Army chaplains abandon tradition to reach young soldiers with gospel

FORT BRAGG, N.C. (BP)--The Sunday morning All-American Service at Fort Bragg is no ordinary U.S. Army chapel service.

The chaplains often wear jeans.

A praise team, accompanied by drums and guitar, leads worship.

Video clips and live drama highlight message themes.

Most significantly, there are many young, single soldiers in attendance -- many of whom have made new or renewed commitments to Christ as a result of their involvement.

Those changed lives were precisely what the leadership group of chaplains had in mind when they started the service about a year and a half ago. And despite the risky departure from military tradition, their success has been noticed.

"I really think this concept is going to be not only the accepted method, but probably the directed method of chapel service in the Army to come," said Lt. Col. Jerry Graham, leader of the team of chaplains responsible for the service.

"We're going to have to understand that we must focus on our target audience, and that is the single soldier. And the more we focus, the more services we are going to do like the All-American service."

Graham was one of four Southern Baptists on the original team of six chaplains who started the service. Although Southern Baptist military chaplains are commissioned and compensated as officers, their ministries are endorsed and given non-financial support by the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The concept for the All-American Service grew out of a shared burden for the thousands of soldiers around them who didn't attend chapel.

"We noticed out of 100 to 150 people, we could literally count on one hand the number of young single soldiers in that service," said Capt. David Mikkelson, another Southern Baptist on the team who now has primary preaching responsibilities.

"They were mostly officers and senior enlisted and their families … in their 30s, 40s and 50s," Mikkelson said. "God just impressed on our hearts this was not why we came to the Army. I didn't come here to just maintain the status quo."

Army chapel services normally come in just a few flavors, Mikkelson explained. There are services for Catholics, Protestants, the African American community and occasionally for other groups with special needs. But he used an analogy of church-growth expert Rick Warren in why they eventually decided to start an entirely new service.

"It's like a radio station trying to attract listeners by playing every style of music," Mikkelson said. "If every song changes style, who's going to listen? Nobody. So it really backfires."

Capt. Dave Shoffner, another Southern Baptist who previously had started several nontraditional services in California, was the initial "senior pastor." Graham said he initially was mystified at such concepts as video clips during a service, but he soon became convinced the idea would work.

"The bottom line for me is just using a different method, but proclaiming the same message," Graham said, adding his superior chaplains and the post commander also encouraged the concept.

They even gained approval to use the Hall of Heroes, a memorial to war heroes, for the services. "We intentionally chose this building because it is not a chapel building," Mikkelson said. "It's informal, comfortable and also very identifiable. … The soldiers know where it's located."

Each Sunday morning the military auditorium is transformed into a worship center. Signs are posted out front, equipment is set up and even the straight rows of chairs are curved toward the center to encourage participatory worship.

Chaplains occasionally walk through the barracks encouraging soldiers to come as they are. And although informality is the rule, the chaplains said much more preparation is required than for traditional chapel services, such as computer graphics throughout the service.

Relationships are of primary importance to the target "baby buster" generation, Mikkelson said, so there is ample fellowship time -- whether through bagels served after each service, monthly outdoor dinners during the summer or small groups that meet during the week.

Mikkelson said targeting the "busters" also requires a complete change in how scriptural truth is presented. Their belief in the authority of Scripture cannot be assumed. Initially, biblical truth often is accepted only on the basis of its perceived relevance to daily life.

"After a while they kind of scratch their head and say, 'This must be true; it works,'" said Mikkelson. "And when they get to the point when they say, 'I want to follow this Jesus that you're talking about,' then you can lead them in the traditional doctrines of Scripture."

A "biblical exploration" class is offered after the service each Sunday, and leaders are working with The Navigators to begin ongoing discipleship. Mikkelson said the intent is not necessarily to provide a full-service church, however, and some have even been encouraged to join a civilian congregation as they mature in their faith. Chapel services are generally a secondary responsibility for military chaplains, who are kept busy with counseling and other full-time responsibilities for between 500 and 1,000 soldiers and their families.

The All-American Service chaplains specifically volunteer for the extra duties, however. Specialist Luke Heibel, who has attended for many months, said that sort of dedication doesn't go unnoticed.

"They just try to get on everybody's level," he said. "They can understand a lot of the doubt and the negative stereotypes of Christianity. They can understand how contradictory (the gospel) is to the world. And they really try to relate it to you.

"… It's strengthened my faith, it's convicted me in a lot of ways and it's motivated me to get involved in a lot of ways."

The service also has helped Heibel introduce others to Christ, and several friends have become regulars. "I have a hard time witnessing to people a lot of times, but I know that if I bring them there they are going to get a good gospel message and a good perspective of how real Christians are."

Sgt. Michael Hayhurst, sergeant in charge on the leadership team, said the service allows many nominal Christians who "start hanging around with the wrong crowd" to discover their own Christian identity.

"You get them involved in this service and they start thinking, 'Hey, maybe I don't have to live like my parents (and still be a Christian),'" he said.

As of early April, 21 individuals had made first-time commitments to Christ, and 73 had made recommitments. More than 600 first-time visitors have been documented from the decision/communications cards filled out at the service, although leaders believe the actual number is close to 1,000. Attendance currently averages about 100 and is growing.

The concept is even being exported. Shoffner, now stationed at Fort Irwin, Calif., recently started a similar service there. Another Southern Baptist chaplain, Mark Jones, began a service in Korea several months ago.

Mikkelson said their detractors still see the service format as a dangerous concession to culture -- "that we are changing church to match the world."

"Of course we'd all like to see the church impact the culture … but in order to do that we have to gain a hearing," he said. "So we remove as many barriers as we can so that they can come in and hear the message of Christ."