Viewing entries by
Tiffany Lambert
I came to the School of Worship wanting to learn how to be a worship leader and hoping to deepen my relationship with God along the way. Little did I know, I would gain so much more than that.
Explore 5 reasons why you should spend your Christian gap year with YWAM San Diego/Baja in one of our School of Biblical Studies courses.
Kessie Michell continued her Christian Gap Year Program with YWAM San Diego/Baja’s Community Development School. See how her experienced transformed her.
Christian gap year programs are all about learning. Learning more about who you are, learning what path you want to take in life, and learning to listen to and understand God and God's word in different ways.
For recent high school graduates and other young adults seeking a future in global missions, it's also a chance to earn college credit and engage in a Christian community in a way that you can't achieve simply by attending church every Sunday.
When you do Discipleship Training School with YWAM San Diego/Baja, you'll experience gap year missions that will empower you to take the first step down the path God has laid out for you. Whether you plan to go to college, join the workforce, or dedicate yourself to ministering to diverse cultures on international mission trips, DTS will set you up for success.
A major part of joining our gap year team includes gaining a deeper understanding of God's purpose for your life. For some DTS students, this means discovering a new passion or skills, for others, it means finally understanding some of their behaviors and the reason for their God-given talents.
Lauren Pinner, a recent DTS graduate from our Photo-Storytelling DTS elective, returned from her YWAM DTS and realized the potential to be a powerful disciple had been within her all along. Read her story below, and when you're ready to experience your own transformation with the Holy Spirit, apply for a YWAM San Diego/Baja DTS today.
During the past five months of DTS, God taught me more than I could ever possibly imagine.
He taught me new things about Himself, showing His love to me in ways I had never experienced. He also revealed to me new things about myself and helped me to see myself the way that He sees me. It reminded me that my worth is found only in Him.
I held a lot of false beliefs for a very long time, lies that I needed to slowly unlearn.
One of the things He revealed to me very early into the campus phase, is that I really struggle with trusting Him. Specifically, I struggle to trust Him with my future and my dreams.
I had actually gotten to a point in my life where I had stopped allowing myself to dream: because if you don’t dream, God can’t say “no,” right? Somehow, that seemed less painful to me. Through DTS, God started peeling those fears back, layer by layer.
A month or so into the campus phase, our entire DTS went on a camping trip. We were given four hours to spend alone with God in silence and solitude. I found a spot on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean, sat down, and asked God, “How do you see me?”
He responded by giving me an impression of a picture.
It was me, sitting on that same cliff. I was nice and safe up there. But the fullness of God’s love, the fullness of His plans for me, were floating in the ocean below. He beckoned for me to dive in, but I was too scared.
Then I felt like God asked me, “Do you trust me?”
“I want to. Yes,” I responded.
"Come down to the sea," He gently answered.
So, I did something that probably wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done. I started climbing down the cliff.
I wouldn’t recommend that anyone else ever free-climb down a giant cliff - it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life. But, I did it.
The entire time I climbed down, two thoughts were alternating back and forth in my mind. First, "You're an idiot and you might actually die." Second, "God, I really hope you're the one who told me to do this.”
Needless to say, I did make it down safely! I made my way to the edge of the ocean, sat down, and waited for God to show up. I think I was expecting something spectacular to happen. I mean, He did just bring me down a cliff.
But instead, God said, “Let’s dream together.” So we did.
It wasn’t anything fancy, but we started making a list together - a list of dreams that I wanted God to be a part of. I think it was honestly the first time I’d ever allowed myself to do that; at least, it was the first time I’d done it with God.
I’m still learning how to trust Him. Thankfully, He’s a patient teacher. And He’s been revealing, little by little, to me that He actually gets excited about my dreams; that He created me with the specific passions and desires I have.
He's teaching me, slowly but surely, that He's actually the one who made me a dreamer.
Looking for a transformative gap year experience rooted in Christian values? YWAM San Diego's Discipleship Training School (DTS) offers an exceptional opportunity to grow spiritually, develop leadership skills, and engage in meaningful mission work.
