DTS FAQs

Youth With A Mission is a global movement of Christians from many cultures, age groups and Christian traditions, dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world.

Back when we began in 1960, our main focus was to help youth get involved in missions. Today, we still focus on youth and we also include people of all ages. We currently have tens of thousands of staff (called “YWAMers”) from nearly every country, including places like Indonesia, Nepal, Mozambique, and Colombia.

YWAM's DTS is a five-month, in-depth discipleship program that includes a twelve-week teaching phase followed by an eight-week mission trip. It concludes with a week of debrief and re-entry/vision setting and then graduation!

It’s a “heart-change” course designed to give you a solid foundation of personal growth and relationship with Jesus – whether you’re interested in career missions or simply taking time to get to know God better.

YWAM is interdenominational, which means that YWAMers come from all kinds of church backgrounds and traditions. We believe that the Bible is God’s Word, and our training is grounded in its principles. You can read our beliefs and values here for more details.

YWAM Cross Wind is located in the Heartland of the USA, in the small, friendly town of Hesston, Kansas. Our base is nestled within a peaceful community surrounded by the iconic agriculture of the plains—vast fields of corn and wheat.

Hesston is a quintessential small town with a population of approximately 3,400 people. It’s an easy-to-navigate community that features two convenient Casey’s General Stores. For quick, local meals, we love our coffee shop- the Lincoln Perk, and highly recommend El Cerrito Mexican Restaurant, which is just down the road from the base. Our town also features several national favorites like Sonic, Subway, and Pizza Hut, along with a pharmacy, a gift shop, and the delicious Hesston Bakery & Cafe.

Local Convenience and Location

For larger errands, our neighboring town of Newton offers several grocery stores and a Walmart. In the event of an emergency, our closest hospital is located in Moundridge, just about 14 minutes from the base.

We are conveniently located just 35 to 40 miles north of Wichita, Kansas. The closest major commercial airport is the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT), which is only about a 40-45 minute drive away.

In Hesston, you'll find the beautiful campus of Hesston College and great opportunities for recreation, including a well-regarded golf course, as well as local Pickleball and Frisbee Golf courses.

We look forward to sharing our quiet community and the big mission happening here with you!

The Discipleship Training School (DTS) is a focused, full-time commitment, unlike a traditional university course. It will require your full attention and most of your time.

Commitment and Availability

While some evenings and weekends will be scheduled for ministry or training-related activities, many will be free for you to relax, study, and build relationships with your fellow students. We encourage you to inform your family that you will be unavailable for any family vacations or reunions during the duration of your DTS.

Spring DTS Teams: Please note that your outreach will include ministry during major summer holidays, specifically Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Weekend Holidays: Shorter breaks like Mother's Day and Father's Day may allow for brief family visits if the travel time is within a couple of hours (typically Friday evening to 3:00 PM Sunday).

Easter Break: You will receive a three-day weekend off, allowing you to go home to visit family from Good Friday until the end of Easter Sunday. Classes will start again Monday morning.

Birthdays

We love to celebrate! If it's your birthday, we'll be sure to sing to you and celebrate with cake or pie. While class attendance is still required, you can check the YWAM Cross Wind calendar and plan some local fun for a weekend soon after.

Yes! Every Discipleship Training School is accredited by the University of the Nations – an international university. You’ll receive 12 credits for the campus phase and 8 credits for outreach, which are all transferable to several Christian colleges and universities across the world.

Yes! Here at YWAM Cross Wind we are still pioneering, and so we are not offering other courses here at this time, but there are MANY bases that do.

Here are some bases that you could check out their secondary schools:

YWAM Colorado Springs- https://www.ywamcos.org/secondary-courses

YWAM Wylie- https://ywamwylie.org/somd/

YWAM Madison- https://ywammadison.org/further-training/

YWAM’s University of the Nations also offers hundreds of training programs at campuses around the world. The DTS is a prerequisite to almost all YWAM training. The goal of these courses is to further equip you to accomplish the mission God has given you. They can also lead to a degree from the U of N. We’ll share more with you about further training opportunities once you’ve arrived for DTS.