Who We Are & Why We Do This

There are approximately 1,600 public schools across 50+ school districts in our city.

Every one of them is full of children who need more than a classroom can give. Teachers who are stretched thin. Families navigating challenges no school was designed to solve. And somewhere nearby — often just down the street — there is a church full of people who want to help. They just don't know how to start.

Loving Schools exists for that moment.

We connect local churches with public schools in their own neighborhoods — not as a one-time event, not as a transaction, but as a genuine, long-term partnership between neighbors. We equip churches to show up, stay, and build the kind of trust that changes a community from the inside out.

Because we believe that when a church and a school commit to each other, something that can't be programmed happens: children gain caring adults in their corner. Teachers feel seen and supported. Families find community. And churches discover what it looks like to love their neighbor in the most tangible way possible — by walking into a school and saying: we're here and we're here to stay.

This is what transformation looks like to us.
Not a campaign.
A commitment.

Teacher reading aloud to elementary students in a Be Kind classroom

Our Story

Mid 1990s

The seeds were planted by Jim Herrington and Mission Houston — pastor prayer groups forming across the city, and a major survey effort called the Houston Profile Project that mapped the needs of every neighborhood.
Early 2000s

A conversation with the Luis Palau Association leads to a citywide evangelistic festival in 2006. Nearly 250,000 people gather in downtown Houston. After the event ends, something unexpected happens: the connections between churches and local schools don't fade. People keep showing up.
2013

The Southern Baptist Convention's national gathering comes to Houston. Tom Billings and David Weekley bring together leaders from three streams who had been working in parallel. They sit down with Dr. Stephen Klineberg of Rice University's Kinder Institute to explore a citywide survey of church outreach. His advice is direct: skip the survey. Invest in children through schools. That's where the impact is. Loving Houston is reborn.
Today

There are more than 400 church–school partnerships active across the city. Thousands of volunteers are showing up week after week. Hundreds of schools have a committed church partner — and hundreds more are still waiting for one. As this movement continues to grow, our name is evolving to reflect the full scope of what God is doing.

Loving Houston is now Loving Schools.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

7 Foundational Beliefs

Loving Schools wants to clearly articulate the beliefs that are foundational to our work. In these seven tenets, we describe what we believe to be the teaching of the Bible and explain how each tenet grounds and directs our work in Greater Houston. We share these beliefs to be transparent about the reason for our hope.

The Scriptures

2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; Genesis 2:24; Leviticus 18:22

We affirm that the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired and inerrant Word of God, providing us with perfect guidance. These scriptures reveal God’s purpose in creation, His plan for salvation through Jesus, and His standards by which He will judge the world. The mission of Loving Schools is firmly grounded in these divine truths, which we believe are meant for daily application in the lives of believers. Guided by this foundation, we uphold the biblical definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, reflecting our commitment to live by God’s Word in every aspect of our mission and practice.
God

Deuteronomy 6:4; Psalm 104, 139; Matthew 10:29-31; Acts 17:24-28; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:9-12, 4:4-6; Colossians 1:16-17; Hebrews 1:1-3; Revelation 1:4-6

We believe that the one true, eternal God exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one God, yet equal in power, glory, and deity. God is infinite, eternal, and perfect in beauty, holiness, goodness, truth, and love. God created the world and upholds everything that exists. God directs all things to fulfill them in Christ Jesus and glorify his name. The work of Loving Schools is directed and empowered by the living, triune God.
Jesus Christ

Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:1-18; Acts 1:9-11; Romans 3:23-25, 8:34; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-23; Hebrews 7:23-25, 9:13-15; 1 Peter 1:3-5, 2:21-25; 1 John 2:2

We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, fully human while fully God, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. The Father sent Jesus to reveal God to the world and redeem sinful humanity. He lived a sinless life and offered himself as a sacrifice for sinners. Through his death, he revealed God’s perfect love and upheld God’s perfect justice. He was raised to a literal, bodily resurrection from the dead. He then ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, as high priest and intercessor for all who believe. At Loving Schools, we believe Christ is the only hope for the world.
Humanity

Genesis 1–3; Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:9-18, 5:1-12; Ephesians 2:1-3

We believe that humanity was originally created in the image of God, righteous and without sin. As a result of the fall, disobedience through human nature and human choice makes humanity deserving of God’s judgment. Human rebellion has caused God’s good creation to fall into disorder. Loving Schools grieves the fact that sin has caused distance from God and is the origin of poverty and injustice.
The Gospel

John 1:12-13, 6:37-44; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3–4, 8:1-17, 10:8-13; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:3-7

The Gospel is the good news that Christ’s death is the necessary sacrifice to God for our sins. The Gospel is the announcement of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, in Christ alone. Loving Schools has hope for our city’s transformation, because we have hope in the Gospel that makes transformation possible.
The Holy Spirit

Philippians 2:12-13; Romans 8:31-39; Acts 2:14-21, 4:29-30; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Galatians 3:1-5

The Holy Spirit enables us to genuinely and joyfully do what is pleasing to God. In obedience, we become like Christ. The Holy Spirit announces the transformational, restorative, perfect kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit empowers and edifies the church through spiritual gifts. Through the Holy Spirit, the Loving Schools team and all our partners can fulfill our mission of loving God and loving others.
The Mission of God

Psalm 82:3; Isaiah 1:17; John 13:31-35, 5:25-29; James 1:27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 19:1-21, 20:11-15, 21:1–22:15

We eagerly await the day that Christ Jesus will return to perfect his kingdom and enact justice. Additionally, we believe that the most vulnerable of our communities hold particular concern for Jesus. We believe that God is on a mission of reconciliation in the world. He has invited Loving Schools (and you!) to take part in the work he has been doing since the beginning of time.