2016 Application Guide Ready to Jump into an adventure of a lifetime? Living right in the Hearts of the Swiss Alps! YWAM Switzerland visit www.outdoordts.com for more information, pictures and videos
A Calssic DTS... In a Stunning Environment You will not only climb up into stunning mountain world, but also dive into the heart of God!! Come to the heart of the Swiss Alps in Davos, where you can experience and discover more of God s Heart and destiny for you! The Outdoor Discipleship Training School (ODTS) is more than a bible school it s the adventure of a lifetime that will transform you! It is a classic DTS in a stunning environment. During the time of your you will enjoy a journey into Gods heart, understand His ways more and grow in your personal relationship to God. You will build lasting friendships while having a great adventure hiking in the Swiss Alps, go mountain biking, chill at the Lake or of course during your Outreach. This life-transforming DTS is about equipping followers of Jesus: Enabling them to grow in their relationship with God, while developing Christ-like character. We are passionate about empowering people to bring love, hope, and purpose to the freestyle culture and to make a difference in the world. DTS Start DTS End Outreach A journey into God s Heart The DTS provides you with a journey into the Heart of God. It s a time to seek God, hear His voice, and discover more of your destiny, as you get to know Him more. Our vision is not about programs, goals, theories and rules, but about hearts transformed and filled with faith: Faith that will move mountains, releasing energies, dreams, and people into their destiny! Our heart is to be one big family and to make discipleship happen on a personal level. We keep the school small (max. 15 students) and cultivate an environment where we can help each other grow in God, share the love of God with others, and build life-changing relationships. Thu, 7-Jul-2016 Sat, 17-Dec-2016 Sat, 17-Sep-2016 Sat, 3-Dec-2016 Lecture Phase CHF 3 950.00 Activity Fee CHF 450.00 Outreach CHF 3 500.00 (+/- CHF 500.00) YWAM Davos and its staff are dedicated to serving Jesus Christ and His mission to reach the world with the good news. The DTS is: Hard work, character development, hearing Gods voice, dealing with your stuff, finding your calling, community living, outreach to the un-reached, getting to know God, a 50 hour week, using your love for the outdoors to glorify God. The DTS is NOT: A holiday, a resort, a hiking or mountain biking vacation, a hang out, etc. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 3
School Life... and Fun Times The School Life A typical learning week in the DTS includes worship, intercession, dynamic teaching, small groups, one-on-one time with staff, outreach preparation, work duties, personal time with God, journaling and more. Students will have leisure time both on the weekends and throughout the week, although sometimes we have some outdoor activity planned. Our heart is not to take you out of the real world, but rather to see you rise up in everyday situations, and to be a witness for God, driven by the power of the Holy Spirit. Living and working together in community is a dynamic part of this life-changing process and experience, while at the same time it helps in keeping costs as low as possible. We desire to send you out with a holistic and clear understanding of your place in the world and in His purposes, empowered to impact the world around you. The Training This school is an intensive Christian discipleship course beginning with a 10-week lecture phase followed by a 11-week practical field assignment. After the outreach we will meet up for another two-week debriefing time here in Davos. We keep the school as small as possible (max. 15 students) to make discipleship on a personal level happen. Our heart is to be one big family, where we help each other to grow in God and share the love of God to our friends around us. Outdoor Activities Living right in the heart of the Swiss Alps enables you to enjoy our stunning mountain world on the weekends. We will organize hikes, we might rent some mountain bikes, go climbing or have fun playing volleyball at the lake, just to name some of the things we can do here. For the little breaks between there is a bouldering wall in our backyard. After your arrival you will most likely spend two weeks living in a small hut on the mountains, the best way to get introduced to your DTS, bonding with your classmates during outdoor activities. Also during your Lecture Phase you will be going on a five-day hike, sleeping in tents on top of our beautiful mountain world. Lake of Davos Davoser See, with 3.8 km of banks, reaches 20 Celsius in the summer and offers all water-lovers sports and leisure opportunities. Alongside it lies the lido for rejuvenation and sunbathing. It also offers two beach volley ball courts. Mountain Experience Our area is surrounded by a breathtaking mountains. Davos offers something for everyone; hikers, mountain bikers and whole families. During the summer four of the mountain resorts, Parsenn, Jakobshorn, Rinerhorn and Madrisa, are open and bring you right up into a stunning mountain environment. 