, and we’ve felt that full spectrum.
In our extended family, we’ve watched loved ones battle cancer multiple times, overcome severe strokes, and wrestle with significant health setbacks. Within our own home, we dealt with hypertension and sudden-onset preeclampsia during both pregnancies with our biological children—moments that were frightening but formative.
Our foster care journey has been another space where obstacles and purpose collided. Opening our home to more than a dozen children meant stepping into second-hand trauma, grief, and loss. Seven of those children were born drug-exposed, and three of those seven eventually became part of our forever family through adoption. Each child came with unique needs that required deep commitment and sacrifice. There were seasons when my wife was driving to 13 therapy appointments a week to support developmental challenges and give them the best chance to thrive. Those years stretched us, refined us, and taught us what it really means to love sacrificially.
Leadership brings its own set of challenges as well. In today’s polarized world, it can feel impossible to say or do the “right” thing in everyone’s eyes. But we continue to show up, lead transparently, love deeply, and trust that our motivations are rooted in what we genuinely believe is best. Our hope is that authenticity and consistency speak louder than misunderstanding.
Looking back, I can see that the obstacles weren’t just hurdles—they were classrooms. Each challenge expanded our capacity to serve, empathize, lead, and persevere. What could have felt like setbacks often ended up being setups for the work we are doing today. And because of that, I wouldn’t trade the journey. It has shaped us into more compassionate leaders, more present parents, and more faithful followers of Jesus.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
KICKO—Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach—is a faith-based nonprofit that has been serving children, youth, and families in Knoxville for over 31 years. At our core, we believe every child deserves to be seen, valued, equipped, and given opportunities to realize their full, God-given potential. What began with my parents showing up weekly in one neighborhood has grown into a multigenerational ministry reaching across our city.
We are most known for Sidewalk, our mobile children’s ministry that brings hope, consistency, and relational investment directly into 16 neighborhoods each week. Instead of waiting for families to come to us, we show up where they live—bringing music, teaching, games, and mentorship to over 2,500 kids annually. This approach allows us to build long-term relationships and become a trusted presence in the community.
In addition to Sidewalk, we have a thriving Youth Ministry that supports middle and high school students through discipleship, life skills, small groups, and weekly gatherings. One of the programs I’m most proud of is our Emerging Leaders Program, which hires and trains local teens to serve in their own communities. What started with three year-round student workers has grown to nearly a dozen teens each week who are developing spiritual foundations, leadership skills, and workforce experience.
We also invest deeply in family strengthening. Through partnerships, we offer parenting classes, relationship retreats for couples, and practical resources for families navigating difficult seasons. Our 29.11 Initiative and Bags of Hope ensure hundreds of children in foster care each year are reminded that they are seen, valued, and not forgotten.
What sets KICKO apart is our commitment to longevity and presence. For over three decades, we haven’t simply offered programs—we’ve built relationships. We walk with kids from preschool into adulthood. We celebrate their wins, show up in their struggles, and cheer on their dreams. Our brand is built on consistency, compassion, and community transformation that begins with one child at a time.
If there’s one thing I want readers to know, it’s this: we believe hope should be both spoken and shown. Our heart is to create safe, Christ-centered spaces where children, teens, and families can experience love in action, discover purpose, and be empowered to thrive. Knoxville is full of incredible young people—our role is simply to unlock the potential that is already within them.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I don’t believe any of us arrive where we are on our own. Every stage of my life has been shaped by people who invested in me, encouraged me, challenged me, or simply modeled the kind of life and leadership I wanted to emulate.
Early on, the greatest influences were my parents. Their faith, sacrifice, and commitment to loving our neighbors didn’t just launch KICKO—they shaped the framework of my entire worldview. Teachers and coaches during my formative years added to that foundation, calling out potential and cultivating character long before I understood the impact of their investment.
As I stepped into higher education, professors in Bible college and at Johnson and Regent University helped expand my understanding of Scripture, mission, and community engagement. Their teaching—and more importantly, their lives—gave me a vision of what ministry could look like when lived with integrity and passion.
My internship leaders in Los Angeles also deserve credit. Watching them serve diverse communities, lead complex ministries, and live out the gospel in tangible ways was transformational for me. Their example showed me what holistic, hands-on ministry truly looks like.
Throughout adulthood, I’ve had a mix of mentors—some up close, others from a distance. There have been pastors, youth leaders, and fellow ministry practitioners who were five, ten, or fifteen years ahead of me in life and leadership. Their wisdom helped shape how I approach being a husband, father, pastor, and community leader. Many of them never knew how much they impacted me, but their consistency, faith, and example helped anchor me.
I’ve also been deeply shaped by voices I’ve encountered through books, sermons, and podcasts. Sometimes a single message or paragraph has given clarity or courage at just the right moment.
And finally, our team at KICKO deserves immense credit. Our staff, volunteers, community partners, and the families we walk with continually teach me what resilience, hope, and faith really look like. Their dedication and heart make everything we do possible.
In short, there is no single mentor or cheerleader—there is a whole community of people, past and present, who have influenced who I am and the work we get to do today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kicko.org
- Instagram: @KICKOorg (Business); @therealmichaelclark (Personal)
- Facebook: facebook.com/KnoxvilleInnerCityKidsOutreach (Business); facebook.com/therealmichaelclark (Personal)
- Twitter: @KICKOorg (Business); @clarks_tweets (Personal)
- Youtube: youtube.com/kickokids (Business); youtube.com/therealmichaelclark (Personal)
