West Metro Peacekeepers offers fellowship, Bible study for cops Group addresses specific challenges faced by Christian law enforcement
officers
by Bryan Malley
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GOLDEN VALLEY — Following his conversion to Christianity in 2003 Officer Michael Passig of the Plymouth Police Department was looking for a fellowship and Bible study group for cops. When he didn’t find one, he and fellow officer Tim Oie started the West Metro Peacekeepers. Passig says that serving in law enforcement offers a unique perspective on life, creating a unique set of needs and challenges for Christian officers.
“Generally people don’t call police officers when they are having a good day. It’s usually in a crisis,” Passig said. “When you deal with this on a day-to-day basis, you can become cynical. You start looking at people differently.” During a conversation with Oie, Passig suggested that they “see if anyone is out there” that also desired Christian camaraderie with fellow law enforcement officers.
Passig, a School Resource Officer for the Plymouth School District, began researching law enforcement-specific Bible study material. What he found was “The PeaceKeepers” small group study developed by Michael Dye of Valencia, Calif. At the time, the book wasn’t in print but Dye gave Passig a copy.
“We want to be an inclusive group. For us, we made the decision that if we dive into the Bible right away without feeling the waters with people, we might chase people away,” Passig said. “This book is perfect because it really brings up specific issues directly related to law enforcement.”
In September 2005, the West Metro Peacekeepers began meeting monthly at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. Since then, the group’s existence has been spread primarily by word of mouth and attendance varies from month to month. The monthly meetings have drawn officers from Anoka County, Blaine, Burnsville, Minnetonka, the state Department of Natural Resources, the state patrol, Plymouth and Wright County agencies.
“As Christians, we can talk openly about [issues we face],” Passig said. “Having that Christian aspect has been very beneficial. Law enforcement can be very taxingon the family and on the individual.” Group meetings usually begin with socialization and move into prayer, reading and discussing chapters from “The PeaceKeepers,” and another time of prayer requests and praise. The gatherings also provide the opportunity for Christians in law enforcement to share past experiences and discuss ways to deal with different scenarios.
“For me, this group and going through the Bible study has formed my opinion of my job as more of a mission field,” Passig said. “It takes a unique personality to be a Christian police officer.”
ACTION POINT:
The West Metro Peacekeepers meet the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. To find out more about the group, visit www.westmetropeacekeepers.org or call (763) 745-6726.
Published by Minnesota Christian Chronicle — May 2007
officers
by Bryan Malley
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOLDEN VALLEY — Following his conversion to Christianity in 2003 Officer Michael Passig of the Plymouth Police Department was looking for a fellowship and Bible study group for cops. When he didn’t find one, he and fellow officer Tim Oie started the West Metro Peacekeepers. Passig says that serving in law enforcement offers a unique perspective on life, creating a unique set of needs and challenges for Christian officers.
“Generally people don’t call police officers when they are having a good day. It’s usually in a crisis,” Passig said. “When you deal with this on a day-to-day basis, you can become cynical. You start looking at people differently.” During a conversation with Oie, Passig suggested that they “see if anyone is out there” that also desired Christian camaraderie with fellow law enforcement officers.
Passig, a School Resource Officer for the Plymouth School District, began researching law enforcement-specific Bible study material. What he found was “The PeaceKeepers” small group study developed by Michael Dye of Valencia, Calif. At the time, the book wasn’t in print but Dye gave Passig a copy.
“We want to be an inclusive group. For us, we made the decision that if we dive into the Bible right away without feeling the waters with people, we might chase people away,” Passig said. “This book is perfect because it really brings up specific issues directly related to law enforcement.”
In September 2005, the West Metro Peacekeepers began meeting monthly at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. Since then, the group’s existence has been spread primarily by word of mouth and attendance varies from month to month. The monthly meetings have drawn officers from Anoka County, Blaine, Burnsville, Minnetonka, the state Department of Natural Resources, the state patrol, Plymouth and Wright County agencies.
“As Christians, we can talk openly about [issues we face],” Passig said. “Having that Christian aspect has been very beneficial. Law enforcement can be very taxingon the family and on the individual.” Group meetings usually begin with socialization and move into prayer, reading and discussing chapters from “The PeaceKeepers,” and another time of prayer requests and praise. The gatherings also provide the opportunity for Christians in law enforcement to share past experiences and discuss ways to deal with different scenarios.
“For me, this group and going through the Bible study has formed my opinion of my job as more of a mission field,” Passig said. “It takes a unique personality to be a Christian police officer.”
ACTION POINT:
The West Metro Peacekeepers meet the first Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley. To find out more about the group, visit www.westmetropeacekeepers.org or call (763) 745-6726.
Published by Minnesota Christian Chronicle — May 2007
