"Tough Scout Obstacle Course" - Big Apple Jambo

Reblogged from Boy Scouts on Staten Island, NY:

Boy Scout Leaders,

Want to take your Troop's program to the next level? Gear up for a weekend of adventure, including the one-and-only "Tough Scout Obstacle Course", an off-road biking course, canoe tug-of-war, and tons of other activities, capped off with a HUGE Scout Show featuring live entertainment and a laser-light display!

All this and more is happening Columbus Day Weekend, October 11-14, at the Big Apple Jambo at Camp Pouch!

Read more… 38 more words

http://www.bigapplejambo.org/ Interesting camporee opportunity for troops in the Northern New Jersey and greater NYC areas.

Devotional – A Scout is Obedient

The seventh point of the scout law is “Obedient”.  In the 1911 BSA handbook, it tells us that a scout who is obedient will obey “his parents, Scoutmaster, patrol leader, and all other duly constituted authorities.”  It also says that

To be a good scout a boy must learn to obey the orders of his patrol leader, scout master, and scout commissioner. He must learn to obey, before he is able to command. He should so learn to discipline and control himself that he will have no thought but to obey the orders of his officers. He should keep such a strong grip on his own life that he will not allow himself to do anything which is ignoble, or which will harm his life or weaken his powers of endurance.

What do you think about that – is it reasonable and achievable in today’s age?  What would you see as advantages to following through on that versus obstacles to achieving that level of self-discipline?

Where else does our obedience come into play with scouting ideals, that is to say, if we’re dis-obedient, does it affect other aspects of our honor?  How about breaking the bonds of each other’s trust by dis-obeying a lawful direction or by allowing/enabling others to be disobedient?  How about doing a task in a half-hearted manner or “shirking” responsibility, delaying their compliance with the command?

Even in the description of “A Scout is Cheerful” we see this statement – “He smiles whenever he can. His obedience to orders is prompt and cheery. He never shirks nor grumbles at hardships.”

Have you ever considered what it would be like to serve on a sailing ship in the Navy of the early 1800’s?  The captain’s orders could not be questioned – it was critical for everyone’s safety that orders be carried out immediately and completely.  Consider this passage from “The Scout Law in Practice”:

The authority of a captain on board ship is supreme, but this does not mean that he must close his mind to the opinions of his subordinate officers and be obstinate and self-willed in having his own way. It means always that the responsibility of all decisions rests with him, and this he cannot delegate to anybody else. As he cannot do all the work of the ship himself, he is obliged to have officers and petty officers, engineers, cooks, stewards, and seamen, under his command. The captain should understand, as far as possible, every detail of the ship’s work so as to know whether it is properly done or not. If it is not properly done, he is responsible for seeing that the error is corrected, either by putting another person in charge or by training the same person to do better. With a wise and capable captain and a good crew, a ship becomes a school in which many different men are taught many different things, and a happy ship is one of the happiest places in the world; but the chief thing required, and that which makes all the others possible, it the habit of obedience and discipline.

It s a mistake to imagine that, because he really gives all the orders, the captain himself is not obliged to submit to discipline. In the first place, unless he had been through the inferior grades of service with credit, and so shown that he knew how and was willing to obey, he could never have reached the chief command; and, in the second place, his responsibility makes a more severe tax upon his judgment and conscience than mere obedience to the orders of a superior officer. In serious matters, and in cases of emergency, when there is time, a good captain consults and listens to the advice of other men on board. This is a habit of all open-minded men which they use as a check on their own judgments; but it does not in the least interfere with the responsibility of the captain for the course which he determines to pursue, and which he alone has the authority to order. Responsibility and authority go together.

So the Captain can be obeyed since he’s got the responsibility to “make good decisions” and he’s familiar with the operations of the ship – typically having done many of those jobs as he learned and gained experience (kind of like how we do things in scouts – you don’t start out at Senior Patrol Leader unless you’ve had hands-on experience).

The book also offers this thought about obedience….

