…If you can find the person Jesus calls “the person of peace”.  The shalom of God has already been at work (preveniently) in this person’s life and in his (or her or their)  home (“house of peace” or shalom bayit in Hebrew) whether they are a follower of Jesus or not.  So, we define a “person of peace” as a person who has been so prepared by God that they are ready to start a church in their home right away.  God has done all the “heavy lifting”.  Picture Cornelius in Acts 10.  How hard was it for Peter to start a church in his home?

 

If the “person of peace” is so critical, so foundational, how do you find them?  Jesus gives us the key in Lk 10:2.

 

Here’s his command…

 

“Beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out (exballo) workers into the harvest”.

 

In the context of Luke 10, one type of “worker” is this “person of peace”.  When you pray that prayer (10:2b) daily, relentlessly, it changes your eyesight.  You begin to anticipate and look for these “people of peace” that the Lord is sending out.  We are finding them coming from all around the world.  And, the amazing thing is that, with the Internet, we can join God in planting churches almost anywhere on the earth.

 

Once the Lord sends us a “10:2b answer”, we then invite them to go through our four week Church 101 Course.  This is by far the simplest and most effective means to help them start a church.  See the email dialogue below for a wonderful story about a with a lady in Kenya named Josephine that illustrates this process.

 

Josephine’s Story…

 

Josephine’s email to me on April 21:  

I have been troubled for quite sometime now about the institutionalized church…  (JW:  In this season, it seems that the Lord is often sending out (ex-ballo-ing) church planters from within the “institutionalized” church.)  I talked with my husband and we started doing farming so that in the near future I will get income and can resign from my current job and do ministry without financial constrains.  (JW:  This kind of motivation often is present when a person is a 10:2b answer.)  Is there a way you can train me on how to go about it?  I want to serve like the early church and experience what they experienced …   (JW:  Another indication of motivation in people who are 10:2b answers.)

 

Me to Josephine on April 21:

Dear Josephine,

Thank you for contacting us.  I hear in your heart a desire that we are hearing from people around the world.  Our sense is that the Spirit is drawing people back to the first century values where church is truly family and Jesus is truly the Leader.  In LK10, our starting point for equipping those who are interested is a four week course called Church 101.  This course focuses on two primary spiritual practices or rhythms.  First, how to connect with one another on a heart level.  And, second, how to connect with the Lord’s heart.  Is this something you would be interested in?  And, are their others who would be interested in this training?

 

Josephine to me on April 21

So, Yes, my husband and my friend might be interested in joining the training.  My problem is that if it will done on line then my friend is not able to use the computer yet but I can help her.  I would like to register for the training.  (JW:  Notice that Josephine responded right away.)

 

Me to Clinton and Pahtyana Moore our LK10 Kenya Coordinators on April 22

Clinton, see the emails below from Josephine in (her city), Kenya.  I’m wondering if you would be able to take her and her husband (and friends) through Church 101.  She certainly sounds like a very motivated “person of peace”.  Could be the key to that city/region?  Let me know what you think.

 

Clinton to me on April 22

John, this seems like a great opportunity and we were just in (Josephine’s town)  for easter weekend.  I wish we would have had email then we could have connected in person.  It is about 4 hours away from where we live.  I think it would be great to lead them through Church 101, we would just need to connect and work out the logistics of meeting weekly through some medium that would be reliable…  Thanks for opening the door and allowing people an easy opportunity to walk through.

 

Clinton to me on May 14

Wanted to let you know that we are set up to meet with Josephine and her husband this Friday to see what the Lord puts together.  (They are traveling to Clinton’s town.)  We are excited!

 

Clinton to me on May 14

John the videos (in Church 101) are so rich, do we have the ability to get the videos for Church 101 available off-line that I can put on a jump drive.  We can always default to the text only material, but the videos are so rich, it would be great if we could dump them into a file and be able to give them out here when people like Josephine don’t have reliable or up to date connection to the internet to watch videos.  (JW:  I appreciate Clinton’s persistence in finding a way for Josephine to access the videos in Church 101.)

 

Clinton to me on May 15

After downloading (almost everything) and getting Church 101 organized into folders, with the videos, it came out to a little over 500 megs of data.  Manageable for a cd and we will see how it all works when I give it to Josephine.

 

May 16

Josephine and her husband drive four hours to meet with Clinton and Pahtyana.

 

 Clinton to me on May 19

AMAZING, can’t believe what God is doing… Would love to connect with you.  Pahtyana (Clinton’s wife) and I had a great meeting with Josephine and her husband, and we all truly believe it was the first of many in a new truly blessed relationship.  Would love to catch up with you and let you know how it went and the plans moving forward.

 

Clinton to his prayer partners on May 20

AMAZING Ministry meeting with a family from (Josephine’s city).  We are exploring powerful ways of utilizing home discipleship and real relationship to transform church planting in the hardest to reach places in Kenya.  This couple have been praying for someone to help them and walk beside them for the past two years, and we are honored to be here for them.

 

Josephine to me on May 31

We had amazing moments with the Clintons. We got to know each other better and I was happy to realize that I am not alone.  (JW:  So many of the people around the world wonder if they are the only ones thinking about church in these ways.  It is a great relief to find out that God is doing this in many places.  And, that they are not alone!)  I got encourage with Clinton’s  testimony that they also at some point in life felt just like me, they took an action and God did not fail them.  I am looking forward to what God has in store for us through Lk 10.  We have been in a time of prayer and we feel deep from our hearts to for ever be disciples and make disciples for Jesus.  Thanks all for your willingness to work with me this journey.

 

Isn’t this a wonderful “God story”?!  And, this is being repeated over and over as people are becoming relentless in praying daily the 10:2b Prayer.

 

Leave a Reply

In the “Leave a Reply” box below, tell us about a 10:2b answer (person of peace) that God connected you with in your region.