GoWests!

Hi all.

How about a little look at the training I’ve been doing over the past few months?   Ok!

This year has been evolving as one where my role as a developer and trainer is broadening.  As you know, our primary sphere of development is within discipleship schools with YWAM. YWAM also has a number of higher level academic training, and a myriad of ministry initiatives, existing to impact every sphere of society. Over the last several months I have been doing training in some of these more specialized audiences, and invitations for others are appearing also.

I tend to divide my training into two target-categories: schools (groups of students), and staff (program staff, leaders, leadership groups, etc). See below for a quick look into some of our time spent over the last few months.

April:

4th-22nd:  For our Sports Ministry department, I ran a 3-week intensive training program called “Pursuit”. This was full-time and targeted identity, leadership, personal discipleship, and discipling skills. This was a first for them and their department. This small group of dedicated staff works hard to mobilize young people into missions using sports and outdoor adventure activities as an open door.

25th-29th: I spoke for a week in a Discipleship Training School in Salem, Oregon. Topic…? “The Cost of Discipleship”

May:

2nd-5th: Although I couldn’t travel there, I was able to accept an invitation to speak to DTS leaders and staff from all over Eastern Europe, in the Ukraine, via Skype video conference. This was a first for me – a week of skype teaching, translated on the other side by someone I couldn’t see!  What a great week, and what wonderful people training and working so hard in difficult pioneering countries.

9th-13th:  I developed and hosted a 1-week seminar for YWAM program leaders called “Enrichment”. This was such a great time of encouragement for many leaders who are working so hard at developing others, empowering missionaries, and propelling mission-work all over the globe. It was a time to pour into them, help refresh and “enrich” them as they gathered as peers, able to talk about “life” together.

June:

May29-June15:  I did 2+ weeks of staff training for a large DTS in Kona. This was wonderful.  We were able to work with old friends – many whom we worked with when they first entered YWAM,  then began staffing, then leading… even if it was work for them, it was a great  encouragement and a little look at some fruit from our lives over the last 15 years.   PLUS… I  was able to take the whole family with me! So sweeeeet. The first time the kids had been back  to their birthplace, friends and my brother’s fam’ too. Such a good working- family vacation.

July-August:

Back to Montana, to run our leadership school, “DTS Equip”. 6 weeks, June 27-August 5. I will send out a separate blog about this shortly. What an incredible time.  (fyi… dtsequip.com)

Aug 15-19: Taught for a week in a new DTS out here, the “Endurance DTS”. It is focused on the outdoor adventure industry, and as well as learning various skills for that arena, their outreach is spent with backpackers an hikers and climbers in the USA, and Spain.  (fyi… endurancedts.org). Topic? You guessed it, “The Cost of Discipleship”

…September?

8th-16th:  On Thursday I head off to Cambodia. Not for DTS, but this time to train Bible teachers in the School of Biblical Studies, in areas of leadership and discipleship. These people are some of my greatest heroes. Their commitment is inspiring, and the fruit of the work, so enviable. This is my privilege.  Please pray for Molly and kids while I’m gone.

Ok, enough for now.  Stay tuned for more “catch-up-communication”!  Love to all!

JW