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Female Ministry or Woman's Right to Preach the Gospel

2012-02-07T09:53:34+00:00

This page was written by Catherine Mumford Booth, wife of William Booth, founders of the Salvation Army and publish in 1859. Retrieved from http://purl.dlib.indiana.edu/iudl/vwwp/VAB7105. [I made some minor edits to present it more suitably as a wiki article --Kev-The-Hasty 10:53, 7 February 2012 (CET)]

FEMALE MINISTRY; OR, Woman’s Right to Preach the Gospel. By MRS. BOOTH. “And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”— Joel.

London: MORGAN & CHASE, 38, LUDGATE HILL.

PRICE ONE PENNY. Quantities can be had at considerable reduction from MR. BOOTH, Gore Road, Victoria Park Road, London, N.E.

PREFACE.

The principal arguments contained in the following pages were published in a pamphlet entitled Female Teaching, which, I have reason to know, has been rendered very useful.

In this edition all the controversial portions have been expunged, some new matter added, and the whole produced in a cheaper form, and thus, I trust, rendered better adapted for general circulation.

Our only object in this issue is the elicitation of the truth. We hold that error can in the end be profitable to no cause, and least of all to the cause of Christ. If therefore we were not fully satisfied as to the correctness of the views herein set forth, we should fear to subject them to the light ; and if we did not deem them of vast importance to the interests of Christ’s kingdom, we should prefer to hold them in silence. Believing however that they will bear the strictest investigation, and that their importance cannot easily be over‐estimated, we feel bound to propagate them to the utmost of our ability.

In this paper we shall endeavour to meet the most common objections to female ministry, and to present, as far as our space will permit, a thorough examination of the texts generally produced in support of these objections. May the great Head of the Church grant the light of His Holy Spirit to both writer and reader.

FEMALE MINISTRY; OR WOMAN’S RIGHT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL.

THE first and most common objection urged against the public exercises of women, is that they are unnatural and unfeminine. Many labour under a very great but common mistake, viz. that of confounding nature with custom. Use, or custom, makes things appear to us natural, which, in reality, are very unnatural; while, on the other hand, novelty and rarity make very natural things appear strange and contrary to nature. So universally has this power of custom been felt and admitted, that it has given birth to the proverb, “Use is second nature.” Making allowance for the novelty of the thing, we cannot discover anything either unnatural or immodest in a Christian woman, becomingly attired, appearing on a platform or in a pulpit. By nature she seems fitted to grace either. God has given to woman a graceful form and attitude, winning manners, persuasive speech, and, above all, a finely‐toned emotional nature, all of which appear to us eminent natural qualifications for public speaking.

We admit that want of mental culture, the trammels of custom, the force of prejudice, and one‐sided interpretations of Scripture, have hitherto almost excluded her from this sphere; but, before such a sphere is pronounced to be unnatural, it must be proved either that woman has not the ability to teach or to preach, or that the possession and exercise of this ability unnaturalizes her in other respects; that so soon as she presumes to step on the platform or into the pulpit, she loses the delicacy and grace of the female character. Whereas, we have numerous instances of her retaining all that is most esteemed in her sex, and faithfully discharging the duties peculiar to her own sphere, and at the same time taking her place with many of our most useful speakers and writers. Why should woman be confined exclusively to the kitchen and the distaff, any more than man to the field and workshop? Did not God, and has not nature, assigned to man his sphere of labour, “to till the ground, and to dress it”? And, if exemption is claimed from this kind of toil for a portion of the male sex, on the ground of their possessing ability for intellectual and moral pursuits, we must be allowed to claim the same privilege for woman ; nor can we see the exception more unnatural in the one case than the other, or why God in this solitary instance has endowed a being with powers which He never intended her to employ.

There seems to be a great deal of unnecessary fear of women occupying any position which involves publicity, lest she should be rendered unfeminine by the indulgence of ambition or vanity ; but why should woman any more than man be charged with ambition when impelled to use her talents for the good of her race. Moreover, as a labourer in the GOSPEL her position is much higher than in any other public capacity; she is at once shielded from all coarse and unrefined influences and associations; her very vocation tending to exalt and refine all the tenderest and most womanly instincts of her nature. As a matter of fact it is well known to those who have had opportunities of observing the private character and deportment of women engaged in preaching the gospel, that they have been amongst the most amiable, self‐sacrificing, and unobtrusive of their sex.

“We well know,” says the late Mr. Gurney, a minister of the Society of Friends, “that there are no women among us more generally distinguished for modesty, gentleness, order, and right submission to their brethren, than those who have been called by their Divine Master into the exercise of the Christian ministry.”

Who would dare to charge the sainted Madame Guyon, Lady Maxwell, the talented mother of the Wesleys, Mrs. Fletcher, Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Whiteman, or Miss Marsh with being unwomanly or ambitious. Some of these ladies we know have adorned by their private virtues the highest ranks of society, and won alike from friends and enemies the highest eulogiums as to the devotedness, purity, and sweetness of their lives. Yet these were all more or less public women, every one of them expounding and exhorting from the Scriptures to mixed companies of men and women. Ambitious doubtless they were; but theirs was an ambition akin to His, who, for the “joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame:” and to his, who counted all things but dung and dross, and was willing to be regarded as the off‐scouring of all things that he might win souls to Jesus and bring glory to God. Would that all the Lord’s people had more of this ambition.

Well, but, say our objecting friends, how is it that these whose names you mention, and many others, should venture to preach when female ministry is forbidden in the word of God? This is by far the most serious objection which we have to consider—and if capable of substantiation, should receive our immediate and cheerful acquiescence; but we think that we shall be able to show, by a fair and consistent interpretation, that the very opposite view is the truth. That not only is the public ministry of woman unforbidden, but absolutely enjoined by both precept and example in the word of God.

And, first, we will select the most prominent and explicit passages of the New Testament referring to the subject, beginning with 1 Corinthians xi. 1‐15: “Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, dishonoureth her head: for that is all one as if she were shaven,” etc. “The character,” says a talented writer, “of the prophesying here referred to by the apostle is defined 1 Corinthians xiv. 3, 4, and 31st verses. The reader will see that it was directed to the ‘edification, exhortation, and comfort of believers;’ and the result anticipated was the conviction of unbelievers and unlearned persons. Such were the public services of women which the apostle allowed, and such was the ministry of females predicted by the prophet Joel, and described as a leading feature of the gospel dispensation. Women who speak in assemblies for worship, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, assume thereby no personal authority over others; they simply deliver the messages of the gospel, which imply obedience, subjection, and responsibility, rather than authority and power.” Dr. A. Clarke, on this verse, says, “Whatever may be the meaning of praying and prophesying in respect to the man, they have precisely the same meaning in respect to the woman! So that some women at least, as well as some men, might speak to others to edification, exhortation, and comfort. And this kind of prophesying or teaching was predicted by Joel ii. 28, and referred to by Peter (Acts ii. 17). And, had there not been such gifts bestowed on woman, the prophecy could not have had its fulfilment. The only difference marked by the apostle was, the man had his head uncovered, because he was the representative of Christ: the woman had hers covered, because she was placed by the order of God in subjection to the man; and because it was the custom both among Greeks and Romans, and among the Jews an express law, that no woman should be seen abroad without a veil. This was and is a custom through all the East, and none but public prostitutes go without veils; if a woman should appear in public without a veil, she would dishonour her head—her husband. And she must appear like to those women who have their hair shaven off as the punishment of adultery.” See also Doddridge, Whitby, and Cobbin.

We think that the view above given is the only fair and common‐sense interpretation of this passage. If Paul does not here recognise the fact that women did actually pray and prophesy in the primitive Churches, his language has no meaning at all; and if he does not recognise their right to do so by dictating the proprieties of their appearance while so engaged, we leave to objectors the task of educing any sense whatever from his language. If, according to the logic of Dr. Barnes, the apostle here, in arguing against an improper and indecorous mode of performance, forbids the performance itself, the prohibition extends to the men as well as to the women; for Paul as expressly reprehends a man praying with his head covered as he does a woman with hers uncovered. With as much force might the doctor assert that in reproving the same Church for their improper celebration of the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. xi. 20, 21), Paul prohibits all Christians, in every age, celebrating it at all. “The question with the Corinthians was not whether or not the women should pray or prophesy at all, that question had been settled on the day of Pentecost; but whether, as a matter of convenience, they might do so without their veils.” The apostle kindly and clearly explains that by the law of nature and of society it would be improper to uncover her head while engaged in acts of public worship. We think that the reflections cast on these women by Dr. Barnes and other commentators are quite gratuitous and uncalled for. Here is no intimation that they ever had uncovered their heads while so engaged; the fairest presumption is that they had not, nor ever would till they knew the apostle’s mind on the subject. We have precisely the same evidence that the men prayed and preached with their hats on, as that women removed their veils, and wore their hair dishevelled, which is simply none at all. We cannot but regard it as a signal evidence of the power of prejudice, that a man of Dr. Barnes’s general clearness and acumen should condescend to treat this passage in the manner he does. The doctor evidently feels the untenableness of his position; and endeavours, by muddling two passages of distinct and different bearing, to annihilate the argument fairly deducible from the first. We would like to ask the doctor on what authority he makes such an exception as to the following: “But this cannot be interpreted as meaning that it is improper for females to speak or to pray in meetings of their own sex.” Indeed! but according to the most reliable statistics we possess, two‐thirds of the whole Church is, and always has been, composed of their own sex . , If, then, no rule of the New Testament is more positive than this, viz. that women are to keep silence in the Churches, on whose authority does the doctor license them to speak to by far the larger portion of the Church.

A barrister writing us on the above passage, says “Paul here takes for granted that women were in the habit of praying and prophesying; he expresses no surprise nor utters a syllable of censure, he was only anxious that they should not provoke unnecessary obloquy by laying aside their customary head‐dress or departing from the dress which was indicative of modesty in the country in which they lived. This passage seems to prove beyond the possibility of dispute that in the early times women were permitted to speak to the “edification and comfort” of Christians, and that the Lord graciously endowed them with grace and gifts for this service. What He did then may He not be doing now? It seems truly astonishing that Bible students, with the second chapter of the Acts before them, should not see that an imperative decree has gone forth from God, the execution of which women cannot escape; whether they like or not, they ‘shall’ prophesy throughout the whole course of this dispensation; and they have been doing so, though they and their blessed labours are not much noticed.”

