🎥 Video 2C: Leading a Peacefire Pause Without Pressure

Hi, I am Haley Steiner, a CLI presenter.

This course is taught by Professor Brian DeCook.

A Peacefire Pause is a simple ministry practice that helps a person slow down, breathe, pray, and return to Christ before reacting.

It is not a technique for controlling someone.

It is not a way to silence pain.

It is not a way to make a harmed person calm down so others can avoid responsibility.

The Peacefire Pause must be offered with consent, gentleness, and respect.

A coach might say, “Would it be okay if we pause for a moment and invite Christ into this conversation?”

That question matters.

Consent matters because people in conflict often feel pressured, dismissed, or controlled. A Peacefire Coach Minister does not add pressure in the name of peace.

The pause may include silence.

It may include a short prayer.

It may include a Scripture phrase such as, “Lord Jesus, lead me in Your peace.”

It may include one deep breath and one honest sentence before God.

The goal is not emotional perfection. The goal is reliance.

James 1 says, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.”

This does not mean anger is never understandable. It means anger cannot be trusted as the master of the next step.

The Peacefire Pause helps the person ask:

What am I feeling?

What am I wanting?

What am I tempted to do?

What would feed the Wildfire?

What would help me return to Christ?

What is one faithful next step?

Sometimes the next step is confession.

Sometimes it is a careful conversation.

Sometimes it is silence for now.

Sometimes it is a boundary.

Sometimes it is a referral.

Sometimes it is a safety step.

Sometimes it is simply, “I am not ready to respond yet, and I need to pray.”

A Peacefire Coach Minister must be especially careful when danger, coercion, abuse, threats, stalking, violence, or serious power imbalance may be present. In those situations, the pause must never be used to send someone back into harm or pressure them into private confrontation.

Peacefire is not passivity.

Peacefire is reliance on Christ.

A simple Peacefire Pause might sound like this:

“Lord Jesus, I bring this conflict before You. Help me tell the truth without hatred. Help me seek peace without pretending. Help me own what is mine, release what is not mine, and take the next faithful step with wisdom and love. Amen.”

After the pause, the coach can ask, “What do you notice now?”

That question gives the person space.

The Peacefire Pause does not force an outcome.

It helps the person stop, return, listen, and respond with Christ at the center.