700 km of well-marked hiking trails and mountain paths lead along cooling streams, across lush Alpine pastures, through remote hamlets and past mountain lakes as blue as steel. Hundrets of beautiful single trails are available to explore with your mountain bike or you can have a relaxed ride into one of our beautiful side vallies, while The Gotschna freeride piste guarantees some adrenalin. We live in a paradise for anyone who loves crisp mountain air, nature in its purest form and a rich and varied range of leisure activities. Adventure Park The Adventure Park Färich in Davos offers a variety high ropes courses. It also offers a bike park, which is suitable for all mountain bike riders. The riding ability is irrelevant - the routes are set up such that beginners and advanced riders will all have fun. Various elements such as tables, pump track, jumps and north shore structures will leave every rider able to better assess their riding skills and improve upon them. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 5
Be Changed... To Be a World Changer The DTS A Discipleship Training School (DTS) will help you make a difference in this world by offering a life-changing experience that begins with you! A DTS is a full-time, residential training program that provides a supportive, live-andlearn environment for half a year. It is designed to help you cultivate growth in your relationship with God, enabling you to live more like Jesus, while actively going into the world to love, care for, and serve others! The program includes both a lecture and an outreach phase, where students can learn and grow in their understanding of the nature and character of God, while becoming more Christ-like in the way that they relate to God and people. In addition to gaining cross-cultural exposure and global awareness, students will gain a clearer understanding of God s purposes and direction for their life, while identifying their unique gifts. The Lecture Phase The three-month lecture phase provides teaching that is based on a solid biblical foundation and that is led through the work of the Holy Spirit, while enabling personal application of biblical truth. Students will learn about different topics from several national and international speakers. For each topic we try to get a speaker that has a lot of experience in the area he/she is teaching about. This makes lectures very practical and powerful. During the lecture phase students will attend lectures, receive one-toone mentorship, and participate in a small group. They will also carry out a work duty within the community, while enjoying meals, breaks, fellowship, as well as worship and prayer with one another. Students will also have the opportunity to be a blessing and to share God s goodness with people in the city. The Outreach Phase The three-month outreach phase provides students with a cross-cultural experience and the opportunity to put into practice what they learned during the lecture phase. The school will be formed into smaller teams that will be part of bringing God s love, hope, and practical help into communities by partnering with local ministries. During outreach the students will still be receiving one-to-one mentorship, and engaging in worship and prayer together. Do you want to experience the power of God to make a difference? By stepping out of your comfort zone and learning how to share your testimony as well as your passion for the Gospel, you will experience a first-hand taste of missions. This will allow you to see whether you want to get further involved in ministry or a community that you serve in during outreach. The individual schools can have different outreach locations, including South Africa, Sarajevo (Bosnia), and other places. The Debriefing Phase A DTS should not be just a great time, it should be a life-changing experience that lasts. It is a stepping stone in your growth and a catalyst to future growth. This is why we take time to sit down and process the stuff you have learned and think about your next steps. How can you keep the fire? How can you continue to grow in your relationship with God? How can you be involved in ministry in the future? This could be attending school, working in the business world, becoming a full-time part of a church or doing missions work. The debriefing time is also to prepare you to go home and adjust to the environmental and social changes, as well as learning how to share with others what you have experienced with God. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 7
