DTS FAQs

Youth With A Mission is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world. 

Back when we began in 1960, our main focus was to help youth get involved in missions. Today, we still focus on youth and we also include people of all ages. We currently have tens of thousands of staff (called “YWAMers”) from nearly every country, including places like Indonesia, Nepal, Mozambique, and Colombia.

YWAM's DTS is a five-month, in-depth discipleship program that includes a twelve-week teaching phase followed by an eight-week mission trip. It’s a “heart-change” course designed to give you a solid foundation of personal growth and relationship with Jesus – whether you’re interested in career missions or simply taking time to get to know God better.

DTS is open for high school graduates and older. We’re called “Youth With A Mission,” but there’s no age limit. Whether you’re a married couple, a family with children, college graduate, or fresh out of high school, you’re welcome!

We like to start our day off right. That’s why we begin each morning with time set aside to connect personally with the Lord through prayer and Bible study. Afterwards you’ll join your teammates in the classroom where we’ll focus on a different topic each week. Our classroom time is interactive, with an emphasis on personal application and real life change.

Other regular activities include:

• Small Groups – These gender separate groups provide an opportunity to build deep friendships while processing what God is doing in their lives, praying for one another, and offering accountability and encouragement. The YWAM staff member who leads your small group will also meet one-on-one with you each week.
• Ministry Preparation – You’ll learn effective ways to share your faith wherever you go, with specific training for the cross-cultural ministry of your DTS mission trip. This often includes creative tools like dramas and music.
• Worship – These times are the heartbeat of DTS. We’ll gather regularly to direct our hearts and our songs to Jesus, and to pray as he leads us.
• Local Ministry – Throughout your DTS you’ll be a part of a smaller ministry team that shows God’s love to Louisville through after-school programs, homeless ministry, service, evangelism, and more.
• Work Detail – Like most families, our YWAM family works together to see that practical needs are met. As part of your DTS training you’ll be given responsibilities that range from general cleaning to meal prep or yard work.

See More Information on a DTS Schedule Here

Each week we’ll bring in speakers who have experience in ministry and in walking with the Lord. They’ll teach us on a foundational aspect of following Jesus. Our class times are interactive and challenging, focusing on real-life application. Our goal is for the truth to sink deep into our hearts, changing us from the inside out.

Topics include:

• Intimacy with Jesus
• How to Hear God’s Voice
• God-Honoring Relationships
• Becoming More Like Jesus
• Knowing and Trusting God’s Character
• How to Share the Gospel
• Effective Prayer
• How to Study and Understand the Bible
• Healing from Past Hurts
• Knowing Who You Are in Christ
• Spiritual Warfare

Check out our YWAM DTS blog posts for an inside look at what you’ll be learning.

YWAM staff and students live together in separate houses for men and women. You’ll find it’s a lot like a family home. You’ll be sharing a room with other YWAMers and hanging out in the shared space (like the living room and kitchen). This community style of living isn’t a matter of convenience or budget-stretching so much as it’s a part of who we are: God has called us to deep relationship and day-to-day discipleship.

We prayerfully handpick international locations for each DTS, giving attention to the giftings and passions of each team as well as the needs of the locations where we minister. Our goal is for each student to be both stretched and fulfilled by a variety of ministry activities. Recent DTS teams have ministered in Brazil, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Colombia. 

Once the twelve-week teaching phase of DTS has wrapped up, you’ll take the truth you’ve learned and put it into practice in a ministry setting. After ten days of ministering here in the states, you and your team will head to an overseas destination!

You’ll share the message of Christ through performing arts, acts of mercy and service, and friendships with people who don’t know Him. Each nation and outreach setting is different so ministry activities can vary greatly. Our goal is to take the name of Jesus to places where the Gospel is not readily available and share the message of hope in a compelling way.

