I know...I misspelled "pole" but it was intentional. This annual event which draws students to their school flagpoles for prayer every September is quite a good thing...on the surface. But what I'm wondering this morning (as I wait to attend a rally due to a 2-hr school delay) is what the majority of students at the high schools and middle schools think about this event. One of the points made in a good book I'm reading about 7 Effective Practices of Ministry is that you need to look at your church, ministry, or organization through the eyes of an outsider. In youth ministry, that's the majority of each school's student population.
So if we were to take a poll...regarding this pole-praying-practice...would we find the opinions of 'insiders' vs. 'outsiders' to be extremely polarized??
I think so. I'm not saying that See You At The Pole is a bad thing...or that students shouldn't gather for this annual prayer event. But it's just an event. I'd rather see ten students living out the values and lifestyle of Christ than two hundred praying at a flagpole. Again, I'm not trying to be cynical about a valuable expression of Christian devotion in the lives of students. I just don't think the third Wednesday in September is any more crucial for students to live out their faith than the second or fourth Wednesday of any other month.
1 comment:
Hello Bean:
I am sorry to have such a delayed response in getting back to you, but I don't check my own blag very much (www.d-hughes.blogspot.com). Thanks for the encouraging words and the compliment on the nice fish. I live in Chico, CA (about 2.5 hours north of SF). We have some great fishing here. In case you are interested I am starting a new blog called "Gradient Thought" (www.gradientthought.blogspot.com). It is in development, which like may own personal life, may take a while to find its completed form. But keep checking in now and then. I like what you have to say here t oo. Blessings. David Hughes.
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