TWS is a 6 Month program located in Spokane, WA. Forty prayerfully accepted students attend classes one weekend a month from the months of May through October in the city of Spokane. The school is designed to equip, educate, and edify worship leaders in all things worship and particularly music. The goal is to go deeper in theology, musicianship and how the two combine in the context of corporate congregational worship and the personal internal worship of Almighty God.
I have always wanted to go back to school and receive a bit more education, particularly in the craft that God has allowed me to use in my job--Music. But it is difficult to take a few years off to go to school. Especially when you are working full time over two different ministries (Music and Youth).
I was apprehensive to fill out the application for TWS when Lee sent the link to me. I would find reasons not to. "What if they are already full?" "What if they just flat out say no?" "How are we gonna pay for this?".
All of these are legitimate fears. For someone who doesn't deal with rejection well, the first two questions are monsters.
I knew with people like Leeland, Phil Wickham, John Mark McMillan, Dustin Kensrue (of Thrice and The Modern Post), Jesse Reeves, Aaron Keyes, and Charlie Hall, there would be a lot of people applying to get in on this extremely rare opportunity. This was going to be a school of only forty students! The amount of attention the teachers can give the students is so much larger than at conferences of a few thousand or even a few hundred. "There's no way I could get in, or there would be room." I told myself and LeeAnne. But part of my spirit was telling me to be impulsive and bold. My adoptive parents and my biological mom are all pretty bold and put themselves out there to try new things, I always admired that. So I did it. I swallowed my fears and filled out the application.
I understood that my God is sovereign and if He didn't want me to go to this school He could work in a way to keep me from going. I decided in my heart that if the Lord moved in the leaders of TWS, as they prayed over my application, to admit me to the school that the Lord didn't have a problem with me going to this and He might provide the way for me to go. I knew that if I were accepted, I had to trust that God had this whole situation under control and that He would make the way available for me to attend this school.
Two weeks later, I received an email informing me that I was accepted into The Worship School class of 2014! I was in! 1 of 40! A wave of excitement and fear overcame me at the same time. I was going to sit and learn under some guys who I looked up to tremendously, "but how am I going to pay $1,800 in tuition? Plus airfare and lodging expenses?"
We were fortunate that the school allowed a 3 payment plan and I was at a place financially to at least put down the first installment of the tuition. My Bio-Mom (for short) was gracious enough to help me with airfare to get me to Spokane. Also, the school has worked with some of the nicer hotels a block from the school to give a student discount, and they have also rallied some church members to serve as host homes. With that, I would either be able to split hotel costs with fellow students, or stay at a host home and rent a car to get to downtown Spokane.
I know that one way God works is in how He empowers His people (myself and fellow believers). In the context of Him empowering me, I have created a GoFundMe Page that works like Kickstarter. Essentially when people donate to the page, it can earn them rewards. I don't have many skills, I can make youtube videos and I can make music and sing. I'm using those talents as parts of the reward system. You can go to the page and see what kind of rewards you can get for giving.
The goal amount for the whole school endeavor is $7,000. That is for the remainder of my tuition, airfare, lodging (or travel in city) and possibly books that teachers suggest we read prior to the courses of that month. Each month will cost me around $1,000 to cover those expenses. On the gofundme page, you may not be able to give a lot in one donation, but you can commit to give monthly and at the end of the 6 months we'll combine your donations and if they equal up to one of the rewards, you receive that reward.
I know some of you may have already committed to giving to our mission to India. Thank you for that! I ask that you would pray and see if giving financially to this would be something you could and would want to do. Also, if you would go to my gofundme page and share it with your Facebook/Twitter friends and spread the word.
This is a great opportunity for my personal growth as a musician and minister. This is also a very beneficial opportunity for the church that I serve in as I grow and become a better leader for my local church family. I believe God designed me with these talents and I'm meant to use them for the good of my church.
The link for my gofundme page is http://www.gofundme.com/8i90p4, please at least take a look at it.
Thank you so much for all your support through prayer. Thank you to those who have already given towards this and our mission to India. You are all a beautiful blessing to us.
Grace and Peace be with you,
Jeremy DeLara
