PERSONS OF PEACE

Identifying and ‘meating’ with the person of peace is the key to starting a Household of God.
Moving out of a church building into a house of peace is the key to reaching the lost.
A house of peace is where the women, youth, seekers and outcasts of the society become part of the tapestry regardless of cast, color, creed, race, ethnicity, status or economics.
A house of peace is the place that changes a believer into a practitioner.
A house of peace transforms a spectator into a performer.
A house of peace blurs the historic divide between the sacred and the secular where the sacred have an opportunity to engage and influence the secular.
A house of peace bridges the historic divide between the APEST of the Ephesians 4:11 (usurped by the clergy) and the saints of the Ephesians 4:12 where equippers and those being equipped interact, leading to Ephesians 4:13 where the Ekklesia is unified and edified. 
A house of peace is where missions turn into ‘Disciple-making Movements’.
A house of peace is the key to reaching your city, nation and indeed the ends of the earth.

IDENTIFYING “SONS OF PEACE” IS KEY TO EKKLESIA PLANTING

The Lord taught His disciples, when you go preaching, look for “a person of peace (POP).” Stay there and eat with them, heal the sick and cast out demons and preach the kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-3; 10:5- 9). “Ben ha-shalom” in Hebrew and “huios eirenes” in Greek mean “son of peace.” The word “son” also means “descendent” and can be used for males and females. 

In the New Testament there are many examples of “sons of peace” including Cornelius (Acts 10:24), Gaius (3 John 1; Rom. 16:23), Archippus, Epaphras, Aristarchus (Philemon 1:2; 23-24), Aquila (1 Cor. 16:19), Tyrannus (Acts 19:9-10), Jason (Acts 17:5-9), Justus, Crispus (Acts 18:78) and many others, mentioned in the 16th chapter of Romans. Women of Peace in the NT include the Samaritan woman, Lydia, Phebe, Priscilla, Mary, Martha, Mary, an owner of an upper room, Mary of Magdala, Apphia, Nympha, Junia (an apostle), Dorcas, Damaris, Joanna, Susanna and others.

EAT WITH THE PERSON OF PEACE (POP)

Persons of peace with different gifts, especially hospitality, facilitate Ekklesia planting. All the individuals mentioned above were persons of peace who opened their homes. Christianity spread throughout the world through the efforts of POP. Generally, they are influential, like Cornelius and Lydia. The Lord has blessed them so that when the time comes, they can take care of the board, lodging and security needs of the saints and of new believers. Therefore, the Lord gave instructions to go and stay with them “eating whatever is laid before you. A laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house” (Luke 10:5-8). The influence of such a person helps in gathering his own Household as well as his neighbors and community (Acts 10:24).

And thus you shall greet him: “Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have” (1 Sam. 25:6). In virulent disregard to these clear instructions, modern evangelistic teams go to a place, set up their loudspeaker system, sing, preach, heal, and deliver but they do not mentor local leaders. They leave without making disciples, much less planting a church. In today’s hostile environment, this unscriptural method can cause many problems, both for preachers and the preached. Yeshua forewarned that at His return, many will say, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons and did many miracles?” But Yeshua will call them workers of iniquity and chase them out. Persons of peace are those who change the ‘hellscape’ by making disciples and planting Ekklesias that multiply in the community.

BREAK THIS RULE AND PAY FOR BOARD AND LODGING

The failure by missionaries that, instead of finding persons of peace, dealt directly with the poor, had to open “mission compounds” for those who were thrown out from their communities. Even today, this mistake is being repeated, creating dependency and causing new believers to suffer persecution and ostracism from their communities. It also sends wrong signals to the educated and the influential that Christianity is meant only for the down-and-out.

CREATION GROANS FOR THE REVELATION OF THE SONS OF GOD

In His economy, God has already planted persons of peace in every human habitation, be it a city, a village or a neighborhood (Acts 15:14; 17:26-27; Rom. 11:5). The Bible says that, “the whole of creation is travailing for the manifestation of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19). Finding the person of peace is the key to starting a house Ekklesia in any locality. He is easily identifiable because he is generally a person of good reputation and hospitable. He will invite you into his house and take care of your food, accommodation, and other needs (Luke 10:5-9). These should not be refused, because they are arranged by the Lord Himself for His Ekklesia to be established (Mark 16:20). He may belong to another faith and initially may be even hostile to Christianity. Praying for him, breaking his bondages and blessing him, you will release him for God’s intended purpose.

FINDING ‘HOUSES OF PEACE’ IS THE KEY 

“God has already visited all the Gentiles on the face of the earth and their locations” (Acts 15:14; 17:26). Now it is for us, the children of “shalom” to go and find the Gentile children of “peace.” It is our responsibility to prayer walk the area and bless all the families living there (1 Tim. 2:8). We must bind the strongman, identify, and release the children of God (the persons of peace), and plant multiplying Households of God in their homes. Yeshua says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). The only diploma we need is a B.A.B. (Be A Blessing) (Gen. 12:3).

GEMS:

• The Corona-virus pandemic and panic has created the greatest opportunity for the church to innovate and reach out to the lost and the least in creative ways. Sitting and twiddling your thumbs being over-whelmed by petty problems is to minimize our great God.
• Just like the needs of a newborn baby take priority over all the agenda of a Household, so the new believer must be the top priority of the NT Ekklesia.
• If an unbeliever comes, then everyone in the Ekklesia must ensure that he or she is nurtured into reproductive maturity through active participation (1 Cor. 14:24-26).
• “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1Cor. 14:22)
• You will not need to send missionaries if you plant Ekklesias impregnated with missionary DNA.
• In this way disciples multiply, resulting in multiplication of disciple-making homes, eventually reaching every human habitation.
• “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in them whose heart is loyal toward Him” (2 Chron. 16:9).
• The highest expression of our obedience to God is loyalty. “If you love me, you will obey my commands” (John 14:15, 24).
• It matters little whether you attended the church, or read the Bible or prayed, spending eternity with Christ is subject to advancing His Kingdom, “If you love me, you will obey my commands” (John 14:15). And the command is, “Go and make disciples, baptize, teach them to obey and lo! I am with you always” (Matt. 28:19,20).

Copyright © 2023 Dr.Victor Choudhrie

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