Disciple Making Pastor's Training (DMPT) began two years ago in response to the need of the Ethiopian Kale Heywot Church to focus on making disciples among its 7 million member congregation. Past leadership development emphasized formal 
training at various levels of Bible school and seminary, with course content geared toward biblical studies. However, many local church leaders still have no access to formalised study options, and non-formal training has relied primarily on Bible study courses. DMPT attempts to prepare church leaders who are not able to attend full time academic study, while giving a balance of biblical and practical ministry training with an emphasis on making disciples. It utilizes an in-service model (TEAM) which includes:
Teaching - Bible, doctrine, disciple-making, preaching, church life, counselling, etc
Experience - ministry assignments are given for pastors to work on between training weeks and the DMPT team does ministry together with pastors at weekends
Assessment - church elders submit confidential written evaluations of pastors and the DMPT team assess progress of pastors; also pastors advise each other
Mentoring - the DMPT team meets with pastors individually for coaching, encouragement, and prayer
DMPT recently completed a two-year pilot project in which 221 local church pastors (including 15 women working in women's ministries) from 9 of the more unreached districts of Ethiopia were trained and mentored in pastoral ministries and disciple-making. Over two years, a team of 3 experienced pastors and 1 coordinator travelled to these districts every 3 months for a week of training, mentoring, ministry assignment, and evaluation. The result was that more than 1,900 local church ministry leaders (next-level leaders such as youth, women's, Sunday School leaders) and members experienced a discipling relationship with these pastors and many pastors began reaching out to unbelievers in new ways. In one town more than 100 students trusted Christ and were discipled in a local church.
Assistant trainers were developed in each district who will continue working with these pastors. The DMPT team will continue to work with these leaders as they train and mentor 425 new pastors during the next 2 years. Also, 225 pastors from 9 new districts will also be trained as disciple-making pastors during this time. DMPT is helping to fulfill SIM’s mandate to see churches empowered and individuals mentored for spiritual growth into missions outreach by training pastors to disciple others in a mentoring, in-service context, which is resulting in increased effectiveness of local ministry leaders, gospel outreach in new communities, and spiritual growth of new believers.