Our DTS program spans 5 months, beginning with an immersive 11-week lecture phase followed by a transformative 8-week outreach phase and gap year mission trip. Your journey into missions starts on one of our two gorgeous YWAM bases. Each just minutes from the beach, we have a campus with dormitory-style housing in Ensenada, Baja, Mexico, and San Antonio Del Mar, Tijuana, Mexico, both just south of the U.S./Mexico border.
The goal of our flagship gap year program is to provide students with practical skills and a stronger foundation in their faith to effectively serve alongside other believers to share the love of Jesus Christ with the nations.
During the campus phase of our DTS program, lasting 11 weeks, participants delve deep into faith-based teachings, interactive discussions, and hands-on learning experiences. Through dynamic lectures, small group sessions, and specialized elective courses, students explore topics such as biblical principles, personal discipleship, and practical ministry skills.
Students have the chance to choose from a variety of specialized DTS elective courses during the lecture phase, each catering to their diverse interests and passions.
Our gap year elective courses include:
Transform yourself with missions leadership training with YWAM San Diego/Baja today.
Following the campus phase, students embark on a transformative outreach experience in diverse international locations.
During this phase, participants put their training into action as they engage in cross-cultural ministry, community service projects, and other outreach efforts. This hands-on experience provides invaluable opportunities for students to apply their faith and newfound missional mindset in real-world contexts.
The outreach phase solidifies the lessons learned during the lecture phase and empowers students to become compassionate, effective agents of change in their communities and beyond. Possible outreach destinations include:
Europe
Southeast Asia
Latin America
The Caribbean
Africa
Want to learn more about DTS or YWAM secondary courses? Check out our DTS frequently asked questions page for more information.
A mission trip with YWAM San Diego/Baja during your gap year holds immense importance in shaping your spiritual growth and worldview. It provides a unique opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, and become immersed in different cultures you may have never encountered otherwise.
Actively engage in spreading the love of Jesus Christ to communities around the world when you do a DTS.
Our outreach phase mission trips offer a transformative experience where DTS students not only serve others but also discover their own strengths, passions, and purpose. By participating in cross-cultural ministry and community service projects, students learn the value of empathy, compassion, and servant leadership. They witness firsthand the diverse ways God works in people's lives, broadening their understanding of His love and grace.
Overall, the experience equips young adults with practical skills, spiritual resilience, and a deeper commitment to living out their faith in tangible ways. It's the start of a brand new life with discipleship at the center.
Ready for a cross-cultural experience that will change the course of your life and the everyday lives of those around you? Interested in doing a DTS or other Christian gap year programs with YWAM? Apply for DTS today and open the door to a future in missions.
Whether you're seeking Christian gap year programs or want to take a more meaningful direction with your life, a YWAM Discipleship Training School is the first step toward a lasting future in global missions in which you'll positively impact the everyday lives of those around you.
At YWAM San Diego/Baja, we have a wide variety of gap year programs to fill your year off and turn it into an experience that fosters personal development and spiritual growth all in one cross-cultural experience!
Discipleship Training School (DTS) is our flagship program and acts as the gateway to the rest of our powerful mission training courses and mission trip experiences. However, it's a whirlwind of fun, learning, and uninhibited time with God packed into five incredible months - not technically a full gap year. That's why we have a range of secondary courses designed to extend your time growing with the Holy Spirit and expand on your learning in a close community of like-minded believers.
Karl is a former DTS student who recently completed one of our secondary courses, the Chronological School of Biblical Studies.
Check out his story and how his journey with YWAM San Diego/Baja is transforming his life below. And when you're ready, apply to do a DTS and experience the power of discipleship training for yourself.
Throughout the process of my Discipleship Training School with YWAM, God gave me hope for a life with purpose. During that time the Lord had been clear in calling me to go deeper and build a foundation of faith in Him and, for me, that meant doing a Chronological School of Biblical Studies (CSBS).
After the first day of introduction to the Inductive Method, the technique we would be using to study the Scriptures, the fear of failing overcame me.
