Discipleship Training School (DTS)

Upcoming DTS dates are -

• 23rd September 2010 - March 25th March 2011

What is a DTS?

• 12 weeks of lectures
• Outreach
• Friends
• Life Growth and change

"It's all that and so much more. A Discipleship Training School is the doorway wide open to the rest of our lives."

DTS (Discipleship Training School) is the foundational school of YWAM (Youth With A Mission). It consists of two parts which make up 22 weeks in all. The first three months involve the students sitting under the teaching of experienced YWAM leaders from all over the world. Topics covered vary from relationships to issues of freedom from guilt to dealing with your finances. This allows you to grow in character and to also gain a broader perspective of what God is doing globally.

Here at YWAM SA (South Australia), we believe God is stirring a passion in this generation to "be real" and not religious. YWAM's mission statement is "to know God and to make him known". The DTS program is an awesome vehicle to see this happen. Issues of personal character, intimacy in relationship with God and identifying practical ministry skills are all part of the learning process of the DTS. It is hoped that during this time you can grow and develop as a person and gain an understanding of your part in missions throughout the world.

This school encompasses many different experiences and situations during the 22 weeks to teach the principles of God. The discipleship process is highly interactive: it is not done purely in the lecture room setting, but it is an integration of practical skills training, discussions, outreach experiences and personal mentoring. It is energetic, adventurous, challenging and fun - a great way to get to know God and others from around the globe.

"I personally have not seen a more life impacting dynamic as that created by the DTS experience. This dynamic occurs as groups of passionate young people from all over the world live and learn together in community. "

As you listen to the speakers and are involved in other ministry opportunities, you are being prepared for stage two of the DTS - the outreach. This is where the information you have received is applied in a more practical context. As the saying goes, words are useless without action and outreach definitely is packed with action. The exciting thing about this is that every DTS has different outreach locations and therefore no two DTS's are the same. As the staff and students pray and ask God where they should go for outreach, ministries and outreach locations are chosen. The possibilities are endless!

So, if you are wanting to spend 5 - 6 months of your life hanging out with God and others who love Him, growing in character and bringing the gospel of grace to those who have never heard it have a pray and think, DTS maybe be for you…

"When I came to do my DTS, I wasn't planning for it to be as life changing as it truly has been. I had read the testimonies on the YWAM SA website, but figured that nothing's usually as good as the testimonies they show in advertising ("even in the church," I thought) and so now that I'm done, I'm a little blown way at how impacting it actually was. While still maintaining my own personality and uniqueness in Christ, I have RADICALLY changed in my character and my closeness to God, as well as had my relationships back home TRANSFORMED from being pretty broken to thriving. God will always have things to work on in me, but this six-month period has truly prepared me to deal with those things and given me SOOOO much wisdom in practical and spiritual ways. I can't believe how changed I am…man is God good!!! :0)"

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The DTS curriculum is standard across Australia. What makes them unique is the out of class programme and outreach options. Encounter God:

• How to hear the voice of God.
• Developing a personal devotional life.
• Understanding the character and ways of God.
• Prayer and intercession
• How to develop a consistent lifestyle of personal study.
• Meditation and the application of Biblical truth.

• Personal character development.
• Discovery and release of one's gifts and ministries.
• Stewardship.

• Resisting temptation
• Faith
• Authority of the believer
• Fear of the Lord

• Principles for healthy relationships, forgiveness.
• Commitment.
• Unity.
• Understanding the complementary roles of the local church and missions structures.

• The lostness of man.
• How to share one's faith.
• Evangelism and cross-cultural missions.
• Reaching the unreached.
• General awareness of world needs.
• Biblical worldview.

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Orientate to YWAM

It's threefold calling to Evangelism, Training and Mercy Ministries - The foundational values and ministry opportunities.

The successful completion of the Discipleship Training School is the prerequisite course before continuing on to second level schools or staff positions with YWAM globally.

Past Students say:

"A DTS is a time of letting go of the familiar and common and embracing a time of focussing on God and His plans for our lives."

