WHAT WE DO
DAI focuses on enabling leaders to build on what they already know, grow in their critical thinking skills and learn how to arrive at their own answers to the constantly changing challenges they face.
- Overview
- Educate
- Mentor
- Consult
- Connect
Around the world, Christian leaders are struggling. Poverty, corruption, war, disease, persecution and a lack of access to formal training are a few of the obstacles that cause leaders to fail. We know all too well that when leaders fail, churches, communities and organizations also fail. It is DAI’s desire to lift these leaders up and give them the tools they need to thrive in their leadership roles.
To that end, DAI programmes are directed by leaders who are indigenous to the nation in which they are working. These are men and women with significant leadership experience who feel called to help other leaders grow. They contextualize and translate DAI’s products and programmes to respond to local needs, or create unique products that are then shared with the other offices. The result is leaders who learn to love God more than position or power; who know Him and understand His ways and have learned how to respond to global crisis, war, poverty and change.
EDUCATEDAI offers multi-session workshops and a Master of Arts in Organisational Leadership Programme to develop leaders by combining biblical principles and knowledge along with practical application.
Learn More
MENTOREven the most seasoned leader needs mentoring and opportunities for growth. As a result, DAI provides mentoring relationships for students that blend intentional friendship, discipleship and skills coaching.
Learn More
CONSULTDAI staff provide consulting in strategic planning, organizational structure, finance, adult learning, research and evaluation to help leaders and ministries thrive in areas of struggle.
Learn More
CONNECTDAI connects leaders and their organizations to other ministries and resources in an effort to help them be as successful as possible.
Learn MoreEducate
Whether in DAI’s multi-session workshops or Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership Programme (MAOL), we strive to develop leaders through education that combines principles and knowledge along with practical application. We teach a leadership style modeled after Jesus Christ, encouraging leaders to serve others from a place of spiritual connection and integrity.
Workshops
Non-Formal Education
MAOL
Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership
Mentor
DAI believes that leadership development is a lifelong process, which means that all leaders need to keep growing. One of the most effective ways of continuing to grow is both being mentored and mentoring others.
DAI believes in relational mentoring that focuses on intentional friendship, discipleship, and skills coaching with the goal of helping each leader become all God intends for them to be. By modeling mentoring, teaching about it and encouraging every leader to mentor others, a culture of mentoring begins to thrive.
“When a respected leader allows you to walk alongside them and you see what they do and how they do it, you become strengthened through this great affirmation act.”
Dorothy, Uganda“After our mentoring session it is for me like a new breath of air and hope. Earlier in the conflict, I just wanted out. Now I want to be able to deal with complex situations.”
Julia, Russia“It is hard to put into words all that I have learned from my mentor. He provides wisdom, counsel, and in a way ‘security.’ I know I can manage without him, but when he is there I know that I can trust that things will be handled wisely and with justice.”
Pastor, Middle East“I know there is always someone I can call if I need counsel.”
Student, South AfricaConsult
DAI staff provide organizational consulting in the areas of leadership, strategic planning, organizational structure, financial development, financial accountability, adult learning, research, and evaluation. This consulting helps leaders and their ministries thrive.
DAI consultants work closely with churches to help them discover how to increase the effectiveness of their global ministries. Specifically DAI can help churches to facilitate and develop effective cross-cultural partnerships, evaluate new and existing partnerships and ministry opportunities and connect with leaders and ministries in the Majority World.
Connect
DAI is committed to connecting leaders and their organisations to other ministries and resources in an effort to help them become as fruitful as possible. There are many things beyond leadership development needed by the leaders we serve. When we find out about such a need and realize a possible resource that will meet that need, we 'connect' the two. This can take many forms, like agricultural expertise, water and sanitation contacts or books on a particular subject. Whatever the form, ‘connecting' always has a goal of more ministry impact for the communities being served.
“In my second year, I held workshops and seminars using the material and knowledge received from DAI. We organized two clergy conferences with an emphasis on servant leadership characteristics and principles.”
James, North Ankole Diocese, Uganda“DAI has been an amazing partner to us as an indigenous mission. They listen carefully to the voice of Christian leaders and their needs, adapt their leadership programme to our suggestions and are always willing to lend a helping hand in fiscal sponsorship.”
