Start a Group

If your church is looking for a great children’s and youth ministry, the Boys’ Brigade has a lot to offer. BB is a program that becomes a part of your church ministry, run by your people, supported by your church leaders and members. It fits into your church program and is tailored to the tastes of the leaders.

BB is a great option for boys in your community who are feeling lost and looking for a place to belong, for new mates with positive peer pressure, for men to be a role model to them.

To start, all we need is YOU! One person, one man to say this is important to the boys of my church and community. If this is YOU, let’s start a conversation! Contact us via email, phone or messenger!

How to Start A Group ^[top]

Contact the BBQLD General Manager on (07) 3849 4498 or bbqldgm@brigadeaustralia.org to discuss what is required to start a BB Company in your church. Starting a group will involve discussion with your church leadership and congregation.

Why is Boys’ Only Ministry Important? ^[top]

One of the first arguments used against Brigade (Boys’ and/or Girls’) ministry is that it is gender specific rather than co-ed.  The assumption is that co-ed is the only correct option for conducting ministry.  Many churches already have effective gender specific ministries called men’s group or ladies fellowship. Being gender specific creates a culture, a positive male culture, for boys to learn true Christian manliness, being mentored by Christian men. Regardless of the downward direction our society seems determined to follow, transforming boys into Christian men ought to be the goal of every ministry.

From birth to seven years old, a child’s “moral” compass is being set.  BB provides a great opportunity to help set boys in the right direction.

One in four Australian Children aged 5-7 years aren’t getting enough physical exercise. BB focuses on an energetic program designed to proved a wide range of experiences.

Boys today are suffocating in “cotton wool” – not being allowed to be boys and explore their sense of adventure. BB runs many events aimed at challenging boys in a safe environment.

14% of Australian boys don’t have a father living at home and are missing the male influence in their lives. Leaders in BB have a major positive influence in boys’ lives.

The biggest loss of boys from our churches happens between the ages of 12 –14. BB creates a sense of belonging to a group of other boys with whom they share unique experiences.

40% of children 15 years and older of church attending families DO NOT attend any church. Many churches find BB is one of their major outreach opportunities.

Don’t lose this generation! What action can you take right now?

WE HELP YOU ENGAGE THIS GENERATION BY PROVIDING THE BOYS BRIGADE SOLUTION

While providing a positive male influence, BB helps equip and train leaders to be able to challenge boys through adventures activities  such as hiking, camping, bush skills, rope climbing, orienteering, archery, canoeing, sports events, computer game competitions to name a few.

BY  PARTNERING WITH CHURCHES

With a new, relevant –to-today program style and resources, Boys’ Brigade Queensland works with your ministry team and any existing children or youth ministry, to find a BB solution that suits your church family and style.

Oil and Vinegar ^[top]

Consider Men’s Ministry is like oil and women’s ministry is like vinegar. Oil is great for frying up food, greasing pans, salad dressings and many other delicious things. Vinegar is great for use in cooking, salad dressings, even for cleaning.

Vinegar cannot do what Oil does… It’s terrible for frying foods and greasing pans. Not only would the food just boil or steam, the taste would be horrid.

Oil cannot do what Vinegar does… It doesn’t react the same way to food, you can’t clean a window with it.

The common ground is that they are both great in salad dressing!

What happens when you mix vinegar and oil in a cup? Vigorously mix them and they combine together. What happens when you let it sit. They naturally separate.

Men and women are very much like that. You can mix them together, but there is a natural separation when they are in a group. Think about the church folk gathering after church. Do the men all naturally gather to chat in a group and ladies in another?

Just like Oil and Vinegar, men and women are great together, but have their own role as a single group.

Non-toxic Masculinity ^[top]

There has been a lot of talk in the past about Toxic Masculinity – Boys are following the examples of those who they look up to – their fathers, uncles, grandfather, friends. They want to be accepted and respected as a man. This is great, if the man has a moral compass that points towards the promotion of habits of obedience, reverence, discipline, self-respect and all that tends towards a true christian manliness. Imagine if the mentor promotes the opposite of any of these.

The Boys’ Brigade prides itself on showing boys how to become a Christian Man and a good leader in their community.

Long Term Influence ^[top]

No other church-based ministry and not too many non-church organisations provides a complete program for ages 5-18 such as we do. It is a privilege to have a positive influence on the life of a boy all the way through his formative years.

Leadership – or, as the Bible calls it, discipleship – is in-built to the BB method, from Anchors to Seniors, to NCOs, to leaders.  Every sector in society is promoting leadership development because leadership (or discipleship) is essential to our society, to our churches, to our families. The BB Leadership Development Course is accredited by the Education Department and a participant gains point towards their Queensland Certificate of Education.

People are wanting their children to get outdoors. Government departments have established incentives such as FairPlay vouchers to encourage participation in activities. Many BB Companies are registered to accept the FairPlay vouchers. Games, Drill, Competitions, Camping and Hiking form a major part of most BB Company activities.

Because BB is church-based and not defined by any one ‘brand’ of Christians, we are not only truly multi-cultural, but BB is also ecumenical.  Brigade is about Christ’s Kingdom and Christian Manliness.  It is the local church who approve commencing Brigade ministry.  And it is the local church who provide leaders, prayer support, eldership oversight, venue, underwrite finances, etc. Boys’ Brigade IS a ministry of the church, not a club that meets and uses the church facilities.

External Opportunities ^[top]

There is a great opportunity to have input into the boys lives – not only spiritually, but through supporting the family, developing relationships and providing opportunities for them to attend church, sunday school, youth group etc.

Parents can be invited to events, such ladies, men’s and church activities, Church parade, Company events. Congregation members, even those who don’t have boys in BB, can get involved through prayer or even by coming out to meet parents and build relationships.

Boys are encouraged to get involved in local sport and community groups.