It’s taken me a long time to bring myself to write about my latest experience with YWAM. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I was basically raised in YWAM, as I had been involved with YWAM since from the age of eleven.
I also was raised in a very spiritually abusive church, where the pastor was the authority on all things spiritual and theological questioning was discouraged. My transition from spiritually-abusive-church to spiritually-abusive-ministry was very smooth, in fact, in the first 10 years or so of YWAM involvement, I saw YWAM as ’saving’ me from an abusive church.
In the January of 1999, at the age of 18, I headed to Hong Kong to attend a Discipleship Training School with YWAM. Immediately, I felt much more accepted than I had at my home church; my fellow DTS students and I bonded quickly and formed long-lasting friendships.
The first week of DTS was about “breaking down strongholds” and we had a session of “repentance” with all YWAM staff and DTS students present. We were told to list all of the big sins in our lives, no matter how personal. To be honest, I had no ‘big’ sins to confess, so the leaders prodded my insecurity to find the hidden sins I harbored. They finally decided that I was guilty of the sin of pride because I had insecurity issues with my physical appearance. (What teenage girl doesn’t?) A male leader went on to tell me that I was not pretty, but God thought I was….gee, that helped my self-esteem.
Within a few weeks, it became apparent that the leaders of my DTS were hyper-vigilant against sexual sins of every kind. It was a very bizarre situation, they were practically gnostic in their beliefs on marriage and sex. The base directors constantly told us not to ‘be distracted’ from our calling by entering into marriage; according to them, marriage was evil and unholy.
Another issue was a prevalent teaching throughout YWAM on spiritual warfare. There was a teaching that satan was everywhere and had his hands in everything not deemed holy; any bad occurance was due to satan attacking the saints. Or there was another popular thought that there was ’sin in the camp’ if some bad times came upon the base. At times, it seemed like there was a medieval witch hunt searching for the one who brought demonic attacks.
By the end of the DTS, the base directors approached me about joining their staff, but I declined. They warned me again about being distracted from a calling. I left my DTS with mixed feelings. God had worked in my life, but the ywam leaders had a strange brand of theology. -I second-guessed myself, believing that maybe I just misunderstood their teachings. I could not truly bring myself to believe that ywam was flawed. I felt maybe I just needed to study more.
Fast-forward to 2007.
My husband (DH) was laid off from his job, my mother committed suicide, and my family felt we needed to get out of our hometown to re-evaluate our lives. My husband had been wanting to attend a DTS, and the timing seemed perfect. In January of 2007, our family, including our 2 young children, traveled to Hong Kong for him to attend the DTS.
I was expecting to be welcomed back to the base with open arms, but I found a very cold and callous reception. I was treated very badly by one leader in particular who had been a leader during my DTS. Eventually it became clear as to why I was being treated badly. -Marriage was not holy and I was a ’sinner’ for being distracted from my call.
My husband is highly educated (MBA) and an intellectual and he had an especially hard time during the DTS.
The lecture phase of my husband’s DTS went fairly smoothly, except when he voiced concern over teachings that were in direct contradiction to the Bible. My husband was tactful, be he was quickly marked a “trouble-maker” and was chastised by the DTS leader. In fact, the leader was perfectly ok with incorrect theology being taught. From then on, it was downhill for our family, including my two children, ages 2 & 5. Our family was shunned and gossip was rampant. We were unliked because we wanted the base to teach sound doctrine.
The time came for outreach and it was decided that our family would only travel with the team for 2 weeks, then we were to go to another city on our own. Simply, the leadership didn’t want us near the younger team members because we believed in questioning troublesome theology.
We flew to a large southwestern city in China where we were met by our missionary sponsor. For his security, I will call him “Mark”. I knew Mark from my DTS, as he and his wife were leaders at the Hong Kong base. My husband and I felt that we would have a productive and positive experience during our outreach, but unfortunately, that was not the case.
Mark thought of himself as a bold evangelist living in China, and he thought nothing of teaching Christianity in his college English classes. My husband was mortified when Mark told the students that he was the same as Mark. Spouting religion is a good way of a one-way ticket out of China, so we felt Mark was very foolish. The only “ministry” DH took part in was grading and teaching for Mark’s English class, along with the occasional visit to a Bible study.
Unfortunately, DH felt at one time comfortable in sharing with Mark some issues he had with his DTS lecture phase, such as the screwy theology and the gossip. This came back to haunt us later.
DH and our family arrived back in Hong Kong at the conclusion of our outreach and found that the mood was even more hostile towards us. Our DTS ended with a ‘love feast’ in which we report back, give testimonies, awards are given, etc. Our family was segregated to the back of the room & none of the fellow DTSers or staff would even talk to us. I tried not to be too sensitive, but it was a very humiliating experience.
After the ‘love feast’, it was time for the debriefing with the base directors and the DTS leader. DH thought everything would go well because he had learned and grown and had improved himself during the time in Asia. Wham! The female base director screamed at DH and told him he had no value, and no personal character. She continued on a hateful tirade for 30 mins. and would not allow DH to even defend himself. It takes a lot for DH to cry and this woman had reduced him to hysterics. As it turned out, Mark had told all that DH had told him in confidence to the base directors.
Basically, we were “evil” because we believed in questioning the leadership who acted inappropriately. The base leaders said we were in rebellion because we did not obey their every command and did not revere them.
After the completion of the DTS, we asked if we could stay for a week or two while we searched for an apartment in Hong Kong. We paid the rent and fees completely and DH was required to do heavy, physical labor at the base during the day. DH had a gout attack and asked to do less physical work, but he was not allowed any break from the physical work. He worked on in terrible pain and eventually the leaders came to him saying that they did not want him near the base anymore because he was too “negative”. We were also told we had just a few days to vacate the apartment we were renting from the base. We had no where to go. It was Hong Kong’s 10 year anniversary of the return to China, so all hotels were full. In effect, we were going to be homeless and on the streets of Hong Kong with our children.
Thankfully, we had met two other couples who had also left the YWAM base (under similar circumstances) and these wonderful people were able to help us find a translator to find us an apartment. We found an apartment in the very same village that the YWAM base was in & the landlady allowed us to move in right away, 3 days for free, so that we would not be homeless. During the negotiations with our translator and our new landlady, the landlady asked if we were “with the other foreigners” – meaning the YWAM base. We came to find that the YWAM base had a very bad reputation in the village.
