A few years ago, Anastacia and I never set out to start a ministry.
It started simply. Our church fed the staff at one of our local schools breakfast during a professional development day. Then we did it again. Over time, that turned into encouraging them with small gifts, writing letters, setting up prayer boxes and intentionally praying for the needs of that campus.
There was never an agenda. We weren’t there to promote our church or invite anyone to attend. We simply wanted them to know: We see you. We appreciate you. We support you. And we’re praying for you.
Over the years, something beautiful happened. Other churches began doing the same thing, and today campuses across our district have churches intentionally supporting and praying for them.
But this year, something else has been our my heart.
Peace.
On the first day of school, we had the opportunity to visit several campuses while other administrators visited others. What stood out was how calm everything seemed. There wasn’t the chaos or anxiety you might expect from a first day. There was just a sense of peace.
It made us think about Jeremiah 29:7:
“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city… Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
And suddenly, this ministry connected to something much bigger for us.
At Barn Church, we talk about the Healed-Land vision: God still heals land, hearts and homes.
Maybe this is one small picture of what healed land can look like.
The Church doesn’t always have to wait for people to walk through its doors. Sometimes we go into our community with no agenda other than to serve, encourage, pray and seek its good.
We aren’t trying to take ownership of our schools.
We’re simply standing with them.
So as we look toward this next year of ministry, our prayer is becoming very simple:
Lord, let us seek the peace of our community.
Peace in our schools.
Peace in our classrooms.
Peace for our educators.
Peace for our children and families.
Peace in our homes.
Because perhaps part of seeing our land healed begins with faithfully loving the people God has already placed around us.
Adam and Anastacia Peña