Would I ever be able to understand this? Was I smart enough? I was convinced that God had been mistaken in calling me to do this school because there would be no way that I could shoulder that amount of work for nine months straight.
I was just about to purchase a flight home when Mark, my school leader, came to talk and pray with me.
I had been running away from seemingly insurmountable challenges all my life, and this instinct to leave was no different. I tend to focus on what I can do, not what is possible with God. After some debate, I decided to stay and give it a shot.
“Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 18:26
I can truly say that I didn't finish this school on my own strength and capability. God was faithful to sustain me and fill me up over and over again.
During the school, He spoke to me “that I would find a calling in life that sustains the yearning in my heart for purpose if I stuck with the school.” Now I am about to step into the next season with a three-month program for graduates of CSBS who wish to become teachers and be sent to different cultures and destinations greatly in need of Bible teaching.
This is another new beginning in which I will start to teach God's word and educate others about what has given me life.
CSBS showed me how much I need and want to depend on the Lord for all the trials ahead in life. He never broke his promise to take care of me and lead me faithfully, and He never will. I have only scratched the surface of the Living Word and I can’t wait to continue studying and applying it to my life daily and teaching others to do so as well.
The Bible is not some ancient book full of outdated stories, it has the power to be applied in every situation we find ourselves in today.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12
At YWAM San Diego/Baja, we've created a unique gap-year curriculum for high school graduates seeking a transformative experience rooted in faith.
At our two campuses just south of the U.S./Mexico border, and only minutes from some of the country's most beautiful beaches, our Christian gap year programs offer an unmatched blend of adventure, service, and spiritual growth. Start with DTS for your first 5 months, and then come back to campus after outreach to explore a variety of secondary courses tailored to your interests and future mission goals.
Discover the beauty of serving others while immersing yourself in diverse cultures. Do a YWAM gap year today!
DTS is a 5-month program designed to equip you with practical skills and deepen your relationship with God.
An ideal opportunity for recent high school graduates seeking a faith-based gap year, the missions training experience is open to diverse age groups and backgrounds. It's for anyone ready to answer God's call and start their life in missions.
DTS is divided into two transformative phases: the campus phase and the outreach phase.
In the campus phase, immerse yourself in intensive teachings, dynamic worship, and personal reflection as you deepen your faith and understanding of God's word. You'll live in dormitory-style housing on one of our two beautiful international campuses and engage in practical training sessions that equip you with essential skills for ministry and outreach.
Then, embark on the international gap year of a lifetime during the outreach phase. A cross-cultural experience like no other, DTS students venture into diverse communities to spread the love of Jesus Christ through service and evangelism. Prepare to be challenged, inspired, and transformed as you step out of your comfort zone and into a life-changing adventure with YWAM San Diego/Baja's DTS.
YWAM's Chronological School of Biblical Studies is a nine-month journey into God's word. A profound exploration of the Bible and its place in our lives, this secondary course is designed for ministry leaders and young adults seeking to deepen their faith and expand their mission capabilities through a better understanding of Scripture.
Through the immersive study of all 66 books using the Inductive Method, participants uncover the heart of God and gain insights into His divine plan. Delve into the historical context of each passage to grasp its original meaning and significance.
During thought-provoking lectures and hands-on instruction, students develop essential skills in the observation, interpretation, and application of Biblical truths. This intensive program, conducted in both English and Spanish, equips individuals to share God's word effectively across cultures.
Join us at our scenic San Antonio Del Mar campus in Baja California, Mexico, and let the transformative power of God's word reshape your life and ministry.
A Christian gap year program with YWAM San Diego/Baja offers a multitude of benefits. Above all, it's about transforming yourself and setting a strong foundation for the rest of your life.
Undertaking a Christian gap year can provide a dedicated period for personal growth and spiritual development that you might not be able to foster otherwise. It's an opportunity to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life into a Christ-centered community to gain clarity and direction from God for your future.
