The Foundational Values of Youth With A Mission
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
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.
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 individuals 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.
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NOTE: The three basic
documents of Youth With A Mission are The Foundational Values of Youth With A
Mission, The Manila Covenant and The Christian Magna Carta. (YWAM Foundational Values approved by the
Global Leadership Team August 2003; released February 2004.)
YWAM
Statement of Purpose:
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)