National Prayer Day for CSB Canada

National Prayer Day for CSB Canada

CSB Canada has set aside March 2nd as our National Day of Prayer for Christian Service Brigade across our great country. 

We are enlisting leaders, churches, friends, alumni and supporters of CSB to lift this vital ministry to the boys and young men in our communities to our Lord God Almighty, seeking His special favour. We are asking men, women and children to be our team of Prayer Warriors. and to also share with us their prayer requests for themselves, families, churches and communities.

Prayer Requests:

CSB Overall Ministry Requests:

• Pray that Christ would be given the preeminent position in all we do and say in the Tree Climber, Stockade and Battalion groups across Canada. And, that the Word of God would be clearly proclaimed, so that each boy or young man would have the opportunity to ask Jesus to become his Saviour, and to follow Him as a strong disciple.
• Pray that the CSB leaders, Tree Climber dads, Rangers, Chief Rangers, Lieutenants, Captains, Brigade Chairmen and church leadership will build strong connections with the boys and young men; that all involved in those ministries will bring glory to God and will truly be “Bright and Keen for Christ”.
• Pray that Churches across Canada would recognize their responsibility to build the upcoming generations of boys and young men, and would seriously consider using Christian Service Brigade as part of their ministry of Building Godly Men.
• Pray for the expansion of CSB to more churches in Canada. We need many more churches to join this ministry. We are particularly focusing on Calgary that was once a hotbed of CSB, and where we have had a number of inquiries from parents and churches about a ministry to their boys. 
• Pray that we would be able to establish strong and vital contact with our alumni both of boys and leaders, particularly with our over 200 Heralds of Christ, to become ambassadors for CSB to lead our efforts to rebuild the ministry across Canada in their churches and beyond.  
• Pray that the distribution of our latest brochure “Imagine” to pastors and leaders would spark an interest in them to encourage the men in their churches to start CSB ministries, particularly those whose churches have operated this ministry in the past .
• Pray for the Board Members of CSB Canada as they provide the overall leadership and determine the direction of the organization.
• Praise the Lord for each one of the monthly pre-authorized donors, many of whom have supported the ministry financially for decades.
• Pray for a substantial increase in ongoing support of our President, as well as the support for expanding staff and additional training resources. 

Requests for our Staff:

• Pray for the staff of CSB Canada and their wives - Dr Steve (Bonnie) Grove, President and RD for North Saskatchewan; Harold (Carol) Browne, Vice President and RD for Quebec & Maritimes; Gord (Marie) Banman, Warehouse Manager and RD for Manitoba & South Saskatchewan; Ron (Diane) Carnahan, Regional Director for Ontario; and Howard (Kathie) Pike, Regional Director for British Columbia & Alberta.
• Pray for Steve Grove he works on the final stages of major revisions to Frontier Trails and a Junior Leaders manual for Battalion. 
• Pray new doors of opportunity to open for our ministry
• Pray for his family during the busyness of season - Ben just turned 18 and finishing his last semester of high school, Bonnie finishing her Honour's Project early April and then self-publishing a novel later in the month.
• Praise that Heather's transition to a new school has gone well.
• Pray for Gord who will be at a Promise Keepers’ gathering next weekend that it would generate interest in the ministry by men to boys.
• Pray for our Upcoming CSB Staff Conference that will be taking place in Winnipeg in May.

National Prayer Requests:

• Pray for safety as our staff, leaders, boys and families travel to and from their CSB activities.
• Pray for CSB's efforts to "Build Godly Men of Today" as we encourage men and CSB leaders to be effective in their churches and ministries, families and communities; to be mighty Men of God and worthy Christ-followers.

• Pray that God will stir up church leadership to provide men in their churches opportunities to disciple and mentor boys to manhood through action-packed, geared-to-boys ministry programs.
• Pray for our partners south of the border, for Scott Haima and the staff of CSB USA headquartered in Buffalo New York.
• Pray that CSB in local churches will continue to Win and Train Boys for Christ, and that together we are Building Godly Men of Today and Tomorrow.