Community Living... Love, Respect & Honor Community Living Standards YWAM Davos is for Christians who are committed to the Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-19), which includes living a godly life worthy of example. Your time here will be enjoyable, rewarding and challenging. As we read the Bible, there are guidelines that are absolute, such as the Ten Commandments. However, there are areas that are not so clearly defined, and this is where we run into cultural sins such as Paul describes in Romans 14. These are situations relative to the way we have individually been taught, which may or may not be considered as a sin to others. We know that only God can judge the heart; but depending on the different ways in which we were raised and what our parents, pastors, and other authority figures taught us, these issues can often be quite sensitive. Culture of Honor Every person is created in the image of God, and that is why we need to love, respect and honor each other. This does not mean that we have to agree in everything. In fact we can disagree, but we are still loving and respectful to each other, honoring the beliefs and opinions of other people. With that we have to be careful about how we joke around and what we communicate on the web. Our words have power, and should always bring life, be encouraging and uplifting. We need to learn how to confront in an honoring manner, so that all the people involved can grow more and more into Gods image and likeness. What we read, watch or listen to influences or spirit and our mind. This is why we ask you not to play dishonoring music, movies and or consume defrauding content on the Internet. This can include pornographic material, excessive violence, bad language, racism, ethical and or religious propaganda that is not honoring other cultures or beliefs. Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs Most of the evangelical community of the world considers alcoholic drinks and tobacco products totally off limits. Often in these contexts, alcohol and tobacco use is viewed as a sign that someone either does not know God or is turning away from Him. People from different nations, denominations and backgrounds come to do a school with us, so it is important that we as a family understand and honor one another in our conversations and actions. Davos is known as THE party town, especially in Winter. Kids as young as 12 years old are going to the bars and clubs, an consume way to much alcohol. This is where we can make a difference, offering a fun community to hang out and teach others how we handle alcohol appropriately. Also keeping in mind, that we are to live a live of good example. In general alcohol should never be consumed in a school or YWAM program. We ask you to be wise and moderate in the case you choose to consume any of it. On the YWAM property smoking is not allowed. If you are suffering with an addiction of tobacco (regularly smoking) or alcohol, this will be a great opportunity to overcome it. If we recognize that you might have a problem with any of these we might make some personal guidelines for you to help you overcome it. Drugs are absolutely prohibited and are grounds for immediate dismissal. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 9
Know God... Make Him Known Frequently Asked Questions How long is a? Our DTS is 23 weeks long. This is due to visa restrictions we have in Switzerland. It is very important not to arrive earlier than the official arrival date and that you leave right when the school is finished. If you want to make your own way to Davos, you can travel by train to Davos and take a bus right to the door step of our base. You can find more information on www.ywamdavos.org When can I arrive/depart? Plan to arrive on Wed, 6-Jul-2016. Book a return flight leaving Switzerland on Sat, 17-Dec-2016. Be aware that the earliest time you can arrive at the airport by train is around 8am. We might be able to organize a drop of trip. The cost will be split amongst the passangers. For Students with a non-european passport, due to visa restrictions, please do not travel around Europe before and after your school. Are the Outreach Locations final? Why is the in Davos more expensive than other DTS? There are a few reasons. First, Switzerland is not a cheap place to stay. In fact, our basic living costs are higher than in most other places. The strong currency doesn t make it easier as well. Small schools are a lot more personal and we believe a lot more rewarding. At the same time they become more expensive due to the general costs (like fees for speakers) divide through fewer people. What is included in the different fees? The school fees cover your stay on the base and all the meals, as well as the speakers. The activity fee covers the outdoor gear we offer (like tents, some climbing gear, bikes to get around town,..) as well as outdoors activities. The Outreach Fee covers food and accommodation on outreach as well as the travel cost. When are my finances due? Please include your application fee, in Swiss Francs (CHF), with your application. We can not process your application until this is received. On admittance, please send the CHF 650.00 as a non-refundable deposit to secure your position on the school. The remaining course fees are due on arrival. Please see the Apply Now! page for further details. How do I get there? The closest airport is in Zürich (ZRH). We organize a transport on Saturday from the airport to our base. The cost for that transport is not included in your fees and will be split between the people picked up. We love to send teams to the mentioned locations, but we always seek God to find out if he has another plan. Where do we stay? We have a sweet location! Davos is tucked in the heart of the Swiss Alps and we live just a stroll away from one of the mountain resorts in our area. In Davos, you will find lots of shopping opportunities for food and snacks YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 11
