It’s not a boot camp. It’s not an academic exercise. It’s a microcosm of living and ministering among people of a different culture. It’s a new cultural experience with a blend of class instruction, community and cross-cultural living, ministry opportunity, work, play and sharing.

At MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MDP), we train new missionaries and assist experienced missionaries in their development of ministry and interpersonal skills for maximum effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission through the purpose of each mission agency.

PURPOSE
The purpose of MDP is to train new, and assist experienced missionaries in their development of ministry and Interpersonal skills for maximum effectiveness in fulfilling the Great Commission through the purpose of each mission agency.

All brochures are in pdf format (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Brochure: Introducing MDP 2008

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Part of the MDP experience involves regular class sessions held each weekday morning. Occasionally sessions will also be scheduled in the afternoons and Saturdays. The workshop instructors are usually facilitated by experienced missionaries or Aboriginal leaders.

MDP Workshop Training Schedule

WEEK #5 OPTIONS
The experience of this week will help you learn much about yourself and your attitudes toward life. Trainees have three options: Wilderness Trails, Urban Impact, and Mini-Trails. Wilderness Trails is an experience in the bush consisting of a series of unfamiliar problems to be solved by participants in an unfamiliar setting. Urban Impact exposes the participants to a number of situations, complications, and frustrations that most often are faced by a Native person existing in an urban setting. Mini-Trails, primarily designed for expecting mothers and mothers with young children, is a lively day-to-day adventure that captures the principles that are taught in Wilderness Trails. It’s geared for young children to be able to participate and have fun.

Brochure: MDP Week #6 Options

MK MINISTRY
Birth to age 2: The MK Ministry Staff provide loving care and age appropriate learning experiences for these precious little ones. Age 3 through Grade K: MKs in the Pollywog Pond review Bible stories, learning that God is great and trustworthy, that God cares for them, that they need to obey God, and that they, too, can serve God. Grade 1 through Age 12: These MKs, meeting in the Lily Pad, experience lessons specifically designed with MK relevant topics which include music, Bible stories, games, Scripture memory, and much more! Each class period includes some time for completion of schoolwork by experienced home-school teachers and tutors.

If you're signing up for Wilderness Trails and you're 40 years old or older, you will need to visit a doctor before coming to MDP.

Trails Medical Release Form

Brochure: MDP MK Ministry

WELCOME TO MDP CULTURE
MDP cannot give you all the answers, nor will it bring solutions to all the problems you will encounter on the field. Your understanding of this principle is critical to your success and fulfillment as an MDP trainee. What MDP will give you are the tools for finding answers to the problems through the application of the principles and resources which have been taught by the instructors and mentors.

Brochure: Welcome to MDP Culture

MDP BOOK LIST
Each trainee is expected to read these five books prior to arriving at MDP: Ministering Cross-Culturally, Whiteman’s Gospel, The Grieving Indian, Cross-Cultural Connections, and The Happy Room. Use the Book Review Form if you wish.

MDP Book List
MDP Book Review Form

LIFE AT MDP
IMCO utilizes the facilities of Timber Bay Bible Centre in Timber Bay, SK. Timber Bay is a small community of about 100-150 people. Officially it is called a hamlet and the majority of the residents are of Aboriginal ancestry. For information re: dorm life, meals, appropriate dress, phone and e-mail use, weather, medical care, health insurance, etc., just download this next brochure —

Brochure: Life at MDP 2008
Map: Driving Directions

MDP CHECKLISTS
“To bring or not to bring, that is the question.” This list will help you decide.
MDP Checklists

CONNECTIONS AT MDP
There is a special time each week for men to meet with men and women to meet with women. This is a time designed to provide a safe environment to discuss gender specific issues relating to missionaries in cross-cultural ministries. The fellowship and interaction is GREAT!
Connections at MDP

MDP MENTORING
As you prepare to come to MDP, you will be assigned to an MDP mentor. During your training, you will be asked to meet with your mentors on a regular basis. Mentoring is not a one-way street. Those who have found MDP mentoring the most helpful have chosen to make it a two-way street by taking an active role in the relationship.
MDP Mentoring

All ready to register? We prefer that you register on-line, but if for some reason this doesn’t work for you, you can always download the printed-version and mail it to us.

On-Line Registration

Printed Registration