"Welcome back, now what will you be doing?!"
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| The Kansas City downtown in the horizon as we arrived. |
It all hit home as I was driving our 20' U-haul into the landscape of the downtown KC horizon on the 7th of July. "We're really back in this area," I thought with emotion and some tears rolling down my face. Emotions were hitting me as I was coming to grips with the move from a place Amy and I had prepared to stay up to 20 years, and was now coming to an end. We weren't far removed from God's amazing and mind-blowing blessings of taking 57 teens and 5 adults to camp and seeing His glory show up ten fold and now we were stepping into the new landscape of our pending adventure in Leavenworth County, Kansas.
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Amy and I in front of the Royals' World Series
trophy when we recently relaxed to see a game.
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As I write this letter to you all, we have been in Kansas now for only 6 days. Usually, Amy and I visit this part of the country for up to 2 weeks, so we're waiting on it all to 'hit us' in this move in a couple weeks from now that we're officially in the Midwest again. Thankfully we have been graciously granted the first 30 days to slowly ease into our position here and adjust to living in Kansas and everything that comes with the ministry, to include visiting family, visiting ministry partners in the area and having intentional meetings with like-minded Kingdom builders in the area as well. It's a blessing overall to us so we can pray and discern about what God is leading us to do to make an impact to potentially reach every military teen in the Leavenworth County area.
Now that we have settled a little bit and are absorbing information from Youth for Christ, we thought this letter would be beneficial to give some good updates for people who want to know the how, what, why of the ministry we'll be doing in this area. There were many updates along the timeline to multiple groups of folks and now that we're here in Kansas, we thought it would be good to share that information as best as we can with as many as possible. Please do bear with us as this will be an ongoing 'living document of Holy Spirit driven ministry' in which we will serve.
1. Question: What will the ministry be doing in the area, specifically?
Answer: Just so all are aware, we've been called to stay specifically with Youth for Christ Military in efforts to potentially reach "every military teen." We will be looking to provide ministry on and off Fort Leavenworth, literally throughout Leavenworth County which will allow us to reach many more military teens who may not ever get the chance to get on post but can be influenced by the ministry and mission that works alongside their life experiences. A few of our logos and such may change, but the mission stays the same!
2. Question: What will ministry look like?
Answer: This will be an ongoing Holy Spirit driven mission. We want to be influenced by Christ to be reaching our military teens in efforts never imagined before. Being the ministry will now be volunteer invited and non-contracted via the Post Chapel and overall community, this mission will allow us to adjust when necessary to the needs of the teens and military community.
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A great view to take in the game with Amy's folks as
they blessed us for our anniversary.
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3. Question: What will you and Amy be doing in the ministry?
Answer: Our ministry role will look different than ever before, as we'll be led to raise up indigenous leaders within Leavenworth County (on and off post) to work to reach military teens right in their own locale. We'll be guiding and developing an overall ministry plan where the Holy Spirit can help us see the needs and adjust when necessary. We will be assisting with Club where needed and empowering leaders to 'run with the torch' in creating avenues to relationally meet our military teens and their friends whenever and however they feel led. We'll be training our leaders in the Youth for Christ methodology of relational ministry to include partner training with the other YFC Affiliate program in Kansas City.
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| Found a new friend as we were visiting friends at their home in the county. |
Other pieces of this ministry will be developing the YFC Affiliate Serving Leavenworth County and reaching new ministry partners who want to see the impact unfold even more to reach all of our military teens in this area. An Affiliate program will include an advisory board of people who desire to see military youth ministry in the area strive and be a thriving program in years to come on and off post. Networking throughout Leavenworth County within the school systems will be essential and effective to reach teens 'right where they are' along with providing great support to the communities in places in rich need. Another area of development for Amy and I along with the advisory board will be raising up financial and prayerful support throughout the area for Kingdom impact. Items may include may be banquets for possible partners, Church partnerships for events and service projects, on Post relationships to serve and bless the Fort Leavenworth community and other items that may come up across our desk to build Kingdom impact.
4. Question: Without contracts, what will change in military youth ministry?
Answer: Essentially contracting was the gateway of our presence on military installations in doing ministry. Being that we'll be working without them, we'll work from a presence of relationship building with our Chaplains on the installation and humbly ask them how we can partner in doing military youth ministry as it has been done in the past. This will become more of a partnership that is relational and desired and open dialogue between both parties will be essential to share intent and hope for reaching military teens for Christ's glory.
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| Amy's new friend "sprinkles" in the home of our dear friends in the county. |
One big piece folks have asked about is without contracting, how will we be funded. This is the area where faith and sharing need will go ten-fold to whomever and however they feel led to partner with us moving ahead. Contracting did provide a part of our funding source, nearly about 25% of our annual need. Being we are no longer contracted, we will seek whomever and however God leads us to raise that additional support base. Sometimes the military installation can choose to partner with us in how they feel led with gifts to our support account, just like folks do today. All of it depends on God's plan and how it will all unfold accordingly but we are so thankful for people who have stayed on mission with us in this transition to Kansas.
We continue to meet with as many people as necessary to share what God's mission and vision will be for us to work alongside amazing military teens. Please know our hearts still pray boldly for our Georgia teens at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. We are adjusting to the emotional change of location and excited for the next piece of the journey. As Amy shared with me in this transition, she felt like we were like the Apostle Paul who journeyed all over and then had to move from place to place after raising up ministry in each location. We too have had to do that, but are thrilled to be on Christ's mission for His glory.
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The official 'tagline' of our mission with YFC as we
get to know our students' stories and share our own.
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http://www.yfc.net/missionary/pparsons
Honored to be still on His mission for military teens,
Phil and Amy Parsons
