Royal Rangers and Men’s Ministries is pleased to announce that we are once again hosting our Bridging Our Ministries event January 19-21, 2024, at the Redland PHC in Advance, NC. The theme for this year’s event is “24/7 Men – Being Intentional in 2024”. We hope that you will plan to be a part of this gathering of leaders of men and boys. Spouses are encouraged to attend, and we have a special time planned for them. We will be presenting information about Discipleship Ministries’ new Initiative for Faith and Family. To register click here or find it on our website to stay up to date on information!
The late Dan Erickson would use this example when talking about intentional discipleship; He would say just expecting someone to become a disciple without an intentional plan is like putting a bunch of automobile parts in a box, then shaking it up and expecting a car to fall out. It simply will not happen. In the same way, we must be intentional about making disciples.
Paul compares our discipleship journey to a race, a race that requires our full attention and effort to successfully complete. “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 ESV We cannot allow any distractions, past or present to make us take our eyes off the prize that waits ahead for us.
We are called to be intentional about our personal discipleship and to be intentional in helping others on their discipleship journey. I have heard and used this saying in Royal Rangers – you cannot teach what you do not know, you cannot lead where you will not go, what you do not have, you cannot give, you cannot share a life you do not live. Spending time with and living our lives in front of our boys is one of the best ways we can mentor and be intentional about their discipleship journey. The following story illustrates this point. It was written by my son, Daniel Moore.
"As the son of the National Royal Rangers Commander, Royal Rangers has always been a significant aspect of my life. Beginning at age 5, I began going to Straight Arrows, the former name for Ranger Kids. During this time, I learned memory verses, the value of obeying leaders, and how to seek the Lord. From there, my journey continued into Discovery Rangers, Adventure Rangers, and Expedition Rangers. This is when I was truly taken in by the adventure that Royal Rangers offers young men. I learned how to tie essential knots like the square knot and the clove hitch, which is still my favorite because it’s the cowboy knot used to tie a horse to a post. I also learned how to safely handle a knife, and was awarded my very own Buck knife with the Royal Ranger emblem on the blade. These years were some of the most fun of my childhood, and I made sure my friends knew about it too. At school, I invited friends to come to Rangers and share in the adventure. I lured them in with stories of canoeing with alligators in the Okefenokee Swamp and sleeping in a massive Army tent in the snow at Pipestem, West Virginia. More importantly than this, these friends got to experience God with a fellowship of men and boys.
Captured at Camporama 2023 by Terrance Wilson
This is the greatest thing that Royal Rangers has to offer, and just as I remember the camping experiences because of their fun activities, I also recall the deep voices of commanders singing “Amazing Grace” as we sat around a campfire. The impact these men had on my life and countless others cannot be overstated as they modeled to me what it meant to be a Christian man in a fallen world. I witnessed men of God from all walks of life, with stories of overcoming sin, and hearts dedicated to serving God. It is because of these experiences that I know what it looks like to be a man of God not in words but in action. These commanders lived out their faith, taking time out of their lives to go on camping trips, to teach us merit badges on Wednesdays, and to mentor us. While I am fortunate to have this type of man as my father, I also knew that some of the boys in my outpost did not, and because of Rangers, they got to have a male figure in their life that taught them what Godly men look like. I am so thankful for the years I spent in Royal Rangers, and now that I am older and have begun serving as a commander, I still look back to my commanders as an example for how I should lead in my outpost. I only hope to be able to make an impact on some of these kids' lives as those men did in my life. Now that I have a son of my own, it is even more important that I continue to work in Royal Rangers and help it grow in my community because I want my son to have the same opportunity to be trained as a man of God. I want him to learn the joy of outdoor adventure and the value of Godly men as mentors. I want him to one day look back and see that his dad made sure he was ready to face the world because he was taught to be a Royal Ranger, just like my dad did for me."
I am so thankful that God has allowed me the opportunity to be a part of a ministry like Royal Rangers, so that I could make a difference in the lives of my sons and many other boys. My prayer is that God would speak to your heart and challenge you to make a difference in someone’s life now and for eternity. Please contact me at 706-498-3341 or dmoore@lifespings.net if you would like more information about starting a Royal Rangers or a Boys’ Ministries program in your church. It is time well spent.
