So here we are still living in these ‘unprecedented times’ due to a worldwide pandemic shutting down entire countries and disrupting global travel, as we know it.

In March last year, we received sudden news that Australian borders were to be closed in less than 24 hours.

As a few of us rushed to call our overseas staff and students, it was soon discovered that even if they did manage to get on a flight back, it would still not get them back into Australian borders in time.

Since then there have been plenty of tears, confusion and frustration as outreaches were cancelled.

People were locked out of countries and training schools were postponed until further notice.

As our YWAM centre was still dealing with the news of no overseas travel, the State Premiers even began to close local borders overnight and suddenly we were not allowed to travel anywhere.

Not being able to travel is not good news for a missionary.

Being unable to re-enter your missions home after holidays is bad news. Living out of a suitcase and waiting for updates is difficult. Not knowing if this temporary situation has a deadline is hard.

So how do you avoid living life on pause until you can continue what you are called to do?

According to the Bible we don’t need to wait around for borders to live a missional lifestyle.

In Acts 1:8 Jesus states that, ‘you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’.

According to this scripture we are called first to witness wherever we are in the present moment.

This is a call to go local, regional, and global. It’s easy to forget the reality that missions is also local.

I am reminded of an article sharing the incredible story of Iran.

“In 1979 The Iranian revolution established a hard-line Islamic regime.

Over the next two decades, Christians faced increasing opposition and persecution: all missionaries were kicked out, evangelism was outlawed, Bibles in Persian were banned and soon became scarce, and several pastors were killed.

The church came under tremendous pressure. Many feared the small Iranian church would soon wither away and die.

But the exact opposite happened. Despite continued hostility from the late 1970s until now, Iranians have become the Muslim people most open to the gospel in the Middle East.

As a result, more Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the previous 13 centuries put together since Islam came to Iran.”

(Source: churchleaders.com)

Wow. Did you catch that?

There has been more growth in two decades than in over a decade of centuries! This is a testimony to the transformational power of locals reaching locals. The multiplication due to closed borders in 1979 started with an estimated 500 Christians only from a Muslim background in Iran.

Today, there are hundreds of thousands — some say more than 1 million Christians in Iran.

In fact, in 2018 the mission research organization Operation World named Iran as having the ‘fastest-growing evangelical church’ in the world.

According to the same organisation, the second-fastest-growing church is in Afghanistan—and Afghans are being reached in part by Iranians, since their languages are similar.

Stories like this demonstrate a simple truth that Jesus was trying to teach us in the Gospels; the kingdom of God is for everyone who believes.

It starts small like a mustard seed but God is faithful to continue what He started. We need the Gospel to be sent to every person and we must trust that where the gospel is it will grow.

Closed borders is good news for the Gospel because it calls upon locals to reach locals.

Studies like Iran show that locals reaching locals is proven to be most effective.

Imagine the possibilities if every follower of Jesus engaged in their local community.

Your mission field may look like your neighbour, your local cafe or via zoom to a colleague but every day we have a chance to be a witness of God’s supernatural love and peace in times as dark as these.

Although 2020 or 2021 may not have been the years we were expecting, the Lord is leading us in new ways. Don’t miss this moment in time; it will mark our generation and has the potential to introduce many to Jesus.

The post Why Closed Borders is Good News for the Gospel appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

At the end of the day, I was feeling pretty crappy about myself, frustrated at how much I struggled. I compared myself to the others in my team and wondered at how speaking up or praying for others came so naturally.

That night I prayed, asking God for help. I felt like He said I should worship before going out and reminded me that Holy Spirit, ‘the Helper’, is with me.

A few days later we again went out to talk to people. Before leaving, I played a worship song, praising Jesus for who He is, and chose to be extra conscious of the Holy Spirit’s promptings. As I was walked along the street I noticed some people standing in their driveway on the opposite side of the road. I felt like God was encouraging me to go up to them, so my friend and I crossed the street. Right as we were approaching, however, we let our nerves get the better of us and walked straight past.

God wasn’t going to let me get away that easily, though. As we wandered down the road further I felt Him asked me to turn around and go back. Mustering my courage we did just that, returning only to find a different man standing in the driveway. This time we stopped and struck up a conversation.

