My YWAM Story - Part 2

Thank you for joining us for Part Two of my YWAM story.

If you have not yet read My Story - Part One - “Circling the Bait”  * see MY YWAM STORY (1),  I would invite you to do so, as this chapter continues on from that account and will refer to aspects of that previous blog.    See you when you get back…

CHAPTER TWO - “IN BED WITH THE PHILISTINES”                            

The Philistines would not allow any Israelites to learn how to make iron tools. “If we allowed that,” they said, “those worthless Israelites would make swords and spears.” Whenever the Israelites wanted to get an iron point on a cattle-prod, they had to go to the Philistines. Even if they wanted to sharpen plow-blades, picks, axes, sickles and pitch-forks, they still had to go to them. And the Philistines charged high prices. So, whenever the Israelite soldiers had to go into battle, none of them had a sword or a spear except Saul and his son Jonathan.  1 Samuel 13:19-22 (CEV)

THIRD DTS - October 1998…

As we had family nearby, we chose the same YWAM Base where I had done my DTS (and staffed another), so returning to YWAM was like returning home. As a married couple without children, it was an okay place to be, there was enough ‘alone time’ mixed with ‘hanging out with the singles time’. Initially we were to both be students on this DTS, but it was soon evident that this DTS was off to a poor start.

The DTS before commencement, did not have a Leader (leader was held up overseas, unable to get a visa to enter country), it had two female staff (another female staffer yet to join, still overseas) and one male staff member. Having staffed a DTS on a previous occasion, I was asked to make up the numbers, so on day one, the DTS launched with a ’stand-in leader’, three female staff, two male staff and 26 students. The ’stand-in leader’ stood in for the actual leader for all but one week of the ‘lecture phase’ of the DTS.

On this DTS, history would show that one ’student’ would go onto an ‘instramental’ role in facilitating the ‘accreditation’ of YWAM Schools with the government. Also, two other ’students’ would survive their DTS to make long term commitments, and move up into leadership positions within YWAM, and continue with YWAM to this day.

There was a lack of ’stability’ on this DTS and was prone to ‘unprecedented’ interference, particularly by the National leadership, who were home based at this particular YWAM centre.

The adjoining property to the YWAM Base had come up for ‘auction’ and the National Leadership was determined to secure this addition as ‘part of YWAMs inheritance’ with little regard to the true ‘cost’.

In order to come up with a holding deposit to purchase the property, the DTS students were asked to for-go part of there lecture hours, in order to ‘work for the base’. The opportunity of some Factory work where the Base would get paid directly (no income for the worker) presented itself.

Half the students and a number of staff volunteered to ‘work’, while those that stayed on the Base were required to pick up the slack and do their own ‘work duties’ around the Base, AND do the work duties of those who were now spending every afternoon of the week, in a dusty factory.

The financial pressure continued to mount, and daily ‘meetings’ trying to convince the ‘other students’ to join the already committed factory workers, became more and more intense. Weekend work ’stock taking’ was also added to the mix, as did the manipulation. Lecture hours also became shorter and shorter to accommodate the extra work opportunities.

A large percentage of the students, had already ‘at great cost’ to themselves contributed to the finances of the Base. Air Tickets from their home to (withheld), plus their DTS lecture fees (current rate $3,500.00+) and their Outreach fees (additional $3,500.00+) as well as ‘working’ for no personal financial gain, took it’s toll.

For some students, it was very possibly illegal to be ‘working’ in (withheld) on the visa that admitted them to the country, but this was ‘overlooked’ in the quest to be conquerors of the land.

MORE SCHOOLS Equal MORE MONEY…

As Christmas 1998 approached the students were eagerly anticipating their ‘outreaches’, one team to Thailand and India, another team to Africa, and another team locally.   But…

All of a sudden, a MEGA - S.O.E. (School of Evangelism) was announced commencing January 1999. The DTS students were encouraged to do an S.O.E. instead of their outreach. The S.O.E. outreach would count toward the ‘missed outreach’ of their DTS. *The Leadership were hoping for an S.O.E. of over 100 students.

The base was ill-equipped for so many extra people so major expenditure on furnishings such as bunks, desks, chairs, dining tables, etc. saw hard earned dollars leave the base as soon as the factory workers brought it in.

About 10 Students and Staff of the DTS chose the S.O.E. option, causing quite a bit of upheaval and reconfiguring to the teams preparing for outreach.  New Staff had to be found to lead the teams!

