1. A Question of Fruitfulness
“My Father is glorified by this that you bear much fruit and become (prove to be) my disciples.” (John 15:8)
Starting with Jesus.
It’s about being disciples, glorifying the Father, and bearing much fruit.
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2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc. 1 1

2. A Question of Fruitfulness
John 15:4-5
“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches apart from me you can do nothing.”
The ABIDE model was generated out of John 15:1-17 where Jesus describes the only successful model for branches (his disciples) that will bear much fruit and glorify God.
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2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc. 2 2

3. What led to ABIDE for Smaller Congregations?
The history of ABIDE is tied to SLI and to research and concern for smaller congregations carried through the years by Dr. Ron Crandall.
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2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
What led to ABIDE for Smaller Congregations?
“Joining Jesus in his revolution to transform leaders, communities, and the world.”

4. By the Numbers Percent of UM Churches
46 or fewer in Worship
47 plus in Worship
50% = 16,500 churches 50% = 16,500 churches
In the United Methodist Church and many other denominations vast numbers of our congregations are smaller membership churches averaging fewer than 100 in worship. These churches share many qualities that make them look and act like “Family Churches” where their internal relationships are both their strength and their weakness. Often they face special challenges in today’s world that keep them from being more fruitful for God’s glory.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
UMC churches w/t a PF in 2012 = 48.5%

5. Six Issues Identified
Spiritual Life—Low self-esteem, reduced prayer, biblical illiteracy, apathetic worship, and missing connections to Jesus.
Leadership—Both appointed pastors and laity often feel ill prepared to lead their churches in this century.
Conflict—Personal preference wars have often eroded a sense of loving fellowship both for insiders and new attendees.
Mission & Vision—Many struggle to maintain a mission focus while facing survival challenges.
Context—Older smaller churches often no longer relate well to the community they reside in.
Structure—Sometimes related to facilities but more often to control issues, effective decision making, and unity of purpose.
An SLI led development team starting in 2004 began working with leaders from all across the US and discerned that these six issues were critical if smaller congregations were to be renewed for the sake of faithfulness and bearing much fruit for God’s glory.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

6. ABIDING IN CHRIST, ADVANCING GOD’S MISSION, ALIVE IN GOD’S GLORY.
ABIDE Creating leadership teams in smaller membership churches that are:
This was the missional vision statement of ABIDE as it began and as it continues.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
ABIDING IN CHRIST,
ADVANCING GOD’S MISSION,
ALIVE IN GOD’S GLORY.

7. All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
The ABIDE Model
“Joining Jesus in his revolution to transform leaders, communities, and the world.”

8.  rekindle faith, hope, and love
The ABIDE Process
ABIDE begins with an overnight retreat designed to:
 rekindle faith, hope, and love
 reveal the John 15 design
 begin forming covenant teams
 love, learn, and lead together
ABIDE begins with an Introductory event (usually for part of a Saturday) to give both an orientation to the total process and to encourage the teams to know the journey will be especially sensitive to the unique dynamics, issues, and opportunities inherent in smaller congregations today. This is followed usually about a month later with an overnight retreat for the church teams deciding to move forward with the SLI/ABIDE month Incubator.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
Notebooks with all materials are provided for each participant throughout the project.

9. The Full ABIDE-SLI Project
The ABIDE process continues for another months during which participants learn the value of spiritual leadership and the specifics of how they will invest at least 8 hours a month to:
 practice a way of life
 invest together as a team
 hold themselves accountable
 transform the community.
Normally the 8 hours a month are either taken care of by meeting with all of the teams and the SLI coaches on a Saturday (4-5 times in the year), or in two 4 hour sessions a month in the context of each individual local church. These local church sessions are led by a team facilitator selected by each team, whose primary task is to keep the team members on track as they walk through the exercises and learning materials supplied by SLI-ABIDE for that month, These facilitators are given special guidance and training by the coaches both early in the process, and monthly as each new segment of the ABIDE process (see slides 7 and 17) is captured in a new set of PowerPoint slides and workbook segments including worship resources and step by step guidance for moving through the loving, learning, and leading exercises for that session.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

