Christian Service Brigade.

Organization

Staff Only

Dates

Existence: 1937-

Biographical Statement

The genesis of the Christian Service Brigade can be traced to a Sunday School ministry led by Joseph Coughlin, a Wheaton College Student, in 1937. Coughlin influenced other leaders to adopt his ideas and by 1940 there were 18 groups in the Chicago area. The organization was officially established in 1940.

A key in the continuing success of the program was an influx of funds from the Christian Worker's Foundation and the leadership of Herbert Taylor. Taylor became chairman of the Board of directors in 1943. He recruited Kenneth Hansen to act as general secretary of the organization. Hansen emphasized local church sponsorship of Brigade activities while Coughlin developed literature and program resources.

Christian Service Brigade grew slowly until 1955. In that year Joseph Bubar took charge of the program. Many staff members were added under his direction. Brigade centers were established, giving a regional organization to the movement.

In 1963 a Canadian branch office was opened in Burlington, Ontario. Four years later the Canadian staff began operations under their own license.

A new executive director was appointed in 1970 to replace the retired Bubar. Sam Gray took over an organization with a sizeable debt and a divided leadership. In spite of internal struggles and declining membership new programs were developed. A program for primary-aged boys was undertaken called Tree Climbers was established in 1986. Brigade's ministry expanded its outreach to young adult men, fathers with daughters, and inner-city people.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Collection 264 Records of Pioneer Ministries

Collection

Identifier: CN 264

Scope and Contents Correspondence, reports, photos, slides, tapes, curriculum materials, manuals, etc., relating to the work of the PM (formerly Pioneer Girls) in North American Churches. Materials document PM's early history, camping program (philosophy and history of Camp Cheriths and reference materials used to operate a camp and train camp staff), communications functions depicting the variety of tools used to communicate news and information to participants in its programs, orientation materials for field...

Dates: Created: 1939-1983

Found in: Evangelism & Missions Archives / Collection 264 Records of Pioneer Ministries

Herbert J. Taylor Papers

Collection

Identifier: CN 020

Brief Description Correspondence, photographs, reports, publications, posters, minutes of meetings, and other documentation of Herbert J. Taylor's long involvement in the leadership of such organizations as Child Evangelism, Youth for Christ, Christian Service Brigade, Pioneer Girls, Young Life, National Association of Evangelicals, Fuller Seminary, Christian Workers Foundation, and Inter-Varsity as well as his role in the planning and development of Billy Graham's Chicago crusades and of Key '73. Other...

Dates: Created: Ca. 1916-1979

Found in: Evangelism & Missions Archives / Herbert J. Taylor Papers

Filtered By

Subject: Youth -- Religious life. X

Archives of Wheaton College