Winnipeg Discipleship Training School

Previous Post - Week 7

Good evening ladies and gentlemen…reporting to you LIVE (well…maybe not) from Manitoba, the paradise of prairies. Behold, yet another update has arrived concerning the Winnipeg DTS of ‘07:

Angela Oliver, a member the leadership team at YWAM Vancouver, honored us with her presence as she shared on the topic of Intimacy with God. Angela was an interactive and insightful instructor, not only encouraging us with personal stories, but with warm kindness and the giving of thought-filled cards. We had a lot of fun this week, and to spice up the blog, we’ll lay out the news in highlight-focused style.

Highlights of Week:

The Mask(s)

We were instructed to grab some construction paper, markers, and a handful of creativity to construct a mask which represented/stated aspects of our life or personality which hindered us from having a more intimate relationship with God and others. Realizing that such things as humor, shyness, past hurt, work, etc., could become cover ups for our true selves was healthy to realize. All took turns unveiling their masks, and sharing the qualities about themselves that keep us from knowing them better. We also noted how we could change this, and what steps we could do to improve our vulnerability to God and each other.

Bruce “ALL MIGHTY THEN”

Friday we huddled around the projector on comfy sofas to watch “Bruce Almighty.” Angela prompted us to watch carefully and observe qualities in the characters that resembled some of our own, and to just take notice of what perceptions people have concerning God. After enjoying the movie, the group had some deep and enlightening conclusions about themselves and the world around us.

B. E. A. UTIFUL Introductions

Even introducing ourselves to our new speaker this week was interesting. She proceeded to ask the usual like, “What is your name, where are you from,” and then out of nowhere we get a “What would be your superhero name and what are your powers?” Some of the answers were hilarious! We especially enjoyed Robin’s answer, which was best described as “I’m Rapunzel Love Bug, because I lasso people in with my locks, and then hug them till they get all mushy!” Now that’s a way to fight crime folks….hehe. Other enjoyable super-heroe names included, Captain Corny, Invisi-girl, and Captain Ninja. Nice!

“Like A Glove” Observations

We went through sixteen points (not complete representation, just an accurate overview) of what defines intimacy with Christ. It included such points as knowledge, participation, time, love, and passion. We also pondered why intimacy is important, and how to create/uncover more of it.

Re-he-he-heally Great Activities

Given a maximum time limit of one minute, we were asked to write a personal introduction of who God is. Being able to speak about how God moves/has moved in our lives, and not just in generalizations was challenging but very beneficial. Hearing the other student’s perceptions of Christ brought a new depth of richness and understanding to our own knowledge of him. After this, we had a list of relationships in our lives, and then were asked what we expected and felt about each one. It began with such interactions as knowing a stranger, to an acquaintance, pastor, family, and spouse. As the list increased in intimacy level, it was apparent that we had more expectations of those relationships, and seeing how we related to others revealed how we related to God.

Note to reader: If you didn’t notice, I’m using quotes from Jim Carey movies as titles…so please, don’t be alarmed!

Outreach Groups:

Brenden, Lindsey, and Stacie

Rotating between LBE (Living Bible Explorers) and MYC (Manitoba Youth Centre), we get to develop relationships with many teens. At LBE, an inner city youth group, we preform skits, participate in worship leading, hang out with the youth, keep them in line (somewhat), and enjoy their company. MYC is characterized by getting involved in the recreation program and spending time with the guys. Through all of this, we hope to spread God’s love, build relationships, and share joy with those around us.

Thoughts on MYC:

Running around, we tend to get sore….hahaha (meaning maybe we should work out more often). We have fun playing sports with the guys. They are great and hilarious, making up nicknames for some of us and being curious about our time there.

AND THEN Thoughts on LBE:

It is interesting to see the dynamics of inner city youth. Also, observing the differences between LBE youth and the those who come from the Waves of Glory Chapel mixing together is great! To see hurting teens and hungry hearts inspires us to love and give our time, hoping they will see how much God cares for them.

Ed, JP, Robin

We spend time with an inner city home group which meets all over the place for coffee, snacks, and fellowship. We discuss such topics as personal issues, relationships, temptations, struggles, etc. Celebrating each other, encouraging one another in Christ, and just enjoying life together defines the group.

Thoughts on the Care Group:

A highpoint for us was seeing the birthday of a certain gentleman being celebrated. He doesn’t have his own family, so we the church are his family. He was given gifts, birthday cake, and the company of friends. To see the smile spread across his face and the joy in his heart was wonderful. Honestly, it made his year!

