Rockin' at The Salvation Army?

Call it alternative, punk, emo, screamo, or hardcore. Whatever you call it, it’s not music you would normally associate with The Salvation Army. But a youth group in Warren, Pennsylvania may change all that with its unique concert outreach.

Warren County is located in rural Northwestern Pennsylvania. An active Salvation Army corps helps out its most needy residents by providing food, clothing, and utility assistance. Embers Youth Group is an integral part of its ministry to the community, too, since one out of four people in the county is under the age of eighteen.

“Our corps wants to see young people grow up healthy, caring, and responsible,” says youth ministries director Tara Eastman. “We look at religious education as something that provides an education for living. The emphasis is on putting what we believe into action.”

Teenagers get together every Friday night for a recreation time where they can choose between video games, shooting hoops, pool, ping-pong, surfing the web, or just hanging out. The last part of the night finds the group over snacks talking about faith and how to apply it with each other, and at home, school, and work. Youth also participate in morning worship, Sunday school, volunteer activities, youth councils, and summer camp.

It’s a well-run program that has experienced growth over the last eighteen months. But when a survey of Warren County high school students revealed that only about fifty-six percent participate in weekly religious activities, Eastman began to pray for an opportunity to connect with some of the young people who weren’t connected to a church.

Enter Annie Chaos, a 17 year-old high school student that the youth ministries director met during a round of visitation at the local student union. Well-connected to the local music scene, she was interested in organizing some sort of fun community event for her peers.

“There aren’t a lot of activities offered for teens. And always hanging out at restaurants can get expensive,” says Ms. Chaos. “I suggested putting on a punk show because it would give young people something they would want to do at a price they could afford.”

Convinced that this opportunity would meet both of their objectives, the high-schooler and youth director went to work. They chose a Sunday night during a long weekend off school, when they knew nothing else would be going on. They secured the services of four Christian punk bands for the event. Chaos got commitments from fellow students to run the PA system and take tickets at the door. Eastman asked for adult volunteers from the corps to run a snack bar and mix in with students during the show. Public Service Announcements for the show were run in the local paper and radio. Posters were displayed around town. Many more invites were sent via e-mail and myspace.

All the hard work paid off during a cold January night. Over 160 young people packed themselves into The Salvation Army gymnasium to hear the music and message of Last Tuesday, Staple, The New Ending, and Clearview. The basic needs of eight children living in the third world were sponsored through a special collection. Youth received a corps calendar of events. Many people believe that the corps and the young people of the community were brought closer together that night.

“We were surprised at the number of adults who showed up to support us,” says Chaos. “Sometimes adults assume young people are bad because of their clothes or hairstyle. But I was accepted at The Salvation Army.”

The adults were impressed with the teens, too. Eastman explains: “I had a few skeptical volunteers who were afraid that I secretly invited them to be there as bouncers. But once they saw how well the young people behaved, they wanted to know how soon I could plan another youth event.”

The benefits of the unique outreach continue to this day. New young people have found a church in The Salvation Army and are present at youth group and in morning worship. Existing corps members are more aware of the young people in the community and are looking for ways to lend a hand. Another two or three shows are planned for the next year.

Embers Youth Group would encourage other youth groups to follow suit and try an outreach event. As one teen was overheard to say during the show, “What good is the best youth group in the world if people don’t know about it?”

The punk movement is known for a do-it-yourself tenacity, creativity, and discontent with the status quo. All characteristics, Eastman is quick to point out, it shares with The Salvation Army. “Teens are hungry for something real to base their lives on. They want to make a difference and be involved. The Salvation Army can help young people meet those needs.”