Regional Requests:
     Ontario -

• Pray for Ontario that churches will see a vision to use CSB ministry tools to reach boys and young men for Christ by utilizing the men in their churches to mentor and disciple them.

     British Columbia & Alberta -

• Pray for the growth of CSB - both our work with boys and young men through Christian Service Brigade and our ministry to men through the CSB Men's Network.
• Pray for the current Alberta Trip (home on March 8th, as the Lord leads) - for a good response post-Missions Fest Alberta, good connections to CSB churches, increased opportunities to establish new CSB groups, safety while travelling, and God's appointments.
• Pray for CSB's Iron Sharpens Iron Men's Conference on April 6th with NHL's Ryan Walter and missionologist Dr Bill Hogg. Pray that the turn out of men will be good; that the response by those attending will be favourable; that the Lord will be served by this major men's event in the Lower Mainland of BC.
• Pray for Camp Teepee Pole in Alberta - their Tree Climber, Adventure Trails, Leadership Trails and Stockade Camps, as well as the Father and Son Team Day, Fundraiser Banquet, Work Days, Staff Recruitment and Staff Training.
• Pray for the April Alberta trip, the May Vancouver Island trip, and the summer Camp Teepee Pole trip.
• Pray for the Tough Guys Father & Son - Men & Boys Campout on May 3-5.
• Pray for our connectedness to our CSB leaders, churches and families through our online resources. Pray that Howard will be able to create a simple way to share effectively our CSB equipping resources.
• Pray that CSB in BC and Alberta will be able to build Godly men through our intentional efforts in men's ministry and through the CSB Men's Network.
• Pray for our media connections with The Light Magazine, City Light News, Praise 106.5 and KARI. We need to work on Joy TV.
• Pray for our involvement in and support of Angus Buchan's (Faith Like Potatoes) Mighty Men's Conference in Castlegar on June 28-30.
• Pray for CSB's continued influence in Men's Ministry in the Lower Mainland and beyond. CSB was the original men's ministry in many of today's churches. Men who serve together tend to bond, and will build their churches as a result.
• Pray for God's continued blessing of His Church through its men and especially through CSB. Pray for God to open doors… and to open the floodgates.
• Please pray that Tim Horton's will stop blocking the csbbc.org website.(We have tried to use their request form three times, but so far there's been no response and no solution to the problem.)

Personal Requests to be Shared:

• Pray for CS (a Friend of Harold) who will have major surgery this week to remove a mass. Pray for the best possible outcome.
• Pray for David who is seeking a job. He has his CMA and has worked at Canadian Tire and Tim Horton’s in accounting type work, and is currently seeking employment. Please pray that he would find suitable work. He has recently applied at Canadian Tire.
• Please pray that God would stir the hearts of the men in our church to sacrifice their time and energy to invest in the growing ministry of CSB. We need workers for the field!
• Pray for the family of Wally Mills, better known as Captain Wally, Captain of Battalion at Calvary Baptist, Camp Director at Camp Kakeka, former Regional Director in Central Ontario. He passed away in January.
• Pray for the family of Tom Swan, first President of CSB Canada from 1968 to 1980, Regional Director, Camp Director at Camp Kakeka. His Memorial service to be held Saturday March 16, in Niagara Fall, ON.
• Please pray with Jenn and Ryan Walter that our Lord will be lifted up and exalted in all that they do and say.
• Pray for retired Pastor Spencer as his aged mother has an inoperable mass in her brain. Pray for God’s healing hand to be on Neil R, a Battalion boy who has liver problems.
• Pray for Karson K, a Brigade leader’s three year old son who has had a kidney transplant but is still experiencing issues and is in and out of the hospital.
• Pray for Brandon B a former Brigade boy who is in the Teen Challenge program.

·         Pray for the marriages of Bob, Jim and Kevin, and many of the men of CSB as they try to balance, family, work and service to the Lord.

·         Pray for the Stockade unit at Bear Creek Community Church that God would show us some direction.

