Welcome to the Becoming Campaign!
This is our 2026 spiritual journey as we seek to grow deeper in our faith as believers in Christ and as the church of Christ. As we look ahead to where God is leading us, we give thanks for His beautiful work among us—celebrating the completion of our central campus building project, the growth of Peace Wayland, and all God has done to help us build and expand.
But now, as we see our church flourishing, we believe it’s time to move from building the church to becoming the church. This campaign is about becoming who Christ is calling us to be—growing not just wider, but deeper, more rooted in our faith and more faithful in our walk. Wherever you are on your journey, this is an invitation to go deeper together as God continues to grow our church at the central campus, Wayland campus, and as we prepare to launch the Hastings campus—for the Glory of God, the Good of our Neighbor, and the Joy of the Church.
Join the Journey
To begin your journey, take time to prayerfully reflect on the five all-church initiatives and the personal and family initiatives shown to the right and in the online commitment form. Pray and consider where God may be leading you to take a next step of faith throughout this year.
On January 25, you’ll have the opportunity to complete a commitment card during service. If you’re unable to attend or are joining us after that date, you can fill out the online commitment form using the button below or stop by the Becoming Information Center at church on any Sunday to fill one out. Take your time, seek the Lord, and commit as He leads—then explore the resources below to help you get started on the journey.
Becoming Sermon Series
This sermon series launches our 2026 Spiritual Journey Campaign, Becoming. Together, the series and campaign focus on what it means for the church—and each of us—to become who Christ is calling us to be. We’ll begin by exploring three foundational callings Jesus gives His followers: to become Sons of Light, Children of God, and Fishers of Men.
Becoming Guidebook
This resource was created to help guide you through the Becoming spiritual journey and is designed to be used alongside your Bible each week in worship. You’ll find space for sermon notes throughout the year, daily prayers during the sermon series, and information about our All-Church Initiatives and personal or family commitments. If you don’t have a guidebook yet, stop by the Becoming lobby booth on any Sunday to pick one up—or start anytime and catch up by watching sermons on our website or YouTube. We pray this resource helps all of us become the church God is calling us to be—and helps you become who God is calling you to be.
Becoming Testimonies
Everyone at Peace Church is being called in these five ways to take part in God’s work through the Becoming spiritual journey:
READ
Commit to the Bible-in-a-Year reading plan starting Jan. 19 (p. 13)
Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2, 1 Timothy 3:16-17, Deuteronomy 11:18-19, Psalm 119:105, Matthew 4:4, Matthew 7:24
PRAY
Log three hours of prayer each week (p. 11)
Acts 1:14, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Colossians 4:2, Romans 12:12
CONNECT
Wear the Becoming wristband throughout the year (p. 10)
1 Peter 2:9, 17, Psalm 100:3, Ephesians 2:19, 1 Timothy 3:15
SERVE
Take the Spiritual Gifts Assessment and pray about where God is calling you to serve (p. 17)
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 14:12, Ephesians 4:16, 2 Timothy 1:6, Hebrews 2:4
WORSHIP
Assess your commitment to Sunday worship attendance and recommit if needed
Luke 11:28, Hebrews 10:24-25, Acts 2:42, Psalm 122:1, Colossians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, Romans 12:4-5, Psalm 95:1-2, Acts 20:7, Ephesians 5:19-20
As we do these things together—knowing we are doing these together—we’ll deepen the family feel of our church while also growing spiritually and in unity as God’s people.
Review these challenges and ask the Holy Spirit which ones he is calling you to take on, so that you may spiritually grow into the person God is calling you to become.
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Begin weekly family worship through Bible reading, devotions, and prayer (p. 28)
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Increase your prayer commitment from three hours a week to five hours a week
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Commit to regular fasting throughout the year, whether a full day, a single meal, or another rhythm (p. 18)
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Get relationally connected at Peace Church by joining or starting a Community Group, attending a Men’s or Women’s Bible Study, and/or serving in a ministry
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Begin biblical tithing and faithfully support God’s work through Peace Church (get a copy of Tithing: the Basics of Giving at the ‘Round the Table booth to learn more)
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Take first (or next) steps in adoption or foster care (p. 25)
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Write and share your testimony with the Peace Church family, either in print or on video, or share it with someone in your life who needs the Gospel or an invitation to church (p. 21)
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Start a Gospel conversation you’ve been wanting to have but haven’t yet
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Attend an Evangelism Training Night this spring or late summer (p. 28)
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Take our membership class (register at peacechurch.cc/events)
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Consider joining the core group of people who will help launch the new Hastings Campus (p. 27)
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Attend a gathering to learn more about pastoral ministry (p. 27)
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Pray and listen for any other ways the Holy Spirit may be calling you to grow spiritually
The purpose of this is for each of us to grow into the person God is calling us to become, so that we can be the Church God is calling us to become.