The people of Hong Kong, particularly in the rural New Territories where we lived, speak Cantonese; however, the base leadership would never be bothered to learn any Cantonese. They always would speak in Mandarin to the villagers. There was absolutely no outreach to the village the base inhabited. The base is locked away behind a big, black gate and the villagers do not trust those who work with YWAM there.
Our landlady would not have rented to us if we had been with YWAM…we see now how well God took care of us when the situation was “impossible”. Despite the base leaders’ best efforts to discredit and harm us, the Lord gave us a home and a good reputation in the village.
Hi Jen,
Thank you for sharing with others, your experience with YWAM. Some might read what you have written and just ‘blow it off’ as too incredible to be true. Where as for me, the account that you have written is amazingly similar to my experience in YWAM.
I know it would have taken a lot of prayer, second guessing and even a few re-writes to tell your story. The main reason for this, is that to write these awlful things is to re-live the awlful experience, and endure all those tears and the hurt all over again.
Jen, my hope and prayer is that ‘chasing the truth’ will eventually bring you great comfort, with the knowledge that sharing your story will encourage others that have been YWAM abused, it will ‘warn’ others, it will shed light on a ‘real problem’ that YWAM leadership will not acknowledge.
I am not sure when, what event, where, things began to deteriorate in YWAM, but anyone who knew the YWAM of old, would not recognise the YWAM of today. Even Loren Cunningham (the founder) is probably oblivious to the false doctrine and heretical stuff that goes on in todays YWAM.
If I could locate a copy of the ‘original’ 21 Foundational Values of YWAM and compare them to the ‘newer’ 17 Foundational Values (how could the revised ‘values’ be referred to as ‘foundational’?). I believe such a comparison of the two lists would prove to be very insightful.
I threw out all my stuff even remotely associated with YWAM (it felt good), but one original foundational value in my recollection that is now NOT a foundational value, is “Working in partnership with the local church”. No accountability, No pastoring, No relationship, No… A very telling ‘deletion’ that speaks a lot of where YWAM is now at.
Well, Jen. Thank you for sharing your heart. “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
geoffus
I am a believer in God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I had family members attend ywam. This is not of God. God does’nt control us. He gives us a choice. I feel that this is a manipulative mind control system. It is very colonialistic and very similar to the distructive manner by which first nations people were brutalized in the mission schools. The pretty much tell you what where when who why to do things. Its there way or the highway. This is not spirit led. Marriage is a sacred journey, no man can control our hearts. I pray for the people that get brainwashed into this controlling manner.
Hi again,
I have succeeded in tracking down a copy of the ‘original’ YWAM Foundational Values, and have subsequently made a comparison of the two lists of ‘values’.
Check out: YWAM Foundational Values – The Three Notable Exceptions at…
http://ywamblues.wordpress.com/
I found it to be quite enlightening, and fits with YWAMs woes.
geoffus
Hi i just came across your blog, and found it full of criticism based on your personal issues and experience. And top of that it is only one side story. I still wonder how everyone in that DTS would have mistreated you. I know a ywam DTS where people walk in love and humility. Not your experience is everyones experience. Please forgive and free yourself from bitterness and hatred.
Sun i bet u are one of those abusers………….
Sun,
I have stated many times that there are YWAM bases that are good, but in my many, many years of experience, I have found profound abuse runs rampant. I am not bitter, I have moved on & that is the reason for this blog. I could not write about the mistreatment my entire family faced had I not moved on. If you read the rest of my blog, you wil find my posts are there to help others, not to “criticize”. People need to see other opinions and experiences of YWAM before they enter service with YWAM.
I’m sorry you had such a horrible experience in YWAM. And I’m glad you know that not all YWAMers and YWAM bases are like that. I am a YWAMer myself, and I know that not all the YWAMers are “perfect”.
I don’t understand why you would choose to go back to Hong Kong though, if you had such a bad time with the leaders and others. Unless, of course, God said that was where he wanted you to go.
If you want a good experience with YWAM, you can come here to my base. We are all a loving “family”, but some of us do make mistakes at times. And we have had a few crazy students and staff that have been “expelled” from our base. But for very good reasons.
We encourage questions too. But not disrespect towards the leadership. I’m not saying you disrespeced your leaders, I don’t know if you did or did not.
And I know for sure, that unless you really are troublesome, we would not treat you the way you were treated in HK.
I truly am sorry you had to go through that stuff though. YWAM really is great, I personally think, BUT we aren’t all perfect.
Our base really is great too, and so is our leader. You would love everyone here. Brazilians are really nice, funny people.
[YWAM Fortaleza]
actually, I am sorry, if you are troublesome we still would not treat you the way you were treated in HK.
We might have to ask you to leave though (that sounds better and more accurate to the way our leaders are, instead of expelled.)
Yeah.
God Bless!
Hi Jen –
I am a YWAMer – and I want to say there is nothing wrong with you sharing your story – every organisation, church (and person) can have different sides, that need to be expressed.
I am deeply saddened at what happened to you – I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive these people – but I understand that can be hard.
I hope you and your family find peace in God
Blessings
Jen, I’m sorry if these things happened to you. But during the many years I have been in YWAM, I have witnessed similar stories like yours. There are almost always two sides to the story. And sometimes there are people who seem to have “problems” with everyone wherever they go. I know nothing about you really. I don’t know you. I don’t know if what you wrote was completely true or partly false. I don’t know. I don’t know if everything was really some big misunderstanding. I don’t know the people in the HK base either.
But I do know people that have been to the Hong Kong base, and they had no problems. “The people there were great,” they said. They had a marvelous time.
There is only one thing I can’t seem to understand here. Why in the world would you choose to go back to Hong Kong when you had such a terrible experience there the first time?
Allison,
Yes, there are always 2 sides to a story & the YWAM leadership have theirs and they are entitled to their opinions. I am NOT the only person to receive this kind of treatment at YWAM HK. I am hoping to post some of my friend’s stories here in the future (they are currently typing them up for me).
As for my reasons for returning to HK after my first bad experience, I mentioned in previous posts & this post about being raised in a spiritually abusive church. -After being “indoctrinated” that spiritual leadership could do no wrong, I thought things were normal at YWAM HK. I have only in the last year realized my childhood church was abusive and unbiblical.
I know you do not know me or my husband, but I will attest to us being truthful people, in fact at times “too” truthful and that is why we got in “trouble” at YWAM HK.
I don’t have problems with leadership, but I do have a problem with authoritarian, abusive leadership.
I hope that explains my post better.
