See You at The Pole

Millions of students and adults across the world will stop to pray for their schools, fellow students, teachers and administrators on Wed., Sept. 25 during “See You at the Pole.” The 24th annual prayer emphasis comes amid the Global Week of Student Prayer, Sept. 22-28.

The theme of SYATP this year is “#IFTHEN. If we pray, seek, turn; then God hears, forgives, heals,” based on 2 Chron. 7:14.

“SYATP is one of the most evangelistic things we support as a convention, outside of Falls Creek and Vacation Bible School,” said Andy Harrison, Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma (BGCO) Falls Creek program director. “Each year, well more than half of our associations receive funds made available through our state missions offering to help them conduct evangelistic rallies before, during, or just after SYATP. Hundreds of students come to know Christ at these rallies each September.

“The investment student ministries make into SYATP extends beyond a single day prayer event, it is a life altering call to remember God and commit your life to Him. It a clarion shout out from every school campus into every community that there is a God Who loves them and has worked, and is working still, on their behalf.”

“SYATP is designed to be a student-led initiative. That’s what makes it a worthwhile effort,” added Todd Sanders, BGCO Falls Creek program associate. “It is a great way for students to gather and pray with their friends in a public way and work together.

“There are a number of ways to get involved, and adults should be willing to help in any way they can to make SYATP a significant experience on a campus in their area by providing food, funding, prayer support and follow up support.

“It is always exciting to see students take a stand together on their campus. It might even be the first time a student has ever even taken a public stand in their faith and identified themselves as a follower of Christ. It is an example that should encourage, inspire and challenge those who do.”

Ed Newton, staff evangelist at Central Fla., First and executive director of the LIFT TOUR for Student Leadership University in Orlando, said, “Prayer is more than a practice. It’s a posture of life that infuses the power of the Kingdom of God into the here and now. Prayer is more about God getting His will in us than getting God to work for us.”

Newton will lead a SYATP pre-rally at 7 p.m., Sept. 22 in Minco.

Some of the special events in
Oklahoma this year include:

• Senior Adult SYATP event at Tenkiller Baptist Assembly in Cookson, beginning with a free breakfast at 9:30 a.m. in the Assembly dining hall. A program titled “Faith, Family and Freedom” will begin at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call Kerry White at 918/571-8391, email kerry@tenkillerbaptistassembly.org.

• Arbuckle Association “Saw You at the Pole,” at Wacker Park in Pauls Valley, beginning with free pizza at 6:30 p.m., followed by worship service at 7. Speakers Zane and Kandy Newton, with music by the Logan Walter Band. For more information, call 405/238-9365.

• Durant: “Saw You at the Pole” Rally, Sept. 25, Durant, First.

“This is a large evangelistic rally held in Southeastern Oklahoma State’s new basketball arena—New Bloomer Sullivan,” said Garry McNeill, youth minister at Durant, First. “The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with the Skit Guys presenting the message and Denver Duncan leading worship. We anticipate more than 20 churches represented and perhaps 1,500 people in attendance.”

• Beaver: Rallies for youth at the school at 7 a.m. and for adults at the courthouse at 7:30. Beaver, First hosts “See You at the Dunes” youth party at 6 p.m.

“We are doing our rally at the Beaver Sand Dunes, a local sand dunes park where people can bring their ATVs to ride in the sand,” said Youth Director Kevin Slough. “It will be a rally/fellowship for the Panhandle Area. We are going to have plenty of activities and fellowship including playing in the sand, volleyball, horseshoes, basketball and a cookout.

“Afterwards, we will have a few students from each town to give a report/testimony about their see you at the pole event at their school and what God showed them during their time of prayer.”

Other Associational/church rallies:

Atoka-Coal: Atoka, First; Coalgate High School Auditorium.

Banner: Lovelady Church.

Beckham Mills: Susan Powell Auditorium, Elk City, 7 p.m.

Bryan: Southeastern Oklahoma State University Arena, Durant.

Caddo: Anadarko, First.

Capital: Choctaw, First.

Central: Kingfisher, First.

Cherokee Strip: Pond Creek High School, 5:30-9 p.m.; Pawnee, First (Pre-rally); Yale Public Schools (Pre-rally Sept. 21).

Cimarron: Perkins-Tryon Schools (Pre-rally also
on Sept. 22).

Comanche-Cotton: Sterling, First.

Concord-Kiowa: Cordell, First.

Craig-Mayes: Pryor High School.

Enon: First United Methodist Church.

Frisco: Valliant, First.

Johnston-Marshall: Madill, Oakview.

LeFlore: Reynolds Center, Poteau.

Mullins: Duncan High School.

Muskogee: Civic Center.

North Canadian: Okmulgee, First, 6:30 p.m.

Pott-Lincoln: Chandler High School; Meeker,
Morning Star.

Salt Fork: Lahoma, 5 p.m.

Sans Bois: Quinton School Gym

Southwest: Altus City Park.

Tulsa Metro: Tulsa, First; Sand Springs United
Methodist Family Life Center.

Union: Moore, Regency Park.

Washington/Osage: Pawhuska High School football field; Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

A list of evangelistic rallies can be found online at http://skopos.org/syatp/#/syatp/find-a-rally. If your area is not listed, check with your associational office or other churches take part in an evangelistic rally near you.

SYATP rallies are one of more than 20 vital programs funded by the Edna McMillan Oklahoma State Missions Offering, which helps dedicate monies to help associations with the rallies, enabling groups to book a venue, a speaker and more for the rallies. For more information, visit www.bgco.org/smoor call 405/942-3800.