The outreaches went particularly well, probably more so than usual, as being away from the base was a significant break from all the changes, coercion and pressures that we encountered daily at the base.

POST DTS…

Upon returning from Outreach, we squeezed into the ’stretching at the seams’ Base and attended report back week. During this week, we were approached by the Director of the Base (who up until this time, had little to no time actually ‘directing’ the base, as his role as National Leader took priority) to pray about staying with YWAM and take up the role of Base Manager, which would become vacant shortly, due to the relocation of the current Base Leader / Manager, to another base.

We were surprised yet quite honoured to have been considered for such an important and influential role, as our association with the Director went as far back to my DTS and to our wedding, we were feeling very positive. My wife and I requested time to ‘think it over’ and indicated that we would respond after a brief holiday and catch up with family.

WHAT WE DID NOT KNOW…

We returned after an absence of a month, and responded in the affirmative to taking on the role of Base Manager. The outgoing Base Leader, moved away quickly with very little hand-over or explanation as to how, when, what or why things worked the way they did. *The role of Base Leader was vacant.

On top of this, any administration that had been done, had not been done in a long time. For example, there were several thousand unanswered emails waiting in the ‘in-box’ and countless pieces of un-finished business that needed to be sorted out.

What we did not know, was that upon taking on the role of Base Manager (in this situation) was that the Director had now ‘taken charge’ (although remotely- he did not live or work on the YWAM base). Be it naivety on our part, lack of ‘real’ communication, between we the Base Managers and the Director, aside from the early conversation (offering the role, accepting the role), we never spoke more than a few words between us again.

My role became / was to simply do the work of a Base Manager (and Base Leader) , without the actual title, nor the ‘official ceremony’ announcing that we were now the Base Mangers / Leaders. 

For some time, I struggled along trying to do the best job possible, biting into whatever presented itself without actually, having any teeth.

It should be noted that, there were a number of people that worked with us, that ‘knew’ what was going on and were very supportive, and were a constant source of encouragement and strength. It is through their efforts and love that kept us going for as long as we did.

Meanwhile………………

TWO BAD CHOICES…

YWAM (withheld), was determined to have their various schools (nationwide) ’accredited’ with the government, starting with the foundational school, the DTS.

They had the services of a semi-retired Doctor of Education, who would serve YWAM by writing the curriculum and sourcing all the necessary documents to have any school with YWAM nationally recognised, by the government.   *Once this had been achieved and services no longer required, this self-sacrificial person was ‘whammed’ - where she is now, no one knows.

My initial feelings about why YWAM should not go this course, have played out time and time again since. To turn a DTS or any other YWAM school into a school that must meet certain criteria, would remove the ‘just let God do his thing’ from a DTS, which was its beauty.

An accredited school, did mean that a person wishing to do a DTS would easily obtain a ’student visa’ it would also mean, that any local students would be entitled to government financial assistance, but it also meant that, corners would be cut and untruths to achieve the end, would become par for the course.

This is where, taking this route has led YWAM.

Today, there are DTS’s that are staffed by non-accredited Leaders and Staff members. (Good hearted, well meaning, lovely people who love God and love others)

Today, there are DTS’s that are staffed by persons that have the accreditation to be a staff member, but do not have the inclination or the desire to serve / walk beside the ’students’ on the DTS. To staff a DTS for them, is another ‘tick in the box’ on their own personal YWAM journey.

No one can say, they were not warned…

In other words - one could call this first bad choice, simply - “pulling back the sheets”

BAD CHOICE NUMBER TWO…

YWAM had successfully, bid at Auction for the adjoining property and were now faced with a multi-million dollar price that had to be paid on settlement day.

A lot of prayer, a lot of ‘on your face’ confession and appeals were sent upward. Unfortunately, the date to pay up was getting closer and closer. Pressure was on… then out of the blue… a possible answer to those prayers…

or Not?

Despite, several persons on the Base ‘Eldership’ having ‘checks in their Spirit’ the choice was made to accept an offer from a Church denomination, to lend YWAM the money they needed in return for ‘office space’ and ‘weekend use’ of the YWAM Base for all their church activities.

One would think that this was a wonderful outcome to a problem that YWAM faced and the two parties were helping each other out and all in all God would still be the victor.

