A scouting organisation that was set up as a conservative Christian alternative to the Boy Scouts of America recently celebrated its 1,000th Troop.
Trail Life USA was launched nine years ago after the Boy Scouts started accepting LGBT members, and later, girls.
It’s estimated to now have around 40,000 members with another 150 Troops in the process of being chartered.
CEO Mark Hancock told The Christian Post that he was humbled by the response to “Trail LIfe’s Christ-centred, boy-focused approach to building Godly men. Parents love the character and leadership objectives.”
He attributed the rapid growth of the organisation to its Campaign to Rescue America’s Boys which he said “speaks to the challenges boys face in our culture today. This gives churches and families hope.”
On the campaign’s website Trail Life says: “Too many boys are being held hostage by a culture denying their uniqueness and defining their masculine strengths as both toxic and ‘harmful.’ America is at risk of losing a generation of boys because they’ve been stripped of their identity. The most noble virtues of manhood: judging righteously, standing by faith, defending the cause of the weak and the fatherless, upholding the rights of the afflicted and oppressed, and rescuing the weak and needy, are being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.”
Trail Life USA provides mentoring and discipleship in the context of outdoor adventure for boys from kindergarten to Grade 12.
Its vision is “to be the premier national character development organisation for young men which produces Godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens.”
Its mission is “to guide generations of courageous young men to honour God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure.”
