Building godly men through outdoor adventure

In February 2025, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) officially changed its name to Scouting America, dropping the word Boy. This decision was made in May of the previous year and marked the end of a decade filled with immoral decisions.

An article at pbs.org outlined that the BSA lifted the ban on gay scouts in 2013, ended the ban on gay adult leaders in 2015, allowed transgender boys (biological females who identify as males) into boys-only programs in 2017, permitted girls to join Cub Scouts in 2018, and allowed girls into the Boy Scouts just two years later.

Given the significant and rapid decline in ethics, morals, and common sense, the organization’s name change was somewhat expected. But Mark Hancock, CEO of Trail Life USA (TLUSA), believes this change may have acted as a wake-up call for many.

“I think that it hit some of the members in the face,” Hancock said of the name change. “We’ve been talking a long time about how it seemed the Boy Scouts had lost their focus, but it became obvious when they took Boy out of their name; that’s sort of the last nail in the coffin of an organization that’s supposed to be focused solely on boys.”

Hancock said the name change may have shocked many outside the scouting movement.

“It opened a discussion about the differences between boys and girls and how critical it is to have male-centric organizations focused on the development of boys,” he said.

Hancock recently explained all of this to The Stand while discussing the ministry of TLUSA, an unapologetically Christian scouting organization that aims to nurture boys ages 5 to 17 and see them grow from young children into godly men.

Pleasant surprises

Launched in January 2014, TLUSA currently has nearly 1,500 troops with around 70,000 members across all 50 states. It has become a familiar scouting alternative for those seeking outdoor adventure and male mentorship rooted in a Christian worldview.

With over a decade under its belt now, Hancock said, “We’ve discovered that the intentions for this type of organization in God’s heart were bigger than we thought.”

One of the unexpected aspects of TLUSA is how it has developed into a ministry for the men who volunteer as leaders. While representing young men is the primary focus, Hancock explained, “We’ve been pleasantly surprised at the work that God is doing in men’s hearts as they find their brotherhood.”

Another positive outcome is the way fathers have taken advantage of the opportunity to connect with their sons outdoors, free from digital distractions.

TLUSA also comes alongside single mothers who need assistance in raising their sons to become godly men. Hancock said the organization is committed to helping young boys without father figures find their place among positive male role models and mentors.

“We thought we were an outdoor organization with a specifically Christian mission; it turns out that we’re, at our core, a ministry that uses the outdoors to grow boys, to grow men, to grow families, to impact single-mother households,” Hancock acknowledged.

A path to Jesus

But how do great outdoor adventures point young boys to Jesus?

“We compare it to carrot and carrot cake,” Hancock explained. “When you eat a piece of carrot cake, you don’t get big chunks of carrot, but you’re going to get carrot in every bite. And that’s how Christ is infused throughout our program.”

He explained that TLUSA is not simply a form of Sunday school outdoors; boys already get plenty of educational time in classroom settings.

“The work for the badges and all the activities are about Christ and the gospel,” he said. “Whether we are on a paddling trip, hiking trip, engaged in service, or honing outdoor skills, Christ is integrated into all of it.”

A Proven Process

After years of working with boys through TLUSA, Hancock developed the organization’s Proven Process – a method that offers solutions to four key problems that hinder boys from becoming godly men.

First, TLUSA recognizes that many boys are unguided by male leadership. One in four boys is raised in a household without a father. Other influential roles, such as educators and Sunday school teachers, are often filled by women. This creates a significant absence of male role models. TLUSA partners with thoroughly vetted Christian men as mentors and godly examples, Hancock said.

Second, TLUSA addresses the problem of boys being ungrounded.

“You can’t tell a boy there’s a right or wrong, a yes or no, or a good or evil without having some sort of foundation for where that comes from,” Hancock said. “In the world, there is no foundation, because the Bible has been removed. What’s good today could be evil tomorrow. But we ground them in the Word of God. That helps them feel confident, because boys naturally want to know where the lines are drawn.”

Third, TLUSA has discovered that boys are unappreciated in today’s culture.

“It’s as if culture views boyhood as some kind of social disease that needs to be eradicated,” Hancock said. “We understand that boys are these wonderful, marvelous creatures created by God.

“[In Trail Life], we don’t try to squeeze them into a girl environment, because everywhere they go they hear, ‘Why can’t you sit still like Susie,’ or ‘Why aren’t you as smart as Mary?’” Hancock added. “[Instead], they are placed in a male-centric environment where they are just like the other guys. And their spines stiffen, and they stand straighter because they’re appreciated and recognized for their design.”

Finally, TLUSA recognizes that boys are uninspired.

“The culture of ‘everybody gets a
trophy’ or ‘let’s not keep score because somebody’s feelings are going to get hurt’ takes risk and competition away from boys, and they thrive on risk and competition,” Hancock said. “They thrive on hierarchy. They like to know where they stand. They like to know what the score is.”

TLUSA inspires boys through its robust awards programs that challenge them in outdoor skills and other activities, as well as leadership skills and character development.

“Our mission is to guide generations of courageous young men who honor God, lead with integrity, serve others, and experience outdoor adventure,” Hancock said. “Our Proven Process is how we do it. We guide them; we ground them; we appreciate them; we inspire them.

“I really believe we’re raising up a remnant of men who are going to not just be equipped to stand against this culture, but to turn back the culture itself.”