Outdoor Ministry Program – YWAM Montana – Lakeside

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Outdoor Ministry Program

An extension study at YWAM Montana

Course Description.

The Outdoor Ministry Program (OMP) is an 6 month course, geared toward those who have experience in the outdoor environment and now want to develop their technical skills in backpacking, mountaineering, and rock climbing.

The need for highly trained outdoor leaders is higher than it ever has been. Today, more and more organizations (Christian and non-Christian) are starting to see the positive growth that the outdoors can bring to their staff, clients, and students. They just need someone to lead them safely and confidently. Could this be you?

Why 6 months?

You don’t become an outdoor leader by simply taking a few classes on “Outdoor leadership”. You become an outdoor professional by spending large amounts of time and energy on different skill sets in the outdoors so you become a master at each one, to the point that it becomes second nature to you. Being here for six months will help you better understand/prepare yourself for leading groups of people as you build your resume of experience.

Being an outdoor leader doesn’t just mean you know all the cool facts that no one really cares about, but it is also knowing how to lead with confidence, dealing with and encouraging people, facilitating/debriefing small groups, teaching, organizing details, following your gut instincts, and having well rounded knowledge of why you believe what you do.

Students will spend a few days each week reading spiritual growth books that will help them grow in wisdom and understanding to help prepare them for a life of discipleship and outdoor ministry. The heart behind this is to help them understand the phrase “leaders must be readers”. As a leader and disciple we need to be continual learners.

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Start/End Date: Apr 1, 2024 - Sep 27, 2024

Program Cost:

$11500

Pre-Requisites

• Able to run at least 6 miles.
• Documentation of 15 top rope climbs 5.8 or harder. Please include date, location, route name.
• Documentation of at least 3 climbs that require you to travel on 4th class terrain. (Documentation of rock climbs and backcountry trips can be included).
• Documentation of 3 overnight backcountry trips.
• Confidently rock climb at difficulty 5.7 in rock shoes.
• Confident in tying these basic climbing knots: Figure 8, Bowline, Clove Hitch, Munter Hitch, Mule Hitch, Prussik, Flat Overhand, Double Fisherman's and Klemheist.

Additional Information & Tuition

*A DTS is not required anymore since OMP is now an Extension Studies Course through the U of N, but it is still recommended to complete one before this course. For more information, contact the course leader.

We do our very best to keep prices low, and un-changing, but all prices are approximate. Seasonal travel, outreach location, and other unforeseen factors can impact the final cost. Please feel free to contact us for more details.

OMP Gear List 2022

Lecture.

We will properly train you to have what it takes to lead people safely and confidently in an alpine environment, according to the industry standards. Along with those technical skills, you will walk away with a Wilderness First Responder Certification.

You will also get to apply your new skills as an outdoor leader while working with Endurance Discipleship Training School. This puts you into the leadership position so you gain the necessary experience and knowledge that it takes to organize the food, training, and other details involved for outdoor trips.

Outreach.

The Outdoor Ministry Program goes on a 3 week outreach designed to show you what ‘missions in the outdoors’ can look like. During this trip, you will use your outdoor skills to further His Kingdom, be introduced to existing outdoor ministries(when possible, depending on location), and be given opportunities to practice sharing your faith while rubbing shoulders with people at a climbing crag or on a hiking trail.

Vision.

The goal of this program is not just to teach our students the technical skills involved in rock climbing, backpacking, and mountaineering, we also teach them how to use those skills to facilitate spiritual growth, reach the unreached, and minister to the outdoor community. You will also learn what it takes to staff or pioneer an outdoor ministry to reach people with the Gospel.

Meet Your School Leaders.

Tyler Johnson
Alexandria, Minnesota

OMP Director
Tyler was born and raised in the wooded flats of Minnesota but since doing a DTS in 2004 has seeked places filled with mountains. In 2006 he completed his School of Outdoor Adventure and Recreation in Bishop CA and also finished his Biblical Core Course in Kona that same year. After staffing DTS's in New Zealand for 2 years with his wife AnnaRose they made their home here in Lakeside in 2011. While he helped staff EDTS for 4 years, there was a realization that there is a need for highly trained Christian outdoor leaders so he and his wife AnnaRose created and ran the first Outdoor Ministry Program in 2015. He is passionate about all kinds of climbing, mountaineering, exploring, his family, pursuing his Alpine Guide Certification through the American Mountain Guide Association, and introducing people to Jesus through the outdoors.
AnnaRose Johnson
Lakeside, MT

OMP Director
AnnaRose grew up in Minnesota, but now claims the mountains of Montana as her home. AnnaRose and Tyler have been married since 2008, and they have two kids, Cyrus and Jakiah. She and Tyler lead the OMP department, which they pioneered together in 2015. She has worked with YWAM since 2009, staffing DTS, SOW, and of course OMP. She has developed a bit of a passion for rock climbing and bouldering. She also homeschools their kids and is known to have an obsession for planners and pretty markers.
Peter Morel
Grand Marais, Minnesota

Outdoor Ministry Program Staff
Peter Morel is a longtime lover of the mountains and all that comes with them. He grew up in the wilds of northern Minnesota and far northern Ontario, Canada, and spent his teen years exploring the mountains of Wyoming. Living on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada for 10 years gave Peter the opportunity to explore a beautiful backcountry region with relatively little traffic and gain further skills in traveling in the alpine and traversing rugged terrain. His favorite outdoor pursuits are multi-pitch rock and alpine climbing. His passion is to see people transformed through encounters with the risen Christ, being a part of leading others through life changing experiences in the backcountry, and seeing the amazing things that can happen when those two things intersect. Peter and his wife, Melanie, are privileged to have two adorable little Canadian-American girls who also love spending time in the beauty of God's Creation. Peter completed the Outdoor Ministry program in 2017.
Kierra Bonn
Bend, Oregon

OMP Staff
Kierra grew up in Bend, Oregon. Surrounded by the Cascade Mountain Range she developed a love for adventures in the outdoors at a young age. She left home at age 16 to complete her DTS in Salem, Oregon. In 2018 she graduated from the Chronological Bible Core Course as well as NIKO (an outdoor leadership course). Recently, she completed the Outdoor Ministry Program in 2019. Kierra has a strong passion for evangelism and is eager to see transformation in people’s lives as they encounter Jesus in the outdoors.

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develop your Outdoor expertise.

Be inspired and get excited about OMP! This 6-month program will challenge you physically, mentally and spiritually with the purpose of knowing God and making him known in the outdoors!

YWAM Montana-Lakeside operates under special use permits with the Flathead National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, and Glacier National Park and is an equal opportunity provider.

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