Launching Jesus in a Military Community

by CASSANDRA SMITH

A flurry of excitement, nerves, and energy abound when a military community is moving toward change; especially when it involves our youth. When we adults look back to our time as young persons, most of us feel a sense of nostalgia for the energy and fortitude we once had, the intensity with which we felt, and the fearlessness with which we approached many things. These are some of the reasons those of us who participate in youth ministry find ourselves so invigorated working with young people, it harkens us back to a time that we were more attuned to our world, the people next to us, and less on the demands of adult life.

Of course, youth ministry has its challenges, and it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, much like our youth. There are ups and downs for sure. But when God calls you to a ministry like this, and your eyes are on Him, you can’t help but feel akin to the young people you serve.

That is why Life Teen is such a valuable tool for military communities when aiming to support our young church; those who will be our future priests, religious, teachers, and laypersons. As I participate in helping to launch another Life Teen program at a new base location, I find myself reminded of two important concepts for parishes considering starting a Life Teen program.

It’s About Jesus; Not A Program

The most significant thing to remember is this: Jesus embodied in the Eucharist in the body, blood, soul, and divinity is the entire focus of our ministry. How does Jesus want to interact with and reveal himself to his children? Every meeting, every flyer, every life night, it’s all about Jesus and His infinite mercy, love, and His sincere desire to share in an encounter with your teens.

Some kids get it; some don’t seem to at all, and some appear to reject it entirely. We have to remember that the program is the method, and we are the hands and feet using these incredible resources to bring teens to Jesus. He does the work; He changes them and us and we provide the opportunity for our talents, gifts, and treasures to meet teens where they are.

If we derive a different meaning from words like success, and attribute them to things like obedience and service we can celebrate growing numbers without taking them personally. It’s like the contemporary Christian song “Call it Grace” that talks about the scandalousness of Jesus’ grace in these lyrics, “For every heart it rescues it’s a miracle.” Every person touched by God’s grace is, therefore, success; not if you see a 53% increase in participation. Follow Jesus. He doesn’t promise it will be easy but it is simple, and it is above all else about encountering Christ.

Flexibility

Each military location has a unique nature and culture. Be aware of what is going on in the community around you so you serve a need greater than your own. Patience and understanding are imperative, especially in launching a ministry on a military base. A priest who is scheduled may not show up, the food got burned because the stove is faulty, you may have to add an icebreaker to fill an unplanned time gap. Any number of things can happen, and it is no mistake that the Holy Spirit will prompt change as necessary, and we are all called to be adaptive.

Be organized but remember rule number one: It’s – About – Jesus! When you have a Life Night planned to talk about social media and that day, 10 of your teens come in somber because their parent or sibling left for deployment you can scrap a few minutes to be compassionate and adapt the information to speak to where they are. A dear friend told me the devil is in the details. Sometimes we allow ourselves to focus on what WE have planned and forget to let the Lord live in our ministry. Give Him control and release your personal attachment to the outcome. You will have done more than launch a program; you will have cooperated with the Lord in launching Jesus in a real encounter that far exceeds any plans you may have had in the first place.

In Summary, for those of us looking to invest time, energy, and effort in establishing youth ministry in a military community remember to be flexible, and let go of personal attachment to the outcome. If we keep any ministry, especially teen ministry Christ-centered, we can rest in the truth that, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:17). Launch Jesus with enthusiasm, excitement, and hope and the encounter with HIM, not a program, will be the lasting impression teens take into the future as the leaders of our church.

See this Blog where it appeared first http://lifeteen.com/cym/blog/launching-jesus-in-a-military-community/