More than a Mile Deep
Building breadth and depth into the African church.
It’s been said that the African church is a mile wide and an inch deep. MMD aims to change that.
MMD desires to see the church in Africa (and beyond) grow both wider and deeper, by developing excellent training systems for pastors and leaders. MMD brings groups together to design and deliver sustainable, accessible and transformational ministry training. All created by Africans in an African context and with an African mindset.
MMD is guided by five foundational principles:
1. Biblical, contextual courses
Most courses in Africa come from outside the continent. Africans need to design, write and field test a curriculum that addresses their intellectual worldview, as well as local, practical issues of the heart. This principle remains a top priority.
2. Holistic church-based discipleship
MMD helps churches develop training systems which enable those churches to strengthen and multiply transformational, sustainable ongoing training of their leadership. New initiatives grow when people embrace the realities of their community and realize that their abilities and resources — though limited — are sufficient for them to make a real difference. While most accredited training aims at implementation upon graduation, students in MMD are required to impact their community from the very start, apply what they are learning in the context of their local churches.
3. African ownership
Many programs in Africa, often Western, provide a symbolic diploma. This has led to a belief that only official accreditation is of any real value. But academic knowledge needs to be tied to the practical. MMD offers practical ministry training leading to immediate local implementation. Such implementation transforms African society far more than a Western diploma.
4. Partnering and cooperation
One organization alone cannot provide leadership training throughout sub-Saharan Africa (53 countries). Effective collaboration is a must. To achieve national and international coverage, local platform organizations are multi-ethnic, interdenominational and regionally representative.
5. Action-Reflection-Action
Action-Reflection-Action is a practical training methodology incorporated into many MMD courses.
Before starting a course, students go into their communities to discover a problem. Action.
Then, in personal and peer group interaction, they reflect on the problem and seek biblical solutions. Reflection.
Finally, they go back into the community to apply those solutions. Action.
Thus, MMD training has led to development of African designed and owned projects like small businesses, garbage recycling, care for those impacted by HIV/AIDS and youth ministry.
Executive director
Dr. André Chitlango
Curriculum architect
Dr. John Jusu
Coach
Johan Boekhout