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What is Youth with a Mission
(YWAM), and what are their beliefs?
In its
more than 50 years of existence, YWAM has done much good work, operating in
many areas around the world and helping countless individuals find Christ and
grow in their walk with God - its commitment to ecumenism, however, is troubling
Got
Questions Ministries
Youth
with a Mission (YWAM) defines itself as “an international volunteer movement
of Christians from many backgrounds, cultures and Christian traditions,
dedicated to serving Jesus throughout the world.”
The
stated purpose of YWAM is “to know God and to make Him known.”
Youth
with a Mission offers training through the University of the Nations, which
they operate in 650 locations in 160 countries and about 100 languages.
Part of
the University of the Nations training is an intensive, five- or six-month
Discipleship Training School meant to prepare individuals for cross-cultural
ministry.
YWAM
was founded in 1960 by Loren Cunningham and currently has over 18,000 staff
members in more than 1,000 locations worldwide.
Its
statement of faith includes the following:
• 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;
• God
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 on the cross and resurrection of Jesus
Christ;
•
repentance, faith, love, and obedience are fitting responses to God’s
initiative of grace towards 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 for the accomplishment of
Christ’s last commandment, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature” (Mark 16:15).
(Source: http://www.ywam.org/About-YWAM/Who-we-are/Statement-of-Faith)
In
addition to its statement of faith, YWAM affirms the Manila Covenant, the Lausanne Covenant, and the Christian Magna
Carta as being consistent with its beliefs.
Various
devotional practices supported by Youth with a Mission include Lectio
Divina, speaking in tongues, and contemplative prayer.
Also
problematic is their recommended reading list, which promotes works by mystics
and Catholics such as Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Mother Teresa, and St. John
of the Cross.
Focused
on world evangelism, YWAM frequently partners
with other ministries and churches for the purpose of spreading the gospel
message to new people.
Past
partnerships have included alliances with groups such as Christian Aid, Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ),
the International Mission Board, Wycliffe Bible Translators, and World Vision.
In
fact, YWAM has a self-governing, international branch called Kerygma that works
primarily in the Roman Catholic world.
Members
of these “KTeams” are of various church traditions, but they operate with what
they call a “Catholic Ethos” (http://www.ywamkb.net/kb/Kerygma_Teams,
“Kerygma Teams,” accessed 9/28/2016).
The
goal in Kerygma is to allow “Catholics to participate in YWAM’s calling, and
at the same time have these Catholics remain rooted in their church and be free
to express their Catholic faith” (http://www.kteams.org/,
“Our History,” accessed 9/28/2016).
In
other words, although Youth with a Mission is predominately Protestant, they no
longer evangelize Catholics but work with them to build the Catholic Church in
some areas.
In its
more than 50 years of existence, YWAM has done much good work, operating in
many areas around the world and helping countless individuals find Christ and
grow in their walk with God.
Its
commitment to ecumenism, however, is troubling. More information
about YWAM and its efforts can be found at ywam.org.
Got Questions Ministries seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing
biblical, applicable, and timely answers to spiritually related questions
through an internet presence.
GotQuestions.org is a ministry of dedicated and trained servants who have a desire to assist others in their understanding of God, Scripture, salvation, and other spiritual topics. We are Christian, Protestant, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational. We view ourselves as a para-church ministry, coming alongside the church to help people find answers to their spiritually related questions.
We will do our best to prayerfully and thoroughly research your question and answer it in a biblically based manner. It is not our purpose to make you agree with us, but rather to point you to what the Bible says concerning your question. You can be assured that your question will be answered by a trained and dedicated Christian who loves the Lord and desires to assist you in your walk with Him. Our writing staff includes pastors, youth pastors, missionaries, biblical counselors, Bible/Christian college students, seminary students, and lay students of God’s Word.
GotQuestions.org is a ministry of dedicated and trained servants who have a desire to assist others in their understanding of God, Scripture, salvation, and other spiritual topics. We are Christian, Protestant, evangelical, theologically conservative, and non-denominational. We view ourselves as a para-church ministry, coming alongside the church to help people find answers to their spiritually related questions.
We will do our best to prayerfully and thoroughly research your question and answer it in a biblically based manner. It is not our purpose to make you agree with us, but rather to point you to what the Bible says concerning your question. You can be assured that your question will be answered by a trained and dedicated Christian who loves the Lord and desires to assist you in your walk with Him. Our writing staff includes pastors, youth pastors, missionaries, biblical counselors, Bible/Christian college students, seminary students, and lay students of God’s Word.
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