Statement of Faith
We believe there is One Triune God – God the Father; Jesus Christ, His one and only Son; and
the Holy Spirit – Creator of the universe and eternally existent. We believe the Holy Scriptures
(Old and New Testaments) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. We believe each
person is created in His image for the purpose of communing with and worshiping God. We believe each
of
us is called to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our
neighbors as ourselves. We believe God calls us to lives of purity, service, stewardship and
integrity. Statement of Values
We clearly define the following words in the Statement of Faith which are integral to the Trail
Life:
Purity - God calls us to lives of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed. We are to
reserve sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage, a lifelong commitment before God
between a man and a woman. Service - God calls us to become responsible members of our community and the world through
selfless acts that contribute to the welfare of others. Stewardship - God calls us to use our God-given time, talents, and money wisely. Integrity - God calls us to live moral lives that demonstrate an inward motivation to do what is
biblically right regardless of the cost. TRAILMAN MOTTO
Walk Worthy! TRAILMAN OATH
On my honor, I will do my best
to serve God and my country;
to respect authority;
to be a good steward of Creation;
and to treat others as I want to be treated.
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TRAILMAN LAW (CREED)
There is no Trailman Law or Creed outside of the Bible, the inspired and holy Word of God. Youth members are not required to accept Christianity, but they are expected to adhere to
Christian standards of behavior. SIX PROGRAM EMPHASES
Program emphases are “big ideas” that run through our program because our movement
considers them indispensable to helping boys become great Christian men.
1. Wisdom – The skill of putting knowledge to proper use. Facts are like tools—they do their
best work in the hands of a master craftsman.
2. Teamwork – The way people working together can to do more than working alone.
3. Heritage – The parts of present opportunities and future goals that were made in the past. Americans have a rich heritage built with courage and curiosity, sacrifice and spirituality.
4. Leadership – Giving the gift of guidance to others. True leadership begins when the
arrogance of power gives way to a sense of responsibility.
5. Character – The four selves: self-respect, self-control, self-reliance, and self-worth. They
are the four poles of the tent—let one fall and the tent sags, let two fall and the tent collapses.
6. Faith – Belief in God that provides the inner strength and confidence that leads to righteous
actions based on biblical truth, regardless of temptations or circumstances. THREE AIMS
The three aims are what Trail Life hopes to achieve in the lives of boys through use of the nine
program methods guided by the six program emphases.
1. Character – Character may be defined as the Four Selves, namely self-respect, self-control,
self-reliance and self-worth. Character is related to the word characteristic, which is not at
all surprising; character gives each person a perspective on the God who made us all in his
image.
2. Fitness – There are four elements of fitness; mental, emotional, moral and physical. All
four benefit from a good diet, exercise and plenty of rest. But is this equally true of moral
fitness? Consider the harm feeding on po*******hy can do. And how much exercise do your
morals get when you put difficult decisions off on others! Your morals do not get enough rest
when you fail to recognize leadership in others and delegate responsibility as needed.
3. Citizenship – To be a good citizen, you must live in the past, present and future. The Past is
Heritage, which includes such important elements as the Image of God within you, the
Bible, and great thinkers and leaders who struggled through the centuries to equip you to live
a free and purposeful life. The present is Opportunity, which is your ability to shape the
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here and now through your actions. The Future is a course you chart through the decisions
you make today using your Vision. You are a citizen of your family, your community, your
Troop, your state, your nation, your world, and most importantly the Body of Christ. Each of these three aims is covered in a chapter of the Trailman Handbook. You’re urged to read
these chapters for a more in-depth understanding. These three aims were not chosen at random;
character is the desire to move, fitness is the energy needed, and citizenship is the plotted course. NINE METHODS
The methods of Trail Life USA work well together because they return boys to an environment
where comfort or misery, safety or danger, and success or failure depend on skills they can
master. It is an environment where fathers can teach their sons skills that are still relevant. The
Trail Life is one of the last refuges of capable self-reliance where boys can learn important
lessons about life through experiential learning. Our nine methods are:
1. Patrols – A patrol is a group where every boy can play an important role, make friends, and
learn the connection between preparation and success. A patrol is a small family within the
larger family of the Troop.
2. Leadership – When boys realize that a leader gives the gift of guidance, they will give it
without arrogance and receive it with gratitude. Boys learn that they not only are called upon
to lead others but to also lead themselves. Self-control is the first great leadership skill.
3. Advancement – The recognition of personal and practical growth to reward past
performance and predict future success.
4. Adult Association – Trail Leaders are the greatest role models in the world. They give freely
of themselves to help great boys become great men through purposeful fun.
5. Outdoors – Blessed with equal measures of beauty and challenge, peace and excitement,
God’s great out-of-doors offers uniquely fulfilling experiences for all. It is an environment
that encourages the sharing of skills and heritage.
6. Uniforms – The uniform and standard (staff) display the goodwill of Trail Life USA to the
community. They represent the family bonds of the Trail Life and are a canvass upon which
boys tell the story of their unique achievements, interests and goals.
7. Opportunity – Placing young people in an exciting and challenging environment lets them
make discoveries about the world and themselves that cannot be learned any other way. We
cannot guarantee what you’ll find or when you’ll find it, but if you don’t get out and look, we
guarantee that you’ll never find it.
8. Standards – The Trailman Oath and Trailman Motto clearly state what is expected of a
Trailman in thought, word and deed.
9. Spiritual Development – The ultimate health and safety issue that we can address is
protecting the image of God within us. Spirituality is the key to a fully-realized manhood. John 112 - "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God"
