Transcript Reaching Young Families for Christ through a Scouting Ministry

Reaching Young Families
for Christ through an Ongoing
Scouting Evangelism/Discipleship
Ministry
Mark Hazlewood, P.R.A.Y.
How to Have Pastors and
Congregations Begging You to
Start a Scouting Program
Vision
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Where there is no vision, the people
perish: but he that keepeth the law,
happy is he. Proverbs 29:18
The Great Commission
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Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: Teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What does this mean?
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“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations”
Whose goals are these?
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Membership growth
Membership Retention
Program
Money
Trained Volunteers
No Church Home
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50-60% of America does NOT have a
church home
The Lord rejoices more over the return
of one lost soul than a thousand
committee meetings!
Matthew 9:37
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Then he said to his disciples, “The
harvest is plentiful but the workers are
few.”
Traditional Church Ideas for
Evangelism
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“They ought to come.”
“They really ought to come.”
“They really really ought to come.”
Traditional Church Ideas for
Evangelism
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Serve
Serve
Serve
Serve
coffee
more coffee
better coffee
more better coffee
Let’s try SCOUTING
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Train up a child in the way he should
go: and when he is old, he will not
depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Congregation’s Response
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But we don’t have any kids?
What about the girls/boys?
I wear too many hats!
Youth Agencies Provide the
Children and Young Families
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The reason Parents sign their Children
up for Scouting is for the VALUES
The Church provides the LEADERSHIP
Ingredients for Success
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Both sides must clearly understand
the chartered organization or
sponsorship agreement before it is
signed.
The Youth Agencies should use as
many congregational volunteers as
is feasible.
The congregation must “invest” their
best kid person to be the leader
Ingredients for Success
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All volunteers must be trained by
the local council
Religious emblems must be
promoted by the unit leader
Congregations must offer a
religious emblems class
Promoting Religious Emblems
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AHG – required for Stars and Stripes
BSA – Religious emblems coordinator
GSUSA – My Promise, My Faith (MPMF)
Patch Set
www.praypub.org
The P.R.A.Y. Program
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Christian Education
Discipleship
Service Projects
Adult Mentors
Family Involvement
EVANGELISM
God and Me
Grades 1-3
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Theme: “Best Friends
with Jesus”
Hands-On: GAMEBox
Memory Requirement:
The Lord’s Prayer
Schedule: minimum 4
sessions
God and Family:
Grades 4-5
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Theme: “Growing in
God’s Love”
Hands-on: PIZZA
Memory Requirement:
The Ten
Commandments
Schedule: minimum 6
sessions
God and Church:
Grades 6-8
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Theme: “My Journey with
Christ”
Hands-on: Video or Photo
Album
Memory Requirement: Creed
Schedule: minimum 12
sessions
Daily Bible Reading
Requirement: 3 weeks min.
Service Projects: Community
and Church service projects
God and Life:
Grades 9-12
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Theme: “Called by Christ to
Serve
Daily Bible Reading
Requirement: 3 months
minimum
Schedule: minimum 12
sessions plus 5 Service
Projects
Required: Write a Personal
Statement of Commitment
Religious Emblems Class
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Your Troop leader promotes the
Religious Emblems of all faiths.
Your congregation offers a class to earn
the P.R.A.Y. award.
Growing Your Congregation
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If your Cub Scout Pack has 10 families
50% may not have a church home
That means 5 young families are prequalified as looking for values for their
children
That means 5 pre-qualified families
are already in your building who don’t
have a church home
Growing Your Congregation
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If your American Heritage Girls Troop
has 10 families
50% may not have a church home
That means 5 young families are prequalified as looking for values for their
children
That means 5 pre-qualified families
are already in your building who don’t
have a church home
Growing Your Congregation
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If your Girl Scout Troop has 12
families
50% may not have a church home
That means 6 young families are prequalified as looking for values for their
children
That means 6 pre-qualified families
are already in your building who don’t
have a church home
Growing Your Congregation
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If your congregation offers a class to earn the
P.R.A.Y. award
If you invest your second best kid person to
help teach the class
If you include the Adult Mentor Program you
are discipling the family
You can have 10 young families meeting and
interacting with your church members
Keeping New Members
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But research shows that new members
are gone after just one year
ScoutParents gets parents involved with
the Pack and your Christian leaders
www.scoutparents.org
P.R.A.Y. Curriculum/Mentor
Keeping New Members
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The Youth Agency Programs include
lots of activities to involve the family
Scout parents
Troops are multi-age
Father-Daughter activities
What Does Your
Congregation Need?
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Membership – young families
Membership – adult males
Retention
Religious Training
Trained Leadership
Money
Ingredients for Success
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Win-win-win situation
Collaboration results in:
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Stronger youth and families
Stronger congregations
Stronger councils