by Cdr. Hank Cole <hankbee@qnet.com>
Back in the ' 60s I was a C.A. Youth Leader and God was meeting the needs of our teens, but I felt a need to do something for our younger boys in Norwalk, Ca. AoG Church. I met with two men, Bob Wheeler and Don Huntsinger and we talked about different boys groups.
I had to make a trip up to our C.A. Dist Office in Pasadena this was in Oct. or Nov. of 1961 and while I was there I asked if they could recommend a boys program that we could use.
The C.A. DeCap said if I would wait that he had heard the the A/G was coming out with something brand new called: Royal Rangers ...and if I would like, they would put my name on the list to have information sent to me.
In May or June of 1962, I got in the mail three 8 1/2 by 11 in. sheets of paper telling how to start a Royal Ranger Outpost.
With the help of Bob and Don, we started Outpost 22. I asked Bob Wheeler to be the Sr. Cdr, since I was the C.A. President, and became the Trailblazer Cdr. and Don Huntsinger, the Pioneer Cdr.
We had 12 boys to start with.
The fall of 1962 was the first time that I met Cdr. Johnnie Barnes. Cdr.Johnnie came to our church as the Sunday morning speaker and he presented Outpost 22 with their charter. That day began a long friendship.
What a privilege to know and minister with a man of God. I have spent many long hours around campfires and meetings talking to Cdr. Johnnie about the Royal Ranger Ministry.
Cdr. Johnnie's mission was to REACH, TEACH, AND KEEP BOYS FOR CHRIST and he was the first one to tell you the Royal Ranger Ministry was God's and that God had given him the directions on how the ministry was to be put into action.
He was just a man <><> but a man that had BOYS at heart.
I have seen him stop and talk with boys.
I have seen him get on his knees in the dirt and pray with a boy. I have seen the tears run down his face when he was preaching and pouring out his heart to boys, showing them the plan of salvation in the Bible.
Making available training for leaders, was important to Cdr. Johnnie Barnes... and making sure that Commanders who took the training were able to lead a boy to the Lord, were able to know the Bible and conduct an outpost meeting -- as well as showing a boy how to camp, how to be a leader and a good citizen in his community: this was the purpose for Royal Rangers and Cdr. Johnnie Barnes!
This was his life's work right up to the end.
Cdr. Johnnie spent his life seeing that boys had a chance to receive Christ into their lives.
I thank God that I am a part of the Royal Ranger Ministry, and that I have had boys { men now } serve in the ranger ministry, in pastoral ministry and as missionaries.
I thank God that He sent a man my way back in 1962 and that man was Cdr. Johnnie Barnes, he was only a man, but what a man of God!
Thank you for letting me speak at the second Cyber Pow-Wow, and as I close I would ask you what would you do... To see that all the boys on your block KNOW JESUS AS THEIR SAVIOR.
Cdr. Hank Cole
RR '62 F.C.F. '68
This web page is not an "official" Royal Rangers page. The Royal Rangers emblem is a trademark of the Assemblies of God. Royal Rangers Emblem©1962 by the national Royal Rangers Office, HonorBound: Men of Promise, The General Council of the Assemblies of God; Springfield, Missouri 65802-1894. The Royal Rangers Emblem may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means--electronically, mechanically, photocopies, recording, or otherwise--without prior written permission from the national Royal Rangers Office.
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