I Wish Someone Had Told Me About
Religious Awards

A program of religious awards is available for Scouts of all ages (and youth from other organizations) to earn. The awards exist for youth of a number of different religious groups. These awards are not provided by BSA, although BSA encourages youth to earn these awards and provides a square knot emblem for Scouts to wear in recognition of having earned a religious award.

The specific awards, requirements for earning the awards, etc vary somewhat from religious group to religious group. What follows is a description of the awards for United Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and many other denominations. The complete list of awards for all faiths is on this web page - www.scouting.org/awards/religious/index.html

The religious awards for many faiths is a earned through a series of programs collectively called God and Country. Each participant must have his or her own copy of the student workbook. A pastor's signature is required on the application/order form for the medals.

• God and Me - For boys in grades 1-3. There are three sections to the God and Me Program. (Each section has a lesson centered around scripture passages and reinforced by a service project selected by the child):
  1. Me: The Story of My Life
  2. God: The Story of Jesus' Life
  3. God and Me: The Story of Jesus and Me Together
  
  After each of the sections, the children are required to complete a project.
  

• God and Family - For boys in grades 4 & 5. The God and Family curriculum is designed to help youth understand the importance of family and God’s role in a healthy family. The God and Family Program provides an opportunity for young people and their families to explore their faith together. Children will compare families and “pizza.” The six steps for making pizza will be compared to God’s plan for strengthening families:
  1. Crust-Foundation - Every pizza needs a crust or foundation. Families need to build their foundations on God and on God’s love.
  2. Sauce - Every pizza has sauce (which has simmered over time). Like the sauce, a family’s heritage grows over time. A family’s heritage, especially its Christian heritage, is an important part of its identity.
  3. Toppings - The toppings on a pizza make each pizza unique. Like the toppings, the individual members of a family bring unique gifts and talents that strengthen and make their family special.
  4. Cheese - The cheese on a pizza covers everything and holds it together. Families need to be held together, too. Christian rules and guidelines can help families relate to each other and live together as God’s family.
  5. Bake -When pizza comes out of a hot oven, it’s better than ever! Families can be like pizza: by relying on God, families can come through the heat of tough times and be even stronger.
  6. Eat, Share, Enjoy! - Pizza tastes good: it nourishes our bodies and satisfies our hunger. Pizza is fun to share: everybody loves a pizza party. Families are like pizza: they need to provide spiritual nourishment for family members, and they need to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those around them!
  
  

• God and Church - For boys in grades 6-8. The God and Church Program provides young people with the opportunity to work with their pastor, to understand the church's structures and objectives, and to participate in service projects that will give them a better understanding of the mission of the church. Section One is entitled "God at Work" and requires students to identify the major events in the life of Jesus, become acquainted with Jesus' parables, learn about the basic nature of the Bible and the content of the Old and New Testaments, study the important beliefs and practices of the Christian faith, and learn how to keep in touch with God by creating a plan for reading the Bible every day. Section Two is entitled "Christians at Work" and requires students to learn about the history, structure, and ministry of their congregation. Students also study Christians at work in the community by visiting some helping agencies and a religious institution other than their own. They then study Christians at work beyond their town by researching the history of their denomination and the educational institutions supported by the church. Finally, students are required to look at how the church reaches out into the world by studying the various mission fields and an ecumenical organization that it supports. In addition to completing the lessons in the student workbook, the young people will be required to complete ten hours of service to the church and ten hours of service to the community. The God and Church program can take from five months to a year to complete.
  

• God and Life - For young men in grades 9-12. The God and Life program is the fourth program in the God and Country Series. It is a reflective type of curriculum: students will study the lives of men and women in the Bible and discover what their lives teach them about God. The young people will then be challenged to integrate their faith into their daily lives. The outline for the God and Life curriculum is based on the life of the Apostle Paul as recorded in Acts 9:1-31. This is a brief account that describes how Paul became a Christian. Five chronological "events" out of this story will be highlighted and used as the focus for the five different sections in this program. Each section will illustrate a key element in learning how to live one's life for Christ:
  1. Before his conversion, Paul persecuted Christians. Theme: God calls all kinds of people.
  2. Paul was helped by Ananias and Barnabas. Theme: God doesn't expect us to do it on our own.
  3. Paul was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. Theme: Each of us must make a personal response to the call of God.
  4. Paul led a difficult life: many people wanted him dead. Theme: God gives strength to face adversities.
  5. Because of Paul, the church was strengthened and it grew in numbers. Theme: God can accomplish great things through those who are willing to do God's will. As part of the study portion of each section, students will be asked to integrate their faith into their daily lives.

Most of the programs include awards that adult leaders can earn, also.

For more information, see www.scouting.org/awards/religious/index.html or www.praypub.org/