Well, but say our objecting friends, hear what Paul says in another place:—“Let your women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn^[1] anything, let them ask their husbands at home; for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church” (1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35). Now let it be borne in mind this is the same apostle, writing to the same Church, as in the above instance. Will any one maintain that Paul here refers to the same kind of speaking as before? If so, we insist on his supplying us with some rule of interpretation which will harmonize this unparalleled contradiction and absurdity. Taking the simple and common‐sense view of the two passages, viz. that one refers to the devotional and religious exercises in the Church, and the other to inconvenient asking of questions, and imprudent or ignorant talking, there is no contradiction or discrepancy, no straining or twisting of either. If, on the other hand, we assume that the apostle refers in both instances to the same thing, we make him in one page give the most explicit directions how a thing shall be performed, which in a page or two further on, and writing to the same Church, he expressly forbids being performed at all. We admit that “it is a shame for women to speak in the Church,” in the sense here intended by the apostle; but before the argument based on these words can be deemed of any worth, objectors must prove that the “speaking” here is synonymous with that, concerning that manner of which the apostle legislates in 1 Corinthians xi. Dr. A. Clarke, on this passage, says, “according to the prediction of Joel, the Spirit of God was to be poured out on the women as well as the men, that they might prophesy, that is teach. And that they did prophesy or teach is evident from what the apostle says (1 Cor. xi.), where he lays down rules to regulate this part of their conduct while ministering in the Church. All that the apostle opposes here is their questioning, finding fault, disputing, etc., in the Christian Church, as the Jewish men were permitted to do in their synagogues (see Luke ii. 46); together with attempts to usurp authority over men by setting up their judgment in opposition to them; for the apostle has reference to acts of disobedience and arrogance, of which no woman would be guilty who was under the influence of the Spirit of God.”

The Rev. J. H. Robinson, writing on this passage, remarks: “The silence imposed here must be explained by the verb, to speak (λαλειν), used afterwards. Whatever that verb means in this verse, I admit and believe the women were forbidden to do in the Church. But what does it mean ? It is used nearly three hundred times in the New Testament, and scarcely any verb is used with so great a variety of adjuncts. In Schleusner’s Lexicon, its meaning is traced under seventeen distinct heads, and he occupies two full pages of the book in explaining it. Among other meanings he gives respondeo, rationem reddo, præcipio, jubeo; I answer, I return a reason, I give rule or precept, I order, decree.” In Robinson’s Lexicon (Bloomfield’s edition), two pages nearly are occupied with the explanation of this word; and he gives instances of its meaning, “as modified by the context, where the sense lies, not so much in λαλειν (lalein) as in the adjuncts.” THE PASSAGE UNDER CONSIDERATION IS ONE OF THOSE TO WHICH HE REFERS AS BEING SO “MODIFIED BY THE CONTEXT.” Greenfield gives, with others, the following meanings of the word: “to prattle—be loquacious as a child; to speak in answer—to answer, as in John xix. 10; harangue. plead, Acts ix. 29.; xxi. To direct, command, Acts iii. 22.” In Liddel and Scott’s Lexicon, the following meanings are given: “to chatter, babble; of birds, to twitter, chirp; strictly, to make an inarticulate sound, opposed to articulate speech; but also generally, to talk, say.”

“It is clear then that λαλειν may mean something different from mere speaking, and that to use this word in a prohibition does not imply that absolute silence or abstinence from speaking is enjoined; but, on the contrary, that the prohibition applies to an improper kind of speaking, which is to be understood, not from the word itself, but, as Mr. Robinson says, from ‘the context.’ Now, ‘the context’ shows that it was not silence which was imposed upon women in the Church, but only a refraining from such speaking as was inconsistent with the words, ‘they are commanded to be under obedience,’ or, more literally, ‘to be obedient:’ that is, they were to refrain from such questionings, dogmatical assertions, and disputations, as would bring them into collision with the men—as would ruffle their tempers, and occasion an unamiable volubility of speech. This kind of speaking, and this alone, as it appears to me, was forbidden by the apostle in the passage before us. This kind of speaking was the only supposable antagonist to, and violation of ‘obedience.’ Absolute silence was not essential to that ‘obedience.’ My studies in ‘Biblical criticism,’ etc., have not informed me that a woman must cease to speak before she can obey; and I am therefore led to the irresistible conclusion, that it is not all speaking in the Church which the apostle forbids, and which he pronounces to be shameful; but, on the contrary, a pertinacious, inquisitive, domineering, dogmatical kind of speaking, which, while it is unbecoming in a man, is shameful and odious in a woman, and especially when that woman is in the Church, and is speaking on the deep things of religion.”

Parkhurst, in his lexicon, tells us that the Greek word “‘lalein,’ which our translation renders speak, is not the word used in Greek to signify to speak with premeditation and prudence, but is the word used to signify to speak imprudently and without consideration, and is that applied to one who lets his tongue run but does not speak to the purpose, but says nothing.” Now unless Parkhurst is utterly wrong in his Greek, which it is apprehended no one will venture to affirm, Paul’s fulmination is not launched against speech with premeditation and prudence, but against speech devoid of these qualities. It would be well if all speakers of the male as well as the female sex were obedient to this rule.

We think that with the light cast on this text by the four eminent Greek scholars above quoted, there can be no doubt in any unprejudiced mind as to the true meaning of “lalein” in this connection. And we find from Church history that the primitive Christians thus understood it, for that women did actually speak and preach amongst them we have indisputable proof. God had promised in the last days to pour out His Spirit upon all flesh, and that the daughters as well as the sons of mankind should prophesy.

And Peter says most emphatically, respecting the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, “This is that which is spoken of by the prophet Joel,” etc. (Acts ii. 16, 18.) Words more explicit, and an application of Prophecy more direct than this does not occur within the range of the New Testament.

Commentators say, “If women have the gift of prophecy, they must not use that gift in public in public .” But God says, by His prophet Joel, they shall use it, just in the same sense as the sons use it. When the dictation of men so flatly opposes the express declaration of the “sure word of prophecy,” we make no apology for its utter and indignant rejection.

Presbuteros, a talented writer of the Protestant Electoral Union, in his reply to a priest of Rome,^[2] says:—

“Habituated for ages, as men had been, to the diabolical teaching and delusions practiced upon them by the papal ‘priesthood,’ it was difficult for them, when they did get possession of the Scriptures, to discern therein the plain fact, that among the primitive Christians preaching was not confined to men, but women also, gifted with power by the Holy Spirit, preached the gospel; and hence the slowness with which, even at the present time, this truth has been admitted by those giving heed to the word of God, and especially those setting themselves up as a ‘priesthood’ or a ‘clergy.’ As shown in page 66, God had, according to His promise, on the day of Pentecost poured out his Holy Spirit upon believers—men and women, old and young—that they should prophesy, and they did so. The prophesying spoken of was not the foretelling of events, but the preaching to the world at large the glad tidings of salvation by Jesus Christ. For this purpose it pleased God to make use of& nbsp;women as well as men. It is plainly the duty of every Christian to insist upon the fulfilment of the will of God, and the abrogation of every single thing inconsistent therewith. I would draw attention to the fact that Phœbe, a Christian woman whom we find in our version of the Scripture (Rom. xvi. 1) spoken of only as any common servant attached to a congregation, was nothing less than one of those gifted by the Holy Spirit for publishing the glad tidings, or preaching the gospel. The manner in which the apostle (whose only care was the propagation of evangelical truth) speaks of her, shows that she was what he in Greek styled her, a deacon (diaconon) or preacher of the word. Our translators speak of her (because she was a woman) only as ‘a servant of the Church which is at Cenchrea.’ The men ‘deacons’ they styled ministers, but a woman on the same level as themselves would be an anomaly, and therefore she was to be only the& nbsp;servant of men ministers, who, in the popish sense, constituted the Church!”

The apostle says of her—“I commend unto you Phebe our sister, who is a minister (diaconon) of the Church which is at Cenchrea: that ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you.” To the common sense of disinterested minds it will be evident that the apostle could not have requested more for any one of the most zealous of men preachers than he did for Phebe! They were to assist “her in whatsoever business she” might require their aid. Hence we discern that she had no such trifling position in the primitive Church as at the present time episcopal dignitaries attach to deacons and deaconesses! Observe, the same Greek word is used to designate her that was applied to all the apostles and to Jesus Himself. For example: “Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister (diaconon) of the circumcision” (Rom. xv. 8). “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers (diaconoi) by whom ye believed” (1 Cor. iii. 5). “Our sufficiency is of God; who also hath made us able ministers (diaconous) of the new testament” (2 Cor. iii. 6). “In all things approving ourselves as the ministers (diaconoi) of God” (vi. 4). The idea of a woman deacon in the “three orders!”—it was intolerable, therefore let her be a “servant.” Theodoret however says, “The fame of Phebe was spoken of throughout the world. She was known not only to the Greeks and Romans, but also to the Barbarians,” which implies that she had travelled much, and propagated the gospel in foreign countries. See Doddridge, Cobbin, and Wesley, on this passage.

“Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow‐prisoners, who are of note among the apostles; who also were in Christ before me” (Rom. xvi. 7). By the word “kinsmen” one would take Junia to have been a man; but Chrysostom and Theophylact, who were both Greeks, and consequently knew their mother tongue better than our translators, say Junia was a woman. Kinsmen should therefore have been rendered kinsfolk; but with our translators it was out of all character to have a woman of note amongst the apostles, and a fellow‐prisoner with Paul for the gospel: therefore let them be kinsmen!

Justin Martyr, who lived till about A.D. 150, says, in his dialogue with Trypho, the Jew, “that both men and women were seen among them who had the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit of God, according as the prophet Joel had foretold, by which he endeavored to convince the Jews that the latter days were come.”

