WHERE ARE MY PEEPS? 

For most of us, this question drives us. We are designed to belong. We are made for community. 

My 15 years of teaching in a public high school were pretty lonely at times, despite the fact that I had a lot going for me in the “belonging” department. I actually taught at the high school from which I graduated. My letterman jacket still worked (at least on spirit days or at football games), and I taught alongside teachers whose classes I had taken a decade prior. I still lived in the same community and still shopped at the same stores—although now, many of the employees are former students of mine.  

Yet despite all that social capital, I didn’t have a lot of “peeps.” You see, not only am I an introvert, but I was what we at Christian Educators call a “Kingdom educator” from day one. Within a few weeks of starting my teaching career, I was advising the Christian club and looking for ways to partner with God in my school. I was seeing significant fruit with my students, but looking back, I certainly was lonely. 

Out of a swirling mix of fear, self-righteousness, differing priorities, and just plain busyness, I didn’t join the other teachers for Friday afternoon happy hour or lunch in the teachers’ lounge. I simply didn’t have much in common with the large majority of my colleagues and had essentially resigned myself to just being different…and alone.  

However, that changed dramatically when I attended a weekend conference put on by Christian Educators in 2010. Just hearing the introductions on the first night had me in tears. These were my peeps! I had found other Kingdom educators and no longer felt so alone.

The community that emerged from that weekend gave me the courage to lead more courageously and intentionally connect with other teachers on my campus—and some began to respond. They joined me to pray, helped a bit with the Christian club, and even—this is a bit crazy—hung out at lunch! 

Furthermore, as a Christian Educators member, I became a part of a growing nationwide network of Kingdom educators who would contend with me for God’s purposes in our schools.

Fast forward to this past summer when I was blessed to be a part of hosting 130 leaders from 23 states at our Leadership Development Summit in Colorado Springs. After being filled up with Jesus for four days, these educators returned to their communities to lead ministry efforts in teams. Since this summer, I have heard many stories about how God has multiplied their ministries. As they serve together hosting and leading LIFT events, AWAKE Experiences, or other Christian Educators initiatives, they are growing in love for each other and rejoicing together as God uses them in powerful ways to forever transform the lives of even more educators…and their students. They know where their peeps are! And God keeps bringing them more. 

Are you lacking community at your school? If so, I encourage you to pray, take a risk and serve (either through Christian Educators or another way), and see who God brings to serve alongside you.