God is already at work in the lives of people around us. Here is a simple way to notice those people, pray for them, deepen your relationships, and take a next step together.

In Luke 15, Jesus tells a story about a shepherd who notices that one sheep is missing. He leaves the ninety-nine, goes after the one that is lost, and rejoices when it is found.

The Shepherd pursues.

That is at the heart of our fall series, In Pursuit: Pursuing the God Who Pursues Us. Before we ever went looking for God, He was already seeking us. And the same God who pursued us is at work in the lives of people all around us.

So what if we started looking for where He is already at work?

Remember Your Three

That is the idea behind the little sheep and “Your Three” card shared on Kickoff Sunday. The sheep is not simply a souvenir. Put it somewhere you will see it often and allow it to remind you of three people God has placed in your life.

If you did not receive a sheep or card, you can still participate. Write three names on a card or note and place it somewhere visible.

Then practice three simple things:

PRAY. CONNECT. INVITE.

Start With the People Already Around You

You do not have to go searching for a special “ministry opportunity.” Begin with the relationships you already have.

Who has God placed in your everyday life?

Think about your family and extended family, friends, neighbors, coworkers or classmates. Consider the parents sitting beside you at your child’s practice, the person you regularly see at the gym, members of a club or organization, and the people you encounter repeatedly during an ordinary week.

This is sometimes described as an Oikos Map. Oikos is a Greek word for “household,” but here it describes the network or sphere of relationships surrounding a person. The Oikos Map used in #NoPlaceLeft’s 411 disciple-making training invites Christians to identify the people already within their relational networks and begin intentionally praying for them.

You could make a map containing dozens of names. For this practice, begin with three.

Ask God:

• Who have You placed around me?
• Where are You already at work?
• Whom are You asking me to notice?

Write down three names. Then allow your sheep—or another visible reminder—to prompt you to pray.

PRAY: Watch for Where God Is Already at Work

Prayer changes the way we see people.

Instead of beginning with a plan for what we want to accomplish, prayer asks us to pay attention to what God may already be doing.

Pray for your three by name. Ask God to work in their lives, open your eyes to their needs, and show you how you can join Him in loving them.

Then pay attention.

Listen for something they mention more than once. Remember an upcoming appointment, challenge, celebration, or decision. Follow up afterward. These small acts communicate that they have been heard, remembered, and valued.

CONNECT: Love Them Well

Your three are not projects. They are people to know and love.

In The Art of Neighboring, Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon encourage Christians to take Jesus’ command to love our neighbors seriously by developing genuine relationships with the people God has already placed nearby.

Learn names. Ask questions. Listen without trying to control the conversation. Share a meal or a cup of coffee. Celebrate good news. Offer practical help when someone is struggling. Small, faithful steps can move us from being strangers, to acquaintances, to people who genuinely know and care for one another.

Connection does not require an agenda. Sometimes the most meaningful thing you can do is continue showing up as a trustworthy friend.

INVITE: Take the Next Step Together

An invitation does not always have to begin with, “Would you like to come to church?”

As you pray for your three and deepen those relationships, listen for what might be a natural next step. Most importantly, do not merely send an invitation—go with them.

Entering an unfamiliar church, class, or group can be intimidating. Sharing the experience with someone they already know makes it easier and gives your relationship another opportunity to grow.

Explore faith together

Alpha is designed for people with questions about Christianity, including those who are new to faith, returning to faith, unchurched, or hurt or disappointed by past church experiences.

Invite someone to attend with you. Share the meal, watch the video, and explore the questions together.

Share a Wednesday evening

Wednesday Nights at FPC offer dinner, classes, music, children’s programming, support groups, workshops, and opportunities for fellowship.

For a family juggling several schedules, an invitation to meet for dinner and then explore age-appropriate activities can be an especially natural first step.

Help someone find community

Sometimes the next step is simply helping someone find people with whom they can belong.

Invite someone to explore a Discipleship Group, Women of the Church Circle, young-adult gathering, men’s event, Sunday class, Bible study, or seasonal fellowship event.

Short gatherings such as a Ladies’ Night Out, community concert, dinner, or holiday celebration can feel more approachable than joining a long-term class immediately.

Learn and grow together

If someone has expressed a desire to understand Scripture or grow spiritually, invite that person to worship, attend a Sunday class, participate in the Pastor’s Bible Study, or explore one of FPC’s formation opportunities with you.

You do not need to know every answer. You can learn and ask questions alongside one another.

Welcome children and families

Families may appreciate an invitation that includes something meaningful for both adults and children. Children’s music, Westminster for Kids, family dinners, seasonal programs, the Advent Festival, and other all-ages events can create welcoming opportunities to connect.

Respond to grief or a difficult season

When someone is grieving or walking through separation, divorce, mental-health concerns, or another difficult experience, begin by listening. If appropriate, you might help that person learn about an FPC care or support ministry.

Offer the information gently rather than assuming what someone needs—and offer to accompany them if they would find that helpful.

Serve together

For some people, serving beside Christians may feel more natural than attending a class.

Ask one of your three to join you in serving through Kingdom Restoration Lab, encouraging KRL workers and clients, participating in relief efforts, or supporting another opportunity through FPC.

Serving together allows someone to experience Christian community while doing tangible good. As you work side by side, relationships have room to grow.

Begin with a public community event

A public event can provide an easy, low-pressure invitation. The Advent Festival, Mid-Day Noels, fellowship gatherings, concerts, and other seasonal events offer opportunities to share an experience before inviting someone into a class or group.

Visit the FPC Event Calendar for current opportunities, details, and registration information.

When Someone Shares a Need, Pray

You do not need special training or eloquent words to offer prayer.

When a friend tells you about something difficult, joyful, or uncertain, simply ask:

“Would it be okay if I prayed for you about that?”

You can pray together at that moment, or tell the person you will be praying and follow up later. Remembering to ask, “How did that go?” can itself become another small act of love.

The Invitation Is the Relationship

None of these opportunities is the goal by itself.

Alpha is not the goal. A discipleship group is not the goal. Getting someone into a Sunday class is not the goal.

Your three are people God has placed in your life to know and love.

Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do will be to extend an invitation. Sometimes it will be to listen. Sometimes it will be to serve. Sometimes it will be to pray. And sometimes it will simply be to keep showing up as a faithful friend.

Pay attention to where the Shepherd is already at work.

Then, when the opportunity comes, take the next step together.

Your Next Step This Week

1. Ask God to bring three people to mind.
2. Write down their names and place them somewhere visible.
3. Pray for each person regularly.
4. Choose one simple way to connect.
5. When a natural opportunity arises, extend an invitation—and go with them.

Go Deeper

The Art of Neighboring
Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon’s The Art of Neighboring: Building Genuine Relationships Right Outside Your Door explores how Christians can move beyond simply knowing who their neighbors are toward genuinely knowing and loving them.

Oikos Map—411: Who?
Watch the #NoPlaceLeft training video that helped inspire the “Your Three” practice. It explains how to consider your existing sphere of influence, identify the people God has placed around you, and turn that map into a strategy for prayer.