The Movement to Put a Church in Every School Is Growing

[KamaAina]

http://www.thenation.com/article/195105/movement-put-church-every-school-growing#

On a Sunday morning in July, a stream of cars motors up the scrub-oak-lined roadway that leads to Apopka High School. Passing under a marquee sign with Chick-fil-A: Outstanding Partner in Ed spelled out in black letters, they pull into the parking lot. Single adults, families and groups of teens gather in the school auditorium’s spacious vestibule. Two adolescent boys, one wearing a sports jersey and the other a Confederate-flag T-shirt, linger for a few moments by their truck before making their way inside....

Venue now operates inside three public schools in Orange County, Florida, including Apopka, and it has no plans to leave. Indeed, the church proudly announces its goal: “To plant a congregation in every Central Florida school zone in the next 10 years.”

Todd Lamphere, Venue’s co-founder and pastor, is listed as the school football team’s “life coach.” His church organizes numerous “mission trips” for students. “We think about the students here who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior,” Lamphere tells the crowd, “and that’s awesome!”

“Who could argue with God in public schools?” Lamphere asks the 150 or so congregants. Actually, as he knows very well, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Madison, Wisconsin–based organization that defends the separation of church and state, has filed complaints and recently settled a lawsuit over Bible distribution in Orange County public schools. “We’ve attracted complaints from the FFRF,” Lamphere acknowledges with a smile, “so we must be doing something right.”

[RKP5637]

1. That's all we need, more indoctrinated into hatred for others! n/t

[NightWatcher]

2. Is their faith so weak that they must be surrounded by church 24/7 else they stray?

I like lasagna and I like hot showers. I don't have to have my lasagna in the shower. I can enjoy a shower and be secure in the knowledge that I can eat lasagna later. Why do these people need to have god up their ass 24/7? Are they afraid that a thought might enter their head to challenge their (I guess not so) strong faith and conviction?

I'm glad they go to church. I hope they enjoy it when they go, but keep it out of my face the rest of the time. Leave the public schools alone. Pretend it's a group a worshipers from the Islamic faith who want to put a mosque on every corner and in every school zone. Many of us recoil in fear just the same when we see a Baptist or generic "Christian" church sign going up.

[RKP5637]

6. I'm F'en fed up with those that want to push their religion on you. Screw them!!!! If they

are happy with their religion, fine, but keep it out of my face.

[atreides1]

8. Yes, it is that weak!

[Enthusiast]

29. +1

[Moonwalk]

31. Yes, they want to be surrounded by their faith 24/7; but they also want their faith to dominate...

Which is why the lasagna/hot showers aren't a good example, because they're physical items, not beloved "stories." Remember that Star Trek fan who wore her uniform everywhere? She loved the stories and characters of that show so much that she lived her life by them. That's a better comparison. This would be like the Trek fan trying to have meetings of Trek fans in every school, hoping that their presence would signal domination of those stories and their followers over, say, Star Wars fans.

So, yes, these people have a cross in the bathroom and in dining room, and so have their faith around when they take that hot shower and eat the lasagna—and over the bed when they go to sleep and wake, and in their office and on their person. 24/7. Same as folk who are sports fans and have the flag of their team in the bathroom and pictures of players on the dining room walls and a tattoo of the logo on their arm. Super fans want to live, breath, eat and sleep what they love. Which is fine, but they also want to plant those flags of their fan-ship in other places, signaling that it belongs to them. Make a room in a school a "church" means that the place is "blessed" by their god; the school is, thus, in their view no longer a neutral, "faith-free" place, but holy ground belonging to them. They may meet there only on Sunday, but it is supernaturally all theirs.

Rather like when Mormon's started baptizing those who had died into their faith. The idea is to supernaturally claim those things as theirs. That's what this is all about. Getting supernatural power over the place as well as attention to the fact that their religion has enough earthly power to have a "church" in every school.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

46. It was Jesus that preached against

making a public show of your faith and prayers.

“Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:5-6).

[Moonwalk]

48. Christians stopped doing what Jesus told them to do back in the early days....

...about the same time Constantine made it fashionable to be Christian. it's why monasteries originally came into being. So that people could actually give up everything, follow god and pray both in humility and in private. Men and women originally went into Monasteries and Nunneries because the outside world, with the big, rich Cathedrals where all the rich and powerful Christians showed off how pious they were and all the rich and powerful leaders had opulent, show-off ceremonies, was not, in their opinion, in line with Jesus' teachings.

So, even in the earliest times, Christians who actually did what Christ said were far and few between.

Which is to say, (and I hope you'll forgive a moment's rant) posting that saying here is simply preaching to the choir. I wish *WISH* that some Christian group would start going to these school churches, passing out flyers with that quote on it, urging these evangelicals to stop going against Jesus, stop committing this sin of pride and follow the true faith. I'd LOVE it if someone would start doing that and gave them a taste of their own evangelical medicine.

Let me know when some Christian group does start doing that. Because right now, I only see that quote on forums like this one, where it allows us to righteously say "What hypocrites." It bears knowing, but it's hardly a great revelation, and IMHO, it doesn't get the message to those who really need to hear it.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

58. Yes, we are preaching to the choir.

It's hard to love and forgive unconditionally.

[hifiguy]

47. Umm, yes it is.

A few seconds spent in critical thought might lead one to see the wisdom and truthfulness in this definition of Xtianity:

"The belief that some cosmic Jewish zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and telepathically tell him that you accept him as your master, so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree."

Well, that makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

[Warpy]

52. Their faith is weak and so is their tiny, powerless god

because he needs their help to enter a school.

Funny, the nuns taught us god was everywhere, all the time, ready to be contacted with silent prayer.

That kind of god was worth something. Preacher Todd only has the god of assisted living to call on, one that has to be carried around in a shoebox.

[MohRokTah]

3. Time for the Satanists to put a temple in every school.

That'll put an end to this bullshit.

[Initech]

18. And don't forget the mandatory daily broadcasting of the Hail Satan Network!

[madinmaryland]

45. I think the Flying Spaghetti Monster with her noodley

appendages should be in schools also!!!

[TBF]

4. What is it about "separation of church and state"

that these lunatics find so difficult to understand?

[MohRokTah]

5. If you allow one group to use a public school building for a meeting place when school is not in...

session, you must allow ALL groups.

So, if the school allows the local Chamber of Commerce to meet in the building, they have to allow churches to meet in the building, too.

Fortunately, the dual edged sword can be used here, too. Satanic temples could start holding meetings and rituals in these same schools, even on the same day down the hall from the Christians.

Pretty soon, ALL groups would be barred from meeting in the shcools.

[RKP5637]

7. I vote for Satanic temples! That'll clean this nonsense up pronto. n/t

[TBF]

13. Me too - also mosques. nt

[Thinkingabout]

26. Good post, yes things would change suddenly.

[exboyfil]

10. Well it would be one way to get extra dollars

in the coffers. It is unused space on the weekends. Of course the pricing needs to consider the extra costs associated with making the building available. Another consideration would be another tax exempt church building that would just be a drain on social services.

[TBF]

49. Yes, profit is so important when dealing

with non-profit public buildings.

[exboyfil]

51. No providing additional services to the students

Not profits. You have an underutilized asset. Maybe it does not make economic sense to do it.

I will give you an example. A community run sports venue (indoor soccer, basketball courts) was also hosting a church service in one of its common rooms. I noticed this during a dog agility trial. I don't if the space is available to community members without charge, a nominal charge, or an economic charge (one in which the participants pay for the value of the facility to them). Renting a large meeting space is expensive in a hotel for example. The church members would be paying for four walls and a roof otherwise. The dog agility venue pays to use the soccer courts - why shouldn't the congregants pay to use that space as well. Public libraries charge to use private study rooms as well. Of course you do have to balance community activities and determine if such activities merit support by the taxpayers. In the case of churches, they should be treated as any other commercial enterprise.

