Discipleship Training School (DTS) is an intensive 5-month discipleship program designed to equip you to Know God and Make God Known.
Start by building a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, get trained to share the gospel in any context, then be sent out to the nations to be part of fulfilling the Great Commission.
.jpg)
We believe that we’re called to fulfill the Great Commission, but we know that’s not possible without first cultivating a life of deep intimacy.
Step out in faith, Embark on a journey, be trained and prepared, adventure with God, and pioneer with us.
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.
Depending on the elective, you may have opportunities to participate in activities around the city and learn new skills. Some electives may run throughout the entire duration of your school, while others may only run during the lecture phase or the outreach phase.
Each DTS elective is an optional course add-on. You are not required to choose one to participate in the DTS.
See what electives are currently offered alongside our DTS's.
In this elective, our vision is for young people to discover and use their creativity and gifts to be empowered to love Jesus and bring His message to different areas of society: universities, businesses, streets, hospitals, and government. We are raising a generation without shame, transforming communities through practical gospel living, reaching Mexico and beyond.
Our mission is to prepare men and women of God, rooted in the Word and equipped for every good work, who become agents of change, bringing hope, love, and transformation. We are committed to being ambassadors of God's kingdom, demonstrating His power in action and impacting every sphere of society with the message of Christ.
This elective is currently offered alongside our Burning Hearts DTS.
In this elective, we want you to discover how to use your gifts and passions to serve others while deepening your relationship with Jesus. Through various activities and projects, you’ll be equipped to live out the gospel in practical ways and bring transformation to the communities around you. Here are the key areas you’ll explore in this experience:
Homes of Hope
You’ll learn about the importance of community involvement, focusing on key areas like housing, family support, local outreach, and child development. This experience combines theory with hands-on service to prepare you for meaningful community impact.
Onboard Activities with the “Amazing Grace” Ship
Discover the history and operations of the Amazing Grace ship, and see how service at sea can be a powerful way to bring hope to remote places. Each day offers new insights that will prepare you to actively participate in this exciting mission.
OMT (Oral Mother Tongue) and Bible Translation
Immerse yourself in the unique challenge of connecting with communities through their language and culture. This program will equip you with the skills to work with families, impact children, and engage in meaningful Bible translation in practical and relevant ways.
The Engage & Impact elective is currently offered alongside all of our Burning Hearts DTS.
Brave Love Mazatlán is an invitation to join a multigenerational and multicultural movement of women passionate about God’s heart, living fully in their identity, and fulfilling the Great Commission. In this elective, we’ll help you discover your unique gifts and learn how to use them to inspire and equip other women. Our goal is to activate you in your evangelistic and missional calling, empowering you to be a woman with biblical solutions—someone who sees needs and takes action to meet them. You’ll also gain tools to share your testimony, preach the gospel, and pray for God’s original design in people’s lives. This experience goes beyond the classroom, with events and activation times that will impact both you and those around you. Come and discover the power of being a woman who transforms every sphere of society with love and courage.
The Brave Love Elective is currently offered alongside our Burning Hearts DTS.
Have other questions? Email us at schools@ywammazatlan.com
We are a completely bilingual campus! Meaning, speaking only Spanish or English will be more than enough. If neither Spanish nor English is your first language, you just need to comprehend and/or speak one. That being said, we’ve had students in the past that weren’t fluent in either of our languages, and they’ve been willing, amazing people that brought amazing life and culture to our base family. Pray about it! We don't want to hold you back if you're called here.
Our YWAM campus is located within walking distance to lots of ‘Tiendas’ (little shops), restaurants, yummy tacos, scenic spots, and coffee shops, as well as some great beaches. Wal-Mart and other grocery stores, the Golden Zone (tourist area), excellent restaurants, movie theatres, and a shopping mall are either a short taxi/uber ride or bus ride away.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided and all meals are eaten together on our outdoor patio, which looks out over the ocean! Our campus has a kitchen run by our staff and students. We do our best to accommodate all health restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free), but know that there might be times where we are unable to. There is a fridge for students to use and store personal food in.
For girls – there are no short shorts or skirts, no crop tops. When it comes to swimming, we require swim shorts, and a one piece/tank top.
For guys – Please no speedos. Please don’t have your boxers showing or be shirtless unless swimming.
This will all be covered more in-depth in your welcome pack, after applying!
Your airline will determine how much/what kind of luggage you can bring; however while on outreach you will be limited to one pack/suitcase. So pack accordingly. Large hiking/trekking backpacks are ideal for Outreach, but you can get along with a duffel or suitcase if you can't get your hands on a backpack. We totally recommend having a hiking pack if possible. Your accommodations during the Lecture Phase will be limited in personal storage space, so keep that in mind! Everything you bring on to DTS will need to be taken with you on outreach. We have no extra storage space on our campus.
You’ll need a set of good clothes for local church and ministry, casual clothes for lectures/leisure. We tend to be pretty casual at the campus, but churches here tend to dress up more. Also, depending on where you go on outreach, girls may need longer skirts and long sleeve shirts for working in remote communities. That can be purchased here if needed. And don’t forget some dress clothes for your graduation!!
*Because of the humidity here, clothes can occasionally get stretched out. Keep this in mind when you’re packing your favorite things (but don’t pack like your going to the wilderness either! We still enjoy wearing nice, stylish clothes as much as anyone!
Here's a blog to help!
There are several different ways to raise money for YWAM Mazatlan schools and outreaches. How you decide to raise your money really depends on your motivation, creativity and willingness to work hard. There is no one right way to raise the money, but to help you along, listed below are some suggestions and ideas that have worked for us. Remember that everything starts and end with prayer.Trust that if God is giving the heart to attend a school with YWAM Mazatlan, He will also give you the tools, favor, and strength to do it. Our biggest recommendation is to start right away! Fundraising is much better and easier when you're at home, than when you are here.
Suggested Reading on Raising Support:
Friendraising: Building a Support Team That Lasts by Betty Barnett
Funding Your Ministry: Whether You’re Gifted or Not by Scott Morton
People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Support by Bill Dillon
May through to September are the hot, humid months. You can expect to be sweaty and sticky some of the time you're outside! October and November are a bit more temperate, but you’ll still be wearing summer clothes. Then December through March are the cooler months where you can throw on a light jacket or hoodie at night.
In regards to the hot months- do not worry! There is an AC unit in each bedroom and classroom, and we are blessed to have that during the summer!
Mexico in the media has been pinned as a dangerous place, but put all those “I’ve heard’s…” to rest. Our city is a beautiful city to live in. The people are warm and friendly and willing to try out their English. Our beaches are generally safe for swimming and surfing. We will help get you acquainted to the city, the beaches and the Mexican culture.
Yes, like all countries, there is brokenness, hurting people, and corruption in Mexico. God has called us to be bearers of light and hope, to be a part of Him redeeming Mexico, one story and family at a time. Our campus is located in a perfect spot where we can reach places that God has called us to go to, but also host students from all over the world and have an incredible place to do that without jeopardizing safety.
We live in a middle-class neighborhood located directly on the boardwalk of the city, which is one of many places that are safe. Just like any other city in the world, there is wisdom to how we live here, and that doesn't change wherever you are. Our campus is a closed-to-the-public building, and only students and staff live there!
Because of our community-style culture, we're always doing things together. Ministry, going out for tacos at night, walks to coffee shops. We have set curfews at night, and a security guard that takes care of our campus at night.