Jen
Hello Jen,
What kind of “screwy theology” was being preached at the YWAM base? One thing that I have processed through is the idea of being unequally yoked. Most people associate that with a Christian and non-Christian getting married, but I also connect that with people who have similar beliefs. Unity in a team is hard to have if there is a difference in the way the world works or their governing theology. If the base taught Open Theism and your husband believed in Calvinism, then that could cause some huge conflicts in the way that ministry is happening and in that case they might want to split him up from the rest of the group so that dissension might not exist.
Christian
Christian,
“Screwy theology” at the base I was speaking of was not a matter of hermeneutics, it was flat out non-Biblical teaching. Specifically, there was a teacher who taught his opinion as gospel and he contradicted Scripture. This is what my husband took issue with and was promptly hushed. My husband was not a ‘trouble maker’ and went to the leadership with his concerns, but that did not bode well for us with the authoritarian leadership of the base.
I hope that answers your question.
Jen
I felt I was living in a commune, in My DTS.
There was one houseleader who was a real jerk.
he was obnoxious and scolded me like a child even though I was 25 years old for coming in late with My DTS friends from a movie.
Most everyone else treated Me fine.
I didnt care for sharing a bedroom with 4 or 5 other Guys
U felt like u were living in a commune? U were living in a commune. Y outh W ith A bsent M inds live the communist totalitarian lifestyle, but are anti-communist in idealogy. Quite a contradiction to live like communists, think like communists, but yet say they are anti-communists.
Hi Steve,
I agree that 5 single guys to a bedroom is over the top! I am a old guy (51) that has been working with young men like yourself (and younger) for over 27 years…. I am not a YWAMER… the fact is that your generation is extremely immature… Back in 1988, a 25 year old christian male was more mature than one today. Now, the brother that rebuked you may have been out of line… yet, please understand the condition of your generation, especially among men… Do some research, read some great christian books for men on this issue, don’t whine… and above all, pray that the mature Christ be formed in you daily.
I am not whining.
I am just being honest about My experience.
Must of it was good.My DTS was in 1994, I am 40 now
Hey, I often wonder why there is not more published critiques of the views of some of YWAM’s elite. For example, so many people within YWAM and charismatic churches blindly accept the teachings of Dean Sherman about Spiritual Warfare. I think he causes a lot of unnecessary worry in the minds of young people by talking incessantly about how the devil and his workers are always after us and trying to spoil our attempts to serve God. I thought this stuff went out with Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf after we passed 10 years of age at the max, but Dean Sherman continues such fairy tales in more adult language and in the guise of religious truth. Sure, these days I might interpret the Bible as a document written within the culture of its time (they didn’t have modern science to explain things back then), rather than as the literal word of God, but then I was sent to school to learn critical thinking wasn’t I? Aren’t people allowed to engage in scientific analysis and openly criticise various theories when part of YWAM? I for one wish that I had the opportunity all over again to stand up in his seminars and throw him a few curly questions, but alas I was just an under-educated youngster back then and dutifully followed the leader.
It takes a lot of courage to write a story like this, knowing that it might offend some and also display your own faults and weakness in the process. I, for one, am grateful for your sharing. It also takes a great deal of strength to not devolve into mere mudsling or resign to labeling the whole of YWAM as abusive and pure evil—again, I’m thankful for your honesty and maturity.
It is beyond dispute that there has been and still are instances of bad theology, immature/oppressive leadership, and corrupted worldviews at play within YWAM—and no matter how rare this is the case, it is worth talking about and working through. The hardest part of issues like this is the lack of good and healthy communication. Either people do not understand you, and what you say seems irrelevant or extreme, or they side with the group at large in an instinctive defensive reaction, refusing to see things, even for a moment, through your eyes. I hope that people will have the courage to hear stories like this and try with all they have to empathize with those who feel run-over by the system that often misses the mark in its claim to know ‘God and to make him known’—that is, to love God and to love others.
The mark of a healthy group is its ability to hear and respond in love to even the rarest instance of infidelities (even if these are merely misunderstandings)—a healthy group cares enough to stop the mission and help the individual hurt along side the road. To have the courage to do such will only highlight the many many good deeds done by the many many good people at YWAM!
Thanks Jen for sharing!
Not sure who this guy is but I just want to make clear that I, the real “konastephen”, do not agree with everything this man says. YWAM, particularly YWAM Kona is not a theologically healthy environment or a safe nurturing community. There is no real repentance for infidelity, which is more common than one would wish and leadership has given in to a spirit of fear and control for some time. I would not recommend it to anyone at this stage unless they are already very clear in their convictions and strong in their faith and in their identity as a person. Going into YWAM these days is going into a very complex and dangerous mission field. It is not a safe place to grow and mature as a young believer.
I, Psuedo-konastephen, agree with the “real” Konastephen: YWAM is a dangerous place for those not experienced in sorting through the jungle of ideas that differentiate YWAM’s overarching worldview from a more traditionally orthodox understanding of God, the church, man, sin, and missions. While YWAM has done a lot to give missions a more pneumatic populist feel, it has done so at the expense of so much sound doctrine. I pray that the leadership of YWAM will turn back from their myopic narratives and instead pursue the ‘beautiful hope’ of a robust and whole biblical worldview—showing-off, through word and deed, the Truth to the world, even when it cuts against the grain of our postmodern ethos…
healing may intensify for you jen when you identify completely with Jesus. We get involved in abusive situations
when we want to be with “the cutting edge” people.
few of the cutting edgers seem to realise it takes a whole blade , blunt edge included , to do a work. Some good healing books here, Crucified by christians, climb the highest mountain, A tale of three kings. (by G. Edwards)
It helps to realise we can all be abusers. In fact we all participated (somehow) in killing Jesus. Every person with the smallest amount of authority to use can misuse it.
When christians organise they become abusive. it is simple : read history.
Taking A name other than Jesus, (ywamer, Catholic, whatever) makes us adulterous spiritually. How would your husband feel if you wanted to take some other man’s name besides his? The carnals want a name for themselves. The name funtions to make them part of the world system. Thus abusiveness comes in just as the rulers of the gentiles Lord it over those in their charge.
What if we wanted no other name than our Lord’s? Then we would not be manipulatable. Most big glitzy slickly promoted things in the world are bad news.
Face it, slick liars are very hard to confront. People who have much of satan still in them function with lawyer like zeal when they abuse. Unless we are strong in grace and secure in Ya’s love, we LET THEM draw us into exchanges which are always destructive. See hoe Jesus never lost with the lawyers—find out why.
Bless you sister
Tim, I strongly disagree recommending the book “Crucified by Christians” by Gene Edwards.
I found it grossly misrepresented God’s character and portrayed him as evil and unjust.
