Brevard School Leaders Commit School Year to God

The Shine Back to School Worship Night for Brevard teachers and staff took place Tuesday night, with educators from across the district invited to gather for prayer and encouragement as they prepare for the upcoming school year.

Held at First Baptist Church of Melbourne, the gathering brought together churches and leaders from across the county, with music led by a multi-church worship team representing six local congregations.

The idea for the worship night came from Brevard Public Schools board member and Bay West Church worship leader Katye Campbell, who started envisioning the event after seeing a church in Kentucky host a back-to-school worship night for teachers a year ago.

"It was too late at that point last August, but I held on to the idea because I really wanted to do it here to start off the school year with a God-focus," Campbell said.

Jason Schack, Central Atlantic Florida multi-area director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, was the keynote speaker at the event.

"May we see revival in Brevard County this year," Schack said. "Lord, I'm asking you to move."

In a tearful moment, Schack recalled prayers for his own children that he had seen answered: that God would place faithful teachers in their lives while they were away from home.

"I pray your students will experience a joy and a peace and a love that comes directly from the Holy Spirit," Schack said, leaving the crowd of teachers and school staff with a parting word from Colossians 3:14-17: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus..."

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is active in 22 public schools across Brevard County.

Also speaking was Mike Kinslow, a former missions manager for the International Space Station and now leader of the independently organized Brevard Schools Prayer Team. Campbell was introduced to Kinslow through his group's efforts to pray intentionally for the needs of local schools.

"Every week I would get a text, 'Katye, how can we pray for our schools?'" Campbell recalled.

Kinslow, a congregant of Hope Community Fellowship in Titusville, shared examples of challenges facing Brevard Public Schools that became subjects of team prayers, including budget shortfalls, staffing shortages and student suicide.

"There are a lot of suicides in our schools... As we prayed into that, we've started to see that number fall," Kinslow said. "Prayer is so powerful."

The night ended with a practical commitment to continue in prayer. Teachers and school staff filled out cards sharing needs for their schools and their personal lives. As they left, each attendee was invited to take someone else's card and commit to praying for that person throughout the coming school year.

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— Christians of Brevard is a multi-church initiative that seeks to amplify the voices of local churches and ministries for the purpose of encouraging the local body of Christ and advancing the Kingdom of God. Join our Facebook community @ChristiansOfBrevard