Hey Everybody,
Most of you
know since February 2010 I have been studying at Youth With A Mission in
Brisbane, Australia. During this time I have done two different courses – a
six-month Discipleship Training School (DTS) and an 18-month Basic Leadership School
(BLS). At the DTS I spent 3 months in
intense lectures going deeper in my relationship with God, and learning about
all the aspects of his character and nature, as well as how to live in godly
relationships, and truly make Jesus Lord of my life. I was then able to go on
an outreach mission to Malaysia, where I saw God move in ways I’ve never seen
before. One night while we were
staffing at a youth event, the pastor called anyone who wanted to receive the
Holy Spirit to come up to the front. Our job was to pray with and for the kids
who came forward. About two minutes after we started praying, the Holy Spirit
showed up big time. I was able to witness to so many young Malaysians
about what God had done in my life, and I saw many of them give their lives to
the Lord. It was a life-changing experience that grew me in many ways
especially in surrendering to God. I learned in Malaysia that I don’t have any
rights and that walking in surrender to God is the only way I can serve him
right.
After my DTS I
came back to the United States for seven months. At first, I had no idea what I
was going to do. But soon I felt in my heart that God had more for me in the
field of missions, and that He was calling me back to Australia. So in December
2011, I came back to Brisbane to do the BLS which is an 18-month course that is
split up into three different six-month phases. On Phase 1 you are part of the
staff on a DTS where you sit with the students in lectures and play a mentoring
role to them. You also have separate lectures of your own where you learn more
about godly leadership and how to disciple young Christians. You also get to
lead an outreach team. On my first phase of BLS I staffed a DTS that had a
focus in Sports Ministry. I had the opportunity to really see how God can move
in sports and how it is such a key thing to use in ministry. Every Wednesday we would have sports in the
park near the base. Dozens of kids from the local High School would come every
week. One time I was playing basketball with a kid named Andrew and he started
talking to me about his life. I was able to share my testimony with him and how
God had changed my life, and by the end of the conversation he had given his
life to Christ. SO GOOD!
It was also a great growth experience to
mentor young Christians and see God radically change their lives. On that
school I co-led an outreach team to Germany and England. That outreach opened
my eyes to just how much the western world needs a revival. My heart absolutely
broke for the people growing up there who are taught that God is an illusion,
and Christianity is some kind of mental disorder. God really gave me a heart to
bring change to the western world and to challenge the churches to reach out to
the younger generations.
On Phase 2 of
BLS (which is commonly referred to as the Logistical Phase) you spend six
months doing logistical work around the center. For my logistical phase I had
the incredible opportunity of managing the kitchen. That experience really
challenged me and stretched me beyond my limits. At the start it was really
stressful and I didn’t think I was going to make it, but God showed me that I
didn’t need to rely on my own strength to get things done; He had called me to
the kitchen for that season of my life and He would give me the strength to do
my job. It was very humbling to realize that, but man did it pay off in the
end. God showed me just how important my job was; I’m not sure if there is a
better way to serve someone than by feeding them. I also learned a lot about
management and organization. My culinary skills also improved which was a nice
thing to have.
I'm currently
on Phase 3, which is basically the same as Phase 1. This time, I'm on staff of
a DTS that has a focus in the Arts. I have seen God move so much through the Music,
Arts, and Dance (MAD) ministries that we’ve been doing. The arts are something
I have always had a passion for, and I feel that God is calling me to use my
skills in music to further His Kingdom. On this school I’ve been able to take
what I learned on the previous school and put it into action. I can really see
how much I’ve improved and how much God has grown me since I first started my
BLS. When I first came back on staff
all I thought leadership was was being a guy people looked up to and someone who
had authority, but I’ve learned that it’s so much more than that. A true leader
is someone who will come alongside their students and partner with them in
their journey. God has also showed me that the best way to lead someone is to
serve them. It really has been such a beautiful learning process. Also
God has given me such a heart for discipleship and how important it is for
young Christians to have a mentor stand beside them as they grow on their walk
with Christ. It has been such an honor to get to mentor these students and
stand with them as God dramatically changes their lives. I have seen a number
of young Christians come here and then leave completely different from when
they arrived. I had a student who came here very unsure about how God works, and
sometimes you could barely get a word out of him. God showed up in his life big
time and by the end of his DTS he was proclaiming healing over the sick,
worshiping with freedom only God can give, and just sharing God’s love with
everyone he encountered. It just blows
me away how much God can do when you really give Him control.