Dr. Alex Abraham, Director of Operation Agape - India
MAOL
- Overview
- Program Goals
- Why In-Country Partnerships
- Course List
- Where MAOL is Offered
The objective of the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) degree programme is to provide a distinctively Christian interactive educational experience that results in qualitative change in the leader’s life, relationships and leadership practices. It focuses on the specific needs and issues facing Christian organizational leaders living and working in majority world countries.
The programme is the most in-depth training we offer. Over the course of the three-year, part-time programme, students experience character and skill development in a variety of capacities, as well as gain credibility from earning a Master’s degree. The MAOL is offered in partnership with 17 local universities in 18 different countries and serves approximately 1000 students each year.
“The course on Servant Leadership has really opened up my eyes and changed my perspective to see how we can serve God in the way Jesus served and led the people.”
Cross Marbaniang, Pastor in NE India
“This programme has brought good leadership in me. All the subject have made a great impact in my life. I want to become the leader as God wants.”
Chaya Momin, Project Coordinator, Priscilla Centre in NE India
“The Master’s programme helped me realize the value of other people. I changed into a manager who doesn’t just want to see a task achieved, but also to realize that tasks are handled by people. Understanding and knowing these people is part of good leadership.”
Eva Mulema, Chief of Party, USAID Governance – Uganda
“I have learned that the purpose of submission to God is freedom from the terrible burden of needing to get my own way, from the obsession that demands things must go as I believe they should. The result is a vast sense of relief. I am amazed at the wonderful freedom I now have as a result of learning this discipline. Thank you DAI.”
Daniel, student in Spiritual Formation course, Uganda“I am glad to let you know that my fellow Burundian citizens and I are benefiting through this MA programme. It is useful not only to us as students, but also to the Burundian church and the whole nation. I hope that, given the relevance of the material and the determination I have of putting it into practice, and in communion with other Burundian brethren who are also following it, a new era is coming soon in the Burundi Christianity.”
Emmie, MAOL student in BurundiGoals of the MAOL Programme
The goal of the MAOL is to transform students into servant leaders who are passionate about revolutionizing their communities, organizations and ministries for Christ and his Kingdom. Through this programme, students are encouraged to practice servant leadership, modeled most clearly by Jesus, and consider how their Christian faith impacts all aspects of life, including how they lead others. Students are challenged to collaborate with and serve others, rather than pursue power or position. The programme was designed to:
Provide an accessible, part-time schedule
Create an interactive learning environment
Incorporate students’ leadership and organizational concerns into coursework
Answer global leadership questions from a Christian worldview
Equip Christian leaders to truly lead after the manner of JesusWhy DAI Chooses to Offer the Program via In-Country Partnerships
The MAOL programme is offered via a unique partnership model with in-country academic institutions. DAI designs the curriculum, provides the course materials and trains and appoints faculty for the program in each location. Meanwhile, the partnering university accredits the programme locally and oversees it as one of their own, ultimately awarding the Master of Arts degree to its graduates. These partnership arrangements provide the partner institution with a full degree programme that they otherwise might be unable to offer, and enable students to earn a degree in a subject that is relevant for leaders in all sectors of society. In addition, students earn an excellent degree from a locally recognized university, which gives them greater recognition within the contexts in which they live and work. This approach also provides an affordable tuition rate for our students.
This course is divided into 10 units:
