Loren Duane Cunningham (June 30, 1935 – October 6, 2023) was an American missionary who was the founder of the internationalChristian missionary organizationYouth With A Mission (YWAM) and theUniversity of the Nations. Cunningham founded YWAM in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1960 with his wife, Darlene Cunningham, at the age of 24. They resided inKona, Hawaii, and were members of the YWAM Global Leadership Team.[citation needed]
Loren Cunningham was born on June 30, 1935, in the oil boom town ofTaft, California.[1]
While travelling inthe Bahamas in 1956 as part of agospel quartet, Cunningham claimed to have experienced avision. In this vision, he described waves on the shorelines of the continents on a world map, eventually growing bigger and bigger, covering the landmass. He claimed that the waves in this vision changed to young people covering the continents, talking to people about their faith. This vision would inspire the beginning of Youth With A Mission four years later as a movement providingmissionary opportunities for Christian youth after high school, regardless of theirdenomination.[2]
Cunningham and his wife continued to have influence on the leadership of YWAM International, holding the title of Founders of the Mission. They were members of the YWAM Global Leadership Team and advisers to the Team 3 leadership of YWAM International.[3]
In 1978, Cunnigham co-founded the University of the Nations inKailua-Kona, Hawaii, withHoward Malmstadt.[4]
Along with fellow evangelistBill Bright (founder ofCampus Crusade for Christ) and theologianFrancis Schaeffer, in 1975 Cunningham was one of the founders of what would later be termed theSeven Mountain Mandate. The idea would later go on to be popularized byBethel Church pastorBill Johnson andLance Wallnau, among others. The concept centers around Christians taking dominion of seven societalspheres of influence: "family, religion, education, media, art, economics, and government."[5][6]
Cunningham died on October 6, 2023, at the age of 88, at his home in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.[7]
