You’re looking at a picture of Darlene Cunningham who co-founded YWAM in 1960. We’re at the YWAM DNA conference for Australia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island leaders. I’d like to share powerful lessons from some of the earliest trailblazers in YWAM and some amazing stats.
The fear of the Lord – instant, total, joyful obedience.
~ Darlene Cunningham (Co-founder Youth With A Mission)
I’m blown away by some of the statistics for this gathering…
Nations represented
251 people representing:
- 64 nations
- 58 languages
- 75 YWAM bases
- 32 nations
- 2699 years of service in missions
- 10.75 average years of service
It really hit me when one of the speakers noted that the people in the room represented the equivalent of putting a full time missionary in the field from 100s of years before Jesus all the way up to today. Just let that sink in a minute.
Here are some of my favorite quotes so far…
There’s few things that take the place of perseverance fueled by faith. ~ David Stephenson (YWAM New Castle)
God said to me, ‘I gave you the gifts that you have and the gifts that you don’t have is part of my design.’ ~ Darlene
Your actions betray what you believe. ~ Darlene
Your people cannot read and write. Your life will be the only bible that they ever read. ~YWAM Missionary
Tom Hallas (left) Kalafi Moala (right) – lifelong friends in the mission field
We can fear God and with Him we can do anything. Without God we will die. ~Kalafi Moala (One of Earliest YWAMers)
If I die and no one remembers me, I don’t care because all we do is for Him. ~YWAM Missionary
Self pity steals joy, rooted in pride. It says, ‘I deserve better’. Don’t pick up an offense. Don’t build case of injustice. Nail it to the cross. ~Darlene
You’re not so important that you have all the gifts. The gifts you don’t have are for needing others. ~Darlene
Our critics are our best friends. There is always something we can learn from our critics. ~Darlene
We are to be grateful, generous and unoffendable and love God with all of our hearts, minds and souls. ~Darlene
Fathers give identity, protection and inheritance.
~John Dawson
If you don’t know what to do you praise. Praise releases the power of God to do what He wants to do. Every time I didn’t have food I picked up the guitar and worshiped the Lord.
~Silo (Pioneer to Bangladesh)
When asked ‘what is your secret that your DTSers in YWAM go evangelize and don’t ask for money?’
Our secret is that we teach them to hear the voice of God and to know God and make Him known. ~Silo
I love the diversity of God’s creation lifting up one voice… in pigeon!
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- Island dance
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- The nations worship together