We have had several conversations recently about finding a person of peace in western culture.  The context of Luke 10 is clearly eastern where three generations and families of several siblings plus servants could make up a household.  To live among them and teach the person of peace to become the pastor/elder of their family and friends and to see that multiply through family patterns is what is happening right now through many third world cultures and these patterns are fueling rapidly multiplying church planting movements.

What does this look like in the western world where individualism is the norm and extended family relationships are not? Does the teaching of Jesus in Luke 10 extend across all cultural boundaries?  Of course it does.  This is Jesus we are talking about!   In the west our families tend to be various sorts of interest groups.  The problem is not with the harvest.  Waiting for the harvest to come to you?  Jesus never said they would!  He commanded his disciples to pray for laborers who would go and then sent them out as the answer to their own prayers.

Here are some contemporary western examples of persons of peace:.

The team leader of a multifaceted ministry in England joined the local cricket club and got involved in all aspects of the club.  The result?  Several club members baptized as followers of Jesus.

A friend in Germany heard clear instruction to go to her local pub.  "Lord, I have never gone alone to a pub in my life and now?"  She went and joined a table of several ladies who were esoteric spiritualists gathered for their weekly talk.  They accepted her into their conversation.  After a few weeks of listening and softly answering a few questions they invited her to take a whole evening and share about her relationship with Jesus.  She did so just last Thursday night. Interesting house of peace!

Another German friend began to hang out in a local park with the homeless, punks and other people on the edges.  The result?  Several baptized followers of Jesus and a community of Jesus in the park. One man has a story of horrific childhood abuse and had been living on the street for 15 years.

Want to be a pastor? Why not become the pastor (well, coach/manager) of your son or daughter's sport team?  A close friend did that and met a dad that he felt drawn towards.  At a certain point that dad stopped showing up at his son's practices and games.  My friend kept calling, but the dad never picked up until Christmas Eve.  He picked up and began to talk about being in total despair and on his way to commit suicide.  That was the first of many talks and now this dad has become a follower of Jesus.

What about your work?  Live your life, do your job, meet needs, share simply and see what God will do.  Dutch friends did that as personal trainers at sports club.  One lady began asking questions and on a trip to her home, my friends noticed a Bible on the table.  "Why do you have a Bible on your table?"  "We are trying to understand it, but we need someone to help us."  That couple will be baptized this Sunday and renew their marriage vows as well.

Obviously it is happening in the West.  Jesus' teaching is coming alive...how will it come alive in your context?

Copyright 2009 by Steve Hill  http://www.harvest-now.com
Originally sent as an e-newsletter on June 27, 2009

See also the article Revolutionary Students of Peace

<< Back to Features & Articles