dts lectures - start your journey to know God more

So, you're interested in DTS? Then you're in the right place. You will find all the information you need regardingwhat you will learn, how you will learn it, and all the possibilitites of when you could come and be with us at YWAM Lausanne. Hope you come see us soon.

The 12 week lecture phase will include an endless variety of learning opportunities such as formal lecture times, small group discussions, assignments, worship & intercession, living together in community, helping practically around the base, social events and more.  Speakers are brought in each week to encourage and teach, share their testimony, and challenge us all to go deeper with God. 

You will also join what we call ‘small groups’ which meet once or twice a week to debrief lectures, life and other happenings, as well as just to hang out and get to know the people on your school better in a more structured environment.  The groups are led by one of the volunteer school staff, are mixed gender and are among the students’ favorite times of the week.  Separate from this group is your ‘one-on-one’ which is a chance to meet solo with one your staff (who happens to share your gender) over a meal, on walk in the woods or a trip to town to process what you're learning, pray  and grow together.  Both of these are great opportunities during your school to process what you learn, stay accountable with someone who is truly trustworthy and get to know the people in your school in a deeper and more meaningful way. 

Not all the things you do during your time on DTS will fall under the official activities, as there is a good amount of free time for you to experience something new.  Many of the best memories will be made on weekend trips or outings- official or unofficial.  Switzerland is a beautiful and varied country, and it would be a shame to only see the part between Lausanne and the airport in Geneva.  Most students make a point to do some train or rental car travel over the weekends at least once or twice during their DTS.  Even taking a cheap flight to somewhere else in Europe isn’t unheard of.  After school travel is also an extremely popular thing to do, so give yourself a bit of extra room on those return ticket dates so you can travel around this part of the world with a group of friends once the DTS concludes. 

Every school also takes some weekend outings separate from the ‘normal’ trips (like snowboarding for the January school or a bike trip for July).  Each school will take two trips: one to Bern, Switzerland's capital for a day of sight-seeing and café-lounging, as well as one to a mountain town like Grindelwald or Gstaad to take in the more grandiose views the country has to offer.

During your lecture phase you will have great international and local speakers that will take you on a journey of knowing God in a deep and personal way.  

Learning about the nature and character of God
Through things like reading the scriptures, prayer, worship, and devotional time, we want you to understand all aspects of God such as His holiness, faithfulness, mercy, and grace.  This topic will take your whole lifetime to cover and even then be insufficient, but the intent is to cover topics most relevant and important to young people and to discuss aspects of God that can bring about the most change in your life right now. (One past lecturer: Paul Hawkins)

Learning how to hear the voice of God
Yes, God still speaks! We desire for you to hear God and be able to follow all that He speaks to us through the Word, prayer and other ways.  Everyone hears God in a way that is unique to them, and we can all hear God speak through His Word.  Our desire is that you learn to better hear from God and grow closer to Him.

Understand the purpose of God’s redemption through the cross
God has a powerful plan for your life and it has already been set in motion through his sacrifice on the cross. We want you to understand the full meaning of the cross and redemption though His sacrifice so you can start to realize just how much God cares for all His children.

Unleashing the power of the Word
Our goal is to help you learn how to read the scriptures in a new way that not only challenges you but also refreshes and changes you.  We don’t want you to study or read just for the sake of studying or reading, but because they are great avenues to lead you closer in your daily relationship with God!

Developing Christ-like behavior and a powerful devotional life
There is nothing more powerful than living a life that reflects Christ. We will encourage you and help you develop a devotional life where you can discover Christ and how to better be His disciple.  This is a life-long journey that can take many shapes during your walk, but there are some key, foundational principles that can help you get started (or improve) your personal devotional life.

Learning how to make and keep healthy relationships
We love relationships here at ywam Lausanne. We want you to learn how to build solid friendships that are based on the firm foundation of God’s word. There’s nothing stronger than a world-wide community of friends knit together with the truth of God’s love.  (One past lecturer: Dean Sherman)

Evangelism and missions
A primary goal at ywam is to spread the gospel so we can reap a great harvest of souls for God.  We’ll teach you more about doing this practically in teams and one on one as you prepare for the outreach phase of the school.

Biblical world view and cross-cultural ministry
We strive for our students to have a broad and biblical world view and to be aware of and respect all cultures that God created.  As well, all our dts outreaches are international, giving you the chance to minister in a place you’ve probably never been among people who need to hear the truth of Jesus!

