Global Leadership Gathering 2023
September 14-18, 2023 Chiang Mai, Thailand
September 14-18, 2023 Chiang Mai, Thailand
More Languages coming soon...
YWAM leaders came together from September 14-18 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Lord was faithful to meet us as we gathered from the nations. Overall, this was a key time that modeled a clear “multigenerational expansion“ in the way the conference was set up, blending the participation of various younger leaders and the key presence/participation/support of elders from various generations, geographies and languages.
Dave and Sue Cole and the GLG convening team created a wonderful environment to meet with God through various plenaries, breakout sessions, prayer and worship times, as well as much fellowship that allowed for revelation and much engagement regarding the future of the mission and the vision ahead of us. Indeed, we met with God as the “heavens opened up” in a special time, as intercessors shared with us.
Dave and Sue Cole and the GLG convening team created a wonderful environment to meet with God through various plenaries, breakout sessions, prayer and worship times, as well as much fellowship that allowed for revelation and much engagement regarding the future of the mission and the vision ahead of us. Indeed, we met with God as the “heavens opened up” in a special time, as intercessors shared with us.
Day 1: "We are Family"
1. The GLG opened up with 620 YWAMers from 85 nations as participants worshiped the Lord together in a family global gathering that was well anticipated!
Darlene first greeted us and thanked us for all the prayers, messages, videos, etc. that have been sent to them and expressed how both Loren and herself have loved seeing these and remembering these wonderful moments.
Loren and Darlene reminded us that YWAM is not an organization but a family. Loren also encouraged us that our individual “gifts and callings” are not only for now, but are without repentance and eternal in a never ending but always expanding relationship with the Trinity. Oral Mother Tongue (OMT) is leading in this expansion.
Loren shared that “the best thing he did was to create space and get out of the way by releasing and championing young leaders to be led by the word of the Lord.” We closed the night with such expectations for the week ahead.
Darlene first greeted us and thanked us for all the prayers, messages, videos, etc. that have been sent to them and expressed how both Loren and herself have loved seeing these and remembering these wonderful moments.
Loren and Darlene reminded us that YWAM is not an organization but a family. Loren also encouraged us that our individual “gifts and callings” are not only for now, but are without repentance and eternal in a never ending but always expanding relationship with the Trinity. Oral Mother Tongue (OMT) is leading in this expansion.
Loren shared that “the best thing he did was to create space and get out of the way by releasing and championing young leaders to be led by the word of the Lord.” We closed the night with such expectations for the week ahead.
Day 2: "We need the presence of God at the center of YWAM"
2. Garth Gustafson started by reading John Dawson’s email sent recently as a framework of our journey as a mission leading up to the time in Thailand and stepping into our 70th year. Garth went on to deliver his message on “movement lifecycles” and how it is time to “arise” for such a time like this! “We are much more than a youth movement but nothing less than a youth movement.”
Garth shared about Gen Z and how we need to go beyond their brokenness, to believe in them, and to give them a place and do NEW things. Gen Z needs “leaders to walk around them, releasing and guiding them.” We need to release, but not abandon. They need to feel safe with leaders walking around them! YWAM is a multigenerational movement of “unbroken relationships” with a purpose! Our biggest danger is our success! Identity, strategy, and methods are 3 key components to the rebirth of a movement!
3. Jim Stier followed up delivering a word of the importance of the value of the individual and the nations. He recounted the YWAM historical journey in taking down the structures of authority above the corporate level.
Leading up to Singapore, we repented and took the risk to dismantle our organizational structures above the local ministries and put Jesus back at the center. This new configuration will only work if we are spiritual people! We truly need to be led by God, as Loren presented to us the revelation he got from the Lord on the “Tripod Message.”
Jim also addressed the value of intercession and that our training courses need to be discipleship that leads to personal revival. When we came to YWAM we all met with Jesus in our daily devotionals and that brought forth life leading to a personal transformation, ministry transformation and nation transformation. Jim challenged the YWAMers not to settle for what we’ve already accomplished but to keep pressing in for more of God and more of God’s purposes for the world.
