Dear family and friends,
I have been accepted to a Discipleship Training School (DTS) in Reykjavik, Iceland. DTS is part of an organization called Youth With Mission (YWAM). YWAM is an international missions movement which was started in 1960 and has since grown so that there are now YWAM bases in over 170 countries. The DTS starts October 6, 2010 and ends at the end of March, 2011. The first three months will be an equipping phase. In this phase I will be attending lectures given by experienced missionaries from all over the world. I will be learning to live in community with fellow disciples of Christ, learning to step out in complete faith in Christ, and about global missions and street ministry.The three months after that will be an outreach phase, during which I will put into practice all the things I learned about global missions and evangelism. This phase will be about spreading the radical love of Jesus to everyone we come into contact with and bringing God’s kingdom to every place we go.
I feel like God has been preparing me the last one or two years for this season of my life into which I am walking. I feel I need to step out actively in faith. DTS is an opportunity for me to separate myself from everything that I am familiar with and from the culture I have grown up in and immerse myself in some one else’s culture for six months. It is an opportunity for me to share freely the unconditional love and grace that Jesus has given me to people in other parts of the world. My passion is to help bring God’s kingdom to the whole earth. This is what Habakkuk prophesied about. “For the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)
The reason I chose Iceland to do my DTS is that I really feel God has a longing to see His kingdom in Iceland as it is in heaven. The YWAM base in Iceland is all about creating and sharing new, imaginative ideas about how to create an alternative culture, centered on Jesus and unified by love and the Holy Spirit. We will be using art and music, in all its forms, to show people the love of Christ, as well as street ministry. There is a coffee shop at the YWAM base which is used to witness to the people in Reykjavik. I believe that we can reach Iceland for Jesus and that Iceland can become a country full of people who have the beautiful mind of Christ and who are truly free and desire to follow Jesus.
Obviously this endeavor costs money. The lecture and outreach phase along with plane tickets and food and housing will cost about $8,000. I have heard countless stories of God providing the finances for missionary efforts and I have faith that the Father will provide the money I need. Even more than finances, I need prayer. This whole endeavor is an act faith, and I need prayer that I will always remain faithful to Jesus’ Way, and that I will have boldness and not fear because the Father will never bring His children to shame. Amen.
All of your support is deeply appreciated, both financial and prayer support. I firmly believe that the Father will bless you for it and that you will reap what you sow, as we strive to form the Church into an inter-dependent community of believers who completely support one another so that we do not need to depend on any system of the world.
If you would like more information on any of this please feel free to call, write, or e-mail me. All my information is on the next page. Or you can visit ywamiceland.org. I will also be creating a facebook page to keep everyone updated on upcoming benefit shows, dinners, and what not.
I love you all and thank you again for all your love and support.
In love,
Nicholaus Ross
INFO:
Nicholaus Ross
1314 Newman Avenue
Nashville, TN 37216
Please make checks either payable directly to me
or, if you prefer, make your check payable to:
“Priest Lake Christian Fellowship”.
Please indicate “Nick Ross YWAM” on the check. Thanks
E-mail: john.nicholaus@gmail.com
Phone: (615) 262-9346 or (615) 481-7681
