Action-Packed Family Time with YWAM Founders

“Mom! Dad! Let me tell you what happened today!”

One of the best parts of growing up was telling encouraging stories to my family. As my wife Laura and I became parents ourselves, dinnertime was a highlight of the day for our family of six. It was storytime, accompanied often by lots of laughter. Laura’s great cooking helped too.

Often it’s like family time when we have our various YWAM-Frontier Missions leaders’ meetings. Filled with stories. The other day was our weekly “Team 4” Zoom meeting. Team 4 serves as global leaders for FM. I think of us as the A-Team because we are made up of:

· an African
· an American
· an Asian
· an Australian

During this meeting, it really was like family time. We had the privilege of sitting with the “dad and mom” of YWAM, Loren and Darlene Cunningham. They have enough inspiring stories to fill books. In fact, they do fill books! You should read their books!

We loved listening to their stories and telling a few of our FM stories that they might not have heard yet. Some of those we told are written and posted on www.ywamfm.org and are available to you right now.

One of our Team 4 members told us about his pioneering work among a tribe in Southern Africa. Here is a beautiful part of his story:

Going Down the Road Feeling Glad
https://www.ywamfm.org/going-down-the-road-feeling-glad/

During the time he, his family, and his team were there, only a few of these Muslim people had come to know Jesus. Since those early years, the movement among this people group has grown to thousands! The local disciples are now impacting the various spheres of their society. Here’s a story about the transformation happening now:

Can Every Sphere of Society be Transformed?
https://www.ywamfm.org/transforming-spheres-society-movement/

Now it was my turn for a story. I told the story of when I first visited a YWAM team working at spreading the Gospel in a city along the Ganges River. So much has happened since then! A young Indian man and his team, by God’s grace, helped launch a growing disciple-making movement. A few weeks ago “Arjun” said hundreds of people are coming to Jesus monthly! The vision of the local believers is for millions reached by their growing movement. Here is a brief part of their story:

On the Banks of the Ganges
https://www.ywamfm.org/indigenous-disciple-making-movement-india/

Another story came up as we talked. It takes place on an unreached island filled with witchcraft. A few of us on Team 4 have visited our friends working there. They know about the lady with “elephant leg” who sat under the Mango Tree—in need of a healing touch from Jesus:

Need on a Witchcraft-Stricken Island? — I’ll Go!
https://www.ywamfm.org/witchcraft-stricken-island-ill-go/

Loren is passionate about getting Oral Bible Translations to Bible-less peoples. He spreads this vision far and wide. Darlene told us he even talks about it in his sleep! Eagerly I shared what’s happening with translated Bible stories in West Africa. Key audio Bible stories are being distributed in the mother tongue of a nomadic tribe. Gospel messages are changing lives. Having been there myself, I could picture the place and the people as I was speaking:

Nomadic People Now on the Move with Jesus
https://www.ywamfm.org/nomadic-people-move-with-jesus/

Loren will be sharing about Oral Bible Translation on our YWAM FM social media sites on Friday the 20th, more info here!

We have lots more stories written and posted on our website. Even more stories are unfolding in real life…. For example, one of our Team 4 members told us what is happening in his part of the world—Southeast Asia. Over the past few years, an unreached people group has been hearing the Gospel for the first time. Our team is seeing whole families turning to Jesus. Their latest count of new disciples is about 18,000. We hope to have their story written for you before long.

Family stories! How encouraging it was to gather with Loren and Darlene and talk about what Jesus is doing. These are not just the stories of one small part of God’s family (YWAM), these are stories for all God’s family. We are family. We all get to celebrate Him and what He is doing all around the world. We are all part of His family.

Which family members will you gather with today?
What stories will you tell about God’s continuously growing family?