Transforming Business Stewards since 2017
ABOUT ABIDE & LEAD
WHY WE EXIST
In 2017, Duane Donner invited a group of business leaders to Pursell Farms for a few days of honest conversation. After three decades of building, acquiring, and advising companies, he'd come to something he couldn't keep to himself: that the life he'd been chasing through achievement had only ever been available through relationship with Christ. Heritage Forum was simply him trying to hand that to other men in the same chair.
Nearly ten years later, more than 500 leaders have come through that room, and thousands more have been reached through our community events. None of it was strategy. It grew the way most real things grow, one man telling another, out of the overflow of what God had already done in his life.
Abide & Lead is what that overflow became.
Our History
ORIGIN STORY
"Ministry is taking what God has done in your life and helping others experience the same life change."
Duane Donner
Heritage Forum is a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) foundation. If you would like to contribute/ donate to this ministry, please contact J. Lee Ellison at for more information.
MINISTRY HEARTBEAT
The Abide & Lead Seal
Read the Full Story of our Seal
A community of Christian Business Stewards who root every area of life in their relationship with Christ.
WHAT IS ABIDE & LEAD
We believe that men who know who they are in Christ will lead with confidence, knowing whose they are.
Scriptural Foundation
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.”
JOHN 15:5
OUR APPROACH
Inspire | Equip | Connect
Inspire by
Sharing real stories that inspire change and experiencing Spirit-filled environments.
Equip with
Practical, biblical tools that help leaders live out their faith in business and beyond.
Connect to
Trusted, intentional relationships where Kingdom-minded leaders grow together.
Transformation takes more than inspiration. It requires practical tools and trusted relationships.
WHAT WE TEACH
Integrated Living
Eight Branches Bearing Fruit
Every branch is bearing fruit, whether good or bad. Your connection to the Vine determines the outcome.
Abiding → Identity → Formation → Character → Leadership → Fruit
Learn More about Integrated Living
WHAT WE BELIEVE
The convictions that lead us.
God First
We are stewards of what God has entrusted to us.
Matthew 6:33
Stewardship Over Ownership
We lead the way Christ did: by serving.
1 Corinthians 4:2
Servant Leadership
We value deep, trust-filled relationships that sharpen us.
Mark 10:43
Genuine Relationships
We put God at the center of everything.
Proverbs 27:17
Generational Mindset
We make decisions with the future in mind.
Psalm 78:6-7
Read our full Statement of Faith
OUR TEAM
Abide & Lead is more than an organization, it’s a community of leaders united by a shared calling. Our team, board, advisors, volunteers, and contributors each play a vital role in creating experiences that inspire, equip, and connect business leaders to live fully integrated lives. Together, we are committed to serving with excellence, stewarding this mission faithfully, and helping leaders build lives of lasting Kingdom impact.
Leadership and Contributors
Learn More about the Team
IS THIS COMMUNITY FOR YOU?
Reflect on the questions below to determine if you are a fit for this community.
This Community is Not For Everyone
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Do you desire to put Christ at the center of your life, business and influence?
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Do you see yourself as a steward of the many blessings God has placed under your responsibility?
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Do you seek to serve those under your leadership and see leadership as a form of service?
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Do you value and lean into relationships that will sharpen and shape you?
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Do you operate with a mindset to multiply what God has given you?
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Do you desire to leave a godly legacy for those coming behind you to build from?
If the answer to the questions is yes, we would like to meet you.
Join a brotherhood of men who carry similar pressures, influence, and the desire to lead well.