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
Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Proverbs 29:18
The Great Commission
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?
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations”
Whose goals are these?
Membership growth Membership Retention Program Money Trained Volunteers
No Church Home
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
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
Traditional Church Ideas for Evangelism
“They ought to come.” “They really ought to come.” “They really really ought to come.”
Traditional Church Ideas for Evangelism
Serve coffee Serve more coffee Serve better coffee Serve more better coffee
Let’s try SCOUTING
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
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
The reason Parents sign their Children up for Scouting is for the VALUES
The Church provides the LEADERSHIP
Ingredients for Success 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
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
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
Christian Education Discipleship Service Projects Adult Mentors Family Involvement EVANGELISM
God and MeGrades 1-3
Theme: “Best Friends with Jesus”
Hands-On: GAMEBox Memory Requirement:
The Lord’s Prayer Schedule: minimum 4
sessions
God and Family:Grades 4-5
Theme: “Growing in God’s Love”
Hands-on: PIZZA Memory
Requirement: The Ten Commandments
Schedule: minimum 6 sessions
God and Church:Grades 6-8
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
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
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
If your Cub Scout Pack has 10 families
50% may not have a church home That means 5 young families are pre-
qualified 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 If your American Heritage Girls
Troop has 10 families 50% may not have a church home That means 5 young families are pre-
qualified 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 If your Girl Scout Troop has 12
families 50% may not have a church home That means 6 young families are pre-
qualified 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 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
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
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?
Membership – young families Membership – adult males Retention Religious Training Trained Leadership Money
Ingredients for Success
Win-win-win situation Collaboration results in:
Stronger youth and families Stronger congregations Stronger councils
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