In 1990, in Burleson, Texas, a group of high school kids met up at the flagpole at their school and joined hands and hearts in prayer. Nearly two decades later, what started with that single gathering of students has become a mass movement of Christian young people who annually join together as a force of Christian believers across the world.
On Wednesday, Sept. 24, students in all 50 states will participate in See You at the Pole gatherings at their schools, along with students in Australia and Canada. Last year, more than two million American teens participated in See You at the Pole, said the San Diego-based National Network of Youth Ministries, which coordinates the event.
This student-initiated program has kids meeting up at public and Christian school flagpoles at 7 a.m., to beseech God to intercede on behalf of their leaders, their teachers and their families. They also pray that God will bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campus and on campuses everywhere.
I Samuel 3:10 ("Speak, for your servant is listening") is the theme of See You at the Poll. I believe it is a fitting verse for young Christians seeking to hear from God while they exist in a culture that increasingly promotes immorality, sexual ambivalence and situational ethics.
I'm sure there are young people who think, I'd like to participate at my school's See You at the Pole meeting, but some kids in my classes will make fun of me.
So what! Seriously, there is no greater privilege than being hassled or made fun or because of your relationship with Jesus Christ. Plus, See You at the Pole is a great way to get to know other Christian kids and become united with them.
Any kids interested in organizing a See You at the Pole meeting can find details at the website.
On a somewhat related note, this week a federal court ruled in favor of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Virginia, or CEF, in their suit against the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, which had implemented a discriminatory policy by charging CEF a fee for holding after-school meetings at area schools. The system had applied no charge for use of the facilities to secular groups such as the Boy Scouts and others.
Time after time, school districts learn the hard way that they cannot classify Christian kids into one category and all other students into another. Liberty Counsel, which represented CEF in this case, has obtained victories for the organization in numerous instances.
Mathew Staver, Liberty Counsel's founder and dean of Liberty University School of Law, said, "Good News Clubs are good news for kids. Every public school ought to have one."
And he's right. However, many public schools have separated church and state to an extent never intended by the founders. And yet if ever there were a time that our public schools needed to embrace kids who pray and live honorable lives, it is now.
But the secularist indoctrinators in our nation ignore our rich Judeo-Christian history. They disregard the fact that there was a time not so long ago that our public schools cheerfully promoted the Ten Commandments and utilized lessons steeped in Bible truths. Our students then were smarter, wiser and more prepared to enter the workplace. But that doesn't seem to matter today.
Many years ago, my Dad promoted a bumper sticker that read simply: "Kids need to pray." And they still do, even though it's not the popular thing to do.
I pray the millions of kids who unite around our nations flagpoles on Sept. 24 will be emboldened to become intrepid representatives of Christ in their classes and their communities. Our nation needs you!
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