[TBF]

56. I understand your argument

and I know it makes perfect sense to capitalists.

I just don't agree with you.

[7962]

28. Thats right. Dont know how they dont get that! nt

[d_r]

14. from the article

In recent years, the movement to plant churches has had a particular focus on cities. In October 2014, Movement Day—a conference at the Marriott Marquis in New York City—convened more than 1,000 pastors and other church members to focus on providing social services and bringing the Gospel to the urban "unchurched." Movement Day speakers advocated "church/school partnerships." One panel on education brought together Pastor Chip Sweney; Dorothy Parker-Jarrett, the principal of Summerour Middle School in Norcross, Georgia; and Terri Hoye, who champions church volunteers mentoring in public schools. As Hoye commented, "Once [the door to the public schools] is open, it is wide open!"
But the leaders of some of the religious entities involved in these types of partnerships are clear in their view that the separation of church and state is a "myth." In Texas, for example, where the Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship has established "church-school partnerships" between evangelical entities and over sixty Dallas-area schools, senior pastor Tony Evans has a clear message for those who think that public education and sectarian religion need to be kept separate: "God never intended that such a separation exist in His world."

What does partnership look like for Oak Cliff? Church representatives implement a "Kingdom Agenda Strategy" by acting as student mentors, participating in academic tutoring and character-education classes. The latter include abstinence-until-marriage teachings and promote a narrow, religion-driven idea of what constitutes an acceptable moral life.

While many of the church groups in public schools market themselves as "nondenominational," evangelicals of a generally conservative type overwhelmingly dominate this new field. The leading groups are committed to the inerrancy of the Bible. Some, such as Morningstar, draw heavily on Dominionism—the idea that Christians should seek to dominate all aspects of secular politics and society until the return of Jesus Christ. Mark Driscoll, a controversial founder of Acts29 who left the organization after scandals involving allegations of plagiarism and psychological abuse, is known for his unapologetic commitment to male-centered authoritarianism. "We live in a completely (edited) nation," he has said.

[TBF]

15. "Christians should seek to dominate all aspects of secular politics"

This is exactly what is wrong with this country. People imposing their "beliefs" on people that are in stark contradiction to our constitution.

[KamaAina]

65. "until the return of Jesus Christ"?

That is, forever?

[JHB]

43. The part where it applies to them.

They've convinced themselves (by listening only to their own bubble) that separation of church and state is a hoax perpetrated by atheists, secularists, ecumenicists, liberals, communists, Satan, etc. yadda yadda, to lead the country to destruction, and that they have the Faith of the Founding Fathers(tm) and are the Real Americans with a mission to restore us to our True Faith.

In other words, once you've acclimated yourself to rewriting the guy you believe is God, rewriting history is small beans.

[FiveGoodMen]

60. That it applies to them

[Agnosticsherbet]

9. Creekside elementary in Poway, California is leased to a chruch on Sundays.

So those are not the only schools where this is happening.

[KamaAina]

11. From the article:

Like it or not, the fusion of church and school that takes place in Apopka, Florida, is an increasingly common phenomenon in the United States. Indeed, a number of national and international franchise networks are dedicated to planting churches in public schools across the country, sometimes providing services that fill in the vacuum left by the government underfunding of public education. The mingling of church and school has also been encouraged by some poorly understood but profound changes originating in recent Supreme Court decisions about the relationship between religion and public education. As far as the leaders of Venue Church are concerned, these changes are all to the good.

[Agnosticsherbet]

17. Since 2012, Poway is leasing renovated schools to Chruches for $1.00 a year.

http://calwatchdog.com/2012/08/08/the-right-way-the-wrong-way-and-the-poway-of-school-bond-financing/

I'd bet that is happening across the nation.

[KamaAina]

19. A dollar a year.

I'm sure that'll pay for a nice, hefty raise for the teachers.

