BELLVILLE — Trail Life USA has become a formidable movement across the nation as a church-based, Christ-centered, and boy-focused alternative to the Boys Scouts of America (BSA). With a total of forty-five troops across Ohio, the Bellville Troop holds a moral compass and has become a trail blazer as the first chartered troop in the state.
“Luke Burton had a vision for the Bellville Trail Life in 2013 and was involved with the founding of the organization in Nashville, Tennessee,” says Reverend Mike Stine of Clear Fork Alliance.
“We have had boys from half a dozen congregations in the area join the troop.” says Stine. “This is really a wonderful opportunity for young boys to learn to be men. What is also great about the Troop is they have had several community service projects and were a part of our National Day of Prayer this year.”
As chaplain of Troop#1, Stine leads a devotional at the end of every meeting, which occurs every second and fourth Monday of the month during the school year. His congregation also serves as the local Trail Life USA charter sponsor.
Trail Life is comprised of boys from kindergarten to twelfth grade that are classified in elementary, middle, high school levels.
According to Troopmaster Luke Burton, “Students have uniforms, and some of the skills they learn include fire safety, hiking, backpacking, navigation, water safety, and First-Aid. During these lessons, they have the opportunity to gain award badges which can take between 4-10 hours of work.
“The students can do spiritual things and father-son activities to get badges. We make our camp father and son oriented,” says Burton, who has five boys of his own in the program.
(Photo submitted by Luke Burton)
The Trail Life USA motto is Colossians 1:10 which says: “That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
The high school boys from Troop #1 have taken several week-long summer trips to Niagara Falls, Mammoth Cave, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
While the Local Troop #1 has been successful in reaching boys, the group is not out of the woods.
“The first year our Local Troop #1 started with ten students and have gotten up to as many as forty students,” says Burton.
“Overall there has been a scouting decline for the last thirty years. Some of that may be attributed to the moral direction of the BSA which conflicts with our values.
“At Trail Life USA we recognize that GOD calls us to lives of holiness and purity of heart, mind, word and deed. As men, we are to reserve sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage, which is a lifelong commitment before God between one man and one woman.”
“At Trail Life USA we recognize that GOD calls us to lives of holiness and purity of heart, mind, word and deed. As men, we are to reserve sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage, which is a lifelong commitment before God between one man and one woman.”
Troopmaster Luke Burton
Trail Life USA Bellville Troop #1
Trail Life USA partners with churches and parents across America as the premier national character development organization for young men; producing the next generation of godly and responsible husbands, fathers, and citizens. In over 750 churches in nearly 50 states, fathers and sons are connecting, relationship are deepening, and legacies are beginning as a new generation of godly leaders rises up.
For more information, contact Clear Fork Alliance at 419.886.4333. View the promotional video below.