Some people think that obedience is either a childish, or a slavish, or a mean quality, but this shows great ignorance of its practical workings and the splendid results that it brings about. If obedience is from fear or merely for the sake of getting something for one’s self, then it is mean and selfish; but when it is the result of voluntary love of principle and order and a desire for the welfare of other people beyond our own, then it is one of the most noble and happy virtues.

How does obedience relate to leadership skills?  Consider this description of the ideal scoutmaster from the 1911 BSA handbook –

The scout master is the adult leader of a troop, and must be at least twenty-one years of age. He should have a deep interest in boys, be genuine in his own life, have the ability to lead, and command the boys’ respect and obedience. [emphasis added]

A good leader is someone who can convince others to obey commands without hesitation.  This isn’t accomplished through trickery or cunning manipulation, but by influence, fair dealings, consistency and charisma.

The Bible has a lot to say on the topic of Obedience.  [Note: you don't need to be "Christian" to be a scout, but in our troop, our families do share a common faith practice and we do investigate what scriptures tell us about these scouting ideals.] Can you think of some references to obedience or dis-obedience in the scriptures?  How about these for starters?

1. Adam and Eve had one rule to obey and they succumbed to temptation
2. Deuteronomy 30:9-10 (and 30:15-20) offers a promise for obedience – “Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.”
3. Ephesians 6:1 and Colossians 3:20 direct children to obey their parents
4. Daniel chapter 3 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego obey God instead of King Nebuchadnezzar and get tossed in the furnace.
5. Daniel chapter 6 – Daniel obeys God instead of King Darius and gets tossed into the lion’s den.
6. Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
7. Matthew 5:17-18 — Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (we are called to obey, even under grace)

How about our own Troop verse?  Psalm 1:1-3 talks about finding our delight in the law of the Lord and being like a tree firmly planted by streams of water and prospering in our actions.

Summary

Obedience is a positive choice that each scout makes for himself.  It represents a commitment to:

• working as a team to accomplish big projects in a safe and timely fashion
• submit to established laws and rules
• comply with a leader’s lawful and reasonable directions based on their authority or influence. 

Conversely, disobedience typically leads to chaos, and the breakdown of scouting ideals when we can’t trust each other to get tasks done in a correct, consistent or timely manner.

I’d encourage you to also visit these blogs for some additional thoughts on the scout law (and obedience in particular)…

• http://richwendling.wordpress.com/2012/04/16/a-scout-is-obedient/     
• http://ecommunity.uml.edu/scouting26/sctlaw/chptxiii.html

Scouting Ideals: Merely Experiential or an Educational Approach?

[NOTE:  this is part four of a mini-series on the "methods of scouting" -- the introduction can be found by clicking HERE.]

As a Method used to achieve the Aims of Scouting, “Scouting Ideals” uses our Oath, Law, Slogan, Motto and Outdoor Code to communicate specific concepts to our scouts.  The purpose is for them to incorporate these concepts into their daily lives.

How do these concepts get introduced?  Is it solely up to the scout to develop their understanding through experiences which occur randomly throughout their involvement in the scouting program?  Should leaders exert a proactive educational experience to assist youth in drawing out a more complete understanding of the concepts?

Perhaps the best strategy is to take advantage of both opportunities:  instruction and discussion helps prepare the youth to maximize their learning during experiential situations.

What’s been published about this method?

The concepts of “scouting ideals” were highly evident in the first edition of the BSA handbook in 1911.  Beginning with the introduction by Chief Scout Ernest Thompson Seton (“Do you believe in loyalty, courage, and kindness? Would you like to form habits that will surely make your success in life?”) and continuing through chapters one (scoutcraft), six (chivalry) and nine (patriotism and citizenship) the ideals of scouting are interwoven through the program.  The discussion offers both explanation of what the concepts mean and provides ample examples of what these ideals look like in every day occurrences.  From this early document, scouting has suggested that leaders would benefit their youth members by providing both educational guidance and an environment where the youth can explore the ideals on their own.