P. 78 “Jesus was in conflict with his father”.
p. 83 The father wanted his son crucified.
p. 88 ….”agree with lies and rumours…..”
Gene Edwards has given wicked blasphemy against God’s character stated in his the Bible.
Deut 32:3-4 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.
Rev 15:3 Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.
Ezekiel 18:29-32 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
“Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
God is perfect and just, because the Bible says he is, whereas the devil and people that are imperfect through sin.
Gene Edwards has assigned the intentions and character of the devil on to God, as a way of explaining evil in the world.
In recent times Gene Edwards appears to have gone into occult mysticism, which is to be expected if he follows a god who has the character of the devil:
2 Cor 4:4 THE GOD OF THIS AGE has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
It seems “the god of this age” has blinded the mind of Gene Edwards.
See http://letusreason.org/b.hinn14.htm
Also http://www.angelfire.com/ia/BereanInquirer/GeneEdwardsIntro.html
Tim, you are recommending an author who is straying away from sound doctrine, just like the YWAM organisation is.
Out of the frying pan and into the fire!
Just want to add, abuse is everywhere rampant in religion.
Ywam is just one place. It’s like when some complain that a house is being built on a burial ground. The whole earth is a burial ground.
The prime error in ywam is that little word leader. If you read Jesus in Matthew 23 it is obvious that he says to never call anyone leader, teacher, pastor rabbi etc etc.
Cult “leaders” avoid and explain away these plain words of jesus all the time. People like evil. They like to have power over others–until they are totally broken.
Having been abused is sometimes a sign that we wanted to have power too. And mercifully God allows us to become the abused in order to see how it feels—in hope we will be broken of the trait and learn love as he is.
Leaving the worldly churches and organisations is absolutely the way to freedom. Some may stay , it is true. And God uses those in the system. BUT , it is also a call from God for some to leave and not go back. We should obey that call if it comes to us.
Diotrophes in 3 john is said to have loved being first.
Diotrophes is with us still.
Accepting that posers and other abusers exist takes some time. God has given man the freedom to be a jerk if he chooses. Our work is to be free of such evil and even let others crucify us if that’s what it takes to expose the evil.
Having left the system is only one side of the coin. The other is staying out of it and paying the same price jesus did. BUTTTTTTTT !!!!!! THE GREAT CONSOLATION AND COMPENSATION IS THAT you are free now. You no longer have a sick need to be part of something that is a poser fest. If we knew the security of spirit jesus gives, we would never allow ourselves to be abused. We do have to learn though. Having heard of how your husband just sat there and let the abusers in hong kong cut him to pieces reminds me of a similiar situation in my life jen.
Having been through it, i know i let others abuse me due to faults in me –as well as them–. It really is a two way thing. A secure person now, if such a situation arises again, i ask jesus first if he wants me to take abuse for his purposes—if so fine. if not. you rise , excuse yourself and leave the room, explaining you are under higher government and obeying that government ahead of all others.
“Healing spiritual abuse ” by ken blue is a good book too.
I hope to read more here. God has blessed you with much. keep going sis. it’s great what God is doing in freeing us all and helping us see He can be our security and our purpose. The organised christians need healing and release for they are captives. It is no small thing –but freeing others is Jesus work—not ours—let’s let him do more!!!!!
Well, this was definatley refreshing to read! Thank you very much for putting it up here. I’m always vaguely suspicious when any organization doesn’t have any critiscisms whatsoever! I’ve only ever observed YWAM + YWAMers, but i’ve come into frequent contact with them ,and even got to spend about 3 months on one of their largest bases.
I would say that I have to apply the “fifty-percent rule” to YWAM, it’s theology, it’s doctrines, even the people it turns out. As long as they are 51% for God, they are still more for God than not. However I’m the more, “Did you HEAR what HE said!? THAT’S SACRILIGEOUS! How can one listen to all this incorrect spiritual rambling!?” I tend to get up on my high horse about these things. During my stint on one of the bases, just as an observer, I was put off YWAM for life (or so i thought at the time..) the YWAM culture was SO american, so scruffy, so “pacsun” mixes with a virgin/backpacker “abercrombie & fitch” and I found the people SCARILY Godly. “God has done this…and it was so cool..God wrote me a love letter”, and they would proceed to thoroughly freak me out with this very ooey-gooey-over-the-top “love-letter” that was apparently “written” by God. I agree that God can speak to us,…but a “love-letter”…eaugh, the girl who read it out had everyone squirming in their seats!
Another thing that put me off and that I’ve always disliked about YWAM, is how generic the culture is. Like I travel alot, and you can ALWAYS spot the YWAM kids coming through. An unkempt, scruffy group, looking sleep-deprived, with a few guitars strapped on their backs. Surpisingly anti-social, or rather, quite “glue-ey”. And singing songs that only switchfoot or audio adrenaline can really carry off. Tats of Jesus, and those barbed wire bracelets, paired with numerous piercings make them a very noticeable yet ..generic..group to look at.
Applying the 50% rule to a group of teenager DTSers that were passing through our town, about 50% of them were totally on fire for God, they were the outgoing, outspoken people that DTS really deals so well with, the other 50% were the type who would do much better with a seminary somewhere in scotland with lots and lots of solitary walks and maybe a thick journal or something. Really, everyone was so unimpressed with the group that came through I was really sorry for them. I got to know all of them well, and truly I found that the majority of them that got the most out of the experience were all the outgoing sort…I think YWAM was tailor-made for expressive and energetic people.
I’m actually applying for a DTS at the moment, and I wanted …”the other side of the story”. Believe me I’ve heard many…such as the lesbian-in-denial-who-continues-to-be-allowed-on-staff-for YEARS…and the-in-love-staff-leaders-who-couldn’t-be-bothered-to-do-a-thing! And the list goes on…But I’m attending DTS for the 51%, I’m outgoing, vivacious, and yet know when to keep my mouth shut, I’m going for the 51% passion which would lack in other-organizations/other set-ups.
Thanks Jen!
[...] after my latest brush with YWAM, I was able to make a clean break and remove the doctrine I learned in DTS from my mind. Finally, I [...]
What do you know about YWAM in Tyler, Texas?
Hey Jen,
I’m pretty glad I found your page since I left my DTS two weeks ago (without having finished it). I got really sick and had similar experiences like you.
So thank you verrrry much for publishing them; that makes me feel way better since I now know that I’m not alone with them!
Nevertheless I also got to know really cool YWAM people from other places, therefore I don’t wanna say “YWAM is bad” or something like that.
