FIND A PERSON/HOUSEHOLD OF PEACE
When the fruit it ripe, you don't have to pull hard. — Rick Warren
Find a person of peace. Read Matthew 10:5-15; Luke 10:1-7 For our purposes, a person of peace is not just someone who wants to hear Bible stories but someone who wants to tell those stories to their family and friends.
Find a person of peace by sharing a Bible story. An easy way to discover a storyteller is sharing a Starter Story, and after asking what it says about Jesus, finding out if they want to share the stories with others. If they say yes, you may have found a person of peace.
Find a person of peace by taking someone with you. People learn more by experiencing the process than they do by explanation. Debrief after each interaction and ask what the observer learned. Gradually, give your disciple more ownership until they eventually model it for others. Follow the three step process of: you do it they watch, they do it you watch, they do it someone else watches.
Find a person of peace in the following places and ways:
Find a person of peace using the following principles:
Find people using a proven conversational tool. For some people, the principles above serve as a sufficient guide. For others, a simple and effective resource is helpful; the FARM conversation.
Find a person of peace by sharing a Bible story. An easy way to discover a storyteller is sharing a Starter Story, and after asking what it says about Jesus, finding out if they want to share the stories with others. If they say yes, you may have found a person of peace.
Find a person of peace by taking someone with you. People learn more by experiencing the process than they do by explanation. Debrief after each interaction and ask what the observer learned. Gradually, give your disciple more ownership until they eventually model it for others. Follow the three step process of: you do it they watch, they do it you watch, they do it someone else watches.
Find a person of peace in the following places and ways:
- In your "Oikos." Oikos is a Greek term that applies to anyone we consider family. This includes your immediate family, but may also extend to friends, people in your sphere of influence, those in your network or "tribe."
- Situationally. Acts 17:17 This includes people we come across during the everyday routines of life. It's those we meet while running errands, attending meetings or gatherings. They are not humanly planned encounters, but sovereignly orchestrated rendezvous. They can be extremely fruitful. The real harvest is among those we don't presently know. People who are open to conversation, interested in hearing a Bible story and willing to share it with others.
- Intentionally. Acts 17:2 This includes those we encounter as a result of a planned witnessing event; i.e. a prayer walk. These too can result in very fruitful relationships. They usually include people with whom we don't normally cross paths. Author Chris Galanos points out, it's especially important to go out among the PIPSY (prisoners, internationals, the poor, the sick, and some say youth). They are marginalized by society, but often responsive to the gospel. Read Matthew 22:9-10
Find a person of peace using the following principles:
- Engage people in conversation. Dialogue is an essential element in finding a person of peace. The gospel can't move forward until believers have spiritual conversations with the lost. Nothing stops the gospel more than silence.
- Pray for them. Inform the person with whom you're conversing that you like to pray for those you meet. Ask if you can do so. If they say yes, ask them if God could perform a miracle in their life, what would it be? Then pray for that. You'll be amazed what people share.
- Share a Bible story. Ask if you can share an encouraging story from the Bible. Share a Starter Story and do an abbreviated DBS (ask what it says about Jesus). Learn some of the Starter stories so you're ready to share when the time comes.
- Ask the Golden Question: "Would you like to share these types of stories with your family and friends?" This differentiates a welcoming person from a person of peace.
Find people using a proven conversational tool. For some people, the principles above serve as a sufficient guide. For others, a simple and effective resource is helpful; the FARM conversation.
Resources
- Learn a Starter Story.
- Read: Go Out Among the Lost, PIPSY, Poor, International, Prisoner, Sick.
Apply
- What do the following passages teach about finding persons of peace/story tellers? Mark 5:1-20; John 1:35-51, 4:28-30, 39-42; Acts 10:9-33, 16:13-15, 16:25-34.
- What will you do this week to Find a person of peace? Share it with the group. Review this and other Apply responses in your next meeting.