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I am a husband, father of three children and have included information about our family mission statement. I serve on the foreign missions committee for our congregation, teach classes (adult, teens, or middle school), and occasionally fill in preaching. I am available as a counselor for youth interested in earning a religious award (for BSA or GSA). Lord willing, I will eventually publish these studies, sermons, and other lessons on-line, hardcopy, or both. Currently, however, many are not in electronic form, much less web-enabled.  I have also included some related links.

If, like the Bereans, in Acts 17:11, you examine the scriptures to confirm that the teachings are true, then you are encouraged to use this material for your own personal study [see The Small Print].

See also: Foreign Missions, Early Politicians and Religion, Bowen Family Mission,
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians

Bowen Family Mission Statement

  • How we did it:
    • In 1997, for several months we collected favorite passages, listed important attributes that we wanted in a family or home, and answered other questions based on How to Develop A Family Mission Statement and other Covey Books and Tapes. However, we had not reached closure on our mission statement. 
    • At a New Year's family meeting we evaluated how we satisfied our objectives for the previous year, and set goals for 1998. One of those goals included completing our mission statement. In the beginning of 1998, we started pasting up the "results" on flip chart paper on the dining room wall. We grouped and consolidated information.
    • We collaborated as a family and achieved some synergism of ideas. Rebecca (who was 9 at the time) came up with the idea to spell something (from a project she did at school), Cheryl (my wife) came up with our Short Mission -- "Heaven Bound", which even Will (5) could memorize. Andrea (then 11) mapped the attributes, from our brainstorm, to the each letter of the short mission.
  • Bowen Family Mission Statement (our Mission and Vision)
  • More than a Mission...
    • Bowen Knot -- To symbolize our family (5 areas inside the loops), continuous, eternal, strength in the combined strands of interdependent unity, bound together in love, with deep roots of an extended family (from the Bowen Coat of Arms).
    • Song "As The Deer" -- It is one of the kids' favorite songs from worship and their mother and dad enjoy hearing them sing it. It is based on Psalms 42:1-2 (#71 in our song book). It expresses the essence of our mission, so we rephrased the first line as a closing to our mission statement.
    • Motto (also on our Coat of Arms) -- doulos christou, servant of Christ

Bible Studies:

  • Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians
    • A study of the Biblical foundation for the principles rediscovered by Steven Covey (26 class sessions)
  • The Life of Christ - a chronological study of the gospels
  • How to Study the Bible - a guide to effective personal study -- (has been used for Middle School, High School, and Adult studies)
  • The General Theory of Evolution and the Bible - scientific evidence
  • The Kings - a study of the books of Kings and Chronicles
  • 2 Corinthians - a study of Paul's letter
  • Death and Judgment (Teen class)
  • Evidences of the Authority and Authorship of the Bible (Middle School Class)
  • Religions and Denominations (Senior High Class, Spring 1991)
  • Evolution and the Bible (Senior High Class, Fall 1991)
  • Names of the Church
  • Names of God (see related sermons below)
  • A Word Study of the Sins of the Bible
  • Discovering the Biblical Role of Man (personal study based Wild at Heart and other books)
  • From Creator to Carpenter -- a study of 1st Century Carpentry (work in progress)
  • Romans - a study of Paul's letter, including a study of the people in Rome and Corinth (adult summer 2006)

Sermons:

  • The Gospel Brings Change -- Morgantown 3/17/85
  • The Church Organism or Organization -- Morgantown 8/25/85
  • Tested By Fire (1 Peter 1:6-9) -- Morgantown 10/11/87
  • Formula For Christian Growth (2 Peter 1:1-11) -- Morgantown 2/23/86
  • Hey! Are You OK?  (Faith vs. Works)-- Morgantown 03/30/86
  • God's Power To Resurrect -- Morgantown 7/20/86
  • God of the Living -- Morgantown 7/20/86
  • Let You Light Shine As Builders for Christ -- Martinsburg 3/19/88
  • Cross: From Shame to Glory -- Hagerstown 10/16/88
  • How to Become a Complainer  (Psalms 106) -- Martinsburg 7/16/89
  • How to Build Your House on a Rock (Genesis 26:17-18) -- Hagerstown 08/06/89
  • Encouragement from Scripture (Matthew 27:27-54) -- Hagerstown 6/24/90
  • A Letter from John (1 John) -- Hagerstown 10/21/90
  • Are You "In"? (1 John) -- Hagerstown 5/5/91
  • The Examples of 3 Samaritans -- Hagerstown 3/6/94
  • Nike  (Hebrews 12:1-3) -- Hagerstown 3/5/94
  • I Will Give You Rest (Matthew 11:28) -- Hagerstown 4/9/95
  • Watch Ye! (gregoreo) -- Hagerstown 9/17/95
  • What was Your New Year's Resolution? -- Hagerstown 10/15/00
  • Jehovah Nissi: My Banner -- Franklin Home Study 31-Oct-2004
  • I AM - Jehovah Lord -- Franklin Home Study 7-Nov-2004
  • God as Father -- Franklin Home Study 14-Nov-2004
  • Enron or End-Run?: Giving Out of Opportunity not Obligation -- Hagerstown 02-Oct-2005

Counselor for BSA Religious Award:

The 12th point of the Scout Law is a "Scout is Reverent". To support this principle, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) encouraged various religious groups to develop award programs consistent with their teachings. This allowed a very broad participation of religious groups as long as there was a believe in God (or a god).

