Battalion
A "Leadership Laboratory"
We challenge young men to be Christian Leaders but often leave them wondering exactly how to do so.
Battalion is a discipleship ministry in which Christian men build personal relationships with teen guys within the church and mentor them to be effective Christian leaders.
Guided by adult men these 12-18 year-old young men are not simply told how to lead but are the ones leading the program and events week to week.
“In a laboratory you expect to make mistakes but you learn and grow from those mistakes.”
Battalion allows this growth in leadership to happen in an all male environment with the guidance of more mature men, where they know it’s ok to try, fail, and grow.
3 program componants
How It Works
The emphasis in Battalion is on Leadership development under the mentorship of older men. The Battalion program, materials, events, and culture are designed to help develop well-rounded and Biblically well-grounded young men who have learned through experience to be servant leaders.
1
weekly meetings
The weekly meeting is where practical, spiritual, and leadership skills are honed in a large and small group setting and relationships begin to get built.
2
individual mentoring
Using our “Trail Guide” materials described below, parents and the young man select a mentor who walks together with him for a period of time through the mentoring materials.
3
Adventure Together
Boys learn best while active and men grow together best while working, serving and suffering together. Through events, service, and adventure deeper relationship building happens. We help you build this into your ministry calendar.
Guided Weekly Meetings
We have busy men in mind
Brigade provides “Leaders Guides” that give the men and the young men who will be leading everything they need to know in order to execute 4 week modules.
These modules connect God’s world to God’s word. For instance though the interest area being investigated for four weeks might be photography, the men and young men are also learning about their identity in Christ, Self Control, and the personal nature of our relationship to God.
A Typical Battalion Evening
Shaping a Leader
As the young men arrive, a simple game or skill developer is conducted until the meeting officially begins. Leaders circulate among the group. This is a great time for a leader to check-in with a young man who he is mentoring.
At the announced starting time a brief time to come to order is needed. This is accomplished by a line-up. The battalion is called together by the young man in charge. The opening involves a prayer, possible flag salute, and important announcements for the young men.
This is the leadership laboratory—prime time for each junior leader to work with his own small group (or squad). He leads a brief devotional and group activity. This is often the first time a young man has ever had the responsibility of leading his peers and the single gender context allows for greater freedom to make mistakes and learn together. Mature men are always there to help provide insights to this growing young leader at the end of the meeting.
This special feature is planned with the idea of getting the boys to experience, in a “hands-on” way, some interest area or meaningful activity and is based on the particular module the Battalion is working on together such as: Astronomy, Winter Survival, Rock Climbing etc.
The action-packed game period provides organized physical activity. We encourage healthy competition but skill development, sportsmanship, and fun are what we emphasize as we use this time to mold character and to build group cohesion.
The presentation of the Gospel and the challenge to Christian growth and service are both privileges and responsibilities for leaders. Stories with Biblical applications, Bible talks, or group discussions all encourage spiritual growth and Christian character development. This can be an opportune time to invite a guest speaker such as a missionary, expert in the interest area the Battalion is exploring at the time, or a pastor. Often this is a time in which the gospel can be explicitly presented. Young men get to hear from men that they admire and respect and can ask questions of men with whom they otherwise would not have the opportunity to interact.
This vital component of each weekly meeting allows the men to discuss the meeting and to pray for any needs, plan for next week, and builds leadership teamwork and communication.
Why Mentoring?
You will notice that we don’t just talk about mentoring or hope it happens, we emphasize it and build it into our culture and materials.
This is because boys don’t learn to become men by being handed a book. Masculinity is handed down and modeled.
- Our program helps this happen consistently
- Our materials help this happen well.
Adventure Trails
Building a Man
Every young man needs a solid foundation and the path begins with “Adventure Trails.”
As with most of Brigade’s materials this is designed to be completed alongside a series of mentors.
1
Explorer
Understanding his faith
2
Trailblazer
Growing in his faith
3
Guide
Learning to share his faith
Leadership Trails
Building a Leader
As a young man grows and exhibits a desire or an aptitude for leadership, or simply as a unit develops leadership needs, a young man begins working with a mentor through the Leadership Trails materials. The content of these three ranks focus on leadership skills giving him progressively more leadership responsibility in the battalion:
1
One Star
Assisting his Peer Leader
2
Two Star
Leading his own small group
3
Three Star
Leading the leaders
Herald of Christ
Launching a Leader
The Herald of Christ is the top recognition given to a young man after he has completed Explorer Through Three Star as well as the Herald of Christ internship. The Herald Of Christ Recognition is an impressive accomplishment. You can find our more about the Herald of Christ here