[jwirr]

32. I don't think this is what the article is referring to. It is referring to having a real church in

the daily routine of the school. Renting a building to any group is not the same. It is obvious that they want to have access to the students. On Sunday it would be empty and not different than renting it to the Boy Scouts or AA. Only members are present on Sunday.

[Agnosticsherbet]

40. I think sweetheart deals with chruches using public school spaces is iffy at best.

[TBF]

50. They do it here in Texas -

and claim that they charge the churches. My guess is that they have different rates for profit or non-profit groups that use the space (and churches would qualify as non-profit). It gets "iffy" though I think if they would refuse to rent the space to a group they don't like. If they are allowed to reject any group, and only let Christian churches in (paid or unpaid) it seems like that could be a very interesting case. I would see that as a public school "establishing" acceptable religion.

[SamKnause]

12. "Who could argue with 'God' in public schools:"

Millions upon millions could argue against 'God' in public schools.

I hope you get sued into oblivion !!!!!!

Those buildings were paid for with tax dollars from people of all religions and those with no religion.

I bet you would be the first ones crying if any other religion or atheists pulled the shit you pull.

The United States of America is NOT a Christian nation.

We don't want your Theocracy.

Peddle your crap at home.

Peddle your crap at the homes of your religious friends and family.

Peddle your crap at your houses of worship.

Peddle your crap at your private religious schools.

I am sick of your interference !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ChosenUnWisely]

16. If Muslims or other ‘non christian’ groups decide they wanted to use the schools too

It would stop.

These assclowns are just to fucking cheap to rent or buy a place for their church

[JHB]

44. It wouldn't stop, they'd just go into "that doesn't apply to THOSE PEOPLE" mode n/t

[ChosenUnWisely]

59. Once they were sued for not allowing equal access it would stop

always does

[Initech]

20. We have this thing called the First Amendment...

Which clearly states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" which is defined as "freedom from religion" as well as the freedom to practice whatever religion you want. I'm fine with this as long as they allow the practice of every other religion on the planet.

If it's just for the practice of Christianity only, I have a problem with that.

[Trillo]

21. Only so long as every child can say "Fuck you" back to them

and not suffer any punishment from school authorities for doing so.

Christians have been saying "Fuck you" to lots of folks for years. They come to my door and ignore my no soliciting sign, and my prior "No thank yous" for perhaps hundreds of times over 40 years. Every time they do that they are telling me, "Fuck you."

[haikugal]

35. It has been my experience that

If you are unapologetically not interested they complain about your 'attitude', and 'have no idea' how you became so 'hateful'. Truly disgusting people in my view.

[Trillo]

62. But how can they be allowed in a public school?

According to FirstAmendmentSchools,

However, public school students have greater restrictions placed on their First Amendment rights than adults. In fact, school officials gen-erally can prohibit vulgar and offensive student language under the Supreme Court’s 1986 decision in Bethel Sch. Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser.2 In that decision, the Supreme Court wrote that "it is a highly appropriate function of public school education to prohibit the use of vulgar and offensive terms in public discourse."3

In sum, one federal appeals court judge clarified the distinction between free speech and profanity quite well: "the First Amendment gives a high school student the classroom right to wear Tinker’s armband, but not Cohen’s jacket."4

Christians believe that non-Christians are "Going to hell". So, will the kids be able to tell Christians they're the ones "going to hell", literally?

Consider the billion people in China who know not the Lord Jesus Christ! Consider the countless hundreds of millions of Arabs (Islamic Muslims) who worship Allah and the prophet Mohammed. Consider the billion Catholics around the world that worship Mary and are trying to earn their way into Heaven through the keeping of the Seven-Sacraments and good works.

