Newsvine.com Article from an Associated Press Writer: Ban on a type of prayer in school allowed to stand

Leader. Coach. Man of honor. A teacher that guides and instructs. Allowed to have authority over those known as his students. These are just some of the adjectives used to describe Coach Marcus Borden, per his job as a coach at an East Brunswick, New Jersey school. But couldn’t these same adjectives be used to describe Jesus Christ? Those that know Jesus would definitely agree. But yet, the same qualities we find within Jesus and Coach Borden, that is supposed to describe Coach Borden’s job, is under attack by the political correctness and continual violation of his free-speech rights. It appears that there is a severe disconnect in true definition of the job roles and descriptions that Coach Borden is to carry out – it’s as though it lacks granular detail….or does it?

According to the account given in this article, this apparently is not the first time that the Coach has been attacked by only “some” of the parents of these students. What is ironic is that even after all of the bans that have been placed on Coach Borden – Coach not being allowed to pray over the students before a game or lead them in praying over the food they were about to eat; Coach not being allowed to drop to one-knee and show respect while the STUDENTS lead their own prayer time; Coach not being allowed to bow his head while the STUDENTS lead their own prayer time – the STUDENTS STILL pray before a game and before they eat while Coach Borden is only allowed to stand at attention. Why? Because those parents of “some” of the students believe Coach should not advocate or endorse one particular “religion.”

The quote from the article that I want to draw from is this one:

“Coaches are not supposed to be promoting religion; that’s up to students and parents and pastors,”

Someone who has been placed into leadership, authority, and is teaching, leading and directing students, regardless of age, we are told are “shaping minds.” For some reason they seem to equivolate a teacher to a robot with no life, no life experiences, and for that matter, nothing of their personal characteristic that they are allowed to impart to those they teach. The irony is that if you do a quick search on how to teach anyone anything, one of the final, key steps to teaching is:

“Encourage practical application. Suggest a follow-up activity to reinforce what your audience has learned. Encourage the audience to apply what they have learned to everyday life, or teach the skill to someone else.”

Applying what they need to learn to everyday life reinforces what the student learns. But, let’s talk about this “everyday life” – I believe this holds the key to the contention between “some” parents and even “some” that have issues with Christians living their life, as defined by Jesus Christ. Basically, “some” of the people do not have a clear understanding of what “life” is to a Christian and thus the communication breakdown and issues.

The Bible and Jesus said, in John 14:6:

Notice, by definition, Jesus has told us Christians what “life” is – Jesus is life! When we take on the God-kind of life, we, as Christians, live a life that is Jesus. In fact, notice what God’s Word also says in John 1:4:

Jesus is life and life is in Him! And life – Jesus – is the light of men! Which men? Men like Coach Borden – men that don’t hide the light of Jesus Christ, but that live this life He gave us! The issue was not that Coach Borden was doing all these things, its that the parents of “some” of these students do not clearly understand what living a life like Jesus Christ looks like or means. And, as most things in this world, when it’s confusing or makes us afraid, as human beings, the first thing we want to do is get rid of it and remove it from our sight.

Coach Borden was living out of the Recreated Spirit he had been given through the Blood bought sacrifice of Jesus Christ! When someone else pays for something with their life and takes the life that you had and replaces it with a life that is free from the sin, pain, sickness, poverty, and all things that steal, kill and destroy your life what else are you to do other than to live a life that is consumed and all about Him! Without Jesus, Coach Borden would not have the New Life and nothing Coach Borden did, including his teaching of those students, would amount to imparting anything through his teaching.

While the article does not go into these areas, I’d love to know some statistics surrounding the athletic program that Coach Borden had while he was allowed to lead prayer and pray with his students. I wonder how many of the parents of “some” of these students could recall and give an account for the seasons that the students went without injuries? Or how many times they were blessed with the finances for doing what the students wanted to achieve, in terms of going to certain competitions or state events? Or how many times theses parents’ kids stayed out of real trouble or even potential danger because an imparted life application through Coach Borden’s teaching? I don’t know what the stats are, but, for an individual living a life like Jesus Christ, the word is clear that EVERYTHING he sets his hand to, prospers! I wonder how different things will be now that this Coach is not allowed to let his life in Jesus Christ be shared with any student?

Are you living a life like Jesus Christ? Are you letting what He did for you – that He freely laid down His life, took on sin, sickness, poverty, death and lack, so that you would not have to experience it – change and create the life you are to live in Him? It’s the John 3:16 verse that people miss the verse that follows what it says – they only get it half right and think that Jesus came to beat them down and condemn them and don’t understand why they need a life like Jesus. John 3:16-17 states:

Jesus did not come to condemn but to save us all! It for the whole world! And if you have not made this choice, we encourage you to read our “Free Gift” section here on Herald of The Truth that you might understand what living like Jesus means. If you have had an experience where Jesus Christ has stepped into you, made you a new creation, and changed you through this website, then we encourage you to contact us and share with us your experience! We are here to help you and guide you into all Truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ and know that living a life like Jesus Christ will change your life forever!

And that is The Truth!
PD2