Then too, a good scout must be chivalrous. That is, he should be as manly as the knights or pioneers of old. He should be unselfish. He should show courage. He must do his duty. He should show benevolence and thrift. He should be loyal to his country. He should be obedient to his parents, and show respect to those who are his superiors. He should be very courteous to women. [educate the scout on what it means to be “chivalrous”] One of his obligations is to do a good turn every day to some one. [encourage the scout to experience this for himself].

As early as 1938, the Scoutmaster Handbook discussed the “Ideals of Service” in reference to the Oath and Law.  This theme is continued through each subsequent handbook including the following statement; “We have considered those parts of Scouting that are so essential to the success of the program that we call them methods.” This reinforces the main concept of this series of articles that troops who neglect any of the methods are undermining their success.

Looking to 2013 guidance on this method of scouting, we find statements like these:

“Ideals. The ideals of Boy Scouting are spelled out in the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, the Scout motto, and the Scout slogan. The Boy Scout measures himself against these ideals and continually tries to improve. The goals are high, and as he reaches for them, he has some control over what and who he becomes.” (http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Aims_and_Methods_of_Scouting)

The ideals of the Boy Scouts of America are spelled out in the Scout Oath, Scout Law, Scout motto, and Scout slogan. Boy Scouts and adult leaders incorporating these ideals into their daily lives are said to have Scout spirit…Scout meetings and Scouting activities reinforce the ideals of Scouting through the message of a Scoutmaster’s Minute and in the form of new understandings the Scouts discover for themselves. (http://www.troop97.net/bsa_methods.htm)

The ideals are those outlined in the Scout Oath and Law, the Scout Motto and Slogan, and the concept of “Scout Spirit”. This method permeates everything Scouts do, defining acceptable behavior, challenging the Scout to do his best, and even to do better than his best. Scout spirit describes the level of commitment a Scout has toward these ideals, and challenges him to do what needs to be done. (http://www.greenbar.ws/4adults/themethods.cfm)

Clearly, there is an obligation to teach boys how to recite the Oath, Law, Slogan, Motto and Outdoor code as part of their T-2-1 requirements.  Further, there’s a final requirement for each and every rank to evaluate how the scout has incorporated these ideals into daily living.  However, the mechanisms for encouraging boys to transition from rote memorization of words to deciphering meaning and applying that meaning personally into actions is left open to interpretation.

Test: Are our actions leading to fulfillment of the Aims of scouting?

One of the three Aims is character development.  While each scout develops individually, there are mechanisms we can use to help catalyze the process.  Active discussions about the ideals with the intent of clearly defining and describing each component can help scouts avoid misinterpretations and misunderstandings.

Some scouters would decry this as interference and assert that the boys will figure it out in due course.  I suppose that’s true, but in my mind this amounts to a “self-study” program.  Scouts are certainly free to purchase a handbook and use it to teach themselves all of their first aid, knots and lashings, but we know that there’s an advantage to group instruction, leveraging troop guides, and incorporating competitions and other events to ensure fun and mastery.  Why would we place the scout in isolation on ideals when the remainder of the program is all about patrols, groups, teams, buddies and shared experiences?

I believe that we can help scouts learn about the meaning behind the words in the Oath, Law, Slogan, Motto and Outdoor Code without constraining their understanding to our own personal biases.  Indeed, the benefits include preparing them to lever their own past experiences into a deeper understanding, and sharing personal observations with peers as a sounding board.