"It's a time of change, a time of being stretched and trained up."

"A time of learning daily the way to live as righteously as Jesus would. We form habits that will stay with us our entire lives."

"Its all about Jesus, knowing His voice and recognising His hand at work in everything around us. For three months we learned it and for 2 months we embarked on starting to live it for the rest of our lives."

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Course Schedule

Example of Daily Schedule for Lecture Phase

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Outreach (Field Assignment)

The DTS is designed to be a practical training course where you get to put into practice everything you are learning. One aspect of this training is sharing your life and faith with people from all walks of society. In order to gain confidence in this area, we have built into our DTS schedule several opportunities each week where you work within the community participating in different types of ministry.

This opportunity is conducted within a small team with an experienced staff member who can offer help so that you can gain confidence in sharing your faith and learning to deal with a wide range of situations that may present themselves.

As part of this experience you will be participating in some of our city ministries, such as:

1) Hebron - A city of Refuge, a ministry to refugees

God has spoken to us here in Adelaide about looking out for our City. We have a number of responses to this the first being to care for those from other nations who come to this country, some from nations that are closed to the Gospel. These people can be reached here in our city and potentially go back to disciple their own community.

We have joined with other organisations to work with newly located refugee families. Many are very lonely and isolated in this new country, not knowing culture, language or how everything works. We visit, often providing help in many areas and offering a smile even when we can't speak the language. Past students have really enjoyed getting to know these families, delivering furniture to them, being invited to eat with them and sharing a deep friendship.

One story that is remembered well as we go about this work is of a team that went to take a load of furniture to a family. One of the guys bounced in and gave the man a big hug and said "Welcome to Australia". The man broke down in tears and our team were worried that they may have offended him but when he was able to compose himself he shared how he had been in Australia for many months and they were the first ones who had shown him any signs of welcome. It broke our hearts when we heard this but also spurred us on to do more and to remember that simple acts of kindness can bring so much joy.

2) Rahab - a ministry to women trapped in prostitution

According to a survey published in 2003 by the Journal of Practice,* 83% of women in prostitution want to escape. In that same year, a group of women began praying along the streets of Adelaide, South Australia that were frequently visited by working women. Through that prayer, Rahab was born in order to reach out to hurting women and offer them an opportunity to meet Jesus.

By bringing coke, chocolate, small gifts, and a card, initiated contact has moved into welcomed, weekly opportunities to build relationship within many of the brothels. We hope to provide real support, the hope of Christ, and the opportunity to reach a turning point, as did the Rahab of the Bible.

3) King's Kids

King's Kids International is a worldwide ministry of Youth With A Mission, committed to lead children, youth, and families into a proven knowledge of God, to bring Him joy, and together make Him known to all people.

In the year 2000, a team of young people was formed to take part at the Sydney Olympic Games, making the desire of working with children and teenagers to extend the Kingdom of God a reality for YWAM South Australia. Through prayer groups, drama and music groups, camps and more, KKSA equips, challenges, motivates, and establishes the upcoming generation locally and beyond.

At KKSA, we endeavour to help young people to understand their own worth, encourage them to respect and value others, work as a team, come into a real and proven and meaningful relationship with the True and Living God while providing an opportunity for young people to share the love of God and the joy of knowing Him.

4) City Markets

Another part of our weekly outreach takes place on Friday Nights. We all take off to the Asian Markets set in our City Centre. This is a great place to meet people from all over the world. We have dinner there and endeavour, as we do so, to make friends with those we sit with or shop owners we visit in order that eventually they may come to know more about Jesus. It is a nice end to our week especially with lots of activity, shops and people to enjoy.

5) Oxygen - art that is relevant

Upon coming to Australia in 2000, a team received a promise from God that they would be like fresh air coming from God and bringing life, refreshment and peace to the people. As the team expands, their passion in worshipping and utilizing the arts in evangelism also grows, allowing them to reach the youth generation in this universal language.

