Mission
Development Associates International (DAI) enhances the integrity and effectiveness of Christian leaders worldwide so that the Church can fulfill its role in extending the Kingdom of God.
Vision
DAI believes that God desires a Church led by people who accurately reflect the values of His Kingdom, more than the values of their local culture. By God’s grace these leaders seek to:
- Love God more than they love power or position,
- Know Christ and continually grow in understanding His ways, so they are
- Equipped to respond to global crises, war, poverty and dramatic change.
Leaders with these qualities are fundamental in sharing the gospel with the least accessed people of the world. They are not just born; they develop over a lifetime of discipleship, education and mentoring.
DAI envisions Christian leaders who demonstrate by their lives and leadership that they:
- Serve as leaders to enable others to use their gifts, build effective teams, delegate wisely and cultivate servant leadership in others.
- Lead effective learning organizations that have clear vision, utilize research well, set realistic goals and continually evaluate results in order to learn from successes and failures.
- Demonstrate integrity and accountability in their personal lives and organizational ministries, especially regarding finances.
- Show a commitment to a lifetime of spiritual formation and living a balanced lifestyle.
- Live a life of humility resulting in a greater commitment to building God’s Kingdom than to building their own kingdom.
- Practice justice by leading ministries that result in social transformation, the empowerment of men, women and the poor, plus the evangelization and discipling of people with the least access to the Gospel.
Core Values
DAI is committed to effectiveness, integrity, humility, partnering, mentoring, holism, biblical standards and to reaching those with the least access.
- DAI seeks to model leadership that is rooted in integrity and effectiveness. Proverbs 11:3, Proverbs 10:9.
- DAI's priority is Christian leaders who have the least access to spiritual, human and material resources. Matthew 28:18-20, Matthew 25:40, 45.
- DAI seeks to serve, churches, organizations, and individuals with humility and respect for their calling before God. II Chronicles 16:9; Zechariah 4:6-10.
- DAI is committed to partnering with others who seek to enhance all members of the Body of Christ regardless of their national origin, gender, role, or ethnicity. II Thessalonians 1:11-12.
- DAI affirms that leadership development is a lifelong process done primarily on the job through mentoring with our Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate model and mentor. John 15:4-11.
- DAI will always endeavor to uphold biblical standards as the true measure of all leadership and not cultural standards while recognizing as essential the adaptation of language, style and form in communication. II Peter 1:3-8.
- DAI affirms the holism of the Kingdom where there is no dichotomy between evangelism, personal and social transformation. Luke 4:18-20, James 2:26, Matthew 21:43.