Who is YWAM?
Since our founding in 1960 by Loren Cunningham,
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) has seen thousands involved worldwide
in fulfilling Christ's command: "Go ye into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature' (Mark 16:15).
Youth With A Mission draws people from a variety of backgrounds to work in a vast spectrum of evangelistic activities. Young people, families, retired persons, recent high school graduates and Ph. D.'s are among our ranks. People from more than 100 nations and many denominations are included, from the new babes in Christ to church leaders and missionaries with many years of experience.
Each year, over 30,000 people are involved in YWAM's short-term projects. Mobile ministries have gone into every country of the world. Over 13,000 work as permanent staff at over 700 centers in over 145 nations.
Three Methods of Action
YWAM embraces three methods of action-ways which we believe God has given us to be a part of the goal of taking the gospel to all the world:
• Evangelism - spreading God's message.
• Training - preparing workers to reach others.
• Mercy Ministries - showing God's love through practical assistance.
Evangelism
From Sweden to Saipan, YWAM workers are announcing salvation in dozens of creative ways- ministry to the needy inner cities of the world, reaching university campuses, outreach at international sporting events, participating in drama and music, sharing door-to-door in an African village or an American town, or being part of a ship ministry. In each evangelism effort, we follow up new Christians, linking them with established churches or fellowships wherever possible. We also help these converts form a Christian fellowship where none exists.
Training
We are engaged in various training programs in a number of locations on every continent.
The Discipleship Training School (DTS) or Crossroads Discipleship Training School (CDTS) make up the basic program for most YWAM bases around the world.
In addition there are special schools including schools of Christian counseling , preschool teacher training, primary health care workers, foreign language studies, missions and biblical studies. We have schools focusing on the Muslim world, creative ministries, nutrition and agriculture.
University of the Nations (UofN) has a unique international and missions-oriented emphasis. Courses and seminars are being offered trough the following colleges: Christian Ministries, Communication, Counseling and Health Care, Education, Humanities and International Studies, Arts, and Science and Technology.
Mercy Ministries
Our mercy ministries seek to demonstrate the love of God to the poor and needy practical ways. Presently 20% of the 13,000 plus full-time YWAM staff worldwide are serving over 1 million of the poor and needy in 75 countries through 240 relief and development programs. These programs include primary health care and education, AIDS clinics; literacy and adult learning; agriculture and aquaculture projects; vocational training and rehabilitation; children-at-risk projects; homeless shelters; centers for development, micro-enterprise development (creating of small business), poverty alleviation, and job creation; refugee assistance; emergency distributions; church planting; and discipleship.
Mercy Ships, the maritime arm of YWAM, uses ships to bring physical and spiritual healing to the poor and needy. Since 1978, Mercy Ships has provided life-changing surgeries, dental care, medical supplies, food, seeds, construction materials, development projects, discipleship training, and a message of hope to the port cities of the world.
Note: If you are interested in knowing more about Youth With A Mission, we would encourage you to read the book Is That Really You, God? by Loren Cunningham with Janice Rogers.
What about finances?
No one in Youth With A Mission receives a salary. Each worker - from the newest volunteer to the President - is responsible for his own basic needs. Some staff receive regular support from churches, friends, and family. Others rely on God’s provision through other ways
Statement of Faith
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to presenting Jesus personally to this generation, to mobilizing as many as possible to help in this task, and to the training and equipping of believers for their part in fulfilling the Great Commission. As citizens of God's kingdom, we are called to love, worship, and obey our Lord, to love and serve His Body, the Church, and to present the whole gospel for the whole person throughout the whole world.
We of Youth With A Mission believe that the Bible is God's inspired and authoritative word, revealing that Jesus Christ is God's son; that people are created in God's image; that He created us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ; that although all people have sinned and come short of God's glory, God has made salvation possible through the death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ; that repentance, faith, love and obedience are fitting responses to God's initiative of grace towards us; that God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth; and that the Holy Spirit's power is demonstrated in and through us for the accomplishment of Christ's last commandment, "...Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15).
Youth With A Mission (YWAM) affirms the Bible as the authoritative word of God and, with the Holy Sprit's inspiration, the absolute reference point for every aspect of life and ministry. Based upon the God's word, who He is, and His initiative of salvation, the following responses are strongly emphasizes in YWAM:
Worship: We are called to praise and worship God alone
Holiness: We are called to lead holy and righteous lives that exemplify the nature and character of God
Witness: We are called to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who do not know Him
Prayer: We are called to engage in intercessory prayer for the people and causes on God's heart, including standing against evil in every form
Fellowship: We are called to commit to the Church in both its local nurturing expression and its mobile multiplying expression
Foundational Values
The Foundational Values of Youth With
A Mission are the expression of our basic beliefs, coupled
with specific directives given by God since YWAM's beginning
in 1960. They are recorded here in order to pass on to successive
generations that which God has emphasized to us. These shared
beliefs and values are the guiding principles for both the
past and future growth of our Mission. Some are common to
all Christians everywhere; others are distinctive to Youth
With A Mission. The combination of these beliefs and values
make up the unique family characteristics of YWAM -our "DNA." They
are values we hold in high regard which determine who we
are, how we live and how we make decisions.
