No — Peter did not have an ongoing ministry to the Gentiles; his ministry was directed to Israel, with the single recorded exception of God compelling him to go to Cornelius's house.
In Acts, Peter's public preaching is addressed to Jewish listeners, such as 'ye men of Israel' and the rulers and elders of Israel. The only Gentile audience recorded is the household of Cornelius, and Peter returned to Jerusalem afterward without launching a Gentile ministry. Les Feldick emphasizes that this one event was God's sovereign exception and that Peter's calling remained tied to Israel.
Acts 15:7 — Peter himself states that God made choice that the Gentiles would hear the gospel from his mouth — the clearest scriptural proof that his Gentile contact was a single, God-initiated exception.
Acts 10:28 — Peter explains that he, a Jew, considered it unlawful to associate with Gentiles, but God showed him to go — evidence that the Cornelius visit was not Peter's own initiative.
In the Book of Acts, Peter's recorded preaching is consistently directed to Jewish hearers. On the day of Pentecost, Peter addresses 'Ye men of Judaea' (Acts 2:14). When he and John are brought before the council, Peter speaks to 'Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel' (Acts 4:8). Even the setting remains Jewish — 'Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer' (Acts 3:1). The birth announcements of the promised salvation are also Jewish in orientation: 'And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David' (Luke 1:69). The only Gentile household Peter is recorded as evangelizing is that of Cornelius. Peter tells Cornelius, 'Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company with or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean' (Acts 10:28). At the Jerusalem council, Peter gives his own testimony: 'Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe' (Acts 15:7). These verses show that Peter's Gentile ministry was a one-time, divinely directed event rather than a continuing mission.
Les Feldick teaches that Peter never had an ongoing ministry among Gentiles. He says plainly, 'Peter never had a ministry among Gentiles' (Clip 3), and he points out that Peter's preaching in Acts is directed to Jewish audiences — 'ye men of Israel,' and 'rulers of the people, and elders of Israel' (Clips 3, 4). Les notes that Peter was a law-keeping Jew and would not have gone to Cornelius's house unless God forced him to go (Clips 5, 6). He describes Peter as more reluctant than Jonah, needing divine pressure and proof (Clip 6). Even as Peter preached to Cornelius's household, Les says Peter was thinking, 'Why am I giving this to Gentiles?' and had no idea God was turning to the Gentile world (Clip 2). After that event, Peter returned to Jerusalem, with no indication that his eyes had been opened to a Gentile ministry (Clip 1). Les also uses this to explain Acts 15: when Paul's Gentile ministry was challenged, Peter defended Paul by recalling that God had chosen him to take the gospel to Gentiles by his mouth, and this testimony spared Paul's ministry (Clip 1). For Les, Peter's lack of a Gentile ministry is also why he rejects the idea that Peter was the first pope — 'Peter never had a ministry among Gentiles' (Clip 3).
God sent Peter to Cornelius's house, and Peter did not go willingly. Les says God forced Peter to go contrary to his own desires (Clip 2) and that Peter told Cornelius it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with another nation, but God had shown him otherwise (Clip 5). Peter preached about Jesus of Nazareth as Israel's Messiah and King, but in his own mind he was wondering why he was giving this to Gentiles (Clip 2). Scripture records that the Gentile household believed, and Peter then went back to Jerusalem (Clip 1). Les's point is that this was a distinct, divine purpose — not the start of a Gentile ministry.
Les shows from Acts that Peter's public ministry continued to be Jewish. In Acts 2 he addresses 'ye men of Israel,' and in Acts 4 he addresses 'ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel' (Clips 3, 4). Peter and John still go up to the temple at the hour of prayer, and the nation is still practicing the Law (Clip 4). Les says the gospel had to go to the Jew first, and Israel had to believe first (Clip 7). At that point, Peter had no idea that he or anyone was supposed to have anything to do with Gentiles (Clip 7).
At the Jerusalem council in Acts 15, Peter came to Paul's defense after Paul was accused of being a heretic for going to Gentiles. Peter reminded the Jewish leadership that a long while ago God, by his mouth, took the gospel to the Gentiles (Clip 1). Les says this testimony is what spared Paul's ministry (Clip 1). In Les's understanding, Peter's own one-time Gentile encounter proved that God had now opened the door to the Gentiles, but it was Paul who would carry that ministry.
The 7 "I AM" Names of God — Old Testament to John's Gospel
go into the Kingdom is going to miss it. Now that's the Sovereign God, and so everyone that God has ordained to go into the Kingdom is going to find His place in it. God has spoken it. Now let's come back to John and we'll finish the chapter. I know I'm not going to have time for what I had intended to do this last half hour, but I don't know if I'm going to have enough here.
Acts 15 Defense
Les points out that after Cornelius, Peter went back to Jerusalem and did not begin a Gentile ministry; 12 years later he referenced that one event to defend Paul.
God's Divine Purpose at Cornelius
Les shows Peter went to Cornelius against his own desires and had no idea God was about to turn to the Gentile world.
Peter's Audience Was Israel
Les directly says Peter never had a ministry among Gentiles, and that in Acts 3–4 Peter is speaking to Jewish rulers and elders of Israel.
The Jewish Setting of Acts 2–3
Les stresses that Peter's message was so Jewish — 'ye men of Israel' — and that Peter and John went to the temple, showing the Law was still being practiced.
Peter's Law-Keeping Hesitation
Les says Peter was a law-keeping Jew and told Cornelius it was unlawful for a Jew to keep company with another nation, until God showed him otherwise.
God's Pressure on Peter
Les says Peter would never have gone to Cornelius without God's direct pressure and proof, and that he was more obstinate than Jonah.
The Jew-First Principle
Les explains that the gospel had to go to the Jew first and that Peter at that time would never have addressed Gentiles as brethren.
Acts 15:7: And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Peter's own testimony at the Jerusalem council identifies the Cornelius incident as the Gentile preaching God chose him to do.
Acts 10:28: And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company with or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Peter explains that he only entered a Gentile home because God showed him to do so.
Acts 2:14: But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Peter's first public gospel message is addressed to Jewish men in Jerusalem.
Acts 4:8: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
Peter's defense before the council is spoken to the rulers and elders of Israel, not to Gentiles.
Acts 3:1: Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
Peter's ministry continues in the Jewish temple setting, showing the Jewish context of early Acts.
Luke 1:69: And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
The promised salvation is tied to David's house, emphasizing the Jewish nature of the gospel's first audience.
Yes, but only once, in the house of Cornelius in Acts 10. God compelled Peter to go, and after that he returned to Jerusalem. Les Feldick says Peter never had a continuing ministry among Gentiles (Clips 1, 2).
Peter was a law-keeping Jew, and Jewish law forbade keeping company with Gentiles. He told Cornelius this, but added that God had shown him not to call any man common or unclean (Clip 5; Acts 10:28).
Peter rose at the Jerusalem council and reminded the Jewish leaders that God had long ago made choice that the Gentiles should hear the gospel from his mouth. Les says this defense spared Paul's ministry (Clip 1; Acts 15:7).
No. Les explicitly says he does not agree that Peter was the first pope, because Peter never had a ministry among Gentiles (Clip 3).
Watch the Teaching: The 7 "I AM" Names of God — Old Testament to John's Gospel