We are led by the Holy Spirit, moving YWAM away from an organization structure to a family expression held together by our beliefs, values, vision and legacy words. We are not led by a personality, structure or titles, but are led by the Holy Spirit, with each individual YWAMer responding in obedience to their “gifts and callings.” Loren and Darlene prepared us “for such a time as this.” Jesus has always been the leader of Youth With A Mission!
We need to remember the simplicity that God is the leader of YWAM and that simplicity we must develop in our personal devotional life by pressing on, pressing on, pressing on! Darlene has always encouraged us to listen, obey and never give up, both personally as well as corporately. Jesus has always led YWAM and as long as we keep listening to Him, we won’t drift. It's the presence of God since Genesis through Revelation. Man rejected God at the center in Babel and placed man at the center. We need the presence of God at the center of YWAM!
To God be all the glory!
4. A key leader working in the middle east brought a piece on apostolic pioneering looking into the future, and reaching into the places where we are not. She spoke of asking for a double portion of Loren’s anointing just as Elisha did with Elijah. She encouraged us to cultivate a deep relationship with God, hold fast to His promises, and to acknowledge the cost and be prepared to pay it.
Garth shared about Gen Z and how we need to go beyond their brokenness, to believe in them, and to give them a place and do NEW things. Gen Z needs “leaders to walk around them, releasing and guiding them.” We need to release, but not abandon. They need to feel safe with leaders walking around them! YWAM is a multigenerational movement of “unbroken relationships” with a purpose! Our biggest danger is our success! Identity, strategy, and methods are 3 key components to the rebirth of a movement!
3. Jim Stier followed up delivering a word of the importance of the value of the individual and the nations. He recounted the YWAM historical journey in taking down the structures of authority above the corporate level.
Leading up to Singapore, we repented and took the risk to dismantle our organizational structures above the local ministries and put Jesus back at the center. This new configuration will only work if we are spiritual people! We truly need to be led by God, as Loren presented to us the revelation he got from the Lord on the “Tripod Message.”
Jim also addressed the value of intercession and that our training courses need to be discipleship that leads to personal revival. When we came to YWAM we all met with Jesus in our daily devotionals and that brought forth life leading to a personal transformation, ministry transformation and nation transformation. Jim challenged the YWAMers not to settle for what we’ve already accomplished but to keep pressing in for more of God and more of God’s purposes for the world.
We are led by the Holy Spirit, moving YWAM away from an organization structure to a family expression held together by our beliefs, values, vision and legacy words. We are not led by a personality, structure or titles, but are led by the Holy Spirit, with each individual YWAMer responding in obedience to their “gifts and callings.” Loren and Darlene prepared us “for such a time as this.” Jesus has always been the leader of Youth With A Mission!
We need to remember the simplicity that God is the leader of YWAM and that simplicity we must develop in our personal devotional life by pressing on, pressing on, pressing on! Darlene has always encouraged us to listen, obey and never give up, both personally as well as corporately. Jesus has always led YWAM and as long as we keep listening to Him, we won’t drift. It's the presence of God since Genesis through Revelation. Man rejected God at the center in Babel and placed man at the center. We need the presence of God at the center of YWAM!
To God be all the glory!
4. A key leader working in the middle east brought a piece on apostolic pioneering looking into the future, and reaching into the places where we are not. She spoke of asking for a double portion of Loren’s anointing just as Elisha did with Elijah. She encouraged us to cultivate a deep relationship with God, hold fast to His promises, and to acknowledge the cost and be prepared to pay it.
Day 3: "The vision of OMT , expansion of the UofN and our call to go where we are NOT!"
5. Paul Dangtoumda and Chong Ho Won did a great presentation on OMT. Much engagement was generated during the whole gathering regarding OMT, as well as the breakout sessions.
