Our Troop
We are a ministry of The Shepherd’s Church in Cary, NC. Established in 2014, our Troop offers an outdoor program for boys 5 to 18 in a Christian environment. We strive to support and develop a new generation of Christian men to lead in the family, in the church, and in the community.
Adventure
Adventure calls to the heart of a boy. While the adventure might not always be rafting or climbing, boys feel a call to try new things and test their abilities. Something as simple as tying a new knot—and then promptly using it—plays on the adventurous spirit. We understand that God created boys to learn and grow in this fashion. So, we try not to sit around too much, but rather get out and experience activities.
Armor of God
“take up the whole armor of God”
In Ephesians 6:13, believers are commanded to “take up the whole armor of God”. We value preparedness, but no amount of worldly preparation can make one ready for spiritual attack. Instead, we must take up the particular Biblical tools we have been equipped with as Christians. We are made ready by the truth of the gospel. We are protected by our faith and our assurance of salvation. The Word of God is our greatest weapon against evil schemes.
Character
How do you develop character? One would get many answers to this question. But it is clear that a path to character leads through adversity. Romans 5:3-4 teaches “we know that affliction produces endurance [and] endurance produces proven character.” Oftentimes you learn more when you fail, or nearly fail. For boys, there must be room to learn from mistakes, and freedom to make mistakes that don’t create danger. Christian character comes through the discipleship relationship. Younger men learn how older men have contended with faith issues in their youth. They also learn how Christians respond to everyday adversity.
Trail Life USA
Troop NC-613 is a chartered troop of Trail Life USA. Trail Life Troops are independent ministries of local churches across the country. Our troop is part of the Northeastern Area of North Carolina, and regularly interacts with other local troops in addition to our local program.
Trail Life USA has an excellent overview of the Trail Life program. The blog maintained by the home office has insights into the purposes of the national ministry.
Leadership
When we talk about leadership, we mean servant leadership. This is leadership with a heart of service to those being led and is the leadership model that Jesus taught us. We encourage community service by our members which promotes an attitude of putting others first. Especially at our older levels, we strive to have a youth-led program. We embrace the patrol method as a framework for the boys to work through the ministry program, providing valuable lessons for working with peers in teams.
