This resource is a guide for churches to create custom Personal Development Plans (PDPs) for prospective missionaries based on a thorough assessment process. It includes clear steps for identifying growth areas in knowledge, character, and ministry skills, offers a short-form and long-form PDP example, and concludes with frequently asked questions. Church leaders can use this tool to shepherd missionary candidates wisely, assign trusted coaches, and ensure ongoing growth, support, and accountability before cross-cultural deployment.

What does developing a missionary practically look like in the church? The assessment process plays a crucial role, helping to identify key areas of growth for the prospective missionary. These growth areas may adjust the timeline for being sent cross-culturally, either slowing it down to allow for deeper preparation or staying on course with specific action steps in place. Regardless of the outcome, the assessment always reveals opportunities for personal, spiritual, and ministry development—forming an essential foundation for effective missions work. 

Based on the assessment interview—along with other components of the sending pipeline such as the theological questionnaire, references, personality profiles, and more—church leaders should compile a list of growth areas and recommended resources for development.

Documenting these areas is essential so that both the church and the missionary can track progress and refer back to them as needed. To support this process, download the “Template for Writing a Personal Development Plan” or create your own version to help structure a clear and intentional pathway for growth. 

You should be asking three basic questions as you create a Personal Development Plan (PDP):

1. What is most important for candidates to KNOW? 

2. What kind of person do we want candidates to BE? 

3. What is most important for candidates to be able to DO? 

Before outlining specific action steps, it's important to determine who will walk alongside the prospective missionary as they work through their PDP. Will it be the missions leader, another pastor or church leader, a former missionary, or someone else? Whoever takes on this role should be a trusted, well-equipped individual capable of mentoring, encouraging, and guiding the candidate. This “missionary coach” should meet regularly with the candidate in a one-on-one setting to provide support and accountability. It’s also wise to have a system of accountability in place for the coach themselves, ensuring they remain supported and on track. 

Action Steps for a Personal Development Plan

Here are a few examples of what a Personal Development Plan can look like:

• If a candidate is lacking in theological or missiological knowledge, he or she could be assigned to take a few Bible college or seminary classes, read a theology book, or perhaps enroll in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement. 

• If a candidate is struggling with mental health or emotional instability, he or she could be guided toward pastoral counseling or a licensed Christian counselor. 

• If a candidate has little cultural or linguistic experience, his or her PDP could include going on a short-term mission trip, getting involved in a local ministry to internationals, or joining a conversation club in the language he or she hopes to learn. 

As you begin writing a PDP, take a look at the following two examples from local churches. While these models may not be a perfect fit for every context, they offer helpful insight into what a PDP can look like in practice. Review them thoughtfully, and consider either adapting one of these templates or using them as inspiration to create your own.

Example: Short Form

Name: Dan Robertson

Missions organization: Upstream Sending

Location: South Asia

Knowledge (Head): Knowing God, His Word & His Mission

• Theological:  Listen to the audio series “What We Believe: Foundations” by Timothy Keller and take note of parts that impact you or stretch your theological understanding. Afterward, process those parts with a pastor from your church. This will help you be more exposed to theological concepts. We also encourage you to continue learning theology and biblical literacy through reading Concise Theology by JI Packer and/or taking an online theology class at an approved college or seminary.

• Missiological: Read On Being a Missionary by Thomas Hale and process what you’re learning with your missions coach. 

Character (Heart): Being Transformed into the Image of Christ

• Devotional Life: Take time to create a devotional life plan that will help you stay rooted in Christ now and while overseas. Build your plan around your current season of life and natural rhythms—don’t aim for perfection, aim for consistency. Include practices like Bible reading, prayer, reflection, and silence. You might also consider journaling, prayer walks, music, podcasts, etc. Share your plan with your coach and invite accountability. Consider reading or listening to one or more of the following books: 

• Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney

• A Praying Life by Paul Miller

• The Common Rule by Justin Whitmel Earley

• Counseling: Continue meeting with your Christian counselor to process pain from your past and to help you prepare emotionally and relationally for your transition cross-culturally.

Skills (Hands): Doing the Work of Ministry and Multiplication 

• Vision trip: Take a vision trip to visit several possible locations and teams. Take time to ask questions, process with mentors and friends, and then make a final decision about where to move with leaders from your sending church and Upstream Sending.

• Support raising: Read The God Ask by Steve Shadrach and secure a support-raising coach to help you develop a plan and hold you accountable. You might also consider taking the Support-Raising Bootcamp offered by Via. 

• Advocate Team: Work with your missions pastor to create an advocate team. These are people within the church that will commit to journey with you in prayer and ongoing relationships while you’re overseas. 

• Manual transmission: Learn to drive a manual transmission, as most vehicles in the region you will be going are manual. Consider having someone in the church teach you this skill. 

Example: Long Form

Name: Ben and Abby Smith

Missions organization: Upstream Sending

Location: North Africa

Ben and Abby,

Thank you for your continued diligence and perseverance in walking through your church’s sending process. As you know, completing each part of this journey is essential for you to be sent well. 

This document is your Personal Development Plan (PDP)—a customized guide created after your assessment interview. It is designed to be completed under the guidance of a coach from your church. The PDP is structured around three main areas:

1. Knowing God, His Word, and His Mission

2. Being Transformed into the Image of Christ

3. Doing the Work of Ministry and Multiplication

Each section includes general observations and, where helpful, specific action steps to support your growth. Our heart in creating this plan is to love and serve you well with honest, thoughtful feedback to help prepare you for a healthy, fruitful life and ministry overseas. 