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Did you know that from 2020 to 2025, Peace Church has tripled in size and doubled in locations?
Simply put, we’ve grown—a lot! With such rapid growth, the ability to connect with, or even recognize, everyone in our church family can be very difficult. The Becoming wristbands will allow you to see who is part of the Peace Church family while out in public!
Everyone is encouraged to wear the wristband during their waking hours! This will help show not just the world, but your church family, that Peace Church is your home church—and that you are participating in the Becoming Campaign.
When you see someone out in public also wearing the wristband, go up and say hi and introduce yourself. This can be intimidating, so here are some things you could say:
Show them your wristband and say, “Hey, so you’re part of the Peace family too? Awesome! My name is [your name], and I go to [1st/2nd/3rd] service. Which service do you usually go to?” Then you can ask about their family, how long they’ve been part of Peace Church, and how they are serving or connected.
That’s it! With that simple interaction, you’ve made another connection in our larger church family.
This is key—when the Bible speaks about the church, it uses family language. God is our Father, Christ is his Son, and we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Simply put, the wristbands help us identify and connect with our church family—especially during a year when we are trying to grow into the church that God is calling us to become!
If you lose your wristband or it becomes too worn or dirty, don’t worry! Just grab another at church—they’ll be available all year.
We cannot become the people or the church God is calling us to be, unless we are saturated in regular times of prayer. Everyone at Peace is challenged to log three hours of prayer per week. Maybe you’re hearing the Holy Spirit challenging you to even more!
Our prayer is that your time in prayer before the Lord is sweet and refreshing. We pray the more time spent in prayer, the more you will want to saturate your life in it as you grow in faith.
Let these verses be of encouragement to you:
Acts 1:14
All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer…
Matthew 14:23
And after he had dismissed the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
Mark 1:35
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Luke 6:12
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
Romans 12:12
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Colossians 4:2
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
Throughout the New Testament, God tells us that the Holy Spirit provides members of the church with spiritual gifts
(1 Corinthians 12:4-7). These gifts are given so that we can serve one another and bring glory to God.
For Peace Church to become all that God is calling us to be, we need everyone to use their spiritual gifts as we see the gospel embraced and passed on for generations of Kingdom impact.
A key step in using your spiritual gifts is knowing what they are. God’s word gives us three primary lists of spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and 1 Corinthians 12:28, which include gifts such as faith, service, teaching, generosity, leadership, and mercy.
To find out what your spiritual gifts are, start by seeking God’s leading through studying his word and spending time in prayer. Jesus tells us in John 16:13 that the Spirit will guide us into all truth. As you look to the spiritual gifts lists in Scripture, spend time praying that you would know and use your gifts.
Another way you can determine your spiritual gifts is through the wise counsel of other believers. We often see ourselves differently than others do, so it is helpful to ask other mature believers what gifts they see in you and how they would encourage you to use them to build up the church. At Peace, our Zone Elders are great resources for this.
Finally, one modern practice that can help in the process of determining your spiritual gifts is taking an assessment that sheds light on it. We created an assessment that helps our members to biblically reflect on the ways that God has gifted them. Our hope is that this assessment will help you take the next steps in using your gifts so that each of us, and the church as a whole, becomes who God has called us to be.
If you are interested in taking our online spiritual gifts assessment, you can access it by clicking the link below. After you complete the assessment, we will provide suggestions for possible next steps to use your gifts to bless the church and bring glory to God.
What is interesting about the English word fast is that it means to move quickly and to abstain from food, but we also use it in phrases like hold fast, which means to hold firmly. How did we get these varied meanings from this one word? The answer is found in the origin of the word. Fast comes from the Old English fæst, which means firm, fixed, secure, or constant.
