Nobody ever told me Missouri was beautiful.
All I knew about the state is that I should
be able to get some good BBQ ribs. For
my 37th birthday I did just that – along with an apple pie made by
some lady named Barbie. But did you know
Missouri is also a beautiful place? I didn’t!
We found out Missouri was beautiful while spending two weeks at a YWAM conference held at the Windemere Baptist Conference center on the Lake of the Ozarks.
Back in February we’d felt God prompting us to attend this
conference, a ‘DNA Infusion’ for the Americas, held April 10-22. The founders, Loren and Darlene Cunningham, as well as David Hamilton and other long-term YWAM leaders would be spending two weeks passing on the values
and calling of the mission to the next generation of leaders. I’d like to share a little about this
conference so that you can get a better feel for this tribe called YWAM. {At the time we registered for this conference, the cost for the children’s food, housing and program had not been worked out. When we heard the total cost for our whole family we really had to go back to what God had told us to do, even if it meant emptying the savings account and still not having enough! So we did, and just before the fees were due some good friends, without knowing our need, made a donation that covered the rest!}
Early on in the conference we found that even the Cunningham’s had been unsure of how they would pay for their flights to come to the conference! These are the leaders of an organization with 20,000+ staff, plus 30,000+ students/year with a presence in every country in the whole world! But that is the way they live, and the lifestyle they model for YWAM because that is specifically how God called YWAM to live.
YWAM Value #16 says: “YWAM is called to practice a life of
dependence on God for financial provision. For individuals and YWAM corporately
this comes primarily through His people.
As God has 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.”
The conference was attended by roughly 300 people from 45
different bases representing 32 nations.
YWAM Minneapolis showed up with 27 staff and students. We
spent roughly 8 hours a day in worship, intercession, teachings, workshops and
simply hearing the stories that have defined who YWAM is. 
I sometimes forget that YWAM teaches most often not by lecture and instruction but by story-telling and modeling. We were more ‘infused’ than taught the nature of the mission. Essentially it’s the way a family stays together – being together doing things they love and telling stories. It's easy in YWAM to feel you are in a family when international leaders who’ve been so influential in the world, happily give you a hug, pray for you, then help you stack chairs and vacuum the floor when it’s time to clean up!
Speaking of family, the kids had their very own DNA
conference learning about and praying for the nations, learning to hear the
voice of God, writing their own worship song, doing lots and lots of crafts
and playing outside in the Missouri spring-time. The staff at YWAM Madison did an incredible job and we are grateful for the way they served the families. 
Here are a few highlights of the conference:
>>>Workshops on Families in Mission, conversations with
long-term missionary moms, and families just starting new bases.
>>>Fellowship, processing, praying, hanging out at the Funky Buffalo coffee shop, hiking and eating apple pie with
our MN staff friends.
>>> Hearing about the YWAM method of decision making at every level: Hear God.
Obey God. Don’t Give Up.
>>>Truly seeing that YWAM is not all about YWAM. It’s all about King Jesus, His church, His
mission. We’ll partner with anybody who
wants to see Jesus worshiped by every nation, tribe and tongue:
One night we prayed for the President of CRU (formerly
Campus Crusade for Christ) and he was healed of a heart condition.
On the same day, YWAM made a historic intellectual property agreement
with Tyndale Publishing so that the SphereView Bible App can be released for
free. Learn more here:
>>>On that note, Ending Bible Poverty is not only one of YWAM’s
goals for 2020, it’s been a core part of the mission since the 1970’s. Here's Loren speaking to the Azuza Now Gathering earlier this month:
>>>YWAM’s calling: Young
people from everywhere, going everywhere, taking the Gospel to the ‘Alls’ and
the ‘Everys’ through Evangelism, Mercy and Training. Time and time again we heard stories of crazy, new, innovative ways YWAMers are doing this, or being the “boots on the ground”
for other Christian agencies. The scope
is getting the whole Gospel to the whole world. Kinda
ambitious! But it fits the verse God
gave us as a motto when we first came into YWAM:
Matt 24:14 “And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout
the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
>>>YWAM’s leadership comes through influence, not
authority. The international and
national leaders have laid down their titles.
Direction comes not from the next level of seniority, but through circles
of relationship convening to seek God together. Relationships built around geographic
proximity, or target people groups, or target spheres (such as the Cities
conference held in San Francisco last week for YWAM bases wanting to saturate
the different spheres of culture within a metropolis.)
>>>Praying for the nations: This is Rachel standing on China and India where she rushed as soon as she found out we'd be praying on a big map.
I'll finish up with a few more pictures. Caving! Family time! Missouri State Park with castle ruins! New friends! And Beautiful Missouri!
>>>Praying for the nations: This is Rachel standing on China and India where she rushed as soon as she found out we'd be praying on a big map.
I'll finish up with a few more pictures. Caving! Family time! Missouri State Park with castle ruins! New friends! And Beautiful Missouri!
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