In a more tangible sense, our programs are full of practical training and hands-on experience in various aspects of ministry and service. Whether through missions, discipleship training, mission trips, or studying the Bible, you'll acquire valuable skills and insights that will not only enrich your own life but also empower you to positively impact others.
Additionally, a gap year allows for cultural immersion and cross-cultural experiences. It's a chance to broaden your perspective and develop a global mindset all in one.
A Christian gap year program is an investment in your spiritual, personal, and professional growth. With YWAM courses, you'll be equipped with the tools you need to confidently start your life in missions.
Unleash your potential and make a lasting impact with YWAM San Diego/Baja. Whether you want practical training for a life in international missions or simply want to do better with community service projects and everyday discipleship in your hometown or college community, DTS is for you!
Serve alongside seasoned ministers and fellow newbies alike and discover how to disciple in the world around you every day. Once you complete DTS, the possibilities for additional training are endless. So, what are you waiting for? Apply to DTS today!
Read the first-hand experience of how recent high school graduates turned their gap year into an opportunity to foster a deeper connection with themselves, their local community, the nations, and God.
Jenna is a recent graduate of YWAM San Diego/Baja's Photo-Story DTS. This is her discipleship training school story.
So, you’re thinking about doing a DTS! This is awesome, God is about to take you on a beautiful journey full of sweet times, learning more about God's love, and who He made you to be.
Maybe you’re excited, maybe nervous? To help calm the nerves and give you some helpful information, here are answers to the five biggest questions I had before my DTS!
A DTS, or Discipleship Training School, is a five-month program through Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The school consists of two parts, a 12-week campus phase, and an 8-week cross-cultural outreach phase.
You'll spend the campus phase on one of YWAM San Diego/Baja's campuses here in Mexico, either in San Antonio del Mar or Ensenada! For 12 weeks of the campus phase, we are in a classroom setting, learning from speakers from all around the world about different themes like Hearing the Voice of God, the Nature and Character of God, Fear of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit.
Then, after we’ve learned more about God and we’ve pursued knowing Him more, we move out to make Him known!
In the outreach phase, we spend 8 weeks traveling with a team to another culture overseas for evangelistic outreach. You and your team will travel and do a variety of things, depending on where you go, but in any case, get excited!
God could take you anywhere, from sharing the love of God by building homes in Nepal, evangelizing in Hungary, hosting children’s programs in Brazil, and everything in between.
In our DTS, we have students from many different backgrounds, nations, and age groups.
Students come from all over the world as every diverse individual can benefit from knowing God. I remember one night at dinner, we soon realized that each person sitting at the table was from a different nation.
You will have classmates and make long-lasting friendships with people from all over the world. This is a super fun part of DTS. Maybe next year you’ll even visit a friend for Christmas in New Zealand or take a summer trip to Colombia!
If you are thinking this, you are not the only one, trust me!
Jesus calls us to Him, exactly as we are, with no requirements except being open to learning from Him! Don’t worry about what you do or don’t know, you’re here to learn. So come hungry to learn and you will be ready.
Along with being in class, you will get to spend time being involved in and learning about local ministries, intercession, worship, evangelism, and many other activities! You will learn and grow alongside the staff and the campus community. It is an amazing season to grow in the Lord.
Our base, YWAM San Diego/Baja, is one base with three locations! We have offices in San Diego, and two campuses with schools and ministries in two different cities here in Baja California, Mexico.
If you’re doing your DTS at our San Antonio Del Mar campus, you’ll be about 30 minutes from the US border between Rosarito and Tijuana. If you’re going to our Ensenada campus you will be about an hour and a half drive south of the U.S. border. But luckily, both Campuses are located only minutes from the beach!
What do I wear? This was a HUGE question for me, and honestly, I didn’t do it right. To avoid the regret, here’s my best packing advice:
Don’t get too ahead of yourself like I did. Outreach was definitely on my mind while packing and boy, was I shocked being the only one wearing Chaco’s in the classroom. While these are awesome for hiking, they are not so comfortable to wear in the classroom.