Grand Forks BC - Making CSB Visible

If you walk into the Overwaitea Foods in downtown Grand Forks BC and say that you’re buying donuts for the guys in the Grand Forks Battalion, you’ll probably hear the cashier say, “Oh, I’ve heard about them. They’re the teenage guys with the Gospel Chapel that are really making a difference. They are always up to something.” The leaders and young men of Battalion 3739 have little trouble being recognized; Captain Lance Martens and his team have been working towards that for years. Well, this year, they have outdone themselves by putting CSB front and centre with the promo video for the Creation music festival in July.

Congratulations, 3739. Well done.

Take a look…

BRIGADE PLANNING CALENDAR

Here are some planning suggestions for February, March and April from the Brigade Chairman’s Handbook (cat # 334138):

• February is Brigade Month. Be sure to coordinate and conduct Brigade Month events with your unit and church.
• Invite your Regional Director to visit your group(s).
• Review with your key leaders the successes and problems so far and the plans for the rest of the CSB season.
• Share praises and prayer needs with your pastor(s) and church leadership teams.
• Order materials for the rest of the season.
• In March, encourage the men and boys to spend time at a Brigade camp near you.
• Plan on a Father and Son campout for your own church or with the CSB Area.
• Meet informally with your other leaders and discuss their evaluation of the ministry.
• Draw your leaders together for a group discussion of the effectiveness of the leaders. What are their strengths and weaknesses? What training is needed? Which men need special counsel?
• Have the Brigade Chairman, a pastor or a member of the church leadership team visit at least one weekly meeting.
• Start looking for special events or activities to end your season with: banquet; hike; campout; sports event; etc.
• Use April to focus on securing your Brigade leadership team for next season.

What special event are you planning to end your season with? We’d love to share it here.

Heralding Christ

by David Gregg, CSB USA Northern California Regional Director

Many organizations that emphasize an achievement process have a top honour to recognize those who have dedicated themselves to the organization and its program. We thought we'd take a quick moment to tell you about our top honour: the "Herald of Christ."

A young man cannot begin the steps to receive this honour until he is 16 and must complete it before his 21st birthday. W

e require the minimum age of 16, as we believe that by this time a young man will have been buffeted by the winds of temptation and the World enough to begin to reveal his level of commitment, not to Christian Service Brigade, but to Christ and His Kingdom.

Here, in brief, are the requirements for completing the Herald of Christ internship:

Before He Can Start

Prior to starting the Herald of Christ, a young man must also have completed the entire discipleship program of Explorer, Trailblazer, Guide, One Star, Two Star, and Three Star. By doing so, he should be equipped and demonstrating a life founded on Biblical knowledge, disciplines and leadership. So, before he begins the HOC, he will already have:

    Experienced the mentoring of numerous adult men

    Experienced the blessing of accountability from both adult men and peers

    Explored the structure and application of the Bible

    Memorized and learned to apply boat loads of scripture

    Studied the word of God and interacted with his leader/mentor regarding his study

    Studied the theology of prayer

    Practiced the disciplines of consistent prayer and Bible reading on his own

    Developed a habit of service

    Considered his place in the Church

    Practiced conflict resolution

    Studied and practiced evangelism

    Studied the principles and examples of Biblical servant leadership

    Led a small group of young men

    Practiced mentoring and discipling young men

    Led meetings

    Helped plan and execute events

    Led the process of evaluating meetings and events for improvement

    Spoken in public

    Assessed his own leadership gifts and weaknesses

    Begun to consider his spiritual gifts

    Practiced listening skills, phone skills, and interview skills

After He Starts

If by the time the young man has completed the prerequisites, is at least 16, and is evidencing the fruit of Christ's work in his life, the Herald of Christ program can begin. This process includes:

Bible Exploration of the following books:

    Deuteronomy

    Judges

    Ruth

    Proverbs

    Hebrews

    1 John

    2 John

    3 John

For each chapter, he must identify two discoveries, highlights or truths, and discuss this with his mentor.

A short, 250 word summary for each book is required, as well.

Bible Doctrine

The young man will meet with a member of his church staff for formal study in the doctrine of his church, followed by a written report summarizing the doctrinal study.

