Frequently Asked Questions

DTCs are designed for Christians from around the world who are desiring deeper preparation to serve as cross-cultural missionaries among the Unreached.

Most participants will be with Pioneers, but that is not a requirement. Many participants will have prior ministry experience, though for some, this will be their first full-time ministry assignment. We value innovation and flexibility, so if you are not sure if a DTC is right for you, contact the DTC Global Coordinator and we can find out together.

Youth With A Mission Discipleship Training Schools are deeply shaped by YWAM’s story and values and focus on equipping young Christians to know God and make Him known. The emphasis is on identity in Christ, personal transformation, and being a part of God’s mission throughout one’s life. A typical DTS has a 3-month, residential lecture phase focused on helping people become wholehearted disciples and a 3-month outreach phase focused on practicing serving in God’s mission to the world.

Pioneers Disciples Training Communities are deeply shaped by Pioneers mission and values and focus on equipping missionaries for long-term service among the Unreached. The emphasis is on deep personal discipleship overflowing into faithful and fruitful disciple-making across cultures.  A typical DTC is a 3-month residential training that integrates classroom time with coached field ministry experiences within a multicultural team.

Launch Teams (sometimes called Equipping Teams) are located on the field where visas and language study are accessible.  These teams support and mentor you during your first 2 years of language and culture acquisition and emphasize bonding well with the local culture, engaging in healthy rhythms on the field, and learning the foundational skills necessary to serve in that specific context. You will be learning language full-time with additional training typically happening during weekly team meetings or monthly retreats. Think of a Launch Team like an apprenticeship while you are learning language and culture on the field.

DTCs are located pre-field (before moving to your long-term location) and emphasize the heart and character requirements of being a missionary as well as the general ministry competencies you will need to serve among the Unreached. You will spend about half of your time learning foundational topics of cross-cultural ministry and half of your time applying those topics on a multicultural church-planting team. Think of a DTC like a residential Basic Training that equips and helps you practice being a missionary among the Unreached.

The biggest difference between a DTC and an orientation, or even a seminary course, is that DTC’s are hands-on communities of practice.  What you learn in the “classroom” you immediately practice in the field, on a real-life, multicultural team comprised of your fellow cohort members.

Oh, and did we mention you all live together at a DTC as well? It’s amazing how much deep formation and discipleship happens in a truly life-on-life context!

You might have noticed we don’t have set fees to attend a DTC!  This is intentional as conversations around finances are excellent discipleship and cultural learning opportunities.

We set your actual training fees to attend a DTC after talking with you about your current financial situation and considering any support raising goals you might be working towards.  As a general guide, your monthly training fee usually won’t be more than ¼ of your monthly support raising goal.

Training sessions begin with a communal, inductive Bible study that you will be trained to lead. You also will practice leading seeker-oriented Bible studies for those you minister to.  

If you are interested in a more formal Bible training, Global Disciples Melbourne offers a Certificate program.  Other locations offer a virtual, 9-month Bible Track that takes place before, during, and after your cohort experience and can fulfill Pioneers’ Bible Requirements.

Yes! Your children will experience age-appropriate training preparing them to be Third Culture Kids as part God’s mission.  All this while actually experiencing being a TCK on a multicultural mission team—no theory here!  

If needed, we can help arrange appropriate schooling for your children during the cohort. Contact the DTC Global Coordinator to learn more about your options.  

Each DTC location shares common values and training objectives, but is also strongly shaped by the local context and the Pioneers teams leading the community.  Contact the DTC Global Coordinator and we can talk through the different options and see what might serve you best.