Thanks and be blessed!
A question for you and others that have been through ywam:
if you know a person currently in a dts that is being pushed to return for another 18mos, how would you recommend handling it? would you point out the issues with ywam now while they are still immersed in the ywam environment, or wait until they return home and get grounded in reality a bit? i’m seeking God’s direction in this, of course, but would like replies from those who have ‘been there’. thanks and God bless.
Hi Jen,
Sara M. asked about YWAM Texas. I have no recent experiences of it, but some knowledge of its history.
In the early Eighties it was run by Leland Paris and it was the second largest base to Hawaii. I attended a North America YWAM get together there, and heard Winkie Pratney descibe, with great mocking humor, that Augustine was the biggest theological problem that the church had encountered. The reason for this was that he believed in original sin, and human inability without God. Tyler Texas was the bastion of YWAM’s moral government theology.
In the early eighties Loren was feeling the yjeological heat from a number of quarters, including Walter Martin. He put out an open letter which asked bases to stop teaching Moral Government/Pelagian theology, and to stop denying original sin. The Tyler base flatly rejected the request. They, along with Teen challenge and Last Days ministries and a few others in that pocket of Texas were united in their apostacy. Loren couldn’t touch them. There were other bases that took the same stand, including Australia.
To their credit, at that time, YWAM California did stop ‘overtly’ teaching Moral Government theology, though it will always be implicit in YWAM’s theology. There was a MG teacher at the Sunland base, Mike Saia, who was not permitted to teach his systematic MG stuff any longer. He was however, a very welcome speaker in Australia for a number of years after Loren’s unsuccessful ‘edict’.
YWAM cannot purge this theology; it is the basis for every YWAM doctrine. All it can do is deny or conceal it. MG theology shapes and flavours every YWAM thought. But it will rarely be taught overtly. MG theology makes a great deal of sense, as it is effectively systematic. It presupposes a world where humans are in control of their own destinies, and where God is the hapless loving creator waiting for one of his junior partners to tag Him so that he can try to do something to sort out the world’s problems. He is the ‘dependant God of YWAM’s distortions. That is why YWAMers have to ‘release God’ through intercessory prayer. YWAMers believe that God needs our prayers to act.
Best to give YWAM a WIDE berth
Yes, good additional details to what I know of this issue as well (see my post in “About Me”. However, the more I read in this blog, Jen’s wholesale rejection of Christianity espcially, the more I’m concerned of lack of balance and lack of knowledge. There was a small segment of YWAM that sincerely rejected moral government and many good things have come out of it. Particularly the School of the Biblical Worldview in Wiler, Switzerland and all of their network within YWAM. To say that all YWAM is cultish or dangerous is sadly, not true (I say sadly, thinking sadly of my friends who have been fighting a losing battle within YWAM for so long). To reject Christianity altogether is “throwing the baby out with the bathwater”. I think of what John the Baptist and his doubts towards the end and the response he received… To those who are doubting here I say, hold the faith. Trust in God.
Just an FYI- I did NOT leave Christianity because of YWAM, not in the least did my experience with YWAM have an influence on my family’s decision. And I have not given up on G-d in the least.
I had such a similar experience in a YWAM base in North Carolina. “The base leaders said we were in rebellion because we did not obey their every command and did not revere them.” This sounds exactly like my experience in DTS. If I ever questioned anything the base leaders said they blamed it on my “pride” and claimed that God had placed them in authority over me so I shouldn’t question them.
Jen,
I appreciate that you are still a Christian after your experiences, but there are some people who leave YWAM and lose their faith (before or after leaving). I’ve set up a Facebook group for these people, so I invite anyone reading this who falls into this category to join the group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=57132943707
This posting disgusted me. It is clear that you and very likely your husband are in fact very immature. YWAM is a huge global organization and when you say things like “these teachings are prevalent throughout YWAM” it reveals much of the spirit behind your whining here on the internet. You were 18 and then later returned at 26-27 apparently. What do you really know about YWAM bases throughout the world? And then you use the internet to blast YWAM!!!??
Much of the church in America is powerless, sick and divided and one of the root causes is because people demand entitlement to express their “opinions” just as you have.
I and my family have been devastated by churches and ministries and so called “ministers” both here in the US and overseas as we served as missions pastors for 5 years and missionaries for 7 years in Islam. I remember the days of my bitterness…I would have posted a blog just like this. But those days, my deeply anchored attitudes, my judgment and my responses cost me dearly.
May you and your husband/family be granted grace and mercy and understanding so that you can avoid ever using the internet to criticize your own family in the public/world’s eyes. This was inappropriate regardless of the rights and wrongs involved.
S S your post gave us a great insight into what a spiritually abusive person is.You are quite the Pharisee! Thank you for giving us an example by abusing Jen and her family with your post.
S.S. glad you were disgusted—perhaps that means that this conversation is pushing you to the limits of your understanding—encouraging you to clarify for yourself the boundaries between criticism (usually meant in a pejorative sense) and discernment (1 Corinthians 5:12-13).
Regarding the internet being the wrong place to have a discussion like this, let me offer a few thoughts. (1) No one will ever stumble upon this site by accident—that is, there is too much information on the internet to have the negative effect you imply. (2) if someone searches the internet to see if YWAM is abusive and uses this site to verify their fears, then they have used the internet inappropriately—you can prove ANYTHING by searching for sites that back that view!
Anyway, thanks for the interesting thoughts—self-referentially incoherent—but nonetheless interesting.
u need to publish how ywamers are to use the internet appropriately and monitor all the sites they go to, I advise u to contact the Chinese government they should be able to help you!
The other thing that affected me was that leaders on Outreach had no idea about what was going on with the team. They threw in the Joshua’s camp thing which is so far off the mark that we might as well slay the Philistines rather than preach the gospel of peace out there. You know what I mean? I say this because I notice in other blogs about YWAM. Maybe its a common thread of Biblical ignorance. We live in the New Testament people! Wake up YWAM.
Jen, thanks for your story. I have a question about a method YWAM uses, it’s called NIKO. It looks like a ‘breakthrough’ training from Momentus/ACCD and I have the feeling that it’s a kind of brainwashing-method. Have you had any experience with this?
(I have no experiences with YWAM, but I know some people who are into YWAM and one is very enthousiastic about NIKO, but I think there is something very wrong with that training. They also use it for Kings Kids.
http://www.kingskids.net/NIKO/default.asp
Ruitje,
I have heard of NIKO before and some other techniques YWAM uses as ‘training’. I am doing research on this right now & will post what I find. I do remember reading an article from a former YWAM leader about brainwashing techniques, so I will find that article & include it in my next post.
