National Association of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Scouters

Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America: Scouting and Religion

From the early days of the Scouting movement to the present day, churches have organized Scout troops. According the Boy Scouts of America, of the 7,375 registered troops at the close of 1915, more than 4,000 were chartered to Protestant churches, and 1,645 Scoutmasters were ministers. When church troops became numerous, some of the denominational bodies decided to give recognition to the values of Scouting as a resource for the churches in their youth ministries.

Among the earliest endorsements were from the Northern Baptist Convention, 1918; Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1918; United Lutheran Church in America, 1918; Congregational Churches, 1919; Methodist Church, 1919; and Southern Baptist Convention, 1923. Today, Protestant churches have organized more than 26 percent of all packs, troops, and crews, making them the largest user of the Scouting program.

Currently, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations are the chartered partners for more than 1,200 units, serving 29,000 youth and 14,600 adults.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Scout Oath    Scout Law
On my honor I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong,
mentally awake, and morally straight.
   A Scout is:
Trustworthy
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind		   Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

 

Vision Statement

The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law.

Support Functions

There are five functions in direct support of Scouting in Protestant churches.

  1. Chaplaincy. Chaplains are provided for Cub Scout resident camps and Boy Scout summer camps, national and world jamborees, and national high-adventure bases. In addition, materials are provided to local councils for selecting and training unit chaplains (adults) and chaplain aides (Boy Scouts).
  2. Religious Emblems. The God and Country program series was developed and distributed by Programs of Religious Activities With Youth (P.R.A.Y.) and provides spiritual growth experiences for members of the BSA who are Protestant, as well as members of Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and Camp Fire Inc., and other youth.
  3. God and Service: A recognition presented to deserving adults who have given distinguished service to youth through Scouting in a local church or at the council, regional, or national level.
  4. Venturing. In addition to Cub Scout packs and Boy Scout troops, many churches have established dynamic and comprehensive Venturing youth group programs. They view these programs as an excellent way to reach out to the youth in the community.
  5. Religious Activities. Local council support materials are provided for a variety of religious activities, including annual Scout Sunday observances, retreats, Duty to God encampments, religious emblem recognition dinners, and Scouting show displays. An annual Scouting in the Church's Ministry conference at Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, New Mexico, attracts participants from across the nation who come together for a week to learn about the role of Scouting in local churches. Faith groups with 15 or more participants in attendance have afternoon breakout sessions. If you are interested in attending Philmont, contact your local council service center.

 

Find A Council, Pack, Troop, Crew

Follow these links to find Local Councils, Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venturing Crews and Sea Scouts Ships in your local area.  When you click on a link, it wil take you to the unit locator section of  the Join Scouting site areas maintained by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

 

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