“I have come that they may have life (zōē), and have it in abundance.” John 10:10b
The name ZOE comes from the Greek word for “life.” It speaks of more than physical or biological life (bios), it is the abundant life Jesus offers: a life restored, transformed, and aligned with the purposes of God’s Kingdom.
We want to be a place where people experience this true life, full of purpose and joy, marked by healing, freedom, and restoration. A life that transforms us, impacts the world around us, and reflects the abundance of God’s Kingdom.
OUR VISION is to see every person have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus, and every believer equipped and mobilized to fulfill the Great Commission, from serving in our local communities to reaching unreached people groups among the nations.
OUR MISSION is to equip believers, multiply leaders, and mobilize followers of Jesus to fulfill the Great Commission through Gospel proclamation, disciple-making, leadership development, and collaborating with the Body of Christ to advance the Gospel in our city and around the world.
We mobilize, train, and encourage Christians to seek Jesus and listen to His voice, equipping them to live out their calling where they are, use their gifts and talents for the expansion of God’s Kingdom, and participate in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
We build healthy relationships and strategic partnerships among individuals, churches, and ministries, connecting the Body of Christ and creating pathways for believers to participate in God’s mission through short-, medium-, and long-term opportunities.
We also go where God leads, joining and sending teams to big cities, distant lands, and unreached people groups, proclaiming the Good News, making disciples, serving the poor and those in need through acts of mercy, and seeking creative ways to build relationships and establish a lasting Gospel presence, while remaining open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
We commit ourselves to the mobilization, training, and sending of workers who will carry the message of Jesus to every sphere of society and every people group. We embrace the nine frontiers of world evangelism identified in the Manila Covenant—the Muslim world, Buddhist world, Communist world, Hindu world, the Small Half (children), Nominal Christians, the Cities, the Poor and Needy, and Tribal Peoples—as strategic areas where we desire to see God’s Kingdom advanced and the Great Commission fulfilled.
Supporting Local Churches
We partner with and provide training and discipleship tools to local churches, equipping them to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and be a positive influence in their communities and society. Through creative cultural engagement, we seek to bring the message of Jesus to urban centers, communities, and large gatherings in relevant and impactful ways.
Our goal is to equip believers to understand and embrace the two complementary dimensions of the Great Commission: making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28) and proclaiming the Gospel to all creation (Mark 16). We seek to prepare and encourage every believer to actively participate in God’s mission wherever they are, using their gifts, talents, and calling. These training opportunities may take place at YWAM bases, partner mission organizations, local churches, public spaces, and other community settings.
Creative Evangelism & Outreach
Engage communities through relational and creative approaches to evangelism, using worship, the arts, sports, testimonies, service, prayer, and other culturally relevant opportunities to share the Gospel and build meaningful relationships. We seek to help people encounter Jesus, make disciples, and see local communities transformed by the Gospel.
Influencing Society
We recognize that there are seven spheres of influence that shape society – Religion, Government, Business, Education, Arts and Entertainment, Family, and Media – and that God calls believers to be faithful disciples and Kingdom representatives within these areas. We seek to equip believers to develop and apply biblical principles within the environments where God has called them to live and work, demonstrating the values of His Kingdom through their vocation and influence.
Every follower of Jesus has a unique part to play in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and we are committed to encouraging and equipping those God sends to us to faithfully live out their calling with grace, wisdom, and purpose.
Training Oportunities
From short-term seminars, workshops, and mission opportunities to longer-term discipleship and ministry training, we seek to prepare and mobilize believers to serve wherever God calls them. YWAM’s training programs aim to equip Christians to serve others in everything from agriculture to linguistics, from drug rehabilitation to cross-cultural ministry.
YWAM’s foundational course, which serves as the prerequisite for all other training programs, and to be full time staff is called the Discipleship Training School (YWAM DTS). Most YWAM courses can be combined into degree programs through YWAM’s University of the Nations.