School of Staff and Ministry Development
Next intake August 2022
“The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few;
Details
The School of Staff and Ministry Development is a 2-year program, designed to facilitate the growth and maturity of new staff of any age at YWAM Seamill in their identity, calling and ministry. This program is based on the idea of an internship – learning ‘on the job’. Each participant is coming to join the YWAM Seamill community and to staff and serve in a particular ministry while having input, mentoring, and training.
The 2 years are designed for those who are all in, and have a vision to become more like Jesus, growing in whole hearted love for Him, to discover more of God’s intent for the world and each individual as well as growing in leadership skills, basic life skills, communication and skills applicable to your ministry. At the end of this program, if you decide to deeply engage with it, you will be more established in the Word of God and able to make confident decisions about future possibilities.
For more information scroll down and get in touch with us if you want to apply!
Common questions about the SSMD
What is an internship?
An internship is a sort of job where one is being introduced to a new field – in our case, missions. There are different parts to it that help gives a well-rounded experience like first-hand experience, development of crucial skills. An Internship launches people into a new field with experience, skills and know-how.
Are there any prerequisites I need to have before I can be accepted?
Yes, a completed DTS with YWAM is non-negotiable as well as a heart for Jesus and a vision for missions.
Is the course accredited with the University of the Nations?
Yes! This course is registered with the UofN as a School of Ministry Development and offers 24 credits. 12 credits for the full lecture phase and 12 credits for an integrated outreach. The lecture phase is spread over the 2 years as learning is integrated with serving in ministry. The outreach phase is full-time. The specifics of the outreach will come later after further prayer – in line with the Word of the Lord and missional lifestyle of YWAM Seamill.
What will I learn during lectures?
During lectures, you will be learning both in-depth and breadth about topics like life as a YWAMer, living in the Spirit, leadership, holistic living, discipleship, community, missions. Our desire is to give a breadth in foundational teaching so that the Bible, spiritual formation, church and mission history or ministry strategies and tools have become more familiar and solidified as well as to give real depth in one’s walk with God. As you have done already a DTS, these teachings go much deeper and are geared towards growing disciples of Jesus.
Will I be a staff or student?
You will be as fully a staff member as any other staff member on base. The difference will be in the additional time spent in study, assignments and mentoring that are in the SSMD framework. So yes, you will be a staff and student.
What will be my staff role?
As any other staff member in our community, you will have different responsibilities depending on your ministry (more to it in the question below). Normal base responsibilities that apply for most staff members are leading worship or intercession, helping out in the kitchen or the grounds, attending local and regional meetings and the like.
What ministries can I join?
At the moment we offer to do the SSMD together with staffing DTSs or serving the base practically like cooking in the kitchen, doing maintenance or gardening work. Yet, we will extend the varieties of tracks over the coming months and years. If you have a specific interest in a particular ministry, please do not hesitate to write to us, to discuss further possibilities. Our recommendation is that you will staff DTSs during the SSMD. Staffing a DTS is unlike any other experience, and will grow you like few other leadership opportunities! It is full of privileges, like seeing breakthroughs in trainees, seeing people encounter Jesus, growing deeper in DTS lecture topics, forging deep friendships with people from all over the world. It also has challenges, like navigating team conflict, planning outreaches, confronting apathy, fear or. Yet no matter what stage of life you are in, or if you know where you see yourself in, staffing DTS will grow you like few other experiences! Name it and you will learn it during staffing a DTS. Yes, we love DTS!
What are the costs?
As mentioned above, you will be a full-time YWAM staff at Seamill, our minimum recommended amount of committed monthly support we ask for before coming on staff is £500 per month. In addition to monthly staff fees, there will be a cost of £20 per month specifically for the SSMD to cover school costs. On top of this, you will need to budget for private expenses, travel expenses and outreach expenses.
Every YWAM staff is fully funded by support that they have to raise on their own initiative. We are very happy to support you in doing steps of faith with support raising from the first days! We do encourage you to see the costs or fundraising, not as a hindrance for joining staff. God has provided for thousands of YWAMers all around the world, for hundreds of outreaches, for years of support for so many of us who have stayed here for a long time. There’s no shortage of testimonies, just ask for some and we would love to send you stories of God providing!
Upcoming dates?
January 2022 – December 2023
August 2022 – July 2024
January 2023 – December 2024
August 2022 – July 2024
January 2023 – December 2024
Each school goes for 2 years but as said earlier you are primarily applying for staff and so you are highly encouraged to stay as long as you feel God is calling you! Or maybe He is calling you to Africa after you have done the SSMD here in Seamill???
Who is leading the school?
Hi, my name is Samuel Scharf. I did my DTS in 2016 here at YWAM Seamill, Scotland and I have been on full-time staff since 2017, mostly in the role of a DTS staff or leader. Naturally, I want to do things well and thoroughly and since being a YWAMer, I am passionate about YWAM staff walking out their callings both fruitful and impactful while constantly deepening in their relationship with God. I want new staff to be equipped for serving God’s kingdom, solidified in God’s calling, rooted in God and community and courageous in their service for God. He is an amazing God, we don’t have to make serving Him more complicated than we do!