|
The red carpet is rolled out, the lights are dim, the atmosphere is elegant, and the DJ has the music pumping. It's prom night, complete with the girls and guys competing for best dressed.
For most young men and women, prom night is special, and seen as something of a rite of passage into adulthood. But for decades, the farewell to classmates and to high school has often been mixed with drinking, sex, drugs or other activities most parents would rather their children not become involved in.
This year, high school juniors and seniors will have a choice.
The Rainbow Family Christian Center is hosting a Christian prom to give students and parents an alternative to their high school's events.
The event, to be held May 27 at Martin's Crosswinds in Greenbelt, promises to offer all the atmosphere and elegance of any other prom without the temptation so closely associated with the event.
"Prom is supposed to be one of the most fun nights in our kids' high school careers. I believe as pastors we want to make it memorable, but also keeping our children safe," said Horace Drumming, pastor of Rainbow Family Christian Center.
"Christian teens need to make sure they put extra effort in making sure they do not compromise their beliefs on that special night,” he said. “We are just making a way of escape, to show our children you can have an elegant evening, and it doesn’t have to be the type of dance that the world dances to, it doesn’t have to be the type of lyrics that I find degrading particularly to women."
Drumming said he was prompted to organize the event last year when a group graduating seniors from his church expressed some conflicts about wanting to attend their prom, but not wanting to be in a high-pressure atmosphere.
Drumming said he remembered the pressures from his own prom more than 40 years ago, and that things haven't changed that drastically.
"I thought about all the negative things my friends went through -- some of them taking their first drinks, some of the young ladies losing their virginity because there was an expectation that that was the norm," he said.
Although he was not able to organize an event for last year’s students -- eight of whom eventually decided not to attend their proms -- he remained dedicated to the idea and got a jump on it early this year, securing the space and organizing the event.
The idea of a Christian prom is not new, although not common in this area. In several states, homeschoolers join together to organize prom events for their graduates each year.
One Texas home school group started their events 12 years ago and sold 125 tickets. Today, their prom has grown so elaborate that organizers even provide dance lessons weeks before.
Tickets for this year’s event to be held April 9 were $95 for early birds and $100 thereafter. The event was sold out – 950 tickets – in two weeks, according to board secretary Paula Woodham.
“We are convinced that the high standards we set for dress and conduct are a significant contributing factor to the popularity of our prom,” she said. “We seek to honor God and to provide the students with an unforgettable and joyful experience.”
Drumming is just starting to gain traction with some area ministers with whom he has shared his vision, but so far, the response has been positive. He said he is looking for other churches to join in and send their youth, along with chaperones, to make it a regional inviting event.
"I think it’s a great idea and I pray that other churches and pastors will encourage it. A lot of kids are going to the prom drinking and driving, lives are at stake, and everybody knows it," said Lanier Twyman, overseer of the St. Stephens Baptist Church in Temple Hills, MD. "I commend Pastor Horace for thinking outside the box. It's wise to be proactive as opposed to reactive. I like to believe Pastor Horace is being proactive in maybe even establishing a dialogue."
But Drumming said proactive or reactive, he's just looking out for his young people.
"I don’t mind saying I'm protective of them. Were getting a great success rate for our kids, watching them come back from college and getting right back involved in ministry," he said. "I want to do things with these kids in these impressionable years. This was something I thought that was very small that we could do and let them know that we love them, and that God is never trying to hold something back from them, He's always trying to give something good to us."
|