Be Changed... To Be a World Changer (e.g. the best chocolate in the world) as well as nice places to have coffee etc. The pools are great and we even have a small cinema. We love community, so we tend to have a relaxed environment where meals are eaten family style. During the DTS you will have shared accommodation. How old do I need to be for DTS? In order to attend our DTS, you need to be at least eighteen years old or a high school/secondary school graduate. There is an application to be filled out by you and a few references, which will be processed by the school leaders. No previous ministry experience is required. What is a regular day like for a DTS Student? Weekends are usually free (unless there is ministry, an event scheduled, and or you are on weekend duty). 7:00 am Breakfast 7.45 am Exercise / Worship / Group Devotional 8:00 am Personal Devotions (or during free time) 8:30 am Lectures with a break 12:00 pm Lunch 1:30 pm Afternoon program / free time 4:00 pm Work duties 6:00 pm Dinner 8:00 pm Evening program / free time This is just a sample. Each day is different and the schedule changes slightly with intercession times, ministry, small groups and outreach training. Every Friday you will do some outdoor activities, sometimes we organize something on a Saturday as well. Do I need insurance? All students must have medical insurance that covers you while traveling internationally. If you already have insurance make sure it covers you for at least 1,000,000 Swiss Francs. If you do not have insurance or you are not covered for the required amount, we recommend the British Missions insurer called Banner Groups. If you would like to apply, please see their website: www.bannergroup.com. In addition to the overall limit of the policy, you will also need to have what is known as Personal Liability insurance. This covers you if you accidentally cause damage to someone else s property or you injure someone. Most travel insurances sold in Europe include this coverage; most in North America do not. You will need to show us your insurance paper upon arrival. In order to make sure that you have the necessary coverage, it would be better for you to send us the information prior to the start of the school. If you are not insured as stated above, you will not be allowed to go ride or join other activities. Can I bring my pet? Pets of any kind are not allowed. People could be allergic, and you would not be able to take it on outreach. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 13
Apply Now... to Secure Your Spot Application Process Please complete the application form, and give a reference form to your pastor, a friend, and an employer or teacher. The reference forms need to be sent directly from the reference to the registrar via email, fax or postal service. Make sure we receive your completed application form, the signed consent to the guidelines, all three reference forms, and your registration fee. As soon as we have received all of these, we will process your application and inform you as soon as possible. This down payment is a part of the school fee, but is non-refundable in the case that you withdraw your application. If the school doesn t take place due to changed circumstances on our side, the room deposit fee will be paid back to you. The remaining school fees need to be paid by the start of the school at the latest. Application fee paid Application form sent to YWAM Davos Reference form sent to a friend Reference form sent to a church leader Reference form sent to an employer or teacher Portrait picture sent to YWAM Davos Releases, declarations and commitments signed and sent to YWAM Davos Insurance cover copy sent to YWAM Davos Room deposit paid Check List After receiving our admittance of the school you need to pay a room deposit of CHF 650.- as a down payment. YWAM Davos Guide 2016 Page 15
To Be a World Changer CONTACT We would love to hear from you so drop us a line! YWAM Davos Landwasserstrasse 46 7277 Davos Glaris Switzerland Phone: +41 81 534 0457 Email: reg@ywamdavos.org Web: www.ywamdavos.org www.snowboardersdts.com www.freeski.com www.outdoordts.com BANK ACCOUNT INFORMATION Swiss Post - PostFinance, Nordring 8, CH-3030 Bern, Account Number: 85-445417-4 IBAN: CH8409000000854454174 BIC: POFICHBEXXX PAYPAL pay@ywamdavos.org The information appearing in this guide is for general information only and does not constitute an offer or an intention to enter into a legally binding contract. All information can be withdrawn or changed without notice. Whilst every care has been taken in producing the information in this guide, YWAM Davos does not guarantee the accuracy of the information. Subject to any terms implied by law and which cannot be excluded, YWAM Davos is not responsible for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred by you as a result of any error, omission or misrepresentation in relation to this site. Photos: YWAM Davos Joshua Verhoeven