Dodwell, in his dissertations on Irenæus says, “that the gift of the spirit of prophecy was given to others besides the apostles; and, that not only in the first and second, but in the third century—even to the time of Constantine—all sorts and ranks of men had these gifts; yea, and women too.”

Eusebius speaks of Potomania Ammias, a prophetess, in Philadelphia, and others, “who were equally distinguished for their love and zeal in the cause of Christ.”

“The scriptural idea,” says Mrs. Palmer, “of the terms preach and prophesy, stands so inseparably connected as one and the same thing, that we should find it difficult to get aside from the fact that women did preach, or, in other words, prophesy, in the early ages of Christianity, and have continued to do so down to the present time to just the degree that the spirit of the Christian dispensation has been recognised. And it is also a significant fact, that to the degree denominations, who have once favoured the practice, lose the freshness of their zeal, and as a consequence, their primitive simplicity, and, as ancient Israel, yield to a desire to be like surrounding communities, in a corresponding ratio are the labours of females discountenanced.”

If any one still insists on a literal application of this text, we beg to ask how he disposes of the preceding part of the chapter where it occurs. Surely, if one verse be so authoritative and binding, the whole chapter is equally so; and therefore, those who insist on a literal application of the words of Paul, under all circumstances and through all time, will be careful to observe the apostle’s order of worship in their own congregations. But, we ask, where is the minister who lets his whole Church prophesy one by one, and himself sits still and listens while they are speaking, so that all things may be done decently and in order? But Paul as expressly lays down this order as he does the rule for women, and he adds, “The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (ver. 37). Why then do not ministers abide by these directions? We anticipate their reply—“Because these directions were given to the Corinthians as temporary arrangements; and, though they were the commandments of the Lord to them at that time, they do not apply to all Christians in all times.” Indeed; but unfortunately for their argument, the prohibition of women speaking, even if it meant what they wish, was given amongst those very directions, and to the Corinthians only: for it reads, “Let your women keep silence,” etc.; and, for aught this passage teaches to the contrary, Christian women of all other Churches might do what these women were forbidden to do; until, therefore, learned divines make a personal application of the rest of the chapter, they must excuse us declining to do so of the 24th verse; and we challenge them to show any breach of the Divine law in one case more than the other.

Another passage frequently cited as prohibitory of female labour in the Church, is 1 Timothy ii. 12, 13. Though we have never met with the slightest proof that this text has any reference to the public exercises of women; nevertheless, as it is often quoted, we will give it a fair and thorough examination. “It is primarily an injunction,” says the Rev. J. H. Robinson, “respecting her personal behavior at home. It stands in connection with precepts respecting her apparel and her domestic position; especially her relation to her husband. No one will suppose that the apostle forbids a woman to ‘teach’ absolutely and universally. Even objectors would allow her to teach her own sex in private; they would let her teach her servants and children, and perhaps, her husband too. If he were ignorant of the Saviour, might she not teach him the way to Christ? If she were acquainted with languages, arts or sciences, which he did not know, might she not teach him these things? Certainly she might! The ‘teaching,’ therefore which is forbidden by the apostle, is not every kind of teaching any more than, in the previous instance, his prohibition of speaking applied to every kind of speaking in the Church; but it is such teaching as is domineering, and as involves the usurpation of authority over the man. This is the only teaching forbidden by St. Paul in the passage under consideration.”

“If this passage be not a prohibition of every kind of teaching, we can only ascertain what kind of teaching is forbidden by the modifying expressions with which didaskein stands associated: and, for anything these modifying expressions affirm to the contrary, her teaching may be public, reiterated, urgent, and may comprehend a variety of subjects, provided it be not dictatorial, domineering, nor vociferous; for then, and then only, would it be incompatible with her obedience.”

The Rev. Dr. Taft says, “This passage should be rendered ‘I suffer not a woman to teach by usurping authority over the man.’ This rendering removes all the difficulties and contradictions involved in the ordinary reading, and evidently gives the meaning of the apostle.” “If the nature of society,” says the same writer, “its good and prosperity; in which women are jointly and equally concerned with men; if in many cases their fitness and capacity for instructors, being admitted to be equal to the other sex, be not reasons sufficient to convince the candid reader of woman’s right to preach and teach because of two texts in Paul’s epistles, let him consult the paraphrase of Locke, where he has proved to a demonstration that the apostle, in these texts, never intended to prohibit women from praying and preaching in the Church provided they were dressed as became women professing godliness, and were qualified for the sacred office.”

“It will be found,” says another writer, “by an examination of this text with its connections, that the teaching here alluded to stands in necessary connection with usurping authority, as though the apostle had said, the gospel does not alter the relation of women in view of priority, for Adam was first formed, then Eve.”

“This prohibition,” says the before‐named barrister, “refers exclusively to the private life and domestic character of woman, and simply means that an ignorant or unruly woman is not to force her opinions on the man whether he will or no. It has no reference whatever to good women living in obedience to God and their husbands, or to women sent out to preach the gospel by the call of the Holy Spirit.”

If this context is allowed to fix the meaning of didaskein in this text, as it would in any other, there can be no doubt in any honest mind that the above is the only consistent interpretation; and if it be, then this prohibition has no bearing whatever on the religious exercise of women led and taught of the Spirit of God: and we cannot forbear asking on whose skirts the mischief resulting from the false application of this text will be found? Thank God the day is dawning with respect to this subject. Women are studying and investigating for themselves. They are claiming to be recognised as responsible human beings, answerable to GOD for their convictions of duty; and, urged by the Divine Spirit they are overstepping those unscriptural barriers which the Church has so long reared against its performance.

Whether the Church will allow women to speak in her assemblies can only be a question of time; common sense, public opinion, and the blessed results of female agency will force her to give us an honest and impartial rendering of the solitary text on which she grounds her prohibitions. Then, when the true light shines and God’s words take the place of man’s traditions, the Doctor of Divinity who shall teach that Paul commands woman to be silent when God’s Spirit urges her to speak, will be regarded much the same as we should now regard an astronomer who should teach that the sun is the earth’s satellite.

Another argument urged against female preaching is, that it is unnecessary; that there is plenty of scope for her efforts in private, in visiting the sick and poor and working for the temporalities of the Church. Doubtless woman ought to be thankful for any sphere for benefiting her race and glorifying God. But we cannot be blind to the supreme selfishness of making her so welcome to the hidden toil and self‐sacrifice, the hewing of wood and the drawing of water, the watching and waiting, the reproach and persecution attaching to her Master’s service, without allowing her a tittle of the honour which He has attached to the ministration of His gospel. Here, again, man’s theory and God’s order are at variance. God says, “Them that honour me I will honour.” Our Lord links the joy with the suffering, the glory with the shame, the exaltation with the humiliation, the crown with the cross, the finding of life with the losing of it. Nor did He manifest any such horror at female publicity in His cause as many of His professed people appear to entertain in these days. We have no intimation of His reproving the Samaritan woman for her public proclamation of Him to her countrymen; not of His rebuking the women who followed Him amidst a taunting mob on His way to the cross. And yet, surely, privacy was their proper sphere. On one occasion He did say, with reference to a woman, “Verily, I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her” (Matt. xxvi. 12; see also Luke vii. 37‐50).

As to the obligation devolving on woman to labour for her Master, I presume there will be no controversy. The particular sphere in which each individual shall do this must be dictated by the teachings of the Holy Spirit and the gifts with which God has endowed her. If she have the necessary gifts, and feels herself called by the Spirit to preach, there is not a single word in the whole book of God to restrain her, but many, very many to urge and encourage her. God says she SHALL do so, and Paul prescribes the manner in which she shall do it, and Phebe, Junia, Philip’s four daughters, and many other women actually did preach and speak in the primitive Churches. If this had not been the case, there would have been less freedom under the new than under the old dispensation. A greater paucity of gifts and agencies under the Spirit than under the law. Fewer labourers when more work to be done. Instead of the destruction of caste and division between the priesthood and the people, and the setting up of a spiritual kingdom in which all true believers were “kings and priests unto God,” the division would have been more stringent and the disabilities of the common people greater. Whereas we are told again and again in effect, that in “Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free, male nor female, but ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

We commend a few passages bearing in the ministrations of woman under the old dispensation to the careful consideration of our readers. “And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time,” etc. (Jud. iv. 4‐10). There are two particulars in this passage worthy of note. First, the authority of Deborah as a prophetess, or revealer of God’s will to Israel, was acknowledged and submitted to as implicitly as in the cases of the male judges who succeeded her. Secondly, she is made the military head of ten thousand men, Barak refusing to go to battle without her.

Again, in 2 Kings xxii. 12‐20, we have an account of the king sending the high‐priest, the scribe, etc., to Huldah, the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, who dwelt at Jerusalem, in the college; to inquire at her mouth the will of God in reference to the book of the law which had been found in the house of the Lord. The authority and dignity of Huldah’s message to the king does not betray anything of that trembling diffidence or abject servility which some persons seem to think should characterize the religious exercises of woman. She answers him as the prophetess of the Lord, having the signet of the King of kings attached to her utterances.

“The Lord gave the word, and great was the company of those that published it” (Ps. lxviii. 11). In the original Hebrew it is, “Great was the company of women publishers, or women evangelists.” Grotius explains this passage, “The Lord shall give the word, that is plentiful matter of speaking; so that he would call those which follow the great army of preaching women, victories, or female conquerers.” How comes it that the feminine word is actually excluded in this text? That it is there as plainly as any other word no Hebrew scholar will deny. It is too much to assume that as our translators could not alter it, as they did “Diaconon” when applied to Phebe, they preferred to leave it out altogether rather than give a prophecy so unpalatable to their prejudice. But the Lord gives the word and He will choose whom He pleases to publish it; not withstanding the condemnation of translators and divines.

“For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Mic. vi. 4).

God here classes Miriam with Moses and Aaron, and declares that He sent her before His people. We fear that had some of our friends been men of Israel at that time, they would have disputed such a leadership.