1. O Lord, Can I Be a Leader?
2. Leader, Know Thyself
3. Power
4. Adrift in a Sea of Change
5. If we don’t know where we’re going, we’ll never get there
6. The Right Person for the Right Job
7. Motivating Individual Excellence and Fulfillment
8. Developing Others
9. Team Building
10. Organizational Accountability
This course is divided into 10 units:
1. Introducing Teaching and Learning
2. What we know about adult learners
3. Understanding Learning Styles
4. Factors underpinning Effective Learning
5. Facilitating Effective Learning
6. Communication and Learning Methods
7. Designing and Delivering Learning
8. Listening and Asking Questions
9. Learning through Feedback
10. Evaluating Learning
This course is divided into 10 units:
Intro. The Art & Science Of Strategic Management
1. Obedient Improvisation
2. Building Better Futures
3. The Mind Of The Strategist
4. Defining Who We Are & How We Create Value
5. Defining Who We Are: Core Values
6. Introducing 'Seeing', 'Moving' And 'Managing'
7. 'Seeing'
8. 'Moving' (Journey Management)
9. 'Managing' (Execution)
10. Discernment In Decision Making
This course is divided into 9 units:
1. Choosing the Better Part
2. God’s Perfect Plan for Relating and Working Together
3. God’s Perfect Plan for Us to Rule His Garden
4. Tragedy and Redemption
5. How Do We Interpret God’s Word for Today?
6. First Timothy
7. First Corinthians 7, 11 and 14
8. Ephesians 5
9. How Do I Choose the Better Part?
This course is divided into 10 units:
1. The Importance and Meaning of Integrity
2. Values: the Foundation of Integrity
3. Conscience: The Inner Compass to Keep us on the Track of Integrity
4. Personal Accountability
5. Motivation & Rewards for Integrity
6. Leading with Integrity
7. Money & Stewardship
8. Debt & Contentment
9. Internal Controls: Being on the Safe Side
10. Making Sense of Financial Reports
of Christian discipleship, but who find themselves longing for increased depth and authenticity in
their relationship with Christ. It is for those who are willing to take costly steps to open
themselves up to God’s work in new ways and to allow Him to transform them.
This course is divided into 13 units:
1. Thirsty for God: Restoring our Passion for God (Solitude)
2. Images of Spiritual Formation: What is the Goal of Life in Christ? (Study)
3. The ABCs of Spiritual Formation: Reviewing the Foundation (Prayer)
4. Obstacles. Why Aren’t We Making It All the Way? (Fasting)
5. Spirituality. What It Is and What It Is Not (Service)
6. The Spiritual Aspects of the Disciplines (Meditation)
7. The Hard Work of Spirituality (Submission)
8. Person, Place and Provision (Celebration)
9. The Cardinal Sins. Radical Solutions for Radical Sins (Simplicity)
10. Forgiveness and Reconciliation. Remedies for Individuals and Communities (Confession)
11. The Life of Integrity. Discernment, Steadfastness and Forthrightness (Guidance)
12. Adversity and Crisis. Getting Ready (A week without Disciplines)
13. Getting Ready for the Rest of Life (Worship)
This course is divided into 12 units:
1. What is Ethics?
2. How Do Leaders Become Ethically Fit?
3. Where Do We Find Resources for Ethical Guidance?
4. How Do We Make Sense of What to Do in Real Life?
5. How Do We Make Ethical Decisions?
6. Where Do We Find Dependable Ethical Foundations?
7. What is the Central Challenge of Christian Ethics?
8. How Do We Live Ethically In Our Relationships?
9. Ethics and Culture. What’s the Difference?
10. What is Involved in the Ethics of Organizations?
11. Reviewing the Ethics of Leadership
12. Readings in Ethics and Worldviews
This course is divided into 6 units.
1. How Should Christian Leaders Think about Conflict?
2. What Obstacles do Christian Leaders Face in Handling Conflict?
3. How Do Christian Leaders Resolve Conflict? Learning to Forgive.
4. How Do Christian Leaders Deal with Conflict?
5. How do Christian Leaders Manage Socio-political Conflict?
6. The Incarnation. The Supreme Model for Conflict Management & Resolution
This course is divided into 10 units.
1. Getting into Position for Insight
2. Framing Your Concern
3. Brainstorming and Guessing
4. Getting Your Strategy Right
5. Preparing Great Questions
6. Hunting and Gathering
7. Drawing Insights from Information
8. Converting Insights to a Conclusion and Recommendations
9. Taking Inspired Action
10. Watching God’s Glory Break Through
This course is divided into 13 units.
