...::: Power To Stand --- YWAM Concerns :::...

We rejoice that many people, old and young, are hitting the countries of the world for all-out mission ministry. We rejoice that the gospel is being preached in many parts of the world that have been unreached before. We rejoice to be a part of the work here in India, both equipping the church as well as trying to evangelize the lost in Mumbai. As critical as I seem of YWAM, I also rejoice over what God has done in the lives of many through their mission adventures in the past. However, caution must be taken in this rapidly expanding global missions force and certain aspects of these huge mission agencies are dangerous.

Many of you may be asking, “Why the YWAM slam?” Well, we answer that question with two points that we ask you to prayerfully consider and understand:

2)These articles are what they are – deep concerns about where this movement has been and where it’s heading.

It must be noted that we have nothing but deep concern in our hearts for the many young people who are in this group, but we also feel strongly that the leadership and voices of this movement need to start taking some stands and refraining from their affiliations and cooperation with Word-Faith/Third wave circles, not to mention some of their other serious ecumenical unions with those who hold to aberrant and unorthodox doctrines. Power To Stand will speak out on these issues in hopes that many will read and discern truth from error here using the Scriptures as their guide. We feel that these concerns are valid and we invite your investigation into what’s written here.

“Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points,…” (Rom. 15:14-15a).

Here's a personal account of my change in feelings concerning YWAM over the years. The events that have shaped my perceptions are briefly recounted here in an attempt to provide the interested reader or visiting YWAMer with an explanation for the reason behind this collection of concerns. no personal attacks here, only heartfelt concerns...

By Sandy Simpson (Deception In The Church Ministries, ApologeticCoordination Team)

Here’s a letter, as yet officially unanswered, that presents heartfelt concern regarding the recent appearances and apparent ‘working relationships” that have emerged between YWAM and Word/Faith televangelist Benny Hinn.

I’m more than a little disturbed by the trends and repeated errors issuing from many in YWAM today. Much of those teachings have come to us today as a result of following past error espoused by earlier YWAM teachers. Taking Our Cities For God has been hailed as “Holy Spirit insight”(Hayford from the Foreword) yet contains teachings so faulty and unbiblical that it has served as a corrupting agent to potentially thousands of YWAMers in DTS after DTS. These “revelations” and supposed “essentials” for evangelism have been utilized and spread like wildfire through foreign countries as countless of well-meaning young people take this “leaven” to churches and unreached people groups worldwide. Is it a reliable work based in biblical truth or is Dawson hearing from other sources beyond God’s Word? You decide.

Today, many in the Church are seeking after a mystical relationship with God. We are told that “Christian mysticism” is synonymous with having a deeper, more intimate relationship with God and we may even get the opportunity to have our senses and minds virtually blown asunder by a manifestation of God’s intense presence. With claims of that nature abounding by many in Third Wave, Word/Faith, and new emergent circles, there’s a scramble to experience the supernatural in an unprecedented way. Many “mystics” or experts in mysticism have emerged on the scene. They are being well received by many in the church as revelators with prophetic guidance to give fresh words and new revelation from God, tragically, often in contradiction to the Bible. This article is about one such voice hailed by YWAM leadership as a “true mystic” who has been sent to give the “fresh word” of the Lord to the leadership of the organization – Coptic/mystic/desert priest Dr. Atef Aziz Mikail.

I write this article with great sadness and a sorrowful heart. In these days, alas, the time comes when men who care about the truths of God and His holy Word must stand and speak accordingly with boldness and, as we find it necessary, to contend for the faith once for all delivered (Jude 3). It is in this spirit I write the following things in the form of a dire warning and a heartfelt concern for any who will read this. The times and circumstances demand this so, by God’s grace, this article is meant to be seen as giving the truth with love (Eph. 4:15). The matter which is here in view involves the worsening state of the mission organization YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and its quickening slide into truly dangerous doctrines and practices as found in the Word/Faith, Church Growth Movement, “Christian” mysticism and emergent philosophies touted and embraced by YWAM leaders and subsequently taught to precious young people at the DTS’s or in even a more recent forum, and specific to this article, a prominent Calvary Chapel pulpit in Hawaii.

There’s a related theme emerging from quite a few of his sermons in 2005 and that concerns the topic of judging as practiced in the Body of Christ today. The Bible is clear on this subject so the truth of this matter can be easily grasped and therefore clearly taught.Briefly, we are to judge, kritikos “discern; appraise”. Indeed we are commanded to judge this way (1 Cor.2:15)with “righteous judgment”(John 7:24)We are forbidden to krites “condemn; judge another’s heart or motives” They are in the unseen realm and only God knows. We forbidden to wrongfully judge or be a hupo-krite ”hypocrite; actor” or judge someone for doing something we are ourselves doing or worse. See the list of excellent online articles at the end of this section for further study on judging.

Handling the word of truth is a high calling and therefore we ought to endeavor to be as correct and accurate as possible and be able to grasp hermeneutical principles like context and the actual meaning of passages and avoid misapplying scriptures or adding or subtracting from the written word. Paul told Timothy that those who were unable or unwilling to “cut straight” (rightly handle) the Word of God should be ashamed and were obviously disqualified for ministry of the Word (2 Tim. 2:15).

In 2004, I wrote Danny Lehmann a letter because he mentioned this on one of his programs: “We also looked yesterday at the amount of Christians, this is an encouraging trend that are involved in some type of renewal movement, whether it be the classic Pentecostal movement, the modern Pentecostal movement, what’s left over from the Charismatic renewal of the ‘60’s, and the Jesus movement, or what some people have called the Third Wave of neocharismatics which would fit groups like Calvary Chapel, and the Vineyards, and Hope Chapels, and New Hope Christian Fellowship; some of the more modern churches that have vestiges of Pentecostalism but for the most part are doing their best to present the Word of God in a culturally relevant way.” (Word to the World program, KLHT 1040 AM, Sept. 29, 2004).

A Warning Concerning YWAM’s “The Friend’s Network”: “With Friends Like These…”

By Steven Mitchell (Power To Stand Ministries)

Several years ago YWAM proposed a new kind of pseudo-mission endeavor in which YWAM missionaries would allegedly preach Muslims the “gospel” and a supposed great harvest would result. The idea was that a Muslim who was persuaded to believe the gospel would be encouraged to make a profession, albeit privately to avoid persecution. This new “convert” was then informed that they could continue regular mosque attendance, bowing in prayer to Allah, and Quranic reading and still be considered born again. They would then be referred to as “Messianic Muslims”. Make no mistake, they were still Muslims but had claimed some level of “belief” in Jesus Christ. As long as when they continued their “cultural” expressions of worship to Allah but inside actually prayed to Jesus Christ, they were considered saved.