All Here Present in the Sight of God:
Spirituality for Cross-Cultural Mission

Emmaus Road Training 2005
Telford Work, Westmont College

Conversion

Read Acts 10 as Peter and Cornelius
What are their expectations? opinions of the others? fears? hopes?

What kind of people do they need to be?
What prepares them for the encounter?
What other (biblical and other) stories train us for cross-cultural mission?

Preparation
Cornelius

fears God with all his household (faith)
gives alms liberally to the people (love)
prays constantly to God (prayer)
sees a vision (vision)
speaks through his terror (boldness)
sends devout messengers in response (intercession)

Peter

prays on the housetop (prayer)
falls into a trance in his hunger (vision)
protests (three times?) his holiness to God (confession)
remains perplexed after the vision (mystery)
ponders the vision and hears the Spirit (reflection)
goes down to visit Cornelius' messengers (initiative)
inquires about their reason for coming (inquiry)
takes them in as his guests in response (hospitality)
gathers his fellow Christians (commonality)
goes with them to Caesarea to visit Cornelius (outreach)

 

Execution
Cornelius

calls together family and friends (community)
waits for Peter's party (patience)
welcomes Peter (hospitality)

Peter

enters (mission)
explains how God has shown him God's sanctifying work (interpretation)
doesn't mention his own struggles (kindness)
asks why Cornelius sent for him (attention)

Cornelius

tells his story (testimony)
invites all to hear what Peter has been commanded (invitation)

Peter

gets what is happening (Deut. 10:17, Sir. 35:12-13, Ps. 15:2) (knowledge)
perceives that God is impartial among nations (discernment)
preaches the gospel of the universal Christ (evangelism)
emphasizes the story's specific beginning and universal end (contextualization)

Cornelius

and the rest of the audience receive the Holy Spirit (inheritance)
speak in tongues and extol God (worship)

Peter

and his companions are amazed (responsiveness)
denies objections to including these believers (affirmation)
commands their baptism (authority)

Celebration
all

remain together for some time (fellowship)
work through the ramifications for the rest of Acts (stewardship)