If you want God in the schools…

Make sure he’s in your home. Pray. Read the Bible. Live a life which exemplifies Jesus.

If you want God in the schools…

Volunteer. Join the PTA. Listen to kids read.

If you want God in the schools…

Share your faith with your neighbors.

If you want God in the schools…

Encourage your kids to become teachers.

If you want God in the schools…

Become a small group leader for your church’s youth group

If you want God in the schools…

Financially support FCA, Partners in Christ, or any Christian-based club/organization

If you want God in the schools…

Pray. Don’t just say you are praying. Actually pray for the advancement of the gospel, the well-being of students, and for the teachers/administrators.

If you want God in the schools…

Learn to share your faith.

If you want God in the schools…

Run for the school board or support someone who currently serves

If you want God in the schools…

Intentionally build relationships with those who don’t know Jesus.

If you want God in the schools…

Recognize he’s never left.

(See: Why We Don’t Need the Ten Commandments on the Wall)

God Is In the Schools

It’s a popular image which circulates on the internet after some tragic event at a school, “Dear God, why do you allow so much violence in schools? Signed, Concerned Student. Dear Student, I’m no longer allowed in schools. Signed, God.” It’s a cute image to like on Facebook after a significant tragedy, making us feel good as we blame others for the evil in the world. The problem is it’s neither productive or true. It’s self-serving, self-congratulating, and self-deceiving. (See: The Best Way to Start the School Day)

It serves us as we blame others for our problems. If others would just become like us, the world would be perfect.

It congratulates us by pretending that we have it all together and we know the simple answers to very complex problems.

It deceives us by making us feel as though we have done something to make the world better, when in reality simply liking a false post is in no way helpful and is actually hurtful.

The truth is that God has never been kicked out of school. He’s there, in:

Teachers who love their students and seek to show the love of Christ to each of their students

Principals who sacrifice in order to lead and teach in the midst of many demands

Paraprofessionals who use their training and skill to help every student

Students who seek to make Jesus known in the midst of everyday life

Parents who pray, volunteer, and serve to give their kids all that they can

God never left the schools. We couldn’t kick him out if we wanted to do so. How powerful do we think we are if we believe we can kick God out of schools? We can’t.

Yet when we deceive ourselves into believing that God is not there, it’s easy to blame every ill on his absence and to miss every action of his presence. When we think God is absent, we don’t recognize the good he is doing. We fail to praise him for his activity. We become fixated on the bad without every realizing the good.

When we think God is absent, we devolve into apathy. If God is present, we can join him in his work. The opportunities are endless when we believe God is near. However, when we wrongly conclude he is absent, we believe there is little we can do until he returns. We fret, but we don’t act.

The sad truth is that secretly, we would rather God be absent and us not to have to do anything than for God to be present which would demand a response from us. But God is not absent.

He is as present at school as he has ever been. So we must act.