1. KNOW GOD
YWAM is committed to know God, His nature, His character and His ways. We seek to reflect who He is in every aspect of our lives and ministry. The automatic overflow of knowing and enjoying fellowship with God is a desire to share Him with others.
2. MAKE GOD KNOWN
YWAM is called to make God known throughout the whole world, and into every arena of society through evangelism, training and mercy ministries. We believe that salvation of souls should result in transformation of societies thus obeying Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations.
3 . HEAR GOD'S VOICE
YWAM is committed to creating with God through listening to Him, praying His prayers and obeying His commands in matters great and small. We are dependent upon hearing His voice as individuals, together in team contexts and in larger corporate gatherings, as an integral part of our process for decision making.
4. PRACTICE WORSHIP AND INTERCESSORY PRAYER
YWAM is dedicated to worship Jesus and engage in intercessory prayer as integral aspects of daily life. We also recognize the intent of Satan to destroy the work of God and we call upon God's power and the Holy Spirit to overcome his strategies in the lives of individuals and in the affairs of nations.
5. BE VISIONARY
YWAM is called to be visionary, continually receiving, nurturing and releasing fresh vision from God. We support the pioneering of new ministries and methods, always willing to be radical in order to be relevant to every generation, people group, and sphere of society. We believe that the apostolic call of YWAM requires the integration of spiritual eldership, freedom in the Spirit and relationship, centered on the Word of God.
6. CHAMPION YOUNG PEOPLE
YWAM is called to champion youth. We believe God has gifted and called young people to spearhead vision and ministry. We are committed to value, trust, train, support, make space and release them. They are not only the Church of the future; they are the Church of today. We commit to follow where they lead, in the will of God.
7. BE BROAD-STRUCTURED AND DECENTRALIZED
YWAM is broad-structured and diverse, yet integrated. We are a global family of ministries held together by shared purpose, vision, values and relationship. We believe that structures should serve the people and the purposes of God. Every ministry at every level has the privilege and responsibility of accountability to a circle of elders, with overall international accountability to the YWAM Global Leadership Team.
8. BE INTERNATIONAL AND INTERDENOMINATIONAL
YWAM is international and interdenominational in its global scope as well as its local constituency. We believe that ethnic, linguistic and denominational diversity, along with redeemed aspects of culture, are positive factors that contribute to the health and growth of the Mission.
9. HAVE A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW
YWAM is called to a Biblical worldview. We believe that the Bible makes a clear division between good and evil; right and wrong. The practical dimensions of life are no less spiritual than the ministry expressions. Everything done in obedience to God is spiritual. We seek to honor God with all that we do, equipping and mobilizing men and women of God to take roles of service and influence in every arena of society.
10. FUNCTION IN TEAMS
YWAM is called to function in teams in all aspects of ministry and leadership. We believe that a combination of complementary gifts, callings, perspectives, ministries and generations working together in unity at all levels of our Mission provides wisdom and safety. Seeking God's will and making decisions in a team context allows accountability and contributes to greater relationship, motivation, responsibility and ownership of the vision.
11. EXHIBIT SERVANT LEADERSHIP
YWAM is called to servant leadership as a lifestyle, rather than a leadership hierarchy. A servant leader is one who honors the gifts and callings of those under his/her care and guards their rights and privileges. Just as Jesus served His disciples, we stress the importance of those with leadership responsibilities serving those whom they lead.
12. DO FIRST, THEN TEACH
YWAM is committed to doing first, then teaching. We believe that firsthand experience gives authority to our words . Godly character and a call from God are more important than an individual's gifts, abilities and expertise.
13. BE RELATIONSHIP-ORIENTED
YWAM is dedicated to being relationship-oriented in our living and working together. We desire to be united through lives of holiness, mutual support, transparency, humility, and open communication, rather than a dependence on structures or rules.
14. VALUE THE INDIVIDUAL
YWAM is called to value each individual. We believe in equal opportunity and justice for all. Created in the image of God, people of all nationalities, ages and functions have distinctive contributions and callings. We are committed to honoring God-given leadership and ministry gifts in both men and women.
15. VALUE FAMILIES
YWAM affirms the importance of families serving God together in missions, not just the father and/or mother. We encourage the development of strong and healthy family units, with each member sharing the call to missions and contributing their gifts in unique and complementary ways.
16. RELY ON RELATIONSHIP-BASED SUPPORT
YWAM is called to a relationship-based support system, depending upon God and His people for financial provision, both corporately and individually. We believe that relationship-based support promotes responsibility, accountability, communication, and mutual prayer. It involves the donor as a partner in ministry. As God and others have been generous toward us, so we desire to be generous. YWAMers give themselves, their time and talents to God through the Mission with no expectation of remuneration.
17. PRACTICE HOSPITALITY
YWAM affirms the ministry of hospitality as an expression of God's character and the value of people. We believe it is important to open our hearts, homes, campuses and bases to serve and honor one another, our guests and the poor and needy, not as acts of social protocol, but as expressions of generosity.
