Features

Faith at the agpole: Students across Oklahoma gather to pray in person, online

>> by Chris Forbes

STAFF WRITER

Early on the morning of Sept. 23, students across the state assembled around their school ag poles and computer monitors to pray together for the 30th annual See You at the Pole (SYATP) gathering.

“SYATP began in 1990, when a small group of high school students in Texas felt led by the Lord to pray for their schools,” Brian Baldwin, Oklahoma Baptists student missions and evangelism ministry partner, explained. “God gave them compassion for their lost classmates who needed to know Christ. They determined that their school’s ag pole would be the best gathering place to pour out their hearts to God.

“Little did they know that it would lead to a movement in the years that followed, involving thousands of groups of Christian students doing the same thing,” Baldwin continued. “This year, SYATP provided a great opportunity not only for students, but for churches to unite and support this student-led movement. It is important for the unity and prayer emphasis around SYATP to spill out into our churches.”

Many student pastors and church youth leaders realized there were challenges to planning this year’s SYATP gatherings because of COVID-19 protocols. Thankfully, they were pleased with the results.

“In the midst of everything, I was still blown away at how many students showed up,” said Stuart Tilley, youth pastor at Durant, First.

“I think it is awesome to see students come together as one body of believers to pray for each other, their school and their nation,” said Jonathan Chambers, Woodward, First youth pastor.

JoLee Guthrie-Denton, a Woodward High School senior, agreed that the value of the prayer gathering is bringing Christian unity to those who participate.

“See You at the Pole is important because it brings together our school that is normally divided and separated o into groups,” she said. “This morning during worship and prayer, we were not looking at each other as ‘the star football player’ or the ‘dance team captain,’ but we saw each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, and God alone provides that unity.“

Nick Burch eld, a Minco High School senior, said the event also had evangelistic potential. “SYATP is cool because it can help start Gospel conversations,

Barnes believes that the Holy Spirit will work more e ectively if people can come and let down their guard. They don’t need to keep up a façade that all is as it should be.

The primary way that Thrive holds this focus on relational life and mission is through missional communities. The missional community model is not a quick way to start, but it’s likely the best way to build a core team of leaders committed to the vision of a new church.

“I’m glad we started with missional communities,” Barnes said. “It has fed into so many things, like a strong core and launch team. We’ve seen lives transform through it.” In time, this process led to having a strong public launch during a pandemic.

For launch day, Barnes was not sure who would show up. He thought that prior to this, he might have 25 or more on his launch team with maybe 75 or more people at the rst public service.

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>> PHOTOS: PROVIDED 1) A Durant High School student leads others in prayer at the See You At the Pole gathering; 2) Plainview High School football players practice social distancing as they pray at the student-led meeting.

emotional stress from isolation and then prayed together. Given and it helps believers refocus on the fact that school how isolated they’ve been, this might have been is one of the best places that they can share the love better for them at this season of their lives.” of Christ.” Garry McNeill senior pastor at Durant, First, said

Not all Oklahoma schools were able to allow stu- the value of the event is that it gives students an opdents to gather at their ag poles. Some schools portunity to fellowship with other Christian youth. were not meeting for in-person classes due to “See You at the Pole is a special time each year COVID-19 protocols. Students who were not able to because it allows students to identify with othmeet in person, instead had a creative way to gath- er believers in a strong and uni ed way at their er online. schools,” McNeill said. “Several di erent students

Drew McElhaney, student pastor at Hennessey, were involved in the planning of the events that First, gave details on how SYATP was observed in were held at multiple schools in Durant and the his community. surrounding area.”

“SYATP went sideways for us this year,” McElhan- McNeill pointed out that, even though there were ey explained. “We were asked by the school to not in-person SYATP gatherings in the state, students do it (Sept. 23) because of some virus cases that were careful to practice social distancing protocols. popped up (recently). They had not yet completed “Because of COVID-19 concerns, there was an emcontact tracing and thought it best to not gather. I phasis on keeping the gatherings to less than 15 get it, but nobody can cancel prayer. We did an Ins- minutes and on physical distancing,” he said. “As a tagram prayer challenge this morning and will have result, there was no hugging, small prayer huddles a prayer time tonight at Midweek. I was proud of with students arm in arm and no holding hands. our students for publicly sharing their prayers on We continue to ask God to guide us through these social media.” challenging times.”

Scott Cross, youth minister at Norman, Immanuel, Youth leaders have already seen more spiritual observed the bene ts of the online prayer gatherings. clarity result from prayer gatherings.

“In the past, our students have always gone to “I’ve had a lot of conversations with students over the poles at their respective schools in Norman, but the past couple years who were confused about we’re usually the only church in the area that partic- the Gospel,” Chambers said, “because so many felipates, so they’ve often been the only person(s) at low Christians at school want to have theological their respective school’s pole praying,” Cross said. and doctrinal debates with them. Today there was “This year, Norman is virtual only and don’t actual- none of that. No divisive theological debates; only ly have classes on Wednesdays, so we did a prayer unity in fervent prayer to our Savior.” breakfast at the church for them instead. We let For more information about See You at the Pole

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them have some hangout time as well to help with visit syatp.com.

