Student Led Prayer Goes Global with See You At The Pole

22 September 2010

FAITH:  Students lead prayer before class at Lindale High School in Texas as part of  the global "See You At The Pole" prayer rally on Wednesday morning. National event supporters - such as Student Discipleship Ministries - hoped that more than three million students would participate internationally in the prayer time. Almost 300 students participated in Lindale - a town of only 4,500 - local student leaders estimated, making it the largest SYATP gathering ever held at the school.

 By PATRICK  BUTLER

ResonateNews.com

     The “Global Day of Student Prayer,” See You At The Pole" prayer rally for Christian youth was held early Wednesday morning. The faith-touchstone event for Jr. high and high school youth is now in its 20^th year after a strong start by students in Burleson, Texas.

  In 1990 more than 56,000 students joined in student-led prayers prior to school classes at campus flagpoles in four states, said information from See You At The Pole. Youth group students in Burleson - who had conceived of the event while in “intense prayer” - shared their idea of youth praying at their school flagpoles while attending a large youth conference in June of 1990. Students throughout Texas and in three other states joined in the first morning's, “cry to God for his Spirit to move” through their campus.

   “This event today is all about students praying and asking God to reveal himself,” said the See You At The Pole Web site. The prayer time, “can provide powerful connections to pray and reach out (to fellow students) all year long.”

    National level event "supporters" - who underscored that they are not organizers -  hoped that up to three million students would participate world-wide. Students at each school are responsible to organize, publicize and run the event, eliminating the need for a central authority to control outcomes or prayers.

     This year’s  theme, suggested by event supporters for 2010’s SYATP was “Reveal” after a scripture found in the Book of Matthew, 6:9-13 which is commonly called, “The Lord’s Prayer.”  In the prayer led by Christ himself, Jesus teaches his disciples to ask for and extend forgiveness, not be led into temptation and that God’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

     Last year’s theme was “Engage; Go and Pray” taken from 2 Kings 22:13A, “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for all the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book…”

    Organizational supporters from Student Discipleship Ministries, headquartered in San Diego, Calif.  said it was possible three million students worldwide would participate in today’s prayer opportunity due to the popularity of the event among students.  The National Network of Youth Ministries and the Baptist General Convention of Texas are also named as supporters of See You At The Pole.

     In Texas, the origin of the event, nearly 300 students gathered at the high school flagpole in little Lindale, Texas, an East Texas town of about 4,500 people. It was the largest participation by students since Lindale's first SYATP rally, said youth pastor Chad McElyea of Lindale’s Central Baptist Church.

   “More than 280 showed up, I know,” McElyea said, who joined 15 youth from his church at the rally. “They were coming and going as they arrived for class, so the number attending goes up and down. I’m here to support them,” he said, waving his hand towards larger groups of youth, many standing, holding hands and praying, “but they were the ones that organized this. There are youth groups from all over the area represented here.” 

    In the spirit of cooperation, youth pastors from New Harmony Baptist Church, First United Methodist Church, Prairie Creek Fellowship and Grace Community Church, all of the Lindale area joined McElyea in supporting all-local youth.

  Students, who ended the rally by crushing together in a big circle and cheering the name of Jesus, seemed excited at the idea of how their faith would help their school mates.

  Senior  Kade Foil, 17, said, “I’m so ready for this school to set on fire spiritually for God,” he said. “There are so many (students) I see that need the love of God. I just came today to pray that we are not too scared to share that love, or too quick to please the flesh when we get down but make the Spirit of God first. Let God take you through the hard times, and don’t turn to drugs when you’re sad or alone.”

  Senior Andrea Crawley said with a big smile,  “A personal relationship with Jesus is so fulfilling – the worship, the praise, the peace – I don’t know how to describe it when you are in love with Jesus - but it just gets me ready to face whatever is coming at me today.”

  Visit the Web at syatp.com for information.