the bookers in missions

 As a ministry, God has called us to many exciting things at YWAM Reef to Outback:

 *Though we are involved in all of the ministries at YWAM Reef to Outback, the starred ministries (*) are areas that we are specifically involved in leading.

*Youth Centre & Café
We are currently in the beginning phases of pioneering a Youth Centre to further address the needs of youth in our city. Though still very conceptual at the moment, some of the elements we’re looking at incorporating will be a café, emergency accommodation for homeless youth in crisis (under 18 only), and vocational/life skills training. We’ll look at employing youth in the café and mentoring them in real-life work situations. Along with this we are looking at developing a Youth Ministry School that will equip youth ministers to work with youth in areas like basic counselling, teaching & preaching, running youth events, camps, etc.

YWAM Australia Ships
We have recently been given a ship from Marine Reach (a ministry of YWAM New Zealand) which is outfitted with medical facilities and births about 50 people. The ship is being given to YWAM Australia and, along with the other bases in Australia, we are planning an upcoming tour for 2010 that has a two-fold purpose. The first part of the tour will stop off in various ports along the east coast of Australia where we will reach 100,000 youth with the aim of mobilizing them for missions. We will present opportunities of them to get involved in short-term work, along with community members, churches, and members of the medical profession. The second part of the tour will be into Papua New Guinea where we will have a focus on serving the poor and needy. Team members will be able to perform cataract surgery, dental work, administer primary health care, and also teach, train, evangelize and disciple. After the Australian/PNG tour, the YWAM Australia ship will continue to be based in Townsville where it will continue with ongoing outreach into the Pacific Islands and South East Asia.

Voice in the Dark
Voice in the Dark is a ministry that uses music and media to reach out and engage young people in issues of injustice. Our band – Five Star Streets – performs in schools, churches, and other venues bringing the attention of young people to issues that need addressing in our world today. Though Voice in the Dark encompasses many different types of injustice issues, our primary focus in on bringing light to areas of human trafficking and sex trafficking, particularly with women and children in South East Asia. Revenues raised from CD sales gets filtered directly back into ministries within SEA that deal with these issues first-hand.

*Missions Training Schools
We run a number of schools to help equip young people for life and missions: Discipleship Training Schools, School of Music in Missions, Intro to Primary Health Care, School of Biblical Studies, and the Staff Internship.

Youth Street
Our local ministry for 12-17 year-olds is one of the primary ways we’re focusing on discipling the city of Townsville. Every week we see about 100 teenagers participate in our YS program, in which Saturday afternoons are spent in teams formed around areas of interest (skate, music, dance, sports) and then in the evening we have Youth Street Live with 180 Hour. During 180 Hour we have “rock worship”, bands perform, games, activities, and a relevant message. The youth are mentored by YWAM staff and students and are called individually once a week in between YS Saturdays. Many youth have come to know Jesus through this program, and many more are being discipled in the ways of God through relationship, teaching, and modelling. Youth Street also runs camps three times a year, an oversees outreach, and other youth activities.

Proper Way Productions
PWP is the South Pacific Island expression of our ministry. We do cultural dance, fire-twirling, and music productions using performing arts to reach into indigenous communities and share about the hope of Jesus. Our heart is to see the redemption of cultures used to build bridges to see Jesus made relevant in “non western” context.

Backbone Ministries
Our backbone ministries are areas like guest services, media and communications, accounts, registrar’s office, immigration, training, kitchen, community life, maintenance, and director’s office. These ministries are the “back bone” of all that we do, and none of the other ministries could function without the support of our backbone ministries.

*Staff Care & Development
Although still in the early phases, we are looking at how to develop our staff support area. This will include things like our Internship, pastoral care, staff development, and leadership training for short and long-term staff.