After asking about our accents we told him where we were from and explained that we were in Australia for a Christian missions training course. Asking if there was anything he would like prayer for, he told us that his best friend recently had an operation to have a tumour removed. We prayed for him and his mate and, despite assuring us that he wasn’t religious, he thanked us for taking time to stop, talk and pray with him.

And that was it. I was so encouraged by this simple conversation!

He didn’t snub us, yell at us or even laugh at our faith. Rather, he readily accepted our offer of prayer, even though he didn’t share our beliefs.

This was the first time in my life I stepped out of my comfort zone and prayed for a stranger. Through this process, I discovered just how much God is actually guiding us. I felt Him leading me, quietly tugging on my spirit, and I chose to listen and obey. He knows exactly who needs encouragement. He knows the people who are struggling, worried or hurting. He knows, He sees, and He chooses us to be His mouthpiece.

by Julia Carleton
July DTS Student

The post The First Time I Prayed for a Stranger appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

Not your traditional form of Christian ministry. Even more unusual was the fact that our team was serving at a non-Christian camp where we weren’t allowed to bring up the name ‘Jesus’.

Outreach was just around the corner and our first stop was in Sydney to help out at a youth camp. As we prepared we were asked to run a couple of different sessions for the campers. Together we had created a skit based around the concept of identity and planned to follow the presentation with a testimony, sharing stories about how we, personally had found our identity in Jesus. It was only at the last minute that we found out we couldn’t explicitly share Jesus with the campers.

This was hard for our team to hear because we were expecting to be actively evangelising on outreach and this threw a spanner in the works. Our ideas of what “outreach” or “missions” looks like were challenged.

How do you introduce Jesus to a person without mentioning His Name?

This was the question we didn’t know how to answer, and it was frustrating. However, we should have known better than to underestimate God.

Fifteen campers arrived at Stand Tall Camp on the first day to begin a five-day retreat from difficult home lives. They were anxious and unsure of what to expect. Our team was to build relationships with these teenagers, teens who didn’t always feel safe with adults or authority figures, and we weren’t too sure where to start.

The camp had invited a number of acclaimed Australian public figures to mentor the campers, teach them practical sports skills and speak on a diverse range of issues. Our job was to provide emotional support and to be an unchanging, reliable presence in the lives of the campers throughout the week.

Our expectations for what these campers would be like were dramatically different from the reality. For teenagers who came from unstable backgrounds, they were, for the most part, open and trusting with us from very early on. We weren’t able to talk about Jesus, but it was apparent that they felt His comforting Presence regardless.

We did not mention the name ‘God’ once, but several of the campers were greatly impacted by our skit and were soon asking questions about our faith and personal stories.

From that moment on many of the campers opened up to us completely, sharing their own stories and choosing to hang out with us even during their “phone time”.

By the end of the week, we were only just beginning to realise the impact that we actually had on this amazing group of teenagers. We found that because we were diving in the deep (and even facing our own fears) in surfing and snorkelling, so were the campers! They were inspired by us to have fun and to make friends with one another based on the friendships they saw within our team.

On the last day, a few of the campers even got up to publically thank us. We were astounded at the impact our team had made on the teens.

“This has been one of the best weeks of my life” one of the campers exclaimed.

Another piped up, “Thanks to you guys, I finally know how to trust someone. I also know what it is like to live in a caring family.”

In less than a week, we saw a complete transformation in the lives and attitudes of the teenagers that first came to us so nervous and unsure. I doubt that their circumstances would have changed but in that week, the love of Jesus was poured out through our active friendship with the campers – and they knew it. We hope and pray that this glimpse of unconditional love was enough to help them realise their own value in this world.

As for our team, we learned a valuable lesson. We can introduce Jesus through our actions just as much, in not even more so, than through our words. Walking alongside the campers as they worked through their hardships, supporting and encouraging them even while we fought through our own, showed us how we too, can stand tall.

By Samantha Merry
YWAM DTS – Compassion Student

The post What Happened When Our Actions Did All the Talking appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

This was the simple prayer of a woman wanting to use her talents and gifts for God. Recently, God answered this small prayer through a random conversation on the streets of Byron Bay, NSW, Australia.

