Discovering and Developing a Person of Peace

Person of Peace (sometimes called “a person of good will”)…this individual is someone who is receptive, of reputation, and is a person of referral. By being receptive, he/she is eager to have a relationship with you. Regarding reputation, it could be either good or bad, but people know this person. He/she is also a person of referral in the sense that there is an influence over others, either good or bad. Every community will have people of peace. (Lydia - Acts 16:11-15; Philippian Jailer – Acts 16:29-34).

1. Finding a Person of Peace – Luke 10:2-11
A Person of Peace will:
• Welcome You
• Speak Kindly to You
• Be a Person of Hospitality (i.e. invite you into their surroundings/home) • Have a heart of Compassion
• Share a Similar Vision
• Sense the Need for Change
• Note: you will find in this person an instant friend, who will open the door to
others. Make this your base of operation, and your first indigenous leader.

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2. Developing the Person of Peace

A. Become a Friend – You need to be seen as deeply concerned for the person of

peace and his/her community. They need to trust you and you need to trust them.

The only way for this to happen is through building a relationship of friendship

and mentoring. Here are some ideas…

• Accept Hospitality – A person of peace enjoys being a host. Be gracious and

kind by accepting all invitations, and eat what is before you (Luke 10).

• Fellowship on a Regular Basis – Trust is your objective. They will only know

your vision when they experience your heart. Model Christ before them.

 

B. Form a Prayer Triad – The person of peace, your prayerwalking partner and

you should agree to pray for the lost in the community. Try to discover 9 people to

pray for by name. Covenant to pray daily for these individuals and at least weekly

as a team. Later on agree to visit them together and invite them to a time of

fellowship around the Bible. This could become your first cell group in that

community.

 

C. Meet Regularly to Mentor – Pour your heart and vision into this person of

peace. Help them to see the community through the eyes of Christ. Tell them

everything you know about church planting through small groups.

 

D. Be the Coach – You are not the doer, but the equipper. Let the person of peace be

the person in charge. You coach and model for him and remain in the

background. Remember, you are the missionary and this is their community! Your

goal is to make it indigenous, not to be the person in charge.

 

E. Have an Exit Strategy – Be up front with any persons of peace. Let them know

that there will be a day when you will be moving on (like Paul), and they will be

leading others. Have a definite date in mind. The person of peace must get off the

“training wheels” of your hands-on leadership, or church planting will not take

place. Most indigenous church planting strategists suggest that the missionary

needs to be off the scene and with another person of peace in less than six months.

Excerpts from (The Community of Hope. 334.832.4673334.832.4673 (HOPE)

www.community-of-hope.org) Used by permission.

 

Note: In some circumstances you might find that God is leading you to remain

with the new church plant, or even to become its permanent leader. For example, a community with rapid population movement may need the ongoing stability of a settled Christian leader from outside the group. Generally, this strategy slows or stops multiplication in church planting,

so use it only if God clearly guides you to do so.

David Watson

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