Millions of students across the nation, as well as students in our city and county, will gather for prayer at their school flagpoles on Wednesday morning, September 27, before classes begin. They will join hands and hearts to pray for their friends, teachers, schools, government and their nation.

“See You At The Pole,” described as a student-led, student-organized event, began in 1990 with a small group of teenagers in the Ft. Worth suburb of Burleson, Texas. The group took their idea to other schools in Texas and challenged 20,000 students at a youth rally in Dallas to pray at their schools.

The first year 45,000 students met at their flagpoles, and the next year one million gathered to pray. Participation in the annual event has grown to more than three million students in all 50 states, in addition to students from 20 countries. “See You At The Pole, according the website www.syatp.com, involves students in elementary schools, middle/junior high schools, high schools and colleges/universities.

This year’s theme, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!” reminds students to place the focus of their hearts only on Christ and is based on Hebrews 12:1-3, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of god. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

During the ten to fifteen minute event before school starts the morning of September 27, students who choose to attend are asked to pray for God to bring moral and spiritual awakening to their campus and country.

According to the San Diego-based National Network of Youth Ministries, who coordinates the promotion of SYATP, “Every year, we have seen this day serve as a springboard for unity among teenagers.”

Organizers say that “See You At The Pole” isn’t about which grade a student is in or what church he or she attends. It’s not a political rally or a stand for or against anything. It’s about coming together to pray.

Facing the peer pressure to try alcohol and drugs, students need prayer to stand strong against temptations to these addictions – not just through their own prayers. This generation of young people needs our prayers too.

Most of their music tells them to be promiscuous, risking STD’s and unplanned pregnancies. Some songs, movies, and video games encourage violent behavior, so is it any wonder we‘ve witnessed the tragic shootings on campuses in recent years?

On Wednesday morning, September 27, when students gather to pray around their flagpoles, let’s join our hearts with them and pray for our children, their teachers and their schools.

 

– Jan White is an award-winning religion columnist. She can be reached at jwhite@andycable.com.