Erica and Pastor Jesse Bradley from Grace Community Church talk about the significance of the “See You at the Pole” event, where students gather at their school’s flagpole to pray. It’s vitally important to be in prayer over our schools, families, and the nation, and the See You At The Pole is inspiring a movement both within and beyond the church.
Click PLAY to dive a little deeper today!
TRANSCRIPTION:
Erica:
Jesus said, for where two or three gathered together as my followers, I am there among them. And his words take on extra special meaning today as we celebrate, See You at the Pole. It’s SPIRIT 1053. I’m Erica with Pastor Jesse Bradley from Grace Community Church in Auburn. I love this day, Pastor Jesse. It’s a chance for students to gather together, to find out who’s a Christian at their school, to just simply go to the flagpole and pray in the name of Jesus. And by the way, good morning.
Pastor Jesse:
Good morning, Erica. It’s so exciting to see students living out their faith, empowered, passionate, uniting together. Listen, we need prayer in our schools. We need prayer in our nation. We need prayer in our families, in our homes. And this is timely.
Erica:
I mean, what is going to happen? What do you believe God will do as a result of all of our students, our kids gathering this morning around the flagpole?
Pastor Jesse:
That’s right. Sometimes God will ask us to take one step of faith, and it might not seem like it’s that much. Gathering around a flagpole to pray, just like he took the five loaves and the two fish and he fed the masses, God cares about every child. God hears their prayers. It’s the great reminder that where we live, work, learn and pray. We can pray, we can gather. We can unite in every situation. It’s what we need right now. So, to be intentional. What the students are doing is inspiring and it’s continued. For years, they probably had no idea when they started it that there’d be a movement. But we need a movement, both within the walls of the church, because we want vibrant ministry in every church, but also beyond the walls of the church to go into our community. And when we take that step of faith, God is with us. God says that when we pray, he’s with us. He also says in James chapter five, “Prayer is powerful,” and if you want to pray along with the students while they’re praying tomorrow, here’s what you can pray. This comes straight from the scripture. Four things, Matthew nine. Jesus said, pray for more laborers, more people that will go out and represent him. Be bold in their faith, and then pray for opportunities. Colossians four, Paul prayed this, that doors would open and he would’ve courage. And then as you pray for those opportunities, pray for boldness with your words. That’s chapter four. And then ask success of the gospel. And that’s what we see in 2 Thessalonians chapter three. So, pray for laborers, opportunities, boldness and success of the gospel, L-O-B-S if you want an acronym, but let’s pray intentionally.
Erica:
That’s awesome. I can hear moms and dads and aunts and uncles and grandmas and grandpas doing that this morning, right along with these brave students. And Pastor Jesse, I remember when I was 16 or 17, I went and prayed at the flagpole and there were a few butterflies. That’s totally normal, right? We’re human.
Pastor Jesse:
That’s it. When people get baptized, they’re always a little scared. It’s both water and in front of people, but then the joy is greater than the fear. And everyone who gets baptized, take that next step. If you put your trust in Jesus, get baptized in water. It’s similar when you share your faith. It’s similar when you gather publicly to pray. Listen, we’re all going to have that initial feeling of being scared, but God doesn’t give us the spirit of timidity, but power and love. His love is greater than the fear. And ultimately, we choose faith over fear. And when we take those actions and we take a risk, listen, relationships are a risk, faith is a risk. We’re not going to take the risk element out, but that’s when we exercise and really grow in our faith. And so many students grow up in a Christian home, but they’re really trying to figure out how to own it. And when they go public, whether it’s baptism, whether it’s on campus, some of them are wearing their crosses, sharing their faith, starting conversations. They are owning their faith, and the next generation is going to run further probably than we’ve run, and they’re living it out in public schools on their campuses. It’s exciting to see.
Erica:
It is an exciting day around the P n W and around the world. Pastor Jesse from Grace Community Church in Auburn and host of The Bonfire podcast, which we love, thank you as always for stopping by.
Pastor Jesse:
Yes. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. That’s true for all of us. And let’s enter in together.
Erica:
Oh, I love it. Pastor Jesse, thank you for being so available and kind. You’re just wonderful.
Pastor Jesse:
Appreciate how you’re inspiring. Just the whole station, everything you bring, the music, the words, we’re thankful and we’re growing in our faith together.
Catch hope & encouragement with Erica on weekday mornings from 5:00 AM – 10:00 AM, and Sundays from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM.
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