Rick and I just got back from an intensive ten day training in disciple-making movement strategies and want to share all we learned with you all.  First let me share some tools for finding people of peace.  We use the following tools to filter contacts until we find those the Lord has prepared to open the door to their oikos (household), so they can hear the Good News and believe.

Tool A – Use shimah.  By living an overtly spiritual life and mention spiritual things continuously, we open opportunities for People of Peace to find us.  Think of it as not talking any differently to believers or people outside.  Share stories of answers to prayer, blessings in your life, bible stories that touched you recently, etc.

Tool B – Use self-descriptions other than “Christian.”  Other terms are more likely to arouse interest.  Because the term “Christian is often a stumbling block and was not the term most commonly used by the early church,” we also prefer to use other descriptions that are more easily received, like “Follower of Jesus (Isa),” “Follower of the Way,” “Follower of the way of God, etc.”  In places where Islam  is strong, we’ve found that “Follower of the way of Allah” is most effective (Acts 18:26).

Tool C – Use a sentence like “There’s just something I need to say!”  The simplest and most direct method is to enter a home, coffeeshop, area, or village and say “There’s something I need to tell you!”  When you’re asked about it, say, “There’s a sacrifice for all our sins and uncleanness!  Can I tell you about it?”  If given permission, it works well to tell the story of Abraham and then connect it to the sacrifice of Jesus (Isa Al Masih).  This tool also works for when you get “stuck” and just can’t think of how to transition  into spiritual things.

Tool D – Ask the question “Have you ever had a dream you believe came from God?”  Perhaps the easiest method is to enter an area as an informal researcher, because you’ve heard that recently a lot of people have had a dream about a man in a white robe who is a good person.  Ask if they’ve also had such a dream.  If not, ask if they know someone who has.  If you find someone who has had such a dream, explain that in the last days, Jesus (the prophet Isa Al Masih) is appearing to many Muslims to make known that he himself is the Straight Path (as in John 14:6 & Quran 43:61-64).

Tool E – Share your personal stories (testimonies)

There are a number of personal testimonies that we can share, that are always interesting and irrefutable (because they are your own experience):

1.  Story of how you came to faith.  Share in 3 parts:
2.   What your life was like before you began to follow Jesus
3.  Why and how you came to follow Jesus
4.  What your life  is like now, since you have received God’s Spirit.(less than 3 minutes) or
5. a story of a healing
6. story of some other miracle
7. story of resolved conflict
8. story of good fellowship – love from other believers
9. story of an experience of grace – God’s blessing in the midst of difficulty
10. story of worship – your feeling in worship

Tool F – Ask their name and its meaning.

Tool G – Use a prayer of blessing.  If you are asked why you have come to this area or what your purpose is, say “I have come because I was sent by God to pray for those who have problems, who are sick, have demons, health problems, etc.  Is there anyone who is sick or has a problem that I can pray for?”  If they don’t have any specific suggestion, but want to be prayed for, you can still bless them:  body, livelihood, emotional health social health and spiritual health.

So try out these tools as you go about your community and let us know how people responded!  We did it during our training and it was wonderful.  I sat at an outdoor Chinese restaurant and a Chinese lady came and sat with me at a large round table.  I asked her what her name was and she said, “Magdalene.”  I asked if she knew the story, and we had a great conversation.  I also asked if she needed prayer and she said she was having some marital problems.  We shared our food together and then another lady came that she knew.  They were old school friends who hadn’t seen each other in years.  I also got to pray for her and her name is Jessie.  That happens to be my maiden name growing up.  God is working in people’s lives all around us and He wants us to shine the light!