Mechanisms for discussion

Most units provide a “scoutmaster minute” as part of their program.  BSA makes the following claims about this portion of the meeting:

The Scoutmaster’s Minute is brief in duration but one of the most important parts of a troop meeting. Occurring at the closing of the meeting, it is the thought that will go home with the boys. It is the time to teach one of the ideals of Scouting. The Scoutmaster’s Minute is a special time when you have the attention of all the boys in the troop, and it is your opportunity to convey a special message of inspiration. Many of the Scoutmaster’s Minutes listed below are parables, short stories about everyday people and occurrences that illustrate a moral attitude or religious principle. (http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/SMMinute.pdf)

Key statements – “most important part”; “thought that will go home (to parents) with the boys”; “teach ideals”; “inspire”; “illustrate a moral attitude or religious principle”

In our troop we try to leverage this important part of the program by leading a discussion about specific scouting ideals.  Lectures are boring, but when we ask the scouts to get involved they respond.

The key has been to prepare provocative and reasonable questions for the scouts – knowing what to ask and how to ask it can make the difference between a boring time and a fun time:

“What does it really mean to be brave?”  “How does the dictionary define thrifty?”  “What would be some of the possible consequences of breaking our loyalty bond to each other?”  “Does being clean mean more than physically clean?”  “Have you ever discussed this with your parents or religious advisor”  “Can you think of a time when you read about this concept in the Bible (or other faith document)?”

In our troop (chartered to a Baptist Church of the GARBC Fellowship) we often proactively cite scriptures that offer insights into the concept being discussed.  This is OK with our troop families because they understand that we’re not pushing “BAPTISTIC BELIEFS” versus “ROMAN CATHOLIC BELIEFS”, et.al., we’re using the Bible as a source of information to illustrate ideas by putting a face on the concept.

From a historical perspective, the Bible is full of accounts where people either characterized the proper execution of ideals or failed in some way with respect to an ideal.  This sets the stage for a meaningful discussion that the scouts can approach.

For instance, an examination of loyalty can be found in Daniel, chapters one through three. These young men were probably almost Scout age when they stood up for what they knew was right. Their loyalty and faith were proven to be the right choice. Sometimes illustrating the opposite of a virtue can help define it, too.

Examining betrayals in the Bible shows the consequences of broken loyalty and the need to safeguard and protect our relationships. David’s betrayal of Uriah in taking his wife ultimately led to a variety of negative consequences, including civil war in the kingdom. Peter’s denial of Christ, and later his recommitment (John 21:15-17), show us that there can be a way back from betrayal.

Ultimately, I would ask Scouts, “How does God demonstrate His loyalty (expressed as love) to us?” It would be interesting to hear their answers and resulting discussion. Of course there are many references in scripture that could be used to highlight God’s loyalty to us despite our total depravity separate from a relationship with Him by his grace (Romans 5:8, 1 Pet 1:18-19; John 3:16-17; et.al.).

We try to place a write up from these discussions on our blog site frequently.  You can view samples by searching the site for the category “Devotional” or by searching for various expressions used in our scouting ideals (i.e. Duty to God, Duty to Self, Helpful, Thrifty, etc.)

We recognize that not all units would be comfortable with this approach of incorporating scripture references, but there are other alternatives to using scriptures or other religious documents.  Aesops Fables are a deep source of moralistic tales which can be leveraged to help capture the attention of scouts.  An online source for many of these stories can be found at http://www.aesopfables.com/

One of my favorites is “The Scorpion and the Frog”:

A scorpion and a frog meet on the bank of a stream and the scorpion asks the frog to carry him across on its back. The frog asks, “How do I know you won’t sting me?” The scorpion says, “Because if I do, I will die too.”

The frog is satisfied, and they set out, but in midstream, the scorpion stings the frog. The frog feels the onset of paralysis and starts to sink, knowing they both will drown, but has just enough time to gasp “Why?” Replies the scorpion: “It’s my nature…”

We need to be careful with the company we keep – just because they say they’re trustworthy and will not hurt us, we should consider their past performance and their tendency towards self-destruction as a real threat to our livelihood.  How do we learn to distinguish real threats from perceived (non-existent) threats?

