Substance

What is DLA?

DLA is a focused collegiate discipleship academy at New Life Church that is designed to allow young people to be a part of a fervent community, receive dynamic teaching, and partner in prayer for a move of God in this generation.

There are 2 tracks in DLA. The MISSIONAL Track and the LEADERSHIP Track.

The MISSIONAL track is a 12 hour commitment each week in order to allow members to pursue a college degree or work a job. Students’ 12 hours include six hours in prayer meetings, the Gathering, a weekly DSM high school or junior high discipleship meeting and a weekly accountability group meeting.

We have seen that God does amazing things through broken college students that start to follow hard after Him; He transforms their lives. He grants meaning and nourishment to the weary and fresh zeal to those that have lost their fervor. A program cannot change your life, but God can. He has transformed many through the MISSIONAL Track over the years.

The LEADERSHIP track is the full-time discipleship and ministry track of DLA. Students spend time in prayer, college-level theology classes, and doing hands-on local church ministry training. By focusing everything we are and all that we do on first and foremost the pursuit of Jesus Christ, we hope to produce the leaders of tomorrow that will lead a generation to the heart of God. The LEADERSHIP track will equip you with the tools you need to lead in the gifting and area of ministry or business that God is leading you to.

What Ages?

College Age: 18-25 years old. High school diploma or equivalent required.

Academy Dates

DLA is an 11-month academy that goes from September 2, 2011-July 22, 2012. There are multiple breaks in the academy that allows students to go home. The breaks throughout the year are as follows:

  • Thanksgiving Break: November 21-26, 2011 (1 Week)
  • Christmas Break: December 15, 2011 - January 10, 2012 (1 Month)
  • Spring Break: April 5-17 (2 weeks)
  • Vacation Weekend: TBD (4 Days)

Training

Connects: Once a month we will take a Sunday morning and have a split session for men and women. We have a passion to see students grow into their unique gifts and callings as men and women. We will have guest speakers like Hal Perkins, Dick Eastman, Lisa Bevere, Sally Clarkson, Linda Dillow and many others. This is a mandatory event.

Training

Furnace Prayer Meetings

DLA will attend two 2-hour prayer meetings of their choice out of the 6 prayer meetings provided each week in the WPC chapel. Prayer meetings consist of an hour of personal time with God, and corporate worship and intercession for the second hour.

The Furnace Prayer Room

The Furnace Prayer Room has been going 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since October 2009 while the academy is in session. Each DLA student will participate 2-hours each week in the prayer room, partnering with fellow DLA students in intercession for the lost, the nations, and the advancement of the Kingdom. Each student will have the opportunity to be an FPR leader which means committing to and leading a 2-hour slot every week.

The Gathering

This is our community meeting with DLA each week. It will be held every Sunday night directly after _DSM Campus Groups at 7:00pm on the NLC Campus.

Groups

Developing accountability is a core conviction of DLA. You will be prayerfully placed in a group with a second year CORE leader and approximately 3-6 other fellow students to share your heart, encourage, and challenge each other on a weekly basis. These groups are created for the purpose of accountability, discipleship, and community. During this weekly time, students connect relationally and discuss the current Bible reading material. The group’s meeting time is based on the schedules of those involved.

Book Groups

Each student will be placed in a book group of fellow students based on year in the academy. Once a month, students will meet in their book groups and discuss the current reading. All books are included in tuition except for the additional reading required for King's students. Students will receive book lists at orientation and will need to purchase those accordingly.

Connects

Once a month we will take a Sunday morning and have a split session for men and women. This Sunday will be the Gathering service for that day and is a mandatory event.

_DSM: Desperation Student Ministries

_DSM is the high school ministry of New Life Church. We will have a weekly meeting on Wednesday nights, campus groups and outreach, retreats, with the purpose of implementation of the vow and seeing a generation of high school students live in desperate pursuit of God. DLA students play a vital role in discipling and leading high school students in _DSM. With the implementation of _DSM Campus Groups, each DLA student will be a part of encouraging and discipling high school students every Sunday night. In this small group setting, DLA students will play an active role in combining relationship and responsibility in ministry.

