About ABBA

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At ABBA we help Christian leaders explore their unique design, find community, and expand their network, all with the intent to see leaders impact change within our city.

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Connecting people with purpose, on purpose, and for purpose.

We craft experiences that help individual leaders learn more about their unique design and their unique influence within their community. On purpose: We build relational bridges, creating a network of Christ-centered leaders that can mobilize and effect change in the Austin area. For purpose: Cultivating trust and shared identity, we connect leaders with the end goal of helping the Body of Christ address the most pressing needs in our communities.

Austin Crucial Conversations
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On this journey you will find:

  • Wisdom as you learn from those further down the road. 
  • Purpose as you invest in those coming behind you. 
  • Reinforcement to support your growth and transformation.  
  • Unique experiences and interactions to accelerate growth and self-discovery as we collaborate to address our city's needs. 

At ABBA you can connect to a movement of people dedicated to helping you grow in your career and find God's purpose for you in your community.

Contact us today to learn more about how you can connect and engage with our network!

From Conversation to Action

Be a Force for Change in Austin and the Surrounding Communities

As a Christian businessman in Austin, I am deeply grateful for the critical role ABBA plays in bridging key sectors of our community--business, education, government, nonprofit, foundations--to collaborate for the greater good.

— Tony Budet, President/CEO | University Federal Credit Union

ABBA's History

Two decades ago, a group of visionary leaders united to foster collaboration among churches, establishing Pastors in Covenant. Initially comprising ten pastors, this alliance swiftly expanded to include twenty, then fifty, eventually evolving into a formidable network of hundreds of churches.

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When Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005, ABBA demonstrated its readiness to mobilize the local church's response. Successful coordination prompted an individual to step forward, dedicating their efforts exclusively to organizing disaster relief for churches. Today this organization is known as the Austin Disaster Relief Network.

ABBA persistently fostered the unity of churches, and our prayer movement proved highly successful. Inspired by this progress, an individual stepped forward and initiated the establishment of Christ Together.

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As time passed, ABBA recognized the growing interest among business leaders to positively impact Austin. ABBA filled this gap and stepped into the faith and work domain. Since then, we have witnessed a surge of activities within the faith and work movement, including notable initiatives such as Pivot, Leadercast, C12, and more.

Beginning with our focus on church relations and expanding into business, we observed a notable rise in connections within civic spaces in 2020. This trend has persisted and continues to grow. Furthermore, in 2023, we made significant strides within the Creative Community through our involvement in South by Southwest.

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ABBA has embarked on a transformative journey guided by God, spanning two decades of fostering connections. This path has positioned us as the ones who can comprehend the comprehensive picture. ABBA can unite the business community, providing strategic vision and resources alongside the church, offering hands and hearts, and the nonprofit sector, addressing pressing needs.

While our engagement in faith and work remains through The Foundry, we seek to expand our impact by convening across sectors. We aim to address systemic needs that profoundly affect the lives of individuals residing in Austin. By scaling our efforts, we aspire to make a meaningful difference in the community, fostering collaboration and tackling challenges on a broader scale.

I have been in my industry a long time, but I still didn’t know half the people in the room during ABBA’s Crucial Conversation on Affordable Housing. I was amazed by ABBA’s ability to convene such a diverse and passionate group, each with their unique perspectives, experiences and expertise. I saw the impact of ABBA’s work in Austin firsthand – when you bring the right people together to solve common concerns, the impossible starts looking possible.

— Terry Mitchell, Founder & Owner of Momark Development