National Lead in Tulsa OK

Attended LEAD last week and it was a busy Wed - Saturday event for me. Not a lot of changes here is a report I sent out to our District on the event.

So. Mo once again was well represented with a good group of Life Long Servant Leaders. The Conference held this last weekend in Tulsa, Ok had over 318 registered in attendance plus vendors and guests. Our 3 days of refresh and updates and great fellowship with our Ranger Brothers and Sisters in 50 states was very enjoyable with lots of laughter and amens.

Covid has taken a toll around the Nation as well as in Royal Ranger Ministry. Chartering has declined by 40% as many outposts have remained in lock down and still have not met since spring of last year. I discovered our District was doing very well and we have enjoyed many events using wisdom and safety with no issues due to covid guidelines. I was refreshed to learn we were leading in Royal Ranger Ministry even facing Covid. Praise God!

While most missions and ministries are still locked down and on hold Royal Rangers were planning for this year and next with Camporama heading quickly towards us in 2022.

Some downsizing of National Staff as well as National LEAD going to every other year with Regions picking up the LEAD training in-between years was a large part of our planning during Conference. We also went to our focus groups and enjoyed fellowship and discussions on multiplying our Ministry Outreach. Our District Director John Hicks took good care of us and wearing two hats and being National Staff is a good fit for him and So. MO.

Lot's of future plans. Only a few minor program changes. A few merit updates.
Many churches are using the Together Ministry that combines the best of boys and girl ministries. It all still works towards
making life long servant leaders and doing our very best to reach, teach and keep folk for Christ.

What can each one of us do to multiply our ministries? Royal Rangers, Mpact, Men's Ministries, Womans Ministries that help build our Churches. That was a focus of this years LEAD.

In my humble opinion, I am thankful I was able to attend and do my part. Mark Jones, So. MO District Communications Coordinator

p.s. were going backpacking this weekend! Do you and your boys want to go. If so holler markjonesranger@hotmail.com

Thanks for the report Mark!

Thanks Chris. Thanks for your good work here on Rangerchat!

Mark Jones wrote: Many churches are using the Together Ministry that combines the best of boys and girl ministries.

Couldn't find a hint of it on the AG website. What is it?

JoeCool,

This is the first that I, also, heard of it, I found a link on the National RR site.

Once again, Chris is years ahead of the Nation.

https://royalrangers.com/-/media/0C9BED4649D34C4198E344A6D32D3B12.ashx

Thanks, Claymore. I printed it out. Looks a little like the Voyagers program that we designed and used a few years ago. Combine the boys and girls, and teach their merits/badges that are similar.

The wife and I have decided to jump back in to children's ministries. This retread has some miles on it, but it's not bald yet. You may recall that our children's pastor is moving on, with lay leaders taking over. I don't know who they are yet, but we'll search them out this morning.

We (and by “We”, I mean “They”) have a problem in often having the Requirement of being Children’s Pastor the Springboard to being Senior Pastor.     This can bring in men who only want to build a Portfolio for the Sr. job.

In my opinion, promoting someone from Associate Pastor or Chief of Staff is much sounder thinking.  Some churches may say that they cannot afford a third Paid Position; well then, let them maintain a legitimate job, while getting the experience.

Making a Youth Pastor a Senior Pastor makes about as much sense as promoting a Supply Lieutenant to be Captain of a Warship, rather than the Executive Officer or Weapons Officer.

The outposts I know that are working the Together program are based on a Royal Ranger Discovery type program where the boys and girls are being led by men. So they are all earning Royal Ranger merits and their meetings act and look like a regular RR meeting. (this is working just fine). I attended a Awards Ceremony with 2 GMAs being presented and the girls were presented several merit patches.

In our Outpost we lump all the Discovery - Expedition together and do the same merits for all. YUP discovery earn a Silver merit. If they leave our outpost and take their merits and advancements with them it's up to their next outpost to determine if they apply or not. I figure once a boy had been through these merits a time or two at any age he will have a better handle on it than a boy that is once and done and forgotten. I often repeat the fun merits and they earn them again. I wished national would adopt merits with a number as well. Firecraft 1, Firecraft 2 Firecraft 3 Firecraft 4. They get better and better at it. Just firecraft by itself means nothing if it has not been taught several times. (They most often won't get a fire going with one merit being taught)

Lot's of variations in the program now. Best part is were still about reaching, teaching, keeping ALL for Christ and building His Church. It's working! Let's get to it.

Mark Jones

We had a great hike and backpack this past weekend 18 and it was a great time on the toughest day hike trail we go on with new to backpacking folk 12 of them and never been backpacking we only backpacked in 1 mile in and 1 mile out with 6 miles of day hiking...Very very very difficult day hike.

joecool wrote: The wife and I have decided to jump back in to children's ministries. This retread has some miles on it, but it's not bald yet. You may recall that our children's pastor is moving on, with lay leaders taking over. I don't know who they are yet, but we'll search them out this morning.  

The wife and I are now the lay leaders. It's a load off the senior pastor's plate and he gave his blessings on our plans. Yee haw! Back in the saddle again.

The Together plan came out in 2011 or 2012 under the Marsh administration.