Chong Ho shared the journey of the vision of OMT, starting with many long texts from Loren leading up to 3 days spent with Loren, which led to the OMT materials. Loren specifically chose each word on these presentations carefully and intentionally.
Loren led us once again in this process of OMT from a God-inspired vision to a God-led plan to a God-motivated action, just as he led us in 1960 by releasing waves of young people into missions when it was not the norm! God led Loren to deregulate missions and now Bible translation. To God be the glory!
6. The session on UofN 3.0 started with a diverse panel in which Giacomo Coghi opened up rehearsing the 1956 Legacy Word of the Waves. He reminded us that we had entered both YWAM and the UofN as we completed either our SOE or DTS and therefore we are both YWAM and UofN! The both of them are interconnected and can’t be separated. That is our safeguard for the UofN and the multiplier for Missions for YWAM.
Chong Ho shared the journey of the vision of OMT, starting with many long texts from Loren leading up to 3 days spent with Loren, which led to the OMT materials. Loren specifically chose each word on these presentations carefully and intentionally.
Loren led us once again in this process of OMT from a God-inspired vision to a God-led plan to a God-motivated action, just as he led us in 1960 by releasing waves of young people into missions when it was not the norm! God led Loren to deregulate missions and now Bible translation. To God be the glory!
6. The session on UofN 3.0 started with a diverse panel in which Giacomo Coghi opened up rehearsing the 1956 Legacy Word of the Waves. He reminded us that we had entered both YWAM and the UofN as we completed either our SOE or DTS and therefore we are both YWAM and UofN! The both of them are interconnected and can’t be separated. That is our safeguard for the UofN and the multiplier for Missions for YWAM.
Giacomo went on a brief visual historical journey of the expansion and key elements of UofN 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, which led to the presentation of the UofN App! The UofN went from the Go Manual to the UofN Catalog and from there to the web and now the App. A student can be better served and their “gifts and calling” can be developed within the UofN as a path they can charter and walk into.
Faby Ruesga explained the importance of expansion of teams in our future and the importance of continuing to be the “University of the Spirit” where revival happens in our classrooms. She shared the example of how she has expanded the College of Arts and Dean functions by working in teams globally to be closer to the ground with languages and diversity in leadership, while Edwin unpacked the concept of the UofN being embedded in YWAM apostolic communities and how this will lead us to deeper transformation in our societies and communities.
Two testimonies were shared, one of John H. serving in Egypt with the Center for Refugees and Bruno Guntelach in South Africa regarding vocational training and how the UofN will bring catalytic transformation in communities. Both testimonies highlighted the picture of what 3.0 would look like not only for local students that come to our apostolic communities, but as a way the UofN can feed the multitudes – the 5,000.
Garth led in a prayer of repentance and application of embracing the 4 Legacy Words and taking down any “silos of separation” that we may have built! We are the Waves, we are the UofN, we are the CMC, and we are OMT!
Faby Ruesga explained the importance of expansion of teams in our future and the importance of continuing to be the “University of the Spirit” where revival happens in our classrooms. She shared the example of how she has expanded the College of Arts and Dean functions by working in teams globally to be closer to the ground with languages and diversity in leadership, while Edwin unpacked the concept of the UofN being embedded in YWAM apostolic communities and how this will lead us to deeper transformation in our societies and communities.
Two testimonies were shared, one of John H. serving in Egypt with the Center for Refugees and Bruno Guntelach in South Africa regarding vocational training and how the UofN will bring catalytic transformation in communities. Both testimonies highlighted the picture of what 3.0 would look like not only for local students that come to our apostolic communities, but as a way the UofN can feed the multitudes – the 5,000.
Garth led in a prayer of repentance and application of embracing the 4 Legacy Words and taking down any “silos of separation” that we may have built! We are the Waves, we are the UofN, we are the CMC, and we are OMT!
