Leadership development
DCI is about responding to the needs of local churches and ministries in underdeveloped places. In Uganda, ministry leaders felt the need to build their capacity for leadership, Biblical interpretation and preaching, management and administration, and other ministry development skills. Most village pastors had no formal training, with many not having completed regular schooling. With the membership of the churches DCI partnered with approaching ten thousand people, this gap in leadership preparation had become a crisis. DCI responded with a multi-part training program aimed at different levels of leadership.
DCI’s Country Director, Jonathan Beggs, has worked with local leaders to develop training series in various aspects of church ministry, including worship and youth ministries, hermeneutics and homiletics (interpretation and preaching), pastoral counseling, conflict resolution, accountability (spiritual, leadership, and financial), marriage and parenting issues, servant leadership, and other topics. Typically these trainings have been conducted in the form of seminars and workshops, retreats, on-the-job practicum, and homework assignments. At times, DCI has brought in outside visitors to give specialized training and different perspectives.
The results of the leadership trainings in Uganda have been evident. Greatly reduced church leadership conflict, greater transparency and accountability, and improved research and communication skills are among the outcomes of our programs. DCI also desires that churches be equipped to develop and handle development programs aimed at their surrounding communities. We train leaders to properly oversee and administer programs, as well as to advocate for them to their flock. In this way, DCI’s leadership programs support our overall vision of helping ministries to change their communities and by doing so, to love their neighbor as we are commanded.