If the church was like Boy Scouts...

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege to watch the Eagle Court of Honor for our local Boy Scout troop.  I have been to a few of these during my time here at Platte Woods and it always amazes me to watch these boys who have committed so much, reach a major milestone within the Boy Scout organization.

I do want to say, I have never been big on the Boy Scouts.  This isn't to say I don't like them, just that I have never been involved and until I came to Kansas City, really never worried about it.  When I came to Platte Woods, I realized right away it was a big part of the history of the church.  On Monday nights, you will find our building crawling with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.


The Eagle Scout is one of the highest honors that a Boy Scout can achieve.  In order to be an Eagle Scout, you must earn at least 21 merit badges and demonstrate Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages.   The Eagle Scout is a great honor and our church seems to produce a lot of them.  


I sat on the ceremony this year because we had a few boys from our ministry who would be getting their Eagle.  I was amazed at one thing I saw during the service and something I wish we as a church could adopt.  As the ceremony began, the MC had all the other Eagles in the audience, stand and give the year they received their Eagle and what troop they were from.  I was amazed as I watch about 30+ teenagers and adults stand up with pride and say the year, troop and place where they got their Eagle.  There was no shame, there was no fear only pure joy in standing with all the other Eagles in the room.


As I sat there, I wondered what would happen if during a church service, we asked all those who were Christians, to stand up and say the date they and place where they became a Christian.  How many of us even really know this?  Do you?  I know I can tell you the place and situation and year but not an exact date.  How many of us would be proud to stand up and say this information?  What kind of feeling would you have as each person stood and spoke of the time that God called them into a new life.  I wonder.


What would our church really be like if each of us remembered that time?  What if we looked at then and now and determined if God really did change our life?  Would we see a forward walk of faith or one that fell backwards?