One million students across the United States and countries worldwide observed the annual “See You at the Pole” prayer on school campuses Wednesday morning, September 27th.
The theme of this year’s SYATP event was “Fix Our Eyes,” which is taken from Hebrews 12:2, which speaks of Christians “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Doug Clark, national field director for the National Network of Youth Ministries, which is involved in SYATP, said that the theme was chosen in response to the many distractions people have in life. “Like those who were following Christ in the first century, there are plenty of distractions for students and adults: political and cultural conflict, the recent hurricanes, and much more,” explained Clark. “Only as we ‘Fix Our Eyes’ on Jesus will we find peace and have the opportunity to be a part of the solution instead of the problems in our country and world.”
Launched by a small group of teenagers in Burleson, Texas, in 1990, SYATP has blossomed into a widely observed event with participants throughout the U.S. and other countries.
While the event has received some push back from those who question its legality, in 1995 the ACLU noted that the SYATP observance is constitutional. “School officials, acting in an official capacity, may neither discourage nor encourage participation in such an event.”
“God is continuing to call His people to repentance and prayer. Countless inspiring testimonies of how He has used See You at the Pole to bring students to Christ and to change lives affirm God’s power to answer those who cry out to Him in humble dependence,” the organizers say.