Some Staff Perspectives (summaries of their thoughts):

Question: What aspects of Angela’s teaching did you find encouraging/challenging in your walk with Christ?

Paul: Understanding how we interact with God: If we cannot love (or develop relationships) with those around us, how can expect to do the same with God? I appreciated the teaching on this.

Michelle: Creating masks: It was valuable learning about the ways/things which hinder our ability to grow more intimate with Christ and others.

Well everyone. There you have it. Sharing in the life’s of others is so amazing! Good day, and if I don’t see you later, Good morning, Good evening, and Good night! Take Care!

Always a sister in Christ,
Stacie

Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself.’

WOW! Can you believe it’s already been two of the five months of the Winnipeg DTS of 2007? As we serve, grow, and love more, a time comes when we as students need to address questions about us as a group and how we can be moving and forming a community that would be representative of Jesus. In light of this revelation, the topic of Missional Community was guided by the intellectually sparkling (which is probably a good thing since he’s one of the directors of our school…tee hee hee) Jamie Arpin-Ricci. Jamie emphasized such questions as “What is the Gospel?”, “What are the stages of community?”, “What qualities should a community should poses, and how does/should a community grow?”.

We began by brainstorming ideas of what we the students felt the Gospel (aka Good News) was? A wide variety of ideas were presented, which we then discussed thoroughly. We came to a conclusion that not only is the Good News the fact that Jesus lived, died, and rose that we may be forgiven and have eternal life, but that as is best explained by the following quote,”The Gospel is the work of the Trinitarian God to reconcile every person to union with God, to communion with others, to fullness with self, and to harmony with Creation, in the context of community for the glory of God and the good of all.”

Imagine a beautiful country scene with a nice car winding down a smoothly paved road. Now picture in the middle of all this serenity a creepy person/thing (whatever is was) popping up and saying “Wake up and get back to work!.” HAHAHA….Yep…that’s how Jamie used a joke video clip to start off one of our lectures about missional community. We think we’re getting some sweet media to convey his ideas but instead we get the life scared out of us. Good stuff. After the shock of it all (hee hee) we began talking about the journey that true community has taken through the Bible and how it represents the growth of community in general.

The stages can be best described as The Garden of Eden (hidden nakedness, i.e false community, the one we generally tend to begin with), The Cross (the point where differences in others are brought to light, where chaos, pain, and revelation of our inadequacies are revealed), The Tomb (when emptiness of  a self-seeking attitude occurs, when the right to be angry or manipulative are relinquished), The Resurrection ( when we are reborn and gathered together), and lastly Pentecost (meaning that the Holy Spirit is empowering us to serve Christ and love others fully).

Another thought provoking teaching occurred when Jamie presented a slide show of art portraying Jesus. There were images that shocked, awed, horrified, inspired, and even confused us. We then shared what each thought of the artwork, with Jamie hitting right on the mark inside us with the question, “What kind of Jesus does the world see when they look at you?”  I could feel the sting of disappointment wrapped around my heart as he spoke this (by the way, I know this question was not meant as a guilt trip, but God was showing me that I needed to fully live out what I admired about His Son). Many of us had never considered the fact that we spoke of Christ one way, but then conveyed His character completely different with our lifestyles. After all, we are reflections of Christ, not radios for Christ…

As students, we experienced a tremendous amount of breakthrough concerning the intensity and intimacy of our relationships with one another. Jamie’s questions brought about discussions such as how can we could promote the depth and breadth of our relationships, and what we should do to bless the community around us. In the pursuit of answers, we were left to reflect and ponder for some time. At one point, we were completely left alone by the staff to begin preparation for a community outreach that incorporated and embraced the strengths/talents of every individual in the group. This was an agonizing and pivotal moment. Students who were more prone to dominance seemed frustrated with the lack of input from some, while the more reserved students found themselves overwhelmed by the situation. Eventually the group had a breaking point, which required us all to stop, listen to each other, and pray. It was a very emotional time. It was hard, emotionally messy, and scary, but honestly, I know it was one of the most crucial points of the school. We are really beginning to become a strong, unified team that will be able to serve Christ wholeheartedly with deep love and trust in one another. This is very, very good!

Overall, this week was rich in knowledge and Scripture. As staff and students, we are continually working towards creating a beautiful and intimate community around us. We realize that Jesus is Lord, and that this is the core, the center, the most important thing to know. We desire to train others( and ourselves of course) to serve Christ, and to not just wait around for someone to ask for help, but rather, live out what Jesus preached and go into the world looking for the marginalized, hurting, and afraid. We are growing organically, spreading Christ’s love like a weed, not mechanically or with a cold and business like mentality. Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful week, and remember….love God and love others as yourself…and hey…you may be entertaining angels and feeding the Savior of the world. Peace!