Hi Jen,
Thank you for sharing about your abusive experiences. May Jesus, your healer, heal you of your wounds from abusive people. These people are under the devils deception, and to keep your experiences to yourself and not bring them into the light would only serve what Satan wants most. To keep things in secret. That’s how he is the most effective.
Gods Word says:
John 3:20
Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
also:
John 3:21
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
So I encourage you to let the comment about keeping this to yourself roll off your back like water off a duck.
My Son has recently come back from a YWAM DTS in Europe and the leadership was/is displaying some similar attitudes as what you have talked about.
I have just emailed the party in question with my concerns about how they are handling these issues as well as financial issues that are of grave concern.
I want to handle this as the Bible tells me to,
A Brother Who Sins Against You
15″If your brother sins against you,[a] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[b]
So I have gone to him first, and if he doesn’t listen then I will take a brother as a witness. If he still doesn’t listen, then I will approach Head office.
If Head Office doesn’t recognize the issues then I will post the
base here and anywhere else I can to bring the devils work into the light. The world is going to hear of these issues. I will NOT keep quiet about the secrets of the Devils work!
Don
I just want to thank you for your post Jen. I have recently returned from the lecture portion of my DTS. I praise the Lord that he lead me out when he did, but I have a lot to work through. I have been so hurt and wounded but your testimony is so refreshing for me! It is a reminder that I am not alone in a search for the truth of the Lord.
I am a former YWAM er and can attest to much of what your letter said. My experience at the time (1984/5) was mostly positive, yet years later I see some major problems. Ecumenism for one. Every once and awhile I come accross some of my former Ywam friends and almost without exception they are very badly fallen away. I do know some who are still faithful but I think they are by far the minority. We do need love for everyone as Christ commands, but we also must stand for truth. I believe we can do both. I now attend a very conservative Mennonite Church where they have strong (Male)leadership, yet you would hardly know you are speaking to a leader as they are very humble people. We have learned a great deal from these people. What you are describing in HK doesn’t surprise me, and I am saddened to hear that such could come from people who are otherwise so zealous.
G.R
Salmon Arm
B.C Canada
elbuho,
If you read through my blog, you will find I am no longer a Christian. My choice to leave Christianity has nothing to do with YWAM, however. I will check out your FB group.
it is sad that you say this. This puts the whole blog into a different perspective. I’ve posted here not realizing that you had abandoned Christ on account of the severity of your negative experience in YWAM. I challenge you to explain how you took that turn. Personally, I have the benefit of a very broad experience of the church, much broader than YWAM. I’ve found most of it to be tainted with apostasy or heresy, error and selfish ambition and yet here and there in the most surprising places, YWAM included, there are pockets of amazing sincerity and genuineness. God has always preserved a remnant, throughout history. There is a remnant in YWAM who “have not bowed their knee to Baal” as God said to Elijah about the remnant in Israel at the time of Jezebel… Come on Jen, explain yourself.
As I just wrote above, my leaving of Christianity has nothing at all to do with my experience with YWAM. I also had a long experience in the church, good & bad and I know how to deal with the ‘bad’ very well. My leaving of Christianity came after studying for ordination & a theology degree. After years of study & prayer, I am now returning to the faith of my ancestors: Judaism.
Please read again my previous posts. I am very clear YWAM had no part in my decision to leave Christianity.
Jen,
I’m a little confused; you say that you are going back to your ancestral roots–Judaism–what does this mean? The roots of Christianity is Judaism, so why must one leave the church to drink from the waters of Judaism? What was lacking such that you felt to leave Christianity?
Why speak of ‘faith of my ancestors’; should every race and ethnicity have their own religion and path???
Is it that you do not believe that Jesus was the promised messiah of the Jews, or is it just that Christians and the church have muddled, through word and deed, what Jesus clearly taught about himself?
Without the promise of a messiah, I wonder (quite seriously), what does Judaism offer that you found lacking in Christianity? What story does Judaism tell that you have found yourself longing to engage in? I sincerely would like to know.
“Satan’s forces are everywhere, the top echelons of YWAM connect to the Mafia, Sex Trade, Central Intelligence Agency, Emporer’s club, Disney, the Entertainment Industry etc..
I was involved in a coordinated molestation conpsiracy through YWAM, the basis of it being their adherence to Kingdom ‘Theology.’ This theology claims they are to take ‘Dominion’ over the ‘Realm of Satan.’
What this essentially means, is that this organization controls both ‘virtue’ and vice – I have reason to believe they snapped my ex-girlfriend’s back for being rebellious on a DTS in Australia, and I am going to be murdered by them very soon.
this I highly doubt. there’s truth, which has the ring of truth to it. there is also distortion, which doesn’t. this has the dull ring of distortion. perhaps there is a kernel of sad truth somewhere but the overall picture is wrong.
If you take a look at the Teachings of Bill Gothard, you will realize what I am talking about – these people are given a green light internationally to assault those psychologically who don’t follow their other wish, and if you cause too much of a stir, they will kill you for it.
I was repeatedly molested by multiple old men between the ages of 10-12 at the YWAM base here in Chico.
It’s funny. I have a bunch of friends who were in YWAM Hong Kong last year and they had such a wonderful time. They said the leaders were such great people and everyone there was so kind.
I agree with what SS said. It does seem that you are (or at least were then) immature.
Sara M: I have been a part of YWAM Tyler and it is such an awesome place to be. I highly suggest going to this base. The people are such awesome Men & Women of God. I also have many friends all over the world in YWAM, and none of them have had such experiences in YWAM as you people have. …Odd…
it’s true enough that many people (including myself) have had wonderful experiences in YWAM. it’s also true that doing a DTS is one thing, staffing or leading another, taking, staffing and leading other schools is another again and attempting to launch a brand new vision of your own within YWAM is another thing altogether. I’ve done all of that and my overall experiences have been very mixed. I’ve also taught in many schools at all levels and my concern for the current direction of the majority of leaders around the world is based on very thorough personal observation at all levels of staff and leadership. I would be wary of accusing Jen of immaturity. I am more inclined to believe her, also knowing some of the people in HK very well and knowing something of the story from different perspectives.
I’m not sure which post it was, but I saw a comment from someone whose girlfriend was going to YWAM Perth.
Someone replied saying they would probably try to “make her single”. I think it was Jen.
