One of the biggest differences between cultures is whether they are collectivistic or individualistic. In a collectivistic culture, people see themselves mainly as part of a family or group. In an individualistic culture, people see themselves mostly as independent, with freedom to choose their own path. Much of the modern West is individualistic, shaped by the Enlightenment, which taught people to value personal freedom above almost everything else. Later, as more people moved to big cities for work, they often left their extended families behind, making life even more individualistic.(1) The New Testament world had both: close-knit Galilean villages where life centered on family and community, and bustling Roman cities where people often tried to start fresh on their own either out of ambition or necessity. It’s this world, Jesus came, lived, taught, modeled, empowered, died, rose from the dead and sent his Spirit to dwell in the hearts of his followers. And it’s this world we find ourselves in today.
When Jesus sent His disciples out on mission, He wasn’t just giving them something to do. He was training them in how the gospel advances. In Matthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9, He sends the Twelve. Later, in Luke 10, He sends the Seventy-Two. In both cases, He tells them to go with almost nothing in their hands—no bag, no money, no extra tunic—so they would learn to depend fully on God. Their task was clear: preach repentance, heal the sick, and cast out demons. In other words, announce the kingdom of God in word, deed and power. And look for someone “worthy” or, in other words, a person of peace.
But here’s the danger: the disciples could have easily tried to pre-judge people’s hearts. Who looks “worthy”? Who seems like they’ll respond? Who looks too hardened to bother with? While there is always discernment needed in any and every situation (Proverbs is in the Bible), Jesus doesn’t tell them to figure all of that out on the front end. He tells them to go, proclaim the message, and then watch how people respond.
And the truth is, people tend to respond in one of three ways:
- Indifference or antagonism. Some will ignore the message or even oppose it.
- Curiosity. Some will lean in, ask questions, and want to learn more.
- Repentance and faith. Some will receive the message, believe it, and open their lives to Jesus.
The concept of a “person of peace” can technically come from any of these categories—even someone who once resisted could later turn and believe. But in the early stages of mission, the wisest step is to focus energy on people in categories #2 and #3—those who are curious and those who are ready to respond with repentance and faith.(2) That’s where we see the most openness, and that’s where relational bridges for the gospel often begin.
In Matthew’s account, Jesus says to look for someone “worthy” and let peace rest on their household. In Mark and Luke, the instructions are simpler: stay wherever you’re welcomed and don’t bounce from house to house. If no one listens, shake the dust off your feet and move on. This was Jesus teaching them not to waste time trying to force open closed doors, but also not to prejudge before giving people a chance.
By Luke 10, with the sending of the Seventy-Two, the idea comes into full expression. Jesus tells them, “If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him. If not, it will return to you.” Now the “worthy person” becomes the person of peace—someone who not only welcomes the message and the messenger, but who becomes a doorway for others to hear.
The Book of Acts shows us how this principle plays out once the Spirit is poured out at Pentecost. What began in small villages now takes root in the great cities of the Roman Empire. Persons of peace look different here: Cornelius, a Roman centurion whose whole household turns to Christ; Lydia, a businesswoman in Philippi who opens her home to Paul; the Philippian jailer, whose dramatic conversion leads his family to faith. In each case, the gospel spreads not through cold strategies but through relational bridges—people God had already prepared
This is still how the mission moves forward today. Think about a neighborhood. When one family welcomes the gospel, it often spills over to other families on the block. Or an extended family—when one member meets Christ, they can influence brothers, sisters, cousins, and even grandparents. In a school setting, a single student can be the spark that opens up a whole grade to hearing about Jesus. In a workplace, one employee might invite a co-worker to church or start a Bible study at lunch, and suddenly a whole team is engaged. In a group of friends, one person’s openness can ripple through the whole circle. That’s the power of a person of peace. They aren’t just reached—they become reachers themselves.
This is why we take discipleship so seriously at Cross Point, across the 10-county region of Metro Nashville. Groups, classes, tools and gatherings aren’t just boxes to check. They are means God uses to form disciples deeply in Jesus and equip them for mission. A group in Sumner County might be the seed for a whole neighborhood. A course in Dickson County could spark transformation across a family network. A group of students in Williamson County might reach their entire grade through one person of peace. When ordinary disciples are trained and sent, the gospel spreads in ways we could never orchestrate on our own.Here’s the point: consumerism tempts us to see church as something we merely “attend” or “consume.” But Jesus shows us that every disciple is sent. The Spirit takes people who have been born again and uses them to reach others. When we recognize and invest in persons of peace—especially those who are curious or ready to believe—whole communities can be changed, and the story of Acts becomes our story across Middle Tennessee.
- For most of human history, fewer than 10% of people lived in cities, but by 1900 that number had only risen to about 16%. In contrast, today more than 56% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a dramatic shift that has occurred in just the last century and a half. Our World in Data, “Urbanization” (2023), https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization
- This concept is most clear in Acts 17, particularly in v. 32-34. Notice the three categories.