It was a Friday night and one of our January Discipleship Training School (DTS) teams had arrived in Byron Bay earlier in the week, ready to begin their outreach. That night the team decided to go into town to meet people and talk with them about God. Before hitting the streets, Erika, along with Anna and Nick, prayed to God, asking Him what they should do for the evening. They felt that they should walk the streets and try to talk to the people they met about Jesus and His Good News. It was a chance to share with others all the amazing things they have been learning about God, themselves and others, for the past three months on DTS.

Have you ever found yourself in a strange place, at the end of a long day, with not a lot of motivation? Though the team was willing, some were finding it difficult to do ministry. Erika particularly was feeling tired from the long day, and just ‘heavy’ due to things on her mind. Between chatting with people, Erika would find herself dosing off; wanting to simply sit down due to fatigue.

A sense of ‘failure’ came washing over her, and that was when she sought help from the Lord.

Determined to push through negative feelings and put the gospel first, she again prayed to God “Lord, I am so tired, but use me!” Erika felt the Lord speak the word ‘spontaneous’ to her. She felt a burst of energy, and so eagerly sought an opportunity to talk to others.

Not long after, while walking down main street, Erika heard a woman speaking with a French accent. She asked the team to stop, and to come with her as she went to talk to the woman. The woman was with two other men and Erika walked straight up to them, asking if they had time to chat. A little surprised at the interruption, they responded with a, ‘yes’. A conversation began and the team chatted about God, asking the friends questions about their knowledge of Jesus. Uncomfortable with the subject, the small group didn’t want to talk much so the team decided to try a different tack.

Erika began chatting to the woman with the accent. Speaking in French, she learned that the woman’s name was Margot and that she was really worried about a test she was taking the next morning. It wasn’t just any test either, Margot was applying for her Australian citizenship, a process which had taken many years. Erika asked Margot if she would like prayer. Though Margot hadn’t wanted to hear about the gospel earlier she did, however, happily accept prayer for her upcoming test.

Holding hands and standing together in a circle, Erika prayed for Margot in French.

As they prayed, Margot squeezed Erika’s hands tightly, agreeing out loud with the words Erika prayed. “Yes, yes, this is very good!” she exclaimed as Erika continued to pray. Smiling from ear to ear, the woman thanked Erika and the team for stopping before hugging her goodbye.

As they walked away, the team was encouraged by this positive experience as they learned to step out in faith for God. Despite the fact that the conversation was not exactly what they had imagined street evangelism to look like, they felt they were led by the prompting of Holy Spirit.

Erika, was overwhelmed with gratitude to have had the chance to use multiple languages during the conversation. With a deep sense of fondness, she thanked her Heavenly Father for paying such close attention to what she thought was just a ‘small prayer’.

It’s a beautiful thing to know that God hears our every prayer, and answers even the ones that seem small or insignificant. He loves us that much!

by Chad Desjardins
January DTS Student

The post How a Little Prayer Was Answered on the Streets of Bryon Bay appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

To make a lasting impact in the country God has called you to, and if you’d like to take your personal relationships to the next level, consider learning the basics of the local language. With the right strategy and tools, becoming conversationally fluent isn’t as hard as you might think.

Missionary language immersion

So, how do you get started? When time is of the essence, the fastest way to learn any language as a missionary is by immersion. Many consider this method to be a form of “trial by fire.” It involves surrounding yourself with the local language, and not shying away from it. If you’re already in your host country, seize every opportunity to hang out with native speakers. Go to local events in the community and observe how others communicate, including their body language. For extreme introverts, it can feel like torture to step outside of your comfort zone in this way.

However, when you realize the only thing standing between you and fluency is yourself, it gets a lot easier to put yourself in an immersion experience.

In your free time at home, the learning shouldn’t stop! Watch the news, movies, and YouTube videos featuring native speakers. Even better, turn on the English subtitles so you can follow along. This process is highly beneficial as your mind will start automatically associating words and phrases with their meanings. If you want to take it a step further, change the language settings on all your devices to the language of your missionary host country. Subscribe to a blog in the language, try reading children’s books, or listening to podcasts.

