60+ Years of Young Life Military

By Marty McCarty, Vice President, Young Life Military
Nov. 13, 2020

​In 1959 Jim Rayburn challenged the Young Life board of trustees, “There are 11 Air Force high schools in Germany alone! Six of them within easy, two-hour drives from Frankfurt, including three within 30 minutes of each other ... These kids are as American as Chicago — football and basketball league games, the works. And these kids are stranded. If we don’t go after them, no one will.” ​ ​

Since 1959, Young Life leadership and leaders have seen the need for a ministry to military teens and sought to meet them where they are, on installations all over the world. ​

And so Young Life Military began. Johnny O'Neil, a Young Life staffer ministering to the international community in Frankfurt, was approached by the Frankfurt Military Community Commander to focus on the Department of Defense Dependents (DODDS) high school in Frankfurt. With Jim Rayburn's call, he started a ministry to teens at Frankfurt American High School. As Young Life flourished in Frankfurt, other military communities became interested. ​

Then, in 1968 Bob Broyles, was serving as Young Life area director for Monterey County, which included Fort Ord, a significant Army training base. Bob became friends with Army Major Jim Meredith and his wife Barbara who helped establish a Young Life support committee that included military families and chaplains. Two chaplains asked Bob, "How could existing Young Life ministry be adapted to the needs of the U.S. Army?" This question led to a significant commitment to military teens. ​

In 1980, Bob was a part of a gathering of the presidents of Young Life and Youth for Christ, along with others, to discuss the possibility of creating a joint venture agency between the two organizations to reach military teens for Christ. From this meeting, Military Community Youth Ministries (MCYM) was born as a separate organization staffed by both Young Life and Youth for Christ. Bob became the first executive director of MCYM. Due to the "club" meetings that were held with teens, the ministry became known by teens, families and the military community as, "Club Beyond."

We reached out to former staff for some of their memories. They shared stories of being with teens as their military parent navigated the Cold War; walking with them along the Berlin Wall and talking about Christ; sharing Jesus with teens in Italy while their parent did overnight bombing runs; and helping teens and families through post 9/11 warfare times and more. But most stories are the familiar tales of just walking alongside military teens like this one from Sherry Moitoza, "I met with kids playing pick-up basketball on Bamberg Army Base. There was a whole group of unreached kids that I played with ... some ended up coming to club, and others, I was able to build great relationships meeting them on their turf ... the basketball court."

We also asked teens what Club Beyond has meant to them, and here are a few of their comments: “Club Beyond has given me life-long friends I never thought I'd have as a military teen and has strengthened my relationship with Christ.” ​

“I look forward to Club Beyond every week. I love to play games, hangout with friends and learn about Jesus." ​

“It brings me closer to not only God but others. Now I have leaders and friends I can talk to about my life.” ​

As we think about this ministry of sharing our faith, we think of Psalm 145:4, ESV, where David wrote, “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” Young Life Military and Club Beyond has truly had a legacy of passing down our faith to the next generation.

If you would like to learn more about Young Life Military/Club Beyond, visit their website here!