Always your sister in Christ,
Stacie J.

Previous Post - Weeks 4 & 5

WHATS UP EVERYBODY!! Yeah, I know, excited to have me back arntchya? Arntchya?!?!?!  Well I suppose you’re wondering, okay DYING, to know about the spectacular and awe-inspiring Mission Adventures week. Let me some up what I thought of this week in two words: OUTRAGEOUSLY AWESOME! Everyday was jam-packed with hands-on outreaches and team building time.Not only did we dig into each others lives, but we were inspired by the needs and the beauty of the community around us. I think everyone would glean the a greater depth of knowledge about our experiance if it were to be reviewed on a day by day bases….so without further adeu…I present to you Mission Adventures week (insert blazing trumpet noise here)!

Monday:

Mission: Prayer Trip, Panhandling, and Roses to Prostitutes

Monday morning, shuffling sluggishly onward with slew of luggage and a sleeping bag, we entered the Mission Baptist Church pondering, “What in the world is this week going to hold?” Our leaders had kept it all a surprise.  As we gathered together, it was revealed that we were to split in two groups and go on a cross city, “Prayer Trip”, with nothing more than two bus tickets. We stopped at various locations, like the Law Courts, CTV, and my favorite, the Parliament Building, praying that God would influence and be amidst its daily functions. The most profound moment ( or at least I felt) was when we all gathered in the very center of Manitoba’s Parliament building, and immediately proceeded to sit down in a circle, hold hands, and begin praying. How privileged we were to be able to gather in the heart of a prominent government building and to proclaim/demonstrate that we loved and believed in God!

After this, we proceeded to panhandle on the bitterly cold Portage Avenue. Some may be wondering, “What in the land negotiations are our family members/kids doing panhandling?” Simple; we needed to raise money for our crazy outreach fees….hahaha just kidding, but seriously, I caught you off guard didn’t I? Actually, this was to teach us about the injustice that the poor face, and how the responses of others affect them. This proved to be, for the most part, both challenging and disheartening,  Most people rushed by, drifted to the other side of the side walk, or made no eye contact.  As I Sheepishly requested “Excuse me, ma’am/sir, do you have any spare change,” people stared, awkwardly turned aside, or to my bewilderment questioned harshly, “What you need money for!?”  Some treated me with the dignity of eye contact and a “No, sorry,” but overall, I felt scummy and invisible. What I did not expect was the love of a poor man I encountered( well..whom I presumed was poor). As I asked a couple for change, a man in dingy clothes limped by. His eyes were brimming with compassion. Without me even asking, he turned around, extended his hand and gently placed a toonie in my hand. I began to cry. I didn’t want to take his money. He looked like he really needed it, and frankly, I didn’t. Another man upon hearing my voice stopped dead in his tracks. I was scared at how he was going to react. He thrust his hands into his pockets and began to scrounge up all the spare change he had. Then he gave it to me with a smile. That was really cool. Overall, I received a whopping four dollars…woo…which I proceeded (with the other students of course) to hand off to a real panhandler. What baffled me the most was how those dressed in immaculate clothing and who seemed quite wealthy treated me with about as much dignity as a cigarette butt, while those with the least gave much. Wow.

All of this was still resounding in my mind as the last activity of the night began to unfold. Us students clamored into the “marvelous” YWAM van with a armful of roses and began to stake out our neighborhood and the North End. We were on the search for some working girls (frankly, I hate calling them prostitutes. They are humans, daughters, mothers, just like us, and that one word should not define them.) We would exit the van in groups of three, two of us staying slightly behind to pray and one going ahead to present the rose to a girl. At first we weren’t doing so well.. We were 7 and 0 concerning ladies getting the roses. Some didn’t want one, some were picked up right before our eyes, and some actually sprinted away (sheesh I never knew we were that scary.) Two girls received a rose that night, and I was one of the privileged students who got to give out a rose. The lady who excepted my rose just smiled self-consciously and nodded. It was interesting to say the least. It was a rewarding experience for us( even though that’s not the point), and we were grateful for receiving the opportunity to bless a daughter of God  (we’re all his childern.)

