Diving Into Discipleship

Back in March, when COVID-19 began to infect Canada with its sickness and overall impact on society, we got a call from a church leader who challenged us to give up. To just stop. To not bother with YWAM because of these COVID-19 circumstances… Students of YWAM and other discipleship programs, as well as church members were given notice of cancelled programming. And we, with our little YWAM Niagara team, were presented with choices to respond to. Most definitely you were too! We all were, and continue to be.

The life of a Christian is one of constant learning about who God is, who we are in Him, and how to live out our callings from the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the Bible’s insight, and other people’s God-inspired wisdom. This perpetual state of spiritual growth forms a lifestyle of discipleship. Discipleship is something we can constantly be receiving and giving to others! To do both requires the humility to learn, the boldness to teach, and the faith to let God lead us into each through our entire lives.

Discipling Us

That phone call was not one of discipleship, it was discouragement… However, our response came from a backbone of faith that’s been formed in us by the investment of Godly people teaching, guiding, discipling us to have ourselves and our ministry moulded by Him! Our summer has been packed with meetings to seasoned YWAM leaders, fellow missionaries, friends and family, other church leaders, and personal mentors who have been praying with us, inspiring us, and challenging us not to give up but rest in God’s never changing promises! He is faithful, He does speak, and He will lead our mission today just as He has for 60 years strong! Because of discipleship we trust God for who He says He is, who He says we are, and what He calls us to do. We’re not going anywhere, in fact we are busy developing ways for others to join us on this exciting journey.

Discipling Others – Discipleship Training School

Since our staff team all moved to Niagara in early August, we’ve built a passion to see discipleship impact the lives of people, especially young people, just as much as it has our own. For almost 50 years YWAM has been running Discipleship Training School (DTS), a 6-month intensive missions and discipleship course. DTS is a primary outlet we’re planning to use for empowering youth in discovering who God is, who they are, and how to live their God-given calling. Starting March 4th 2021 our efforts of planning, God willing, commences YWAM Niagara’s first Trailblazers DTS (inspired by our pioneering season of ministry)! Our prayer is that students from across Canada and even abroad will join us to see Niagara encounter Christ.

What about COVID?

We fully recognize that the virus has caused much restriction on what we can and cannot do, but we’re confident discipleship needs to happen no matter what. We’re planning our Trailblazers DTS with full faith that students will be free to join us in Niagara, but we’re also planning with wisdom on how to adapt our discipleship if circumstances change.

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

–Mat 28:19-20