Discipleship Training School
Future Dates TBD
​The Discipleship Training School (DTS) is a foundational training program for anyone who is interested in having an amazing, life-changing, missions experience! This five-month school includes a three-month lecture phase of solid Biblical teaching, followed by an overseas two-month practical outreach. Our goal is to equip students to “know God and make Him known.”
This DTS will focus on drawing you back to your first love, Jesus. We long to see you passionately devoted to God, and to have that passion fuel your heart with a burning desire to be transformed, and to see God's glory transform the nations. DTS will combine solid Biblical teaching, worship and intercession, encountering God, and global missions to create an environment designed for you to fall more deeply in love with Jesus. Effective ministry flows out of this place of intimacy, no matter what sphere of society you feel called to. You will be forever changed!
​
This year our focus is on Community Outreach. In addition to the regular DTS schedule, you will have the opportunity to get involved in our local community each week. Ministry can happen right where you live, you don't need to go overseas to do ministry! Our desire is that learning simple ways of doing community outreach here, will spark your imagination and desire to continue doing it wherever God takes you!
​
DTS is an open door to a world of opportunities for “ordinary” people to be used by God to accomplish extraordinary things! Students are taught from a Biblical world-view so they can grasp who God is, who He made them to be, and the vision of reaching every nation, tribe, language and people with the Good News about Jesus. Students come from all over the world to be a part of this transformational experience! Will you be one of them?
​
CLICK BELOW TO FIND OUT MORE!
LECTURE
PHASE
OUTREACH
PHASE
TUITION
COST
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION
CONTACT US
Lecture Phase
Lecture phase is three months of training time here at our beautiful campus in St.Croix. The lecture phase is an amazing time of being able to set aside all normal "life distractions;" to be challenged daily to develop a strong devotional life, to learn and grow in character, and learn more about who God is and who you are. Every week we bring in different speakers from all over North America. These speakers are YWAM missionaries, pastors, and mature Christian leaders that we have formed relationships with, and who we greatly trust and respect. Everything that we teach is all Bible based. We desire to move past church tradition and denominational "norms" to seek out Biblical truths so that we can apply them to our daily lives. DTS is intense; living in community, discovering God in new ways, doing things you have never done before, and leaving the familiarities and comforts of home. All in order to come face to face with God and to see how He sees you and the rest of our hurting and needy world. Your normal week will include worship, lectures, prayer, small groups, intercession, daily personal devotion times, community outreach, work duties, and track time.
​
Did you know you can earn college credit for completing DTS?
Various universities around the world accept transfer students and credits through YWAM's University of the Nations. A DTS is a great gap year program. Take time to get to know who God created you to be, before starting university! Or take a semester off! A five month DTS often costs less than a semester at the average University. Find out more at the University of the Nations website. The second part of DTS is a two-month outreach! This is where you get to put into practice everything that you learned in lecture phase. Depending on the size of the DTS, there will either be one or two outreach teams.
Activities outside the classroom
As YWAM, our approach to training is holistic - “live-learn” - recognizing that learning and growth don’t just take place through lectures in a classroom, but also through serving, living in community, one-on-one discipleship, small group discussions and more.
Other essential elements of your DTS lecture phase experience include:
Worship
Worship is a intricate part of a believers life and one of the foundations of our community here. We have two times of community worship each week as well as DTS worship times. We also have a prayer room on base that is open 24/7 for individual prayer & worship.
wORK DUTIES
wORK DUTIES
Every single staff and student lends a hand to keep our community functioning. This could include serving in the kitchen, working on property upkeep, in housekeeping, wherever there is need. Many learn new skills through this!
Every single staff and student lends a hand to keep our community functioning. This could include serving in the kitchen, working on property upkeep, in housekeeping, wherever there is need. Many learn new skills through this!
Assignments & Projects
Book reports and weekly journals give you more opportunity to process and apply what you are learning. These are not difficult, but do take time and thought. DTS is a University of the Nations course. So you will be graded, pass/fail, on assigned work.
Prayer & Intercession
Prayer is how we communicate with our God who is relational and personal! Connect with God’s heart and intentions for situations, nations, people groups and more as you and your DTS regularly pray and seek Him together.
Community Outreach
Community Outreach
Each week you will spend several hours ministering to people in the community! What you do will mainly depend on what track you are in. These are great times of connecting with people and preparing for outreach as well.
Each week you will spend several hours ministering to people in the community! What you do will mainly depend on what track you are in. These are great times of connecting with people and preparing for outreach as well.
Fun!
We live on an amazing, beautiful island. Most weekends you will have free time to enjoy island life! You can catch a bus into town or to a beach. We will also have scheduled beach trips as a school and fun nights at the base.
One-On-one Discipleship
You will have a staff member that is your designated 1-on-1 for the entire DTS. You will meet weekly to give you the opportunity to further process what God is doing, receive prayer and more!
Small Groups
Small Groups
You’ll have set-aside time each week to meet with a smaller group from your DTS to discuss, process, encourage each other and to have fun!
You’ll have set-aside time each week to meet with a smaller group from your DTS to discuss, process, encourage each other and to have fun!
Outreach Prep
Each week we will take time to prepare for the outreach phase. Much of what we do in this time will depend on the outreach location. This time can include learning dramas, preparing youth programs, preparing testimonies, learning local customs, writing teachings, learning about evangelism, and more!
Outreach Phase
After the three month lecture phase you will leave on a two-month outreach! On outreach we go and serve the lost wherever they are. We share the hope of Christ in many ways: evangelism, discipleship, sports, drama, youth ministry, teaching, music, practical service, prayer, and however else is needed. We demonstrate the love of God to people through our lives and through the gifts that He’s given us. You will be challenged to put into practice all that you have learned in lecture phase. We recognize that in order to learn, you not only have to hear, but to do! Outreach is where theory meets practice. Each outreach is different, what stays the same is that it is an amazing adventure that you will never forget! In the space of one week you might be leading a church service, helping to build a house, running children's programs, painting, and sharing testimonies and dramas in a school. We always head on outreach with a basic idea and plan, but it will often change from day-to-day as God provides new opportunities or things change on the ground.
Whatever nation we go to, we partner with local churches and YWAM ministries to strengthen their ministry and provide for follow up discipleship. We desire to partner with long-term organizations in the nation, in order to have the greatest possible impact.
You may go to one nation on your outreach, or split your time between two nations. As a base, we focus on the Caribbean. So at least one team will go to another nation (or two) in the Caribbean. In previous years we have gone to St.Kitts, Grenada, Guyana, St.Vincent, Dominican Republic, and Mayreau. Often locations are not decided until after the DTS begins.
​​
Tuition Cost
Lecture Phase: $4,000
This covers food, housing, and school tuition.
Outreach
Ground Fees: $1,500.00*
Airfare: $1,000.00*
*Outreach Prices vary by location. You will be charged the actual cost of the trip.
These price estimates are based on past years outreaches to another country in the Caribbean.
​
These are cost estimates in U.S. Dollars.
Are you from the Caribbean? Contact us for information about a special Caribbean student discount on Lecture Phase!