Religious Emblems & Awards
BSA Religious Emblems Programs
A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion. To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups have developed the religious emblems programs. The Boy Scouts of America has approved these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the official uniform. BSA has a Square Knot for youth who complete a religious program and a different Square Knot for adult recognition. The various religious groups administer the programs and recognition.
Baptist partner with the P.R.A.Y. Program to provide a Bible-based religious emblems program. This program offers 5 separate youth Religious Awards. Each program is designed for a specific age group.
Good Shepherd - Baptist Adult Recognition
The Good Shepherd Emblem is a national recognition for adults who have rendered outstanding service to Baptist youth through their church and one of the national youth-serving agency.
Baptist Unit Award of Excellence
The Baptist Unit Award of Excellence is a three level program that recognizes exemplary units chartered to Baptist Churches. Quality units with a leadership team committed to ministry become an integral part of the Church's outreach to the community. They have a positive impact on Scouts and their families and they rarely become dropped units.
Baptist Youth religious awards
Jesus and Me - Grades K-1
God and Family - Grades 4-5
Jesus and Me - Grades K-1
The Jesus and Me curriculum introduces Jesus as the Son of God in familiar terms so that young children can see Jesus in their own day-to-day experiences as a storyteller, teacher, friend, and healer.
Curriculum Goals:
- To provide an opportunity for children and their families to explore their faith together
- To introduce children to some of the stories of Jesus in the Gospels
- To teach children how to find the four Gospels in the Bible
- To help children relate four characteristics of Jesus to their own lives
- To identify Jesus as the Son of God
God and Me - Grades 2-3
God and Family - Grades 4-5
Jesus and Me - Grades K-1
The God and Me curriculum is designed to help children become best friends with Jesus and tell their story of “God and Me” together.
Curriculum Goals:
- To provide an opportunity for young people and families to explore their faith together
- To help children realize that God is active in every part of their lives
- To help children know that Jesus is their best friend
- To memorize the Lord’s Prayer
God and Family - Grades 4-5
God and Family - Grades 4-5
God and Family - 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.
Curriculum Goals:
- To provide an opportunity for young people and families to explore their faith together
- To learn six ways of strengthening families through faith
- To help families grow in God’s love
- To memorize the Ten Commandments
God and Church - Grades 6-8
God and Church - Grades 6-8
God and Family - Grades 4-5
The God and Church curriculum is designed to lead youth on a three part faith journey.
Curriculum Goals:
- To strengthen young people’s relationship with Christ
- To challenge young people to learn about and participate in the worship and ministry of the church
- To have young people make a plan for daily Bible reading and memorize a creed or statement of belief or passage of scripture
- To provide the opportunity for young people to experience the joy of serving others
God and Life - Grades 9-12
God and Church - Grades 6-8
God and Life - Grades 9-12
The God and Life curriculum is designed to help students understand their call to a life of discipleship.
Curriculum Goals To provide opportunities for young people to:
- Strengthen their relationship with Christ
- Be open to God’s calling in their lives
- Make a plan for daily Bible reading
- Experience the joy of serving others
- Write a statement of commitment
Baptist Awards Brochure
God and Church - Grades 6-8
God and Life - Grades 9-12
Good Shepherd Baptist Adult Recognition
- THE EMBLEM The Good Shepherd Emblem is a national recognition for adults who have rendered outstanding service to Baptist youth through their church and one of the national youth-serving agencies (Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., Camp Fire USA or American Heritage Girls). The emblem is made available through the Association of Baptists for Scouting in cooperation with the national youth serving agencies.
- Self and spouse nominations will not be accepted. The Good Shepherd award package contains a medal that can be worn around the neck, a lapel pin and an 8 ½” x 11” personalized color certificate.
- ELIGIBILITY A Good Shepherd recipient should:
- Be 23 years or older.
- Demonstrate leadership as a “Good Shepherd” in his or her service to youth.
- Have a minimum of five years of active service in local church ministry.
- Have a minimum of five years of active service in one or more national youth-serving agencies (BSA, GSUSA, CFUSA, AHG).
- Actively participate in the worship life and program of his or her congregation and be of substantial Christian character.
- Assist in and encourage youth to serve their Lord through the P.R.A.Y. Programs.
- Display outstanding service in organizing, promoting, and strengthening youth-serving agency units operated by Baptist churches.
- Cooperate with youth-serving agencies in promoting a “Duty to God” emphasis.
- Live the Christ-like life in other community affairs and organizations (Colossians 1:10). This is a most important item.
Baptist Unit Award of Excellence
Purpose: The Baptist Unit Award of Excellence is a three level program that recognizes exemplary units chartered to Baptist Churches. Quality units with a leadership team committed to ministry become an integral part of the Church's outreach to the community. They have a positive impact on Scouts and their families and they rarely become dropped units.
Recognition: Units that earn the recognition are award a certificate and a ribbon. Individual Scouts may purchase the unit award patch. To qualify for the recognition the unit must meet eight of the following requirements during the current charter year, including all requirements marked with an asterisk (*) Note: This award is a three level award. In the first year units earn the level 1 recognition. In succeeding years they may earn the level 2 and level 3 recognitions. Each successive award must be earned within two recharter years of the previous level recognition (not more than six years).
- * A unit must have earned the BSA Quality Unit Award in the charter year just completed.
- * 30% or more of the registered youth members in the unit must be actively enrolled in or have completed the appropriate religious emblem for their age and religious affiliation.
- The minister or qualified pastoral appointee must be involved as a counselor in the God and Country religious emblems program.
- The unit must participate in Scout Sunday at the Baptist Church where it is operated.
- * The unit must provide regular worship opportunities when away from home on Sundays.
- * Either the unit leader or committee chairman must be an active member of a Baptist Church.
- At least half of the unit committee members must be active in a Baptist Church.
- The unit must have completed at least one service project for the chartered organization during the last twelve months.
- * At least once each year, members must be instructed in the meaning and responsibilities embodied in the "Duty to God" principle of the Cub Scout Promise, Boy Scout Oath and Law, or Explorer Code.
- Boy Scout Troops and Varsity Scout Teams must also have at least one Chaplain-Aide. The unit must have a designated adult serving as unit Chaplain.