YWAM Denver History

THE BEGINNING

The vision for YWAM Denver in Colorado began in 1983 as Peter and Linda Warren were praying about their future. The Lord showed them that they would soon be leaving YWAM Los Angeles, where they had been for about six years. The Warrens felt God might be leading them overseas to the Third World, so it was a surprise when He directed them to Colorado. As they continued to seek the Lord it became clear that the reason for staying in the United States was not primarily to be missionaries to America, but to train and send out missionaries to the world. God gave them the words “A Bridge to the Nations,” which has become our central objective as a ministry.

Youth with a mission

OUR PRESENT LOCATION

Three weeks before their lease expired on the lodge in Estes Park the Lord spoke to Pastor George Morrison of Faith Bible Chapel to donate three acres of land to YWAM to build a training center. In the meantime, Faith Bible Chapel gave YWAM the use of a student residence, which could accommodate 40 students. This was truly a miraculous provision since they had nowhere to go. In the spring of 1991, they moved into the new facility at Meadow Lake in Arvada, our present location. In the fall of 1999, the Lord blessed us with our Administration building. We are believing the Lord for a third facility within the next five years, which will complete the Arvada training campus. We were also blessed with a mountain campus, Eagle Rock, in the spring of 2001.

Youth with a mission

THE EARLY YEARS

In the Fall of 1984, a team of five joined the Warrens and moved with them to Colorado. They began by running short-term outreaches followed by other training programs. At one point they had to move the whole operating location to the mountains for six months because they had no place to stay in the city. It was there, in Estes Park, that God showed them that He wanted them back in Denver, Colorado and that location would be the gateway to this “Bridge to the Nations”.

Youth with a mission