The purpose of Royal Ambassadors (RA's) is to involve children in missions. Involvement in missions is living one's faith daily, personal experience in witness and ministry, and giving and praying to support persons involved in missions. The Royal Ambassador program helps children to become aware of the needs of people around the world and to respond to those needs. 

Many describe the RA's as the "Baptist's version of the Boy Scouts." This is a pretty good description in the sense that we do alot of camping and outdoor activities. We regulary do events such as wilderness backpacking trips, caving, and canoeing. We use these events as a platform for our higher purpose: leading young men to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

RA's seeks to lead children to this personal commitment to Christ and to assist them in their Christian growth experience. Through Royal Ambassadors,  children are led to an awareness of their responsibility to Christ and encouraged to become His ambassador. 

Our program is divided into Lads (grades 1-3), Crusaders (grades 4-6) and Challengers (grades 7-12). Committed Christian men and women--called Counselors--lead boys in activities that enhance their spiritual, emotional, physical, mental, and social well-being. These activities include weekly chapter meetings, where boys learn about home and international missionaries, and local and national missions projects. Boys use advancement steps to mark their progress on projects and earn awards for successful completion of these advancement steps. 

We strive to achieve a balance with all the things that we do. We believe that by combining mission and bible study with sports, games and camp craft, we can reach more boys in the community. 

If you are interested in visiting us, or would like additional information about Royal Ambassadors or the many other ministry programs at our church, please contact 
 Manley Baptist Church at (423)586-8665

"We are ambassadors for Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:20

LAD (1st-3rd grade) Motto:

"Learning And Doing in Jesus' Name" 1 Samuel 2:26, 3:1-10

Crusaders (4th-6th grade) Motto:

"Help Others in Jesus' Name" John 6:1-15 

The Royal Ambassador program ,on the other hand, was originally started and promoted by the Women's Missionary Union" or WMU, even though men served as leaders and counselors in many churches. 

In October 1907, the (WMU) appointed a Committee on Mission Work for Boys.  Miss Fannie Heck was president of the WMU and chairwoman of the committee. Miss Heck and another important committee member, Miss Elizabeth Briggs, attended a young peoples missionary conference in Asheville, NC.  There were listening to a song " The King' s Business" that was about Christian " ambassadors" . Miss Briggs suggested that the name " Ambassadors" would be a good name for a boys' missions organization.  Miss Heck added the " Royal". 

In May 1908, there was a meeting of the WMU where members voted in favor of sponsoring a new missions organization for boys (ages 9-17) that would be called the " Order of Royal Ambassadors" One member, Mrs. W.M. Petway, was so excited about the new organization that she hurried home to form the first Royal Ambassador chapter in the Southern Baptist Convention, the Carey Newton Chapter of the First Baptist Church, Goldsboro, NC. Within seven months of that meeting, 45 RA chapters had sprung up across the Southern Baptist Convention. Within seven years the organization had formed over 500 chapters with some 4,500 members. 

The program materials were first produced by the WMU and were included in magazine called " Our Mission Fields ".  In 1924 the ranking system was introduced featuring the ranks of Page, Squire and Knight and Ambassador. Two higher ranks Ambassador Extraordinary and Ambassador Plenipotentiary, were added five years later for older boys 13 and older. 

Few things still stir enthusiasm among the boys like Camping. The first RA camp was held at Virginia Beach in 1917.   Within the next 8 years RA camps were being held in Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky.   In 1933 the " Order of Royal Ambassadors celebrate d their 25th anniversary. The organization had grown to 4,369 chapters with 41,864 members. In recognition of the anniversary, M.E. Dodd, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Shreveport Louisiana arranged for a 45 minute coast to coast broadcast, one o f the first major Southern Baptist broadcasts in the history of the convention. 

By 1943, the organization had grown so that a full time convention-wide Royal Ambassador secretary was needed.   J. Ivyloy Bishop was the first WMU employee to fill the position.   He had previously worked as the RA secretary for the Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina states.   He faithfully served until September 1st, 1953. 

The next major event concerning program materials was the creation of "Ambassador Life" , a magazine specifically for Royal Ambassador boys.  The fist issue was printed in June 1946.  Within three years the circulation had risen to 35,897. 

It was not until 1954 that the Women' s Missionary Union proposed that the thrust of leadership and organization of the Royal Ambassadors be turned over to the "Brotherhood Commission" .  At that point in time the participation in the program was 114,974 actual members. In October 1961, the name was officially changed from "Order of Royal Ambassadors" to "Royal Ambassadors".  The current RA Pledge replaced the old RA allegiance, and the motto' s for Crusaders, Pioneers, and Ambassadors were added.   The new program included three age divisions: Crusaders (ages 9-11), Pioneers (12-14), and Ambassadors (15-17).  New program materials were developed.  A new advancement plan and Campcraft program we re added along with Counselor Guides developed for each age group.   In 1970, the responsibility for the " Sunbeam Boy" (ages 6-8) were finally transferred from the WMU over to the Brotherhood Commission.  We now call them the Lads, Lad 1, Lad 2 and Lad 3. The boys were now grouped according to their grade level rather than their ages. The Crusaders included grades 4 through 6.  Pioneers included grades 7-12.