What in the world would make you think that? For the 7 years I have been in YWAM I have witnessed so many YWAMer marriages. For all the YWAMers I know, marriage is such a wonderful BLESSING from God. I mean, come on, even the Bible tells of how wonderful and precious marriage is.
Maybe certain CHRISTIANS (not Just YWAMers) look down on Christians.
yeah and in the many many years I’ve been in and around YWAM, I’ve witnessed a lot of leaders freak out about relationships and marriage. I’ve witnessed leaders attempt to have staff shunned because they were about to be married. I’ve witnessed young married couples passed over for staff and leadership because the married against the advice of one leader. I’ve also witnessed such couples prosper outside of YWAM in spite of the dire predictions of their leader at the time they got together. There’s not just a double standard in YWAM when it comes to relationships. There’s a triple or quadruple standard at least.
Emily B,
About YWAM HK: the people are great if you are happy-go-lucky and submissive at all times, but if you have a mind of your own, you will have problems. They are abusive if you do not follow their word as if they are the only ones who hear from G-d.
There are a lot of awesome YWAMers, but there are a lot of abusive, power-hungry leaders out there.
Hi, am sad to hear of all the exchange going on, yet, am glad at the same time.
Am sad, for people, real people with emotions, people created and beloved by our Father in heaven even though fallen, people from our Lord paid the ultimate price to save and free, were hurt.
Am glad, for these are the same people who still desire and are growing stronger in their desire to seek the truth. All who seek truth from our Lord with an earnest heart will surely find it.
Now, I wish to say that all organisations of any sort will fail us, and more so when we look to it as infailable, for that status is reserved for the Lord alone. On saying that, I would like to add too that our Father can work through any, I mean ANY, people, means, method, organisations, theories etc. It is never about all these, it is about our Father in heaven who is sovereign over all, whose plans are higher than our plans, whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts, who is infinitely able to bring glory unto himself.
And so, while it is good to be aware of things that happened, all should take a moment to step away from their emotions and bring the matter before the Lord in personal prayer and reflection. If the Lord do not convict you, no one else can. IF He do, no point denying. As for those considering YWAM or DTS or are currently involved (as I am actually), do remember that each of us stand and fall before the Lord and it is to Him alone we are ultimately answerable to. So, do the tough job of actually take the time to seek His face. If He says get involved, don’t shrink back, He knows where He wants you there (Not that He NEEDS you there for sure). If He says steer clear, don’t go ahead just because you like it. In either case, to not follow His leading is disobedience, to not even seek His instructions (using the word instructions as opposed to ‘will’ or ‘guidance’ due to the abuse or sense of optional associated) is presumptuous. Either way it is sin.
What if what I perceived Father is saying is not in line with what the leaders say? Respectfully bring it up. You may suffer for doing it, but “let all who suffer according to God’s will entrust their soul to a faithful Creator while doing good”. This is St Peter’s counsel to the early christians who are suffering the initial wave of persecution, and I think it serves us well too, to realise that we must stand for what we know is from Father, for that stands on faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God.
So, brothers and sisters, I pray that no matter which path you choose to take, let it be an informed choice, not so much information from man, but rather what you perceived to be from God. And I am sure, He is able to mold you into greater likeness to Him for His glory, for that is His purpose. For those who might be thinking about the schemes of the enemy, don’t be too absorbed in it, focus on Father.
May God’s glory be shown in your life because of obedience and fellowship with Him in the spirit. Amen
For those who seriously want to go into YWAM though, I would recommend going to bases where they have a strong SBS going on for year. SBS is the school in YWAM that gives the solid time of grounding in the Word which sadly many people lacks, especially YWAMers since it is within their reach. Reason for this recommendation is simple, no serious student of the word can come away unchanged and if a base has this school going on for years, there is a good chance of finding good, passionate, biblically sound and strong brothers and sisters in the base who should in no way not make godly response to false teachings if found in their midst.
regards
if only it were that simple. unfortunately SBS is mostly tainted by questionable procedure and theology. I would recommend reading the Bible through on your own at least twice and memorizing key passages first before going to YWAM and if you do the SBS, do the shortened version, not the nine month course. the results of the nine month course are very mixed. many find themselves unable to look at a bible for years after.
Hi, am sad to hear of all the exchange going on, yet, am glad at the same time.
Am sad, for people, real people with emotions, people created and beloved by our Father in heaven even though fallen, people from our Lord paid the ultimate price to save and free, were hurt.
Am glad, for these are the same people who still desire and are growing stronger in their desire to seek the truth. All who seek truth from our Lord with an earnest heart will surely find it.
Now, I wish to say that all organisations of any sort will fail us, and more so when we look to it as infailable, for that status is reserved for the Lord alone. On saying that, I would like to add too that our Father can work through any, I mean ANY, people, means, method, organisations, theories etc. It is never about all these, it is about our Father in heaven who is sovereign over all, whose plans are higher than our plans, whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts, who is infinitely able to bring glory unto himself.
And so, while it is good to be aware of things that happened, all should take a moment to step away from their emotions and bring the matter before the Lord in personal prayer and reflection. If the Lord do not convict you, no one else can. IF He do, no point denying. As for those considering YWAM or DTS or are currently involved (as I am actually), do remember that each of us stand and fall before the Lord and it is to Him alone we are ultimately answerable to. So, do the tough job of actually take the time to seek His face. If He says get involved, don’t shrink back, He knows where He wants you there (Not that He NEEDS you there for sure). If He says steer clear, don’t go ahead just because you like it. In either case, to not follow His leading is disobedience, to not even seek His instructions (using the word instructions as opposed to ‘will’ or ‘guidance’ due to the abuse or sense of optional associated) is presumptuous. Either way it is sin.
What if what I perceived Father is saying is not in line with what the leaders say? Respectfully bring it up. You may suffer for doing it, but “let all who suffer according to G-d’s will entrust their soul to a faithful Creator while doing good”. This is St Peter’s counsel to the early christians who are suffering the initial wave of persecution, and I think it serves us well too, to realise that we must stand for what we know is from Father, for that stands on faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him.
So, brothers and sisters, I pray that no matter which path you choose to take, let it be an informed choice, not so much information from man, but rather what you perceived to be from Him. And I am sure, He is able to mold you into greater likeness to Him for His glory, for that is His purpose. For those who might be thinking about the schemes of the enemy, don’t be too absorbed in it, focus on Father.
May His glory be shown in your life because of obedience and fellowship with Him in the spirit. Amen
yeah. I personally don’t dig the lingo but the message here isn’t bad. sometimes though, you find yourself in the time and place for just calling a spade a spade.
