August 2026
Our Heart
Is this a decisive moment for Europe?
Hello friends, we believe we are seeing the early signs of a harvest.
Could it be that God is shaking Europe in a way we have not seen for several generations, not to destroy, but to awaken?
Across Europe, we are beginning to hear stories that give us hope: young people turning passionately toward God, and signs that long-standing patterns of decline may be beginning to reverse. God is shaking Europe to awaken them anew to the gospel.
One Biblical image that keeps coming to mind is the threshing floor. In the Bible, a threshing floor has deep significance and is a great image for our time. God infused a very common location and practice for Israel in the OT with deep meaning to help them understand His ways. At the threshing floor, grain was separated from the chaff through threshing and winnowing. Throughout Scripture, this becomes an image of God’s judgment, redemption, and transformation (Matt. 3:12; 2 Sam. 24; Is. 21:10). Threshing floors carry such significance in the biblical narrative that Solomon’s temple was even built on one (2 Chron. 3:1).
We believe that Europe is in a threshing floor moment. God is shaking away the deadness of cultural Christianity and humanistic reasoning to raise up a harvest of surrendered disciples.
We are seeing glimpses of this harvest in Lausanne and at YWAM Lausanne. We are hearing Jesus’ words to the disciples: “Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (John 4:35).
Testimony
North Africa
Our work in North Africa is an affirmation that God leads us into an abundant harvest. Since 2013, we have been running Biblical worldview and vocational skills workshops for Sudanese refugees. We have always facilitated these workshops with a blend of internationals and Sudanese, but rarely any Egyptians.
As we obeyed God and started to run Discipleship Training Schools and Discipleship Bible Schools in North Africa, we have been able to welcome many local Egyptians into the ministry we do. As we kicked off our first leadership school this July, the team leading the workshops is now predominantly Egyptian!
In a time of heightened difficulties between Sudanese and Egyptians, to have our largest Egyptian presence in our ministry team is producing fruit we have prayed and imagined for a long time.
One Sudanese participant remarked, “During my time in Egypt, I only had negative experiences with Egyptians, but after meeting the team and witnessing their love and heartfelt repentance, I can now see that Egyptians have good hearts and I can forgive them.”
Of all the worldview teaching we do, this is the best communication of the transformative power of the Gospel. In this context, we are seeing several people have renewed vision to serve their community, with some giving their lives to Jesus and experiencing the change internally that will be reflected externally into the community.
Training Opportunities
January 2027 schools
At YWAM Lausanne, our heart is to see you grow in your relationship with the Lord. That’s why we offer different opportunities for you to know Him more deeply, grow as His disciple, and discover what it means to follow Him in every area of life. Whether you want to dive deeper into His Word, build a strong biblical foundation, or learn how to lead with a biblical worldview those He has entrusted to you, there is a place for you to grow. Check out the schools we’re offering in January 2027, and get ready to step into all that the Lord has for you!
Engagement Opportunities
The Way DTS and translators
In a few weeks, we are thrilled to kick off our French / English DTS. We have about 30 students, and over 10% of them are native French speakers. Again, this is proof to us of the harvest season we are in!
Along with this growth, we have a continued need for English-to-French translators. If you have this skill and would love to serve for a few weeks or months at YWAM Lausanne, we would love to hear from you! You can simply reply to this email or apply here.
In Closing
Thank You
Thank you for your generosity through your prayers, giving, and encouragement toward YWAM Lausanne. We are about to run our 3rd Kingdom Come event this year. We are full of faith to see the lost encounter Jesus.
If you’re near Lausanne, we’d love to have you join us. It will be at 18:00 on September 9th in Ouchy.
These events serve around 450 people and operate with a budget of nearly CHF 5,000. If you would like to be part of the harvest God is bringing in, we would love to invite you to donate here.
On behalf of the whole YWAM Lausanne family, thank you for partnering with us.
Markus & Anita Steffen · Emeline Soto · Jordan Weatherson
Base Leadership Team