Tuesday:
Assignment:Winnipeg Harvest

We arrived at the Winnipeg Harvest, a food distribution agency. It is a facility where surplus food is taken in, sorted out, and sent to families across Manitoba. We got the job of bagging rice and flour. We had such a good time. We laughed, sang goofy songs, and ended up being covered head to toe in the white powder. It was a day well spent, with our efforts contributing to the feeding of about five hundred people (that’s an estimate..What I know for sure is that we packaged A LOT of rice and flour!) We came back to the church and closed up the night with information concerning Uganda and a mind-boggling game of Outburst (by the way, the ladies TOTALLY SCHOOLED THE GUYS!) Go girls!

Wednesday:
Quest: Cultural Day

 
Cultural day was quiet deep and even amusing at times. We started off the morning watching a documentary with Desmond Tutu and Dr. John Hope Franklin discussing with a multicultural group of kids about justice and racism. The kids were moved to remote location for a week to work out their differences. After watching the video, we had an in depth conversation about such topics as Affirmative Action, mixed culture marriages, etc. We also played the tribal/cultural game. It was crazy to say the least.  The student and staff divided into three groups. Then we were told to create our own language,expressions,etc. Also, we were informed about what the characteristics we as a tribe should posses. Then the fun began (woo!). Trying to interact with the other groups was frustrating, confusing, and next to impossible. We had such crazy greetings as the “wookie” sound followed by a big hug, or an aggressive BAROGA (which is a made up word…don’t worry if you are confused, I am too!) followed by the beating of one’s chest. When the game was over, we were informed that there where two tribes; one a warrior tribe and the other a farming tribe. The third party was supposed to be a group of missionaries. It truly demonstrated how cultural differences can be a huge obstacle to conveying the Gospel, and that we need to be very sensitive to this fact.

Thursday:
Objective: Union Gospel Mission (UGM)

Thursday was a great day of service. We really got to working. We arrived at UGM, an organization dedicated to feeding the hungry, providing a safe environment from those recovering from addictions, and preaching the Good News. We proceeded to jump in head first. Some created food packs for families. Some worked busily preparing lunch for the homeless and underprivileged that would be coming in soon. Others tidied up. One even spent a significant amount of time counting a whole lot of donated pennies (hehe). It was great. The highlight of my day was seeing the people we had been preparing for come in and enjoy a meal. I received some very warm thank yous, which honeslty wasn’t the goal, but it was great to hear that others were benefiting from our time their. The night closed with the memorable practical joke (from our conniving staff) that the students were to build and sleep in an igloo that night. They reassured us with a “don’t worry, we’ve studied about hypothermia, so you won’t die or anything.” Wow…that’s comforting. In the end, we realized they were just giving us a REALLY hard time, and as Lindsey would say, “They pacified our anger with chocolate.” (Which by the way, tasted scrumptious, and as Michelle noted “Worked beautifully.”)  

Friday:
Final Destination: Lazarus Housing

Walking down Maryland Street to the New Life Ministries church, we pondered, “So, what exactly do we get to do today?” Immediately upon arriving, we are informed that the Ellice Theatre is in some desperate need of cleaning for tonight’s movie. Mopping, toilet scrubbing, and closet sorting occurred that day. I guess God was showing us the practical side of ministry. After, we helped clean up two apartment buildings. I guess by some peoples’ definition it wouldn’t be described as a “riveting” day, but we met the needs of our community, and that is what is important…so go us! (haha actually it should be more like GO GOd…cause we get to show his love to those around us, which is a gift in itself!)

Stacie!

Alas, our busy schedule got the best of us recently, tying up our roving student report, Stacie.  She will be returning next week to her regular duties as your faithful insider in the world discipleship & missions.  Until then, I thought I would step in and bring you up to speed.

Week four of the DTS saw former YWAMer, now Winnipeg Centre Vineyard pastoral staffer, Andy Wood join us as the weeks lecturer.  Here’s a quick bio:

Andy & Beckie lead a mixed up life. They love to mix up people of different social and economic stratas, people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, and people of various ages. To them this mixing is a picture of the kingdom of God. It is a drawing together of different people to worship together, to serve each other and to learn from each other. They want to see everyone to find their place and become passionate, productive and well equipped disciples. Andy & Beckie have a passion for interacting with the poor both locally and globally and are involved in Mercy In Action, a branch of the Vineyard College of Mission. They have been part of WCV since 1998 and have three kids, Grace, Elijah and Asher. www.mercyinaction.com

Given this engagement in urban missions and justice issues, Andy was well suited to guide our students through a deeply Biblical and practical theology and missiology of justice.  Living and studying in one of Winnipeg’s inner city communities, the teaching seemed to connect with the students hearts.  As they prepare for their months in Uganda, I believe Andy’s teaching will further help them understand what it means to proclaim the Good News of Christ in word and deed.  It was an excellent week.

