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KOZ

Frequently Asked Questions

Outdoor Adventure Ministry for Boys

KOZ Mission Statement

KOZ is a ministry that uses hunting, fishing and outdoor adventure as a tool to mentor to boys. We train men in churches to role model and disciple the boys that are in their churches and communities through the KOZ outdoor adventure curriculum.

KOZ groups are organized and led by the men of a particular church. KOZ provides the training and materials each month for the leaders to use. This is not an assignment for a pastor, it is the laymen of the church who facilitate the KOZ program.

Statistic tell us that kids today spend 40 minutes a week outside, 70 hours a week looking at a screen on some type of electronics. Many men are bound inside because of their jobs. We know that time outdoors is not only healthy but it is a crucial element that Jesus, His Father and the Holy Spirit use to teach life and heart skills. It is a win, win for God, the outdoors and those who choose to “walk uneven ground.”

Every boys finds their stride in KOZ. Many “inside boys” dearly need and want to be taught the outdoor lessons but don’t know how, are afraid of the new experience or have not been encouraged and supported to “try outside.” KOZ’s motto is “No Kid Left Inside.”

The KOZ program began because of the need for fatherless boys to have male role models. Today boys of all backgrounds come and share in the outdoor adventures, God’s message and the friendships that come from the outdoor experiences.

The outside is a place every boy comes from, it is deep and real and true. Take away the electronics, the peer pressure, the false fronts and they are open to God through the outdoors. Boys and the men are designed for outdoor expression, movement and hands on learning.

“It’s a sin to bore a kid with the gospel.” Jim Rayborn Jr., Founder of Young Life.

Men and boys make up the primary program of KOZ. It would be inappropriate for a girl or woman to participate in a KOZ Boys group or outing. Boys learn lessons the leaders are charged with teaching in ways only a man can teach them. The training of KOZ is specifically designed for boys and men. ( Watch this Video Power Point on KOZ with girls – KOZ Pink.

KOZ is very interested in taking care of boys and their needs however the curriculum does not work well with younger boys. We have seen amazing things happen in boys who had to “wait” to be old enough to participate.

No. KOZ is not a place where volunteers get to hunt and fish while on outings. Leaders and volunteers are discouraged to be the hunter or fisherman when with the boys. The focus on all outings with the boys is  the boys.

KOZ provides certified training for the men at each church. Each group should be lead by a certified trained KOZ adult. Each volunteer is encouraged to train at some point but this does not mean that ever volunteer is trained. Each church assumes responsibility of their KOZ group leaders, volunteers and their program.

The kids who come to KOZ do not have to belong to the host church. As a matter of fact, they don’t have to go to church at all. It is not and should not be used as a recruitment tool for specific churches. Requiring KOZ kids to attend a specific church or any church is a violation of the KOZ guidelines. Obviously, the KOZ leaders would love to have them!

Sure. KOZ holds training classes across the country or you can bring in TJ Greaney, the founder of KOZ, or other KOZ instructors to train the men in your church. For details and more information contact KOZ National office at 512-292-1113.

KOZ Statement of Faith and Foundation

God

We believe that there is one true, perfect God. God eternally exists as one God in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin, Mary. He lived a perfect, sinless life on earth and was obedient to God the Father. He voluntarily paid the price for the sins of all people by dying on the cross as our substitute. After His death, He was raised to life with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. Jesus then ascended into heaven and is now at the right hand of God where He is the only mediator between God and man.

Holy Spirit

Once we enter into a personal relationship with God, through faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to permanently reside (indwell) within each believer. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and is thus fully and eternally God. The role of the Holy Spirit is helping us understand the Bible, convicting us of wrong and sin, giving us confidence in God, and enabling us to help others.

The Bible

We believe that the Bible is God’s Word to us. The Bible was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is in essence, God’s manual for our lives.

Salvation

We believe that salvation is the major theme of God’s revelation in the Bible. In the Bible, we discover that throughout history man has been made right with God on the basis of faith. In the Old Testament, this faith looked forward to the coming of Christ, who would provide the ultimate payment for sin. Because of His great love for us, God provided forgiveness and eternal life through his Son, Jesus. When a person places their faith in Jesus Christ as the forgiver of their sins, they receive salvation as a free gift. This is the most important decision we will ever make in our life.

The Church

The result of accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is that we become a part of His body, or “the Church” universal. The Church universal is not limited by denominations, but is limited only by whether or not we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ.

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