In the light of such passages as these, who will dare to dispute the fact that God did under the old dispensation endue his handmaidens with the gifts and calling of prophets answering to our present idea of preachers. Strange indeed would it be if under the fulness of the gospel dispensation, there were nothing analogous to this, but “positive and explicit rules,” to prevent any approximation thereto. We are thankful to find, however, abundant evidence that the “spirit of prophecy which is the testimony of Jesus,” was poured out on the female as fully as on the male disciple, and “His daughters and His handmaidens” prophesied. We commend the following texts from the New Testament to the careful consideration of our readers.

“And she (Anna) was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption on Jerusalem” (Luke ii. 37, 38). Can any one explain wherein this exercise of Anna’s differed from that of Simeon, recorded just before? It was in the same public place, the temple. It was during the same service. It was equally public, for she “spake of Him to all who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (see Watson on this passage).

Jesus said to the two Marys, “All hail! And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go, tell my brethren that they go before me into Galilee” (Matt. xxviii. 9, 10). There are two or three points in this beautiful narrative to which we wish to call the attention of our readers.

First, it was the first announcement of the glorious news to a lost world and a company of forsaking disciples. Second, it was as public as the nature of the case demanded; and intended ultimately to be published to the ends of the earth. Third, Mary was expressly commissioned to reveal the fact to the apostles; and thus she literally became their teacher in that memorable occasion. Oh, glorious privilege, to be allowed to herald the glad tidings of a Savior risen! How could it be that our Lord chose a woman to this honour? Well, one reason might be that the male disciples were all missing at the time. They all forsook Him and fled. But woman was there, as she had ever been, ready to minister to her risen, as to her dying Lord— “Not she with traitorous lips her Savior stung, Not she denied Him with unholy tongue; She, whilst apostles shrunk, could danger brave; Last at the cross, and earliest at the grave.” But surely, if the dignity of our Lord of His message were likely to be imperiled by committing commiting this sacred trust to a woman, He who was guarded by legions of angels could have commanded another messenger; but, as if intent on doing her honour and rewarding her unwavering fidelity, He reveals Himself first to her; and, as an evidence that He had taken out of the way the curse under which she had so long groaned, nailing it to His cross, He makes her who had been first in the transgression, first also in the glorious knowledge of complete redemption.

“Acts i. 14, and ii. 1, 4. We are in the first of these passages expressly told that the women were assembled with the disciples on the day of Pentecost; and in the second, that the cloven tongues sat upon them each, and the Holy Ghost filled them all, and they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance. It is nothing to the point to argue that the gift of tongues was a miraculous gift, seeing that the Spirit was the primary bestowment. The tongues were only emblematical of the office which the Spirit was henceforth to sustain to His people. The Spirit was given alike to the female as to the male disciple, and this is cited by Peter (16, 18), as the peculiar speciality of the latter dispensation. What a remarkable device of the devil that he has so long succeeded in hiding this characteristic of the latter day glory! He knows, whether the Church does or not, how eminently detrimental to the interests of his kingdom have been the religious labours of woman; and while her Seed has mortally bruised his head, he ceases not to bruise her heel; but the time of her deliverance draweth nigh.”

“PHILIP THE EVANGLELIST HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS, VIRGINS, WHICH DID PROPHESY.” FROM EUSEBIUS, THE ANCIENT ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORIAN, WE LEARN THAT PHILIP’S DAUGHTERS LIVED TO A GOOD OLD AGE, ALWAYS ABOUNDING IN THE WORK OF THE LORD. “MIGHTY LUMINARIES,” HE WRITES, “ HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP IN ASIA. PHILIP, AND TWO OF HIS VIRGIN DAUGHTERS, SLEEP AT HIERAPOLIS; THE OTHER, AND THE BELOVED DISCIPLE, JOHN, REST AT EPHESUS.”

“And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow‐labourers” (Phil. iv. 3).

This is a recognition of female labourers, not concerning the gospel but in the gospel, whom Paul classes with Clement, and other his fellow‐labourers. Precisely the same terms are applied to Timotheus, whom Paul styles a “minister of God, and his fellow‐labourer in the gospel of Christ” (1 Thess. iii. 2).

Again, “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my helpers in Christ Jesus; who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but all the Churches of the Gentiles” (Rom. xvi. 3, 4).

The word rendered helpers means a FELLOW‐LABOURER, ASSOCIATE COADJUTOR,^[3] working together, an assistant, a joint labourer, a colleague.^[4] In the New Testament spoken only of a co‐worker, helper in a Christian work, that is of Christian teachers.^[5] How can these terms, with any show of consistency, be made to apply merely to the exercise of hospitality towards that apostle, or the duty of private visitation? To be a partner, coadjutor, or joint worker with a preacher of the gospel, must be something more than to be his waiting‐maid.

Again, “Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord” (Rom. xvi. 12). Dr. Clarke, on this verse, says, “Many have spent much useless labour in endeavouring to prove that these women did not preach. That there were prophetesses as well as prophets in the Church we learn, and that a woman might pray or prophesy provided that she had her head covered we know; and, according to St. Paul (1 Cor. xiv. 3), whoever prophesied spoke unto others to edification, exhortation, and comfort, and that no preacher can do more every person must acknowledge. Because, to edify exhort, and comfort, are the prime ends of the gospel ministry. If women thus prophesied, then women preached.”

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. iii. 28). If this passage does not teach that in the privileges, duties, and responsibilities of Christ’s kingdom, all differences of nation, caste, and sex are abolished, we should like to know what it does teach, and wherefore it was written (see also 1 Cor. vii. 22).

As we have before observed, the text, Corinthians xiv. 34, 35, is the only one in the while book of God which even by false translation can be made prohibitory of female speaking in the Church; how comes it then, that by this one isolated passage, which, according to our best Greek authorities,^[6] is wrongly rendered and wrongly applied, woman’s lips have been sealed for centuries, and the “testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy,” silenced, when bestowed on her? How is it that this solitary text has been allowed to stand unexamined and unexplained, nay, that learned commentators who have known its true meaning as perfectly as either Robinson, Bloomfield, Greenfield, Scott, Parkhurst, or Locke have upheld the delusion, and enforced it as a Divine precept binding on all female disciples through all time? Surely there must have been some unfaithfulness, “craftiness,” and “handling of the word of life deceitfully” somewhere. Surely the love of caste and unscriptural jealousy for a separated priesthood has had something to do with this anomaly. By this course divines and commentators have involved themselves in all sorts of inconsistencies and contradictions; and worse, they have nullified some of the most precious promises of God’s word. They have set the most explicit predictions of prophecy at variance with apostolic injunctions, and the most immediate and wonderful operations of the Holy Ghost in direct opposition “to positive, explicit, and universal rules.”

Notwithstanding however all this opposition to female ministry on the part of those deemed authorities in the Church, there have been some in all ages in whom the Holy Ghost has wrought so mightily, that at the sacrifice of reputation and all things most dear, they have been compelled to come out as witnesses for Jesus and ambassadors of His gospel. As a rule, these women have been amongst the most devoted and self‐denying of the Lord’s people, giving indisputable evidence by the purity and beauty of their lives that they were led by the Spirit of God. Now, if the word of God forbids female ministry, we would ask how it happens that so many of the most devoted handmaidens of the Lord have felt themselves constrained by the Holy Ghost to exercise it? Surely there must be some mistake somewhere, for the word and the Spirit cannot contradict each other. Either the word does not condemn women preaching, or these confessedly holy women have been deceived. Will any one venture to assert that such women as Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, Mrs. Fletcher of Madely, and Mrs. Smith have been deceived with respect to their call to deliver the gospel messages to their fellow‐creatures? If not, then God does call and qualify women to preach, and His word, rightly understood, cannot forbid what His Spirit enjoins. Further, it is a significant fact, which we commend to the consideration of all thoughtful Christians, that the public ministry of women has been eminently owned of God in the salvation of souls and the edification of His people. Paul refers to the fruits of his labours as evidence of his Divine commission (1 Cor. ix. 20). “If I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.” If this criterion be allowed to settle the question respecting woman’s call to preach, we have no fear as to the result. A few examples of the blessing which has attended the ministrations of females, may help to throw some light on this matter of a Divine call.

At a missionary meeting held at Columbia, March 26th, 1824, the name of Mrs. Smith, of the Cape of Good Hope, was brought before the meeting, when Sir Richard Otley, the chairman, said, “The name of Mrs. Smith has been justly celebrated by the religious world and in the colony of the Cape of Good Hope. I heard a talented missionary state, that wherever he went in that colony, at 600 or 1000 miles from the principal seat of government, among the natives of Africa, and wherever he saw persons converted to Christianity, the name of Mrs. Smith was hailed as the person from whom they received their religious impressions; and although no less than ten missionaries, all men of piety and industry, were stationed in that settlement, the exertions of Mrs. Smith alone were more efficacious, and had been attended with greater success than the labours of those missionaries combined.” The Rev. J. Campbell, missionary to Africa, says, “So extensive were the good effects of her pious exhortations, that on my first visit to the colony, wherever I met with persons of evangelical piety, I generally found that their first impressions of religion were ascribed to Mrs. Smith.”

Mrs. Mary Taft, the talented lady of the Rev. Dr. Taft, was another eminently successful labourer in the Lord’s vineyard. “If,” says Mrs. Palmer, “the criterion by which we may judge of a Divine call to proclaim salvation be by the proportion of fruit gathered, then to the commission Mrs. Taft is appended the Divine signature, to a degree pre‐eminently unmistakable. In reviewing her diary, we are constrained to believe that not one minister in five hundred could produce so many seals to their ministry. An eminent minister informed us that of those who had been brought to Christ through her labours, over two hundred entered the ministry. She seldom opened her mouth in public assemblies, either in prayer or speaking, but the Holy Spirit accompanied her words in such a wonderful manner, that sinners were convicted, and, as in apostolic times, were constrained to cry out, ‘What must we do to be saved?’ She laboured under the sanction and was hailed as a fellow‐helper in the gospel by the Revs. Messrs. Mather, Pawson, Hearnshaw, Blackborne, Marsden, Bramwell, Vasey, and many other equally distinguished ministers of her time.” The Rev. Mr. Pawson, when President of the Wesleyan Conference, writes as follows to a circuit where Mrs. Taft was stationed with her husband, where she met with some gainsayers:—‘It is well known that religion has been for some time at a very low ebb in Dover. I therefore could not help thinking that is was a kind providence that Mrs. Taft was stationed among you, and that, by the blessing of God, she might be the instrument of reviving the work of God among you. I seriously believe Mrs. Taft to be a deeply pious, prudent, modest woman. I believe the Lord hath owned and blessed her labours very much, and many, yea, very many souls have been brought to the saving knowledge of God by her preaching. Many have come to hear her out of curiosity, who would not have come to hear a man, and have been awakened and converted to God. I do assure you there is much fruit of her labours in many parts of our connection.”

