Marshallites hear 'wake-up call' during presentation

Greg Thompson, the keynote presenter during Monday evening's America Asleep kNOw More conference in Marshall, displays a copy of the Declaration of Independence. [Click to enlarge]

Set your alarm clocks, America. It's time to wake up.

That was the message that was being spread Monday night at Marshall High School during an "America Asleep kNOw More" conference.

The event was a gathering of knowledgeable, educated presenters aimed at providing information about youth, in a Christian-based setting, to Saline County residents. Monday's topics ranged from peer pressure to sexually-transmitted diseases.

The founder of the America Asleep kNOw More ministry, Greg Thompson, actually was the driving force behind bringing the conference to Marshall.

"I thought it [the meeting] was very important, having been in Marshall for 26 years," Thompson said. "I knew it was one of the communities that I wanted to be able to see and hear some things that are killing our children and also, to an even greater degree, something that was killing their souls for eternity."

Thompson started the Asleep kNOw More ministry after going through an ordeal himself.

From 1998 to 2004, Thompson, the second oldest of 12 children and father of five daughters, was the superintendent of the Humansville R-4 School District in southwest Missouri, as well as the president of the regional school superintendents organization from 2000 to 2004.

Thompson was fired from his superintendent post on Sept. 8, 2004, for refusing to keep the Ten Commandments out of the school, refusing to take a cross off his office wall, refusing to remove a Bible from his desk and for indicating that he would pray for veterans, children in the school and their families openly.

These events drove Thompson into creating his Asleep kNOw More ministry.

"I just think that we can't be silent. We've got to stand up," he said. "I want to accomplish an awakening for the Christians, because, if we don't, the legacy that we'll leave our children is going to be very ugly. I'm hoping the Christians will stand up and put on their breastplates and start taking back some ground that's been given up to an atheistic and humanistic world."

Thompson is a man of conviction, making a stand for what he believes in. But he wasn't the only one making that stand Monday.

Sue Ellen Stouffer, wife of state Sen. Bill Stouffer, read some supporting letters from her husband to Thompson and acknowledged herself that America, as a whole, is in need of a serious wake-up call.

"I think it's very important that, as Christians, as parents, that we do take a stand," Stouffer said. "Sometimes we live in a little cocoon and are not aware of what's going on around us. But God calls us to step forward and to find out what's affecting our young people and ourselves. I think that's what this group has done tonight."

Dr. Melanie Elfrink, consulting physician with the Saline County Health Department, also presented an informative slide show on sexually-transmitted diseases among youth that left audience members gasping when she relayed some statistics for Missouri.

"We have a real STD epidemic in our community that begs for an effective response," Elfrink said. "The message of safe sex is false and our teens must hear that or experience tragic consequences."

Carl Crawford, a Marshall Municipal Utilities employee and a member of First Baptist Church in Marshall, was also extremely important in organizing the event and he also feels like it is time to take a stand and says that even one person can make a difference.

"Our community is really blessed," Crawford said. "We've been blessed with good representation with Joe Aull and Bill Stouffer. I think it's time, not only for Christian people, but parents and concerned citizens in general."

"I think there's a lot of good, concerned people that can make a difference," he added. "Even one person can make a difference when they speak out."

Contact Eric Coley at

marshallfaith@socket.net