The Day Loren Cunningham Almost Died

Teaching at the University of the Nations Creative Media & Communication Course in Kona, Hawaii in 2018, YWAM founder Loren Cunningham recounted this life threatening story that none of us had ever heard before about when he was 6 years old out in a town near San Diego… He and his older sister and parents were out preaching in the center of town. All the sidewalks in that part of town were covered by brick porticos because of the heat. People would walk under the porticos from shop to shop around the downtown. Suddenly Loren’s mom, Jewell Cunningham said, “Dad – we have to go now. God said we have to go now!”

His father cut off the sermon and asked people to come to the Church they were preaching at that Sunday. They got into their car and as the family drove away, the road started moving beneath them in waves. A powerful earthquake hit and the brick porticos began crumbling. Young Loren saw a family of four… the father and son jumped toward the street, the mom and daughter were under the porticos and were killed by the falling bricks.

God is always communicating – if we are listening. It is vitally important – not just for our safety but for others and all the other things God wants to guide us in.

“God is a God of love – and without two way communication, there can be no love.”