In the framework defined by BSA, each award has some type of medal [similar to a trail award, Medal of Honor, or service award] that can be worn as part of the official Boy Scout, or Scouter, uniform for formal dress. When the medal is not worn, the appropriate knot can be worn over the left pocket. The religious knot is purple and white, and the colors are reversed depending on when earned (as a youth or adult). If earned as a youth and adult, both knots can be worn on the adult uniform. Usually, the award (e.g., pin, medal, or sash) is presented at a ceremony held by the religious organization, the Charter Organization, and/or the Scout Unit. Usually, the ceremony is advertised in local papers and open to the public (especially for Boy Scout age youth), similar to the Eagle Award.

The religious organization defines the qualification requirements and designs the medals, subject to approval by the BSA. For many years, the religious awards offered to scouts, contained content tied to a specific religion or denomination. The New Testament teaches that the Levitical priesthood, and the Old Testament separation of clergy/priest and laity, was replaced by Jesus as the high-priest and the only mediator between a Christian and God. There is no other hierarchy, or organization, above the congregation; Jesus is the head of the church and that each congregation is to be led by local elders [1]. Since each congregation autonomous, the BSA could not go to a "central headquarters" or "official" spokesperson to approve a program for groups attempting to follow the Biblical pattern. In 1986, eight men from Oklahoma, Alabama, and six cities in Texas started to find a solution to this "problem".

They established a voluntary national non-profit organization for Christians with a mutual interest in Scouting, called Members of Churches of Christ for Scouting (MCCS) [see Romans 16:16]. This organization designed the Servant Leadership Series that includes:

  • Three programs for youth that include required and elective, projects and activities:
    • Loving Servant Award - Religious Program for Grades 1-3 (e.g., Tiger & Cub) [new]
    • Joyful Servant Award - Religious Program for Grades 4-6 (Cub Scout or Tenderfoot aged youth)
    • Good Servant AwardGood Servant Award - Religious Program for Grades 6-12 (Boy Scout or Venture aged youth)
      • Both programs have a similar structure with 3 sections:
        • Serving God
        • Serving Others, and
        • Developing Self
      • With 2 subsections under each section:
        • Growing in Knowledge
        • Growing as a Servant (or Growing in Servant Leadership)
  • One award for adults serving for at least 10 years:
    • Faithful Servant Award - Recognition program for Scouters to acknowledge distinguished service by members of the church that leads to the spiritual, physical, mental and moral development of youth through service in the church and Scouting.

The awards have offered to Boy Scouts since January 1990. On October 1, 1991 the award was presented to the first Girl Scout. Each of the youth programs are to be completed under the direction of an elder, preacher, teacher, or other qualified adult. Therefore, the programs can be used by:

  • A congregation that is a Chartering Organization of a Scout unit
  • A congregation, as an outreach initiative of the church
  • A youth ministry, to encourage Scouts to study the Bible and to serve, or
  • An individual Scout [even if their unit is not chartered by the body of Christ]

The Bible studies and activities benefit non-scouts and non-Christians, as well. My oldest daughter began the Joyful Servant program when she was in Brownies, although she chose ballet over Brownies, she completed the program anyway and became a Christian in 1995. My second daughter was never in Scouting, but she used some of the Joyful Servant materials in her studies. She became a Christian in 1997. My son, was in Cub Scouts from Tigers through the beginning of Webelos. However, his choice is sports; so he chose Baseball over Boy Scouts. Although, I think he would have enjoyed the more energetic Boy Scout activities, his interest and gift is Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, skateboarding, trick bikes, or just about anything involving a wheel or a ball. He did not complete all of the Joyful Servant program before dropping out, but (more importantly) he became a Christian in 2002!

For more information:

back to:

Quotes:

Other Links:

Although there is no earthly headquarters or "official homepage" to point to, I have included links to directories and homepages created by individuals, congregations, schools, and included a few other on-line references.

 

Footnote: 1: The New Testament uses the terms elders [presbyteros presbyteros] interchangeably with shepherds [pastor, literally herdsman] or overseers [episkopos episkopos, or bishop]; each dealing with an aspect of their role. The Biblical definition for the term "pastor" is shepherd, which is a role separate from evangelist (or preacher). The Biblical definition for "bishop" is an elder, one of a plurality of equal elders within a congregation -- no elder is over another,  no congregation has only one elder, and no elder has more than one congregation. See specific direction and qualifications defined in 1Peter 5:1-4; Acts 20:17, 25-31; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; and Titus 1:5-9.

See also: Foreign Missions, Early Politicians and Religion, Bowen Family Mission,
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians

 ©1995-2007 Gregory M. Bowen

The Small Print: God is ultimately the originator, author, and owner -- and I have built on the knowledge and efforts of others (which I have attempted to give credit where the source was known). However, since I am  making some of this material publicly available, to protect future rights to my own work, earthly lawyers recommend that it be stated: all materials on this site (including related links on the website) are copyrighted and I retain ownership as the author. The content of these pages can not be used for commercial purposes without expressed written permission by the author. Sections may be quoted if source reference is provided. If you would like to use any material for a class, group-study, work of your own, or similar non-profit, non-commercial use, then please request permission by email and I will attempt to meet your request.