Mrs. Fletcher, the wife of the sainted vicar of Madeley, was another of the daughters of the Lord on whom was poured the spirit of prophecy. This eminently devoted lady opened an orphan house, and devoted her time, her heart, and her fortune, to the work of the Lord. The Rev. Mr. Hodson, in referring to her public labours, says, “Mrs. Fletcher was not only luminous but truly eloquent—her discourses displayed much good sense, and were fraught with the riches of the gospel. She excelled in that poetry of an orator which can alone supply the place of all the rest—that eloquence which goes directly to the heart. She was the honoured instrument of doing much good; and the fruit of her labours is now manifest in the lives and tempers of numbers who will be her crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord.” The Rev. Henry Moore sums up a fine eulogium on her character and labours by saying, “May not every pious churchman say, Would to God all the Lord’s people were such prophets and prophetesses!”

Miss Elizabeth Hurrell travelled through many counties in England, preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ; and very many were, through her instrumentality, brought to a knowledge of the truth, not a few of whom were afterwards called to fill very honourable stations in the Church.

From the Methodist Conference, held at Manchester, 1787, Mr. Wesley wrote to Miss Sarah Mallett, whose labours, while very acceptable to the people, had been opposed by some of the preachers:—“We give the right hand of fellowship to Sarah Mallett, and have no objection to her being a preacher in our connection, so long as she preaches Methodist doctrine, and attends to our discipline.”

Such are a few examples of the success attending the public labours of females in the gospel. We might give many more, but our space only admits of a bare mention of Mrs. Wesley, Mrs. Rogers, Mrs. President Edwards, Mrs. Elizabeth Fry, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Gilbert, Miss Lawrence, Miss Newman, Miss Miller, Miss Tooth, and Miss Cutler, whose holy lives and zealous labours were owned of God in the conversion of thousands of souls, and the abundant edification of the Lord’s people.

Nor are the instances of the spirit of prophecy bestowed on women confined to by‐gone generations: the revival of this age, as well as of every other, has been marked by this endowment, and the labours of such pious and talented ladies as Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Finney, Mrs. Wightman, Miss Marsh,^[7] with numberless other Marys and Phebes, have contributed in no small degree to its extension and power.

We have endeavored in the foregoing pages to establish, what we sincerely believe, that woman has a right to teach. Here the whole question hinges. If she has the right, she has it independently of any man‐made restrictions which do not equally refer to the opposite sex. If she has the right, and possesses the necessary qualifications, we maintain that, where the law of expediency does not prevent, she is at liberty to exercise it without any further pretensions to inspiration than those put forth by that male sex. If, on the other hand, it can be proved upon her by the word of God, we cannot see who has authority to relax or make that she has not the right, but that imperative silence is imposed exceptions to the law.

If commentators had dealt with the Bible on other subjects as they have dealt with it on this, taking isolated passages, separated from their explanatory connections, and insisting on a literal interpretation of the words of our version, what errors and contradictions would have been forced upon the acceptance of the Church, and what terrible results would have accrued to the world. On this principle the Universalist will have all men unconditionally saved, because the Bible says, “Christ is the Saviour of all men,” etc. The Antinomian, according to this rule of interpretation, has most unquestionable foundation for his dead faith and hollow profession, seeing that St. Paul declares over and over again that men are “saved by faith and not by works.” The Unitarian, also, in support of his soul‐withering doctrine, triumphantly refers to numerous passages which, taken alone, teach only the humanity of Jesus. In short, “there is no end to the errors in faith and practice which have resulted from taking isolated passages, wrested from their proper connections, or the light thrown upon them by other Scriptures, and applying them to sustain a favourite theory.” Judging from the blessed results which have almost invariably followed the ministrations of women in the cause of Christ, we fear it will be found, in the great day of account, that a mistaken and unjustifiable application of the passage, “Let your women keep silence in the Churches,” has resulted in more loss to the Church, evil to the world, and dishonour to God, than any of the errors we have already referred to.

And feeling, as we have long felt, that this is a subject of vast importance to the interests of Christ’s kingdom and the glory of God, we would most earnestly commend its consideration to those who have influence in the Churches. We think it a matter worthy of their consideration whether God intended woman to bury her talents and influence as she now does? And whether the circumscribed sphere of woman’s religious labours may not have something to do with the comparative non‐success of the gospel in these latter days.

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A Prison Experience

2012-02-03T14:56:00+00:00

YWAM Ratchaburi has been ministering in the Ratchaburi prison for a little over a year. There is a Christian fellowship of around 100 men and

October DTS Western Province Team has Arrived in Balimo

2012-02-02T21:25:50+00:00

The team arrived safely in Balimo today and have just spent some time walking through the community where they will be staying and connecting with the locals.

They are so excited, and encouraged to see a strong community where the churches are all working together and have been anticipating the team’s arrival. The team received a nice welcome as the plane landed on the grass runway, and they are staying in a church that finished building an extra room for the girls to stay in just last night.

Joanne Chan

2012-02-01T12:51:08+00:00

A Seed With Many Fruit
In memory of Joanne Chan, who went home to be with the Lord aged 25

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24

For James and Sarah Chan, their struggle began on 19th September 2011, after receiving a troubling phone call from their daughter, Joanne. She was incoherent and obviously not herself. She was in Bangkok having just enrolled into the masters program in International Development Studies. Joanne’s desire was to work with the United Nations and was hoping for a work placement in Myanmar, a country she was passionate about since she was 16 and had already spent considerable time in on short-term mission trips and extended visits.

Joanne was admitted to hospital and began undergoing tests. She was diagnosed with a cyst in her womb that was producing antibodies that were attacking her brain, a condition called autoimmune encephalitis. There were multiple treatments and constant seizures and this caused the family to suffer deep pain and they feared for her life. The battle lasted 6 weeks.

On 25th October 2011, Joanne went home to be with the Lord. She was 25-years-old.
In a few short weeks, the lives in this family were forever altered. During the ordeal, James sent a message to the YWAM Singapore Community, asking them for prayer support:

“Sarah and I are holding on to God. Emotionally, we are still learning to cope. It has been specially difficult emotionally for me to see Joanne in her present plight. I cannot hold back my tears each time I look at her and thus I am unable to stay long in the room with her.”

How do you let go of your daughter? How can you believe that God is good and great when circumstances tell you otherwise?
These are the tough questions this family has had to face.
But in the midst of grief, the fruits of Joanne’s life are starting to be seen.
Joanne had so many friends, from all walks of life. She was known for her love and acceptance for those around her. She was fun, and brought so much life to those she came in contact with. And adventure was close to her heart. She was not afraid to take a risk and to step off the expected social ladder of success, preferring to walk the road less travelled. But above all this, God was at the very centre of who she was. He was the reason for her life and choices.
Financial gain was not her goal. Rather, she wanted to impact people’s lives for the better.
For the Chan family, their grieving has not ended. They are still struggling to accept the passing of their daughter. But in the midst of their great anguish and sorrow, they are clinging to God. He is the source of their strength and comfort during this time, even though they don’t have all the answers to their questions. They are grateful for the time they did have with Joanne.

Former YWAM Students Face Movie Making Challenge

2012-01-30T17:05:00+00:00

The Initiative is an apt name for the independent film company birthed from YWAM Brisbane’s School of Digital Filmmaking in Australia. After winning a parade of awards for one of their many short films, the young film company has decided to step out into something bigger: the challenge of a feature film. Their first full-length project, The Umbrella, aims to promote a message of reconciliation, redemption, and restoration.

The Umbrella was originally the brainchild of director, producer, and founder of The Initiative, Jason Solari. After years of development, writer and producer, Josh Potthoff, was brought alongside the project to breathe life into the writing and give flesh to the story. Both are passionate about their production, aiming to engage hearts and minds. “Film is the most influential medium of our day,” says Jason. “And it’s our goal to tell good stories.”

Coaching : On-The-Job Support for YWAM Leaders

2012-01-30T14:57:06+00:00

Are you a busy leader? Get leadership support without leaving your post! Wherever you go in YWAM, you'll find people who would love to receive some leadership training but who find it hard to get away from their ministry commitments. For busy leaders, it is hard to put aside responsibilities for a 2 or 3 month residential course. Some YWAM leaders have teamed up with Coaching Mission International to offer a great alternative: on-the-job training and support where students (a.k.a. leaders who are also learners) are linked to a coach for a whole year: no need to leave your ministry, and your work itself becomes an intentional growth opportunity! What could be better?

Episode #57

2012-01-28T13:45:10+00:00

Testimonies from an exciting media ministry, Create International. Learn about this cutting edge organization as they produce innovative new media and art tools to share the gospel with the worlds unreached peoples. For more information contact: Calvin and Carol Conkey, Create International, creategcrc@gmail.com http://www.createinternational.com/, http://www.global2020vision.com/If you would like to get some of these evangelistic films down-loadable for free go to: www.indigitech.net Surf to our homepage and check it out!Please remember to vote for our podcast at: , and Visit our Odeo ChannelSubscribe to this podcast:

February 9th St. News

2012-01-26T23:56:00+00:00

There are some exciting possibilities in the 9th St. News that we'll be handing out this month. Please pray for us as we gear up and partner with others to see good stuff happen on a forgotten street in our town. For more info, CLICK HERE.

school of worship in perth

2012-01-26T03:52:27+00:00

The School of Worship is shaping up well! Check out the latest news here: www.ywamperth.org.au/sow.

