Tuition-Free Bible Education
The Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI) is a two-year program offered by Village Missions to equip Christians for ministry within their local church and to prepare those who are called for full-time ministry as missionary pastors.
The CDI program is tuition-free and involves two components:
- Biblical Education
- Mentoring for Ministry
The Biblical component is a rigorous but compact curriculum delivered in six courses. The Mentoring component is provided by a pastor/ministry mentor. Successful completion of the Contenders Discipleship Initiative program satisfies the educational requirements of Village Missions for missionary applicants.
Where Do I Start?
Students
Welcome to an adventure in discovering God’s Word! If you are part of a CDI classroom or an individual self-study student, this is where you start. Once you register you will be able to access all of our CDI courses for free.
Course Mentors (formerly Local Instructors)
Welcome to equipping the saints for ministry! If you are a pastor or Bible study teacher leading a CDI class, you’ll start here! Once you have registered as a course mentor, you will be able to access all of our course materials for free.
Get Started Today!
All of our courses are free to take! Start with “Bibliology and How to Study the Bible,” then progress through the courses in order. Each course is built from the knowledge gained from previous courses. Click the “Learn More” button to get started!
Attending Contenders forced me to learn how to articulate my beliefs in a systematic and organized way. I was challenged to come up with a doctrinal statement that reflected what I believed personally and I was given the tools to study the word of God in-depth. The courses were a feast of spiritual knowledge and insight and the Holy Spirit used them to draw me into a closer relationship with Jesus as well as with other Christians.
Our Online Instructors
Our CDI online instructors were selected to provide you with a solid foundation in your Christian education. Each has decades of ministry experience as pastors and teachers. All have a heart for God’s people and a love for God’s Word.
Ron Sallee
Founder of Contenders Discipleship Initiative. Has been teaching Bibliology & How to Study the Bible since 1977.
Ken Ainsworth
Pastor of Canyon Community Church and instructor for the Christian Doctrine and Systematic Theology course.
Vernal Wilkinson
Retired Village Missionary. Dr. Wilkinson is the CDI instructor for the New Testament Survey course.
Cliff Horr
Pastor of San De Fuca Community Chapel and instructor for the Old Testament Survey course.
Russell Richardson
Pastor of Sauvie Island Community Church and instructor for the Church History course.
Robert Dore
Retired Village Missionary. CDI instructor for the Evangelism, Teaching and Preaching course.