When we see how these words are all related in their core idea, it becomes clear that as fast evolved into Modern English, it took on these separate nuances. Secure and constant developed into the notion of quickness; firm and secure inform the idea of holding fast; and fixed and constant give us the concept of fasting as a determined posture of not eating food.
However, when we speak of fasting as a religious endeavor—withholding or abstaining from taking food—the origin of this cross-cultural and cross-religious practice dates back millennia, typically carrying the notion of purification, humility, and drawing near to the divine, with the idea being that the physical must be set aside to achieve the spiritual.
In the Christian tradition, its roots are found in the Hebrew Old Testament, where in ancient Israel it was connected with repentance, mourning, prayer, and reliance upon God. We see fasting practices throughout the Bible—from Moses, who fasted forty days on Mount Sinai before receiving the Law (Exodus 34:28), to David, who fasted in grief and repentance (2 Samuel 12:16), to the prophet Daniel, who fasted and prayed for wisdom and mercy (Daniel 9:3), as well as in the call from Queen Esther, who called upon her people to fast for three days before she approached the king (Esther 4:16).
In the New Testament, fasting continues as a discipline to help us grow spiritually, as it calls us to find our dependence upon God—to put our love for the Lord over our desires for satisfaction. Jesus himself fasted for forty days in the wilderness. When the devil tempted him to turn stones into bread to relieve his hunger, Jesus refused and quoted Scripture, saying:
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
— Matthew 4:4; cf. Deuteronomy 8:3
Fasting, then, is a way to declare to the Lord our reliance upon him. It is a practice of putting God before our desires, namely, our desire for food. As hunger pangs come, they serve as reminders to turn our focus to God and to direct our energy into prayer.
Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline that, when done rightly, can help us grow spiritually and deepen our faith. It is not simply about deprivation, but rather about devotion—about training our spirits to hunger for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
In college, my Spiritual Formation professor also warned against fasting as a means to simply lose weight, and Jesus also warns against fasting for the wrong reasons, such as using it to display our righteousness before others. He said:
“When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
— Matthew 6:16–18
All of Isaiah 58 is about true and false fasting, where we see that God calls us to fast in order to grow spiritually as we reflect God’s good will in this world and find our delight in the Lord. Again, the spiritual discipline only helps us grow spiritually when done for spiritually righteous reasons. Thus, fasting is typically a private practice—a personal act of humility and devotion before God. It is a way of living out the truth of the Bible: “man does not live by bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4).
Fasting does not have a set prescribed length of time. In the Bible, we see fasts lasting from one day (Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6) to three days (Esther 4:16) to forty days (Exodus 34:28; Matthew 4:2). As a spiritual discipline, there is no single method. Many people choose to fast for a day or even skip a single meal. The point is less about how we fast and more about why—it’s an act of faith meant to draw us closer to God.
You might choose a three-month period in which you fast one day each week, or a week-long fast where every day you skip a particular meal, like lunch.
While fasting traditionally means abstaining from food, modern practices also include other kinds of fasts—such as fasting from technology, entertainment, or particular types of food, like meat or sugar (see Daniel 10:2–3). The practice we see most clearly in Scripture is to abstain from food completely.
Again, the notion here is about setting aside our desires in order to deepen our reliance upon God as we grow closer to him in trust, love, and joy. While this is a spiritual practice, it does have physical implications, so for those with health concerns, it’s always good to consult with your doctor before you begin this discipline.
As the Lord leads you, may you prayerfully practice the spiritual discipline of fasting in order that you may continue to grow into the person God is calling you to become as you deepen your faith in the God of your salvation.
*If you or you and your family decide to fast, please reach out to your Zone Elders so they can be praying for you!
There is a church in London that Peace partners with. A few years ago, their lead pastor’s wife was miraculously healed from Stage 4 cancer. Even the nonreligious doctors told them, “You’ve experienced a miracle.”
Do you think they shared that story with anyone? They’ve shared it with everyone.
If you experienced a miracle, you would tell someone. You would tell everyone.
The beauty of Christian testimonies is that every follower of Jesus has experienced a miracle. We were dead in our sin and then made alive in Christ.
Your testimony is powerful because it’s both your personal story of experiencing a miracle and the good news of Jesus Christ for everyone. That’s why sharing your testimony of salvation is an essential element of becoming the church.
