Commending New Ministries in YWAM Discussion Paper



One of the topics discussed at the YWAM Western North America Area Elder’s Gathering in Kansas City this past summer had to do with the governance issue of starting new ministries in the Western North America Area.  In the past we had a document that outlined the procedure which involved being sent out (apostolic sending-“sent ones”) by a recognized YWAM Ministry to a District, and to a National or Regional council for approval. 

This process was recognized historically as a new ministry being approved by 2 levels of governance authority “above” the new operating location (oploc).  Now with the governance aspect of such a process being terminated, the starting of new ministries is not being addressed by any current policies or procedures.  This paper is not an attempt to propose a new policy, rather a discussion paper to raise the issue so that ultimately any new YWAM ministry, started in a new location, is at least linked back to their YWAM roots, YWAM in our Area (WNA ACTS), and to YWAM Internationally without using the language or restrictions inherent in hierarchical structures (under/over/submitted to/etc.).

Currently, the discussion of sending-out new ministries is focused on the new work being commended by an existing YWAM Ministry, or Elder in the Mission.  Out of our Kansas City Elder’s gathering here are some of the qualities of what commending might look like:

  • ·        Commending is not just a spiritualized endorsement
  • ·        Commending implies standing behind a new ministry or team relationally
  • ·        Commending indicates an allocation of resources that in effect link the new ministry to the sending/commending body and/or elder
  • ·        Commending implies an endorsement of competency, calling, skills, and abilities 
  • ·        Commending implies paving the way relationally by introduction to other elders/leaders/ministries
  • ·        Commending needs to be contextualized to each new location 

It was suggested in Kansas City that each ministry that is planning to commend new ministries develop a Guideline of Best Practices .  In effect then new ministries would then be sent out from and linked to a sending ministry’s operating location (oploc) and all governance issues would mostly happen between the sending and commended ministry. 

What is not clear out of our Elder’s gathering is how commending actually happens:
·        Do we come up with an elder’s commendation letter, or commissioning at an Area gathering, or ordination processes at a YWAM oploc?
·        To whom is the individual YWAMer, or new YWAM ministry commended?  Is this an YWAM in-house action, or a broader Kingdom action, or a strategic missionary action, or a legal action?
·        What kind of protocol would best facilitate a new ministry starting off on a solid footing?  
·        How much variation in the commending process are we willing to tolerate?
·        When there are overlaps in perceived jurisdictions, who has the authority to judge, facilitate, mediate, nurture the Process?
·        When and if anything goes wrong, who steps in to help set things right?
  
Other areas of concern that need attention in the Process of commending a new ministry:

  • ·        Setting up legal YWAM charitable societies-the initial expense, the time involved in the process, the longevity of the new ministry, the length of commitment by the leader or team
  • ·        The complexity of wanting to simply do ministry and the requirements of Charities and institutions
  • ·         The domain and legal use of the YWAM name
  • ·        Immigration and other “ever-changing” restrictions on ministry
  • ·        Receiving faith support through a US or Canadian charity
  • ·        Policies of YWAM oplocs receiving new ministries, the flip-side of the  commending action (When a commended ministry enters the same City as an existing YWAM ministry, or in the same State, of in the same  Province, or in the same Nation, or into a new Omega Zone)

 Do we let these issues float and see what happens?  Will waiting to see who steps forward to act in an appropriate domain of protocol restrict or facilitate growth?  If ministering the gospel in as many places as we can as “sent-ones” is the goal of YWAM growth, how do we best create the environment for that to happen?   

In addition the main aspects of the Tripod message that undergirds much of the current changes in YWAM needs to be upheld.  Therefore, freedom in the Spirit, godly relational connections, and the role of spiritual eldership could offer guidance as we seek to see a multiplication of new ministries.  At the end of the day, the commending ministry needs to be empowered to send; the commended ministry needs to have the authority of being sent; and the domain of receiving a new ministry needs to honored and respected.  If we can achieve this, YWAM will have moved into a missiological stance of win/win/win.
May we grow in the Grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and find our way as we are led by the Holy One!

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