Have a senior or young adult looking for a gap year transition break? This time in their life may be the only opportunity they have to spend short but intense growing in discipleship, leadership, and adventure without the worry of mortgages, kids, and the full responsibilities of adulthood. Many choose to take a back pack and travel to distant lands seeking experiences but many don’t or can’t choose that option.
Here are four gap year or transitional options that will not only forge relationships but grow the mind and spirit. Think of the ultimate health spa for the Christian walk. Just kidding on the but not really on the ultimate adventure. Dive deep into God’s word at the same time you have unique experiences such as ACTS going to Thailand, going white water rafting, or learning welding and blacksmithing under the big Montana sky.
These options are located in the beautiful Pacific Northwest but there are also other locations through YWAM as well.
Acts Program from Greater Commandments Ministry
The Acts program is a 2 semester discipleship program in the beautiful rural area of Tieton, Washington. Spending time reading through the Bible, application, weekly service alongside a local ministry, and a mission trip (usually a month in Thailand) are part of the program. Our local church has watched and seen such high caliber servants come out of the program with some staying around and serving after they finish with the Acts program.
We also have been blessed by the Greater Commandments Minsitry as our young adults have enjoyed the weekly Sojourn gathering with worship, fellowship, and guest speakers. This is for yound adults in the area to come and worship together whether in the program or not.
Discipleship Training School (DTS) from YWAM
The DTS program is a 6 month session of deep learning combined with service. Many of the DTS programs have a special interest focus for those wanting to include their God given gifts and skills in the real world. For example: YWAM is a global organization not just the Pacific Northwest. We have friends who took a shortened intensive introduction to DTS for a few weeks at the beautiful Hawaii campus and had a blast. There’s a program just for you: film, sports, business, cultures, etc. You name it, they’ve probably got it.
If ministry is something that a person wants to continue after DTS, YWAM has a global networks of ministries to plug interests and locale into their website to see the opportunities for staff and volunteers to serve.
GAP Explorer/ Apprenticeships from Pinehaven Christian Ranch
Pinehaven Christian Ranch offers Explorer Gap sessions three times per year: spring, summer, and fall to get an introduction to welding, heavy equipment, hunting- farm to table, blacksmithing, home repair, forestry, cpr and wilderness first aid. After the Explorer session, they offer additional optional apprenticeships in a variety of programs from auto, aviation, drones, etc. from 6 months to 2 years. As a Christian ministry, they have worship sessions and an emphasis on using your God given abilities in practical real hands-on ways.
They have up to date information on their active Facebook page and general information on their website. Tuition and board is free at the time of this writing with costs being for CPR / Wilderness certification and spending money. You must bring your own health insurance.
Adventure Discipleship Summer Staff or Internship from Youth Dynamics
Youth Dynamics serves to bring the full life of living in Christ through outdoor adventure and nature skills. They offer middle school through young adult adventure camps that range from horsemanship, white water rafting, hiking and mountaineering, and discipleship training. They also have wilderness first aid, advanced wilderness first aid, and a bridge course to wilderness first responder certification camps. They offer a 6 week leadership development session for graduating seniors, a one year adventure discipleship internship to get your feet wet in ministry, or a 5 week young adult adventure skills discipleship session. They do have physical requirements to be eligible, for example being able to run or hike a certain distance.
What an amazing way to strengthen your walk with Christ in the beautiful engaging outdoors of the Pacific Northwest!
