Everyone is called to be a leader. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you are called to make disciples, and discipleship requires leadership (Matthew 28:19). That command may excite you or terrify you, depending on your idea of leadership and its responsibilities.
The Abundant Life Leadership Institute is designed to lead, train, and equip you to be a confident leader at home, in the workplace, and in the church. We believe that God has given each person unique gifts and talents that can be used“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:12). The classes in the leadership institute are designed to help you identify and develop those gifts in yourself and those you lead.
Developing Healthy Leaders in the Church
Jesus' call to make disciples is clear, and the Apostle Paul encourages us to seek spiritual maturity. In his letters to the early churches, Paul describes maturity by urging believers to:
- Walk in love (Ephesians 5:2).
- Grow in wisdom and knowledge of God (Colossians 1:9-10).
- Turn away from sin (2 Corinthians 7:1).
- Live with perseverance and consistency (1 Corinthians 15:58).
As leaders, we guide others toward spiritual maturity and help them cultivate their influence.
Developing a Christian’s influence and leadership is a powerful way to expand their impact in God’s kingdom. However, we must be careful to cultivate spiritual maturity as we lead others and help them expand their influence. ALLI exists to support our growth in both maturity and influence. This equips us to disciple others toward maturity and help them develop their own influence.
What Is ALLI?
Abundant Life Leadership Institute (ALLI) is a course that trains and develops people to live purposefully and lead well. The course includes impactful training, learning workshops, and practical training cohorts. The leadership institute focuses on leading, training, and equipping Christians for the work God has for them.
In the classes, participants will learn about a variety of skills and competencies that are essential to grow themselves and develop others. Class topics include…
- Emotional intelligence (know God, know yourself, understand others, and manage relationships)
- Influence leverage (developing people, building teams, and solving problems)
- Philosophy of Religion
- The Church
- Global Missions
- Introduction to Church Planting and Church Growth
The role of a leader is to improve people and situations. We are confident that this Christian leadership institute will prepare you to grow as a leader and equip you to leverage your influence with confidence.
What Sets ALLI Apart from Other Leadership Institutes?
Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and men (Luke 2:52), and this development path is the foundation for ALLI’s process.
Leadership books are abundant in ministry and organizational settings. However, developing leadership skills requires more than simply acquiring knowledge.
This concept is similar to how reading books about football can increase your understanding of the sport without necessarily improving your ability to play. You can read as many books about football as you can get your hands on, but you won’t truly know how to play the game until you get on the field.
Each ALLI training contains 5 parts:
- Training workshops and exercises
- Reading and discussion
- Coaching conversations
- Simulated experiences to equip you for real-life
- Hands-on ministry application
To become a better leader, you need to practice in real-life situations, not just learn from books. These trainings help Christian leaders build skills they can apply in real-life leadership situations.
Leadership Abilities Learned in ALLI
ALLI participants will learn 7 leadership abilities. Teaching these as part of the Christian leadership institute equips them with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive in various areas of leadership.
- Knowing Yourself
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”—Psalm 139:23-24
Leaders who understand themselves can identify their strengths and weaknesses to maximize their impact and influence. Being aware of their strengths and weaknesses helps them be real and trustworthy, allowing them to lead with confidence and adaptability.
2. Understanding Others
“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another…”—Romans 12:10
Understanding others is important for leaders because it helps build trust and strong relationships. When leaders know what motivates each person, what they’re good at, and what they find hard, they can communicate better, assign tasks more effectively, and help their team members do their best.
3. Managing Yourself
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”—Galatians 5:22-23
Self-control is one of the fruits of the spirit. It helps Christian leaders stay focused on their goals, use their time and energy wisely, and face challenges with confidence. When leaders know how to manage themselves, they can make sound decisions, avoid acting without thinking, and model the behavior they expect from others.
4. Managing Relationships
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”—Philippians 2:4
The leadership institute teaches Christian leaders how to manage relationships well. They learn to address problems early, keep communication clear, and build trust and respect within their team. Well-managed relationships allow leaders to understand their team’s needs, motivations, and strengths to give the right support to help everyone succeed.
5. Developing People
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”—2 Timothy 2:2
When leaders help their team members grow and learn, the whole team becomes stronger and more effective at reaching goals. People feel appreciated and supported, making them more engaged and likely to stay. This creates a culture of continuous improvement to move toward bigger goals and plans.
6. Building Teams
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”—Ecclesiastes 4:9
Abundant Life Leadership Institute is designed to help leaders identify and develop the God-given gifts in themselves and others. When leaders build strong teams, they bring together different people’s strengths, skills, and ideas to create something better than one person could do alone.
7. Solving Problems
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”—1 Corinthians 1:10 (emphasis added)
Problem-solving is a critical leadership ability because it helps leaders handle challenges and keep their teams moving forward. When leaders can identify root causes and develop practical solutions, they build confidence in the team, helping everyone stay strong, adjust, and keep getting better when things get tough.
Takeaway
The Abundant Life Leadership Institute equips Christians to lead confidently as they disciple, train, and develop others. The seven abilities of leadership, along with the course exercises, allow leaders to develop skills that increase their overall effectiveness.
The Lord has called us to make disciples, develop leaders, and further His kingdom. The competencies of leadership increase our ability to execute the work He has created us for.
Are you ready to grow in leadership? Join us at the Abundant Life Leadership Institute!