The Endless Season

SURF & SNOW Discipleship Training School

Dear Friends,

Bonjour from Biarritz, France, a city by the sea renowned for its surf and summer sun. Biarritz is located about 200 kilometers south of Bordeaux and just 20 kilometers north of the Spanish border. With the sea at our doorstep and the summit a short 45-minute drive away, Biarritz is a board-riders paradise. As we are situated only a 5-minute walk from the beach, you can surf every morning and easily commute to the nearest Pyrenees’ peak for an afternoon on the mountain.

At YWAM Biarritz, we are passionate about God and surfing/snowboarding. In October, 2011, we are holding a Discipleship Training School (DTS) to gather and challenge surfers, snowboarders, and skiers to worship, listen to, and obey God. The challenge is not only for young boarders to go further in their God-given talents, but also to be inspired to cultivate growth in their relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

As a season set aside for “knowing God and making Him known,” the DTS is a model for all of life. The DTS kicks off with a 12-week topical lecture phase. With guest speakers coming to us from around the world, we have teaching on topics like the Nature and Character of God, the Father Heart of God, The Lordship of Jesus, Hearing the Voice of God, Relationships, Spiritual Warfare, and other biblical principles. The teaching goals are to help students develop Christ-like character, sharpen their relational abilities, and further equip them to serve God. Our vision is to see every student convinced of God’s perfect faithfulness, knowing that He always fulfills and never restricts.

Living in such close proximity to the beach provides the opportunity for students to surf daily. Starting the DTS late in the year suggests cooler weather and brisk water temps; however, the change of seasons will bring snow-capped mountains, allowing the nearby slopes to open for afternoon snowboarding.

Surfing, snowboarding, and skiing come increasingly into focus during the “outreach” phase of the DTS. This second phase allows students the opportunity to live out the mandate of “…making Him known” among the nations. YWAM Biarritz is called to serve North and West Africa as well as the Middle East. While abroad, we aim to use our own gifts and abilities in conjunction with surfing and snowboarding to open doors for sharing the gospel. After outreach, students will return to France for graduation at the end of March.

Please check out our website at: www.ywambiarritz.com