On the heels of Andy’s teaching came MissionFest Manitoba, a weekend event dedicated to inform, inspire and involved believers in God’s global call to missions.  We felt this was an ideal experience for the students to have, allowing them to see many different models, opportunities and ideas about missions around the world.  We challenged them to be open to new ideas, while critically engaging what they saw and heard.  While not exploring the booths, they sat in on sessions and worships, including the keynote speaker Steve Saint, son of the martyred missionary pilot, Nate Saint, and author of the book turned film, The End Of The Spear.

After taking Monday off to catch up on their rest, the students enter week five with great enthusiasm.  Unique to other weeks, the remaining four days were broken into one day sessions led by YWAM staff.  Highly interactive, the teaching and activities included an inspiration young missionary video biography, teaching on spiritual warfare, personality/temperament & team dynamics teaching, team building games and more.  A group of YWAM staff from various Western Canada ministry centres were visiting throughout the week, so they sat in on a panel discussion about questions about faith and theology.

This week the school is participating in our Mission Adventures program, emersing them into the urban context.  Simulating an outreach experience (in part for preparation for the Uganda trip), they are staying in a local church for the week, thus my corresponding on Stacie’s behalf.  I am sure she will have many exciting stories for you next week.  Keep us in your prayers!

In His Peace,
Jamie Arpin-Ricci - Co-Director
YWAM Urban Ministries Winnipeg

Previous Post - Week Two

“Bring me a worm that can comprehend a man, and then I will show you a man that can comprehend the triune God.” – John Wesley

The character of God: What comes to mind when one ponders this statement. Fear, love, perfection, mystery?….the list goes on and on. As you can tell, what one knows or thinks of God’s character impacts the way he/she relates to others and themselves. That is why this week at YWAM, we studied what attributes define God. Our week was led by the “say it like it is”, “bear of a man” Randy Parizeau, Director of YWAM Nexia3 in Vancouver, BC and a member of the YWAM North American Leadership team.

One could definitly say it was an interesting and exciting time, characterized by open discussion, sharing, and even “heated debates.” Both the staff and the students voiced their opinions about the topic(s) being covered, which included but not limited to: raised voices, Scripture quoting, Googling, and exaggerated hand gestures. I even recall one of my classmates documenting each stage as follows: “Randy states his point, Jamie objects, someone concurs, and my question to ponder is ‘ Does Randy get to sleep in the house tonight…?’ ” hahaha!

It was great though; conflict (not serious stuff, just good ole’ debate) and open-mindedness has enabled us to learn in greater depth about our life and the enigmatic ways of the Lord. Chatting with my peers, I discovered that certain topics seemed to fascinate and stimulate their growth or understanding more than others. Definitly one of the most helpful discussions was about forgiveness and how to practice it, which included open questioning and Bible supported tips. Another beneficial discussion involved learning about the Trinity, and how since God, in a sense, is a community (three in one), that we as Christians need to be fully aware of the importance of community in our own lives.

Personally I gleaned some new insight concerning Jesus’ character when we analysed 1 Corinthians 13 in pairs. As a list was composed of what love was and was not, I realized that according to what I had just read, that even if one has great knowledge, many talents, or incredible self-discipline, he/she has nothing if him/her do not have love for Christ or for others. Amazing, eh?!

Well, us YWAMees (YWAMers, YWAMas, YWAMinites??!) had an exceptionally ’social’ week. Sharing memories such as playing “Apples to Apples”, wasting a perfectly good evening (in my opinion) by watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and going to the theatre on Wednesday night, I sensed some serious bonding going on. It wasn’t just in organized times, it was more the car rides together, the “all in good fun” taunting of a card game opponent, or just the plain and simple fact that all six of us are forced to share bathrooms and a common living space, it has been a fun ride thus far.

The gears in our brains are “a-turnin” my friends. We experienced the movies “The Last King of Scotland,” and “To End All Wars,” and let me tell you, those are some deep, gritty, and emotional movies. The first movie is an overview on the former ruler of Uganda (our outreach destination) and the terror his reign created. All walked out of that theatre silent, stunned, or in deep thought. It was hard to watch, and honestly, I (and all of us here) am so grateful and blessed to be able to go into a torn and hurting nation, and to show them the love of Christ!

