A Christian alternative to the Boy/Girl Scouts

[akaDorthy]

I just stumbled onto these groups. First the boys came up, then I was curious if it was in our area, and while looking at a local churches page saw the group for the girls.

For anyone who may be interested in an outdoorsy, life skills type group without all the worldly junk mixed in.
Both groups start at age 5.

For boys:
https://www.traillifeusa.com/


For girls:
https://americanheritagegirls.org/

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

AWANA Used to be the choice of some local Baptist/ evangelical churches in my area.
Then our Jr. church pastor just adapted a personal program for their own needs that seemed to work even better. It gave the children the incentive to accomplish Godly goals and include their families too. They had to memorize a Bible verse every week, check off chores around the house, etc.

 

[TheNarrowPath]

How neat to come across those groups. My church has a smilar group, it started off with Girl Guides which might be the equivalent of scouts but then moved away from that to do a program that is tailored towards Christian families.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

You ladies have the right ideas.
The scouts decided which direction they would go 20 years ago when they approved queers. You just don't let queers around little boys. I don't think christian children should have lost counselors and unsupervised children from every background together, but that's just me.
The scouts think they have it covered with a state background check and reference from a scoutmaster. No way.

With a few motivated Biblical minded parents, a week of Sundays and work would put together a good program that wouldn't cost much.

 

[Mii]

Umm...there's something called Royal Rangers I think. I heard about it on CC (probably) a year or so ago and I liked the name and the concept.

A quick search implies that it's an AG thing but AG is pretty mellow and most denominations should fit in just fine there.

I guess I'd have to get into the legal stuff with scouts to see why you can't charter your own troop and be selective about who you let in. There's an offshoot called venture scouting (been 15 years since I've thought about it) that has a different rules. It was always a mystery to me but perhaps there's a loophole somewhere.

Also no reason you can't get the BSA handbook and teach merit badges, go camping and not be "official" just nix the dressing up and design some other system of merit perhaps?

TONS of useful information for most people in scouts. The problem is as a child you may not be ready to take a wilderness survival course or really know what to learn and how to learn it.

Cub scouts can't be that inundated either...at least 6-11 there's an option with a lot of parental involvement...shop around for a Pack (their version of a troop) you appreciate.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Mii,
🙂👍
That idea is what I was alluding to. Anyone can take the format of Scouts or whatever and make their own custom club or ministry for Christian children at their churches. The exception might be a denomination that requires the pastoral leadership to go through hierarchy for approval.

Parents from my neck of the woods would have different skills to impart than say, an islander. They aren't woodland, but need sea survival skills. I watched a documentary on a family that capsized their boat. Three of the oldest children survived by the grace of God. They applied survival techniques that they were trained by their parents and island elder. Eventually, their uncle found them. An aunt adopted them. That's just a recent example that applies. They did a similar program at our church. The kids had their own uniforms, activities and all seemed to enjoy their experience their parents designed. I was surprised how many different practical topics they covered.

 

[Mii]

They did a similar program at our church. The kids had their own uniforms, activities and all seemed to enjoy their experience their parents designed. I was surprised how many different practical topics they covered.

Uniforms are one element I'm on the fence about. I think it can promote discipline but perhaps also legalism? Feels a tad goofy as an adult these days for me.

At least in scouts they have Class A and Class B uniforms. Class B was just some BSA related shirt, pants, and hat vs an uncomfortable dress shirt that cost beaucoups (bookoos) of dollars with all the various "accoutrements" involved (badges, sashes, pins, etc.)

I like the sense of achievement that these promote but designing some other format or leaderboard that doesn't involve badges might be better...how though I'm not sure. Maybe actual certifications (like CPR)?


Alas, the visible representations of the achievements are a huge motivator for a lot of children.


Either way, thanks for bringing this back to my attention. I missed it because you didn't @Mii but happened to take another look.



Why a church wouldn't be open to at least teaching basic first aid and identifying poisonous plants, etc. is beyond me. Camping trips are great community building and safety isn't endogenous to everyone.

Even flashlight etiquette...........................................pet peeve of mine lol.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Uniforms are one element I'm on the fence about. I think it can promote discipline but perhaps also legalism? Feels a tad goofy as an adult these days for me.

At least in scouts they have Class A and Class B uniforms. Class B was just some BSA related shirt, pants, and hat vs an uncomfortable dress shirt that cost beaucoups (bookoos) of dollars with all the various "accoutrements" involved (badges, sashes, pins, etc.)

I like the sense of achievement that these promote but designing some other format or leaderboard that doesn't involve badges might be better...how though I'm not sure. Maybe actual certifications (like CPR)?


Alas, the visible representations of the achievements are a huge motivator for a lot of children.


Either way, thanks for bringing this back to my attention. I missed it because you didn't @Mii but happened to take another look.



Why a church wouldn't be open to at least teaching basic first aid and identifying poisonous plants, etc. is beyond me. Camping trips are great community building and safety isn't endogenous to everyone.

Even flashlight etiquette...........................................pet peeve of mine lol.

I agree on all points.
Those are practical skills that should be beneficial throughout life. The leadership would be able to impart Biblical applications too.

Here's an idea to save everyone money.
If the pastor and church decides that the children should have a dress code, they can. Maybe they want it more casual instead. Uniforms aren't necessary.
Some have a color, like teams, to bring unity.
A low cost way to side step the expensive uniforms are to have a sash that drapes across the shoulder. Our church did this and found an supplier of pins. Each pin had the special skill, responsibility, or block of memory verses, etc. as an achievement award. The sash was where they would collect and display them.

In martial arts, belts are commonly used for the purposes we are talking about. There are other ways to do the same thing though.

 

[arthurfleminger]

I must admit that I no longer support either the 'Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts of America. The LGBT and Planned Parenthood movements have infiltrated and infected both organizations. Examples; the Boy Scouts openly admid transgenders into their organization and Planned Parenthood now is a prime supporter of the Girl Scouts.

Once these organizations were good and wholesome, but they've given way to the evil pressures of political correctness.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

I must admit that I no longer support either the 'Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts of America. The LGBT and Planned Parenthood movements have infiltrated and infected both organizations. Examples; the Boy Scouts openly admid transgenders into their organization and Planned Parenthood now is a prime supporter of the Girl Scouts.

Once these organizations were good and wholesome, but they've given way to the evil pressures of political correctness.

My buddy recently told me as we were discussing this thread about his experience. His dad wasn't a Christian and was rough around the edges. However, he got his boys into scouts. He tried to hold out as long as he could, but the other group leaders were just way over the top depraved. They weren't even homos. He finally got his boys out of there. I don't think this is really the norm. They're just the cross section of the local people. It shows me that we should all do our best to protect those who need protection. That starts with children.

When I was about twelve I went to secular summer camps. The adult counselors would come into the cabins drunk and want to tell us about their depravity. We didn't want to hear that trash. One stranger in his 30s who was invited to hang out by his counselor friend tried to pick a fight with me out of the blue. Unprovoked, he Kept hitting me in the head. No reason other than mental illness.
If it happened to me, this happens a lot and is not public knowledge.

I always suggest to parents to be directly involved in all their children's activities.
That way, there's no question of risk.
What you are proposing to your church sounds ideal.

Have a great week ☕🙂👍