Weekly Word

‘By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.’

This verse from Hebrews 11:8 was foremost in my mind half a century ago as I left New Zealand for the first time. Toronto, Canada, was my immediate destination, to work with singers and musicians Merv and Merla Watson. But as to where that would lead, I had as much understanding as did Abraham. 

Each subsequent visit to my motherland ‘down-under’ has provoked memories and reflections now spanning three quarters of a century. Special connections with my siblings, early childhood friends – one too young to talk properly called me ‘Wiffry’ – former schoolmates and fellow students remind me of life in ‘Godzone’ in the 50s and 60s.

On this current unplanned trip, triggered by a life-threatening stroke from which my older brother Warren thankfully now is recovering, I am particularly reminded of the early stirrings of what grew into a world-wide missions movement. 

Over the Christmas holidays of 1964, my family and I journeyed 40 kilometres offshore to a Christian community later called Orama on Great Barrier Island (see photo above). There folk met in an old patched-up tent to learn about the Spirit-filled life, even before the label ‘Charismatic’ became current. Among the fifty or so participants were several who would later play significant leadership roles in Youth With A Mission globally. These included Barry Austin, Ross Tooley, Bruce and Barbara Thompson, Reona Peterson-Joly, and Jim and Joy Dawson…(their young son John preferred fishing to praying but would later become president of YWAM).

Unknown

These meetings were the first encounters with the Holy Spirit for myself and my brother Warren, followed a year later by my mother and sister. A weekly prayer meeting in our family home resulted, attended by up to 80 folk from various churches all across the city of Auckland. It became a wellspring of the charismatic renewal in the city. 

Early 1967, an unknown 32-year old American named Loren Cunningham was invited to speak at the Orama meetings. He told us about a literal vision he had had of waves of young people going out all over the world to evangelise. After the meeting I asked him to repeat the name of his group. ‘Youth with a Mission’, he replied. At that time, he told me years later, there were only about twenty people involved in YWAM – all Americans. YWAM schools and bases did not yet exist; just short term outreach teams.  

This was Loren’s first of many visits to New Zealand, the first country outside the USA where YWAM would take root. At Orama, we were ripe for Loren’s message. Ross became the first director of YWAM New Zealand. Barry left for England to pioneer Discipleship Training Schools and leadership programmes there. Reona became a favourite speaker on intercession and discipleship across Europe and in other countries. Bruce and Barbara Thompson were to pioneer the College of Counselling and Healthcare of the University of the Nations, with a global ministry touching many thousands. 

Ross Tooley went on to pioneer YWAM in The Philippines. I remember Ross returning from his first trips to the Philippines with amazing stories of God’s leading, provision and protection. In 1971 he took his new wife Margaret back to Manila and Baguio to lay the foundations for YWAM, now spread over forty locations throughout the archipelago. 

Graduated

Romkje and I visited with Barry and his wife Kay last week near Tauranga, where Barry, now in his late 80s, was also recovering from a recent stroke. We then dropped in on Bruce and Barbara close-by, knowing Bruce had only a short time to live. He was remarkably perky when we talked and prayed together, thanking God for his life and ministry. As I write this column, Barry has just sent news that Bruce ‘has graduated’ to glory, a mere week after our visit.

Now is a key transition moment in our mission with the pioneering generations passing the baton. Loren passed away on October 6. Which makes the upcoming YWAM Together gathering in Manila, starting this coming Tuesday, hugely timely and significant.

Ross, who was ‘promoted to glory’ in 2019, would have been greatly encouraged to see 5000 YWAMers from all over the world converging on Manila over the next few days in a gathering reflecting the growth and dynamic of the majority world church and mission today. Meetings will be translated into Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Khmer, Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia, Burmese and French. What amazing growth has happened both in YWAM and the majority world church in these past fifty-plus years! 

Now able to look back on an inheritance in Europe, Romkje and I leave Auckland for Manila on Monday eager to witness a young apostolic generation emerging to lead our mission into the next fifty years. 

Till next week,