For anyone 18+
The ID programme has four main components:
Three times a year the ID team take time out from our serving and come together in order to catch up, receive from the Lord and grow together. We get in great teachers to open up God’s word, we worship together, minister to one another, and have a lot of fun.
A typical day of ID training starts with us all coming together for a group bible study led by one of the IDers. This is something we train you in and it’s an excellent opportunity for you to learn an important skill. The rest of the day is taken up with the main teaching, however these won’t be continual brain cramming sessions; there will be plenty of chances for discussions, journaling, creativity, worship, walks and time to reflect.
Online Teaching - Throughout the ID year, there is also weekly gatherings online. These are great times to catch up together, worship and have teaching from course leaders, as well as a number of guest speakers.
During the course of the year ‘IDers’ get the chance to be apprenticed in a church ministry. It might be youth work, kids work, supporting uni students, or outreach into the community. Often these are amazing but challenging opportunities that will stretch, grow you and expose you to nuts and bolts of a local church.
Besides gaining valuable ministry experience, you’ll learn how to manage your time well, take responsibility and serve people both in and out of church. The ID team and the churches work hard to make sure that this year is a healthy experience, and one that will captivate your heart for a lifetime of service.
Personal study is an important part of the year and students will be encouraged to set aside at least one half-day per week for personal reading and study. Study will be supervised by each church project leader.
The church-based project should help the student to grow in skills and gifting, but more importantly in character and relationship with God. The church and student together will identify someone who will be able to disciple the student during their ID year – this will be someone the student can be completely honest with about their successes and failures, joys and struggles, strengths and weaknesses.
A key value of the ID year is that deep discipleship leads to passionate and confident mission. Each year the ID team visit a Newfrontiers church plant usually in mainland Europe. We go to encourage pioneers, to give our IDers an ‘on the ground’ experience of church planting, and to give ourselves to telling people in that location the good news of Jesus Christ.