Connecting family members with resources for support and mutual growth. More than half of all active duty military personnel are married with family. FOI outreaches are not merely Christian social clubs, they are places where members see the world and hurt around them with the faith-filled confidence they can make a difference to transform. The pressures of military life, in many ways, can be as stressful on the spouse and children as they
are upon the deployed soldier. Ministries offered are as varied as the needs presented by our military families. Support groups for parents of young children, single parents, ‘parents night out’ or just simply a place for spouses to hang out during those lonely hours when their soldier is deployed—all of this and much more.
Families are designed by God to help the individual members cope and grow through all circumstances of life. As a network of “missional Christian families” FOI seeks to foster environments where belonging, comfort, affirmation, hope, accountability and learning all come together to help our individual families grow and thrive. We seek to transform the focus of the military family from one of mere survival into transformation of attitudes—of the family member first then the community and world in which they live. Alumni of these fellowships will often remark…” During our tour of duty overeas we grew to see each other and our world through different eyes. Rather than an assignment to be endured we learned to see how God could use us to help and encourage others around us. We developed friendships that remain strong months and years after we were all reassigned to other bases. We often felt as though some in our fellowship were closer to us than our own extended families.”
What about the single soldier or ‘geographical bachelor?’ FOI seeks to connect people with a family and not just people who are already in families. Every person is important, valued and has a place for fellowship and involvement. Some FOI outreaches will have specific outreaches that target the single military person but all of the ministries will make room for them in their “home away from home.”