6. A key leader from the Middle East, “A,” along with his team did a presentation on Joshua 18, looking at where we have yet to be. Key mapping gave us a visual framework of where we are NOT. We prayed to “blow the trumpet” for the unreached places. As a symbol of this commitment he asked the audience to take off their shoes, hold them over their heads, look at the back wall and imagine one of the places or people groups where “we are not” and then do the wave from the front to the back of the auditorium as a symbolic act. Throughout the whole gathering there was a call for a resurgence in prayer at every level.
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Day 4: "We are much more than a youth movement but nothing less than a youth movement"
7. Rej Mack and Bameri Syiem shared a devotional on Luke 5 and challenged us to obey the Lord when He asks us to change the side of our nets – to cast our nets broader and engage in partnerships to see greater fruit. Brett Curtis shared about YWAM Ships and how they are reaching every part of the Pacific with partnerships, extending an invitation to partner to reach further and remote islands, adding the vision of OMT. Following the theme of partnerships, Mark Anderson and Tommy Manay shared about the importance of the partnership with the Body of Christ globally. Tommy shared about the youth movement happening in the Philippines in partnership with the Body of Christ. 8. Gen Z engagement was presented by Kudzai Masimira and Gabe Strydom, as well as the video from Andy Byrd where we were challenged to make room for Gen Z, to invite them into our leadership teams, and to also see the absence of their presence in our midst. We had a time of repentance and response on this talking about how this is key for the present and future of the mission as a youth movement.
9. Silo Schmidt and Lynn Green each shared a piece reminding us about the importance of embracing and applying the “Tripod Message” and “Strengthening the Steel” for our future by coming up against issues of money, sex, and power with “GPS” - generosity, purity, and servanthood.
We started the evening looking at events coming up in the next year. The first is the YWAM outreach at the Paris Olympics July 22-August 11 and a YWAM Together gathering for everyone in the YWAM family worldwide which will take place in the Philippines from September 2-5.
The last evening of the gathering, we celebrated the nations and the expression of each nation with a celebratory worship time. The participants left the meeting with a sense of “Togetherness,” with an infusion of faith for the future, and with the conviction that we are one family and that God has the greatest harvest ahead of us!
During the gathering, an offering of +$110K USD was taken for the YWAM family in Sudan and Manipur, as they face this time of great need and persecution! There may be more as we await online giving reports that will soon be provided!
9. Silo Schmidt and Lynn Green each shared a piece reminding us about the importance of embracing and applying the “Tripod Message” and “Strengthening the Steel” for our future by coming up against issues of money, sex, and power with “GPS” - generosity, purity, and servanthood.
We started the evening looking at events coming up in the next year. The first is the YWAM outreach at the Paris Olympics July 22-August 11 and a YWAM Together gathering for everyone in the YWAM family worldwide which will take place in the Philippines from September 2-5.
The last evening of the gathering, we celebrated the nations and the expression of each nation with a celebratory worship time. The participants left the meeting with a sense of “Togetherness,” with an infusion of faith for the future, and with the conviction that we are one family and that God has the greatest harvest ahead of us!
During the gathering, an offering of +$110K USD was taken for the YWAM family in Sudan and Manipur, as they face this time of great need and persecution! There may be more as we await online giving reports that will soon be provided!
Some general topics and takeaways
• Family - “gifts and callings” to be released in the UofN and mission at large - personal revelation will lead to corporate engagement
• Apostolic pioneering - get ready for the harvest and for sacrifice
• OMT - God's heart and the vision that will take us into the future
• Joshua 18 - to not forget the unreached, the lost and the least in hard places
• UofN - expansion of global teams, innovation, and vocational training
• Luke 5 - Nets full - What changes do we need to make so the nets are full?
• Partnerships - with the Body of Christ, expressions within the movement, such as Call2All, YWAM Ships
• Tripod Message - elderships and strengthening the steel - “Generosity Purity - Servanthood”
• Overall and from the stage the multigenerational / international / male and female / multilingual / elders from various ages - was well-modeled and celebrated, affirming that we are positioned for a “multigenerational movement of unbroken relationships” which we CAN’T miss. It's time to “arise!”
To God be the glory!