Half-Term Club

Every half-term, we hold a half-term club for primary school aged children (ages 4-11). We have games, crafts, and of course, Bible stories. It is such a privilege to share about Jesus with the children in our community. This time, I made a small video to show you what this outreach is like!

Theology School

 I have applied to theology school! 

I always knew that I wanted to do further studies at some point after I finished my bachelor’s degree, because I love learning, but it wasn’t until the past few years that I realised that I would value the opportunity to study theology. I researched different programmes that allow the study of theology alongside a full-time job, and whilst at many different Christian festivals serving YWAM last year, I spoke to different schools. I landed on Westminster Theological Centre (where my friend Vanessa happens to attend), which does a hub model, meaning that you travel to one of the hubs once a week for an evening of study. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a hub near me. I decided that, if WTC ever came to York, I would look into getting a graduate diploma with them.

Fast forward ten months, and WTC is opening a hub in York in September! It has just become official this month, and I have already completed my application!

I have spoken with my YWAM elder about it, and we agree that, after living a difficult time in the London team and being taught a lot of things that weren’t helpful, it would be good for me to have a solid basis of theology. It might even provide some healing! 

In addition to that, in my role as a YWAM location leader, I am frequently asked to teach other groups of people, whether through churches, universities, youth groups, or other YWAM teams. I enjoy being able to teach, but I am also aware that James wrote that teachers would be judged more severely. I want to make sure that I am teaching what is Biblically sound, and not just what makes sense to me. I also want to empower people to be able to study God’s Word for themselves, so that they can read it and decide what they believe. If we don’t teach people in this way, they will believe whatever others tell them is true!

The course I am going to do is a two year graduate diploma in Church Planting and Leadership (A graduate diploma is the next step if you have a bachelor’s degree that isn’t in theology. After I have a graduate diploma, I can do a two year master’s degree). I attended a taster lecture last night on servant leadership, and I learnt so much through that half hour! Whilst I am a little bit nervous to write essays again, especially because they are marked differently here to in the States (you are allowed to write in first person! What????), I am also excited, because even the essay topics are geared towards helping you think about your current ministry and how the study of theology applies. The school also holds two residentials a year, where all of the students come together for four or five days to do teaching in-person. The days begin and end with prayer and worship as a whole school. The lectures are begun with prayer, and from the residential day that I attended last year, I can tell that the lecturers take time to speak about what they sense God leading them to say in the moment. It is amazing to see a theology programme where God and His Word are living and active! 

This course will take one night a week for two years, as well as the two residential study weeks in September and January. I will re-structure my weekly rhythm so that I have a day a week to study and write essays, so that I can do both studying and missions. 

While I am very excited, I do have one final hurdle: the finances. I need £4250 a year for this course. I have begun teaching singing lessons and photographing more clients alongside my regular, full-time missions work, but that won’t bring me nearly all of the £4,250. So if you would like to support my theology course, I would be very grateful. For Americans, you can still send money through the YWAM base in Tyler, Texas. 

For Brits, you can bank transfer me and put a note that it’s for WTC. My bank details are: 

D E Stevenson

20-96-55

83047881

For Americans, there are several ways that you can support me:

1. Send money using Paypal.com to deborahestevenson@gmail.com (it goes directly to my personal bank account - there is no tax receipt for this.)

1. If you are in the States, you may also contact susancookstevenson@gmail.com, since my mother is a co-signer on my bank account and helps me conduct my finances State-side.She can help you use the apps Xoom (a Paypal method of sending money to my bank account) or Zelle to transfer money to my Bank of America account. She can also tell you how to support me via YWAM Tyler in Texas, from whom you may receive a tax receipt. 

1. If you are in the States, you can also give cash or a check to my parents or grandparents. 

1. Mail a check made out to Deborah Stevenson to: 

Susan Stevenson

49 Belle Gate Court

Pooler, GA 31322

Thank you so much for all of your prayer, and as ever, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to email me at deborahestevenson@gmail.com if you would like to talk! I also have WhatsApp, which I will give you via email!

Deborah