The following abridged emails, from a long-term YWAMer, reveal that YWAM's "former" systematic theology is not truly "former." It is alive and well in YWAM, despite the stories of protective leaders.
This first email also reveals that not all YWAMers swallow the false teaching:
----- Original Message -----
From: [name withheld]
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2002 10:42 PM
Subject: Such a Looooonnnnnnng Web Page
> YWAM Montana is,
> for what it's worth, one of YWAM's greatest bastions of anti-Moral
> Government thought and teaching.
>
> YWAM here in Latin America was spearheaded by my
> dear friend and Moral Government advocate Wedge Alman. Ron Smith,
> international head of SBS at the MT base, has evidently done much to
> correct this deeply entrenched theology (at least in the US), but it
> seems a bit like trying to desalinate the Dead Sea, esp. after the
> plateful you've served up. My co-leader here is a Smith (Ron, not
> Joseph!) disciple, and we instigated a move that last year resulted in a
> moratorium on MGT on a national level here in VZ. I'm sensing it may
> not be enough. I just spent a week teaching in a DTS in Colombia, and I
> crossed swords (in a friendly way) with some of the MGT leadership
> there. Blah, blah, blah. It's still dug in real good here in Latin
> America, undisguised.
>
> You're really causing me to question the validity of YWAM as an
> organization, even as I see it doing much good. And clearly it's not a
> cult in the sense of Mormonism and such. But you know, there's a great
> deal of scary stuff at your site...
>
> Of course, if one takes at face value your every observation and
> criticism, it could be construed as silly to pray about a decision, even
> if you're "getting a Scripture" in response. I was concerned that you
> seem to have quoted something from Chick Publications. [The quote was from an early YWAM book called To Munich With Love which was published by Chick] I don't refute
> the quotes themselves, but I certainly take issue with Chick
> Publications as a rule, as they have damaged their won credibility with
> some of their outrageous stuff about Catholicism, etc.
>
> All very vague. Nonetheless, thanks for having the chutzpah to write
> what you've written, and let's not make the Chick mistake of throwing
> the baby Jesus out with the (abundant) bathwater.
>
> Cheers,
>
[name withheld]
----- Original Message -----
From: [name withheld]
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 9:11 AM
Subject: Lonnnnnnnng Reply
It would appear that MG is affecting much more than YWAM, according to
your info. (Asia, for instance.) That's bad. Here in Latin America,
it's easily swallowed by a people that have traditionally been
browbeaten by clergy, first in the RCC, then continuing the tradición as
evangélicos. (Small wonders that the JW's are making great headway
here.) Nonetheless, I know nothing of its preeminence outside of YWAM. [emphasis added]
Ron Smith, Int'l Director of the School of Biblical Studies (SBS) is, as
I 'spect you are aware, the author of "Grace, Simply Grace", "Hooked on
the Word" and other tomes that fly in the face of the clever foolishness
of MGT.
[section abridged here]
Paul shared with me how he and Loren attended a RC
church in Hawaii for a while, just to break down barriers. Likewise,
I've benefitted much from John Dawson's ministry. (I only ever met him
once, at which time he had very kind words for my guitar playing. I
eventually ended up working with his son on some guitar stuff.)
Feel free to quote me on anything I've said. I'm not criticizing
anybody, just their theology.
[section abridged here]
I had a false conversion at 18, fuelled by Chick comix and a Mike Warnke
tape sent by a friend while I was in the Air Force. Warnke turned out
to be a sham, as did "Father Alberto". But then, its' embarrassing to
think of all the bad doctrine I disseminated back in the early days . .
Do feel free to contact [name withheld] and/or [name withheld] (be prepared for sardonic
cynicism from the latter, who sees MG as awfully hard to root out.) Do
keep up the good work, and don't be discouraged by those with their
heads firmly grounded in sinking sand.
In His Grip,
[name removed]