Generations Devoted to Missions
Loren and Darlene Cunningham are well known in Christian circles as the founders of Youth With A Mission, an ever expanding Christian missions movement. But they credit Jesus for every success, and take responsibility for any failures. “YWAM is what it is today because of God’s great faithfulness,” Darlene Cunningham says, “not because of any brilliance on our part.”
Missions and christian ministry have always been a way of life to Loren Cunningham, born in Taft, California to his parents, Tom and Jewell Cunningham. Both his mother and his father were pioneer preachers who planted and pastored churches all across the United States, from Texas to Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico and California. During Loren’s growing up years, they didn’t have much – they often lived in tents or temporary dwellings as they travelled and built up church fellowships and sanctuaries. But Loren Cunningham always knew he was rich in Christian heritage and the things that count for eternity. His upbringing taught him that God is always faithful, and that “where God guides, He provides.”
This lifestyle of faith in God became a foundation for Youth With A Mission, where every person, from the newest recruit to Loren himself, volunteer their time and talents to God with no expectation of salary in return. They all trust God to provide through other Christians voluntarily giving to sponsor their missions efforts and expenses.
Darlene as a teenager
Darlene Scratch - Cunningham with her parents Ed and Enid Scratch
Darlene Cunningham was born in Vancouver to parents who also had a call to ministry, pastoring local churches. Her favorite uncle, Clare, who was a missionary to China, had an impact on her life, influencing her own call to missions.
At one point, Darlene had made a commitment to be a “single woman missionary” all the days of her life, if that’s what God wanted. But that idea got sidetracked forever when she was introduced by her parents to a certain handsome young “man with a mission,” named Loren Cunningham.
Loren and Darlene got married in 1963. Since then, YWAM has reached into every nation on earth through evangelism, training and mercy ministries. It is staffed by tens of thousands of full-time volunteers from 200+ countries and a wide variety of denominations and Christian traditions. They serve at more than 2,000 YWAM locations in 191 nations. Loren is the “visionary/luminary” of Youth With A Mission, but he quickly acknowledges that “YWAM would not be what it is today without the giftings and leadership of Darlene. She is the heart of YWAM, the people-developer and the implementer of vision.”
The next generation of Cunninghams are also missionaries, and the next. Daughter Karen Cunningham is a preschool teacher, trained at University of the Nations in Kona, Hawaii. Karen has taught little ones about “God our Father” at preschools in eight nations of Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America and Down Under.
David Cunningham on set with actors Matt Dillon and Jim Caviezel
Son, David Cunningham is a filmmaker with a vision to use this medium to convey principles of truth and reconciliation. His wife, Judy, also carries a missions call in education. And Loren and Darlene’s three grandchildren are also showing promising signs of continuing in their family’s missions heritage. Their oldest granddaughter recently announced to Darlene, “I’m joining the ‘family business!” as she headed off to complete the entry course to YWAM, a Discipleship Training School.