YMCA Spiritual Legacy

Sir George Williams1821-1905

• Founder of the YMCA• A passion to reach young men •Committed to Prayer• Knighted by Queen Victoria

"...if you wish to have a happy, useful, and profitable life, give your hearts to God while you

are young."

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

Rev. D.L. Moody1837-1899

• President of the YMCA• First YMCA employee in Chicago• World famous evangelist

“A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a

personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He

Himself we have.”

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

John R. Mott1865-1955

• Nobel Prize Winner• President YMCA World Committee• Student Missions Mobilizer

“It is our duty to evangelize the world because we owe all men the

gospel. To have a knowledge of Christ is to incur a responsibility to

every man who has it not..”

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

Anthony Bowen1805-1872

• Founded the first YMCA for African-Americans• Active in the Underground Railroad• Founded the St. Paul AME Church (1856) •Active Sunday School teacher

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

Charles K. Ober1882-1948

• Survived 8 days adrift at sea through prayer• Developed leaders for the YMCA• Special secretary in France and England during WWI

"It is right for me to serve God and to live for Him, and I will do it”

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

James Naismith1861-1939

• “Invented” Basketball for the YMCA• Recruited and trained men for the YMCA• Physical Director at Springfield YMCA Training School

"What is the work of a YMCA Physical Director?... To win men for

the Master through the gym."

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

Oswald Chambers1874-1917

• Author of “My Utmost for His Highest”• Commissioned by YMCA to minister to troops in Egypt during WWI• Encouraged the troops in YMCA “Huts”

“…We either go towards a more and more… useless type of Christian life, or we become more and more ablaze for

the glory of God”

YMCA Spiritual Legacy

William Borden1887-1913

• Heir of Borden Dairy fortune• Started Yale Hope Mission with YMCA•“I saw that Jesus Christ could work miracles in men's lives.”• Died as a missionary at age 25

“No reserves, no retreats, no regrets!”