“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” (Luke 10:2) Doubling Christian grads from our high schools and colleges will double the workforce for every ministry in our cities.
Reversing Systematic Poverty through High Schools
“When churches work together and adopt local schools, the presence of God is released to do things that have surprised many of us as to the scope and depth of the result to change our cities. Public schools are really the heart of any neighborhood.”
“We’ve watched the intial step of letting God show up in the schools through serving and praying with leaders and seeing Him transform the surrounding community. The first touch can be praying with a principal, or bringing in FCA, Young Life, or Youth for Christ for an abiding presence”
Take a case in Syracuse NY.
I’ll refrain from many of the details but you can call me and I’d be glad to share in detail how all this happened and how you can connect with some of the people to duplicate this in your city. - John Decker 315-480-1232 john@BelieversCollegePrep.com
Through a series of events, several pastors were invited to pray early Monday mornings with a principal and his staff. Most were not believers but were willing to give it a try since graduation rates were at an all-time low and violence was escalating. The staff placed on the table many of the problems that could not be solved years: staff problems, students, financial problems and the like. They prayed for each of these. Then God showed up during the week, and when they convened again they were all astonished at the multiple answers to prayer. There were some specific miraculous things that occurred that I’d love to share with you. As a result, this continued every week and test scores rose, financial problems were solved, people noticed a presence of peace, and by the end of the year graduation rates rose significantly. Student groups like Fellowship of Christian Athletes were invited to works within the school and many students went to FCA camp and had life changing experiences. A daily student Bible study started in the school with over 40 students attending. The families of the students were reached out to and given free produce from local farmers. Families began to come to Christ and a church-led economic plan for the community has commenced including refurbishing a street of abandoned homes and the olanning of a center for employment training, legal help, and a health center. College readiness programs are in the works and students have been brought up to Syracuse University to experience Fellowship of Christian Athletes to gain vision. This has now spread to 3 other urban schools and the same things are happening. Sime school administrators and staff have come to faith in Christ. Due to the rapid and demonstrable results that the principals shared, the city government is willing to help with the economic development. The schools are the heart of a community. College and high school students are becoming part of the volunteer force. A book will eventually be published so this can be replicated in other cities. Rev Pedro Castro is one of the key leaders in this movement.
Churches Adopting Schools
This all starts with churches joining together and adopting schools in prayer, and finding “men of peace” inside as in Luke 10 inside. Helping the students through Fellowship of Christian Athletes (which also allows non-athletes) seems to have favor with the schools and creates a good foundation for other groups such as Young Life and Youth for Christ to enter. In Syracuse FCA and Young Life partner to bring awakening in schools. Churches can help by addressing the congregation to see if any know believing principals, teachers, coaches, and students interested.
Woodlawn - How a School Revival Impacted a City and brought Racial Reconciliation
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Woodlawn & FCA – A very timely resource is leveraging the incredible transformation of the Woodlawn school in racially torn 1973 Birmingham Alabama. The true film availble soon on DVD and streaming shares how an FCA staffer spoke to a football team who all came to Christ (except 4) which led to the presence of God impacting the entire school. Spontaneous prayer with black and white students all over the school took place. Coaches came to Christ (who later coached in the NFL) and the entire city was affected. Much forethought was put into the film, and a fantastic 6-week video Bible study was produced on the Woodlawn set. The purpose of the study is to show that God can do it again, and shows students how to form a team and lead a revival in their school. You can learn about this at www.BelieversCollegePrep.com/FCA.
I’d be glad to talk with anyone about the details and much more that is going on today with regard to this movement. I can connect you with some of the key players who would love to see this take place in other cities.
Ed Silvoso - Some of the initiators and I have been helped via time with or books by Ed Silvoso. Ed has probably seen the elimination of more systematic poverty, much in South America, than anyone. His book Prayer Evangelism shows how being willing to pray with people, and leaders gives a chance for God to intervene and has a very systematic approach to city revival and ending systematic poverty. Prayer Evangelism Book Website
Al Warner - Buffalo
Al Warner and many pastors have seen some tremendous economic renewal in Buffalo, Website
Please contact me to discuss any thoughts you have out transforming our cities, and especially the impact that our local high schools and colleges have on the city around them. John Decker 315-480-1232 john@BelieversCollegePrep.com