8 DTS Electives You Can Do at YWAM Mazatlan

Did you know you can use your passions to serve God on the mission field? Well, you can!

God has planted unique gifts, passions, and desires inside of you. He created you with those and wants to use your gifting to impact the world.

But how? you may wonder. Look no further, because here at YWAM Mazatlan we’ve designed 8 incredible electives that you can choose to participate in during your Discipleship Training School (DTS).

Our DTS electives were created to give you a taste of what it looks like to use your passions and gifts to serve the Kingdom of God. Each elective is unique, and each one gives you the chance to spend time pursuing one of your interests or trying your hand at something new.

Here are 8 optional electives you can choose to do alongside your DTS at YWAM Mazatlan. Read below for a more detailed description of each elective!

1. Revivalists
2. Compassion
3. Creators and Innovators
4. Worship and Presence
5. Emerging Generation
6. Ocean Adventures
7. Creative Arts
8. YWAM Ships

Revivalists

This elective is born out of the Burning Hearts DTS and is designed for those who want to grow a deeper understanding of what it means to live a life of complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to recognize his voice and respond to his guidance with radical obedience?

A revivalist is someone who’s foundation is grounded in an intimate relationship with Jesus, infused with a desire to know God’s presence more and more, changing atmospheres and bringing transformation wherever they go.

Join us as we learn how to effectively communicate the gospel message and be led by the Holy Spirit in all that we do. We’ll be living out what we believe, worshiping, evangelizing, and prophesying. However, there’s no formula to this—some days we might worship for hours while other days the Holy Spirit might lead us to the streets to express his generosity to the needy.

Whatever it is, you’re invited to come and learn how to host the presence of God all while living daily with a heart surrendered in love and service to Christ.

Our Revivalist Elective is currently offered alongside our Burning Hearts DTS.

Compassion

Do you have a passion to reach the poor, the needy, and the hurting? You can be the change you're praying for. Come and deepen your understanding of God's compassionate heart and join us as we seek to bring hope and help to those who desperately need it.

You’ll take part in ministries within our city, impacting and restoring hope to the hopeless and showing Christ’s love in a practical way amidst poverty. You’ll learn to respond with God’s heart to the brokenness of the world, as well as how to impact lives with the gifts God has given you.

Our Compassion Elective is currently offered alongside our Classic DTS.

More: The Missionary Response to Injustice

Creators and Innovators

God wants to use your creativity to co-create with him! The Creators and Innovators elective is designed to train you to use media and digital communications to tell the stories of what God is doing in the nations.

Come and discover how to use digital platforms to effectively engage a broad audience and create a lasting impact wherever God calls you to.

You’ll also learn how to use photography, videography, social media, and writing as powerful tools to share the gospel and mobilize others to join the global missions movement.

The Creators and Innovators Elective is currently offered alongside our Burning Hearts DTS and Engage and Impact DTS.

Worship and Presence

This elective is for those who desire to invite the presence of God into all areas of life through worship. Each week we’ll learn more what it looks like to live a lifestyle of worship, discovering the freedom to worship as God leads as we overcome fear. We’ll look for opportunities to take worship to the streets by joining up with local ministries run by other staff on campus.

Musicians and singers will also have the chance to try out for our worship team and sign up for one-on-one coaching (if available).

Not a musician? Don’t worry—musical ability is not a requirement to join this elective. Bring your gifts, whatever they may be, and see how God wants to use you to bring him glory and honor wherever you go.

The Worship and Presence Elective is currently offered alongside our Burning Hearts DTS.

Emerging Generation

Together with our Kings Kids ministry, you’ll have the chance to explore and discover God’s heart for the next generation. You’ll learn how to know and understand the emerging generation in order to serve and help them.

We believe in what God has for the next generation and will learn how to engage them through building relationships and working with their families.

During this elective, you’ll have the opportunity to serve in local breakfast centers in needy neighborhoods. You’ll find new creative ways to give, not only physically, but spiritually to this new generation. The emerging generation needs good examples of people who follow the voice of God. You can be one of them!

Our Emerging Generation Elective is currently offered alongside our Classic DTS.

Ocean Adventures

This elective is about raising up passionate people who want to engage in Ocean Adventures in order to impact lives by carrying the gospel message through unique activities like surfing, paddle-boarding, sailing, and kayaking.

Read more: 12 Things All Missionaries Should Know How to Do (Travel Edition)

You'll learn how to effectively communicate the gospel message through any activity. So, if you're passionate about ocean adventure activities and want to learn how to fuse that passion with the message of Jesus, then this elective is for you!

Our Ocean Adventures Elective is currently offered alongside our Engage and Impact DTS.

Creative Arts

Whether you like acting, dancing, singing, or expressing yourself artistically, this elective is for you. You’ll be able to use creative art as a tool to do creative evangelism, drawing the attention and awakening the interest of a generation that will be able to see something different in you. We carry a message of truth and freedom for everyone!

Creativity will come from the guidance of the Holy Spirit awakening and using the gifts and talents he’s given you and breaking all fear of man by expressing yourself in your original design. Join us and be part of leaving your fears behind and letting God use you through creative art.

Our Creative Arts Elective is currently offered alongside our Classic DTS.

YWAM Ships

Our vision for YWAM Ships Mazatlan is to use vessels to access and bring healthcare to isolated people both on the coastlands of Mexico and the Pacific Rim. During the lecture phase of this DTS, you will learn about God’s heart for the isolated and unreached.

More: 4 Things I Learned from Living on a YWAM Ship

This one is for the adventure-junkies and those passionate about medical care, the ones who aren’t afraid to go, the ones who are willing to go to the most isolated and least-reached people in the world, using healthcare partnered with ships as a tool to get there.

Our YWAM Ships elective is currently offered alongside our Engage and Impact DTS, Classic DTS, and Burning Hearts DTS.

Not sure which one to pick? Don't worry. Each DTS elective is an optional course add-on, so you're not required to choose one to participate in the DTS.

If you do want to join an elective, you have until the first week of your DTS to decide. In the meantime, enjoy dreaming of how God wants to use your giftings to serve his kingdom!

Read more: 21 Things All Missionaries Should Know How to Do (Outreach Edition)