Bounce House Conversions

It took a backflip in a bounce house

By Ben Lindly, Stockade Ranger

I was blown away by a story recently from a mother of one of my former Brigade boys. Almost a year ago now we were getting ready for our first annual community party. As a promotion for this event we had an inflatable bouncy house for our first Wednesday night meeting. During the course of jumping around a Sophomore attempted a back flip (which you aren't supposed to do in those) and he landed with the full weight of his body on his neck. His neck was sore but he did not tell anyone.

From Falling to Fumbling

A story of a father picking up his fumble

By Scott Haima, CSB Regional Director

 

CSB has been partnering for the last several years with the Iron Sharpens Iron Ministry to sponsor Equipping Conferences for men. I was privileged to lead a team of men to launch a new conference this past month in Rochester New York with an attendance of 504 men all thirsty to hear the word of God and to be challenged and equipped to run with endurance the race to which we’ve been called. I opened the conference with a verse and challenge.

"Therefore, brothers, be diligent to confirm your calling and election,  For if you practice these things, you will never fall."  1 Peter 2:10

I then related falling to fumbling - that we as husbands, fathers, men - fumble and drop the ball often.  When a running back is prone to fumbling, the coach sometimes makes him carry it all day, during classes, lunch - and never put it down.  So I asked one man from each age  group who came to this conference with the intention to gain the tools necessary to stop fumbling in a specific area of his life to come up and take the ball.  Before I introduced our speaker I gently asked for the balls back at the end of the conference.  When I went to the back, one of the men came up to me and asked if he could keep the football. He told me that he has a 12 year old son and he has dropped the ball and hasn't been in his a life in any significant way.  He wants to be back in his life and to be the Dad he needs to be.  His son came to the conference with him, and they had a great reconciliation day and he asked for the football as a reminder.  I was almost in tears, and said of course he can keep it!

The revivals that last don’t begin with eruptions of emotion. They begin like this, with one father hearing the gospel call and responding by turning his heart toward his son. Please pray for this man and the countless men like him who now know they have fumbled the ball and desire in the strength that God gives to run with endurance the race that has been set before him.

Webinar Training Videos

The training videos below are great resources for training new men and for sharpening your skills no matter how many years you've been leading a CSB ministry in your church.

Brigade Principles: Will help you grasp the core vision of CSB Ministries - discipleship. Without this concept being carried forward, you are "just running another program." Click here to view

Stockade Leadership:  Will cover the elements of the Stockade meeting and achievement, and will include the all new Stockade materials. Click here to view

Battalion Leadership: Will cover the elements of the Battalion meeting, achievement, and leadership development. Click here to view

reVision Update

Please note that we believe the dates below to be accurate but that they may change. This is to be

Draft Cover of the New Trail Guide

used as a helpful guideline but contact your Regional Director if you have any questions.

Also, if you are a man with expertise in a particular interest area and would like to see that interest area developed into a module please contact us. We'd love to consider your ideas!

BrigadeConnection@csbministries.org


Current Revision Schedule:
Modules re-edited and reprinted, including the Outpost Adventures and new covers (available in store - at the printer August 9):

• Flight (Faith)
• Team Sports (The Church)
• Bikes & Boards (Friends)
• Woodworking (Holiness)

The four core Achievement guides are currently being redesigned and should be at the printers by Tuesday, August 27:

• Builder Trails 1
• Builder Trails 2
• Sentinel Trails 1
• Sentinel Trails 2

The following modules are completed and are in the cue for final draft and design (once the core books are done):

CSB growing in Zambia!

View the pictures I took

God is moving on the African Continent

For the past 4 years directors passionate about Brigade's message of discipling men, have traveled yearly to the beautiful country of Zambia to work with the incredible men serving in Christian ministry there at the invitation of a missions  organization that saw the need for a ministry to men and CSB's unique ability to meet that need.

The first three years have been spent in building a network of pastors, establishing relationships, and casting a vision alongside local Zambian churches for how the ministry could look in a Zambian culture. This year's goal was to begin to train the trainers so that what has become known as the "EAGLES" ministry could begin to grow vibrantly and organically in the hands of Zambian leaders. Below is a short summary of their trip. We are speechless at what God chose to do, far exceeding our wildest expectations!

"Ron Rynd, Norm Tacklind, Harold Browne and I returned August 1st to Zambia to assist churches there in their ministries to men and boys. Our goal this time was not only to train new men and assist new churches in starting EAGLES programs, but also to begin to establish a Zambian leadership team that would be able to take the reigns of the ministry. The trip certainly had it's trials and difficulties, beginning with a leadership meeting that did not produce any of the results we had hoped for. I was scheduled to lead this key training session that we had come for but in a frustrating twist of providence ended up getting hospitalized with an infection the night before my session. Yes ... in a Zambian Hospital! As you might imagine that's a whole other story but you can see some pictures here. 