Wow , so sorry to hear You had a bad experience,
I have been in YWAM most of my adult life.I have been to many bases all over the world and no 2 are the same. Some are ALOT better than others.I also wonder WHY you went back to HK if you did’t like it the first time.Word of mouth is the best when checking out a base….
I would definitely take ” word of mouth gossip ” Jen over prayer
Just read the comment from ‘Hmmm YWAM” (September 2008). I wonder if her self-description as ‘vivacious’ means the same thing as, ‘stimulus seeking and lacking an education in critical thinking”. She talked about being guided by the 51% rule. I personally would like better odds than that before I put my time, money and emotional well being on the line. It sounds like taking a job knowing that up to 49% of your fellow staff are going to cause you problems on a daily basis. Can you imagine what an unpleasant workplace that would represent? Sometimes I wonder if people who stumble into YWAM are a bit ‘hard up’ and have few better choices in their lives. Or on the other hand, as was the case with me, were raised in fundamentalism and scripted to join such organisations after leaving high school in order to play their role in the ‘Great Commission’ – I mean, what else is there in life? It reminds me of a documentary I saw about Liberty University; I noted that so many of the freshmen were from home-schooling backgrounds and their choice of university education was basically predetermined for them (I presume by their education in narrow-mindedness, as well as pushy, fundamentalist and under-educated parents). From my point of view we all need to consider the type of scripting that we were exposed to in our formative years and if the script is found wanting, we should make an effort to be open-minded enough to make changes to it before it is too late. Otherwise, we just end up living out the same script all our lives, in organisations with different names, but nonetheless tarred with the same fundamentalist and narrow-minded brush. Ask the question, where do you want to be when you are 60? Still plugging away in some dead-end mission, or having a sense of fulfilment that you have grown during your life and made a worthwhile contribution to the world that was determined by yourself, rather than the indoctrination process of your childhood. The choice is ours!
Sad that many come to this sort of conclusion, doubting truth altogether because of confusion about the heresy that passes for it in a place like YWAM.
Hey Robere,
What do you mean by dead-end mission? If you had witnessed people being changed by the love of God as I have (also in and through YWAM), when they start to love themselves and others, when they start to realize their own potential and really beginn to LIVE… I hope you would stop seeing it like that.
I hope you’re deeper than that
There is far more to contribute to this world if you seek God and go with what Jesus said and did than by JUST doing your own thing.
Could you give me YOUR definition of fundamentalism and narrow-mindedness? I think that some of the best educated people (who probably refer to themselves as “open minded”) are the worst and – to put it more precicely – selfish people on earth. Not that education is bad in itself, but if it makes you deny any sort of absolute truth, it just prepares you for anarchy. If that’s the case with you, congratulations: You’re free to do whatever you want!!! You’re not accountable to anyone anymore
I choose to get to know God better because it has changed me in a good way so far. He gave me some very good (but hard!!!) lessons in being humble and honest with myself. Being with Him has taught me to enjoy the things around me in a much deeper sense, to show more love in relationships, to see what gifts He put in me to use and contribute to those around me….There is so much I could add.
If you call all of that narrow-minded, it doesn’t really bother me. I have life to the fullest! I can enjoy and share the power of grace. Not saying that everything is sunshine and flowers. I do have my struggles and issues, but overall I wouldn’t trade being God’s kid for nothing
[...] the subject of shunning. (If you have not read my previous posts, I suggest you read them here and here to catch [...]
Thank you for this.
I think that spiritual abuse is so hard to see because it is clouded by our desire to serve and please God. And we assume that an organization with as many “miracles” as this one would proclaim Christ.
But I agree. Christ is not controlling. That is the FURTHEST thing from what he is. Thank you for your courage, Jen.
I encourage those of you who’ve posted here to continue to do battle for YWAM in prayer and in posting truth. I believe the mission will fragment further as Loren wanes. There are factions and factions and factions, so clearly evident at this week’s 50th celebration in Kona. I’ve already washed my hands pretty much but I pray for those in YWAM who are sincere and true of spirit. They must suffer. The original vision of the mission “To know God and make him known” is not a proprietary concept. It still burns in the hearts of many who knew the passion to reach the world that was so beautiful and fervent in the early days and has been so besmirched and corrupted of late. I believe that where YWAM lost its way in the last few decades is on the matter of the Biblical worldview. Today it is commonly taught in YWAM that there are as many biblical worldviews as there are believers. This notion flows directly from the theological heresy that God only exists because man exists. In other words, your truth in your head is what makes God. This is not the gospel of Christ, the Truth. This is the un-Gospel of the Enemy. Don’t be deceived!
Let’s those who have the courage and the conviction, stand together in prayer if nothing else and wait for the Lord’s salvation. Maybe one chunk of this mission will come spinning our way. In any case, there is a call of God on each of our lives. We must not doubt the genuineness of this reality because of the apostasy of so much of today’s YWAM leadership. God used YWAM greatly in the past. We most of us witnessed it. (We bear witness to the truth. Don’t forget Truth!!!) And to a small extent, in pockets here and there, he still does. If the Holy Spirit wants to unite the remnant somewhere someday, I say “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!”
Dear Jen,
It was really sad to read your story with YWAM.
Even after having finished a great DTS (in Lausanne), I don’t
doubt that your story is real and true. Both inside and outside of YWAM I’ve heard stories like yours, specifically dealing with bad leadership. It’s hard to understand why we Christians, who believe more than any others in a kind, merciful and loving God, struggle to accept and love those around us who don’t agree to our doctrine.
I agree to almost everything “the real konastephen” said in this blog. For those who consider YWAM I also recommend to read Ed’s post AND to check out (as far as it’s possible) the base of your choice beforehand.
And if you feel like God want’s you in YWAM, do it! Test everything, be alert and don’t let anyone shut you down without a good reason. But please also try to understand other perspectives and look at issues from different angles to prevent misunderstandings. Stay in contact with wise people outside of YWAM and ask for their advice, if necessary.
As I said before, my DTS was perhaps the best time of my life!
Life changing, mind blowing. I grew so much closer to God and feel like it gave me some great tools to deal with this thing called “life” in the best way possible.
Not that I completely took over all the teaching. Even during my DTS there was no broad consens on the “YWAM beliefs”
I still don’t know what to think about specific doctrines (spiritual warfare), but on most of the important ones I agree.
I can definitly recommend Lausanne (is expensive though), also Denver and Harpenden, England (both by the experiences of good friends)
I pray that the Lord will give you wisdom in your decision and that you will both, able to hear Him and to obey….not always easy!