Chris

Oct DTS Outback Team is in Katherine in the Northern Territory

2012-01-23T01:18:11+00:00

The Outback team has been busy for the past three days working in an aboriginal community north of Katherine called Werebun. It’s a small isolated community with a few families and about 12 kids. For three days the team has been running a kids program learning and singing in Kriol (which is their native language), teaching them to read the Kriol bible, and playing tons of games which the kids LOVED! They managed to weather the intense heat and afternoon storms which bucketed rain, and went out there each day giving it their all and building great relationships with the people of Werebun.

The team with the kids at Werebun

Madison reading the Kriol Bible with Damien and Callum

By the third day they had built some really good relationships with the kids and it was a special thing to be able to sit down with some of them and read the bible in their language. Brad was sitting with one 13 year old named Junior. Junior was amazed that there was an entire bible in his language and got a real kick out of looking up the memory verse and story that the team and been sharing with them and reading out loud. ”I gotta get me one of these,” he said with a smile.

The entire Kriol Bible was the first complete indigenous Bible completed here in Australia by the Bible Society Australia and was only just published in 2007. They are currently working on a childrens Bible.

Two weeks, one student, five speakers, one infinite God...

2012-01-22T06:47:47+00:00

It's a small school, with just one student, but two weeks into the School of Frontier Media 2012, God has been giving us some excellent training and foundations for a call to media and missions!

Update from the October DTS Team in Bowen

2012-01-20T05:53:29+00:00

One of the October DTS Teams arrived in Bowen on Saturday and began sharing in church services on Sunday. The rest of their week has been spent at the local PCYC, helping to run programs and promoting the upcoming youth events. Check out this article to see what they have been doing!

New Zealand couples make an impact with Mission Builders

2012-01-17T10:00:20+00:00

In addition to full-time staff who work in missions, YWAM Harpenden welcomes Mission Builders, volunteers who devote from two weeks to three months working on the site in maintenance, catering, grounds and hospitality.

John Pauling

YWAM Harpenden’s campus in Hertfordshire, England is quite a large one, sitting on the former site of a National Children’s Home. Being situated on a historical site has its advantages — including lovely architecture and lots of room to accommodate staff and students — but it also requires a lot of work to maintain. The Harpenden campus is always grateful for the extra hand that Mission Builders lend.

Two couples from New Zealand, John and Lyn Pauling, and Bill and Mary Pettigrew, recently spent some time working as Missions Builders. For the Paulings, this was their second trip to help on campus.

“The first time we came here, it was because our daughter was here in London,” John said. “We were looking for ways to come back for a working holiday. We know Steve Sullivan, who works here, and he suggested looking into Mission builders.”

Lyn Pauling

“That started the ball rolling, and away we went,” Lyn said. “Our first time around was brilliant. We loved the situation, enjoyed the work. It really fits our skills.”

John, who is a former surveyor and vintage car restorer, worked in maintenance, and Lyn used her skills as a horticulturist to improve the grounds.

They enjoyed the work so much that this year the Paulings invited their friends Bill and Mary Pettigrew to come work with them.

“We were challenged by John and Lyn to come and work at Harpenden,” Mary said. “They recognised we had skills that would be useful and invited us to return with them this year. We were at a point in our lives where we believed God had something different for us to do so we decided it was the right time for us to come.”

Bill, a qualified Civil Engineer and master boat builder, helped in maintenance, while Mary, who has worked with the elderly and handicapped, gave her time to the Hospitality house which hosts missionaries and guests from around the world.

“When we were here last time, John felt there were some unfinished projects that he wanted to help complete,” Lyn said. “We wanted to bring more people back to help. We had some interest, but only Mary and Bill were able to come. We told them it would be a blessing to come here.”

The Paulings and Pettigrews would work for the majority of the week, but also spent time traveling in England and Europe. Bill and Mary even traveled to Sicily, where they spent some time working on s/y Next Wave, a YWAM ship that travels European waters sharing Jesus.

Mary Pettigrew

“It’s a great opportunity to see the opposite side of the world,” John said. “YWAM treats us well, allowing us time to travel in addition to our work. If you’re spending a lot of money to come all this way, you want to enjoy yourself too!”

Pete Kinahan, who is in charge of maintenance and grounds YWAM Harpenden, said that work the Paulings and Pettigrews have done is invaluable, both practically and spiritually.

“There’s no way we could afford to hire out the labor for all the work they have done. It’s remarkable,” he said. “Both couples have also led small groups in their church, so they helped disciple some of the younger Mission Builders.”

Mark Pratten, who heads up YWAM Harpenden’s Personnel department, commended the Paulings and Pettigrews for all the work they did in their time here.

“They have been a great example to all of us. The Pettigrews and Paulings, with their level of expertise, maturity and wisdom, were able to provide oversight for some of our younger, shorter term volunteers,” Mark said. “Since our community is largely younger, what they bring in the way of being spiritual grandparents is very special.”

The Paulings and Pettigrews feel that the blessing works both ways.

“The reward of coming to Harpenden is sharing your life with the incredible group of people that God has drawn here from all around the world,” Mary said.

“It’s a privilege to be part of their training and outreach and to encourage and train some of them in practical things as well. Being part of the YWAM family and hearing their life stories and the mission they feel called to do is a great blessing and encouragement.”

Bill Pettigrew

The Paulings said that thought they are not called to missions, they love using their skills to help those on the mission field. They encourage others who have the time to offer their help on the mission field through Mission Builders.

“Doing Mission Builders, whatever your age, is an amazing experience,” Lyn said. “If you can take some time out of your career, and you have a heart for missions, this is a wonderful way to serve.”

The Gathering – a day to reconnect with YWAM in Ireland

2012-01-16T11:44:28+00:00

28th April 2012 at YWAM Rostrevor

If you have served with YWAM anywhere in the world and are now living in Ireland this day is for you!

Join us at 10am for tea and coffee at YWAM Ireland’s newest Centre – An Cuan on the shores of Carlingford Lough in Rostrevor, Co. Down. Stay with us for a great day together which includes inspiring worship, good food, time to chat with old friends and to make new ones as well as a chance to tell your story.

The Gathering is free of charge to current / former YWAMers in Ireland plus their families but advance registration is essential. Child care will be provided during meetings.

Why not make a weekend of it – bed and breakfast is available at YWAM Rostrevor at the special rate of £10 person/night (under 12′s free of charge in their parents’ room) for the nights of Friday 27th and/or Saturday 28th. Places are limited; please reserve early (on the registration form below).

Questions? Call YWAM Rostrevor in Northern Ireland on 028 4173 8492 or email ywam.rostrevor (at) gmail.com

Click for online registration and please mark the date in your diary now! Deadline for registration: 18th April – we look forward to meeting you.

Directions to An Cuan will be sent to you on receipt of your registration.

The October DTS Outback Team is on the road!

2012-01-15T00:54:26+00:00

Ten people (representing 6 nations) in one van for 3 days… The Outback Team has left Townsville and will be driving west for the next 2 days before heading north for another day and arriving in the town of Katherine in the Northern Territory. After starting their day at 4am with much excitement, it was not long before the van became silent.

Praying for the Nations - the Kyrgyz Muslims

2012-01-13T09:33:08+00:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }@font-face { font-family: "Tahoma"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } In 2009, I had the opportunity to travel to one of the more remote places on the earth, as well as one of the harder to spell – Kyrgyzstan. What an experience! I was there leading the combined Create International / School of Frontier Media team that was producing an evangelistic film and a Video People Profile for the Kyrgyz Muslims.

Elders

2012-01-13T09:22:48+00:00

Decentralized Structure of YWAM

2012-01-13T09:19:16+00:00

Mariette Louw (Norway & France)

2012-01-12T17:32:51+00:00

Mariette Louw is South African by birth but has been living in Scotland long enough to become a British citizen. Before joining Youth With A Mission she was a teacher for 10 years, of which 6 were as a missionary in Zimbabwe. Throughout her more than 30 years in YWAM, Mariette has always been involved in training; this includes Discipleship Training Schools as well as Schools of Evangelism over many years.

She participated in the very first School of Intercessory Prayer and ran quite a few of those over many years. Mariette then became a part of the Leadership Training team with Stephe Mayers and Barry Austin, which has seen her travel over the past 13 years to several countries – including Uganda, Taiwan, Spain and New Zealand.

Mariette took an active part in the European Prayer Movement, made many prayer journeys, and during the 1980’s she started the first full-time Prayer Ministry in YWAM. She continues to teach in many YWAM schools on the subjects of “Walking & Living in the Spirit” and “Spiritual Warfare”. In leadership schools she teaches and mentors on the Life of the Spirit. In fact, she has mentored scores of people over many years in their prophetic and spiritual giftings.

Mariette has a deep understanding of the priesthood role of believers, and by her own experience and example loves to inspire the church to take up that role. Her passion is to see the Body of Christ truly walking in the power of the Spirit and able to discern the difference between the realms of the spirit and the soul. Her style of teaching is always explanation then immediate application. So come prepared to take action – it can be life-changing and it’s fun!

The Gathering – a day to reconnect with YWAM

2012-01-12T16:28:46+00:00

28th April 2012 at YWAM Rostrevor

If you have served with YWAM anywhere in the world and are now living in Ireland this day is for you!

The Gathering is free of charge to current / former YWAMers in Ireland plus their families but advance registration is essential. Child care will be provided during meetings.

Why not make a weekend of it – bed and breakfast is available at YWAM Rostrevor at the special rate of £10 person/night (under 12′s free of charge in their parents’ room) for the nights of Friday 27th and/or Saturday 28th. Places are limited, please reserve early (on the registration form below).

Questions? Call YWAM Rostrevor in Northern Ireland on 028 4173 8492 or email ywam.rostrevor (at) gmail.com

Online registration is open here and the deadline is April 18th. Please mark the date in your diary now – we look forward to meeting you.

Directions to An Cuan will be sent to you on receipt of your registration.

inTouch Camps offering former YWAMers a longer time to reconnect are organised by YWAM Associates Europe in France, Norway, Switzerland and Germany. More >>>

Kidnapping Leads to New Strategies to Prevent Human Trafficking

2012-01-11T04:49:00+00:00

How do you fight back against an evil that has many faces? How do you combat a problem that cannot be neatly defined? That is

Go4Glory festival + outreach.