Pack for the campus phase as well as the outreach phase. For the first 12 weeks, you will be in a classroom setting, so whatever you would wear to class, bring that. Also, remember that space is limited, so limit what you bring, but bring things to layer and mix as it can get chilly near the coast.
Depending on when you come and do your DTS, the weather changes. Bring a light jacket, but leave the boots at home. (Pro tip: Bring a bathing suit, the beach is nearby for study breaks at both campuses.)
Toiletries? There is a Walmart near both campuses, so don’t worry about packing so many bottles of your favorite shampoo, you can get it all here. Save the room in your bag for something better.
How about for Outreach? If you have a hiking backpack, bring it. You’ll have time before outreach to prepare and finalize what you will bring. There is a storage unit where you can leave a bag throughout the outreach phase.
Don’t forget to bring a Bible and a notebook, but remember, anything you forget you can buy here- except your Passport. Whatever you do, remember to bring your Passport! It should have validity for more than 6 months from the time of your return home date.
Need more packing advice? Check out our super detailed blog, The Art of Packing for YWAM DTS here.
DTS, like any experience in life, is what you make of it. If you go into your missions training and immersive mission trip with confidence and curiosity about God and your relationship with him, you will succeed.
What does success look like at DTS? Letting go of your fear and anxiety and throwing yourself full force into a community environment full of other young people yearning to share the love of Jesus Christ with the nations. Youth With a Mission is a global movement, but God speaks through the individual. Serve God's kingdom and step into your Christian life of missions without doubt when you experience a DTS.
Now that you've received answers to your basic informative questions, let me help you get in the right mindset before you come to your DTS with a little self-reflection.
Ask yourself the following questions before your DTS and come up with your own answers. Write them down, record them well, then re-answer them afterward and see how your answers changed. Be as honest as you can:
Why am I doing this?
Who is God to me right now?
Do I have any dreams? What are they?
What do I want God to show me?
What do I want out of this school? What do I want to learn or gain?
We’re so excited you are looking into doing a DTS with YWAM San Diego/Baja! If you want more information about the different DTS focuses we offer or still need to apply click HERE!
The world is truly reeling under the effects of this pandemic. Many people are suffering and families have lost loved ones. Our day-to-day lives have been uprooted and it feels like fear and anxiety are ramping up in the face of so many uncertainties. How long will this last? What does this mean for the world moving forward?
As we hunker down and self-quarantine, there is a great temptation in front of us. A temptation to simply ignore the situation and pass the time, to disengage and just entertain. There’s a chance the screen time on your IPhone has gone up exorbitant amounts and you may be asking yourself, what’s the latest show to binge on Netflix? While it’s not wrong to watch a show once in a while, I believe that the Lord is giving us an invitation to come back to the heart of worship, an invitation to greater intimacy. So much of our normal life has been disrupted. Everything- every comfort we cling to in our day-to-day lives is getting stripped away. Sports, trips, events, schools, ministries, and even just the usual freedom of going to the store and being able to buy toilet paper when we need it are all cancelled for the un-foreseeable future. Where does that leave us? When all the busyness is stripped away, what do we have left? It feels strange and foreign but I can’t help but feel thankful, like God is using this, to awaken us back to our first love. We have time now more than ever to enter into deeper relationship.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
”
We must have faith in the sovereignty and goodness of our Lord. Faith, that even in the midst of a horrible pandemic, He will work something good out of this time. We are in an unprecedented season where we have been forced to slow down. In the presence of our enemies, in the presence of the chaos of a global pandemic, He prepares a table for us. At that table, is the provision for anything we could ever need. At that table is the provision of grace, peace and rest. At that table is relationship. Will you accept this invitation to the table? In his kindness he has pulled us out of our busyness and is beckoning us into the rhythm of grace, as He makes us lie down in green pastures. Where distraction and striving has reigned, may Jesus reign. The Lord is taking us back to the beginning. Let’s take this chance to be still and know that He is God. Let’s use this time to take a seat at the table. When all is stripped away, what remains? May we seek the peace and presence of God in this time as we come back to the heart of worship.