The men who took my place came back home deflated having accomplished nothing of what we had hoped. Maybe we've learned something of how God works by now because we chose not lose hope. God waited until the the last day of our 3-day training conference where we  spontaneously decided to challenge the men there with the leadership content we'd tried earlier in the week with the other men. We were blown away by the men's response and the ownership they took of the ministry!  

By the end of day three committees had been formed a the urging of the Zambian attendees, made up of all Zambian men: an administrative committee, a curriculum development committee and a leadership training committee. For those of you not familiar with much of African culture this initiative and ownership of the ministry is often unusual. What an encouragement to see such progress in the Zambian ministry!

Praise the Lord for bringing the men this far. Please continue to pray for the leaders in Zambia. While we were sad to leave, we were greatly encouraged by what we saw while there and we are confident that the Lord is using this ministry to strengthen men and boys in Zambia.

Serving Christ with you,

Brian Stebick

View the pictures I took

I was Sure I'd Made an Enemy

Summer Camp Can Be A Strange Place

More proof  that boys desire men to challenge them to be men of God

I learned quickly that “intense” was not a big enough word to properly describe Carson. Nope, I discovered Carson’s intensity early and uncomfortably during the second game we played at our Southern California boys camp. Apparently the only tools you need to squeeze the character of a boy are a few well aimed balls and the promise of dodgeball glory that rests like a crown upon the head of the last boy standing.

Carson is one of those 12 year old guys that is so naturally athletic that it’s nauseating. His blond frame is not big, but he’s all muscle, and every one of those muscles seems to know exactly what it should be doing and where it should be at just the right time. Throwing ... check. Catching ... Check. Contorting one’s body like a character in the “Matrix” who has fallen right from the pages of fiction and into our dodgeball court ... Check.

The problem with Carson was not his ability to control his body ... it was his unwillingness to control his temper.

Intensity is Good. Unbridled anger erupting from his mouth and scorching the other members of civil society around him was unacceptable. I also know that if left to take root this kind of anger produces husbands and fathers who disciple their families straight into a living hell by filling their homes and the hearts of those trapped within its walls with hopeless fear. The bruised souls and faces of women and children are just the fruit of the violence practiced when men were boys playing games. Games are training for life. Games reveal and they teach. And I was not about to allow this weed to begin growing in my presence without at least some attempt to weed it out while it was still small ... ish.

I called him out and warned him that he needed to immediately bring his anger under control or he’d end the game as a spectator rather than a victor. Either he didn’t believe me, or he forgot, or he just couldn’t help himself, but I only had time to take a few breaths and he’d already exploded in anger all over the court again.

His look of shock and hot indignation was almost laughable when it finally registered that I was serious that he’d be sitting the rest of that game. He threw the balls he held in his hands down in undisguised disgust. As he walked over to me I think it was only my relative size advantage that spared me from an untimely death. He was the kind of angry that can only be given birth by surging testosterone stoked into fury by a misplaced sense that a grievous injustice was being perpetrated upon his 12 year old person.

My heart sank. I knew he’d be upset but it was clear that more was at stake. I had just made an enemy. Any possibility of building a relationship with him was gone. His heart was now closed to my voice. I didn’t show it but I was really sad. I stood on the hillside. He sat at my feet about 6 feet away, breathing deeply, seething, and avoiding any eye contact. At that point I stopped paying attention to the game and I began to pray.

A lesson from the garden: Don't Overwater

By Bob Nass

Pastor of Youth and Missions and Chief Ranger at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Yakima WA

Wendy and I love to garden and we've been enjoying the fruit of our labor this summer immensely.  One of the things that we've had to learn the hard way is how important it is to avoid over watering our plants.

You see, seedlings need a lot of water in the first few days of their lives, but after a few days or weeks they need to be be intentionally stressed or the plants develop all kinds of problems.  Over the years we've seen our share of blossom end rot and yellowed plants that have not thrived.  We've also had plants that have grown delightfully well, but when the wind blew or the intense heat came, things went south fast because they could not handle stress after being stress free for so long.

If you have not read "A Nation of Wimps" by Hara Estroff Marano, please do so today.  She makes an incredible case against over watering our kids that I think we all can learn from.

"Parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the bumps out of life for their children. However, parental hyperconcern has the net effect of making kids more fragile; that may be why they're breaking down in record numbers."

Big Training Announcement for CSB Churches in North America

To sign up for the training webinar:
http://www.csbministries.org/site/webinar.  