For this
school I will be co-leading an outreach team to Germany and The Netherlands. I
am so psyched to go back to Europe and do more ministry there. I see just how
hungry Europe is for something to believe in and I know that God is at work
there. The team we have is so passionate about using the arts in ministry and I
feel that the people in Europe will really be drawn to that. If you could
please be praying for our team that would be awesome.
In August this
school will finish and I will graduate BLS. It’s so crazy how fast it all has
gone by! I’ve been praying a lot about what God has for me after BLS and he has
answered in a pretty epic way. Back in March of 2012 God gave me a heart for
the western world especially the USA. My generation is one that is called to
rise up and bring the message of Jesus back to the first world nations and
revive the world’s passion for Christ. I feel that God is calling me to be a
part of that in the future, but I need more time to prepare myself for what God
wants me to do in the United States. I feel that my work here in Brisbane is
not done yet. There is still a lot more that God wants to teach me and ways He
wants to grow me here. Brisbane is where I’ve grown from a boy into a man of
God, and this is where God wants to prepare me for the future. As much as I
want to dive right into the vision God has given me, I know that I’m not ready
yet and I need a season of preparation.
I have committed to stay with YWAM Brisbane for one more year. My plan
is to take this next year to dive into further growth and experience as a
missionary, a disciple, and a leader. I also plan to take the steps toward
pursuing my vision (which I will tell you more about as God permits), and
making it possible for it to happen whether that be staffing another DTS or
working in a logistical role on base. Then in late 2015, I plan to return to
the United States indefinitely to put this vision into action.
I know this
sounds huge, and I’m probably the least qualified person on the planet to do
this, but God is bigger than anything we can imagine, and He has called me to
help bring a revival to the western world. I am so humbled and grateful that
God has put this calling on my life. Ministry is something that I never thought
I would do with my life, but honestly, the thought of doing anything else gives
me a sick feeling in my stomach. This is what I love and until I feel God call
me to something else, this is what I will do. I feel that God has called me, in
a sense, to be a Levite (Numbers 18:1-6).
Here are some things I'd appreciate prayer about:
Prayer Warriors
One of the biggest things I need is prayer partners. I know
I cannot do this on my own strength and I need my fellow members of the body of
Christ to partner with me in faith. If you as my brothers and sisters in the
Lord would please commit to stand with me in prayer and agreement for God’s
strength, faith, and provision that would be fantastic.
Financial Provision
As a missionary in YWAM, I have to raise my own financial
support. When God divided the tribes of Israel, he gave specific instructions
that the Levites devote their lives to doing ministry and that the other tribes
would partner with them financially (Numbers 18:21-26). When Jesus sent out the
12 disciples he also told them to allow God to provide for them on their
missions (Luke 9:1-6). I know that God is a provider and He would not have
called me to this mission if He wasn’t going to provide for me. I am looking to
see if there are 30 people out there who would be willing to partner with me by
giving $30 a month for the next year, which comes to about $1 a day. You
wouldn’t just be giving me money, but rather partnering with me to raise up a
generation of young believers, and to spread the message of Jesus to the
nations. I ask that all of you would stand with me in faith for God’s provision
of finances to pursue this vision he has placed on my life. As you pray, if you
feel on your heart a desire to partner with me financially, please let me know.
I promise that whatever finances you give will go to a great cause. Also, since I will no longer be a student,
all of your donations will be tax deductible.
Visa
I am currently here on a Student Visa which will expire on
the 9th of October this year. I will need a new visa
in order to stay here. I will start the application process when I get back
from my outreach to Europe. Again I know that God is a provider and this where
He has called me to prepare myself for the future and He’s not going to let
something as small as a visa stand in the way of that. If you could please pray
the application process goes smoothly and I will have favor in that situation,
I would be most appreciative.
I want to
thank all of you who have stood with me in my journey with God. My life has
changed so dramatically I sometimes can’t even believe it! I am ready to start this next chapter of my
walk with Christ. I know it’s going to be a long and challenging road, but God
is giving me an open door and I can do all things through him who gives me
strength.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jake@goywam.com.
God’s blessings to you all,
Jake Wichman
