The weekly meeting is where a boy regularly joins with his friends and where he finds adults who want to establish a caring friendship with him. This meeting is a carefully planned, rapidly moving action program. More importantly, it provides opportunities for men and boys to do things together, and to discover each other as persons. That is the heart of a discipleship ministry. A sample Battalion Meeting. (Each unit may vary the order of these components depending on their needs and available resources).
6:45 Pre-Meeting Activities
7:00 Battalion Formation
7:05 Squad Meetings
7:25 Battalion Action
7:50 Games
8:10 Council Ring
8:30 Leaders’ Huddle
An effective captain will keep an eye on the clock and push the meeting along according to schedule. This helps to preserve the young men’s interest and attention.
A handy formula to remember when planning these meetings is “Always the Same; Never the Same.” This means to follow the schedule as it is outlined above, but make the parts of the meeting new and interesting each night. For example, inviting a man from the church to give a Council Ring talk or to present his vocation or hobby will add a fresh feature to the meeting. Teens appreciate routines of organized meetings, but they get restless with boredom.
Get acquainted with this description of the meeting and suggestions to make them exciting and worthwhile.
Pre-Meeting Activities
The action begins as soon as the first teen arrives. Informal games, contests, and tests of strength are most suitable for this period of time. One of the senior or teen leaders should be in charge and start the activities immediately. The captain should greet all of the boys individually, especially visitors. He shouldn’t lead the informal games, but rather check all details related to the meeting. The other senior leaders should check what individual young men have accomplished during the week and record it in a Battalion record book.
TIPS
Check the 100 Games for Guys resource book for a selection of games suitable for Pre-Meeting Activities.
Avoid the temptation to let boys shoot baskets while the men stand around and talk. Organized games create closer friendships and helps everyone feel at home.
Give different teen leaders the opportunity to plan and lead the Pre-Meeting Activities. Use every part of the meeting to develop leadership!
Battalion Formation
Begin with a simple lineup formation. This provides an easy, efficient way to get organized and prepared for the next activity. Once a pattern has been established, keep using it. The routine will help you and your group concentrate on the evening focus. Here is a recommended formation:
[GRAPHIC]To start the meeting, the captain calls, “Battalion, fall in!” The men and young men take their designated position, standing in an at-ease position (feet apart, toes on the line, hands folded behind their backs). The captain says, “Battalion, attention.” The young men respond by standing at attention (feet together, hands at their sides).
The captain then opens in prayer (or asks someone else to pray). He then announces the highlights of the meeting and any important information about upcoming Battalion events. He should ask boys to introduce any visitors or guests they have brought. The captain then dismisses the group to the next activity.
TIPS
For your first meeting, place lines of masking tape on the floor to indicate where boys and men should stand.
Avoid lengthy discussions or detailed presentations during formation. Keep your comments brief. Build enthusiasm by giving some hints about the evening’s events.
If your unit feels uncomfortable with this style of lineup, use a “huddle” for the opening prayer and announcements.
Squad Meetings
This is “prime time” for the teen leaders in Battalion. Each will lead a brief meeting of his squad. This could include a devotional, attendance, review of achievement progress, and a special activity or discussion. Senior leaders need to be available to help but should not interfere as these teenage boys learn to be leaders.
When a Battalion is working on an interest area from one of the Mission Battalion Leader’s Guides, the plan for the squad meeting is provided. On these weeks, each teen leader studies the plan in advance, gathers any needed materials, and then presents the squad meeting to his squad.
When a Battalion is not working on an interest area, the teen leader is also responsible for planning his squad meeting. If the teen is just beginning to create his own squad meetings, he may need considerable help from a senior leader. As he gains more experience, he will need less and less assistance.
When he plans his squad meeting, the teen leader should select a few verses from the Bible to read. He may want to assign one of his squad members to keep a record of who’s present and also collect money for a missionary project or Battalion outing (these are called shares). Most of the squad meeting should be devoted to an achievement project to be done by the group. The captain may suggest a project.
Each squad meets in a designated room or location in the meeting area. While the squads meet, the senior leaders prepare for the next part of the meeting, help boys with achievement, and remain available to assist the corporals if needed.
If the Battalion isn’t large enough to form two or more squads, have the group function as one squad led by one teen leader. If none of the teens in the group are mature enough to lead a squad meeting, have one of the senior leaders handle the responsibility until one of the boys has been groomed.
During the last five minutes of this period, the captain should reassemble the Battalion into formation and ask each teen leader to report on the results of his squad meeting. This occasion will reinforce the importance of the squad meeting and the role of the teen leader.
TIPS
Teen leaders should refer to Leadership Trails for guidelines on leading squad meetings.
Squads may wish to choose names for themselves. This helps build team spirit.