2012-01-10T12:00:00+00:00

July 20-25th 2012 the Go4Glory international arts & sports festival will be held in Harpenden, England. This is a YWAM College of Arts & Sports event designed to celebrate, network and train individuals and teams for ongoing ministry.

I'm organizing the worship and prayer for this event and need SOW teams and YWAM worship ministry people to join me there. All these celebration areas need WORSHIP at the core or they can quickly drift into idolatry.

Come and join me there, bring your SOW outreach to celebrate and/or serve, then stay on for the Olympic outreach starting July 27th.

For more info go to the website: www.go4glory.org and contact me via the ywamworship.net website or at: cas@ywam.nl

We have an opportunity like no other this coming summer to reach the nations and exalt Jesus!

Looking forward to hear from you.

Blessings,

Belinda van de Loo

YWAM College of Arts & Sports

Networking Schools of Worship internationally

Full Life Development Christmas 2011

2012-01-10T03:24:00+00:00

A brick factory, orange orchards, a Buddhist village, a school full of minority children—these are places that don’t usually celebrate Christmas but did this year

£9,000 in 9 days?

2012-01-09T22:41:57+00:00

Happy New Year!

YWAM York is off to a great start to 2012 with the Wales Discipleship Training School due to arrive on Thursday for 2 weeks to do lots of local outreach, teaching on leadership and to paint the cafe in the Barnabas Centre.

The structural repairs and re roofing of the Barnabas Centre was completed just in time for Christmas. We saw Gods faithfulness as we raised a whopping £25,000 to pay off the first 80% of the work. However the final invoice for £9,000 has arrived and we need to see a miracle! The payment is due in just 9 days time and we are trusting God to be able to pay it off debt free. Please would you join with us in prayer and also consider making a donation.

Our bank details are as follows.
Sort: 600620 Acc: 31270239 please put Barnabas Centre in the info box.

If you are a British tax payer can also email info@ywamyork.com for a gift aid form too!
Thank you and God Bless you this New Year

Writers’ Workshop in An Cuan: May 2012

2012-01-09T11:23:45+00:00

You’re bursting with ideas, your story is captivating and you would like to put it in writing, but you are not sure of your talent as a writer…

This workshop can help you! Catch your reader’s attention – learn how to write so that you’ll be read!

Janice Rogers, our guest speaker, has been teaching principles of written expression for many years and is the author and co-author of numerous books. She’s coming to Europe in May and Rostrevor will be one of the venues for her Workshop.

Dates / Locations:

FRANCE: 17 – 19 May (Ascension) at YWAM Champagne (Le Gault la Forêt), east of Paris. Arrive Wednesday evening, depart Saturday night or Sunday Morning. In English & French. Cost €135 (Euros) includes housing, meals and training.

SWEDEN: 21 – 25 May at YWAM Restenäs, north of Gothenburg on the picturesque West Coast. In English & Swedish. Cost SEK (Swedish Crowns) 180 includes housing, meals and training.

NORTHERN IRELAND: 28 May – 1 June at YWAM Rostrevor, half way between Dublin and Belfast on Carlingford Lough. Arrive Sunday evening, depart Saturday morning. Cost £165 (British Pounds) includes housing, meals and training.

Janice Rogers and her husband Jim have been full-time missionaries with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) since 1966, ministering in 64 nations. Since 1974, Jim and Janice have produced literature, films and other media with the goal of involving more people in missions work. Janice led the first Authors Training School in YWAM in 1986. Since then she has trained hundreds of writers from more than 30 nations in writing schools and seminars. Her students have used their training to write countless books, magazine articles, film scripts, and material for websites. Since her training emphasizes universal principles of communication, many of her non-English speaking students have learned how to write in their own language.

Janice will teach such topics as…

* how to write a compelling story

* the writer as God’s servant

* identifying and addressing readers’ felt needs

* tightening your focus

* how to build your stories with dramatic scenes

Janice has written and edited a number of books, including five with her brother, Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With A Mission and University of the Nations. Their first book, Is that Really You, God? has more than 2 million copies in print in 105 languages. Their most recent collaboration is The Book That Transforms Nations: The Power of the Bible to Change Any Country. Janice and her husband Jim work with YWAM Woodcrest, a University of the Nations campus in East Texas dedicated to training missionary communicators. They have three grown sons, all involved in missionary work, plus seven grandchildren.

Some testimonies from previous workshop participants:

The Writers’ Workshop was a valuable experience for budding authors as well as ordinary participants interested in improving their basic communication skills for newsletters or brochures. Having Janice Rogers share from her depth of experience as a writer whose books have been published worldwide was a tremendous opportunity for our community. I highly recommend attending the Writers’ Workshop! Warren Keapproth, Director YWAM Madison, Wisconsin, USA.

*************

I highly recommend Janice Rogers’s teaching for anyone interested in honing their writing skills. Janice can help both seasoned writers and beginners alike. Janice helped me develop both my writing skills and my confidence to write. Peter J. Iliyn, North American Director, Youth With A Mission.

*************

Janice Rogers is an engaging and dedicated teacher. I found that her clear thinking and precise communication made it possible for me to grow very quickly in my understanding of the art of writing. Jim Stier, former International President of YWAM.

*************

My husband Geoff and I attended the YWAM writer’s school led by Janice Rogers in 1986. The techniques and insights we received there transformed us from readers to writers. We took what we learned and started writing. To date, we have written more than 160 books. Janet Benge, author.

*************

Places limited, be sure to book soon via our online registration form

Good Name Pledge

2012-01-04T14:22:25+00:00

A Rural Christmas

2011-12-30T12:47:00+00:00

60 women.10 village projects.1 BIG party.8 Kingdom decisions.5 healings. Now that’s Christmas! Oh, it was fun! Suphit Sompharn, leader of Rural Women’s Development in Aranyaprathet, situated on

Sharing Christmas

2011-12-30T12:32:00+00:00

Can you imagine meeting a child who had never heard of Christmas? Or if they had, they only vaguely knew that an old man with

Sweden SOW in March 1, 2012

2011-12-28T01:00:00+00:00

We strongly sense that lt's time for prophetic worshipers to rise up and lift up their voices of praise.

Our school focus will be on "Raising up Prophetic Worship leaders" for preparing the way of King Jesus!

There will be an emphasis on Prophetic worship, Intercessory worship, Multicultural worship, Creative worship and Healing worship.

If you have a passion for these things and long to see God move through you in worship, then we would love to have you in our school!

Welcome to the SOW in Sweden!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:27:58+00:00

Happy Christmas! 2011 has been a challenging but exciting year for me and my team in Youth With A Mission York. Here are some of the highlights.

Discipleship Training School – It was great to have four girls from the USA come on our 10 month training course. They not only received some great teaching and training but made an impact through a variety of outreaches in the city of York, Romania and South Africa for God.

The Barnabas Centre – You will be pleased to hear that on the 7^th September we became the proud owners of the Barnabas Centre. It will be used to meet the practical and spiritual needs of the local area as well as to provide us with much needed office space and a training centre. The structural repairs and re roofing will be completed by Christmas and last month we received a donation that covers 80% of the cost of the building work. It was an amazing answer to prayer and a huge relief! We are now working to raise the further £75,000 to pay off the loan and the renovations and refurbishments. We look forward to opening in February 2012 and I hope you can come and visit.

Romania – This summer I had the privilege of leading a team of 16 young people to Medias, Romania for two weeks. We worked alongside the YWAM team there running a children’s program for the gypsy community, visiting an orphanage, speaking and leading worship at churches and youth groups. We also hosted a cultural evening for the YWAM team and were able to practically help them with gardening and preparing the base for a children’s camp. It was wonderful to see the way the young people on the trip grew in their faith, captured Gods love for the nations and had their world view challenged and changed.

Street Angels York - As we approach the end of 2011 it is amazing to look back at all God has done for and through Street Angels York. October saw our two year anniversary and it is amazing to think that in two years we have had over 70 committed volunteers going out in to the city nearly every weekend, we have handed out over 300 pairs of flip-flops, hundreds of bottles of water and helped many, many people. In June we started the first of our monthly prayer times for Street Angels, it has been wonderful to have the opportunity to come together to pray for the city and for one another. It has been especially good to go out for drinks afterwards and to have the opportunity to reconnect with people from our training courses and with new volunteers.

We are so thankful for all God has done this year and are excited to see how God will continue to use us to show his love to people in York and the nations in 2012.

From all of us at YWAM York Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Serving to Love

2011-12-24T04:34:00+00:00

Housewives, students, businessmen, directors of giant organizations, children… they all came to a barren patch of cement in the middle of Ram 2 University on

Celebrating Christmas Around the World with YWAM!

2011-12-22T14:08:00+00:00

Youth With A Mission teams scattered around the globe have found several unique ways to celebrate Christmas in the communities where they live. For these teams, this season of giving is a particular opportunity to express God's love; the way He stepped into our reality to bring hope and the promise of redemption.

Christmas is a special time of year when we bring to mind that the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus, came to be one of us; that the Son of God came to be, to dwell, to remain with us.

Vidcast #38 - The 20/20 Vision Campaign

2011-12-20T04:37:07+00:00

The 20/20 Vision is arguably one of the most exciting new initiatives involving media and mission today. The goal of the 20/20 Vision is "To produce and distribute an indigenous evangelistic audio-visual tool for every one of the Least Evangelized Mega Peoples by the year 2020, so that all can clearly see and understand the gospel message and embrace it as their own". For more information contact: Calvin and Carol Conkey, Create International, creategcrc@gmail.com http://www.createinternational.com/, http://www.global2020vision.com/If you would like to get some of these evangelistic films down-loadable for free go to: www.indigitech.net Surf to our homepage and check it out!Please remember to vote for our podcast at: , and Visit our Odeo ChannelSubscribe to this podcast:

“On The Go” Concert in Chiang Mai

2011-12-19T06:58:00+00:00

The night was the return of “An Honest Mistake” from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and there was much excitement building up for “On The Go” concert.

