Application:The DTS is not simply a school of knowledge but rather a school of wisdom. Head knowledge must be translated into practical heart knowledge by immediate application of all truth presented. Time must be given to waiting on God to apply each principle. Application becomes the key word in the DTS. It is building truth into students’ lives on a daily basis by modeling and developing new habits through right choices based on principles.
Relationship:Another objective of the DTS is to establish in-depth relationships with other Christians. God’s greatest tool for transformation is the close live/learn dynamics of community life. Many have avoided certain kinds of people in the past, but the DTS student body’s diversity offers opportunity to grow by embracing those easy or hard to live with. The same irritable person on the work schedule is the person one must learn to love at the breakfast table. This inability to escape brings up sins laid buried for years such as anger, self-pity, bitterness, etc. This gives opportunity to offer them up to the Lord daily for continual cleansing.
Ministry:One objective of the DTS is to provide in-depth healing in areas of relationship with God and others. This can only be accomplished by being continually sensitive to the moving of the Holy Spirit. Much time must be spent allowing God to invade student’s lives, bringing them to a place of openness and brokenness. This pattern must be established at the very beginning of the school and carried throughout to clearly point out that humility is to be a lifestyle – forever!
Intensity:A fourth objective is to provide a “pressure cooker” or “greenhouse” situation for rapid growth. This is due to the approximately 20 weeks of close living and a full schedule. Opportunities and challenges beyond the student’s normal experiences must be given in this type of situation. The leader must be careful to maintain a good balance in the schedule, not “busyness” but a challenging schedule, which produces growth. This creates opportunity to rise to new levels of character development and responsibility.
Laboratory:A fifth objective is to place the students in situations where they can continually encounter God as never before. Each student needs to learn how to know God by experiencing His divine intervention first hand. This is accomplished by trusting God for things impossible to us without His involvement. It is especially significant that they see His power operate in evangelism.
Discipleship:This group dynamic offers an opportunity for real discipleship. Jesus used groups (3, 12, 70, 120, 500) to create interaction resulting in immediate application of principles. Both small groups and weekly individual talks with a small group leader set the stage for God to teach invaluable principles and to provide a high degree of accountability.
Goals for DTS Outreach
1. To learn to minister and function as a team: John 17.
2. To see lost souls brought into the Kingdom of God through evangelism and mercy ministries.
3. To recognize and release potential teachers.
4. To give a positive experience for long-term future ministry.
5. To prepare trainees for long-term future ministry.
6. To be an example to other Christians by our love, humility and servant spirit.
