The first rally was held in 1990 in Burleson, Texas just outside Fort Worth. Students from one Southern Baptist church felt a burden for their school and community. They decided to meet early one morning around their school flag pole for a time of prayer. This one single event held by a group of Southern Baptist young people, responding in obedience to God's Spirit moving them to prayer, has ushered in a time of spiritual revival for Christian students as far away as Eastern Europe and as close as Huntington, Indiana. God has moved miraculously in the lives of hundreds of thousands of students since that time, mobilizing them to accept the challenge to take their campuses for Christ.

If you are a student, please find out when other students plan to meet on September 20th and join them in prayer at your flag pole.

If you are the parent of a youth, please encourage your student to participate in the rally at their school. The encouragement which comes from joining together with other Christian students in prayer may be the motivation they need to help them walk boldly for Christ throughout the year.

For all members of the church family, remember to be in prayer for our local students and schools on this day, and for all students around the world.

Remember also to pray for the students in Fort Worth, Texas, and especially for those from the Wedgewood Baptist Church youth group. This year's rally will mark the one year anniversary of the tragic shooting which took place at their church at a SYATP celebration. This time of celebration and sharing at the close of the day will once again be held at Wedgewood Baptist Church. The reminders of last year's tragedy will undoubtedly be painful memories. Pray that God will continue to protect and to heal.

Dr. Karen Jones
Huntington College
Huntington, Indiana

printed by permission