If schools

can't teach religious values, principles, examples, and

biography, then what's illegal about intentionally not

programming on Wednesday nights with an implicit

encouragement for students and faculty to go to their

church, temple, mosque, or synagogue? Selah (which means

think about it)!

Here's what

I think has happened. The seven days of God's week have

proved to be inadequate to get the job done. The news is

out: there's not enough time in the week. No longer is

money the prime value in America, but time is.

School is a

busy business. No longer is it reading, riting, and

rithmatic (I didn't do well in the latter two). School is

a major sports industry. School is little Rotary,

Kiwanis, Optimist Clubs. School is a major fund raising

boiler room. School is the prime locus of the heavy

hitting lobbyist. School is NAE, SAT, ACT, PSAT, and

several NATS in south Georgia. With the growing

proliferation of school's business, more time had to be

found. And they found it on Wednesday nights. Why, it's

unspoiled hours that could be used not only by schools,

but community soccer clubs, baseball groups. Get the

idea?

Of course,

while all this was going on-the lusting after

Wednesday nights, the church was asleep, put to sleep

decades ago by preachers who excelled in sleep inducing

methods. When a few of us woke, Wednesday nights were

just like Monday, Tuesday, Thursday nights: eaten up,

gone.

We of the

church have no one to thank other than ourselves. It's a

new day, however. Violence visits more and more of our

schools and office buildings. Something has got to be

done. Our kids need the self-esteem and love that God

gives. They need to nail down some eternal values in

their lives. They need to connect with some Godly adults.

They need a spiritual refilling for their midweek.

So, even if

the church was asleep, can't we all wake up to the

desperate needs of our young people? Wednesday nights

should be reserved for spiritual renewal!

The Rev. Dr. John

Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in

Fayetteville.

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