As intimidating as it may seem, remember that the best way to become conversationally fluent is to put your skills into practice.

Don’t wait until you feel comfortable enough to start speaking with the locals.

On the contrary, you should become more and more comfortable with misinterpretations and miscommunications – these are a normal and an expected part of language learning. Don’t take yourself too seriously! Accept the fact early on that it’s very likely you will embarrass yourself at some point.

Thankfully, there is grace in these situations. The locals will appreciate your efforts to speak in their language immensely, and oftentimes, it shows.

So, don’t be afraid to try and fail.

Be encouraged by Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

One final tip – many missionaries prefer to learn the basics of a language first, before embarking on their trip. This is a great way to set yourself up for success and build a solid foundation right off the bat.

Tools for your first language mission!

In this digital age, there are fortunately many free tools at our disposal. Here are just a few options:

• Download an app like Duolingo or Memrise to quickly memorize the basics.
• Take online language classes, preferably with a live teacher. Try the free membership option at TakeLessons Live for starters.
• Use Meetup to find other nearby language learners that you can practice your skills with.
• Find a penpal or learning partner on a language exchange network, such as italki.

Do you have any additional tips for fast and efficient language learning as a missionary in another country, or before going on a mission trip? Share your ideas with us!

Jessica Dais
YWAM Alum

Read more from Jessica at musingsofaprodigaldaughter.wordpress.com

The post Missionary Language: Why It Is Important As A Missionary appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

While we were there, I saw just how important kindness actually is.

My first week of outreach was spent at a water sports camp full of energetic 12-18-year-old kids hosted by Scripture Union NSW. While helping out I met a young girl, let’s call her Meg, who seemed to have come with a heavy heart and a hard conscience. She wore her emotions on her sleeve and tried to gain the attention of others in ways that did the exact opposite, causing others to avoid her. As I got to know her, I found similarities in our personalities.

She reminded me of myself before I truly understood Jesus’ love.

Over the week at camp, I sat with Meg multiple times, simply being a friend and getting to know her. For the first few days, we didn’t have a strong connection, but I sensed something was bubbling up. One night, my team shared a message with the campers and afterwards, they were invited to come forward if they wanted prayer. I had just finished praying with one youth when I saw Meg in the corner of my vision, just waiting.

I sat down next to her and the instant I asked if anything was wrong, she began to speak, pouring out her heart.

She spoke of how she had been coming to this camp for multiple years and saw breakthrough after breakthrough, but couldn’t ever feel satisfied or constant in her relationship with Jesus. She mentioned her struggle with a number of issues revolving around depression. The message we’d shared stirred up something in her heart which began to play itself out over the next 24 hours.

The following night we had a similar session and the speaker gave an awesome message packed full of life lessons. As he wrapped up, the invitation to connect with Jesus was again offered. As the message was ending we moved into a time of praise, the worship music beginning to play. However, halfway through the song, it began to pour down with rain! The electronic music equipment was turned off and the worship leader came down into the middle of the tent; with only an acoustic guitar, he started worshipping. I sat by Meg and we put our arms around each other’s shoulders. I began to sing and, when I opened my eyes five minutes later, she was sobbing on my shoulder.

Meg shared that this was the first time she had ever raised her hands during worship; she felt so free and so deeply connected with Christ.

Over the following days, Meg was always wanting to hang out with us. I could tell by her words and behaviour that she truly felt free and loved. Reflecting back, I saw how throughout the week, the Holy Spirit was warming Meg’s heart.

Step by step, through my decision to simply be kind, to listen, to spend intentional time with her when no one else would, He spoke to her.

It was such a blessing to watch this beautiful girl move from a place of brokenness to a place of freedom and begin the process of healing.

by Audrey App
YWAM DTS – Compassion Student

The post This Is Why Kindneww Is So Important appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

For four weeks I had been meeting with this beautiful family who fled Iran, and over this time they had become like family to me. Each visit they welcomed me in for tea and sweets, and we joked around as we went fishing, played board games and soccer together.

