Do YWAMers get paid?

YWAMers live by faith, friends and fellowship. No YWAMer receives any salary. That's true for everyone - from the founder to the newest YWAM staff member. We all need to raise a circle of supporters. To join YWAM as staff anywhere in the world, you need to have your own financial backing. YWAM helps people put together a prayer and financial support team (e.g., friends, home groups, churches, relatives, etc.) before they join as staff. This involves more people in missions than just our staff.

Financial support requirements vary according to the area of the world you will minister or live in, and your own determination of standard-of-living. The YWAM location you apply to will advise you. Financial support to individuals does not have to go through YWAM. Questions about the level of support, and best ways of sending support on a regular basis, should be directed to the YWAM ministry you are applying to.

While this may sound like a big challenge to you, it is truly amazing how many have served the Lord for years in so-called "full-time" service, with other Christians playing a different part by standing behind them through sending and supporting. It produces a real sense of God's confirmation upon your call when others take part in your ministry through prayer and financial support.

Jesus said, where your treasure is, there is your heart. Givers also pray for those they are giving to. We each need prayer supporters and financial supporters. Our supporters give to us directly, not to a central office where there are many overheads and costs of bureaucracy. Generally we live simple lifestyles, often in a community setting where costs are shared.

We encourage our workers to seek support from their local churches, and many thousands of churches worldwide proudly support YWAMers among their church missionaries. There was a time when some churches only supported missionaries serving with their own denominational mission agency. Those days have largely gone, as pastors realize that there are many mission organizations God has raised up to complete the task, and God may well call their members to serve with non-denominational missions.

Sometimes God leads us to step out in faith on projects without knowing where the money will come from. Loren Cunningham gives many examples of this in his book, "Is That Really You, God?". This stretches our faith muscles which don't get exercised when we have a safe secure income. Examples of large projects, like buying buildings, or even the purchase of our first ship, the Anastasis, are given in the book. Often provision comes through many ordinary people giving small gifts rather than those from a few wealthy donors.