There’s been a handful of moments throughout my walk with God where I’ve felt like I was lacking direction. The door to one season would close, and I would be left staring blankly ahead, not sure which way to walk, not sure which door to knock on next. I feel like we all experience those moments of uncertainty. Maybe we don’t hear God clearly about what He wants from us moving forward, or maybe He opens a door for us that we least expected, or for some of us, a door is opened that don’t even want opened. But it’s in those moments where we have to trust Him. These are the moments where we take those baby steps in faith, and in obedience. More often than not, God knows what we need before we do ourselves. And then after the fact, we find ourselves looking back and being amazed at all God has done, all He has spoken, simply because we said “yes.”
For me, this was my experience with the School of Worship.
I was at that point of staring blankly into the future, wondering what was next for me in my YWAM walk. And that was when the idea was presented to me of doing the school. Worship is my heart, and I know it’s something I was to pursue further in my life. Though I’m still figuring out exactly what that looks like, I figured the school would be a good place to start that journey and along the way, further my skills and deepen my knowledge.
Little did I know how much I would “need” the school, how much God would use it to speak to me, and how it would be my refuge through what was about to become a very broken season in my life. God was walking ahead of me. He was preparing the way for me to be wrecked and to grow, to be changed, and challenged in my heart and in my mind throughout the journey of this school.
And what a journey it was.
I didn’t realize a secondary school could impact my life just as much as a DTS had, if not more, in some areas. God moved weekly through the different teachers that came to pour into us. Each topic was unique and God continued to speak into the areas in my life where I needed to grow, or needed something to be awakened. There was something special about the teachers that came throughout the school. Each of them were so in-tune with the Lord and it was amazing to see each of their giftings being used to impact our lives, and it wasn’t just during class time. They spent their meal times with us, they attended our open-mic nights, they came to our workshops to teach us more practical skills. Every week there was something God wanted to hit on personally for me, but also for the other students involved. We were challenged in our knowledge, in our faith, and in our practical skills.
During this school I learned so much more about the heart of worship and all the different elements encompassed in leading worship than I have leading worship and being part of music ministries during my entire Christian walk. I grew in confidence, and was truly able to get my heart in line with worship and wrestle with God about what worship truly looked like and how, through my personal worship and quiet times with Him, I could grow as a worship leader leading a whole community.
To be honest it wasn’t always easy and there were moments I wanted to quit, but it was definitely worth it. Half way through the school, I was ready to leave and be done with YWAM. But God spoke to me and told me I needed to stay. I remember feeling so far from Him at that point, so to hear His voice after being somewhat in the “desert,” I knew I had to listen and obey. He asked me to stay, and write a song for my people, for New Zealand. I argued and wrestled with Him about it. There was no part of me that wanted to do that. I was struggling with doubt and comparison and I didn’t think I had it in me to write a song for something as big as that. But there was something in the process of surrendering in that battle, where God came alongside me and gave me the lyrics and the melody. I found myself sitting at the piano writing an anthem of sorts for my country. I didn’t enjoy the process of song writing up to that point. But I knew that this song had something special about it, because I’d allowed God into that process and had written it with Him. I had allowed Him to give me His heart for my nation and to write, and then sing it out for my people. I was so challenged, but to then see how it had already started making waves in New Zealand before it was even released, I knew that God was doing something. I knew that God was honoring my decision to say yes and stay in the school to complete what He wanted to do in me and through me. He knows us so much better than we know ourselves. He knows what we need, and He knows our capabilities, and it’s incredible to see how He helps us harness all these things when we are willing to surrender our own desires and follow His.
I learned this lesson over and over again during the School of Worship, and each time I surrendered to Him, there was something so beautiful that came out of it. A renewed heart, a joyful spirit, a closer relationship with my Father, and something I’m most proud of: Kia Kaha. My song, God’s heart for my people.
I left this school a completely different person than I started, in the best way.
Want to check out our Torch: School of Worship album on Spotify? Click HERE.