The family had previously told me that during their journey to Sweden they lost their teenage son amongst the large crowds of refugees.

They had no idea where he was but thought he might be in Germany; they hadn’t seen him or been able to contact him for an entire year.

Many people from the local churches had been praying for them to be reunited, but it was yet to happen and weighed on them heavily.

But a miracle was at hand.

One morning our DTS team prayed for the specific refugees that we had become close friends with, so I immediately decided to pray for this family. That same day I received a message from the family saying, “We have found our son! We are very happy!” I was ecstatic! It was like being reunited with my own brother. Not only was the son’s location now known, but he was actually in the same country, sitting with his family! I couldn’t wait to visit them, meet their son and celebrate.

Apparently, after the son had been separated from his family, he had continued on the route through Europe and arrived in Sweden around the same time, but in a town 30 minutes away. Unaware of where his family was, he stayed in accommodation for unaccompanied refugee children and searched for a year to find his family. He contacted the Red Cross and other organisations which housed refugees, but they had no knowledge of his family’s whereabouts. His family looked for him also, but their search was just as futile.

Little did they know their prayers were about to be answered. In the week before we left, the son attended a music concert in the town where his family was staying. His father heard the music from the concert while riding his bike and decided to attend himself, not knowing that his son was there. As the father waited for the next performance to come onstage, he saw a person in the crowd that looked like his son. “Could it actually be him?”

The father thought he was dreaming, but then he looked again.

Trembling, the father walked up to the teenager and asked if he was his son. “Dad!” the son exclaimed. Both were in disbelief and shock. The father embraced his son in tears and laughter. They were finally reunited after a year apart, a year of not hearing or knowing anything, or even whether or not the other was alive.

“I never thought I would meet my family there. It was amazing; I could not believe that it happened. I prayed to God every day that I would see my family again,” said the son.

They quickly called a friend who drove them back to their accommodation to see the rest of the family. Recalling the experience, the son said, “My mum started to cry and then I started to cry. It was the best day of my life.”

Visiting the family the next day was wonderful and surreal. They were still in a slight daze from the freshness of the situation; utterly amazed at what had happened, but so happy that they were back together as a family again. When I left they were brimming with joy and had bright smiles on their faces. “I can sleep again now,” said the mother, knowing that her son was finally home and safe.

Some would say that this is a story of pure chance and luck, of coincidence. But as I reflect on this amazing, incredible reunion, I see how God miraculously brought them together again. I feel so privileged and honoured that I was able to experience this family’s relief and delight firsthand.

I imagine God and all the angels were celebrating this lost son coming home.

“The LORD has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes. The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” Psalm 118:23-24 (NIV)

by Hannah Rochester
YWAM DTS – Compassion student

The post Refugee Family Reunited After 12 Months appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

What were we going to do with over thirty more mouths to fill?

We began our trip to the township like every other time, someone prayed, we sang songs, played with the kids, and then one of us was to share a Bible story, that person was me. I knew even before being told that someone would be sharing, that I’d be the one, and I was ready to share the story of Noah and the Ark. When we arrived it was cold and windy outside and there were many more people than on previous visits. I stood at the front of the dimly lit room, with faces of all ages looking up at me, empty containers in their hands. Rather than tell the story of Noah’s Ark I felt the Holy Spirit lead me to share about the time Jesus fed five thousand people with only a few loaves of bread and some fish. We would soon discover how relevant this story was to our evening.

Later that night, after about twenty children had been fed, the local Pastor looked at me and asked me to pray, having faith that God would enough provide food for everyone to be fed. I’ll admit I was sceptical, we had already served half of the rice and there were still many more mouths to fill.

Pretty soon we ran out of rice, and only the children had eaten.

The Pastor looked around calmly and dug through some of the boxes to find some pre-packaged rice dishes which he emptied into the pot, allowing all the teenagers to eat. We went back to the van and found more bread which we were able to hand out, but there were still some that hadn’t gotten any food. The Pastor then found some salami which he handed out, two pieces for each person, but that wasn’t enough to fill them. He asked me to check the van again for more food, even though we had already gone back a couple of times to get whatever was left. When I opened the door I found two loaves of bread on the seat! However, I knew this still wouldn’t be enough, there had to be more! Near the front, there were two boxes filled with clothes to hand out later.