We set up creative arts performances in different venues going everywhere God opens a door with local, national, and international outreaches that provoke people to look at their lives, see God's love in the midst of their struggles, and challenge them to find God's purpose. We are called to consecrate our lives and our art, calling people to bring their gifts back to Him and reach the ones that still need to know - from worshipers and warriors, poets and priests, from street drama to stages, from schools to churches, from parks to ghettos, from Australia to the Nations.

Oxygen also runs the "Creative Arts DTS," training them to redeem the cultures of the world. This is an amazing opportunity to have a short term experience in missions allowing students to go deeper in their relationship with God, themselves and the world around them.

6) Other

We also have a variety of other city ministries that we are pioneering at this time and it is a great opportunity for students to be involved in something just beginning. A great experience in hearing God and doing what He says.

During most schools, we also do a mid lecture phase outreach, during the week of teaching on Evangelism. This can take many different forms; from helping a local church with their church planting work or going down to a local seaside town and ministering to 15,000 school leavers who have gone there to party. It is always a great time and many challenges await us.

"DTS is about Knowing God and making Him known. It's a time where the limit of love and putting others before ourselves is tested."

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International Outreach

The 9 week Outreach phase of the school is regarded as a vital part of the training program. During this time, the principles you have learnt over the previous 3 months are lived out. As we say in Australia, "It's where the rubber meets the road".

Our intention during this time is to give you a range of experiences that will help you identify your giftings, give you skills in team work, ministering in a cross cultural situations and learning to be people of faith.

Our call is to the developing nations, so our outreaches reflect this with teams going to countries such as, Brazil, Uruguay, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, China, Africa and, India.

Every school has at least 2 options for Outreach Locations depending on the number of students. One maybe within Australia working in the Outback or other parts of Australia and the other will be somewhere within the developing nations.

Each school differs as to where it will go. A lot of prayer goes into this in order to make an experience just right for you. Everyone is given a chance to pray in regards to where they should go on outreach. The locations are presented in the initial weeks of the school when we have had teaching on hearing God's voice, so this is an exercise to put into practice what students have just learnt.

There is a wide range of activities during this outreach phase and here are some examples of what your outreach could include:

• Working in Orphanages.
• Friendship Evangelism.
• Community Development Projects.
• Reaching Unreached Peoples.
• Street Kids Ministry.
• Dance, Drama and Musical Performance.
• Coffee shop work.
• Church Ministry.
• Running children's programs.
• Trekking to villages to preach the Gospel.
• Practical Service e.g.: building, painting.
• Teaching.
• Preaching.
• Praying for the sick and blind, those in darkness and seeing God do miracles.
• Supporting Long-term Missionaries.
• Schools Ministry.

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Fees and Expenses

The cost of DTS is broken into three portions (Currency Conversion):

1. Registration AU$ 40 for Singles and AU$ 50 for Couples and Families. Course Enrolment AU$ 100 / person. (deducted from lecture phase total)
2. The lecture phase costs AU$3990. This covers accommodation, food, training costs, administration and local ministry transportation costs during the lecture phase.
3. The major outreach phase cost will vary depending on where you go. It ranges from AU$ 2,000 to AU$ 4,000.(approximately AU$ 100 / week ground fees plus transport)

Why so cheap compared to other schools you may say? Well, we have the luxury of owning our own building and this means we can keep down the cost of our schools. Also, all of our staff are unsalaried and volunteer their time and expertise.

These fees do not include:

• Visa and compulsory medical insurance expenses.
• Personal expenses (Toiletries, phone calls, postage, medical expenses and snacks)
• Transportation to and from YWAM Adelaide.

For Australian citizens - this school is Austudy or Abstudy approved.

Payment for the balance of the lecture phase of the school must be paid on arrival and outreach expenses are due prior to going on outreach. Students generally will not be able to begin their course unless they are able to make these payments. However if you contact the school director and explain your financial situation another payment schedule may be arranged.

You can download an Application and Full Curriculum Package here. Be sure to also check out our Training General Info pages for other important and useful information

Past Students say