You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Deuteronomy 6:5-7
One of God’s supreme gifts to us is our children, and His Word speaks often of the important place they have in His Kingdom. As a heritage of the Lord (Psalm 127:3), children, whether ours through birth, adoption, or inclusion, are to be taught, guided, disciplined, and loved. In Memphis, where 46% of our city’s children under 18 are raised in single parent homes, God’s clarion call to nurture children certainly extends beyond our own walls. We are to reach out to our neighbor’s children with a heart-felt investment of time, commitment and energy.
This month’s look at generosity in the Second Presbyterian family focuses on some men who understand God’s call to train children up in the way they should go. They are reaching out to boys and young men through scouting. Boy Scout Troop 33, chartered by Second in 2008, regularly brings together about a dozen boys in 5th to 11th grades in a variety of weekly meetings, outdoor activities and camp programs.
Former Eagle Scouts and Second members Robert Liddon and Dick Cowan as well as John Schwab have committed their time and energy to lead this troop of boys who come largely from the Berclair, Su Casa, and Esperanza ministries and The Neighborhood School in Binghampton.
"Troop 33 was formed as an outreach of Second as a means to mentor and impact the lives of boys from the inner city," Liddon explains. The values of Second and the Boy Scout troop align, and as their charter organization, Second’s troop leaders have a chance to focus on the Christian faith and reverence for God. In a lot of instances, learning about the Christian faith comes from seeing and doing, and the chance the boys have to witness what following Christ means in a man’s daily life.
“We have weekly meetings on Tuesday nights, and we typically go on two fall and two spring weekend camp-outs, as well as a week-long summer camp at Kia Kima (Hardy, AR)," Liddon says. "The leaders and boys have a great time pursuing their Scout skills and learning how to behave socially. They see how Christian men interact, in good times, and frankly, in trying times, seeing how we resolve disagreements.”
Over the course of the troop’s three years, some boys have come and gone, but a number have stayed to build close relationships. As a result of their troop experience, several of the scouts have gotten involved in Second’s youth activities, started attending church, attended Amen Bible Study and two have become members of Second. “It’s something to get a call from a boy who says, ‘Hey, can you come take me to church?’ When you get a call like that, obviously, you say yes!”
Getting to know the children from churched and unchurched families, to have the chance to share the gospel, have devotionals, and pray are “part of the normal flow of things,” Liddon notes. “Sometimes, when we call on the guys to give a blessing, so many of them want to do it that we have to do ‘rock-paper-scissors’ to decide. We’ve also seen God’s providential hand moving in some specific circumstances, and been given the chance to aid children in some very trying and hard times.”
More than anything, the one thing that is needed to be a Scout leader is a heart for kids, a heart that generously says “yes” to children who crave an adult’s time, attention, and direction. “You don’t have to be a former Eagle Scout to be a leader, and it really doesn’t take any extraordinary skills, although an interest and a little experience in some outdoor activities like camping, hunting, hiking, and fishing are a definite plus. More than anything, it takes a heart for kids,” Liddon says.
In addition to the blessings of leading the boys in the troop, another blessing has been the bond formed between the older leaders, Liddon and Cowan, and the younger leaders, Scoutmaster Michael Gong and Schwab. “The kids love interacting with the younger guys, and it’s been an enriching experience for us. Personally, I enjoy it immensely, and I believe Dick will say the same. One of the things I enjoy most is ministering alongside the younger leaders. What better way to impact the lives of the boys than to be with them in a long-term mentoring setting, teaching them values and leadership skills, weekly and during the weekend outings?”
Liddon invites other like-minded men to consider giving some of their time and energy to building and supporting boys in Troop 33. In a verse that might have some special significance to outdoorsmen, Scouts and Scout leaders alike: "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." (Psalm 127:3, 5)
