W5?

In Belfast there’s a science museum for kids known as W5 (the 5 W’s standing for “Who, What, When, Where, Why?”) I was thinking about this today and that it could be an interesting way to introduce you to the inner workings of a DTS… and in doing so, explaining exactly what it is I’m going to be up to on the Shankill for the while! I’m changing the order to make it flow a little better…

What?
A DTS is the shortened term for Discipleship Training School run by Youth With a Mission (YWAM). The purpose of a DTS (this is pretty fresh in my mind from our staff training this week!!) is to gather groups of people together in often culturally diverse groups to challenge them to learn more about God and to grow in relationship with him. As a result of this, the vision is for them to be inspired to go out into the world, better equipped and ready to tell others about Him! The DTS is also the entry into other Youth With a Mission opportunities, including staffing or even pursuing a degree with the “University of the Nations”, in which students can get more vocational specific training in missions and other topics.

Who?
On the DTS we’re about to run, we have 14 students coming from a variety of different countries and contexts from all over the world. The countries that are going to be represented are the United States of America, Canada, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, England, Holland, Rwanda, South Africa and Palestine! So, it should be a pretty interesting group! The students range in age from straight out of school to some with a few more years under their belt!

When?
The students are going to be arriving on Saturday 3rd November and then we’ll have a YWAM Belfast community meal on Sunday evening to welcome them into our community, and the school will properly start on the Monday morning.
The first half of the school (the lecture phase) will take place from then until around mid-March, when we will be heading off for an 8-10 week outreach to an area around the world in need of reconciliation (although, this year, I’ll be heading off a wee bit later! Gemma, my sister is getting married on the 5th April (at least I THINK it’s the 5th… ☺) and so I’ll join the team after that!). Then, we’ll head back here to Belfast and debrief in May and the school will end around the end of that month.

Where?
The lecture phase is going to be here in Belfast, and the outreach areas haven’t yet been decided…but watch this space…we’re in the midst of praying and seeking God for His will for our teams!

Why?
The one thing that unites the students (and indeed the staff!) is a passion for learning about God, and also a desire to spread the word of God to the nations (which is summed up in the motto of YWAM, “to know God, and make Him known”).


So, I hope that answers a few questions that you may have had about exactly what it is I’m doing up here! Any more, drop me a line and I’d love to meet up, or share a bit more about what’s going on here.