Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Welcome to Doulos! An overview


THE DOULOS PROJECT

A tried-and-true teen leadership and teamwork program


Dr. Brad Zockoll

Knoxville TN

cell: 865-308-0302


I would like to tell you about an exciting program that blew the lid off apathy, fear, and worldliness in Christian youth groups during my years as a youth pastor.


I had started a young people's teamwork program based upon the fraternal “society” I joined during my years at a Christian university. I divided my youth group into four teams, carefully assembling rosters so that no team was too dominant in any area. Giving Greek names for a college-like feel, our four teams became unique among church programs in that the Doulos Program was run by students while being closely supervised by the adult leadership.


We were able to see young people take roles of leadership and cooperation - from Bible preaching to hospital visiting - like never before. We saw teens coming to Christ because of the efforts of individuals within the groups. It worked so well that I was hired by a North Carolina publishing company to market it to churches across the country.


Expecting to reach 20 clubs in our first year, we saw the Lord dynamically bless the ministry, and within nine months we had 150 clubs nationwide. But that’s not the story I want to share with you.


I want to share with you how the teens woke up and jumped into the program.


One teen-age team president would give us a devotional, another would give announcements, and then the competition would begin!


We might have the four senior high teams compete in a Talent Competition. The next week it could be a Trivia Bowl. We had poster contests and improvisational talent shows. Once we had a Debate Contest. Our top contest, however, was when we received police permission to block off a street and run a Soap Box Derby.


Yes, believe it or not, each team made a soap box derby race car. When I moved back to Tennessee, I was asked to form a home-school cooperative Doulos Program in Knoxville. Later, when I took a publishing job in Arizona, I was again asked to start a Christian school program – this time at Mission Christian School in Phoenix. Each week we had competitions that brought in points for the teams as the teens earned credit on anything from memorizing Scripture to organizing an outreach. The teens loved it for more than just an active time. It forged a foundation of Biblical love, power, and discipleship among our teens. It brought a spirit teen mentoring and encouragement.

It raised up Christian teen leaders.

It released the dynamic potential that was hidden within many of our Believers. It was powerful.

It was fun.

It was exciting. I call it the Doulos Project.


"Doulos" is the Greek word for servant. That's what our teens learned - how to serve. It is a ministry. Teens from affluent homes sit alongside the “trailer park” guys, planning, working and winning. For years, I've seen it work.


Based upon the truths of 2 Timothy 1:7, the Doulos Project takes teens and shows them the Christ-guided walk that God has intended for their lives. You see, as the verse says, God did not give the students a spirit of fear.


Think about it - if your students are afraid of witnessing, talking about Jesus, reading God's Word, standing up for the Lord in their classroom...well, that spirit of fear didn't come from God. God did, however, give them the spirit of love. That means love for the unsaved. That means love for each other, no matter what the school grade, age, gender, or race.


God also gave them a spirit of power. Power to stand up and speak in the classroom. Power to pray in boldness. Power to witness. Power to lead. God gave the Christian the spirit of a sound mind. That means your students can actually learn verses and the Romans' Road of salvation. They can figure out challenges you give them as well as read, discern and ask questions so that they may know the Bible more and more each week.


And as we work through the year, growing closer to Jesus Christ, we do it together as a team. Following the truth of Psalm 133:1, we do indeed find it pleasant for the brothers and sisters of Christ to dwell together in unity. The teens get along in groups which we call "collegians."

These are based upon the structures of the old college Literary Societies of the days in Harvard and Yale when they were Christian colleges (did you know that?).


The youth group is divided up in a fair and equitable way - teens are mixed so that no particular group is dominant in athletics, Bible memory, I.Q. or even gender. The goals are set for the year in Godly training as well as goofy stuff - the societies will compete in anything from Bible knowledge to trivia questions. They may go head to head in Tug-Of-War or they may be in a skit contest. The competition is enjoyable as well as challenging.

Mascots and teamwork




Each year the collegian members may vote on a new mascot – that gives each season a “fresh start”. One year Phi Beta was the Pirates. Then next year they chose to be the Warriors. On the third year they were the Knights.




The teens like to have the choice of a mascot each “season,” but it is important to remember that the team name (Zeta Chi, Omega Rho) and its colors will always stay the same. Each week the collegian teams come into the youth meeting and have a time of competition. The competition runs throughout the school year or in some cases from August until Christmas.




Teams will compete in anything from Bible memory to scavenger hunts to Capture the Flag. And remember, they plan the strategies and assignments. We're helping the teens build reasoning skills and teamwork qualities.




Psalm 133 states the pleasantness of brethren to have unity – that is an important part of the Doulos Program. Kinetic teamwork. Kinetic leadership. Don't talk about it – exercise it.

How does it work?




SO HOW DOES THE DOULOS PROJECT WORK?


A quick overview of how the leadership/teamwork system runs


Dr. Brad Zockoll


Knoxville TN


cell: 865-308-0302


Your youth group is divided up into collegians for the school year or part of a school year. Some youth pastors take the program from September to May - others run it for 100 days.


There are four collegian teams:


EPSILON DELTA - the Greek letters stand for "Eternal Defender" and the team's colors are red and white


OMEGA RHO - the Greek letters stand for "Forever Redeemer" and the team's colors are purple and white


PHI BETA - the Greek letters stand for "Faithful Builder" and the team's colors are green and gold


ZETA CHI - the Greek letters stand for "Zeal for Christ" and the team's colors are blue and gray

We will help!



You will get an Introductory Kit with Manual, buttons, pennant, posters, jerseys and whatever else we can stuff in there. Jerseys and buttons that teens want will be available for sale from us, but should never be taken out of the youth budget – ever.

Set up the Collegians



For each team, YOU select best cheerleader, best chaplain, best athlete, best Bible memorizer, best egghead.

Chapel responsibilities are designated by week in month alphabetically: week 1 – Epsilon Delta; week 2 Omega Rho, etc. During chapel students share a few prayer requests, make announcements, give a two minute devotional. Three different students.

Collegians each have three co-presidents.

Rush Night



1. Starts with a Rush Night. Ends last week of November. Winners can have best value for Auction.


2. Awards can be handed out then or if you wish to go another “season” we can go from January to May.

3. Rush Night is first opportunity for points. Evening time is best. All day decorations much like a prom.