There are countless reasons as to why I would recommend DTS to someone. I could list at least ten of them now, but in reality there are endless reasons as to why someone should do a DTS. But to simplify things, here are my top three reasons why I always recommend DTS to someone.
1. Identity: Becoming a child of God.
So many people I know, myself included, go into DTS with various wounds and pains. We go in with insecurities and doubts about ourselves and God, and if you’re like me, you also feel lost as to who you are. But as you start the journey of DTS, all of those things start to fade away as God begins to show Himself to you. During those six months, God reveals His goodness in such an incredible way that you cannot simply stay the same. For most people DTS is the first time they experience the transforming power of God. You come into DTS lost and broken, and come out knowing you are a child of God and walking as one. When I came into DTS I really didn’t know who I was. I had been stuck in my pain for so long I didn’t know how to get out. I didn’t know what it was like to walk in the joy and peace that comes from being a child of God. But Jesus, in His kindness, brought healing to my heart and showed me who I was.
DTS is a unique time where you are able to grow in your identity in God. You will find the belonging and acceptance that can only come from being a child of God. As you grow in your identity, you will grow in confidence. Because once you start walking in your identity you can’t help but be confident. But it’s actually not DTS that changes you. It’s the time you set aside by doing DTS, the time you devote to seeking the Lord and keeping your heart open to Him, and the work that He does in you that changes you. And once you know who you are and whose you are, you can face the world. I never would’ve been able to be the confident person I am today if I hadn’t done a Discipleship Training School.
2. Partnering with Jesus: The call of every believer.
As we grow in knowing who we are we begin to know what God has called us to do; we begin to see the direction that God is leading our life in and following becomes a lot easier. We have all been called to be a part of the Great Commission, whether that’s working with unreached people in Asia, your classmates at university, or the unbelievers in your workplace. We are all called to partner with Jesus and His heart for the lost. But how that looks is different for each of us. Even if God calls you to serve Him in the marketplace, as a disciple of Jesus you have a part in this story. What better way to learn about Jesus’ heart for missions, your role in it, and what it means to partner with Him than by doing a DTS. When you finish your DTS you will be equipped to go into whatever sphere of society God has called you into and to do your part in fulfilling the Great Commission. When you choose to do a DTS you are choosing to say yes to partnership with God, the greatest thing we could say yes to!
3. Because Jesus is worthy.
The last reason I give is very simple but probably the most important: because Jesus is worthy. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain from the foundations of the world and He is worthy of receiving the reward of His suffering. I know that can be a hard concept for us to wrap our minds around, and it can also be very contrary to culture. But Jesus gave all for us, so we in turn get to give our all back to Him. And doing a Discipleship Training School is one way we can do that. He is worthy of living a life laid down. He is worthy of setting aside six months of your life to be discipled. He is worthy of us taking the time to grow in our identity so we can look like Him. He is worthy of us putting everything aside and going to the nations. He is worthy of us spending a few months of our twenties so we can find our role in the Great Commission. He is worthy of saying yes to whatever he asks of us. And if He asks us to do a DTS, then He is worthy of us saying yes to it. There is nothing worth doing more with your life than setting aside the time to do a DTS and saying yes to God’s plan for you. And six months might seem like a lot of time, but it’s nothing compared to eternity. And I promise you, God will remember those six months in eternity.
So, if you want to be radically transformed and go on the craziest adventure of your life, and I know we all do, then you should definitely do a Discipleship Training School.
Written by Katie Floyd