1. Introducing Culture, Ethnicity, and Diversity
2. Creation and Fall
3. And God Created Diversity
4. Aliens and Strangers
5. Blessed to Bless All Nations
6. What Do We Do With the Past?
7. Reaching Out to the “Other”
8. The Church after Pentecost
9. A Church for All Peoples
10. Forgiveness and Reconciliation
11. One New Humanity
12. Culture, Ethnicity, and Diversity in the Future
13. Intentionality
This course is divided into 9 units.
1. An Introduction to Development and Social Change Unit
2. A Theology for Engaging a Hurting World - Part 1 - God’s Original Vision and What Went Wrong
3. A Theology for Engaging a Hurting World - Part 2 - God’s Perspective on Development and Social Change
4. Living as Citizens of the Kingdom
5. How Well Have We Followed in the Footsteps of Jesus?
6. Emerging Faithfulness. the global Church’s response to human need
7. Transformation - A Kingdom Agenda for Development and Social Change
8. Principles of Community Transformation
9. From Kingdom Theory to Kingdom Practice
This course is divided into 11 units.
1. Building a Biblical Foundation for Fundraising
2. The Funding of Ministry: a Historical Perspective
3. A New Approach to the Funding of Your Ministry
4. Who Might Support Your Ministry?
5. Why People Give
6. Communicating Vision and Need
7. Communicating Character and Track Record
8. Your Case for Support
9. Communicating Biblical Stewardship
10. Approaching a Western Charitable Foundation
11. Writing a Proposal to a Charitable Foundation
This workshop is divided into 9 units.
1. Introduction to the Topic
2. Biblical Principles
3. Mentoring Roles and Goals
4. Your Story as a Foundation for Mentoring
5. The Qualities of Effective Mentors
6. Skills and Competencies - Part A
7. Skills and Competencies - Part B
8. The Development of Healthy Mentoring Relationships
9. Learning Styles and Agreements
This course is divided into 10 units.
1. Partnership – a Theological Perspective
2. What Do We Mean by “Partnership”?
3. The Strategic Importance of Working Together in Partnership
4. Exploring a Partnership
5. Launching a Partnership - Part 1
6. Launching a Partnership - Part 2
7. The Operations Stage of a Partnership
8. Developing Effective Groups and Teams in Partnerships
9. Partnerships and Conflict
10. Trust, Evaluation and Other Key Issues in Partnerships
Workshops
- Overview
- Why Workshops Work
- Workshops Available
- Additional Topics for Presentation
Overview
Since DAI was founded in 1996, we have been facilitating Workshops designed to help leaders grow in their desire to serve others, motivated by God’s love. The approach is interactive learning, in which participants are actively engaged in the learning experience and are encouraged to apply what they are learning to their personal ministry, whatever that might be, DAI offers many of its Workshops in a series of sessions, over a period of time, allowing time for the leaders to apply what they’re learning in their day-to-day life, work and ministry. These workshops are contextualized by local facilitators as they adapt the materials to their context.
Goal of Workshops
The goal of each Workshop is to develop the leaders’ effectiveness in managing people, money and their churches or organizations while helping them to grow spiritually.
“The course on Servant Leadership has really opened up my eyes and changed my perspective to see how we can serve God in the way Jesus served and led the people.”
Cross Marbaniang, Pastor in NE India
DAI-NEPAL. School Supplies for Kids in Need
In 2012, DAI-Nepal invited DAI-UK Senior Consultant John Rogers to teach the Fundraising in Ministry course to local leaders of churches and ministries. Some of those attending were expatriates, skeptical about the merits of fundraising. One of the attendees, Ramesh, was inspired by what he learned. After the course, he asked his colleagues and friends to donate funds for school bags and stationary to be donated to a very poor school in the area where Hindu and Muslim children study together. Ramesh received more than he expected and was able to show Christ’s love in a very tangible way.
DAI-EAST AFRICA. Broad Application
“I was surprised at how practical the workshop was and how it applied to every single person anywhere as we are all in some leadership somewhere in life. It re-invigorated me to develop y own gifts and work on my weaknesses and also develop other young leaders.”
Liesl WartonDAI-EURASIA. Inspired, Motivated and Empowered
“This has really impacted my life, I’ve always struggled that I was different from others, and I’ve understand that the way I do leadership is OK, I can walk away saying I’m comfortable with who I am, and my leadership style. Thank you so much, I am truly inspired, motivated and empowered! A few months of questions answered in 2 days.”