Summary

How has your unit pursued the understanding and application of scouting ideals?  Does your unit use candle lighting ceremonies with descriptions of the points of the Oath and Law? Are your scoutmaster minutes supercharged discussions?  Do you use headlines from the local paper in highlighting how somebody (non-scout) failed to adhere to scouting ideals?  Would you be comfortable asking boys to contribute their personal experiences or personal faith teachings to a melting pot discussion that helps everyone in the group gain a fresh perspective on an old idea?

Taking a proactive approach with scouting ideals can help your scouts build character faster and in a more connected (day-to-day, real-life) manner.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions so that we can all learn through this “virtual roundtable”.

Eliab versus David (Two Brother’s Response to Goliath)

On Monday, I got a comment at the blog site asking “what do we do if the resolution to change membership qualifications passes?“

My initial response was “I’m not able to answer for everyone else, just me and my family” and that I’m not qualified to answer for anyone else.

However, I thought more about it during the day as I got my “day job” activities completed.  I realized that was a little bit of what we might call a “cop-out” response.

Where to start?

There is so much “background noise” today — the media, activists and people who are naturally passionate tend to distort the facts by using specially charged and emotional words to paint a picture in our mind’s eye.  Some do this without planning to manipulate, but others are very crafty and downright deceitful.

Look at what Paul wrote to Timothy:

(2 Tim 3:8-16 — NKJV)  But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

So, if you hear something or want to say something, check it against scriptures.

So who is Eliab?

Before “David Versus Goliath”, there was a confrontation between the shepherd boy and his older brother, Eliab.  In 1 Samuel 17, we see that Jesse sent his older sons to do battle with the Philistines.  David, as the youngest was kept home to tend the animals.  In this service, David developed bravery as he had a big responsibility and was challenged to defend the sheep against wild predators.

When Jesse told David to take supplies to his brothers, David was amazed at Goliath’s scornful challenging of King Saul’s collected army of men.  David was most amazed that no one was chomping at the bit to go knock down this bully by relying on the might and power of God.  In asking the question “why won’t anyone go out to fight”?  David angered his older brother Eliab.   Was Eliab afraid to fight?  Was he embarrassed that David’s reminder that the army’s only power to win ANY battle comes from God and they had doubted/lost their faith footing?  Perhaps Eliab was just tired of the relentless, daily scorn being hurled at their army with no response from either the soldiers or Saul.

Indeed, upon hearing that David was ready to go defeat Goliath, even Saul doubted that it was a fair match without equipping David with enormous armor and a sword that he could barely lift let alone swing.

Here’s the difference:  David knew in his heart that God is the source of everything that is “good” and valuable — only by trusting Him can we do anything worthwhile.  The army and Saul kept sizing up the situation in their own terms — seeing the problem through “earthly eyes” and forgetting all the times God had delivered them (and their ancestors) from all sorts of seemingly impossible situations.

David clung to his faith, the others were afraid to trust for fear of what seemed to be assured failure (Goliath as a warrior was, and would be, impressive by today’s standards and his ability to get inside the “hearts and minds” of Saul and the army through scorn and threats was highly effective.)   Fear is a great weapon of our enemy — when he gets us to doubt, we’re effectively buying his lies as though they were truth.

When there’s a lot on the line and the odds are seemingly (or actually) stacked against us, it is time to trust all the more.

We know how the story turns out, but remember the words David used:

David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”

So What’s the Point?

The vote about the resolution to change membership standards isn’t until roughly May 23rd.  Do we stand by and cower at the threats and bullying?  Do we go find smooth stones in the brook and put our whole-hearted trust in God and defeat the enemy?

Are we praying consistently, daily for a victory?  Or are we urgently making plans for our next retreat, and the retreat after that one as well?  We’ve given ground in a number of areas when do we stop and turn to God and cry out?  Are you afraid to cry out to God and have the vote to change the membership pass?  Would that prove God isn’t listening or isn’t real or doesn’t care?  Of course not!

Our call is found in James 3:7-10 — to submit to God; to resist the devil; to draw near to God; to cleanse our hands; purify our own hearts and be humble (not defeated).

