Yeap, you're right about that cutting RR off at 12. I've seen some cases
like this here in Russia too. And usually it is done with the wrong
motivation, to make things more comfortable for ME, that "I" problem. And so
leaders "DIVIDE" areas of their influence to have *MAOWN piece.
But God doesn't care about that *MAOWN. And He sometimes work different. So
this youth being cut off the RR usually doesn't go anywhere at all. They get
lost, or become selfish. And it is happening at most important age, 13 -
14!!! Too bad.
So yes, we do need to watch for our attitude. And never get carried away
with "better for me", but go where's better for God!! Church (and us) simply
needs to better follow God, isn't it?
Boris Chikota
======== Royal Rangers =========
National Training Coordinator, Russia
Sr.Cdr. RR Outpost 1, Ufa, Russia
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National page http://russianrr.webjump.com
Ufa page http://bob2.webjump.com/index_e.html
----- Original Message -----
From: "clint grant" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 7:48 PM
Subject: Re: [RR] Chartering
> I agree with Duane that Honor Bound failed to pull thier weight. A quick
> look at the brochure "Current Facts" published by GPH (item# 73va9086 $1
ea.
> will tell you that. But the fact is, that RR was cut loose from Honor
Bound
> when Rich Marriott took over.
> The current trend of putting RR under the auspices of the children's
> ministry on a local level is the result of youth ministries everywhere
> building thier own little kingdoms instead of God's. The original intent
> of Rangers was, in 1960, according to the Rev. Burton Pierce, then Men's
> Fellowship secretary, "...to get men involved (as leaders) in soul winning
> and the discipling of boys."
> This was seen as the solution to the problemm of teenage boys growing up
> and leaving the church. The focus was on the boys in the age group that
many
> churches are excluding from Rangers today-12 and up. Up until 1989(?) we
> didn't have Straight Arrows and Buckaroos; we ministered to boys 9-17.
> 85% of people who accept Christ as thier savior do so before the age of
> 14. As a result, RR has won more souls for the Kingdon of God than any
other
> A/G ministry, possibly all others combined.
> We were getting to them before the youth pastor could. The average youth
> pastor is also the associate pastor. He does whatever Sr. pastor does not
> want to. He gets paid. When he looks at the numbers, two things happen: 1.
> He gets jealous.
> 2. He starts to wonder about his job security, because a
> layperson is winning more souls than him.
> Now, as Duane says, there is a trend to turn ministries over to para
> professionals. The childrens pastor can enjoy excellent job security by
> having RR under his realm.
> What is the result? RR has always been the underdog, for whatever
reason,
> it doesn't matter. I'm glad, because of 1st Corinthians 1:26-29. The
result
> will be that RR will thrive. All we have to do is keep the right attitude.
> This is hard for me to do sometimes. I still believe that youth is youth.
It
> is great-we can't do without it. But it will never be more than what it
> is-just another church service, nothing more. RR, on the other hand, is
> something different. It is training. The Word says "train up a child in
the
> way that he should go". I don't think that churches should be cutting RR
off
> at age 12. Burns me up every time I look at the Schedule of Events on a
> church bulletin
> and see it: RR- boys 6-12.
> But it doesn't matter what I think, I'm a little biased anyway. As long
as
> I can take some of these guys with me when I go through those pearly
gates,
> I'll be satisfied.
> (Forgive me youth and childrens pastors, please!)
_______
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