Remona van der BylDAI-NEPAL. No Long Lectures
“There were no long lectures (which I had expected). It was very helpful to understand the lessons with personal involvement in the learning. I plan to use these new skills in my youth group programmes.”
BhaukDAI-UGANDA. Easy to Understand
“Raising local resources is one thing I am supposed to do and I learned that there are resources around me that I can mobilize. The materials were easy to understand and the video clips were relevant, the group work enabled me to learn from other members of the group and the facilitator gave relevant examples and contextualized the information.”
SarahWhy Workshops Work
These interactive workshops typically have 25-30 participants, although sometimes we will run a workshop with fewer people., allowing the leaders to learn from each other and receive mentoring. Rather than ask the leaders to come to a central location, DAI takes the workshops to where people live and work. Each workshop is designed in response to research on the questions leaders in Africa, Asia and Latin America are asking making them consistently relevant. The curriculum is always grounded in Biblical principles and often includes case studies that leaders easily identify with.
Graduates of our workshops are able to then teach DAI material to others, multiplying the learning throughout their networks. Because of this, our curriculum has been translated by local leaders into more than 35 languages, making our workshops more accessible to those who most need it.
Workshops Available
The Workshop is divided into 10 sessions, which is often run over a series of three day workshops:
1. Introducing Servant Leadership
2. Understanding Yourself
3. Power
4. Developing Others
5. Building Teams
6. Motivating Others for Excellence and Service
7. Leading Change
8. Mission, Vision and Values
9. Resolving Conflict
10. Integrity and Accountability
The workshop is divided into 11 sessions:
1. An Introduction to “Facilitating Learning”
2. The Teaching Methods of Jesus
3. Thinking about your own Learning
4. Factors that Underpin Effective Learning
5. Facilitating Effective Learning
6. Effective Learning Methods
7. The Learning Environment
8. Designing and Delivering Great Workshops
9. Briefing and Preparation for the Practical Exercise
10. Practical Exercise: Facilitating a Workshop
11. Evaluating the Learning Process
This workshop is divided into 12 sessions:
1. Introduction to the Workshop
2. Building a Biblical Foundation
3. The Changing Pattern of Funding of Ministry
4. New Approaches to Funding
5. Where can I get support from?
6. Why People Give?
7. Why People Give: Communicating Vision and Need
8. Why People Give: Character and Track Record
9. Why People Give: Communicating your "Case for Support"
10. Delivering your "Case for Support"
11. Reviewing your “Case for Support”
12. Using your “Case for Support”
This workshop is divided into 8 sessions:
1. Introduction
2. God’s Perfect Plan: Relating And Working Together
3. God’s Perfect Plan For Us To Rule His Garden
4. Tragedy And Redemption
5. Exegesis, Hermeneutics And Paul
6. Women And Men In Marriage: Examining Biblical And Cultural Models Of Marriage
7. Women And Men Leading Churches & Organizations
8. Exploring Next Steps
The workshop is divided into 7 sessions:
1. Defining what we mean by mentoring
2. Identifying various different mentoring roles
3. Establishing the Biblical foundations of mentoring
4. Understanding the purpose and value of story-telling in mentoring
5. Examining how we hold one another accountable in a mentoring relationship
6. Developing our listening skills
7. Putting our learning together and formulating a Personal Commitments Plan for mentoring in our own churches, organizations and ministries
The workshop is divided into 7 sessions:
1. Strategy in our Christian Context
2. Discerning our role in God’s Strategic Plan
3. Wise and Godly Strategists
4. Discerning God’s Purpose for our Ministries
5. Seeing God’s Purposes in the Past, the Present and the Future
6. Moving in the direction God intends…
7. Managing the Journey to God’s intended Future
Additional Topics for Presentation
Below are topics that DAI offers in the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program, or that individuals in some areas have developed for use in their context. We are continually capturing this content, revising it, editing it and then republishing it for maximum effectiveness in an interactive workshop setting.
Give Where Needed Most