All three of these words are important. They are embedded in the very essence of scripture. God from the very beginning had a broad strategic plan for the redemption of mankind into this plan. God intervened and made possible his purposes which by the nature of God was spiritual and we see leadership and strategy.
To understand this in our context I think we need to think of two important words – revelation and principle. God speaks by both. We see in scripture that revelation and God speaking to people is from cover to cover, but we also understand that the people of Israel were given the 10 commandments and Jesus gave the great commandment. These are principles and values that we do not need further guidance or revelation on as they are the bedrock of our day-to-day lives.
The history of our YWAM mission has a very important emphasis and that is hearing the voice of God. Loren brought back into our contemporary society and into the church that sense that we do not only have to live by principle but we can hear God’s voice both for the detail and for the broad strategic vision.
For many of us in YWAM, we have a sense of a spiritual purpose perhaps stemming from an embrace of someone else’s revelation and our purpose is to mobilise, to disciple and to make a difference. We are all called into different countries and places and areas to make this happen.
To see this spiritual purpose come about, I think we need to embrace the principle of planning. If we want to go from point A to point B, we need to be clear about the spiritual purpose or revelation – a new flavour of DTS, a new type of ministry, or pioneering in a new location.
To see the strategy implemented we need to answer the ‘what, when, how, who, where, questions’ and as we do, we begin to create a pathway that gets us to where we want to go?
Having this in mind the first thing you’re going to do is pray and ask for God’s wisdom and help in this journey. Secondly, you’re going to use your mind and heart to identify the principles of life derived from scripture to plot a pathway. Maybe you have some of the answers right in front of you – you own a building, you have some staff, you have a date in the future, but you need students. Question: ‘Where are those students? Answer: In churches around the country, around the world and in other YWAM bases. The next question: How do I communicate to them and let them know about the opportunity and the possibility of being involved in my program, my project or my school?
Without in any way wishing to be critical, I have at times found that people over spiritualise this journey and they feel that their prayer for the project is enough and all that is necessary. My experience tells me that I’m a coworker with God. I dig the ditches, and he fills them with the spiritual power. So, if these potential students are in churches, then I need to be in touch with those churches. I need to be in touch with former YWAM staff and students who are in those churches, and I need to communicate on a regular basis with those churches and students. By regular I am thinking at least four times a year.
Today communication has become a lot easier. Years ago, it was expensive but now in the world of Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and in so many other ways, communication is so much simpler. It doesn’t take a huge number of staff. Communication takes some advance planning. Think a year ahead and establish your communication strategy.
Let me introduce you to 2 friends – one is Mr. Troubleshooter. Every strategic pathway or plan needs testing. If it isn’t working you need to troubleshoot and find out what’s gone wrong, how it might be fixed and put in place some new pathways. Dig some new ditches that might get you to point B and if not, then troubleshoot some more. Troubleshooting is a regular event that requires visiting your plan on a weekly or monthly basis, then pray, think and try again.
My second friend is Mr intentionality. This is a wonderful word and very important to us in being strategic. Things happen because we pray and work and plan and that intentionality and that unwavering purpose makes things happen. Blind hope with no hard work is a dangerous friend but hope and faith and intentional hard work are good friends. I hope these few thoughts might be helpful.
Laurence Singlehurst
Laurence Singlehurst was in the English national leader for YWAM in the 80’s and 90’s, is the author of several books and speaker in schools and churches in England.
