Answers to some of the common question about Galileans
Why are we called Galileans?
The name Galileans brings to mind Jesus and His followers. Galilee was an area about 50 miles north to south and about 30 miles east to west in the northern part of Palestine stretching from Phoenicia to the Sea of Galilee and Southward to Mt. Carmel and Mt. Gilboa. It was rugged mountainous country of oaks interrupted by fertile plains. Jesus spent the greater part of His ministry in the region of Galilee. He preached His first public sermon there and preformed His first miracle there.
Galilee came to be a stronghold for His cause. He had many followers in that area. Being from Galilee was associated with being a follower of Jesus to such an extent that, when Peter denied Christ just before the crucifixion, it was his Galilean accent that made those around him suspect him as a follower of Christ. Just as the unique characteristics of a Galilean identified Peter as being a follower of Christ, so the unique qualities instilled in a boy through his involvement in the Galileans now marks a boy as a follower of Christ.
Our Goals
What is the purpose of the Galilean organization?
Many worthy purposes for the organization exist. The following are only a few. Most are taken from the book, For Growing Boys, by L. H. Raney.
- To help boys know each other better in a Christian way.
- To give boys an opportunity to learn of Christ through Bible study.
- To give boys an opportunity to learn more about the church and her work on all levels of operation — local, state, and national.
- To lead boys to understand and support the world-mission ministry of their church and denomination.
- To give boys the opportunity of service for the Savior through the church.
(from The Galilean Manual, Jim Courtney and Paul Bearfield, Baptist Publishing House, Texarkana, Texas, USA)
Our Ministry
How does the Galilean Ministry work to train young men?
The Galilean Ministry is divided into six levels of study, called steps. Each step contains the basic elements of personal service, mission studies, Christian witnessing, Bible study, and church involvement.