The other movie,”To End All Wars,” directed by the son of YWAM’s founders, was shown so that we would get some new insight on the character of Christ. Again, this movie (which is a true story) not only filled me with inspiration, but shook my sense of reality, love, and suffering. It is amazing how much love can be reflected by others and by the sacrafice we are willing to make for them. Very inspiring to say the least. Here at this base, we like to watch deep and controversial movies that stir us to analyize, ponder, and prompt us to action. I love it! Good stuff! It’s not just spoon fed mush presented to us but instead steak and potatoes, something one really has to chew on in order to digest.

THATS ALL FOLKS! Stop by next week to be “shocked and awed” by the thrilling and wonderful scoop on the topic of “Justice” led by Andy Wood, the students’ riveting lives, and the “guaranteed-to-be-gripping” Missions Fest! I better make like a “tree” and “leaf” (as all collectively cringe in horror!) Bon Voyage!

Sincerely in Christ!
SJ

Previous Post - Reflections on Week One

-by Stacie Lund, DTS Correspondent

Good afternoon/morning/evening to you very fine and wonderful readers! WOW! I can’t believe it has already been two weeks here at the base. This first week of teaching has been incredibly insightful. Prayer was the topic of discussion, which was led by the outgoing and spunky Dan King from 24-7 Prayer Canada. He was an interactive teacher, incorporating scripture, mini-outreaches, and exercises to give us insight into the subject of prayer. First we discussed what the definition of prayer was. Discovery was made by all about certain aspects of ministering through prayer, the ways we can pray, how to listen to God’s voice, etc. One very unique exercise for practicing listening to the Lord’s voice was when we took a trip to the Portage Place mall, being instructed to observe those around us, and then waiting for the Lord to give us either information or a word to pray for certain individuals. Luckily, God was faithful when we asked, not to mention Dan provided a “cheat sheet” of prayers that we could use “just in case”. It was good stuff!

Teaching was presented on how to test if what we were hearing was indeed God’s voice by asking questions, referring to Scripture, and so on. Such topics as spiritual warfare, how Jesus prayed, fear vs. faith when approaching God, and unanswered prayer were analyzed. Pondering the following week, I have realized that all around me have been impacted by Dan’s teaching in a significant way, which compelled me to ask each student, “How about that prayer week (aka What was the highlight of your week?)” To insert a creative twist on the grilling of my fellow classmates, it was concluded that a question pertaining somehow to one of Dan’s teachings, which is how our spiritual growth should be organic like a garden, should be asked. In light of this information, I was compelled to ask the imperative question…”What type of fruit describes your personality?” Hahaha! Who said that we should take life too seriously….preposterous I say! SO here you are….LADIES AND GENTLEMEN…the deep, moving, and somewhat “fruity” responses of the YWAM DTS class of ‘07!

Lindsey

“Probably the highlight of this week was learning about listening to God. I’ve been thinking about it lately, so it was really cool to hear some tips for listening better!”

“A papaya-flavored mango because I am indecisive!”

J.P.

“The highlight of my week was intercession and working on and learning about inward prayer (which is defined as listening, contemplating, and meditating).”

“Probably a strawberry…”

Robin

“The highlight for me would have to be praying for our classmate (practicing personal prayer) this morning. It is one thing learning about prayer, but actually practicing/doing it is what makes a difference!”

“An orange because I am sweet and full of flavor!”

Ed

” Practicing listening to God’s voice in the mall was a very unique experience. Watching the peoples’ expressions and praying for them as they walked by was cool”.”

“I am an apple because I bruise easily!”

Brenden

“The whole idea that as we become more mature Christians, God speaks less clear to us because He trusts us more to discern/hear/understand his calling and voice.”

“I am a dragon fruit because it looks weird, but once you cut it open, you find it is a lot different than you would expect.”

Stacie

“The highlight of my week would have to be the fact that God has confirmed my daily prayers/reading through Dan’s lectures. It was great to know that I am on the right track. Also, learning how to discern God’s voice was extremely helpful because I struggle with the thought, ‘Is that really you God?’ “

” I gotta be a guava because I am unique, kinda odd, and overall enjoyable.”

Previous Post - Jan. DTS Begins

HEY HEY HEY, what’s up everybody! Well before I become too wound up gushing about our wonderful first week, I would like to introduce myself. Hi! My name is Stacie Lund, you can call me Stace. I am a first time YWAMer and fellow student here at the Winnipeg base. Let’s begin with an overview of my life: Scene 1; Act 7: Stacie exits the building in a cautious manner….hahaha..okay…No, just kidding, but seriously, I’ll try not to be that specific, soooo here it goes.

