About Us
Our Heritage
Started as a Bible College in 1946, YWAM Ozarks has a rich history in training world-changers.
Our presence on Manitou Mountain in Ozark is rooted in an event in 1946. That year, Rev. A. H. Levin traveled from Wisconsin to his church’s mission outreach in Arkansas. While in the area, he recalled being asked to run a Bible College in Ozark years earlier. He inquired about it out of curiosity and learned it was shut down. “But there is a place that would be perfect for a Bible College,” insisted a local pastor. Rev. Levin had no interest in starting a school, but this pastor was so persistent that he finally went along.
He was taken up the winding road to the top of Manitou Mountain and while looking around someone said, “This is the place for a Bible School.” Rev. Levin turned to see who had spoken but no one was there. It was a sovereign call of God. The property, including a gorgeous lodge and some smaller buildings, was his in three weeks—82 acres for $7000. In less than a year Ozark Bible Institute was incorporated. Rev. Levin was “Grandpa” to Barb Nizza, present YWAM Ozarks director.
This time acquiring the property took much longer. It was a four-year process – going through the necessary steps to make sure it was the leading of the Lord, waiting for God’s timing, and persevering through major setbacks. Although they didn’t have funds to make an offer on the Manitou property, they proceeded to move their family to Ozark. In November 2003 YWAM Ozarks, comprised of the Nizzas and two staff members, was launched in a rented home in town.Our Mission
We are a live-learn community, discipling young people for missions and life-calling, working with the local Church, and mobilizing young people to obey Jesus’ call to share the Good News locally and cross-culturally to unreached people of the world.
Our Vision
To Build & Disciple Young People
We are a missions training community where discipleship is caught, not just taught. Together we are following Jesus – through a lifestyle of worship, fellowship, obeying His Word, and experiencing God’s heart for the world.
To Mobilize People to Reach Our World
We equip people for missions through our training courses and through short-term outreaches, both local and international, to fulfill the Great Commission.
To Reach the Next Generation
To Fully Equip God's People in the Word
We use Inductive Bible Study to ground people in the Word and give them the tools to train others as well. A solid foundation in the Scriptures is crucial – not just for Bible knowledge, but to touch the issues of life.
To Partner with Local Churches & Organizations
We desire to learn from what God has already invested in this region, and to discover ways that the gifts and strengths of YWAM can best serve the Church.
To Make God's Kingdom Tangible
We are called & privileged to steward God’s beautiful creation—to put into practice creativity, innovation, experimentation, blessing, abundance, multiplication, and sustainability.
Our Beliefs
We believe that:
- The Bible is God’s inspired and authoritative Word, revealing that Jesus Christ is God’s Son
- People are created in God’s image
- God created us to have eternal life through Jesus Christ
- Although all people have sinned and come short of God’s glory, God has made salvation possible through the death on the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ
- Repentance, faith, love and obedience are fitting responses to God’s initiative of grace towards us
- God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth
- The Holy Spirit’s power is demonstrated in and through us for the accomplishment of Christ’s last commandment, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation” (Mark 16:15)
Our Team