YWAM DTS costs vary based on the operational costs of their location. Here in Louisville, our lecture phase costs:

• September DTS: $3490 tuition + $295 conference fee
• January DTS: $3490 tuition
• Additional fees for electives. See elective pages for cost associated with each elective

Please note that the tuition covers the first three months of DTS only. AT YWAM Louisville we fundraise the outreach portion together during the lecture phase of your DTS. The conference fee covers the cost of a special, week-long conference that you’ll attend.

For more information on our costs and dates check out our DTS page

YWAM has around 1,200 ministry locations globally, making us one of the largest missionary organizations. That being said, not all YWAM locations focus on training missionaries. YWAM Louisville runs a DTS, three times a year, but you can find other locations around the world by going to ywam.org. We think our DTS here in Louisville is pretty great and would love you to come here but if you are looking at other locations, here are some well known YWAM locations in the USA:

• YWAM Kona
• YWAM Orlando
• YWAM Salem
• YWAM Asheville
• YWAM Montana

Tuition covers all of your training, food, books, and transportation to and from official DTS functions. Housing is provided at no additional cost.

Incidental expenses like snack food, laundry, gas, doctor’s visits, etc. will be your own responsibility. Also, each DTS student will be asked to send a newsletter to update friends and family, so plan to spend $70-100 for envelopes, printing, and postage.

Keep in mind that DTS is not your typical university setting: it will require all of your attention and most of your time. September DTS teams spend Thanksgiving ministering here in Louisville and spend some time at home during the Christmas season. January and March DTS students will have a long weekend set aside to raise funds for outreach in their hometowns.

In any DTS, some evenings and weekends will be scheduled with ministry or other training-related activities. Many evenings and weekends, however, may be available for students to study, relax, or hang out together. It is best not to make plans for any personal holidays or overnights away during a DTS. 

We’ll send out a thorough packing list, as well as other helpful information, after you’ve applied. (You can also download a packing list now.) In the meantime, bear in mind that you’ll be sharing space with others, so don’t feel the need to bring your entire wardrobe. You’ll have access to laundry facilities in your home and stores are easily accessible if you forget anything.

Things to think through:

• Passport – If you don’t have a passport, please apply for one before coming to DTS. If you do have one, bring it with you, and make sure it will still be valid at least nine months after the starting date of DTS.
• Vehicles – While some students enjoy having their vehicle at DTS, many come without one – either because they don’t have one or because they want to limit potential distractions and expense. You’re free to make that decision. If you do choose to bring your car, be aware that in some of our houses parking is limited; on some nights, you may need to park your car at the YWAM office instead of bringing it home. If you choose to come without a vehicle, someone will be happy to help you run necessary errands.
• Laptop – If you have a laptop, please bring it. You’ll find it’s helpful for communication and for fundraising activities, like creating newsletters.
• Addresses – As part of your training, you’ll be assigned to send out a newsletter updating people back home about what God is doing. Bringing addresses now will save you a lot of effort later. (Since this assignment will be at your own expense, you’ll also want to be prepared to spend $70-100 on printing and postage.)
• Storage – Please bear in mind as you pack that it’s only 12 weeks before you’ll be leaving for outreach. You’ll need to pack up your things before you go, and our storage space is limited.

YWAM is interdenominational, which means that YWAMers come from all kinds of church backgrounds and traditions. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, and our training is grounded in its principles. You can read our beliefs and values here for more details.

At YWAM Louisville, you can customize your DTS by adding an elective (like the basketball elective or music & worship elective). The core elements of DTS are the same; the special focus adds the opportunity to develop skill in something you’re passionate about, while learning more of God’s design for you to make a kingdom impact with the gifts He’s given you.

We don’t have a required skill level, although the Worship elective is definitely designed for musicians with at least a little bit of experience on their instrument. Ultimately, though, our goal is to honor God with the gifts he’s given us and worship him from our hearts. The Worship DTS staff will be on hand to work with you and help you develop your skills.

Vocalists and sound technicians are welcome, as well as anyone who wants to “make a joyful noise to the Lord.” The focus is definitely on the musical side of worship, though; visual artists should check out our Create Elective to learn more about worshiping God with their gifts!