How Did It All Begin?
YWAM's links with England started in 1970, when a team came over from Switzerland to do a Summer of Service. YWAM England was founded by Lynn and Marti Green the following year, in response to the need for Western young people to be given the opportunity to receive life-changing training.
YWAM England is part of YWAM International, an international, interdenominational Christian missionary organisation. YWAM was born out of a vision from God given to Loren Cunningham, founder of YWAM, in 1956.
"Suddenly, I was looking at a map of the world. Only the map was alive, moving! I sat up. I shook my head, rubbed my eyes. It was a mental movie. I could see all the continents. Waves were crashing onto their shores. Each went onto a continent, then receded, then came up further until it covered the continent completely. "I caught my breath. Then, as I watched, the scene changed. The waves became young people - kids my age and even younger - covering the continents. They were talking to people on street corners and outside bars. They were going from house to house. They were preaching. Everywhere they were caring for people..."
Excerpt from Is That Really You, God? by Loren CunninghamYWAM Publishing, 1984
Global
"Sending and supporting missionaries around the world"
YWAM England is committed to sending workers to reach out to the world with the love of Jesus, and provides the training and infrastructure to ensure they are fully equipped and supported. Currently, nearly 300 British YWAMers are working overseas, in a variety of situations, such as working with people who have no knowledge of Jesus, helping street children, relief and development projects, and counselling in crisis situations.
Urban
"Working in England's cities and towns"
England is a largely urban nation, yet, sadly, many of our urban people are hurting people living in desperate situations. In response to this need, YWAM England has established Urban Mission Teams, which partner with local churches to show God's compassion and care and share the gospel message on our city streets. They work with prostitutes, children and youth, marginalised and vulnerable people, ethnic minorities, families and prisoners.
Youth
"Working among England's young people and children"
YWAM England's youth and children's work seeks "to influence and empower the youth of this nation to follow Jesus". Our youth and children's teams work in churches, youth groups, schools and universities, using three main methods - relevant evangelism (involving music, art, and missions opportunities), discipleship and leadership training, and partnerships for renewal with churches and organisations.
Marketplace
"Equipping and supporting people in their 9-to-5 existence"
Most people trained in YWAM England's discipleship schools go into the workplace, not full-time missions. We believe we need to support these people; we also believe we have a role to play in the lives of those who have had little or no contact with us. Hence YWAM England's marketplace ministry. We all have a responsibility to "Know God and make Him known" in every sphere of our lives, but many of us struggle to live out our faith in our neighbourhood, campus or workplace.
In response to this need, YWAM England has a number of teams working into the Marketplace, from helping business people to use their skills in missions to the Performing Arts to working in the United Nations.
Statement of Purpose
Youth With A Mission is an international movement of Christians from many denominations dedicated to presenting Jesus Christ personally to this generation, to mobilising 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 (Matt 28:18-20). 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 to 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;
• Man and woman are created in God's image;
• He created us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ;
• Although all people have sinned and come short of God's glory, God has made salvation possible through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross;
• Repentance, faith, love and obedience are fitting responses towards God's initiative of grace to us;
• God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth;
• The Holy Spirit's power is demonstrated in and through us to accomplish Christ's last command: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15).
YWAM's Foundational Values
• YWAM is committed to know God , His character and His ways.
• YWAM is called to make God known , through Evangelism, Training and Mercy Ministries.
• YWAM recognises the Bible to be God's inspired and authoritative Word and relies upon the authority of the Holy Scriptures as the standard for life and ministry.
• YWAM is visionary , doing new things in new ways where new initiatives are required to accomplish the Great Commission.
• YWAM is international and interdenominational in its scope and constituency.
• YWAM affirms the importance of the local church and seeks to promote unity among all God's people.
• YWAM is broad structured and decentralised.
• YWAM is called to praise and worship of the Lamb of God, intercessory prayer and spiritual warfare.
• YWAM affirms the importance of living holy and righteous lives.
• YWAM is committed to doing, then teaching, according to Jesus' example.
• YWAM is dedicated to being relationship-orientated in our living and working together.
• YWAM is called to value each individual .
• YWAM recognises the value of the family .
• YWAM is called to champion young people .
• YWAM is called to team ministry .
• YWAM affirms personal responsibility and volunteerism.
• YWAM is called to servant leadership .
• YWAM makes no distinction between the sacred and the secular.
• YWAM is called to practice a life of dependence upon God and His people for financial provision.
• YWAM is dedicated to hospitality .
• YWAM is called to practice generosity.
For more detailed descriptions of these foundational values and other values that YWAM subscribes to, go to www.ywam.org and click on Documents.
