What do military families need from a church?  First, they want to be treated like any other member of the congregation, and to have the church recognize that they bring a wealth of gifts, experiences and stories of God's faithfulness in their lives just like any other group.  The special circumstances of life in the military, however, often create special needs for the fellowship, caring, and mentoring that Christians can provide through a Military Ministry specifically organized to address those needs.  

A welcoming and affirming environment can provide spiritual solutions for the stresses of military life while building faith in those who provide the ministry. Because military families move every 3 or 4 years, they invariably "hit the ground running" when asked to help with a church ministry, and they can be invaluable in getting programs up and running

Viewing the military as a mission could involve offering classes designed to help them develop spiritual resilience, and prepare them to share the gospel as they travel.  Tailored instructions in stress management, Christian parenting, and scriptural management of finances may be helpful to military families as well as other members of the congregation in similar age groups.

During a deployment, a military family might need practical help if the car breaks down, the lawn mower won't start, or minor home repairs are needed.  Transportation for kids to their busy schedule of extra-curricular activities could be welcome, as would an offer to bring the older children to Sunday School or Youth Group.  Oftentimes, "a shoulder to cry on" in a small group brings the comfort needed to cope with the stresses of a deployment, particularly for Guard and Reserve families, who don't have the range of support available to active duty families.  

When "war comes home" after a deployment, the church small group may also be the best positioned to notice symptoms of combat trauma, and to start the process of spiritual healing. Small groups can also help support a military family during the adjustments required as the family reintegrates after a deployment fraught with stress.

Military Ministry of Campus Crusade   (www.militaryministry.org), Military Missions Network (www.militarymissionsnetwork.com), and many other military ministry groups have an abundance of resources for churches wanting to start a military ministry.