A few weeks ago I got a fun bit of news when I logged in to post a new episode of the Youth With A Mission News Podcast. When I went to upload the 86th episode of the news show and saw that the programs I produce have been downloaded over 105,000 times!

I must admit, I got pretty excited when I saw that!

There are very few countries in the world where the content has not been downloaded:

For many years I have felt that God has been leading us to use technology to help people “To Know God and Make Him Known”, which is the motto of Youth With A Mission. When I heard my first podcast back in 2005 I knew that this was something that could be used to help people know more about God, about what is happening around the world, and how people can get involved.

I feel very blessed to be in a position where I am able to serve God and Youth With A Mission with this medium, and reach people all around the world.

My main role as a mobiliser and communicator in the field of missions is to help connect people with opportunities around the world. In Youth With A Mission alone there are over 1250 locations, all engaged in some form of mercy ministries, training, or evangelism.

Then there are many other missions organisations around the world like Act Beyond, Pioneers,  Mission Aviation Fellowship, and many more opportunities around the world for people to be involved in missions.

Connecting People to Missions and Opportunities

I believe that everyone is called to minister the Gospel, whether you do it where you are, or into the nations of the world, God has called everyone to minister …

1 Pet 3:15 (KJV) – Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you.

This isn’t to say that everyone is meant to be a missionary, rather I believe that everyone is to be God’s hands and feet, and to bring hope and God’s truth where ever you are at.

Not called!’ did you say? ‘Not heard the call,’ I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father’s house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world.” William Booth (source)

I personally believe that being a missionary is a specific call from God into full-time ministry.

I also believe that it is every Christian’s duty to give testimony to God’s love and truth where ever he has called you. God has a plan for all of us, whether it is to be a pilot, teacher, engineer, janitor, or whatever, God has a plan for us, and he wants us to do it to the best of our ability, and with a heart to hear from Him in the midst of it.

Mobilising Others to Missions

This week I had an opportunity to share with an electrical engineer with Porshe in Germany about the YWAM Vision 10810 ministry that is also located in Germany:

To design and build semi-trucks which can provide housing for a 12 person team, a full equipped stage to do evangelism and provide a place to store Bibles. These trucks would be more than just a stage. It would be a mission headquarters on wheels.

You can find out more about the Vision 10810 ministry here.

image from CommuniKty Donosti

Every once in a while I come a across a real gem when finding news from the YWAM News Podcast. Often it’s about a YWAM Ministry doing work that I didn’t know about, or wouldn’t even imagine them doing.

But sometimes I find something like this …

The video is produced by the people at YWAM Turner Valley for their School of Biblical Studies. It manages to catch so many stereo types about Canada that I just could not help laughing out loud. I think that Tamara wondered what was wrong with me as I was belly laughing while showing it to her…

Anyways, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

You Are Not A Hypocrite!

Done is Better Than Perfect

One of the main reasons that I have not released a podcast in many months is that I felt I would feel like a hypocrite because I don’t have it all together. I have ideas about what I want to do, how I want to grow, and what I think I “should” do, but I am constantly falling short …

King David – A Man After God’s Own Heart and a Sinner

David’s (major) Sins

  • 2 Samuel 11
    David sleeps with Bathsheba and then has her husband Uriah killed
  • 1 Chronicles 21
    David Sins by Counting Israel

A Man after God’s Own Heart (source)

  • Humble
  • Reverent
  • Respectful
  • Trusting of God
  • Loved God
  • Devoted to God
  • Recognised God in all things
  • Faithful
  • Obedient
  • Repentant

YWAM Value #12 – Do First, Then Teach

YWAM is committed to doing first, then teaching. We believe that first-hand experience gives authority to our words. Godly character and a call from God are more important than an individual’s gifts, abilities and expertise.

Feeding My Faith Podcast

Feeding My Faith Podcast

Latest YWAM News Podcast

YWAM Podcast Episode 083

Image from Facebook Posters under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 licence.

I saw this video about how to pack and felt the need to share it:

They way that this guy manages to pack for a full month in a carry on bag is very impressive.

When you pack for a missions trip you don’t want to be limited in what you are able to do and where you are able to go by what you have packed. This is one of the reasons why packing light and small is such a good idea.

In addition to what you can learn on this video I would also recommend checking out this post on Missions Manual about packing your bags. Some of the tips for how to pack your bags are:

  1. Don’t over pack
  2. Vacuum bags
  3. Make a list

I don’t agree with number 2, using vacuum bags, as I have been to many places around the world where I did not have access to a vacuum. The other two tips to make a list and to not over pack are very good advice.

Packing a Suitcase for a Missions Trip

If you are heading on a missions trip make sure to pay attention to whatever information your missions agency for church provide you with. Often this is the best source for you, especially as they would know what is best to bring to whatever location you are heading to.

What advice would you have for people packing for a missions trip? Let me know below …

Photo credit: mamnaimie / CC BY