Ministry Project

The young man must choose and, with the help of his Herald of Christ Committee, organize a church related Ministry Project that will be challenging to him. This could be teaching a Sunday school class, serving as a junior counselor at camp, or organizing a missions trip, for example.

Community Project

The young man must also engage in a leadership or service project in the community for at least three months. This too should be challenging to the young man and is designed to emphasize the important role that Christians are to play in the community where God has placed them.

Bible Memorization

In addition to the scripture committed to memory as a prerequisite, he must also memorize:

    Romans 8:38-39

    1 John 3:2

    Isaiah 40:28-31

    John 14:21

and two of the following:

    Psalm 37:1-9

    Isaiah 53:1-6

    Romans 5:1-8

    Ephesians 2:1-7

    1 Timothy 3:1-7

Essay or Theme

As the internship comes to an end, he must write a 1000 word essay answering the following four questions:

    How did I come to know Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour?

    In what ways is Christ working in my life today?

    What are some of my future plans for serving Christ?

    What are some key Bible verses for me at this time in my life? Why?

If at the end of this process the young man continues to demonstrate the fruit of Christ in his life and has shown himself to be a herald of his Lord within the gifts and abilities God has granted him, then he will become one of just over200 young men to have received this honour in the 73 year history of our organization in Canada.

If You Are Interested

If you, or a young man you know, are interested in learning more about the Herald of Christ program, please contact our national office at:

613 225-3689

office.ca@christianservicebrigade.ca

or, your local Regional Director through our website:

christianservicebrigade.ca/contact

If you are a CSB Leader, consider the Herald of Christ for Leaders. It is generally completed comfortably within three years of starting. Contact CSB for the program's special requirements.

Harold Browne is Named Vice President

Less than a month after his retirement in 1992 he was called to serve as a Regional Director with CSB.

In 1997 he became President of CSB Canada, a position he held until 2008. During that time he also completed a Certificate in Christian Ministry from Prairie Graduate School. Since then he has been our Office Manager, and a Regional Director. He has been involved in our camping ministry for more than 40 years.

He has also been our three time representative helping to establish a ministry like ours in Zambia.

Harold and Carol have been married for over 51 years and have four adult sons, all of whom grew up in Brigade, two of them becoming Heralds of Christ.  They have three godly daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren scattered across North America.

You can contact him at hbrowne@christianservicebrigade.ca

CSB Canada Announces a New President

CSB Canada is pleased to announce that Steve Grove has accepted the role of President. He will step into his position February 1, 2016.

Steve’s 45-year history with Christian Service Brigade means he brings multi-faceted experience, a great appreciation for the history of the ministry, and a strong vision for the future of the organization’s growth.

Steve grew up in Bramalea, Ontario attending (Unit 2977) Stockade and Battalion and spending his summers at camp Kakeka where he served two years as Program Director. Steve earned the Herald of Christ at age 18.

Over the years, Steve continued to volunteer in local units in Ontario, and became a Regional Director in Alberta in 2003. A few years later, Steve and his family moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where he is the Senior Pastor of Louise Street Community Church. At that time Steve became Regional Director of Northern Saskatchewan.

In 2010 Steve took on the additional role of Team leader for the reVISION and INNOV8 curriculum updating projects. Steve’s deep and lasting relationship with CSB Canada fed his passion for leadership and education. Steve has earned his Bachelor of Theology, and Master of Theological Studies degrees, and is currently a Doctor of Ministry candidate.
   
Steve is married to Bonnie (who works in the non-profit sector, and is a published author) and they have 2 children at home.

Steve says “I have a passion for discipleship, to see boys and young men being guided towards spiritual maturity by the godly men of the church. Christian Service Brigade continues to be a vital ministry of the local church in these days when statistics show again and again that our young men are losing interest in and eventually leaving the church.

This generation of men in the church is responsible for our boys. If not us, then who? Brigade answers the question, ‘Where will tomorrow’s generation of godly men come from?’

You can contact him at sgrove@christianservicebrigade.ca