Spiritual warfare & intercession
We believe that God has called us to pray for people and regions that are lost or in need. We teach students about intercession so they can participate in deep prayer to help bring change to a world in need.  We also do this practically as a base once a week in teams.

Discovering God’s purpose for your life
Yes, your life has purpose! Once at ywam, we will help you discover your unique gifts that the Lord has blessed you with so you can effectively fulfill His calling for your life.  This is what it’s all about!  Learning who you are in Him, and how that goes with what He would have you do with what He’s given you.  (One past lecturer: Markus Steffen)

January Boarders DTS

The boarders dts is structured around the winter sports of skiing and snowboarding. Lectures and outreach are just like any other dts but in addition you’ll be able to improve your skills on the slopes and also reach the lost while warming up in the restaurant or riding up the lift with other skiers. You'll have the opportunity to minister cross-culturally in the swiss alps on the weekends as you hit the slopes. 

What if I don’t know how to ski or snowboard?

No problem at all. If you like to try new things and are up to the challenge then come and learn how to ski or board from our qualified staff. They will start you out where you feel comfortable and soon you’ll be heading to the top with all your friends. This is a safe place to learn with people that will encourage you until you can make it up and down the slopes on your own.

Where will we ski?

Most of the time you will be skiing at a resort close to YWAM Lausanne, Villars. Here are two sites you can check out to get a feel for the slopes, villars tourism and ski villars-gryon lift company sites.

What does the winter activity fee cover?

The winter activity fee includes all your lift tickets, transportation to and from the slopes, and a place to store your gear.

What other costs am I responsible for?

You will be responsible for your own equipment and winter clothes.  It is possible to rent gear here in Switzerland for a whole season. Below are approximate costs for a season rental.

• Snow Skis CHF 200-300 (depends on quality of ski. Cheapest skis are not recommended.)

• Snowboard CHF 230-250

• Ski/Board shoes CHF 110-190 (depends on size, brand, type, etc.)

You may want to consider buying a set of equipment before you come. If you plan on purchasing your own gear, it is most times much cheaper where you're from (no matter where that happens to be) than it is in Switzerland if you are able to purchase it there.

Is this dts only for snowboarders?

No. Skiers, snowboarders, softboot, raceboard, whatever...  If it's something you can ski with on the mountain then your set.

If you have any other questions just send us an email and we'll get back to your right away. 

April and September DTS

As you step out to meet people from all over the world you’ll find that your heart and mind will be expanded. The things you will learn from living in community with many other people will give you a greater perspective of yourself and God. Like all other DTS this will be a time in your life that will shape your world view and heart for the nations for the rest of your life.

The April DTS can be a great time to do your discipleship training school if you want to be back home in time to start university in late August or early September. Also note that the April DTS is translated between English and Korean.

The September DTS is a great time to begin your discipleship training school if you want to start at a similar time as your friends who may be heading of to University. 

July Sports DTS

If you love sports and the outdoors and want to see these elements used to grow in God, then this is the right place for you! YWAM Lausanne offers a great location to focus on getting to know God while enjoying His creation. Sports is also a great way to meet new people and often times doors open to share the gospel to others who enjoy summers sports.  If you’ve ever pushed yourself to the limits in any sport then you know how much you can learn about yourself and perseverance. This will also be a topic of much discussion and learning during the sports dts.

How much sport will we do?
Each week we will have two or three times of group exercise and one afternoon of sports activities. We will also spend one week biking across Switzerland. During the weekend there will be more informal times of sports activities. We have a small field near the base to play and a larger field just down the road for games that require more space.

What kind of sports will we do?
We will use sports like soccer, volleyball, basketball and Frisbee to build relationships and reach out to people in the city where we live. We will also do days of hiking and a bike trip to take the classroom outdoors, using creation to continue the personal growth and learning while exploring the beauty of Switzerland. Many other types of sports are possible in Switzerland such as swimming, rollerblading, rock climbing, kayaking, sailing, hang gliding, and many more!

What does the summer activity fee cover?
This covers group sporting equipment like soccer balls, Frisbees, and so on. It also covers the week long bike trip and the bike you will use while you’re with us.

What do I need to bring specifically for the sports DTS?
Your own sports wear, shoes, and a sleeping bag that you can use during the bike trip and outreach.