F.B.I.F.B.I.Faith Based InitiativeFaith Based Initiative

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F.B.I.F.B.I.Faith Based InitiativeFaith Based Initiative

October 1, 2012Mark Hazlewood

Congregations

BSA Religious Emblems

Religious Emblems: the Linchpin to Membership

How to Have Congregations and Clergy

Begging You to Start the Full Family of

Scouting

Stop Selling Packs, Troops, and Crews

Stop Selling Scouting as Ministry

Start Selling SOLUTIONSto Congregations and

Their Needs

Whose needs are these?

•Membership growthMembership growth•RetentionRetention•ProgramProgram•MoneyMoney•Trained VolunteersTrained Volunteers

“You can have everything in life you want, if you'll just help enough other people to get what they want!”

– Zig Ziglar

Why Collaborate?

What’s in it for What’s in it for Congregations?Congregations?

Question:Question:

What are the five most stated What are the five most stated items in any strategic plan of a items in any strategic plan of a local congregation?local congregation?

What’s in it for Congregations?

Answer:Answer:

•Membership Membership •Retention of new membersRetention of new members•Religious trainingReligious training•Volunteers / LeadersVolunteers / Leaders•MoneyMoney

What’s in it for Congregations?

Religious Organizations BenefitReligious Organizations Benefit

• Common Goals• Enrich current program

– Scouting has high brand recognition– Membership opportunities– Proven youth program: citizenship

training, character development, fitness

– Outdoor resources (local and national facilities)

continued

Religious Organizations BenefitReligious Organizations Benefit

• Trained Leaders– Provides leadership training skills– New leaders (adults may volunteer

to be leaders because they see it as service to their religious organization)

– Religious organizations select the leadership that reflects their values

Congregations need Congregations need •Young families Young families •Adult malesAdult males

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:Faith FormationFaith Formation

Religious Emblems Programs:• Are developed by the national

religious organizations, not BSA

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

• The average size of a pack is 30• 50 to 60% of youth in a pack troop or

crew do not currently have a faith home• These parents are pre-qualified as

looking for values for their children • 15 pre-qualified families already in your

building without a faith home

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

• The unit leader makes a presentation on religious emblems using the R.E.C. / Duty to God resources.

• The congregation offers a religious emblems class.

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

• The chartering congregation offers their religious emblems program for their youth members and extends an invitation to the Scouting unit, especially those without a current congregational home.

• Invite the parents to the first class and start building relationships.

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

• If the congregation offers a religious emblem class to all youth in their units

• If the congregation offers a religious emblem class to the whole district

• The congregation expands its membership potential in close geographic area

Congregations need Congregations need •Young families Young families •Adult malesAdult males•Retain membersRetain members•Scout parents Scout parents http://scoutparents.org/ http://scoutparents.org/

Religious Organizations Benefit:Religious Organizations Benefit:MembershipMembership

What’s in it for Councils:What’s in it for Councils:ProgramProgram

66% + 10% + 70% + 98% = +42%

98% = the number of clergy who are unaware that these religious emblems even exist!

Journey to ExcellenceJourney to Excellence

• Membership

• Units

• Retention

• Advancement

• Camping

Why Collaborate?

What’s in it for Councils?What’s in it for Councils?

The History of the BSAAccording to Mark

BSA ResearchBSA Research

• Unit Retention better by 10%

• Rank Advancement 10 to 30% better

• 66% of units Chartered to Faith based organizations

• 70% of Chartered Partners only have 1 Unit or one Member of the Scouting family

Resources: Resources: Assoc. of Religion Data ArchivesAssoc. of Religion Data Archives

• www.thearda.com

• Denomination Report (by county)

• County membership report

• And much more!

Denomination Report(UMC – Number of Congregations)

Rank ^ County Value

1 Lancaster, NE 28

2 Douglas, NE 23

3 Buffalo, NE 13

4 Custer, NE 12

5 Cass, NE 11

6 Gage, NE 10

7 Hall, NE 8

8 Merrick, NE 8

9 Lincoln, NE 8

County Membership Report(Lancaster County, NE)

Religious BodiesCongregations

AdherentsAdherence Rate†

United Methodist Church, The 29 17,595 61.6

Non-denominational 24 5,775 20.2

Catholic Church 16 42,609 149.3

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

15 14,216 49.8

Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod 14 13,043 45.7

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) 10 4,744 16.6

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 9 2,185 7.7

What’s in it for Councils?What’s in it for Councils?

• Question:What are your council’s top goals according to Journey to Excellence?

What’s in it for Councils?What’s in it for Councils?

Answer:• Membership• Retention• Advancement• Money• Leadership• Program

What’s in it for Councils:What’s in it for Councils:MembershipMembership

• Youth membership– Parents are looking for values– Religious organizations share common

goals

• Adult leaders– Improve retention of leaders– Religiously based individuals are more

likely to volunteer

• Target underserved populations

What’s in it for Councils:What’s in it for Councils:ProgramProgram

• Religious organizations teach the religious emblems programs

• Recruit clergy for religious retreats and camporees

• Chaplains

Ingredients for Success•Both sides must clearly understand Both sides must clearly understand the chartered organization the chartered organization agreement before it is signed.agreement before it is signed.•BSA should use as many BSA should use as many congregational volunteers as is congregational volunteers as is feasible. feasible. •The congregation must “invest” The congregation must “invest” their best kid person to be the leadertheir best kid person to be the leader

Ingredients for Success•All volunteers MUST be trained All volunteers MUST be trained by the local councilby the local council•Religious emblems must be Religious emblems must be promoted by the unit leaderpromoted by the unit leader•Congregations must offer a Congregations must offer a religious emblems classreligious emblems class

Linch PinLinch Pin

Congregations

BSA Religious Emblems

Wrap up: Why Wrap up: Why Collaborate?Collaborate?

• Win-win-win situation

• Collaboration results in:

• Stronger youth and families

• Stronger congregations

• Stronger councils