Whether you are transitioning from student life to working life or you have been working for many years, sharing your faith at work can be really hard. And naturally we may want to shy away from sharing our faith at work so as not to rock the boat. I know that was my temptation when I first went into full time secular work after university.
I was quite content with just chilling and having “interesting conversations” but never pushing beyond that. I told myself I was just being wise but deep down, I just wanted to get on with everyone and I knew that nothing rocked the boat quite like the ‘J’ word (Jesus).
But that didn’t last long. I needed to be reminded that Christ still calls us in every circumstance of life to be his ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) entrusted with the gospel that we share as we represent him. There is no recall or retirement. This is simply who we are, who he has called us to be.
But how do we do this day in, day out, year after year? How do we share the gospel when opportunities are so rare? What does it look like to be Christ’s ambassadors in our workplaces? Here are some reflections on some things to consider to help you:
Be distinct and a good worker (Colossians 3:23, 1 Peter 2:12)
It will be difficult for people to take the gospel seriously if you are unpleasant to work with, or if they can see from your life that it has no practical implications. A helpful question to reflect on is ‘what difference does the gospel make to how you do your job?’
Think of the things like the environment you are in, the normal practices; think of the people that you work with and how you interact with them. What particular temptations and culture does your job/industry have? Is complaining common, skiving or gossip common? How can you be distinct as a Christian in these areas?
Make evangelism a priority (Colossians 4:2-3)
When you are in the workplace, there will be many things that will take up your time and if you do not make evangelism a priority, it simply won’t be. So from the word go, resolve to prioritise sharing your faith. It generally helps if your colleagues actually know that you are a Christian. I hate to be cliché and over-use the word intentional, but I will say it anyway: be intentional. Pray for opportunities and then grab them when they do come along.
Invest in relationships (1 Thessalonians 2:8)
Get to know your colleagues and genuinely love and care for them. Rejoice and weep with them, listen to them and share your life with them. Few people will open up about what they really think about Christianity, some for fear of being seen as intolerant, others will simply not be comfortable with such deep conversations. So most of the opportunities to share the gospel will come from conversations that will stem from these genuine relationships.
Make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-16)
At the end of the day, you are at work to do a good job. Ensure that sharing your faith is not distracting from doing your job well, so that the gospel is not maligned. This means that opportunities may be few but you can be intentional in cultivating these opportunities. Make the most of your tea breaks/lunch breaks, go to the social events and make the most of and follow up on the chats that come up in between.
Be wise in your conversations (Colossians 4:5-6, Matthew 10:16)
Know which conversations to be involved in and when to engage. Be discerning, especially on controversial topics, some questions will come at you that are not genuine and intended to mock, don’t take the bait. Not every conversation needs to be engaged in. However, if you do engage, be wise about when you do this, speak with clarity and gentleness and remember that there are also others listening in and observing not just what you say but how you say it.
Use God’s means of grace to you (Hebrews 10:23-25)
It will feel lonely sometimes, especially if there are few Christians in your workplace. But Christ has not left you alone, the body of Christ is a gift to you to help you keep going so ensure that you are plugged into a Church and receive the encouragement and prayer of God’s people. Be patient and do not lose heart, you’re in it for the long haul and Christ has promised to be with you to the end of the age.