On and on, religion and more religion! Countless billions of people are trusting in their religion to save them instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. Surely, nine out of ten people in this wicked world are bound for a Godless, eternal hell. I have no doubts whatsoever that 90% of the people in this world are going to Hell. Why? For one simple reason friend, they do not have the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The kids in any compulsory schools, and specifically including public schools, should never be exposed to this kind of deep hypocrisy! The kids are legally prevented from telling the Christians they are going to hell, while the Christians have that concept as a central tenant of their faith, one that they express over and over in multiple venues.

[haikugal]

64. Religion should be kept out of school in this regard...

But the xtains are always pushing the limits any time they think they can get away with it. Hateful people....they honestly (without thought) think they do no harm. Sots, the lot of them.

[adieu]

22. "Just as long..."

as it's my church and my denomination and present just the readings I approve of.

These people are woefully sick.

[jwirr]

33. Bingo. See my post below.

[One_Life_To_Give]

23. If the space is available for rent? Then everyone should have a right to rent it.

We don't get to pick and choose with some litmus test who gets to rent out public spaces. They are a legal group and we can't go about saying only secular groups are allowed to rent public spaces. That would violate the First Amendment.

[dembotoz]

24. would imagine most pay way more than a buck a year

a school makes a good building for a church.
many have an auditorium
parking

i used to attend a church in a school.
it seemed to work out
they were separate
both sides seemed careful

can this be abused--sure

[jwirr]

25. The movement may be growing but if they get their way and try it we will have a religious

civil war - on which church it will be. It is really kind of funny. Does this group really think that the churches are in enough agreement that they could decide which church they ALL believed in? If they want to succeed they will have to put in a branch of every denomination around. In our small town that would be around 10 churches. Start building new school buildings - we need 10 new rooms for the churches.

[TeamPooka]

38. I started a huge fight in a group of conservatives at a party once...

I said I'm okay with a National Religion if you all agree on which specific one it will be.
Catholic, Methodists, Baptists? Pick one.
Biggest fight I ever saw.
loved every minute of it.

[jwirr]

54. Exactly.

[Dawson Leery]

27. Evangelicals are a cancer on the world.

These sob freaks need to force their religion on everyone, everywhere.

[Thinkingabout]

30. What happened to conrtibutions to build their own buildings?

In other words bonds used to build the schools, etc and taxes to pay to have the schools should include the buildings will be used for religious purposes also. I don't think this is good.

[jwirr]

34. The article did not say they do not have their own church buildings - this is not about them needing

space. It is about them wanting to move into the schools in order to be part of the education system. They want to influence the students. It is about preaching to the captives. I would guess that this is a purely rw evangelical movement. Rs to the rescue!

[Thinkingabout]

41. I gathered it was used on weekends since it stated Sunday morning.

[jwirr]

55. I understood it the other way around. Sorry.

[Arugula Latte]

36. Disgusting and appalling.

Religion is a cancer on society.

[TeamPooka]

37. Church won't make the kids smarter. nt

[appalachiablue]

61. Right, church won't make kids smarter; the plan is to make them more religious, molded

by church leaders. It will work unfortunately.

[dilby]

39. I once knew a pastor who did this.

The church had 3,000 members and they would meet for 3 services on Sunday and one service on Wednesday in a junior high gymnasium. He explained that they only used the gym when the school was not using it so there was no conflict of interest and they paid a hefty rent fee. They would bring in everything they needed for the services like chairs and a/v equipment. He said it was a good setup since they were not in debt with their own building and property taxes and it allowed them to redistribute the wealth back to needy people in the church. This guy was one pastor I actually liked, had a very modest home and drove a 20 year old pickup that he and his son were always working on.

[Duval]

42. Oh, good grief Charlie Brown.

I'll express my feelings about this!


Sigh!

[hrmjustin]

53. Across the street from my church there is a public school that has a rw congregation that meets on

Sunday. A few of them have tolf me to repent of my sin of being gay.

I tell theto go #=^& themselves.

[Agony]

57. It's already in every courtroom, as anyone who has served on jury duty knows...

give religion an inch and it'll take a mile.

[billh58]

63. Goes right along with

this gem of right-wing ideology:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026170960