Retreats

Colorado is our playground; therefore we will have various retreats throughout the year in various mountain towns like Breckenridge, Winter Park and Denver. Retreats serve the purpose to focus our lives on learning about spiritual and practical disciplines that will further our walk with God as well as have a blast playing in Colorado!!!

  • Fall Retreat: Every fall semester DLA takes a weekend to go to the mountains of Colorado for Furnace Retreat. This retreat is covered in the tuition and is a mandatory event. This retreat serves the purpose of connecting students through social interaction and spiritual passion.
  • Encounter: Encounter is a weekend retreat in the spring semester. It is for all students and is covered in the tuition. This is a deeper life weekend that is set aside in order to focus on encountering the Lord in personal ways.
  • Summer Retreat: Summer retreat takes place at the end of May and is a ramp up for summer conferences.

Local Outreach

Our mission starts by ministering to the lost and hurting of this city. Students will have the opportunity to take a week to serve families and ministries across Colorado Springs in a practical way.

National Outreach

We have a conviction to serve the poor and needy (James 1:27). In the past, DLA students have traveled to Dream Centers across the nation. Students will have the opportunity to serve our city and potentially various cities across the nation in this capacity.

Overseas Missions Trip

We want to change the paradigm of what missions is and want it to mean more than just taking a trip overseas. We want our students to be missional minded wherever they go. However, DLA students will be involved in working with Dream Centers, doing inner city missions, Desperation Blitz week, Tours, as well as an overseas mission trip. The mission trip is INCLUDED in the LEADERSHIP Track tuition. The trip is NOT INCLUDED in the MISSIONAL track tuition.

Night of Desperation Tours

DLA load up on buses and go on two tours each year. Students will travel to various local churches across the country to hold Nights of Desperation events. Tours are about igniting a prayer movement in local churches all across America. Students will travel city to city uniting local churches with a passion for prayer and worship.

Desperation Conference

Desperation is New Life Church’s annual, national summer event calling the next generation to live in desperate pursuit of God. Each year, thousands of students from across the world gather together for a weekend devoted to worship, prayer, and going deep with God. DLA students play a key role at Desperation by leading prayer sessions, serving on the ministry team and making the event happen. We are inviting all parents and family to attend the June conference.

Policies:

Dating:

There is no dating your first 6 months in DLA. This allows a more direct focus on God without unnecessary distractions.

Curfew for those in host families only

Curfew is 11pm Monday-Thursday and 1am Friday-Sunday. Students are allowed to be out past curfew if attending a DLA event like the Wednesday night prayer meeting. However, the students are to go immediately home after such events.

Dress Code

General Appearance:

  • Men: Facial hair must be well groomed.
  • Women: Clothing should not be too tight or exposing (no midriff baring shirts, straps under 2”, or skirts shorter than 2” above the knee when sitting).
  • Both men and women: All students should appear neat at all times, regardless of dress code.
  • Piercings: No new piercings or gauging up during the program.
  • Tattoos: No new tattoos during the program.

Sunday Morning Services:

  • Men: Dress shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes. Blazer and/or tie is requested, but not required. No hats.
  • Women: Dress or a blouse with nice slacks or a skirt (skirts must be past your finger tips). Dress shoes. No flip-flops or tennis shoes. Dressy sandals are permitted. No hats.

Office Hours for LEADERSHIP Track only:

  • Men: Business/casual dress. Button-up collared shirt or polo shirt. Nice jeans are allowed but no holes. Close toed shoes. No hats.
  • Women: Business/casual dress. Nice jeans are allowed but no holes.

Sunday Morning Services:

  • Shorts must have a 4 inch inseam. No straps under 2 inches.

Music

Every Student will be accountable to the music that they listen to.

Movies

No watching rated R movies while a part of DLA.

Video Games

No playing video games while a part of DLA