10. ABIDE Team
Builds a team of spiritual leaders (becoming like Jesus) who are Loving Learning and Leading together in covenant.
Creates an environment where persons can be and can make disciples.
Clarifies Values, Mission, and Vision (Focus).
Develops a MAP (Ministry Action Plan) answering
Who are we?
Where are we?
What is God calling us to?
How are we going to get there?
Commits to bringing transformation to both the church and community by putting their MAP into action and continuing to adjust it as needed.
Expands the process by building other similar teams who MAP and implement ministry.
This is a brief summary of the way the ABIDE project develops in two rounds of activity that focus on these six emphases (also slide 11), and then helps the team see how they all work together to create a new core of spiritual leadership and fruitful ministry in the life of the congregation and the community.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

11. Ministry Action Planning
Worked Through in Two 6 Month Cycles
COMMUNICATION
Team
Context
Focus
Strategy
Transformation
Creating Transformative Environments
Discovering Internal & External Profiles
Discerning our Values, Mission, & Vision
Growing Systems, & Relational Connections
Implementing & Sustaining Mission
The overall process is repeated twice in 12 months, and each time around dives deeper into both understanding how it all fits together, and how to make it more and more habitual action with all the pieces fitting together for greater and greater momentum. Ongoing communication with the church council and congregation is critical to the success of the project.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

12. Ongoing Monthly Activities
Loving God & Neighbor through
Spiritual Formation and worship - the process of being conformed to the image of Christ, a servant of others for the sake of God’s mission
Sharing with others their ongoing spiritual journey and relationship with God
Learning through
Personal and congregational examination
Reading and discussion of recommended materials
Intentional efforts at Ministry Action Planning
Leading by
Participation in developing a leadership team
Participation in building and implementing a congregational Ministry Action Plan
The heart of each monthly gathering is built around these three activities: growing in love (God, self, and neighbor), growing in wisdom and knowledge, and growing in the team’s ability to discern the Spirit’s leading for new ministries for faithfulness and fruitfulness.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

13. L3 DNA Living into the L3 DNA Loving Learning Leading
We often refer to the L3 model of living the ABIDE life.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

14. Creating the Environment
L3 DNA
Loving
Loving is mostly about creating an environment for change that helps each team member grow more into the unique discipleship design that he or she was made for in Christ. It involves both spiritual formation for the individuals and for the team. It involves shared times of worship, covenant making, and mutual accountability to pursue God’s best for the team, the congregation, and the community.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

15. LOVE as Spiritual Formation
Growth in my personal relationship with God in Christ –abiding as his true disciple
Growth in my relationship with the ABIDE team and others in a covenant of worship, trust, and love
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

16. L3 DNA The Learning Process Loving Learning
Learning is the second aspect of the L3 DNA. The 8 hours a month together as a team is often based on additional individual effort outside of the team meetings (reading or other research assignments) in order to make helpful contributions and join in the conversations that generate new insights and team cohesiveness for leading others in the congregation to see with new eyes and invest more fully in God’s design as it is corporately discerned.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

17. Reading and Assignments
Books & videos
YouTube
Movies
Teaching
Data & discussion Your context internal external Your values, mission, and vision Your ministries
Here are some of the current reading materials examined during the first several months. Each person on the team will need to have access to his or her own book for the reading assignments, and be ready also to help collect other information and data as the team examines the current realities both in the church and in the community.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

18. Leading for Transformation
L3 DNA
Loving
Learning
Leading
Thus, the ultimate goal is the creation of new “spiritual leaders” who invest what they are learning for the future of their congregation and its ability to impact others in the community for God’s purposes in their lives.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

19. Leading Strategically
Becoming true spiritual leaders in your church by helping others learn and experience what you have.
Engaging others to explore the very best ways to expand the work of the Kingdom and help transform the community.
This “leadership” for “making disciples” shifts from being a haphazard hope, to a seriously planned and cohesive effort impacting the life of the entire congregation.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

20. Advancing God’s Mission
Joining the Holy Spirit in Transforming our Communities
is our ultimate calling and mission.
Becoming Externally Focused
Individually and as Congregations
Exploring Cooperative ministries
Such as how to join with others and address poverty, new people groups, family issues, etc.
We exist as the Church of Jesus Christ, his body, to advance God’s mission in our part of God’s world. God’s love for us and the entire world went out of the way to connect with us. That love flowing through us as we ABIDE in Christ does the same for others all around us. This is our source of joy as Christians, and how we glorify God by bearing much fruit (John 15:8, 11).
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

