townhall.com/news/religion/2009/05/18/baptist_men,_ra_n -
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Published on: 5/18/2009
Last Visited: 5/19/2009
"The emphasis on the Royal Ambassador Centennial last year may have contributed to this upswing," said Jim Burton, team leader for mission education at the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, Ga. "We heard from many churches in 2008 that realized they needed to re-prioritize teaching boys about missions and developing men to be their leaders."
The 2008 ACP statistics represent two consecutive years of positive growth in the number of those participating in the Baptist Men and RA ministries in SBC churches -- the longest period of sustained growth over the last decade, Burton said.
"We celebrate this evidence of churches prioritizing the development of men and boys in missions.
Historically, we know the best indicator of children maintaining their family's faith tradition as adults is the example of their fathers," Burton said.