News & Views

I applied to do DNA because I wanted to take a gap year where God would stretch me in my relationship with him.

 

DNA for me has been all about challenging the core of who I really am, what is my identity in God, and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. I decided to do track one, and have been posted at New Generation Church in Sidcup. I have been really welcomed and supported, and their heart for me has been to get me fully integrated and involved in being a part of the church. This means being really thrown in at the deep end, and I have had the opportunity of helping out at the HQ Children’s Church, The Worx youth and student church, and adult congregation. They have facilitated my passion for worship by getting me involved in the worship team and releasing me to lead at The Worx. I have been involved in schools work, volunteering at a nursing home, and coaching a primary school football team.

 

DNA has been hard work, very tiring, and has taken me well out of my comfort zones. I realise more and more that at times like these, when you really run out of your own strength and start relying on God’s, you learn so much about yourself. It's at times like these that you really learn what it means to be servant hearted, what grace means, and really living out what you read in the Bible. On a personal level, this year has been leaving myself open for God to deal with my character, and my past. All the DNAers meet for training every couple of weeks together in London. It is here that I have made some special friendships, and have got to hang out with some people that really are passionate to see more of God in their lives. We have had seminars on a wide range of topics, from theology of the Holy Spirit, to training on public speaking.

 

DNA has supported me the whole way through the great bits and the hard bits the year has thrown up. You are given a personal discipler in your church who is there to serve you and speak into your life, who you meet with for a couple of hours a week. My cell group, home church, and co-ordinator have supported me. The guys on the DNA team are always available at the training and residential times.