21. Spiritual Leaders
The key to success is the willingness of participants to make abiding in Christ and being fruitful for God’s glory a high priority for this season of their lives, investing 8 hours a month as a group to
Love,
Learn, and
Lead together
for revitalizing the Church
and impacting their world.
This slide simply reemphasizes the level of commitment needed to make this process truly life changing and transformative for the entire congregation and the community.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

22. Simply Put, They . . .
Create an environment of grace and truth in which persons can mature as spiritual leaders.
Compose a covenant of mutual accountability and live in it for at least a year.
Journey together committed to helping the whole congregation become and make disciples.
“They . . .” refers to the “spiritual leaders” described in the previous slide.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

23. If you decide to use any of the video clips (access to internet required) make sure you preview them for time involved, or simply invite others to access them on line. The general introduction video referred to takes about 10 minutes to view, but has been very helpful in showing a variety of settings where the SLI ABIDE model has made its impact. A DVD can also be requested for use in your orientation meetings.
You may want to end the presentation with a period of comments, observations, and questions/answers. ABIDE brochures are available on the SLI website (under ABIDE RESOURCES) and can be reproduced in printed form and handed out as well.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.
What People are Saying
“Joining Jesus in his revolution to transform leaders, communities, and the world.”

24. Finding us on the Web The SLI Website www.spiritual-leadership.org
Under the “Resources” TAB you can find various materials related to ABIDE as well as an ABIDE Video Introduction.
Also, check out the testimonials under the “SLI Story” TAB, and explore the entire site for more information on SLI.
All slides in this presentation are copyright property of SLI
2014 Spiritual Leadership, Inc.

25. A Video Introduction
Additional materials including a video of testimonies can be found on the SLI website under the RESOURCES Tab

26. What People are Saying
ABIDE is refocusing our hearts and minds on the purpose of the church and helping us look once again to the future.  Our group is deepening their life in Christ, and seeking God's will for themselves and our church.  All of this after only 3 months in the program.  I can hardly wait to see what God will do here by the time the program ends!  Thanks SLI, for helping us ABIDE in Christ once again. 
Rev. Debbie Arvelo,
Alden UMC, Alden, Kansas.

27. What People are Saying
I will be 53 years old this August and never searched God’s life book for guidance in the topic of Church business.  But thanks to our Abide journey, I have learned what truly abiding in Christ is supposed to be. No, I do not get it all right now, but I do know where to go for ALL of life’s questions.   Every step we made toward God, he was there waiting to bless us. The Abide group has been just the best.   Come on in boys, the waters fine!!!
  Jeffrey Hoover, Gamewell UMC Lenoir, NC

28. What People are Saying
Though entering into the ABIDE Process with some trepidation, we have found it to be life-changing for our five-member team. It is amazing the bond we have establish between us.  We hope that we can spread this love and enthusiasm with others.  We also have great optimism about the potential impact upon our small church and community as we head into the future of this ministry - with God's help.
Dianna Bloom and the ABIDE Team of Big Springs United Methodist Church, Kansas.

29. What People are Saying
The Abide process is “real world” Christianity calling each of us to leave our comfort zones, to get out of the box and to be and take the church out in the community. Abide also calls us to have eyes, ears and hearts alert and responsive to the glory of God at work all around us. Jesus said, I am the vine. You are the branches. Apart from me you can do nothing. Cling to Jesus. God Bless. Nancy Tate, member, Providence UMC, Rutherford, NC

30. What People are Saying
Abide is what Blue Mound UMC has been waiting for.  We wanted to try some things and we had started a Bible Study; but Abide has tied much of it together and brought our team together. Now we are going through the process with excitement as we look to the future.
Dallas Peterson,
Pastor Blue Mound UMC, Kansas

31. What People are Saying
ABIDE has had a wonderful impact on my life. It has brought me closer to Christ and through Him I have been able to use the knowledge learned in ABIDE to become a leader in areas where I never felt God could use me before, such as leading my church's ABIDE team and teaching women's groups. Thank you for this program. In Christ, Beth Murphy, Team member Cedar Grove-Sunshine Charge, NC

32. What People are Saying
All the concerns in this list were real issues I felt we needed to address in our congregational development plan for the Marion District. I felt (and still feel all the more) that ABIDE is the best way to address them. Leader Development, especially empowering new, young adult leaders; Training, especially empowering laity; Recovery of Focus (the mission of the Church); and Planning and Implementation Skills. It’s win/win for everyone! Marion District NC (Phillip Cole, DS)