Why engage in scouting ministries?
By Steven Scheid
The Discipline states: “The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” The question of how to do this is a challenge; generation-to-generation change gets more rapid.
One answer is scouting ministries.
In the article “Poverty, Dropouts, Pregnancy, Suicide: What the Numbers Say about Fatherless Kids”, Claudio Sanchez asks best-selling author Alan Blankenstein about the impact of fathers on children. He pointed out that 24.7 million kids in the U.S. do not live with a biological father. This is only increasing. How can you learn to be a father if you never really had a father? The damage continues from generation to generation.
Malachi 4:6 says, “He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” We are seeing that slow destruction. The very title of the Sanchez article sets one on edge. It does not bode well for our future.
This direction is reversible. I remember standing in Congaree National Park with a scoutmaster. He was staring into the stars after teaching nighttime navigation.
The Scouts stepped away starting their own conversations. One Scout said, “Mr. Eric is like my dad.” Another said, “He is my second dad.” A third responded, “I guess he is my third dad. I have a step-dad but Mr. Eric is better.”
Eric is a man who cares and gives of himself making a difference. He made a choice to get involved, and young people have been changed.
If we are to make disciples of Jesus Christ, we must find ways to spend the time with young people.
Discipleship requires time and presence. A campfire can open doors once closed.
Steven Scheid, director of the Center for Scouting Ministries
General Commission on UM Men