Recognizing a person of peace
In planting new simple churches it is important to follow Jesus strategy of looking for a “child of peace” or a “house of peace”. When found one, you can start a new simple church among their web of relationships. This article will give you biblical examples of people of peace and how to recognize them.
“But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. “
(Luke 10:5-6, NKJV).
In planting a new church or mentoring workers who are planting churches, you want to recognize the “child of peace” that Jesus told His disciples to seek in towns where they proclaimed the good news. Here are a few examples of “children of peace” found in the Book of Acts:
1. Acts 10:25-48. Cornelius was prepared by God and sent for Peter. Not only did he welcome Peter to enter his house, where he had gathered family members and close friends, he also invited Peter and his co-workers from Joppa to stay for a few days. Cornelius was clearly ready to hear the gospel, but without God’s special preparation Peter would have been unwilling to enter his house because, as a Jew, Peter would have refused to eat food served by a non-Jew. Despite the instructions Jesus had given in Luke 10:7-8 to eat what a son of peace offered, Peter still had to learn to accept other races, their customs and their food.
2. Acts 16:13-15, 40. Lydia, a woman, was a “daughter of peace” in Philippi. When she had believed and invited the church planters to stay at her house, they readily accepted. Before they left that town, a church was meeting in her house.
3. Acts 16:29-34. When the Philippian jailor learned that his prisoners had not escaped following an earth tremor, he humbly begged of the apostles how he could be saved. They offered salvation by faith to him and to his household. He brought them into his house and cared for him. They the spoke the Word of the Lord to the household and baptized them.
4. Acts 18:1-3. Aquila and Pricilla ran a small business. They received Paul into their home where he worked with them making tents until he received outside support. This couple later privately tutored Apollos, a popular public debater, and hosted a Gentile church.
5. Acts 18:7. Justus, a devout man whose house was located next door to the synagogue, hosted Paul for a time at Corinth.
You can draw several points from these texts for yourself and for your trainees. These include the following (perhaps you can find more):
1. God often prepares family leaders to receive the Gospel. In a European context the family bonds are mostly not that tight as in other cultures. Instead of looking for family leaders you could find people of influence among different social groups. An example would be within sportsclubs, hanggliding clubs, business people and many other places.
2. Such persons are often quite devout in their non-Christian religion. Note: A child of peace might not be peaceful in the way that one would expect. Cornelius, for example, was a professional soldier, trained to lead troops to kill enemies of Rome. Also, the Philippian jailer prior to the earthquake had Paul and Silas tormented, putting their feet in stocks. Be prepared for God’s surprises!
3. God arranges for praying believers to meet children of peace that he has prepared.
4. Most of the children of peace provide you an entrance their web of relationships to start a new church in their home.
5. Such persons will often invite Christians to explain the gospel to them.
6. Christians must be willing to overcome cultural barriers to share the gospel with them. Note: It took a special revelation from God for Peter to accept his Christ-given assignment to share the gospel with Gentiles within their own cultural surroundings.
7. Christians must be prepared to speak about the Lord Jesus and the gospel.
8. Such new believers can be baptized in their own homes.
9. When invited to eat, or stay a few days in the home of a new believer, Christians should do so. Note: Christ’s servants must be willing to receive hospitality from such seekers, and not feel that they have to offer payment, which in some cultures is an offence.
10. Such new believers can host a church in their home. Note: In pioneer fields most new churches are born in the homes of children of peace. A child of peace and his family should not be brought into an existing church, unless for some reason it is impossible to start a new church in their home. Bringing them into an existing church usually stops the process of church reproduction.
11. Church planters in pioneer fields should, if invited, remain in the home of the child of peace following the baptism of the family, like Peter and his helpers from Joppa did in Cesarea, to disciple the new believers and mentor their leaders. Note: Often a child of peace, if mentored the way the apostles did it, will become a shepherding elder who serves the new church. You, as his mentor, may have to make repeated visits, and to mentor one or more children of peace together.
12. Although such children of peace may appear somewhat rustic in their dress and manner, and will lack theological sophistication, others listen to them, and they know how to influence their households and friends. Western mentors must allow their national co-workers to try first to work with children of peace before rejecting them as unsuitable for leadership.
Source: George Patterson & Gallen Currah, www.mentorandmultiply.com
Website: http://simplechurch.eu
