History of YWAM Knoxville

Rob and Chris Ellis, the founders and co-directors of YWAM Knoxville have been with YWAM, off and on for over 35 years.

They helped pioneer and staffed YWAM Miami for many years before heading north to work with local churches from 1993-2013.

Rob and Chris fell in love with Children’s Ministry during their time as Children’s Pastors at Trinity Chapel, (now named Trinity Community Church), in Knoxville Tennessee and fostered a desire to see children and young people, as well as their families enter into a relationship with God.

Their sights quickly went outward, past the four walls of the church building to seeing inner city children meet Jesus!

Through short term trips to Buffalo New York and working with Knoxville Inner City Kids Outreach, KICKO, they realized their vision to have a work to not only reach the city and the world, but also to be hands and feet to established ministries in Knoxville and abroad.

Rob and Chris brought their ministry, Children’s Ministry Outreach, under the leadership of YWAM in 2013 when they trained in leadership under YWAM Orlando and were commissioned as a base in 2015.

Since that time, they have been building relationships in the city, running Performing Arts Camps for elementary aged children, training young people through inner city ministry, and taking young people on mission trips, where they host the same Performing Arts Camps, VBS, and Kids Clubs in New York, London and Ireland.

Their desire is to see children and families hear the Good News of Jesus, and see young people excited about serving Jesus and enter into full time service to Him!

YWAM Knoxville is still growing. From our start we have added staff and given staff away to other works. We love seeing people find their place and calling and are looking to Jesus to add to us the ones we need to help us grow into all He wants us to be.