We Need a Comprehensive LDS Scouting Manual
Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 1:15 am
It seems to me that we are way past the time for distribution of a comprehensive manual and resource guide for LDS Scouting.
Fifteen years of YM-Scouting leadership has taught me, that not being able to get clear answers to critical questions cripples programs. It allows young men to to have their interest drawn elsewhere.
Really important (and oft repeated) questions that begin with:
"What is the Church's Intention regarding..."
or
"Where should our focus be, when we look to implement..."
or
"What are typical results for YM/Scout programs that have..."
need to have unambiguous answers.
This isn't an invitation for the Church to micromanage our programs. Instead it's to help us insure that the programs we run are in harmony with the Lord's desire for our young men.
What we have now, is instruction spread across several disconnected sources; with no meaningful correlation between them.
Often Church manuals will direct us to BSA materials for instruction. There are 2 problems with this.
First is that the combination of BSA guides+Church manuals usually leave us with an incomplete picture of how to accomplish the goals at hand.
I believe this is because there is an assumption that there is an existing Scout program and experienced leadership in place, at the Ward/Stake levels.
Second is that the BSA doesn't speak with Church authority. We are asked to receive Gospel related instruction from non-Gospel related sources. Again, this isn't a problem with experienced Scouting leadership, who can recognize the Lord's hand in the BSA and help guide new LDS Scouters in the Lord's direction.
Where this is a huge problem is in Stakes and Wards that have a near-complete vacuum of Scouting experience. As an example: our stake has had hundreds of active young men over a decade and yielded just 4 FT Missionaries in that same decade.
When Stake and Ward leadership lack vision and a working knowledge of how Scouting/YM functions, the members that ultimately wind up in control of the programs are the ones that are most manipulative. They gain control by exploiting the ignorance left by incomplete information.
The BSA is decried as non-authoritative, by those members and not in line with Church teachings. The gaps in knowledge are filled in with whatever serves to achieve the private agenda. Under this control, programs are far afield of what experienced Scout leadership might accomplish.
Having a comprehensive manual would assist other members, who are focused on the Lord's program by giving them a voice; louder than folks who are inappropriately running the show.
There is one LDS Scouting Leader Resource guide out there (dated 2005) that is pretty good. It's close to what ward leaders need to have. But since it's a mulit-stake effort and not sanctioned by the Quorum of the Twelve; agendized members can discredit it by declaring it not-authoritative.
The situation I describe, may seem isolated to someone who's never come across it. I've spent over 5 years as a BSA unit commissioner to LDS and non-LDS units. I've also been involved with youth programs in other churches. The push toward personal agendas is always present. What determines success is how closely leaders follow the correct councils, that they are taught.
NoahVail
Fifteen years of YM-Scouting leadership has taught me, that not being able to get clear answers to critical questions cripples programs. It allows young men to to have their interest drawn elsewhere.
Really important (and oft repeated) questions that begin with:
"What is the Church's Intention regarding..."
or
"Where should our focus be, when we look to implement..."
or
"What are typical results for YM/Scout programs that have..."
need to have unambiguous answers.
This isn't an invitation for the Church to micromanage our programs. Instead it's to help us insure that the programs we run are in harmony with the Lord's desire for our young men.
What we have now, is instruction spread across several disconnected sources; with no meaningful correlation between them.
Often Church manuals will direct us to BSA materials for instruction. There are 2 problems with this.
First is that the combination of BSA guides+Church manuals usually leave us with an incomplete picture of how to accomplish the goals at hand.
I believe this is because there is an assumption that there is an existing Scout program and experienced leadership in place, at the Ward/Stake levels.
Second is that the BSA doesn't speak with Church authority. We are asked to receive Gospel related instruction from non-Gospel related sources. Again, this isn't a problem with experienced Scouting leadership, who can recognize the Lord's hand in the BSA and help guide new LDS Scouters in the Lord's direction.
Where this is a huge problem is in Stakes and Wards that have a near-complete vacuum of Scouting experience. As an example: our stake has had hundreds of active young men over a decade and yielded just 4 FT Missionaries in that same decade.
When Stake and Ward leadership lack vision and a working knowledge of how Scouting/YM functions, the members that ultimately wind up in control of the programs are the ones that are most manipulative. They gain control by exploiting the ignorance left by incomplete information.
The BSA is decried as non-authoritative, by those members and not in line with Church teachings. The gaps in knowledge are filled in with whatever serves to achieve the private agenda. Under this control, programs are far afield of what experienced Scout leadership might accomplish.
Having a comprehensive manual would assist other members, who are focused on the Lord's program by giving them a voice; louder than folks who are inappropriately running the show.
There is one LDS Scouting Leader Resource guide out there (dated 2005) that is pretty good. It's close to what ward leaders need to have. But since it's a mulit-stake effort and not sanctioned by the Quorum of the Twelve; agendized members can discredit it by declaring it not-authoritative.
The situation I describe, may seem isolated to someone who's never come across it. I've spent over 5 years as a BSA unit commissioner to LDS and non-LDS units. I've also been involved with youth programs in other churches. The push toward personal agendas is always present. What determines success is how closely leaders follow the correct councils, that they are taught.
NoahVail