Next S O W in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

2011-12-19T06:23:02+00:00

Photography Speaker on SFM 2012

2011-12-15T07:32:07+00:00

The SFM Perth is excited to have Dennis Fahringer speaking on Photography in 2012. Dennis has over 45 years of experience in photography. He is passionate about seeing people grow in their skills, and has channelled that passion into leading the Schools of Photography 1 & 2 at the Youth With A Mission base in Kona. There, Dennis has taught, influenced, and encouraged many hundreds of students in their skills in photography.

Setting Sail

2011-12-14T12:35:26+00:00

Setting Sail in Europe, but we need your help!

The Next Wave is a sea-going sail training ketch owned by Youth With A Mission (YWAM). The vessel serves YWAM in its efforts to raise up, train and disciple the next ‘wave’ of missionaries. This is achieved by equipping and releasing young people, and the young at heart, to work in many different types of community and missions projects around the world.

The Next Wave offers adventure, personal growth and a place to encounter God.

During each year the Next Wave hosts the lecture phase of a YWAM Discipleship Training School, short-term mission’s trips, as well as being the floating base for several months of YWAM community work.

We need new sails!

Over the last two years the Next Wave has been sailing in the Mediterranean. It was an amazing time! But all the sailing has left our sails worn out and damaged. This slows us down and increases fuel costs. With your help, we want to completely replace all five of the sails and make our operation more financially and environmentally sustainable.

How to help….

Over the winter we want to raise £ 30,000 * to buy the new set of sails. You can help us by sponsoring the Captain who is running the Liverbird Marathon in Liverpool on the 31^st of December this year.

To get to know how to donate for new sails, click here, or use our PayPal page.

God bless you,

Herman Barkmeijer

Captain Next Wave

s/y Next Wave is owned by Youth With A Mission

UK charity registration no. 264078

Charity address: Highfield Oval, Harpenden Hertfordshire, AL5 4BX Tel: 01582 463300

* all donations that will be raised as a surplus of £ 30.000 will be used for running costs.

The Good Name Pledge

2011-12-14T09:56:56+00:00

YWAM's Global Leadership Forum as well as all operating location leadership teams will be using the Good Name Pledge as an orientation and regular teaching opportunity. Interactive dialogue and discussion should take place at least once a year on best practices, highlighting the values of YWAM openness, honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability.

A Burmese Christmas in Ratchaburi

2011-12-14T03:35:00+00:00

What does Christmas look like to the poor? How about the displaced? And in a town that barely celebrates Christmas other than with a few

YWAM Global Leaders Commission Ship Ministry

2011-12-12T13:32:00+00:00

One evening, the YWAM leaders gathered for the 2011 Global Leadership Forum watched pictures of Al Akimoff, leader of YWAM Slavic Ministries, on a trip into Kamchatka, Russia. They watched Al in a thick Russian hat crusted with snow after a snowmobile ride to unreached peoples. They saw pictures of smiling men and women dressed in bright red, white and blue outfits from their tribal background. They heard that now some of the first individuals from these tribes have come to faith. In one area, pastors and church leaders trained in YWAM Discipleship Training Schools have started a church of 1,000. One of the tools to reach out to these tribes is a boat that navigates the rivers when they are not covered in ice. This boat is so new to YWAM it doesn’t even have a name yet. It sleeps seven. The crew pays their way partly by fishing as they travel.

YWAM Global Leaders Commission Ship Ministry

2011-12-12T12:29:28+00:00

Michael W. Smith in Toowoomba

2011-12-12T05:57:30+00:00

Michael W. Smith will be coming to Toowoomba next year for Easterfest. We hope that Darlene Zschech (Hillsong) and Michael will be speaking at the Noise Conference to young aspiring musicians with a heart for music ministry – we could learn so much from them. We’ll just have to wait until the Noise schedule get’s released early next year.

"And for our FINAL headline artist for Easterfest 2012, after trying to book him for five years we are excited to announce… In Australia for only the second time in 20 years, one of the world’s most popular Christian artists, with over 15 million record sales worldwide, triple Grammy Award winning artist Michael W. Smith will grace our stage next Easter." – easterfest.com

For more information, please visit:

www.ywammusic.com/easterfest

The Flood Cleanup

2011-12-12T05:10:00+00:00

YWAM Emergency Response Teams have been going out almost every day for the past few weeks to help families cleanup their houses and neighborhoods after

New N2N Promo (from South Africa)

2011-12-11T19:32:32+00:00

Peter Hinge

2011-12-10T20:37:39+00:00

Peter died after 5 year of courageous battle against cancer. He was the King’s Kids Leader for Eastern and Central Europe. Peter you are greatly missed!

Peter was born in Copenhagen, Denmark in June 29, 1968. He lived a life of adventure, traveling to over 70 countries. His passion was to know God more and to make Him known around the world. He adored his family, never sacrificing his family for ministry. His greatest joy was watching his daughters live a life of passion for God an all He has for them. Peter was an amazing example of perseverance in the midst of immense pain and heartache. He was a man who loved people and desired to create a platform for others to walk out their destiny with God. He will be missed.

Our beloved Peter, we continually remember, before our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Thessalonians 1:3

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18

Peter Rolf Hinge
June 29, 1968 – November 21, 2011

National Day of Prayer

2011-12-09T15:08:00+00:00

On December 4th, thousands of Christians gathered together at Sanam Luang for the National Day of Prayer. The Thai Church was invited to have the

Exploring new Web Design Systems

2011-12-09T14:53:06+00:00

Web development was this weeks topic with Uli Braun. Uli introduced to the students a content management system (CMS) called Contao. Up until now the trainees have worked with wordpress for all thier projects as it is the CMS which is taught from the start of the school. But we would like the guys to learn or at lease know know to use another CMS.

The first 2 days was rather difficult as they trainees had to get use to the new layout and functions of Contao, but as the week progressed they slowly started to pick it up. Today they are finishing off a website which they used as practice. As staff we can see that they have understood it to the point where they will be able to work with it if needed in the future.

Sprites and Vids

2011-12-09T14:50:06+00:00

Monday kicked off with our trainees learning about editing in Final Cut. With the help of our speaker, Noel, they were able to edit their footage. Once they’ve were done with their videos they put them up on Youtube. On Wednesday morning we took some time in prayer and worship to look at the reason why we are all here - to learn, serve and glorify God.

On Thursday morning Daniel started teaching on sprite menus for websites. It pretty simple tool once it’s understood, but it’s involves a lot of explaining. The trainees seemed to have some trouble with it at first, but were determined to get it, and we can see that they are in the process of understanding it better. Today (Friday) the guys are also reviewing HTML and CSS.

We are almost into the third last week of the school! There is still so much to be done, but we are enjoying every minute of it. God is good!!:)

YWAM’s Global Leaders Pray for Africa

2011-12-08T20:48:00+00:00

In the middle of the second day of YWAM’s 2011 Global Leadership Forum, Kobus Van Neikerk, the coordinator of YWAM’s Africa leadership team, told a story about his wife, Rika. Kobus and Rika have been laboring for decades to serve YWAM’s staff all over the African continent. They have driven over rough roads to visit teams in remote parts of Angola, have gone into conflict areas in spite of warnings, and have comforted families in Nigeria in the aftermath of a tragic accident. Now Rika had developed vascular issues with her heart, and had not recovered her normal energy after surgery. As she was recuperating, Kobus said Rika had received a call in their Pretoria, South Africa home. A YWAMer in an African country wanted help with a difficult situation. As she tried to respond to this request, Rika’s strength gave way, and she fainted.

YWAM’s Global Leaders Pray for Africa

2011-12-08T19:56:57+00:00

Be A Better Missions Blogger

2011-12-07T11:22:54+00:00

Guidelines for Creating a Press Statement for YWAM Centres

2011-12-07T11:21:36+00:00

Guidelines for Media Relations

2011-12-07T11:19:33+00:00

Guiding Principles for Planting Churches

2011-12-07T11:15:57+00:00

YWAM Global Leadership Forum Begins with Home Building

2011-12-07T08:28:00+00:00

The first full day of YWAM’s 2011 Global Leadership Forum gathering began with the sound of power saws and hammers. Regional leaders and international coordinators were carrying sheets of plywood and dipping brushes into containers of paint. The 47 attendees, who had come from countries as far away as Zambia, South Korea and India, had dedicated their first day to building three homes for the poor in Tijuana, Mexico.

YWAM Global Leadership Forum Begins with Home Building

2011-12-07T07:36:02+00:00

S/Y NEXT WAVE – NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER 2011

2011-12-06T14:58:39+00:00

If you want to read our November newsletter, please click here!

Restore What Was Lost: The Cleanup Effort After The Flood

2011-12-06T13:51:00+00:00

Close your eyes and picture your living room. Now picture your living room filled with a meter of water - but not just any water,

Praying for the Nations - The Persians

2011-12-06T00:19:41+00:00

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Arial"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; } Departing staff member Nathan reflects upon his experiences with Create: As I reflect back on the last 8 years in YWAM I have to say my School of Frontier Media trip to Turkey in 2007 was one of the most memorable experiences. There are many reasons for this: the team dynamic we had made it so much fun and I got to learn a lot about documentary film making. But the special thing about that project was learning more about the goodness of God from a family of Iranian believers that were in the midst of seeking refuge in Turkey.

Forever! launches Olympic Prayer Event

2011-12-02T14:07:00+00:00

“2012 is a crucial year for the UK,” says Yan Nicholls, team leader of ‘Forever” - the Olympic outreach coordination team for Youth With A Mission.

“We have such a God-given opportunity to see people’s lives changed – both the lives of people from the nations visiting these shores for the Olympics, and also the lives of UK residents. One of the aims of the Olympic outreach has always been to bless communities in the UK, to see positive change. That blessing will come as we do what God asks us to do with regards to outreach. But it starts by us seeking God for His plan for this nation during this time.”

To enable this change, the Forever team has launched “Brick by Brick” - an online prayer calendar that enables you to pray for the United Kingdom throughout 2012.