It would seem, judging by the feedback I have received, that theory doesn't always mirror practice. Maybe that's because the practice isn't based on the theory.

In a previous chapter I suggested that there were three rules to successfully recruit leaders:

• Rule #1 - You need to have a successful program, with lots of smiling, happy kids and smiling, happy leaders.
• Rule #2 - if you want to keep your leaders, let them be successful.
• Rule #3 - your leaders need resources and training to be successful.

This is the model that I use in running my outpost. We began 2 years ago with a team of 4 leaders plus me. Today we have a team of 14 leaders and permanent parent helpers. That's a 350% increase in 2 years. That's not bad.

Now I tell you this not to boast. But to let you know that the principles that I am advocating work.

A little about my outpost

A little more about my outpost - we are chartering about 45-50 children this year. That gives us a child to leader ration of 3 or 4 to 1.

The reason we have so many leaders (5 of the 14 have come on staff since February) is that I challenged my team to each recruit another leader this year. We plan to double the size of our outpost (the same challenge was give to the kids - to recruit another friend) by the end of this year. And to cope with 100 children we needed a larger team.

[incidentally the prophetic call and strategy for doubling the size of an outpost was posted recently as "The Brown Devotions" - email me if you would like a copy]

We are also running the LTC (Leaders Training Course) at our church over the next 10 weeks - in which 10 of these leaders are enrolled.

A few thoughts on why it's working

- our outpost is (and just as importantly appears to be) successful. It would be one of the fastest growing ministries in our church, with kids leaving other interests to join Rangers.

- people rise to a challenge. Too often we expect people to motivate themselves. We all need to be "gee-ed" up every now and then. Challenge your people and watch them rise to your challenge.

- people are motivated by a cause. What greater cause than seeing souls saved, families saved, streets, communities and nations changed forever.

- people like to be with people with passion and enthusiasm. Oh it's so true. I love being with passionate people (even if they disagree with me). Passion is the marrow of life. We all want to be with people who will inspire and recharge us.

- people have a need for significance. This is one of the fundamental basis for counselling (the other is a need for security). Counselling theory tells us that people are motivated by either a need for security or a need for significance.

- God uses those who are available. My people are in rangers to serve their God and to change the world - child by child. Looking at them today you wouldn't have thought they'd be the ones who'd be able to run a ranger program. But they have grown, stretched, and become mighty instruments in God's hands.

- the work is rewarding. It's fun. You watch the kids grow and change. You watch yourself grow and change. And it's better than gardening. Flowers die. These kids will live forever.

- there is a tangible "payoff" - relationships. We often don't like to think about "payment" for our service to God. But this is freely available. It's a very real payment for services rendered. In rangers, I've found the most wonderful relationships. And it's true in other areas of Service I have been involved in - youth leadership, communion preparation, church cleaning, scripture teaching etc. The relationship is the reward. (Plus there's God's rewards and the great satisfaction of knowing you're obeying Jesus).

So - who am I?

I am new to Royal Rangers. Only having been involved for 2 years. I grew up in Boys Brigade. I went to youth groups. I've worshipped in Baptist, Uniting (Methodist) and Assembly of God churches. I am a marketing man, with a programming and project management background. I'm 30 years old, married (6 years) with three children (5, 2, 1).

Not all of my ideas are conventional or founded in tradition.

I attempt to leverage off the experiences and insights of others, sifting out the good stuff and blowing away the bad stuff. I see what will work and discard what won't.

It would be fair to say that my outpost functions quite differently to any other in Australia. We use a lot more drill and parade-based activities than any other I've seen (because I haven't found a better way to develop team spirit and obedience). But that doesn't mean we don't use the NTC model for running the outpost. I've just modified it to incorporate other ideas. Making a more effective tool in our hands.

You'll need to do that too - with these ideas and with those of other. Just don't be scared to try something new. After all Johnnie Barnes [founder of Royal Rangers] did.

My desire is to not only run an effective, growing outpost, seeing boys and girls saved regularly, disciplining children and leaders, impacting our church and adding to it families of rangers [and changing our community, nation and the world in the process] - but to inspire, motivate and help others to do the same.

Let me address some of the specific issues that have risen.

i) We are only a small church and don't have enough people to go around

Our church is small (400 people [translated out of evangelese means there are about 400 different adults and children involved in the life of the church in any given 4-6 week period) and is growing. That means we're acting like a much larger church. And there aren't enough leaders to go round. We're all "fishing in the same pond" as my pastor likes to remark.

In this situation you can either pinch leaders, multitask leaders, or train new ones.

a) It's easiest (although unpopular) to pinch leaders. You do this by offering them a greater reward. Will they be more effective in Rangers? Will they be able to contribute to the Kingdom of God better in Rangers? Can they work with their partner in Rangers? etc... (see notes above for more examples)

b) A little harder is convincing a leader to also serve in Rangers. Again the motivators are the same. Although the old adage is true that "to get something done - always ask a busy person." This is often a precursor to "pinching" a leader.

It's easier if you stressing the need, the rewards (sacred and secular), and allow a definite ending period (e.g.: just for 10 weeks). If you're doing the right things and the recruit sees the success of the ministry - then they'll like to stay on!

c) Training new leaders is hard work. But often easy to get them. You need to have a list of attributes that you're looking for - and choose people accordingly. By guided by God on this. This is where a lot of prayer is important. Of my 14 leaders, 8 were not involved in anything else at church.

We now actively invite the parents of the kids to come to events and camps etc. They see the great work and ask to be involved.

ii) We have an elderly congregation

This begs the question - where are the children coming from then. If they are all "non-church" families then this is just wonderful. Recruit some oldies. Then ask your pastors permission to recruit a couple of leaders from another church. I have 2 leaders from the local Baptist church. Also work on getting the parents of the children saved. You'll need these people as future leaders.

Personally I would like a few older people involved in my outpost. We could do with the experience, wisdom and stability they offer.

iii) There is no support from the congregation.

In a previous chapter I spoke about the four customers you have - the kids, their parents, your leaders and the church. You need to sell yourself to the church board and your pastor. See the Marketing your program chapters for more details.