Some Values
I was preparing to share on some of the base values of YWAM Taipei, and as I sat with my notes, I found myself reflecting on my own journey with God and just life in general.
One of the values I shared was Biblically Grounded Discipleship.
Jesus said in Matthew 28, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” The primary clause in this passage is go and make disciples, and the rest of the commands are subordinate to those two ideas. Simply, the main call of Christians is 1) to go, 2) make disciples. Everything else falls under those. In seminary, one professor described discipleship as a journey done together at 3 mph. That’s walking speed, slow, but continuous, faithful, a speed where you can talk. Discipleship is a journey done together.
I’ve been reading a book called Future Focused Church (a great book), and there are always new strategies and research about how to lead people for today. Those are helpful and good, but I’m just struck by the importance of the journey of a body of believers just walking in life together for the long haul. I so often want quick feedback and quick implementation and evaluation, and the endless cycle of progress, but I’m reminded to simply be faithful to walk the path together with those around me. To value discipleship is to be committed to growth together. The journey of becoming like Christ together.
Another core value for us is being Relational — locally and globally.
This is something Darlene Cunningham once said — that YWAM doesn’t move through power or control, but through relationship, influence, and prayer. That stuck with me. We don’t want to build a ministry based on who has the loudest voice or strongest will. We want to be the kind of people who show up, who care, and who earn trust over time. The kind of people who wash each other’s feet. Who humble ourselves even when we’re “right.” That’s the kind of love Jesus modeled.
In John 17, Jesus prays, “That they may be one... so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Unity isn’t just a nice sentiment, it’s our witness to the world. The reality is that it’s hard, I often feel it, the loneliness, the tension, the moments where it feels like “us vs them.” That’s real. And this value is a commitment to fight for each other. To commit to staying at the table.
I was teaching the book of Judges a few weeks ago and was increasingly upset at how badly so many of the judges lost their identity as the people of God. Treating God as a god to be manipulated, lacking reverence, spending more time fighting against their own tribesmen than foreign invaders. And yet, in Hebrews 11:32-34, many of these judges I believe are failures, the text calls them heroes. In order to stay relational, I need to see people with God’s eyes, not mine. That’s true for individuals, churches, and other organizations. It’s hard to stay relational, people stuff is hard. The biggest reason missionaries leave the field is interpersonal relationships and that is sad, but revealing about the difficulty we face. And yet, we are still called to it and we have to fight for.
This isn’t a perfect base. But we are people who are trying to love Jesus, love each other, and love Taiwan well and I think that’s all I can ask for.