If you have any questions or feel changes are needed, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Section 1: Knowing God, His Word & His Mission

You demonstrate a solid understanding of the gospel, Scripture, and foundational Christian doctrine—and you apply these truths with joy and consistency in your life. Your theological training has given you depth, and your spiritual rhythms are strong, including Bible reading, prayer, fellowship, hospitality, discipleship, and worship.

We believe you would benefit from practices that help integrate your head knowledge with heart-level connection to God. For example, resources like Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas or An Unhurried Life by Alan Fadling could prove helpful.

Action Steps:

• Integrated Spiritual Life: With a mentor or pastor, read one of the following books and discuss it together:

  • An Unhurried Life by Alan Fadling

  • Sacred Pathways by Gary Thomas

  • Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Saczzero

• Missiology: Watch Upstream’s 8-part Introduction to Missions video series with your small group and discuss what you’re learning together.

Section 2: Being Transformed into the Image of Christ

This area is often the most significant in preparing missionaries for long-term health and fruitfulness. While your stories reflect deep gospel transformation, we believe continued growth here is key before and after deployment.

Action Steps:

• Monthly Personal Retreats: Use Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Barton, or another similar resource, as a guide for monthly day-long retreats. Prioritize rest, silence, and stillness before God—not ministry planning or task lists.

• Marriage Counseling: Complete at least four sessions with a counselor approved by your church to process past challenges, strengthen communication, and build resilience.

• Sonship Course (via Serge): Begin the Sonship mentorship program before departure and complete it once on the field. Sonship is a mentoring program originally designed for missionaries that helps a person truly live out the power of the gospel in their daily life.

Section 3: Doing the Work of Ministry and Multiplication

You are clearly gifted, experienced, and passionate about serving cross-culturally. Your hearts for hospitality and gospel witness are evident and inspiring. That said, launching a new cross-cultural ministry is challenging, and we want you to be as equipped and supported as possible.

Action Steps:

• Develop Cross-Cultural Friendships: Spend intentional time with North African refugees in your area. Build genuine friendships and learn from their culture.

• Support raising: Read The God Ask by Steve Shadrach and secure a support-raising coach to help you develop a plan and hold you accountable. You might also consider taking the Support-Raising Bootcamp offered by Via. 

• Third-Culture Kids: We ask that you read and discuss the book Third Culture Kids by David Pollock. This is a large book, so we encourage you to start reading it before you leave for the field, and then continue reading it once on the field. 

• Clarify Your Timeline: While you've made great progress, we ask that you delay departure until your PDP is completed, your support base is strengthened, and you’ve received final approval from your church and sending agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the same PDP be used for everyone?

We do not recommend using the same plan for every candidate because every candidate is unique. If the assessment has been effective, then it will reveal the candidate’s specific strengths and weaknesses, and thus certain growth needs. Customizing a plan also assures the candidate that he or she is being thoughtfully shepherded. There is room, however, for a certain task to be a general requirement of all candidates. For example, one sending church requires all candidates to work through The Gospel-Centered Life by Robert Thune and Will Walker. 

Does receiving a PDP mean a candidate is automatically approved for commissioning? 

Equating a PDP with final approval will likely diminish its significance in the eyes of a candidate. Think of a PDP as a map toward growth that a missionary candidate completes prior to commissioning. 

How long should candidates have to complete their PDPs?

In one regard, it’s right to give candidates as much time as needed. Ideally, however, receiving a PDP should happen within close proximity to the candidate’s final approval and departure. Many sending churches seem to do this within 18 months of a candidate’s desired departure date. This tends to keep candidates focused and motivated. 

Must candidates complete their PDPs before they are commissioned?

In most cases it’s wise to require completion of the PDP as a significant part of the candidate’s final approval. Although it may be challenging, it can be good preparation for the demands of cross-cultural service. On the other hand, there are times when it’s unnecessary to follow the PDP to the letter. The goal of development is not “checking boxes,” it’s transformation. If a candidate has satisfactorily shown signs of growth, the completion of a task may not be of further benefit. 

What if a candidate doesn’t like something on his or her PDP?

There may be times when a candidate senses that something on his or her PDP will not be beneficial (for example, being required to read a book he or she has already read). In order to avoid this, after drafting the PDP present it to the candidate, explain the purpose of each task, and ask for feedback. If revisions need to be made, make them at that time. 

What if a candidate doesn’t take the plan seriously? 

If you notice a candidate disregarding the PDP, it may be a sign that he or she lacks the diligence to be sent, or does not value the role of the church in sending. In this case, the development phase has reverted to the assessment phase, revealing a weakness that needs to be addressed and shepherded. 

What if the plan includes something that the missions organization also requires?

It is important to be attentive to what is required by a candidate’s missions organization (or in the case of a marketplace worker, his or her employer). Otherwise, the PDP can easily require one (if not several) of the same tasks. When you notice that a duplicate task has been made, either change that task on the PDP or remove it altogether. This allows for the sending church and the missions organization to work hand in hand for more comprehensive development. 

Next Steps

The journey toward sending well happens one step at a time. Here are three ways you can continue moving upstream as a church by richly developing your missionary candidates:

1. Download Upstream’s complementary resource “Template for Writing a Personal Development Plan” or create your own version to help structure a clear and intentional pathway for growth for your missionary candidates. 

2. One of the most practical resources for developing missionary skills is Upstream’s book, Tradecraft: For the Church on Mission. Read through it one chapter at a time with your missionary candidates (or church members interested in missions), taking some time to try out each missionary skill in your surrounding neighborhood. 

3. Join Upstream’s Assessment and Development Cohort to learn more about healthy identification, assessment, and development of missionary candidates.