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

One pastor called for a boycott of scouting by Christians!  This is silly — we’re not called to flee, we’re called to resist (after submitting ourselves to God and cleaning our own house/heart).  Boycotting gives ground to the enemy without a fight.  It’s like suggesting Eliab and Saul’s strategy should have been a tactical retreat from the Philistines.

If anything, we need Christian fathers and mothers to enroll their children in troops that are faith-based and chartered to partner churches that “own the ministry” and not simply loan space in the basement once a week.  Scouting has a rich history of building character in young men through service, self-reliance, embrace of faith and bonding with like-minded individuals.  To preserve this program, we must embrace it, pray for it, and stand up to be heard if we have an opinion on membership standards, expressive message about morality, and so on.

That’s all the “other side” has done — stand up and scornfully shouted at us.  Sticks and stones may break my bones, but why do we let scornful speech affect us?

But What IF Things DO Change?

This is the inescapable question.  I’ve asked others, so what would your church do at it’s co-ed, high school aged, youth group if a friend of a friend started coming to meetings and then announced that they’re (pick one — gay, on drugs, stealing to support themselves, cheating on tests, lying to their parents, has a police record including multiple misdemeanors, etc.)  Do you cancel your youth group meetings and fire your youth pastor?  That’s what a lot of Christians are suggesting should happen to boy scout troops at their churches if BSA (National) opens the door for homosexuals to become members of the organization.  Hmmmm. Double standard?  The youth pastor would probably either A) ask the youth to leave (shock/surprise) or B)  get to keep “witnessing” to lead the lost soul to repentance; HOWEVER, the scout unit get’s the proverbial “boot” because a youth with an “unforgivable sin” has shown up at the door.

Regardless of the “youth group” test, I can foresee that if things change, then we pray, listen and move on under God’s leading.

Within our own troop, we have a range of opinions about what next.  Some families will separate from scouts on the day that membership standards are changed, and others will hang on until their membership renewal date to see what happens locally.  Some would stay involved in scouts until they feel that the curriculum has changed, the oath is meaningless, or they feel bullied to accept teaching that contradicts scripture.

In short, each family has had it’s own response to the situation and that’s not surprising.

I respect their decisions — they have to do what they feel is best for their own situation.  After all, I encouraged them to join a program in 2010 whose marketing slogan was “Timeless Values” and now we’re being told (by the very organization that developed that marketing buzz) that it’s time to change those values because of social conformist pressure.

These families also asked me what options or alternatives exist for their sons.   As a leader, I feel its my responsibility to be aware of the alternatives so that I can help guide these families to a situation that they’re more comfortable with for their son(s).

I’ve met with the regional director of Christian Service Brigade (CSB) and learned a lot about their program:

• it offers flexibility in its curriculum to accommodate the inclusion of scoutcraft topics,
• there’s a transition path from scouting ranks to CSB ranks of advancement,  
• there’s an emphasis on personal responsibility and leadership development (boy led unit)
• there’s an emphasis on scriptural references for ideals and personal growth,
• the program runs a parallel age range to the scouting spectrum,
• they have a robust summer camp experience,
• there are other units in our area which would welcome new members
• it’s easy to start a new unit within a sponsoring church as an extension of their youth programming,
• it encompasses more than just camping, hiking and backpacking — enabling boys to pursue all that scouting offers and more.

The people I’ve met online at CSB units are genuine (sincere) and welcoming to scouting families.  Their focus is on reaching boys for Christ and it is a blend of outreach (Matthew 24:14) and discipling (Titus 2:6-8).  Additionally, they have a men-to-men program to help dads be strong dads, too (Proverbs 27:17).  I like that.

I’ve done online research for Royal Rangers and Calvinist Cadet Corp, but they each seem to be representative of specific Christian doctrines that aren’t shared explicitly by my family.  These are strong, scout-like youth programs that could offer a great home to other families so I’m not trying to down-play them as alternatives for others who are fine with their doctrinal statements.

So what exactly is going to happen on May 23rd?

