There has been public conversation on the nature and role of Olivet University and its founding president Dr. David Jang and their relationship to the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA).
The WEA, from its founding more than a century ago, continues to serve its worldwide community with its roots in the life of Jesus Christ, its theology solidly Evangelical and its heart to serve people in the name of the Lord Jesus, believing that it is only in the risen Christ that people will find life and eternity.
Vital to this conversation is an understanding of the WEA and its wide and comprehensive linkage and accountability to Evangelicals from 129 nations.
The WEA was founded in 1846 and is the largest global Evangelical body, with a network of churches in 129 national alliances and 100 international organizations, representing some 600 million Christians worldwide.
WEA is governed by the International Council, which consists of fourteen people from its regions, elected every six years by the 129 national alliance members. The WEA also has a North American Council that provides board governance for the US 501(c)(3) organization. The International Council oversees the work of the WEA and appoints its Secretary General/CEO every five years.
All members of both the WEA International Council and North American Council are reviewed to determine their compatibility and support of the vision and theology of the WEA, and all members sign the WEA statement of faith.
Dr. David Jang has been a member of the North American Council since 2007, appointed by due process. WEA leaders were aware of accusations against Dr. Jang. However these issues had been resolved by our South Korean national alliance member, The Christian Council of Korea (CCK). The CCK is composed of 71 denominations representing over 80 percent of protestant Christians.
WEA has several membership categories, and all members apply through a membership application. The International Council membership committee reviews all applications and it is the International Council who decides who will be accepted into membership.
Olivet University, also founded by Dr. Jang, is a member of WEA, as are over 100 other institutions and organizations. The WEA International Leadership Institute uses the technical platform of Olivet University as a delivery mechanism in its online delivery of education. The Leadership Institute’s curriculum is developed by many leaders and teaching practioners around the world, designed to provide leadership training to leaders of its 129 national alliances along with other WEA members.
WEA is funded and supported through membership fees, donations, and conferences, as well as secondment of staff. As a result, funds received through the US 501(c)(3) represent only one source of WEA’s overall support. The WEA 501(c)(3) provides the Form 990 that is publicly available. WEA respects the privacy of our donors and supporters and abides by government privacy regulations, particular in Europe. In the United States funds come from memberships, individuals, foundations, trusts and churches.
WEA is broadly based in its organizational structure, which consists of many in leadership, a comprehensive and carefully outlined voting structure and an accountability that ensures it reflects the hundreds of millions of Evangelicals the WEA represents.
WEA is wide in its scope of commissions and organizations and finds its funding in a vast array of regions, countries and communities. The growth of WEA in past years is due in part to the generous support of members around the world and partnering with agencies, missions and organizations.
The WEA is the largest global evangelical body with a network of churches in 129 nations and an alliance of 100 international organizations representing over 600 million Christians worldwide. It representatively speaks as a trusted voice on behalf of global evangelicalism, connects diverse Evangelical church networks and ministries for effective collaborative action, and actively equips their needs with valuable resources to optimize their impact. For more info e-mail at wea@worldea.org or go to Worldea.org.
Full Name: Young Disciples of Jesus Abbreviation: YD
Purpose Statement
Young Disciples of Jesus was first established in China and was founded for the purpose of spreading the Gospel to revive the spirit of Christianity and to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to the unreached across the world.
Symbol
The symbol for the Young Disciples of Jesus is a shield in the background. The front of the shield was formed with the cross, olive leaf, dove, fire, and the Bible. The symbols mean through the emptying of our Lord Jesus Christ, who redeemed us by His sacrifice on the cross, to the ones who placed their faith in Him were pronounced righteous. We have inherited the same faith, with the Gospel that is revealed through the Holy Scriptures and led by the Spirit of Truth as the core doctrine, are given the command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth and becoming the witness to His cross and resurrection.
Overview
Young Disciples of Jesus (YD) as an evangelical mission ministry, carries the great commission of Jesus Christ in spreading the gospel. In this era filled with jealousy, hatred, disputes and divisions, we wish to see all the walls being tore down through the gospel, and to restore the peaceful world in Christ Jesus.
In 1996, evangelical presbyterian missionaries had bible study with students of Fudan University in Shanghai, China. The words were spread throughout the campus and ignited the heart of thousand souls. Through bible study and prayers, a vision was planted in their hearts- to set up China as a great nation that spreads the worlds to the ends of the world and will lead the world with the gospel.
The gospel, just as a mustard seed, has laid down on the vast land of Mainland China through YD. And it has quickly developed and spread to others cities. Many youths sharing the same vision have joined YD. Despite of persecution and adversity, they firmly believe in the history of God’s salvation and have never given up the first priority of preaching the gospel, testifying the authority of the Bible and Jesus Christ’s power and glory.
In 2001, Peking University students and all YD representatives in China gathered in Beijing to give the dedication service, Young Disciple of Jesus International was thus established. Since then, YD has dispatched countless missionaries to Hong Kong, U.S.A., Korea, Thailand, Mongolia, India, Singapore, Australia, Canada, Portugal, Kazakhstan, France, Malaysia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and other countries.
Now, YD ministers are serving in mission fields in over 20 countries, testifying the grace of Jesus Christ in more than 200 campuses. They will continue to run for Christ with passion!