You can view the training videos anytime online here

----------------------------

Saturday, August 24th, 2013

Plan now to have your leadership team meet together for this premier event. Our desire is to have all current and new churches participate.

  

Broadcast sessions will include...

  

Brigade Principles:

• 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon EDT + ½ hour Q&A
• This session will help you grasp the core vision of CSB Ministries - discipleship. Without this concept being carried forward, you are "just running another program."

Stockade Leadership:

• 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. + ½ hour Q&A
• This session will cover the elements of the Stockade meeting and achievement, and will include the all new Stockade materials.

Battalion Leadership:

• 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. + ½ hour Q&A
• This session will cover the elements of the Battalion meeting, achievement, and leadership development.

All participants will better grasp the foundational dynamics of CSB Ministries. Brigade leaders will

Excerpts from "Bringing Up Boys": James Dobson Discusses the Importance of Single Gender Mentoring

James Dobson Discusses the Importance of Single Gender Mentoring. Take a look

Why a gender specific ministry?   

In this compilation of clips Dr. James Dobson points out what used to be taken for granted, that girls are different than boys in the face of a culture that has adopted the attitude espoused by Gloria Steinem only a few decades ago that "we need to have the courage to raise our boys like girls"  

He asks the question "Is masculinity good or bad?" and points out that boys are men in training and that only men can adequately prepare boys to become men.

There's some great clips here, we hope you are edified as you watch.

An interview with Brian Dawson: Husband, Father, Associate Dean and our Newest U.S. Board Member!

Brian is one of three generations impacted by CSB

Brian Dawson is now one of three generations of men who have been influenced dramatically by the ministry of CSB and we are pleased to announce that he has been unanimously approved as the newest member of the U.S. Board.

We are excited about the important perspective he brings as well as his deep experience with Alumni care and the creation of internships. His expertise gained in these areas as a university dean, now serving at Pepperdine University, will be invaluable.

I have personally had the privilege of knowing the Dawson family for almost 25 years. I remember Dick, Brian’s father, who led a sailing camp of which I was a part. He was one of those guys who is memorable yet unassuming. Little did I guess so many years ago that I would have the chance to lead trips with Dick’s son, and would then have a chance to influence his grandson, Drake, as a Junior Counselor. The Dawsons are a great example of the inter-generatio

nal nature of our ministry.

Below are some excerpts from a phone conversation I had with Brian. I hope that this short interchange helps you to get to know Brian a bit better as well as the exciting direction that the board is now moving CSB. 

Dave: Tell me a bit about your family and your role as an associate Dean at Pepperdine University

Brian: I’ve been married 20 years this summer and have 2 children. As a student in college I felt the Lord calling us into some sort of campus ministry so our first step post college was to start a young men's bible study for a Christian fraternity which ultimately led me into student housing as a career. I spent 17 years in the state school system but began to feel a real desire to do work and ministry together which was impossible working in a secular system. God graciously opened up an opportunity to become an associate Dean at Pepperdine University which finally has allowed us do both evangelism and discipleship as a part of my job, a two-fold ministry very similar to what I experienced growing up in CSB.

Dave: How did you get involved with CSB?

Brian: Like a lot of boys I was invited by a friend. The first man I can remember was Charlie Peck. I remember that he was a plumber who loved the Lord. I still remember many of the principles he taught me but mostly I knew that he loved the boys he served and had a ton of fun with us. Shortly after I started, my dad also got involved and worked in both stockade and battalion. Every man in my family was an Eagle Scout. I’m the only one in my generation to have the honor of being a Herald of Christ.

Dave: How would you describe yourself when you were a young man?

Brian:I would say when I was in stockade and Jr. High I felt like I was a nerd and was kinda on the outside of the social loop. But I always felt like Brigade was a place I was welcome, where everyone was involved. As a high schooler  I was rebellious and had issues with authority. I think the Battalion achievements actually helped give me focus and was a program that I was committed to that helped keep me on track.

Dave: What roll did CSB play in your growth as a follower of Jesus?

Brian: I came into the program already knowing Jesus Christ but what Brigade did was to give me disciplines that are still with me today like getting me into The Word regularly through achievements and squad meetings. Scripture memory became an important part of my walk. I remember one Camporal we quoted more than 60 verses. We had to encourage each other since the lowest number of verses is what  counted. I think that’s kind of amazing for a bunch of high school guys to quote that many verses in one weekend many I can still quote to this day. 

Brigade also provided good role models, both men and my peers. In my time there were 7 or 8 Heralds of Christ at my church in my 6 years of battalion. These were kids to look up to and