On June 21-24, Grace Church in Eden Prairie is bringing in the Power Team, a group of ministers-slash-bodybuilders hired by Grace Church to increase membership and present several evenings of revival meetings.

The Power Team depends on the publicity from performances it delivers in schools. Although school won't be in session, we can expect them to try to arrange assemblies during summer school, too. The Power Team assemblies in five SE Wisconsin school districts were cancelled in January 2007, as one superintendent put it, "eliminating any notion that the schools were connected with the promotion of a crusade." A scheduled assembly was cancelled in Houston in May 2007, because the principal decided "it was not appropriate for a school setting."

Students are a captive audience. School staff have been given a special trust to watch over our children during the day. They have prohibitions against outright promotion of religion, out of respect for everyone's freedom of belief.

By comparison, I think almost everyone would object to a principal or teacher telling students that they must pray a certain way, hold particular political beliefs, or shop at certain stores. We expect staff to teach, not preach. They don't give up those responsibilities when they bring in performers for assemblies, regardless of how good the message might sound.

For more information, see my web page at goJefferson.com or Google 'power team jefferson'.