Statement of Faith
1. We believe that the Bible, consisting of Old and New Testaments only, is verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit, is inerrant in the original manuscripts, and is the infallible and authoritative words from the Lord.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe that Adam, created in the image of God, was tempted by Satan, the devil, and fell. Because of Adam’s sin, all men have guilt imputed.
4. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
5. We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
6. We believe that salvation consists in the remission of sins, the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, and the gift of eternal life received by faith alone, apart from works.
7. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
8. We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, they that are saved unto the resurrection of life, and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
9. We believe that the Church, the body of Christ, consists only of those who are born again, who are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ at the time of regeneration, for whom He now makes intercession in heaven and for whom He will come again
10. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
11 . We believe that Christ instructed the Church to go into the entire world and preach the gospel to every person, baptizing and teaching those who believe.
12. We believe that the return of Jesus Christ is imminent.
Mission Statement
Today’s era is filled with atheism and anti-God. The youths who have lost the Lord in their lives are now wondering at the crossroads of life; this is very much like what prophet Amos has prophesized that a time will come when the word of the Lord would not be heard. Facing dilemma in the increasing wondering youths within universities, the mission Young Disciples of Christ aims to witness to the students about the abundance in living within the love of God, and about the Jesus Christ who is filled with love and truth; this allows the students to set their foundations once again and place it on the rock of Jesus Christ, becoming the truth young disciple of Jesus.
1. World evangelism (Evangelia) 2. Teaching the Gospel to His people (Kerigma) 3. Establish the channel to having fellowship in the Lord (Koinonia) 4. Serve and give to the needy (Diakonia)
HQ departments
Young Disciples of Jesus International
YD International Headquarters encompasses seven departments, operated to oversee the worldwide network of YD chapters and ministries. Leaders from around the world serve as staff in each department. The International Headquarters provides the structure through which ongoing missions are guided and united, in order to glorify God by helping fulfill the Great Commission.
1. General Affairs Department- The General Affairs Department is the overseer of Young Disciples of Jesus. The purpose of the General Affiars Department is to offers support for matters concerning administration of YD. This department schedules special events or meetings during which representatives gather to discuss the activities and progress of YD internal structural development while factoring in the needs of global ministers. Networking with Christian leaders and organizations is also a primary focus of this department. The General Affiars Department also has the responsibility to set up special committees when deemed necessary.
2. Secretariat- The Secretariat is accomplished by providing the other departments with timely, accurate financial and statistical data, a mechanism ensuring effective inter-divisional communication, objective periodic evaluation of program effectiveness, human resources support, clean and comfortable facilities, and professional administrative support.
3. Missions Department- Driving YD forward is our desire to reach students from all nations around the world. The Missions Department is is to serve God by administrating an effective witness for Christ to unreached people groups throughout the world. This mission contributes to the mission of YD in that it encourages people to respond to God’s love through loving service toward Him and all people by providing effective structures that will help facilitate YD members in their attempts to help those in their hunger and thirst for the Kingdom of God a personal relationship with Christ, by mobilizing all YD members to carry out their specific roles in the evangelistic task, and by administrating YD extra-local evangelistic projects, including cross cultural mission work.
4. Education Department- The Education Department is one of the most important departments of YD. The Education Department is to provide the educational resources necessary for YD members to understand and apply biblical truth. This mission is accomplished by offering diverse approaches and course offerings for our college student education program, providing information resources for the church and relevant publics, developing programs for training leaders and workers, and facilitating the development of new and existing ministries.
5. Finance Department- For Young Disciples of Jesus to function well in the short and long term, a strong financial team has been set up. The Finance Department handles day-to-day financial operations, and, more importantly, creates annual budgets for the Headquarters in New York and in all the other countries. It is in charge of gathering always new methods of funding and developing current forms of fundraising. The Financial Director is always in contact with other ministries and companies that can help support YD. The Finance Departmentis a core department to YD, especially in the support of pioneering and ongoing missions
6. Public Relations Department- The Public Relations Department acts as the public face of YD that presents our dynamic atmosphere to those who wish to learn more about our community. Media presentations, press kits, newsletters, and other tools allow those who wish to learn more about YD to understand the many aspects of what we do. The Public Relations Department also organizes personal, regional, and national meetings with Christian leaders and serves as the liaison in building relationships between YD and other Christian organizations. It is the specific task of the Public Relations Department to oversee the establishment of the Board of Trustees, made up of members from the nations where YD has chapters.
7. IT Department- IT Department serves other YD departments through a series of services that includes integrating computer systems, coordinating and providing training, negotiating and managing information technology related issues, and technology assistance and support. The department creates the technological environment that enables YD staff to quickly access vital information using the most efficient and cost effective system hardware and software. The department provides leadership as an active partner in the regional telecommunications and data-sharing network.
Contact us
Young Disciples of Jesus International
YD is your friend. We love to talk to and hear from you- no matter where you are from. Give us a call, send us an e-mail or fax, or even a letter.
Below is how to reach us.
Headquarters: 555 Howard Street, Suite 200 San Francisco CA 94105 Telephone: 415-777-1819 Fax: 1-415-777-1821 E-mail: info@ydjesus.org