Not so, from early on there was major contention between both parties, with a very laid back YWAM and a stiff upper collar type church bound to clash heads. Boundaries were crossed, expectations unmet on both sides, even unfortunate language about the other - from both sides, and a real them and us atmosphere pervading the centre.

This arrangement was supposed to last for ONLY two years, until YWAM could pay back the money.

Today, YWAM (withheld) is still in debt to that church, today YWAM (withheld) is still in bed with the Philistines.

Interestingly enough, there are only four people left in YWAM (at the Base), and globally no more than half a dozen remain serving in YWAM, that were on the Base when this choice was made to accept this loan.

* Many of those that were YWAMers at the time, would now be listed amongst the ‘whammed’ and continue to this day, to be angry, frustrated, bitter, wounded, etc. from their YWAM experience.

MEANWHILE BACK IN THE ADMIN OFFICE…

 On Friday the 30th July 1999, the following edition of the weekly base newspaper was published.

The Week Ahead - Special Supplement

Edition 13 - Friday 30th July 1999

This edition of The Week Ahead is unlike any other in that it will not cover any of the usual information on upcoming events, or newsworthy stories. As mentioned last week, I felt that it was time to communicate just what is the driving force behind the changes or restructuring you may have noticed around the place. In actual fact they are not changes at all, just a return to some foundational principles and the adoption of biblical principles sometimes overlooked in our passion to serve the Lord.

A working title for this document could have been:  “We can’t all be necks, some of us need to be toes!” OR… “who’s show is it anyway?”

So please join me as I take you back along the path that has brought you and I together at this particular point in time. My prayer is that there is nothing lost in the interpretation but that each word would speak to your heart as if it were spoken from the very mouth of God.

First, a Little Background…

Earlier this year (name withheld) and I were asked to consider taking up the mantle of Base Manager / Administrator here at YWAM (withheld). An invitation that we were somewhat reluctant to accept as throughout the proceeding months of the October 98 DTS, we were determined we could never live in a place that to our minds, by all outward appearances had been forsaken.

Forsaken by whom? Is the Question!

That determination was overshadowed by a number of significant and profound impressions that I felt God was showing me and reminding me of and that the bottom line being, that it wasn’t God who had forsaken the base, it was us (YWAMers) that had.

Although administration is an ability I have, it is fairly low on the scale of my gifting, so to take up this challenge, I felt a bit like Moses when he was called to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt into the Promised land, incapable! And why me? … “O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” - Exodus 4:10.

What? Where? How? When?

Although my personal desires are far removed from ‘working in Admin’. I believe that God has shown me some keys and has given me the ability to turn those keys in the right slots.

There are three distinct visions / dreams that more than persuade me to get on with the job, for this time and place.

* Mumbai, India January 1997 - Vision of a man dressed in a suit walking out of the crashing waves, yet remaining completely dry and not dishevelled.

* Earlier this year - Two Dreams, differing in content but complementary in their message. One. There was a gift-wrapped box, that contained a large toy cement truck, but when one picked up the box, one could hear a rattle (something broken inside). Before presenting the gift, one has a choice of investigating why it is rattling OR giving it to the intended recipient as it is.  Another choice to make would be to investigate, (the Mixing Cylinder is completely broken) put the truck back into the box and forget about it OR do something about fixing the problem. (Replace the broken part OR replace the truck), then present it.

Two. A lot of people racing along on ‘in-line skates’, covering a whole range of surfaces and terrain. A group of these people are ill equipped because they are rolling through muddy ground and the in-line skates they are using are attached to there feet by means of rubber straps (thongs) rather than a proper boot.

My interpretation of these three messages is that it is a time to raise the standard. That there is something wrong and that we can solve it, IF… we choose to and to pay proper attention to the details as we pursue the greater vision.

Let’s Pause for a Moment…

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth… let the land produce vegetation… let there be light… oops (God thinks) “light needs to be in place before trees will grow! Oh, well, it won’t matter, no one will notice”…

A handsome young man learns of an awesome job opportunity, that involves just the right amount of travel, a lot of great associates to work with, lifelong friendships and relationships, lots of recreation time, which would enable him to pursue his love of fishing.

BUT… he has to bide his time, he is the eldest, his dad has passed away, he has to run the family business. Oh, how ripped off he must feel, doing those chores around the house, the dishes, emptying the garbage bins. Doesn’t anyone realise that he is supposed to be the “all time worlds greatest evangelist”  but he’s stuck doing dinner prep!