As it turned out, there were 45 people on his launch team with 95 percent of them having been involved in missional community. There was a total of 131 in attendance at the service with more than 900 views online.

Barnes said that they invested quite a lot into technology, perhaps even 60 percent of their budget. Having a quality online ministry is important, given the current circumstances. Eighty percent of those who attended the preview service had not been to church since the Coronavirus shutdown.

“Live stream and kids’ ministry are the two things today that a church must do to be successful,” Barnes said. At the close of the service, three people made professions of faith in Christ; seven wanted to join a missional community, and four volunteered to serve.

When asked what is one piece of advice that he would give to a prospective church planter, Barnes re ected, “I did not realize how much church planting is a work of prayer. It has been the only thing that really works. The best way we have gotten people to community is to pray for them.”

Barnes was quick to add how important it is to not try to plant alone. The church would not have started if it were not for Yukon, Canadian Valley, Thrive’s sending church, and Claremore, First, along with support from Capital Association.

As part of the church planting strategy of multiplication, new church plant Enid, Open Door, which celebrated its second anniversary on the same day, is a partner church as well. Woodward, Ascent, another plant that celebrated its one-year anniversary on the same day, is a supporting church.

For those interested in learning how to become a sending or partner church, or to be involved directly in church planting, contact Send Network Oklahoma at oklahomabaptists.org/send-network.

Oklahoma Baptist DR shares the Gospel, sees lives changed CLASSIFIE >> by Chris Doyle DS NEWS & CULTURE As they were serving a home in Lake

MANAGING EDITOR Charles, David and Brenda met a woman who was so appreciative of what DR could do to

LAKE CHARLES, La.—Oklahoma Baptist help her and her husband. Brenda said the Disaster Relief (DR) continues to help those woman feared their house would never get who were a ected by recent hurricanes. In repaired or yard would never get cleaned beVOICES the weeks many Southern Baptist DR volunteers served in the aftermath of Hurricane cause her husband has health issues and not able to do most of the work himself. Laura, more than 350 people made profes- Brenda listened as the woman spoke. She sions of faith in Christ. then found an opportunity to share the Gos“Meeting people in their brokenness gives opportunity for advancing the Gospel,” said >> PHOTO: PROVIDED Pastor Rusty McMullen, right, of McAlester, First and a group of DR volunteers pose with David, center red shirt, who made of pel with her. Near the end of their conversation, David joined them when Brenda asked Rusty McMullen, pastor of McAlester, First. profession of faith in Christ. if the woman would pray and make a profes“That’s what Disaster Relief does primarily. It sion of faith in Christ. The woman was willing. opens the door for people in the middle of their tions and dealing with the fear of the hurricane. Af- Just as they were about to pray, the woman’s hurt and pain and di culty to be able to come in and ter they connected, McMullen shared the Gospel husband returned to the house. At rst the Rossmeet needs physically. As you meet needs physically with David who prayed and made a profession of es weren’t sure if they should go ahead and pray or it opens the door to talk about the Gospel.” faith in Christ. wait for the husband. They chose to wait and allow

McMullen and a group of six men from his church “This has changed my life,” David said. “What him to participate. Both the man and the woman spent a week in Lake Charles, partnering with a group you guys have done, not only in your work but also prayed and made professions of faith in Christ. “They from Claremore, First with Danny Cotner and Randy what you’ve done in sharing the truth of the Gospel were joyful about their decisions,” Brenda said. Swift working as the Blue Caps (DR team leaders). with me has changed me.” There are many other stories of DR volunteers

“What we said from day one is the reason we are McMullen said David began to weep while they serving and advancing the Gospel. All of this is poshere is to share the Gospel,” McMullen said about were praying, and the new believer in Christ was sible because of churches serving together and givserving with DR chainsaw teams. “We were con- overcome with joy. “It was a beautiful picture of the ing through the Cooperative Program. stantly looking for opportunities. We worked on 15 Gospel moving in his heart,” McMullen said. “As you take part together in the Gospel advance, it homes during the ve days we were there, and at David and Brenda Ross, members of Broken Arrow, binds us together in recognizing that our Cooperative every single home, minus one, we got to share the First, work as a team when they serve through DR. Program dollars go an extra step by helping us to be Gospel with the homeowner.” David is an assessor, nding out how much damage on the eld,” McMullen said. “In circumstances such

While they were cleaning a yard, a neighbor named is at a house and what DR needs to do for clean-up. as these, we know Disaster Relief would not exist if it David came over to talk with McMullen and his team While he is making his assessment, Brenda works as weren’t for the cooperation of the churches. It all hapmembers. The DR volunteers explained to David why a chaplain, connecting with the homeowner. pens because we are able to join together in Cooperthey came from Oklahoma to serve hurricane victims. “Anytime we go out, we pray that doors will be ative Program gifts and also physically work together.”

McMullen said David told them he “rode out the opened to share the Gospel,” Brenda said about how For more information on Oklahoma Baptist Distorm” in his house, experiencing all kinds of emo- she and David serve in a ected areas. saster Relief, visit okdisasterhelp.org.