SDMI to NDI…a Perspective

By: Rev. Monte Cyr

I’ve had the privilege of serving in the vital ministry of Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries International (SDMI) for the last 10+ years, serving as the Mesoamerica Region SDMI Coordinator. When I was first asked to take on this leadership responsibility, I was very hesitant. The common perception was, and still is in many places, that SDMI is mainly focused on Sunday School – and primarily on children’s Sunday School. In fact, many leaders still refer to SDMI simply as “Sunday School Ministries.” But the more I investigated, the more I saw what an important role this ministry can have, and must have, in helping the church fulfill its mission to make Christlike disciples in the nations – not just young disciples, but disciples of all ages. That was something I wanted to be involved in!

While Sunday School has always had an important role in disciple making (and will continue to do so), it is just one of many avenues of connecting with people and making disciples that are under the umbrella of SDMI, such as men’s ministries, women’s ministries, children’s ministries, marriage ministries, Sr. Adult ministries, sports ministries; the list goes on to include over 14 ministries! And the purpose of each of those ministries? To make Christlike disciples. To reach out to people, whoever they are, wherever they are, whatever their needs or interests are, and help them experience God’s amazing grace and follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s what SDMI does; that’s our mission. SDMI doesn’t exist to do Sunday School, it exists to help the church make disciples.

So, to clear up the misconception and broaden people’s understanding of this ministry and the tools that are available to reach and disciple people, we’ve changed our name. We’ve changed the name to describe more closely what we’re about, what we’re focused on, who we are, what we do.

Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI). We’re here to help you, the church, to be discipled and disciple others along this amazing Journey of Grace.

Monte Cyr

Mesoamerica Region Coordinator – Nazarene Discipleship International