September 25, 2019
East Texas Baptist University students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Quad in the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 25, for the annual See You at the Pole event, a global day of prayer. The tradition started in 1990 at a high school in Burleson, Texas, and has since grown to see upwards of three million students in the United States and over 20 countries assemble to pray at their school’s flagpole.
“Traditionally, See You at the Pole is a student-led event where students gather together and pray for their schools and have a revival breakout,” Baptist Student Ministry (BSM) Director David Griffin said. “I'm always very thankful for the way the students step up and lead, for the sacrifices they make with their time to plan, and prepare for events like these. We couldn't do what we do without student leaders.”
This event, facilitated by the ETBU BSM for the last several years, is a time of worship, prayer, and fellowship, allowing students to lean on one another and unite through Christ in praying for their friends, classmates, teachers, and leaders.
“During our student-led prayer, we prayed for our school, our nation, and the students here, so that everything we do would glorify and honor God,” President of BSM and ETBU senior Christian Phillips said. “It was so cool to see the sun come up while everyone was praying. It’s great to be able to do this on our campus and it’s so important.”
As part of the University’s commitment to creating an environment of active prayer, ETBU has participated in See You at the Pole for more than a decade, and continues to see a dedicated student turnout.
“In Jeremiah 33: 2-3, it says, ‘This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it, the Lord is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know,’” ETBU senior Wendi Torres shared. “Even when we are so tired and worn out, when we are involved in so many things, we come together with thankful hearts to praise His name.”
While See You at the Pole is an annual University event, ETBU students are encouraged to discover God’s truths and grow in their faith throughout the semester with events such as retreats, prayer conferences, prayer groups, and weekly chapel services.
“When we come together it shows our dependence, our utter dependence, communally before God,” Griffin said. “It's a symbol. We could all pray independently but when we come together, we come together in unison. We are calling on God in community to act and move on this campus.”