This past week I was conducting an interview for the local newspaper, The Tennessean. As the reporter and I talked, he made an interesting statement, "that God was no longer allowed in schools." I have been in multiple meetings and even listened to other press try to push this agenda. However, like I did with this conversation, I whole-heartedly disagreed with this thought.
Schools, like churches, are made up of people. If there were no students to teach, then there would be no reason for the school building. The same goes for a church, you can call the building a church all you want, it is only when praying and believing people fill it up that it becomes the Church. The brick and mortar simply provide a meeting place or a tool to make it happen. So what happens when those same praying and believing people fill their school? Well no doubt God is found there, too.
I am very aware of the legal implications associated with saying God is in our schools. I can quote much of the law that is written regarding the Separation of Church and State or the Equal Access Law of 1984 (just a couple of the many rulings about God and the school system). Yet, no law has the authority or ability to remove the presence of God from any building containing two or more followers of Jesus.
Because of our faith in Jesus Christ, we are guaranteed that God is NOT out of our schools. For God's spirit doesn't require a physical location as it did in the Old Testament; rather, He dwells in the hearts and minds of all who choose to follow Him.
1 Corinthians 6:19
First Priority exists in a community to unite local churches around their schools. We build networks of adults who support believing students. This support system allows students to stand united in their faith and become what is inside of them, one of the most influential, important and grace-filled organisms in a school. That is the Body of Christ, alive and well, and definitely IN our schools.
1 Corinthians 12:27