One of the core aspects of Youth With a Mission is the Discipleship Training School (DTS).    If I am not mistaken the word Disciple and Discipline come from the same root word.

We are not talking bondage here; we are talking - integrity, wholeness, soundness, uprightness and honesty.

In your opinion, would you think that it took God and then Jesus a certain amount of ‘discipline’ TO BE who they are and TO DO all they have done and do?

With This in Mind…

Leading up to accepting the call to work in this area, God spoke to me through a passage in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 4. The story of Moses numbering and setting aside individuals to “carry responsibility for making sure the basics were taken care of” so the rest of the Israelites could get on with “what God had called them to do”.

Look it up (note that he counts quite a number), ask the Holy Spirit what he is saying!

Jesus is the head… the ability for a person to walk properly is greatly dependent on whether or not they have a big toe / toes.     Are we having difficulty walking?

How Are We Looking?…

There are times that as I escort contractors or visitors around the Base, I am embarrassed and deeply saddened at how poorly we look after what god has blessed us with. Often the thought crosses my mind, “I wonder if this ugliness, this lack of valuing, this attitude, will it be a factor that is detrimental to that person coming into a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ?”

I wonder if this could happen, that the ‘only light a person ever sees’, cannot be seen clearly because all he or she notices is the overflowing garbage bin or the dirty kitchen sink. Would’nt this be a terrible testimony to have?

Recruiting Drive…

Let’s do something about it!  We need your help!

We all have different perspectives and so we should, it is healthy!  BUT - Raising the Standard is something we should CONTINUALLY do in our own lives, and in our circles of influence. What did Jesus do?

My Personal Vision as Base Manager is…

“To create a healthy, duplicable working environment that has a emphasis on Relationships, Order, and Efficiency and to Shepherd, Mentor and Equip individuals in an atmosphere of Love, Service and Openness”.

My entire focus while here at (withheld) has this vision as it’s driving force. The fear of not doing what God has said is greater than possibly putting the noses out of joint of the John Smifffs or Jill Smifffs. Although, as it was with Moses, I find the spoken delivery of these things, is for me the greatest of all the challenges.

From a Big Toe…

From a big toe that would rather be somewhere else but stuck in a smelly old shoe…

I have spent a lot of time preparing this paper, not because I wish to promote myself as anything special, but because I think God is special. And I believe 110% that he loves us too much for us to be second best and to live a life that is second best.

I also recognise that this document will only be read by a few, alas… such is life!

I would like to thank all those people who have spoken words of encouragement to me, you have been a blessing. It is your words, your prayers, your support that have held up my arms as they begin to tire.

AMEN

The above edition was published at the end of July 1999. In hindsight, the opinions expressed would have been quite controversial in a YWAM setting, as it called for ‘action’ rather than the usual ‘laid back style’ that YWAM is more accustomed to.

Side Note:  In July 2006 (Seven Years Later) we returned to YWAM, and the things that I was attempting to address and create in the above document, remained untouched. The YWAM property was in a state of disrepair, barely a soul to be found anywhere.  If ‘tumbleweeds’ were a local vegetation… you would have found them at (withheld).

BLINDSIDED…

Between July and November 1999, my wife and I continued to ’soldier on’. We were doing okay doing what we were doing. Allow me to repeat at this point…

My role became / was to simply do the work of a Base Manager (and Base Leader) , without the actual title, nor the ‘official ceremony’ announcing that we were now the Base Mangers / Leaders. 

For some time, I struggled along trying to do the best job possible, biting into whatever presented itself without actually, having any teeth.

One evening (late November) during a Base ‘Open Meeting’ (Members of Public, Family & Friends are welcome) it was ‘announced’ by the Director, that he had selected a ‘new’ base manager / leader. This was kind of exciting, as finally we were to be ‘announced’.   But…

It wasn’t to be! 

The news of his ‘appointee’ and apparent disregard for any effort we had made ‘ripped out’ our heart. The weeks that followed are now ‘merely a blur’, but our exit from YWAM was completed by Christmas 1999.

WHAT NEXT?

My YWAM Story - Part Three - “A Mare’s Nest”

coming soon…

In the mean time, if you haven’t yet read the blog; “YWAM Foundational Values - Three Notable Exceptions” please do so.