I was born in a rural community called Roosevelt, Minnesota.I lived a pretty average life; that is until Jesus Christ became my Lord when I was fourteen. Ever since then I have been experiencing life in a way that is overflowing with energy, love, and an abundance of God’s grace. Even though this is true, I am still hungry for more; for a deeper relationship with my heavenly Father, for a clear-cut calling upon my life, and for greater obedience and commitment.

As I have observed in this brief amount of time, every one of the YWAM students this DTS has come to seek God in a greater way. Whether it is to learn how to share in others’ oppression to lift them up (one of the reasons I am here), to learn how to hear and discern the voice of their Maker , or to pursue the vast multitudes of heart desires that God has imparted upon him/her, all strive for one goal; to please, love, and serve others and God. This is why we are here. We did not come seeking ourselves; we came to help others and to serve Jesus Christ, not to mention have a little bit of fun in the process. Everyone needs some joy in his/her life after all.

I hope that anyone reading this will know that his/her prayers, sponsorship and support are vital to us as learners here! And in advance; Thanks bunches! We really appreciate you guys! Back on track though; even in the short amount of time we have lived here, we have tasted the richness of community life, friendship, and open mindedness. Not saying that we will not or have not at some point become “irked” by, for example, our night-owl roommate who at first was tolerable but after the first month becomes “uberly” frustrating, or at the fact that “somebody took the last dinner roll…sheesh how rude!!” haha…the point is that we are all the body of Christ, each functions in his/her own unique yet equally important way, and we are pushing through our sometimes “not so wonderful” tendencies and learning how to work together for a greater cause. Now can I get an AMEN! okay seriously..that was some pretty sweet stuff!!!!

Hesitantly I pulled over my beastly Chrysler Lebaron next to the restored house on Furby Street and carefully scrutinized the building…was this really the place?! Immediately, almost to my horror/astonishment, a slew of staff came stampeding through the doors and surrounded my car. I cautiously rolled down my window and said, “Umm…hi?!” Anyways, I was welcomed by a seemingly “overly” eager staff who helped me carry in my luggage. It was nice though! I didn’t even have time to carry in a single thing! I know that every student who arrived received just as warm and eager of a greeting as I had that day. It was pretty amazing.

After everyone settled in, we all strolled through the chilly Winnipeg night to our dinner location. The first meal we had gave us an opportunity to become acquainted with where we would be dining: the Ellice Cafe. This resturant has an amazing history behind it. It was established by a local church to provide a nice dining experience for inner city Winnipegers which creates community while offering decently priced and quality food. It truly is a place where all feel comfortable. The next day we walked two blocks to our YWAM classroom, a store front on Sargant Ave. Getting settled in, we started off with a game called, “I have never”. One would have to stand in the middle of the circle while he/she proceeded to share something that they had never experianced. If someone else had, then they would have to frantically get up and dash to an available seat. It was interesting to learn that some of our fellow staff and students have, “blowed bubbles under water,” “eaten bugs on purpose,” and/or, “have killed a kangaroo with his/her bare hands”…ahem Kim.

We then went over our binders with YWAM’s goals, rules, and objectives. Over the week, we proceeded to become better aquianted with each other and with YWAM as a school. A basic history of the Bible was offered by Matt, while an activety with twelve prayer/reflection ideas were demonstrated by Michelle (totally awesome by the way; it gave ideas of how to pray/meditate/grow during our quiet times with God). Amazing worship was also provided by Doug Sadler, who works with Kings Kids, another ministry of YWAM in Winnipeg.

One afternoon we spent cleaning up, which was a good experience. Everyone received a task in order to keep the house nice and tidy. I enjoyed it since the Bible says we should find joy in working with our hands, so that was good. We had activity nights and fun nights, such as playing the “eat the chocolate game” where if someone rolled a specific number he/she would have to eat a piece of chocolate (mind you while putting on a hat, oven mitts, and using fork and knife, for manners of course!) as fast as he/she could to gain points for his/her team. We also played a game of strategy which involved one team trying to “dominate the couch”…hehe that one took forever… yet it was fun.

A supply run was held Thursday night, meaning we all went to the mall to pick up some necessities, or to rummage through a sales bin of course! We also watched “Finding Nemo” Friday night and enjoyed some good laughs. Saturday, we all went either “Value Village” shopping or to a movie. It was a great week of bonding. It is crazy how I can feel so close to everyone in such a short amount of time. I believe that everyone has bonded very quickly. It helps that we are sharing close quarters, not to mention the love of Christ. It is hard to attempt to explain all that has occured within this week. We have laughed, maybe even cried a little. We have teased and encouraged, but most importantly, we have established the fact that this DTS will be Christ centered and great!

