"YWAM Vancouver template"

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can come?
What is the school schedule?
Why Vancouver, British Columbia?
What are the living arrangements?
How will I know if I am accepted?
What happens after I successfully complete my DTS?
What does the curriculum include?
Immigration Information

Who can come? Anyone who believes God has called them to a life of Christian service. This includes church work, missions, evangelism, etc. Therefore, a serious commitment to God, His word, and a desire for maturity and godly character should be evident in your life. We prefer that you have the consent and blessing of your parents and/or pastor. The DTS is not designed to replace the ministry of the local church but to work with the church.

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What is the school schedule? The first 12 weeks of DTS are spent doing classroom training. Monday through Friday mornings are busy with a combination of lectures, small group discussions, intercessory prayer groups, and worship. Afternoons are a combination of lectures, community service, outreach preparation and work duties. Evenings consist of study, group activities or free time. Weekends are generally free with the exception of visiting local churches on Sundays.

There will also be a weekly outreach opportunities during the lecture phase. The other eight weeks are divided into local, national and international ministry opportunities, giving broad exposure to various forms of evangelism.

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Why Vancouver, British Columbia? Vancouver is a naturally beautiful city cradled between the splendor of the Pacific Ocean and the magnificence of the soaring coastal mountains. Vancouver is also a city of contrasts. It is a city of wealth with the largest port on the West coast of North America and therefore an incredibly prosperous door to the Pacific Rim. However, it is also home to the poorest neighborhood in all of Canada where drug abuse and poverty have extracted their social toll.

The land that is now Vancouver was originally inhabited by indigenous people groups until European settlers immigrated to the area in the late 1800's. The immigration has continued until the present day and Vancouver is now a vibrant, diverse, multicultural city. Today's immigrants are streaming in from all over Asia. This Canadian city is an eclectic mix of many cultures. Fast food outlets, trendy coffee shops, Italian delis, and Buddhist and Sikh temples co-exist side by side.

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What are the living arrangements? Housing is dormitory style set in off campus homes. Meals are provided.

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How will I know if I am accepted? Notification of acceptance is given upon receiving all your required forms. Once accepted, you will receive a list of what to bring, visa information and other specifics. Since the DTS has limited space and staff, it is not always possible to accommodate everyone who applies. Whenever possible, applicants are referred to other training centres or given the option of waiting for an opening in the following school.

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What happens after I successfully complete my DTS? Once you have successfully completed your DTS, you have a number of options within YWAM. They are as follows: (1) You can continue your missionary training by applying to many schools that are offered through Youth With A Mission. (2) You may apply to serve as a staff member here in Vancouver or at any of the YWAM Centres around the world. You could apply to serve at any YWAM Centre that offers short opportunities.

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What does the curriculum include?
The cirriculum includes the following:
-The Christian's Relationship to God: Understanding the character and ways of God, how to hear the voice of God, and developing a personal devotional life.
-The Christian's Relationship to Oneself and Others: Personal character development; discovery and release of one's gifts and ministries; stewardship; principles of healthy relationships; forgiveness.
-The Christian Relationship to the Word: How to develop a consistent lifestyle of personal study; meditation and the application of Biblical truth.
-The Christian's Relationship to the World: The lostness of man; how to share one's faith; evangelism and cross-cultural missions; reaching the unreached; general awareness of world needs; Biblical world view; the implications of the gospel in society.
-The Christian's Relationship to the Church: Commitment, unity; understanding the complementary role of the local church and missions structures.
-The Christian's Stand against the Enemy: Resisting temptation; prayer and intercession; spiritual warfare.
-The Christian's Orientation to Youth With A Mission International: Its three-fold calling to Evangelism, Training and Mercy Ministries; the foundational values and ministry opportunities.

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IMMIGRATION CANADA, PLEASE READ For clarification, the Discipleship Training School (DTS), a missionary training program, is NOT a formal, academically recognized training/educational institute. Rather, the "School" is a non-formal apprenticeship style training. It is NOT ACCREDITED in anyway; therefore a Student Visa does NOT apply to our programs or organization. For more information contact Society President Randy Parizeau, on 604 436 4433.