AMES, Iowa—People in the Ames area are learning the principles of peacekeeping through a radio spot with Scott Owen, associate pastor of family ministries at CrossRoad Baptist Church. His weekly minute-long tips for peacekeeping, called Pause for Peace, air on local Christian radio station 99.3 FM and a secular AM station in Ames.
The radio spot began in July 2014 as part of the church’s counseling program, CrossWalk Ministries. CrossWalk Ministries itself began in the fall of 2013 under Owen and Dave Knudson, a CrossRoad Baptist deacon, Adult Bible Fellowship teacher, and chairman of the Discipleship Task Force. The goal of CrossWalk Ministries is to provide Biblical counseling, conciliation (conflict counseling and mediation), and training in leadership and counseling.
During the initial airing of Pause for Peace, Owen created 25 spots that dealt with topics such as how to Biblically respond to conflict and specific issues with parents, spouses, coworkers, etc. Funding for the project comes from donations, and since the name and basic principles come from Peacemaker Ministries, the church secured a license from that organization.
Owen has been a certified Biblical counselor with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors since 1993 and a Christian conciliator with Peacemaker Ministries since 2013. He will lead a workshop on peacemaking in the church at this year’s GARBC conference in Omaha June 29—July 3.
- Listen to archives of Pause for Peace at crosswalkcounseling.org.
