On the second afternoon of the YWAM 50th Jubilee Celebration, Loren and Darlene invited all the families for a special time together in the meeting room. We sat on the floor with our kids, and listened to Loren and Dar share and pray. I confess I don’t really remember what was said. They talked about how precious families are, and what a wonderful opportunity we had as families on the Mission Field. They shared their own experiences as parents following the Call of God, and the positive impact that had on their kids. They encouraged the kids to follow Christ passionately, and encouraged them to be part of the ministry with their parents. After all, we are Youth With A Mission.
As we sat there I thought of Abraham and Sarah. Their family was nomadic and tribal. They lived in the desert, and there were many generations, living in tribal groups. There may have been times when they came together to celebrate, and being an oral culture, Abraham and Sarah may have even sat with them in groups, telling stories of their travels, and of the promises and faithfulness of God.
As I listened to Loren and Dar share, I felt like I was sitting in the desert with Abraham and Sarah, surrounded by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They shared the goodness and faithfulness of God to every generation. They shared the vision of God for a great nation that followed Him, generations of children and youth that chase after their God with a passion and obedience unprecedented in history. As a family, we remembered how God called us, where God has called us, and where God is calling us to go.
More than 50 years ago, God gave Loren a dream of waves of young people crashing over the nations, bringing the gospel, sharing Jesus. When they first started out, there’s no way Loren and Dar could have known where they would end up. They simply listened and obeyed. Now they are the ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’ of the largest Mission family (approx. 20,000 full time staff), that has touched every continent and nation in the world.
So, now I’ve decided that I’m gonna re-read Loren’s book, “Is That Really You, God?” It’s been 20 years since I read it, so it’s about time to take a fresh look at the man behind the Mission.
Recent Comments