Key: Look
LOOK for ‘persons of peace’
Stephanas built relationships with the local people. From the time he first entered the community he was seeking potential leaders.
Jesus set the example with people like Levi[1], the Samaratan woman[2] and Zaccheus.[3] Then He sent out 72 workers two by two and told each team to do the same, looking for a “man of peace.”[4] Stephanas and the team would follow the Lord’s instructions, looking for a man or woman with these qualities:
1. Receptive and hospitable
2. Reputation, either good or bad[5]
3. Refers church planters to his or her own circle of influence
They planned to reach heads of households, knowing that they would be potential leaders who could share the gospel with their families and friends.[6] It’s important to know who the “decision makers” are in a culture’s family dynamic. Regarding many cultures, someone once said, “You win a child—you win an orphan. You win a wife—you win a widow. You win a husband—you win a family.”
[1] Luke 5:27-32
[2] John 4:7-42
[3] Luke 19:1-10
[4] Luke 10:6-7
[5] “Good soil for the Gospel is bad people.” George Patterson
[6] Acts 16:31