As I prepare this bimonthly blog as pastor of Saloma Baptist Church, our local schools and area colleges and universities have begun the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. Our congregation is also a week into what we call a “Season of Prayer for Our Schools.” Purpose of this special season of prayer is to focus attention upon the importance of education to the growth and development of our children and young people, to the preparation of the next generation of Christian servant leaders in their chosen fields of service, and to the future of our community, state, nation, and world.
At Saloma Baptist Church, we are praying for all involved with our educational institutions – parents, grandparents, and guardians; faculty members; staff members; administrators; all others involved – from the custodial staff to the bus drivers to the school resource officers who are placed in most schools for the safety and security of all to the family resource center staff who minister to students in terms of physical and social needs; and, yes, above all, we are praying for the children, youth, and young adults, as well as all ages, who are involved as learners.
Specific areas of emphasis for our prayer include: praying by name for all individuals that we know who are involved in education; praying for their safety and security during this school year; praying for the important role of parents, grandparents, and guardians in the educational process; praying for the teachers and assistant teachers who stand in the gap each and every day with the learners in their classroom; praying for the administrators who are working to make sure that every component of education is operating at optimum; praying for all the staff, as listed above, who play such crucial roles in the education enterprise; praying for the academic growth and social development of those who are students; praying for the ability of and opportunities for Christian faculty, staff, and students to share the love of Christ in word and in deed to others; praying for the many adults in the educational process who serve as mentors to their students and who, in some cases, must serve as primary advocates for students who may not be able to speak up for their own interests or who do not have parents, grandparents, or guardians who are able to provide support and advocacy. I ask you this important question – will you join us in this ongoing Season of Prayer – not just during the next month or few weeks, but throughout the academic year and into the future. Most students spend more time with their teachers and educators than they do in active interaction (not counting the time they are sleeping) with any other group of people during the average school week. And we should remember to pray for those college and university students who are away from home for the first time as they begin their postsecondary careers.
Saloma Baptist Church is blessed to have several people involved in the educational process within the ranks of our members and friends. We have teachers, administrators, school staff, and students of various ages, as well as parents, grandparents, and guardians. From our local public schools to Campbellsville University, SBC members are engaged in the educational process. Saloma Baptist Church has long been involved in the support of education – we have supported the local Christian school, Kentucky Christian Academy, for 30 plus years. We support and affirm those who choose to home school their children – with adequate accountability for the young person’s educational progress. We support various projects and activities for our local public schools – Project Graduation, backpacks via the Family Resource Centers, joining with other churches in the community a few years ago to help provide a package of school supplies for the year for every student in the Campbellsville and Taylor County school systems, Fellowship of Christian Athletes projects, our local city police department’s outreach to the schools, and honoring our graduates annually at various levels of educational completion. There is no contradiction between the Christian faith and the cause of educational attainment. And a part of the mission of the local church is to be an advocate for the engagement of Christians in all sectors of the educational process including public schools and for the welfare of all children and young people.
Let me close with an important thought. It is fashionable in many political and social circles to blame public schools for all the social and moral woes of our culture. This really is not a valid charge in my opinion. While there are always situations in the educational process that we, at any point in time, might be concerned about, the truth is that our schools in general do a very good job in educating our children and young people. Many of those issues that we criticize the public schools for are areas that involve shortcomings of the home and the church. Let me repeat that for the importance of emphasis: We blame the public schools in particular, the educational system in general, for problems and issues that are largely caused by the failures and shortcomings of the family and, yes, even the church. Perhaps in a later blog, I will delve into this in a more detailed manner. But the decline of the other basic institutions of our culture cannot singly be overcome by the educational institutions. Take some time and consider that point.
I am thankful for our schools, educators, students, parents, and guardians, and all those who accept a calling to be involved in the education of the next generation of servant leaders. God bless you and keep you.