Royal Rangers

Royal Rangers is a mentoring program for future men.  We provide Christlike character formation and servant leadership development for boys and young men in a highly relational and fun environment. Our mission is to evangelize, equip, and empower the next generation of Christlike men and lifelong servant leaders.

We are prepared to take Royal Rangers to a whole new generation of future men, to the iPod generation.  The iPod has three characteristics important to its users. These same qualities are reflected in Royal Rangers.

Robust

Mechanically, every iPod is the same.  It is a robust electronic device designed to deliver high quality music. Royal Rangers is likewise a robust mentoring ministry that shapes future men into godly husbands and fathers and excellent servant leaders in every sphere of life.  Royal Rangers is a tool that men and boys, serving together, can use to evangelize their world, equip the next generation of Christlike men, and empower them to become lifelong servant leaders.

Flexible & Effective

Functionally, each iPod is unique, reflecting the user’s choices and preferences in music and media.  Royal Rangers is also highly flexible and agile, enabling each outpost to implement our effective discipleship process while reflecting the preferences and practices of its local church leaders to best impact the families in its communities.

The Value of Royal Rangers

Royal Rangers provides an effective means of discipline boys and young men by utilizing direct personal relationships between men and boys, developed around a core of shared interests and experiences. Activity-based ministries are essential to the spiritual development of boys.

Core Principles

The Royal Rangers program is defined by the core principles upon which it was built.  These core principles of evangelism, discipleship, leadership, achievement, and service are represented by our pledge, code, motto, and emblem.

Our Mentoring Methods

Boys will be boys! They are God-designed to be assertive, competitive, and energetic. Our experienced mentors provide needed guidance, discipline, and structure, using the methods described below.

	Friendship – Our mentors are committed to insuring friendship charges our ministry atmosphere. Boys develop lifelong friends in Royal Rangers and meet wholesome men, who will affirm them and who they can look up to.
	Activities – Royal Rangers is about hands-on adventure and side-by-side relationship building. It’s how boys learn and relate best. Beyond the fun, boys discover they have what it takes to be men as they spend time with mentors outdoors, in the gym, at the computer, on the service project site, or on the stage. Royal Rangers provides boys with fun activities in five areas of interest, which we refer to as our “core competencies”:  Outdoor Activities, Sports, Trade Skills, Technologies, and Arts.Many activities in Royal Rangers involve earning merits, which are awards based on the development of skills in one or more of these core areas.  A complete list of the merits used in Royal Rangers can be found on our Merit Index page.
	Advancement System – In Royal Rangers, boys and young men are challenged to embark on an adventure that requires them to participate actively. It is a spiritual journey that will forge their character and maximize their leadership potential. To the uneducated eye, boys are just learning survival skills in the wilderness, playing sports, producing a music video, repairing the home of an elderly person, etc., but in the process, our mentors are intentional about laying biblical foundations of sexual expression, worldview, culture, manhood, and leadership. By awarding merit badges, boys are guided on a measurable, personal, and spiritual growth process. (They think they are just having fun, so let’s keep that our secret!)  (More)
	Interactive Learning – Personal development in Royal Rangers is all about hands-on fun and getting dirty! Boys learn by hearing, seeing, doing, and when appropriate, teaching others. It’s learning by doing.
	Uniforms – Boys want to belong! Royal Rangers gives young men who want to band together to serve Christ wholeheartedly that place of belonging and an image and identity of which to be proud.  (More)
	Patrol System – Young men want to influence and try their wings. Guys-only small groups allow boys to have fun together, share responsibility for leadership, learn teamwork, and grow spiritually.
	Service & Ministry Outreach – “It’s not all about me!” This is a lesson boys learn in Royal Rangers. Meaningful opportunities are provided for young men to move beyond themselves to help others, instilling attitudes and behaviors of lifelong servants.  (More)

What age groups are part of Royal Rangers?

• Ranger Kids – Grades K – 2
• Discovery Rangers – Grades 3 – 5
• Adventure Rangers – Grades 6 – 8
• Expedition Rangers – Grades 9 – 12

The Advancement System

The advancement system represents one of the seven methods used in Royal Rangers to achieve the mission & purpose of the program. Advancement is the process by which boys progress from one advancement step to the next.  As boys grow through their involvement in rangers they will encounter many opportunities for advancement.  Each age group in Royal Rangers provides an advancement trail that is both challenging and rewarding to boys.

Each age group in Royal Rangers utilizes its own unique advancement trail designed to meet the specific needs and interests of boys in that age group.  Boys complete advancement steps by earning a specified number of merits and/or completing other requirements.  Merits form the core of the Discovery, Adventure, and Expedition Rangers advancement systems.  Details on the advancement systems of each age group can be found by clicking on the group logos below.