Tune in next week for a report on the first week of teaching on Prayer from Dan King of 24-7 Prayer Canada.

The day has finally arrived. Starting around noon today, the students in our January 2007 Discipleship Training School (DTS) will begin to arrive. Today marks the beginning of a five month journey for all of us- three here in the great city of Winnipeg (specifically, our amazing inner city neighbourhood in the West End), followed by two months of missional service and outreach in Uganda.

We thought we would start by introducing you to the students:

I am Stacie Jean Lund, a servant of Jesus Christ called to bring hope to all of the world. I always wanted to introduce myself like that becuase, hey, its so true! I geuss what you need to know is that I am really only five years old; that is when I gave my life to Jesus. Ever since then life’s been an adventure. I have been able to be used for great things, and sometimes I have stumbled, but it is crystal clear who is ever present with me. For the general information, here it goes; I am a 19 going on 20 year old, home-grown in Warroad, Minnesota (yes, I am American). I have a passion for Jesus, I absolutley adore singing, I love people, I enjoy the outdoors, yet I like the city as well…I guess you could say I am easy to please. Working with youth, doing missions, leading others in worship, and changing the world for his Kingdom are some of the top priorities on my life goal list. So one may be asking now, “How did this lady end up in Winnipeg, Canada.” Well, to be honest, it’s just the pure and simple fact that God is putting me where there is the greatest need for Him. I know this is a time when God wants to stretch me and mold me even more into the woman he desires for his kingdom. In general, I really just desire what God wants me to desire. The end!

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My name is Ed Harms. I am 33 years old and have lived in Winnipeg my whole life. I taught Grade 4 for couple of years but I have been doing seasonal work for the last 2 years. I enjoy playing sports like ice hockey,football and baseball; listening to music, taking photographs, travelling and hanging out with friends. Through this DTS I am hoping to learn more about knowing God, hearing his voice and discerning his will for me at this stage of my life and beyond. I am also looking forward to meeting new people, gaining valuable life skills as well as experiencing a new culture.

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My name is Lindsey Ainsworth, and I am an 18-year-old Canadian. I enjoy reading, playing the flute, travelling, and drawing. I don’t really know what to expect from the DTS, but I am hoping to make some new friends, gain some life experience, learn more about God’s plan for my life, and grow in my relationship with Christ.

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My name is Brenden Knight and I am from Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada. I am 19 years old. I enjoy singing and acting, as well as baking and reading. On the YWAM Discipleship Training School, I hope to grow closer in my relationship with God.

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My name is Robin Frost. I am a 26 yrs old Canadian, born and raised in BC, moved to Manitoba when I was 19. The past 3 yrs. I have been living and working in Brandon MB. I love worship (music and dance), working with children, walking/jogging and reading. I expect to get to know and trust God in a deeper way and develop skills in missions.

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My name is John Paul Marynewich and I live in Winnipeg, MB. I have volunteered with YWAM’s Mission Adventures program in the past. I really enjoy hanging out, watching movies, playing games and karaoke. My main purpose for attending DTS is to get more ministry experience. I’m presently seeking God on how to share with people what he is doing in my life and how he can help them in their lives.

By sure to bookmark us and come back weekly for new posts, pictures and news!

Previous Post - DTS Coming Soon

Well, in four days our January 2007 Discipleship Training School (DTS) begins. We are excited to have a great group of six students (see the sidebar for pics and Click Here for brief bios), with an even mix of three guys and three girls. Along with our six YWAM staff, the school has six Canadians, three Americans, one Canadian/American dual citizen and an Australian. What a great mix!

Keep us in prayer over this next week as we prepare for and welcome the new students and get started in this exciting adventure in faith. We will be posting a minimum of once a week throughout the school at this blog, so please keep coming back to read about what’s happening, as well as viewing some pictures.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to use the comment section below each post. You can also email us at winnipegdts@gmail.com or call at (204) 774-7072. God bless!

Welcome from all of us at Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Urban Ministries Winnipeg! This is the home of the January 2007 Discipleship Training School (DTS) blog. Once the school starts (January 8th, 2007), students will begin to post updates about the school, the speakers, outreaches, etc. It will be a great place to learn more about YWAM, the DTS and keep tabs on friends and family who might be attending.

So, we hope to see you back here soon. Until then, have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

In His Peace,
Jamie & Kim Arpin-Ricci - Co-Directors
YWAM Urban Ministries Winnipeg