Royal Ambassadors Basic Training

1
Royal Ambassadors Basic Training
M. Steve Heartsill, managing editor,
RAs/Challengers
2
Basic Royal Ambassadors Information

• SBC church-sponsored and supported
• started by WMU in 1908 as a missions education
  organization for boys
• involves over 2½ million boys and leaders

3
Basic Royal Ambassadors Information

• has maintained its missions focus under four
  national entities WMU, Brotherhood Commission,
  HMB, NAMB
• focus is missions learning and action
• five organizational components
• Chapter Meetings Advancement
• Interest Activities Missions
  Projects/Activities Meaningful Relationships

4
Foundation of Royal Ambassadors

• RA Motto We are Ambassadors for Christ
• (2 Cor. 520 HCSB).
• The RA Pledge makes the motto come alive in the
  daily lives of boys and leaders.
• RA biblical virtues Ten specific biblical
  virtues that strengthen the motto and the pledge.
  One virtue is highlighted each month.

5
Royal Ambassador Pledge

• As a Royal Ambassador I will do my best
• to become a well-informed,responsible follower
  of Christ
• to have a Christlike concern for all people
• to learn how to carry the messageof Christ
  around the world
• to work with others in sharing Christ and
• to keep myself clean and healthy in mind and
  body.

6
Royal Ambassador Biblical Virtues

• Loyalty
• Friendship
• Courage
• Responsibility
• Honesty
• Faith

• Compassion
• Perseverance
• Teamwork
• Self-discipline

7
Royal Ambassador Groupings

• Royal Ambassadors (Grades 1-6)
• Lads (Grades 1-3)
• Crusaders (Grades 4-6)

8
Royal Ambassador Groupings

• Individual grade
• Lad 1 RAs
• Lad 2 RAs
• Lad 3 RAs
• Multiple grade combinations

• Page 4 RAs
• Squire 5 RAs
• Knight 6 RAs

9
RA Organizational Components

• weekly chapter meetings
• personal advancement plan
• monthly missions projects/activities
• weekly interest activities
• ongoing meaningful relationships

10
Weekly Chapter Meetings . . .

• allow for leaders and boys to practice the RA
  Motto, Pledge, and virtues through activity-based
  learning and achieving.
• give Christian men an opportunity to become
  leaders and mentors to boys by showing how faith
  in Christ is shared and lived.
• show how Southern Baptists involve themselves in
  the Great Commission.

11
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Leader Resources
• a bimonthly RA Leader magazine
• a bimonthly RA Leader Kit
• resources gathered and ordered as suggested in
  the RA Leader magazine
• leader edition includes suggestions for each
  meeting part

12
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Other resource information provided in the leader
  magazine
• missions project suggestions
• interest activity ideas
• Bible verse supporting the theme

13
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Other resource information provided in the leader
  magazine
• information for gathering or ordering resources
  to use during meetings
• instructions incorporating RA Leader Kit items
• elective suggestion

14
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• The boys study resource
• monthly student magazine
• RA World for boys in grades 16

15
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Student magazine resources include
• mission stories
• interest activities

16
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Student magazine resources include
• RA-submitted jokes and artwork
• missionary kid information
• ideas shared by RA chapters

17
Weekly Chapter Meetings

• Leaders and boys gather in a four-part weekly
  meeting format that includes an opening, a story,
  missions activities, and a closing.

18
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Each boy can earn achievement awards through a
  commitment to be involved with the organization.
• This commitment includes two preliminary
  requirements
• memorizing the Royal Ambassador Motto
• memorizing the Royal Ambassador Pledge
• Upon completion, the boy earns the membership pin
  and/or patch to wear on a vest or other apparel.

19
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Membership Requirements
• Learn and recite the Royal Ambassador Motto.
• Learn and recite the Royal Ambassador Pledge.
• Participate in a new-member ceremony to receive
  the member pin/patch.

20
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Grade-Level Achievement
• Pin/Patch Requirements
• Read or listen to 12 missionary stories from the
  bimonthly RA magazine, and/or listen to
  missionary testimonies.
• Memorize and recite 12 Bible verses.
• Participate in 12 missions projects/activities.

21
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Grade-Level Achievement
• Bar and Star
• Each set of 12 additional tasks from any of above
  three areas earns first a bar and then stars.
• (A bar will hold up to three stars.)

22
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Boys may earn awards in Bible verse memory
• three Bible memory medals (25 verses per medal
  annually)
• Bronze
• Silver
• Gold

23
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Elective Awards
• Personal Fitness Physical Fitness Patch
  (formerly athletic patch)
• Campcraft Skill level advancement
• for grades 13 (Discover 1, 2, 3)
• for grades 46 (Hiker, Camper, Woodsman)
• Bible Telling Certificate

24
Royal Ambassador Advancement

• Elective Awards
• RA Racers, RA Campout, Sports
• Hunger Relief, World Walk, Mission Activity
• Mission Study NAMB and IMB Emphasis

25
Missions Projects and Activities

• monthly ideas in RA Leader
• churchwide projects
• family projects
• associational, state, and national projects

26
Missions Projects and Activities

• Boys and leaders help plan, promote, and
  participate.
• Include a report with pictures to the church and
  the national RA leadership at WMU.

27
Interest Activities

• Suggestions are in the leader magazine.
• Focus on boy appeal.
• Learning to use teamwork and tools to accomplish
  a goal.

28
Interest Activities

• Teaches listening, problem solving, patience, and
  skill developmentmore than just winning or
  losing.
• Blends active and passive learning.

29
Interest Activities

• Begin with things in which you, as leader, have
  interest or experience.
• Build activity around the mission story, the RA
  Pledge, and the ten virtues.

30
Interest Activities

• Some boys have little or no skill in some areas.
  Begin with instructions that are simple and
  basic.
• Praise effort as well as achievement.
• Have the necessary tools or resources, including
  additional leaders.

31
Meaningful Relationships

• Be available.
• Lead the boys with love and respect.
• Be a leader and friendnot a pal or buddy.

32
Meaningful Relationships

• Communicate with parents and encourage
  participation.
• Communicate with each boy during and beyond the
  meeting.
• Learn how to share the gospel in a loving and
  receptive way.

33
Meaningful Relationships

• Involve the church family with the boys.
• Have recognitions of the boys in front of the
  church family.
• Participate with other RA churches in
  associational, state, and national events.

34
Meaningful Relationships

• Advocate for Royal Ambassadors.
• Participate in training within your state
  convention or association.

35
Registering your RA Chapter

• Developing your RA Network
• National RA Web site (wmu.com/RA)
• Written registration form (download from the RA
  Web site)

36
Registering your RA Chapter

• Developing your RA Network
• Name your chapter after a missionary or someone
  who exemplifies the RA Pledge.
• This registration will be the communication link
  between you and your state RA office.

37
Network Information

• wmu.org (Womans Missionary Union)
• wmu.com/RA (RA leader downloads, videos, and MUCH
  more!)
• Facebook Facebook.com/RoyalAmbassador
• Twitter RA_wmu

38
Network Information

• lifewaystores.com/specialtyimprints (vest, flag,
  shirts, caps, pens, imprinted items)
• royalracers.com (RA racer cars, sailboats,
  linegliders, and race- car tracks)
• 1-800-968-7301 WMU Customer Service (pins,
  patches, magazines, resource kit)

39
Questions ???

• M. Steve Heartsill at RA_at_wmu.org or
• sheartsill_at_wmu.org [phone]
• or
• your state RA contact person

40
Royal Ambassadors

• Thank you
• for attending.
• May God bless you and your Royal Ambassadors this
  year!