Being Evangelistic in the Workplace
Being evangelistic is a pivotal part of the great commissioning.
In simpler terms it is what Jesus has tasked us to do as part of our journey in relationship with him. For a long time, my understanding of evangelism was very much limited to the church world. I viewed full time ministry as a job done in church for church therefore even evangelism was confined to those who “worked for church” too. Although I had some inclination that we are all ambassadors of Christ on earth in whatever space or capacity we find ourselves in, I still believed that actual evangelism was a job or an office that operated in the church.
I now see how this was such a limiting belief and am grateful that I believe differently.
Story time.
I went to bible college a while ago, got to study and be trained for ministry. I had already been in what we call full time ministry prior to going to college so in my mind this was a season of being equipped for me to head back into full time ministry seamlessly. Except I was basing all of this on the understanding that the great commission of reaching the world for Jesus can only be done in and through church life.
By the time we graduated bible college, all my closest friends and I mean ALL of them had full time ministry jobs, but I was faced with the prospect of having to find a job outside church. This troubled me for months while I tried everything within my abilities to get a job in a church but failed dismally. I obviously began to feel deep regret and shame for having wasted three years of my life at a bible college only to not get any church to hire me. In many ways I felt rejected by the calling I was convinced God had put on my life.
Fast forward to one day a few years after college when I was working in a little village in the English countryside in what I deemed a very unremarkable job. I had been going through the motions, dealing with all the workplace pressures and mundane issues. At one point, I went to catch my breath in an area I thought to be seclude. But as I sat there, one of the people who frequented our workplace approached me with a beaming, yet suspicious, smile on her face. In her sweet English accent, she said “you are one of those Christians aren’t you”?
I was not sure how to respond to her question as it sounded like an accusation hence, I just paused for her to continue and she went on to say “I see you, you are one of those happy/gospel Christians.”
I still said nothing in response to her words but rather just laughed it off and exchanged some polite formalities about the weather. However, as I pondered her words, I realised something had been shifted in my heart. I felt strongly that God had placed me in that workplace to be the hands and feet of Jesus to people who would perhaps never step their foot in a church building. I felt the calling of God re-ignite, and probably repented for the time I had spent feeling sorry for myself for not getting hired at church. After this, I began to live out my full-time ministry in the workplace. I have since changed jobs but still continue to be very convicted that God is sending me to the marketplace to preach the gospel and if necessary, use words.
My story is just one in billions of journeys we are all on as believer. Through all the dreams, life purposes, professions, careers and space we occupy in this world God has called us to be the light that draws humanity to reconcile with Him.
Being evangelistic by definition is seeking to convert others to the Christian faith or simply zealously advocating and campaigning for a particular cause. While this was done epically by the likes of Reinhard Bonke & Billy Graham et al, we all have an unreplaceable role to play in this redemptive mission. Most of us spend half of our lives at work, so it only makes sense that the workplace is our mission field.
Campaigning for the cause of Christ in the workplace means sharing our faith and values with colleagues in a respectful and non-intrusive manner. There is very limited or no room for bible quoting and preaching sermons in this space but rather the aim is to authentically live out our beliefs through our actions and interactions, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations and being a positive example of Christianity.
There are many landmines in the modern workplace therefore It is essential to strike a balance between expressing your faith and respecting the diversity of beliefs in a professional setting. The key for me has been to trust God that His holy spirit will do the work of conviction and conversion then give me grace to actively demonstrate His heart towards humanity in my day to day life.
Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth…yare the light of the world… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:13-16
In practical life, the light does not need to convince darkness of its brightness, it simply shines, and darkness responds to its presence by disappearing. Moreover, salt does not have a ten-point apologetic presentation to convince us of its flavour enhancing abilities, we just need to add it to food and the whole dish will react to its influence. Of course, there are times and opportunities for speaking the word of God to those is our world but ultimately the personal life of a Christian is the true testament of God to the world.
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