Mission & PurposeSchools

What is aDTS, and is it for me?

A DTS is YWAM's five-month Discipleship Training School. Here is how it works, who it is for and the questions most people ask before they apply.

By the YWAM Cáceres team

A DTS, or Discipleship Training School, is the entry-level school of Youth With A Mission (YWAM): a season set apart to know God more closely, understand your identity and calling, and put your faith into practice by serving others. It is not an online course or a weekend camp. It is a stretch of life in community that, for many people, becomes a turning point.

If you are wondering whether a DTS is for you, this article tries to give honest answers to the questions almost everyone asks before applying.

What exactly is a DTS?

YWAM is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, ages and church backgrounds, working in more than 180 countries, with a simple motto: to know God and to make Him known. The DTS is where that motto gets practical.

At YWAM Cáceres, the DTS lasts five months and has two parts:

• Lecture phase (3 months in Cáceres): teaching from speakers of different cultures, ages and backgrounds, community life, worship, intercession and hands-on activities in the city.
• Outreach (2 months in the world): a team mission trip where you put what you learned into practice, serving churches and people in another culture.

The next school, the Genesis Lab DTS, runs from January 24 to June 25, 2027. It focuses on innovation, art and creativity, and it is bilingual in English and Spanish.

What do you learn in a DTS?

A DTS is not a theology degree, but it is not shallow either. The goal is for you to leave knowing God and yourself better, with tools to live out your faith day to day. During the lecture phase you learn how to:

• Hear God's voice and know Him in a more personal way.
• Partner with God through intercession.
• Understand your identity, gifts and calling.
• Live relationships and a sexuality that reflect God's love and beauty.
• Share the Gospel in ways this generation needs to see.
• Join in what God is doing in your city, in the nations and across society.

A lot of the learning happens outside the classroom, though: cleaning the house together, cooking for the group, working through a conflict with someone very different from you, or talking about Jesus in a language that is not your own.

Who is a DTS for?

The basic requirements in Cáceres are simple: be a Christian, be over 18 and speak English or Spanish. Beyond that, students come from all kinds of backgrounds. A DTS may be a good fit if:

• You want to take your relationship with God seriously and feel you need space to really grow.
• You are in a season of transition: you just finished school, you are changing jobs or you are unsure what comes next.
• You are curious about missions and want to see it from the inside before deciding anything.
• You have creative gifts and do not know how to connect them with your faith (something the Genesis Lab DTS takes very seriously).

You do not need to be an artist, a leader or someone with a "perfect" faith. What you do need is a willingness to learn, to live in community and to let God work in areas you might rather leave alone.

What if it is not the right time?

A DTS is not a holiday or a spiritual retreat. It means five months away from your normal routine, sharing a home with others and a real financial commitment. It may not be your season if you mainly want to travel, if you are not ready to live with house guidelines, or if you are going through something personal that needs a different kind of care first.

That is not failure. Jesus talked about counting the cost before you build (Luke 14:28), and thinking it through is part of making a wise decision. Talk to your pastor, to people who know you well and, if you like, to us.

Frequently asked questions about the DTS

What language are the classes in? In Cáceres the DTS is bilingual, English and Spanish. You need to speak at least one of them.

Where will I live? Students live together in a flat or house prepared by the base, with separate rooms for men and women.

Where will the outreach be? For 2027 it has not been decided yet. The team will seek God's direction and take visas and permits into account.

Do I need a visa? It depends on your nationality. The base guides each student on what they need when the time comes.

How do I apply? There are three forms: your own, a reference from your pastor or leader, and one from a mature Christian friend who knows you well. Once all three arrive, the team prays about your coming and lets you know so you can start planning.

How do I know if God is calling me to a DTS?

There is rarely a voice from heaven. More often it is a restlessness that will not go away, a conversation that keeps coming back to mind, or a sense that you need more of God than your current routine allows. Pray, write down what you sense, ask for advice and ask any questions you have. God guides those who seek Him (Proverbs 3:5-6), and good decisions are seldom made in a hurry.