God uses the stories of his work in our lives to open others to hear and receive the gospel. Our testimonies often play a pivotal role in the lost experiencing the miracle of salvation and receiving a testimony of their own.
Just because it is good to share your testimony, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. Many of us don’t know where to start, what to include, or how to use our story to share the good news.
Where do I start?
Sharing your testimony will look different based on your context: Who are you talking to? What is your relationship? What is their experience and understanding of Jesus? What environment are you in and how much time do you have?
While there are some aspects that will change based on context, it’s helpful to spend time preparing to share the elements of your testimony that are important to include regardless of who you are talking to.
Take some time to think about and write down the answers to these questions:
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What was my life like before receiving faith in Jesus?
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How did God reveal himself and his good news to me?
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What is the good news that I now believe?
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What has my life been like since becoming a follower of Jesus?
As you dwell on your answers to these questions, the basis of your testimony is coming together.
What do I include?
The Bible doesn’t give us a checklist to follow to share our testimony, but following the examples of the early church gives us a helpful guide.
As you share your story, it’s helpful to include details about your life before being saved (lost and sinful), how you were saved (faith and grace), and your life as a follower of Jesus (transformation and purpose).
As you share the good news that brought you salvation, it’s important to include God’s love for us (creation and blessing), our sin and separation from him (fall and judgment), salvation through Christ (Jesus’ death and resurrection), and our response to the good news (faith or rejection). When sharing this, it’s helpful to have some key Scriptures to refer to, such as John 3:16, Romans 3:23, and Ephesians 2:8-10.
How do I include the good news for everyone in my personal testimony?
While testimonies are personal and reflect on your own experience, it’s critical to share the good news of Jesus for those listening. Whether the person you are sharing with has faith in Jesus or not, they need to hear the good news. If they are a follower of Jesus, they will be encouraged. If they are not, God might use your proclamation to bring them faith.
The best bridge to share the story of Jesus in your story is to share the message that you received when you believed. This part of our testimony can challenge us, because it’s not just sharing our subjective experience, but declaring the objective truths that we are all sinners in need of salvation. As you share that you believe, don’t forget to share what it is that you believe, so that others will hear the gospel clearly.
What does this actually look like?
All of that sounds good in theory, but it’s helpful to look at a real-life example of someone’s testimony. Here is a short version of mine (Pastor Nate Harney) that I can share in about two minutes:
I grew up in a peaceful, healthy home, where my parents taught me that there is a God who made me and loves me.
While that should have brought me peace, instead my childhood was defined by fears that led to anxiety. I was afraid that no one liked me, that I wouldn’t be successful in life, and that I would never find true peace.
As I got older, I heard the story of Jesus, that he was God among us, that he lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and then defeated death and rose again. While this seemed like good news in general, I wasn’t really looking to be saved from my sin. I wanted to be freed from my fears and anxiety. I felt like a good person, somehow I just needed to grow in confidence and find peace.
As I learned more about Jesus and how he calls us to live selfless lives focused on loving God and others, I realized my fears and anxieties were all rooted in sin; a deep self-centered obsession with my own comfort, success, and happiness.
The Gospel of John tells us that before Jesus gave his life for us, he shared this with his followers: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Jesus can promise peace because he offers salvation through faith. When I received faith in Jesus, by grace, my sins were forgiven and I started to become more like him and through that, I found freedom from fear and unshakable peace.
Now my days aren’t filled with fears and anxieties that are focused on myself. Instead, each day is a faith-driven adventure where I enjoy his salvation and find purpose and peace in telling others about Jesus.
When I share my testimony, it looks different depending on the specific context, but I always try to include my personal story of being delivered from sin, fear, and anxiety while I share the story of Jesus and salvation that comes through faith. In person, it’s often less polished, but time and again, God has used the story of his work in my life to share his good news with others.
What now?
Pray, prepare, and practice sharing your own testimony. Then when God opens the door, be ready to share his good news and how your life has been transformed by Jesus.
With God’s help, you can do this. When we all share our testimonies, the good news of Jesus spreads, and we become the church that God is calling us to be.
If you would like to share your testimony with the Peace Church family, whether in print or on video, please reach out to us at testimony@peacechurch.cc.
