Members of Troop Chartered to Buddhist Temple

Earn God and Country Awards

Cerritos Baptist Church located in southern California near Knott’s Berry Farm coordinated God and Country classes for members of a Boy Scout Troop chartered to a Buddhist Temple in Orange County. Classes were voluntary and led by Youth Director Darren Sentani and Junior High Youth leader Damon Gohata. Cerritos Baptist Church is mostly Asian, the majority being Japanese-American.

Paul Shinto, parent of two Boy Scouts and member of Cerritos Baptist Church, was asked by the Troop to organize a Christian class, since they knew he was Christian. Paul worked with his youth ministers to organize classes at his church. One of the boys who signed up for the class had a sister in the Girl scouts who asked to participate. And that’s how Cerritos Baptist Church decided to offer combined Boy Scout and Girl Scout classes. They offered a 10 class course in which the leaders had to start with the basics such as who is God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, what is the Bible and who wrote it, etc. The youth also wrote a few essays on various topics, such as, “What does it mean to be Christian?” and “If God is watching us, why do bad things happen?" Each meeting ended with good food and dessert for all. At the end of the course, leaders Sentani and Gohata presented the recipients with a Study Bible. The Scouts were given their Religious Emblem awards at a special Court of Honor Troop Meeting held at the Buddhist Temple.

When asked about the number of Japanese-Americans who are Christian, Paul responded, “In Japan, only about 2-3 % of the population is Christian. In our local community here in Orange County, I think the numbers are more even as most of the Japanese-Americans are assimilating into the American Culture.”