On May 29, 2026, The News-Enterprise published an article titled: “Trail Life USA is growing ministry for small church.” The quotes and details in this blog are sourced from that article.
When Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Shepherdsville, Kentucky welcomed a handful of boys into a new Trail Life ministry a few years ago, nobody could have predicted where the journey would lead.
There were only five or six boys at first. A few families with a vision. A few men willing to invest. A church simply looking for another way to reach the next generation.
What happened next surprised everyone. Week after week, more boys showed up. Fathers stayed to help. Grandfathers found a place to serve. Families began forming friendships. Conversations turned into relationships. Relationships opened doors for discipleship. Before long, the small gathering had grown into a thriving brotherhood of nearly two dozen boys meeting each week.
The growth was so significant that the church eventually transformed an old storage building into a dedicated meeting space. Today it is known as the Walk Worthy House, home of the Walk Worthy Brotherhood.
But the most meaningful changes weren't happening inside the building. They were happening inside people. Troopmaster Fred Ciaburri remembers a time when getting one of the boys to pray out loud felt nearly impossible. "Getting anyone to pray was like pulling teeth out of a bullfrog," he recalled. Now the boys compete for the opportunity.
That's the kind of transformation every pastor hopes to see. A ministry that goes beyond growing attendance to growing faith. More than filling pews, it is shaping lives.
Pastor Tray Earnhart has watched that transformation firsthand. What began as an opportunity for boys to experience adventure and mentorship has become something much larger—a pathway for discipleship, leadership development, and community outreach. Perhaps most surprisingly, it has become a way to engage men.
Many churches wrestle with the challenge of helping men find meaningful places to serve. Cedar Grove discovered that when men are given a clear mission and asked to put their skills and knowledge to use on behalf of that mission, men naturally step forward to lead. In Trail Life, men who may never have considered themselves ministry leaders suddenly find themselves investing in the next generation.The boys benefit, the men grow, and the church becomes stronger.
What is happening at Cedar Grove is not unique. Across the country, churches are discovering that boys are often the bridge to entire families. Parents who may never attend a church service will bring their sons to an outdoor activity. Men who feel disconnected from church life will volunteer to help with a campout. Relationships form naturally. Trust develops over time.
For many churches, that trust becomes an open door for deeper ministry. One pastor described it as one of the most effective tools his church has found for developing men. Another shared that families have chosen to attend their church because of the character and witness of the Troop. Others speak of genuine Christian fellowship, new friendships, and opportunities to connect with people who otherwise might never have entered their church building.
The pattern repeats itself again and again:
Perhaps that's because boys are still looking for adventure. They still need challenge. They still need men who will teach them, encourage them, and walk alongside them. And men are still searching for meaningful ways to make a difference. When those two needs meet, remarkable things can happen.
Cedar Grove Baptist Church is seeing the results firsthand. What started with a handful of boys has become a thriving ministry. New relationships have formed. Men have found purpose. Families have found community. Boys are growing in confidence and faith.
An old storage building became a meeting place, a ministry became a brotherhood, and a small church discovered that sometimes God grows His Kingdom one boy, one man, and one family at a time.
Find a Troop near you or Learn how to bring Trail Life to your community at TrailLifeUSA.com