Going to a brand new place where you do not know anyone can be scary.
This was the reality as Jesus sent out the disciples in Luke 10 to go to towns ahead of Him. Their strategy was to first find people of peace.
About a decade ago as I began to walk and pray on campuses we did not have work at in St Louis, one of the things we prayed for was people of peace. As I walked on the sidewalk pictured above at the University of Missouri St Louis the campus was absolutely empty. Praying with my colleague, we said, “God you could raise a person of peace from this sidewalk.”
As we walked into the nearby building, a woman walked passed us and asked what we were doing. After we told her, she kept walking, though in a few minutes turned around and came back. As we talked she said that she would like to be a part of a Christian group on campus. This student became our person of peace at UMSL and the planting of the ministry began through her dorm and major.
In June I went to this place, gave thanks to God, and laid stones of remembrance.
This fall students and faculty around the country are walking and praying on brand new campuses, please pray that they would connect with people of peace on the places they walk.
Would you like to start something new on an unreached campus near you? Check out this Adopt a Campus guide and let me know your interest.