As I lifted the top box, I saw that the one underneath was full of even more food!

Now there was enough food to go around all the adults – the exact number of rolls for one each! It didn’t stop there, we found oranges stored under a table and were able to hand those out as well.

Everyone was fed that night, and fed well. The Lord provided for us to feed all of the people who came! He used the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand to spark belief and trust in Him, believing that He can, and will, provide when we pray and ask Him too. When we try to understand how we managed to feed everyone with our earthly minds, it just doesn’t make sense. However, our heavenly minds understand that He does miraculous things for His children, all we have to do is ask.

By Rebekah Waterhouse
YWAM DTS – Sports staff

The post When There Was Nothing Left, God Performed a Miracle appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.

As we approached the square, we noticed the sound of worship music being played over a loudspeaker, with someone singing along karaoke-style. We soon realized there was a street preacher sharing the gospel right outside the train station. I approached the man to encourage him and we began talking. He immediately asked if we were from YWAM and subsequently asked if any of us would like to share a testimony over the loudspeaker.

Before I knew it, I had the microphone in my hand preaching to the passers-by about God’s love and plan for redemption in each person’s life, relating it to my own story.

People began to turn around; they began to stop and listen. I felt as though I was connecting to each person listening on a heart level. The Holy Spirit was getting their attention as I spoke.

When I finished speaking, each member of our team went and spoke to a different person who had been listening. I introduced myself to a man sitting on a bench nearby. He told me that he was from the USA and is currently involved in the casino industry. When he asked me what I do, I told him that I travel around and tell people about Jesus.

At that moment a puzzled, yet curious look crossed his face, and he asked me, “Who is Jesus?”

I was taken aback for a second; I could hardly believe I had been asked that question in a Western context!After a few seconds, I regathered my thoughts and began to explain who Jesus is, how I know Him personally, and how He speaks to me. As soon as I said these things, Mark’s eyes lit up and he exclaimed, “Wait, Jesus is alive? Jesus speaks to you? How does this work? What is the last thing He spoke to you?” I told him the story of how Jesus had asked us to come to Blacktown station to speak to people like him.

He was completely blown away and requested we move to another bench where he could better hear what I was saying.

Mark began to ask more questions, and I ended up sharing the whole gospel with him. When I finished sharing, I asked if I could pray for him which, with a huge grin on his face, he immediately agreed to. I completed the prayer and asked him what he was feeling. He told me he could feel a warmth inside. “What you’re feeling is God’s Spirit touching your heart,” I explained.

Right away he enquired of me, “Jesus wants to give me joy, peace, hope, and a new life? He wants to be my comforter and my friend? He wants to talk with me? Sounds like a great deal! How do I receive this? Do you have his phone number and contact details?”

I chuckled and told him to simply speak to Jesus as He is right here with us. I lead Mark in prayer and he accepted Jesus into his life right then and there. He thanked me, got up, and suddenly disappeared into the crowd.

I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Never before had I talked to someone who was so open to the gospel as Mark had been. During our conversation, he made it clear to me that his impression of organized religion was that it was simply a money making scheme. He obviously had heard a lot of negative things about monetary misuse in the church, which had formed his opinion on religion as a whole. When I told him that I don’t get paid, and I was simply there to bless him and share Jesus’ love with him, he was dumbfounded. He saw something simple, raw, and genuine in me; something completely different to anything he’d ever seen or heard of before.

He encountered the presence of a real, living, and relational God.

He was locked onto me, and wouldn’t let me go until he had all of his questions about Jesus answered.

My encounter with Mark showed me that people in this world are hungry for the Gospel. People are longing for a raw and powerful experience of a loving God. God is looking for individuals who are willing to follow His call and step out in obedience. Are you willing to lay down your life, so that others may know the hope that is available to them?

by Blair Coyle
YWAM Music & Arts DTS Staff

*Mark’s name has been changed for privacy.

The post After Asking For Jesus’ Phone Number A Man Receives So Much More appeared first on YWAM Newcastle.