1 February – 30 June
What is MDT?
MDT is an intense, cross-cultural discipleship training experience focused on spiritual formation, understanding God’s mission and becoming equipped to reach the least reached.
MDT exists to inspire, disciple and equip Jesus followers to be able to move into a different cultural context to see vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached.
Discipleship, in the case of MDT, encompasses all of the following:
By the end of the MDT programme, participants will have grown in the following ways:
SPIRITUAL FORMATION
UNDERSTANDING OF GOD’S MISSION
SERVING THE LEAST REACHED
These outcomes are achieved through the four core components of instruction, experience, relationships and spirituality:
INSTRUCTION
Participant knowledge and understanding are acquired through a variety of learning methods. This takes the form of lectures, workshops, interactive teaching, small discussion groups, Bible studies, etc. MDT is not an academic institution but a training experience, so interactive and innovative methods of transmitting instruction are used.
EXPERIENCE
Through hands-on learning and concrete experiences, skills are developed that are critical to the success of participants to engage in least-reached people groups. This will happen primarily through outreaches in partnership with churches throughout Ireland. In these experiences we will interact with various Irish subcultures, as well as globalized cultures that are now impacting the country.
RELATIONSHIPS
By focusing on relationships and community, participants experience first-hand what a vibrant community looks and feels like. To ensure the development of community, MDT includes intentional, relational practices that develop students formally and informally for living, working and ministering to a wide variety of people. Some examples might include service teams, working and living together, team meals, team prayer, team outings, etc.
SPIRITUALITY
The regenerated life of a follower of Jesus is not isolated to just his or her personal spiritual activities, but instead, overflows into every area of who we are. The spiritual component of MDT encourages us to explore this through coach-mentoring, trust groups, spiritual disciplines, worship, accountability, emotional intelligence, and physical activity.