One of the senior leaders will contact the teen leaders before the meeting to be sure they are ready. Follow up the meeting with encouragement and counsel, especially if the teen leader had a difficult time.
Senior leaders who are achievement mentors can use the squad meeting as a time for working on achievement with their boys.
Battalion Skills
Every Battalion meeting needs a special feature to capture the interest of boys and enable them to grow in some aspect of their lives. Battalion Action provides this. During Battalion Action, one of the leaders guides the entire Battalion through a demonstration, discussion, or hands-on project. When the Battalion is working through an interest area from one of the Battalion Mission Leader’s Guides, the plan for the Battalion Action is provided as a guide for the leader. When the Battalion isn’t working from these materials, he may present anything that will be helpful and interesting to the young men. The more action that can be included, the better! A hands-on project (e.g. making fire-starters) or a presentation (e.g. chemistry experiment) is always better than a lecture.
Every leader can teach young men a few things. Every leader can also learn a few things in order to teach them to those he leads. Often, however, leaders will want to look to men outside the group to provide knowledgeable instruction. For this reason, a leader may invite guests to do a Battalion Skill presentation.
There is tremendous flexibility with this portion of the meeting. You can take one week to prepare for an outing such as a campout, or you can pursue a topic for four weeks or longer. A Battalion can choose from the many interest areas provided in Battalion Mission Leader’s Guides, or they can create their own topics.
Most units will find that the interest areas from the Battalion Mission Leader’s Guides are very helpful. It’s suggested, however, that between interest areas, a group sets aside one or two weeks to emphasize each young man’s progress in the Adventure Trails achievement manual. An extended squad meeting or an activity led by one of the leaders will be needed as senior leaders have one-on-one achievement interviews with as many Battalion members as possible. This is an excellent way to encourage achievement and to disciple each member of the Battalion.
Games
The action-packed game period gives boys a time of physical activity that will develop skills, alertness, friendship, and sportsmanship. These activities enable men and boys to relax and be themselves. In the process, they may reveal more of their character and needs. In the heated competition of games, for example, the mask of courtesy is stripped away, perhaps to reveal a selfish attitude, a hot temper, or dishonesty. Both young men and leaders can observe areas of need in each other. Games also help break down personal barriers, enabling boys to develop confidence in their leaders.
Give teen leaders opportunities to plan and lead the game period. The other leaders should participate regularly but also use this time to talk with individual boys. Games and sports require planning and leadership. Some games test alertness, others test skill or strength. A balanced approach is needed to meet the variety of sizes, ages, and interests within your Battalion.
“Starting Games” require the most physical activity and are played first. “Middle Games” call for less activity but more concentration. “Closing Games” finish the game period, often end in a circle, providing a smooth transition to the Council Ring.
TIPS
Use CSB’s resource 100 Games for Guys for ideas for games and guidelines for conducting games. When necessary, modify the game so that it is suitable for the space available to you.
Plan games in advance and have the equipment ready to use.
If the game is somewhat complicated, do a demonstration of it with all or some of the boys.
Council Ring
Sharing the Gospel and the challenge to Christian growth and service is both a privilege and a responsibility for leaders. The senior leaders share the Council Rings according to their ability and preparation. However, they could also involve teen leaders, giving them opportunities to witness.
The Bible is the foundation of every Council Ring. Its message is presented in the form of a story, talk, discussion, or Bible exploration. The person who speaks should prepare his thoughts in advance and present it passionately. Guest speakers are appropriate, though they should appreciate the time limit of the Council Ring.
An invitation to follow Christ or review one’s faith and obedience should be made from time to time. Leaders should follow up personally with boys who wish to make decisions.
When the Battalion is working through an interest area from one of the Battalion Leader’s Guides, the plan for the Council Ring is provided as a guide for the leader. Leaders are encouraged to modify the plan if needed to better meet the needs of their group.
You may conclude Council Ring by repeating together the Battalion Watchword:
“Now we trust in God to keep us
Bright and keen for Christ
Because we love Him
Because we want to serve Him
Until we see Him face to face.”
TIPS
Sit in a circle on chairs. Senior leaders should sit among the young men and especially beside those who are easily distracted.
Stories, talks, and Bible studies for Battalion boys are found in the interest area plans from the Battalion Mission Leader’s Guides.
Leaders’ Huddle
A brief get-together after the meeting gives leaders a chance to review the evening, check future plans, and fellowship in prayer. Meaningful interaction between adult and teen leaders helps build teamwork and is terrific in transforming young men.
Focus evaluation primarily on the needs of your Battalion young men and how they are being met. Consider procedural matters if necessary, but keep discussions brief. Pray to ask God for strength to carry through commitments that have been made in response to the Word. Uplift each other in prayer as you share personal needs with each other. If supervision is needed for stragglers, rotate the responsibility among the men to maintain the unity of the leadership team.