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From the Old Testament and into the New, God reveals himself as our Father, and with this, we see his special concern for orphans and the fatherless—those without protection, provision, or family.
Deuteronomy 10:18
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.
Psalm 68:5
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
Exodus 22:22
You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.
Zechariah 7:10
Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor.
James 1:27
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
In God’s Kingdom, to care for or take in an orphan was often a form of adoption—bringing them into one’s household for protection and nurture.
In the Bible, we see families take on children who are not biologically their own, such as Esther, who was raised by her cousin Mordecai. The most prominent example is Jesus Christ himself, who was raised by his adoptive father, Joseph.
Knowing this is a beautiful and biblical call, adoption and foster care are powerful ways for believers to show the world how we are living out God’s call for compassion and righteousness—caring for the vulnerable as we reflect God’s heart for justice and mercy.
Ultimately, every act of human adoption points to the greater truth that we have been adopted by God himself—brought from being spiritual orphans into belonging in God’s family through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:15–17; Galatians 4:4–7; Ephesians 1:5).
At Peace Church, there are a large number of families who have taken up the call to adopt or become foster parents. While not everyone is called to take a child or children into their home, we are all called to love our neighbor, young and old, rich or poor. So, while you may not be called to adopt or provide foster care, we always encourage our church family to help and assist families who have adopted or fostered.
We also know some are called more to help or assist, so during the Becoming Campaign, we are calling upon the families of Peace Church to prayerfully consider if they are called to adopt or become foster parents.
We want to help you discern this call and support you along the way. If this is a conversation you feel led to begin, we encourage you to start in prayer.
We have staff members who have walked through this process themselves and are passionate about helping others. Reaching out to them at adoption@peacechurch.cc is a great first step in starting the discussion and discerning God’s call to adopt or become foster parents.
At Peace Church, we have spent many years praying and preparing to plant other churches to reach the lost in our community. By God’s grace, in Fall 2023, we planted our first daughter church in Wayland. This congregation has grown and is well on its way toward becoming a self-sufficient church.
After much prayer and consideration, we believe the Lord is now calling us to plant another daughter church in Hastings. One significant reason we feel this call to Hastings is because of the number of people who are already driving from Hastings to Peace Church in Middleville each week. We want to give these members of our church family a better opportunity to reach their neighbors and invite them to gather as a church in their own town.
If you are open to considering a call to Peace Hastings, you can attend future interest meetings listed at peacechurch.cc/events to learn more and pray for the Lord’s work in the community
Young men, are you open to a call to ministry? In the last few years, we have lost many great Christian leaders and preachers, from Charlie Kirk to Tim Keller to R.C. Sproul. Now, more than ever, the world needs men who will boldly proclaim the truth. Who will step up? Who will answer God’s call with the words, “Here am I, Lord; send me”?
If you think it’s possible the Lord may be calling you to pastoral ministry, we would love to help you consider that call. You don’t have to be the greatest speaker or leader. What the Lord calls you to, he will equip you for. If you sense this calling, come out for an opportunity to evaluate it and receive training from our pastoral staff. Look out for future gatherings at peacechurch.cc/events.
Join us for church-wide evangelism training nights coming this spring and late summer. Keep an eye on peacechurch.cc/events for details. Until then, here are some recommended resources to help you grow in confidence and clarity as you share your faith:
Organic Outreach for Ordinary People by Kevin Harney
Organic Outreach for Families by Kevin Harney
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer.
Personal Devotional Recommendations
Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon
Voices from the Past (Vol. 1 & 2) by Richard Rushing
Valley of Vision
Everyday Gospel by Paul David Tripp
Refreshment for the Soul by Richard Sibbes
Family Devotional Recommendations
Comforting Hearts, Teaching Minds by Starr Meade
The Songs of Jesus by Timothy Keller
Bearing Fruit by Diana Kleyn
New City Catechism
Family Worship Bible Guide
The Biggest Story Bible by Kevin DeYoung
Resources
Monthly Updates from Pastor Ryan
'Round the Table
‘Round the Table offers gospel-centered articles, podcasts, videos, and teaching resources to help you grow in your faith. Visit roundthetable.co or click the button below to explore our content. Stop by the ‘Round the Table lobby booth to browse our books and sign up for our newsletter.