There will be a vote on open resolutions.  Many argue that they will not pass due to the results of the surveys and listening sessions (arguably a 60-40 split on keeping membership as-is versus changing membership practices).  Of course, many also expect that a resolution of some sort will now become an expected part of each annual meeting until such a resolution has enough votes to pass.

Still, this is a fight for our own organization and people have the right and duty to speak up on either side of the argument.  Even boy scout’s own critics acknowledge that BSA has the full weight of law on its side to hold an expressive message that homosexuality is inconsistent with the ideals of scouting.  Conversely, members of BSA also struggle with exclusionary tactics where the program could benefit a youth by giving them access to an alternative world view and an environment to grow into the man who exemplifies scouting’s ideals.  NOTE: it’s not my intent to give full air to the issue in this article, but merely to acknowledge that it’s a sticky, emotional topic for people on both sides of the fence.  Additionally, the fight won’t stop at BSA, it will keep going to any organization that has any opinion that differs from the activist’s agenda (that all will consider homosexuality normal and open in all social conventions).

My disappointment in people who grandstand about this issue comes from two sources:

1. those who are using the boy scout issue to make political hay and don’t really care about the boys in the program at all (i.e. commentators trying to gain ratings share, activists for activism sake,  people grinding axes out of spite instead of caring, etc.) and
2. those who won’t stand up to ‘cast their vote’ (or otherwise get involved), but feel empowered to criticize those who do pick their side. 

It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and throw rocks (or cower).  It’s another thing to take a stand.

Again, I’m reminded of the reaction of the assembled armies of King Saul cowering at Goliath’s insults (threats, not actions) and when the young shepherd’s frustration with the army embarrassed them further.   David demonstrated real faith in God to overcome the enemy.  Where is our faith?  Do we trust God to prevail, or to direct us to where we will go next?  Since February, I’ve heard from many Christians who sound defeated already — as though there’s no point in trying to be heard.  Has your salt lost it’s saltiness? (Matthew 5:13-16)  Are you focused on being “in the middle, not at extremes”? (Revelation 3:15-16)

Remember Gideon’s Valiant 300

Maybe this must be for God to receive glory.  Look at Gideon in Judges chapter 7.   God told Gideon, you’ve got too many people in your army — a victory could be interpreted that you and your men earned the victory — send some home.  22,000 people went home leaving 10,000 men to fight.  God again said, too many!  Through a simple test, God showed Gideon who should remain to fight the battle — 300 valiant men of faith.  Who amongst us would qualify as valiant in this fight — I fear many have already given up, and indeed, a victory’s glory should belong to God, not man.

Consider King Asa, who faced a million men and 300 chariots (battle tanks of their time).  By trusting God fully, his outnumbered army not only won the battle, but chased the enemies all the way to their home country — obliterating their ability to wage further war for years.

2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV) – Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”

Unfortunately, over time (following that victory) Asa got complacent and started to think ‘he was the man’ who could save his country again (instead of trusting God).  Asa had a minor victory by man’s standards, but sacrificed much in the process of turning his back to God.  The admonition delivered to Asa included this statement: (2 Chronicles 16:9)  ^“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”  I’m not perfect, but I’m trying hard to be completely His, how about you?

How about Joshua chapter 6 (Jericho)?  Are you willing to walk, march and shout?  Or would you feel silly and stay at home, ridiculing your friends for taking a stand?

Are we praying for a victory, or are we preparing the retreat?  Do we trust God or are we afraid to trust Him in case we’re unhappy with the outcome?  Where is your faith, Christian?