Each boy completes advancement steps and is awarded the corresponding award insignia for the age group he is currently in.  In addition, he may also complete steps for the group immediately preceding his own.  This allowance enables a boy to complete the advancements from his previous group once he has graduated to the next.

Click on the group logos below to learn more about the advancement opportunities in each Royal Rangers group.

Ranger Kids Grades K – 2

Discovery Rangers Grades 3 – 5

Adventure Rangers Grades 6 – 8

Expedition Rangers Grades 9 – 12

Ranger Kids Advancement Trail

The Ranger Kids Advancement Trail is based on the needs, interest and characteristics of boys in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. The Trail is a plan of advancement through learning—from both experiences and activities—and being recognized for their learning. It is designed to offer every boy adventure and fun. The Trail is more than an interesting course of action; it is a new experience—a new achievement. It is a Ranger’s opportunity to grow through new abilities, knowledge, and desires.

The Ranger Kids Advancement Trail is made up of three trails:

• Trail of the Elk
• Trail of the Wolverine
• Trail of the Couger

To earn each trail’s patch, the Ranger Kid must earn the four awards along the trail. For example, once a Ranger Kid has earned the Antelope Award, the Ram Award, the Caribou Award, and the Buffalo Award, he receives the Elk patch.  The boys can earn these awards in any order because they are all of equal value, not based on previous requirements.  The individual steps that the Ranger Kid must take to earn each award are directed to help him grow PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY, MENTALLY, and SOCIALLY.

After completing each step toward earning the award, the achievement is noted in the Ranger Kid’s Handbook and workbook with the commander’s signature and the date.  For information on where the patches should be placed on the Ranger Kids uniform, see the Ranger Kids Handbook.

Discovery Rangers Advancement Trail

Being a Discovery Ranger will give a boy many chances to do new things. He will learn new skills, like camping, building models, giving first aid, and cooking while learning about God and His Word. Royal Rangers will give him the chance to be rewarded for finishing merits and steps on the Advancement Trail.

Here’s how the trail works. As the boy follows the trail, will grow to new heights on the “Trail to the Gold Eagle.” He’ll work on merits, and every time he finishes a set of merit requirements, he will receive a new patch. As he earns merits he will also have the chance to complete a new advancement step.

After completing each set of steps and a few other requirements, he’ll have a chance to earn three medals:

• Gold Falcon
• Gold Hawk
• Gold Eagle

There are several ways to earn the merits on the Trail to the Eagle. Some of the merits will be earned during the weekly meetings, while others will require extra effort outside of meeting times. The merits can be earned in any order, and while the Gold Eagle has specific merits that are required, the other merits that are earned are up to the individual Ranger’s choice.

Adventure Rangers Advancement Trail

Every great challenge a young man accepts helps to build his character, increase his determination to achieve, and improve his ability to set goals and fulfill them. The Adventure Rangers Advancement Trail offers such a challenge-the Trail to the Gold Medal of Achievement. It is a plan to help you earn the Gold Medal of Achievement (GMA), a medal of great distinction and honor. It was first offered in 1964 and the tradition continues to this day.

The key to progressing on the Advancement Trail is earning merits. Each merit has a colored border, indicating its color group. After completing a specific number of merits in the required color groups, the Adventure Ranger can earn one of the Advancement awards. For example, the Advancement awards leading to the Bronze Medal of Achievement are the Powder Horn, Bowie Knife, Tomahawk, and Long Rifle.

After completing each set of steps and a few other requirements, the three medals he’ll earn are:

• Bronze Medal of Achievement
• Silver Medal of Achievement
• Gold Medal of Achievement

To download applications for these awards visit our RESOURCES page.

There are several ways to earn the merits on the Adventure Rangers Advancement Trail. Some of the merits will be earned during the weekly meetings, while others will require extra effort outside of meeting times. The merits can be earned in any order, and while the Gold Medal of Achievement has specific merits that are required, the other merits that are earned are up to the individual Ranger’s choice.

Expedition Rangers Advancement Trail

The focus of the advancement trail is to help boys develop into young men who have the skills to make good sound decisions, strong moral character, exemplify leadership skills, and are founded in the Word of God.  The advancement system in Expedition Rangers consists of these three awards:

• E1 Award – typically earned after one full year of involvement in the program
• E2 Award – typically earned after a second full year in the program
• E3 Award – typically earned after a third full year in the program

Each award is presented after the young man has earned the specified number of merits in each merit category, as well as the required number of Spirit Challenge lessons.  Requirement details for each award can be found on our ER Advancement Details page.

For More Information please complete the contact form with your information and a team member will contact you shortly.

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