Are you thinking about joining missions or doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) with YWAM? Here are just seven (there’s plenty more, trust me!) reasons why I think you should consider doing a DTS.
1. You Will Get To Know God More
Past Discipleship Training School students have said that the number one thing they loved about the school was the way it eliminated the usual distractions of life, making it so much easier to grow your relationship with God. While on a YWAM DTS, you will build and learn so much more about yourself and your identity in Christ. You will be encouraged in your strengths and challenged in your weaknesses. Gods’ character is a big, wide ocean – just waiting for you to dive in. While at DTS you will only begin to dip your toe in the water – but will grow a hunger and yearning to wade a little further every day. Knowing God comes with being totally wholehearted whilst learning about him – and if you choose that, you will know Him on a deeper level by the end of your DTS.
2. You Will Make Him Known
When you know God – the hunger for making him known to other people will not be containable. Outreach will challenge how you think about cultures, and will leave you hungry for more. Outreach though isn’t just a 2 month trip, it’s all the time. All throughout your DTS you will be on outreach – making him known to people that don’t know him. Outreach will make you push past your comfort bubble and grow in God and boldness by telling people about him.
3. You Will See the World!
Do you want to go out, explore, and discover this wide amazing world around you? YWAM has over 1000 bases in 180 countries – the opportunities for adventure while on DTS are endless! A part of DTS is also a 2-3 month outreach which can be anywhere in the world. What an opportunity to not only travel, but learn to see the world in a new light – through Jesus’ eyes. Newcastle, Australia, is just one of the many awesome places that you can go – but along with sunny days there are awesome beaches and wicked surf!?
4. Be Part Of A Thriving Youth Ministry
Youth Street is an innovative and fun ministry that is aimed at impacting the youth of today’s culture by relating to them in areas they understand. It’s about affirming them in their gifts and showing them the love of Jesus through practical servanthood. Staff and students facilitate different teams for the kids that go out to skate at skate parks, go surfing, swimming, fishing, concerts, sports – you name it and Youth Street has probably done it. It will give you a great opportunity to grow in areas of leadership and responsibility.
5. Interactive teaching
One awesome thing about a YWAM DTS (it’s awesome all around though – if you don’t already know) is that the teaching is a lot more interactive than just sitting around listening to someone go on for hours. It’s interactive, innovative, and there’s a lot of time made for feedback and reflection. DTS is pretty relaxed – there are no long essays due or intense reports, but prepare to be challenged in the way you view learning!?
6. Grow In Servanthood
DTS is not just about learning about God but also about putting what you learn into action. You will be serving the base in a really practical way on while on DTS, and also be given opportunities to serve using your God-given gifts and talents. Youth Street, work duties and especially outreach will grow your desire to serve in a practical way.
7. Make Lifelong Friends
While on DTS there is lots of time for awesome hangouts with your fellow students and staff. Living together in community tends to bring people into close friendships, and not only will you build friendships with the people on your school; you’ll also meet and have great times with the other staff on the base. Because of the intense amount of learning and growing that happens on DTS – you and your classmates will grow together in friendship with each other and God. It’s pretty awesome!
By Susanna Dobbin
YWAM Discipleship Training School Alumni