Summary

I have to admit that I’ve struggled with this situation.  I’ve been angry at the leadership of BSA and I’ve been saddened by the prospect that I may need to sacrifice scouting (but would do so to honor God in a heartbeat).  That’s honesty.  For me there’s two sides to the coin:

1. I see the value in helping ALL young men who would benefit from scouting.  I don’t think a church would shut down their youth program and fire their youth pastor IF a teen showed up and announced that they’re (fill in the blank with scary sinful behavior).
2. I also see the frank directives in the scriptures that acknowledge we’re not perfect, but called to struggle to repent and change from our old ways of living as slaves to sin — empowered to turn towards God in obedience and holiness by His grace and mercy, not empowered to become libertine and wallow in sin, rejoicing that we can debase ourselves continually by His grace.  To accept that libertine behavior should be called “morally straight” (unbending from a defined standard) removes all compunction to try to improve our own behavior through God’s grace and mercy.  That’s not cool.

We are a handful of days away from the vote.  Please take the following steps (as applicable):

1. Pray in faith. Trust God to make it work out the way He desires it, and be prepared to thank Him for His faithfulness to us regardless of the outcome (leave it in His hands). You might consider young King Asa’s prayer as a model – “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”
2. If you’ve never sent a letter to BSA expressing your concern, do so now.  Be polite, be clear, keep it to the point, but do it.    
3. If confronted over the issue by friends/family, be polite but speak the truth (Acts 18:9-10).

Between now and then, scouts should keep working on their advancement, take hikes, and have fun.  After the vote, we’ll figure out what comes next.

Troop 204 and Roswell Street Baptist Church (BP News Article)

In 1945, Roswell Street Baptist Church chartered Boy Scout Troop 204.  They have worked as partners in youth ministry since that time.  Active in community outreach, the troop has been seen as a way to connect members of the church and their community.

A recent Baptist Press article summarizing the threat to this relationship can be found at this link — http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=40254

The article also lists some of the unfortunate consequences of breaking up this helpful relationship:

…a split with Roswell Street Baptist would be difficult considering the influence the church has had on families with boys involved in Scouting, particularly those who may not be open to traditional church activities.  Harmon also noted that Scouts and their families hear presentations of the Gospel at chapel services during camping trips and at Scout Sunday services at the church.

Donna Vinson, the troop committee chair, has seen the impact Scouting can make in both the boys and the leaders. Seeing the lives of Christian Scouts and hearing them share about their faith “is something that leads other boys to want to know more about Christ,” she said.

For Vinson and others, the local troop is a family that shares their lives with each other. She noted the pride they all felt at former Scouts serving in the military and the sadness they endured after hearing of one of their own being killed in Afghanistan.

“We share concerns and the good times,” Vinson said. “We laugh together. We pray together. We are a family.”

While Troop 204 has had free access to Roswell Street’s facilities, Easley noted that any changes could sever the relationship.

“I seriously doubt that our membership would want us to begin renting space to any outside group that was pro-gay, pro-choice or took any moral position that contradicted the Word of God,” Easley said.

“In my estimation, if the requirements are altered,” Easley said, “not only will faith-based organizations be forced to sever their historical partnerships with the BSA but the landscape of the BSA will be forever altered.”

“Perhaps,” the pastor suggested, “it is time for the BSA to change their leadership.”

Resica Falls Scout Reservation 2013

This gallery contains 4 photos.

This year, our troop’s Patrol Leadership Council decided to return to Resica Falls Scout Reservation for summer camp. Created in 1957, the reservation is located in the Pocono Mountains of eastern Pennsylvania and could easily be described as a 4200+ acre … Continue reading →

Reminders Troop Meeting 05/06/2013

Troop 113 Families,

Please bring your Jockey Hollow Essays along with your $8 fee for the trail medal.  PLEASE put your name on the report!!!!  I have one without a name right now, and I don’t know who it belongs to….

The troop has paid the balance of fees for this summer’s camping trip to Resica Falls Scout Reservation, but we’re still waiting on a couple of checks from families — please bring to the meeting.

Matthew R. had been planning on a presentation about Crime Prevention Merit Badge at last week’s meeting so I’m hopeful that he’ll do his presentation tomorrow night.

I’ll be posting some updated details about Resica Falls to help scouts with their preparation for camp.

See You Tomorrow Night.

Scoutmaster Farrell