For 10 years, our youth ministry has served at the rescue mission. The mission invites churches to lead a chapel service once a month; ideally, they would like to have 30 churches commit so every night is covered. The services last an hour and happen right before dinner. Our students participate in the entire service—from greetings and readings to brief messages and music. Obviously it's a tremendous opportunity for them to develop their leadership gifts in a new and unfamiliar context. Everyone has to stretch.

The hardest part is getting them there. Our students are busy (no revelation to you, I realize). Often they come straight to chapel services from a game or practice.

One time, one of our boys arrived in full baseball uniform, having been taken to the mission immediately after pitching a game. To me it looked funny to have this boy in leggings and bright red cap playing his pink electric guitar up front. As I chuckled and thought, "This looks so funny," I realized nothing looks crazy at the rescue mission. It is a place full of obvious brokenness and pain. In the midst of addiction, poverty, mental illness and homelessness, the last thing the residents are worried about is what we look like. Frankly, it always has been the most accepting environment in my week. Unlike everywhere else I go in this beach town full of beautiful people, no one at the mission sizes me up when I arrive.

Another time, a girl of 14 from our group was set to share. Ideally when a student volunteers to speak, his or her small-group leader meets with him or her ahead of time to help prepare. Let's be honest: Sometimes that doesn't happen, and this was one of those times. This girl walked up to the rickety podium with the cheap microphone and started with, "Hi, my name is Sherry (not her real name). Today I'm going to talk about temptation. Now I don't know how familiar you are with temptation…"

I stood in the back and could hear a murmur rumble through the room. Given that one of the primary factors of homelessness is substance abuse, this was definitely a group familiar with temptation. I gritted my teeth, fearful about what she might say. Sherry described how tempting it is for her to fight with her younger brother over using the computer or watching her shows on TV. "Oh dear," I thought to myself. "These folks are going to be so offended by our privileged, easy lives."

Then the opposite happened. As Sherry talked about fighting her desire to hit her brother, various mission residents shouted out encouragements: "You go, girl!" or "Keep tryin', Sherry!" She shared verses that helped her in her struggles and thanked them for listening. Everyone clapped as she headed back to her seat.

This is the best part of the rescue mission chapel services for us: It is not simply a place of service for our students; there is true give-and-take here. The residents minister to us by offering encouragement, applause and pats on the back. They are the most accepting and forgiving people our youth have faced. Teenagers' voices can be off key; beats can be off tempo; messages can lack polish; and these folks simply do not care.