Talk:Purpose of the Outreach

In my estimation in staffing, leading, and running DTSs for the past 9 years including serving on our International DTS centre team I would have to say that a DTS is not a role play and never was intended as such. I have spent many hours with Loren and Darlene Cunningham and have never once heard them refer to the DTS as a "Role Play". The DTS was created for the Discipleship of the believer, to reach out to the unreached, and to call people into full time long term missions or ministry.

If you read the U of N purpose statement that explains it all and does not indicate that we are playing around with anything.

Amos


 * Thanks Amos. And thanks for the work you have done in leading DTSs over the last 9 years and for serving with the International DTS Centre. Can we have a conversation about the concept of role play and the DTS rather than have it simply deleted from the knowledge base? Steve


 * I think there is an important conversation to be had here. I have seen the U of N purpose statement a few times before and it has left me cold. The reason for this is down to what the point of the article: what is the purpose of the DTS (i,e, what is the reason we have it) rather than the question "What purpose does the DTS serve?" which can be answered in a different way. English is a vague language at times.


 * However as YWAM we have chosen to limit ourselves in one important way: to become a staff member we need to all complete the DTS. In my view the DTS statement quoted over is not strong enough in making that the aim of the DTS! The purpose of the DTS is to get people ready for full time service in YWAM for the rest of their lives. The fact that it has spin off benefits to the church at large is not really the point.


 * So in that context taking an outreach as a "role play" by which we mean a chance to test and explore within the context of a safe environment. For me my Operation Year was very much like what it was like to be on staff. Also when I lead an Op Year on outreach to Portugal for a month I made my goal to see if I could work out if I could be a missionary overseas for my life. I learnt lots of language and was able to discern that this was very possible for me; of course here I am now leading the YWAM Base in Brussels. My "Role Play" experience on short term outreach was very much a factor in deciding my future service in YWAM.


 * So I feel that Steve's description of DTS as Role Play, although perhaps unorthodox is actually a very useful one. Kev-The-Hasty 16:02, 6 November 2007 (CET)

Move discussion to Talk:Purpose of a DTS
I think this discussion should really be on the Purpose of a DTS page. I will copy the text above from this page. Can we use the space below for discussion of the purpose of DTS Outreach. --Kev-The-Hasty 09:39, 8 November 2007 (CET)