Like the Power Team, this group also claims to be "the number one school assembly program in the nation." They follow the same model as the Power Team: evening revival meetings in three- and five-day crusades hosted by a local church along with school assemblies designed to lure kids and families to the evening events.
All typos below are in the originals.
Their web site says:
"Stand Strength Team is a national and international non-profit organization standing before thousands of people yearly. The Stand Strength Team goes into public and private schools. They have now become the #1 school assembly program in the nation; promoting anti-drugs, anti-alcohol, abstinence and academic excellence. The athletes use feats of strength to demonstrate a positive, motivating message on making the right choices. The team also goes into youth camps, juvenile homes, prisons, youth organizations, and businesses. After seeing the team in action the experience will be unforgettable and the impact will be life changing. The success stories as a result of the Stand Program number in the thousands. Young people are now saying NO to the negative and destructive choices and YES to the positive and wholesome choices. The Stand Team has influenced our nation’s youth for good and is an invaluable assembly program for any school. They are the greatest exhibition of power, strength, speed and intensity."
A leader of the group is Tom "Big Buck" Balabuch. He also operates a "Christian Superstore" web site This says "These products are featured at STAND Strength Team Crusades. All money from purchases will be used to fund our ministry."
The book store includes a review of the book "Excused Absence" that says:
"Even the most conservative authors who critique the public school system leave
off with 'reform' of the current system. In this book, Wilson shows that the societal ills which are so prevalent in the school system are merely the symptoms of a disease. The system does not need reform; the system needs abolition. Very thoughtful, and the answers to common objections toward the end are extremely good."
Balabuch also operates a vitamin web site called "Vitamin Power".
Big Buck Balabuch's MySpace blog says:
"The way, the truth & the life! / Current mood: disappointed. The STAND Strength Team visits schools across the country and speaks to tens of thousands of kids every year. We preformed assemblies in Elementary, Middle & High Schools using feats of strength while discussing the power of making right choices, drugs, alcohol, internet predators and much more. Our kids need positive role models to look up to! Unfortunately there are not many positive people out there. Far too many adults (parents) send mixed messages to the youth of America. We tell our kids smoking cigarettes is bad for them than smoke in their presence. We tell kids that drinking is bad than get drunk. We explain that drugs are bad than use them. We want our children to stay sexually abstinent than allow porn into our homes or have non-marital relationships in front of them. The way we act in our homes, at work, in society is catching on! Our children are picking up our own bad habits, yet we blame the world we live in. WE are in control of our world; WE are in control of our own destiny. WE need to take responsibility seriously; WE must accept our own failures. WE need to say what WE mean and mean what WE say. We need an operating manual to guide us through this thing called life. If we need a operators manual to operate our cars than why shouldn't we have a manual for life? We do, it's called a B.I.B.L.E. (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). God gave this to us to guide us through this thing called life. So many reject it, why? Is it because we get convicted by the truth contained in it? Is it because we don't want to know we're doing wrong (sin)? America, we need to get back to the basics of life; where we can find the truth from the creator of the universe. Blessings, Buck John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
On another blog, Balabuch describes how students are lured to the evening events. Like the Power Team, the Stand Strength Team hands out faux "free tickets" to the evening revival meetings. He directly describes the promotional power of the school events, luring kids to the church meeting:
Christians I need your help! Christians, I need your help. The picture in this post is a sample of a VIP Pass, when we visit public schools and hold an assembly we hand them out to everyone at the end of the program, to invite their whole family to the church where we hold an evening event. On the back of every VIP Pass is directions & event times to the hosting church. Each child that attends the evening program will get a free full color poster autographed by the team members. We see huge turn-out from public schools; on a typical 5 day crusade a medumim size church will see from 300 to 800 un-churched people from their community every night!
This is a great way to get un-churched folks into your church while participating in the great commission; going out to the world, preach the Gospel & evangelize! We see whole families coming to Christ thru this ministry & a partnering church, to God be the glory. This is a hugh opportunity for your church to evanglize and the follow-up process is awesome.
We want to come to your community, to your church and partner with you to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. If I may brag in the Lord, our ministry witnessed to tens of thousands of people across America. In 2005 we saw 15,000 decisions for Jesus Christ, this year we have a vision to reach even more souls.
We are booking 3 & 5 day crusades now for January, February, March, April & May 2007. I need your help to get my contact information to your pastors. I can be reached at;
(586) 997-6378 - Please leave a message for Buck
e-mail at; bigbuck@standstrengthteam.org
Visit web-site at; www.standstrengthteam.org
Visit our team blog at; www.standstrengthteam.blogspot.com/
I promise to get back to you within 24 to 48 hours
Thank You and God Bless,
Because of Him!
Big Buck Balabuch
John 3:16
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