Oikos is a Greek word that means “household.” It is used through the New Testament when someone and their “entire household was saved.” The word reminds us that the Gospel is not to stop with us but to expand to the people we’re connected to and even those who are connected to them!
Your “Oikos” is the people who are connected to you who you see on a regular basis who need to experience Jesus in a real way…and the people who are connected to them! Take a minute to draw your own Oikos map. Here is an example:
What should you do with this map? These are now the people you can pray for regularly! We call this Prayer-Care-Share.
- Start with praying for them by name. One way to do this is the “Include Me” prayer. It goes like this: “Jesus, wherever you are at work in _______’s life, would you include me in that?”
- Caring means finding practical ways to care for and serve these people. Hospitality is an often underutilized tool in the Kingdom — what is one way that you could bless this person with an experience of hospitality in your home or around a meal?
- As you lean into praying and caring, God will often show you opportunities to share God’s love with them, pray for them, or share your own story with them.
As you lean into praying and caring, God will often show you opportunities to share God’s love with them, pray for them, or share your own story with them.