How Can I Share My Faith at Work?
Kudos to you for asking this question, for two reasons: First, as a committed follower of Jesus Christ, sharing your faith is an obligation inherent in becoming His disciple. Second, the very fact that you are asking the question is an indication that you want to share your faith in an honorable way that does not offend your employer or co-workers.
Bottom line, it largely depends on your employer’s policies and the nature of the kind of work you do. But, there are some other important things to consider.
Four Keys to Sharing Your Faith at Work
First: Walk Your Talk.
Your life MUST reflect a positive testimony for Jesus Christ. If you are known to be a Christian in your workplace, you will be carefully (and sometimes unfairly) scrutinized. Your integrity, the quality of your work, your behavior in relationship to fellow employees, your language, your attitude—all of these will influence your co-worker’s opinion of Christianity. If you are not respected for the quality of your Christian life, it would be better for you not to identify yourself as a Christ-follower.
A Christian with a negative testimony is much worse in the context of unbelievers than no Christian at all.
Second: Prepare to Respond.
If you truly revere Christ as the Lord of your life and His Lordship is manifested through your everyday behavior, non-Christians will ask questions about your faith and hope. You need to be prepared to respond with meaningful answers.
One of the biggest hindrances that Christians have regarding sharing their faith is the fear of not knowing what to say. Often, we make too much of this fear. Answer seekers understand if you say, “I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer to that question, but I’ll get back to you with an answer.” No one, except maybe the most knowledgeable Christian apologists, has the answers to every possible question a Christian could be asked.
But, the basic essential questions that satisfy most sincere inquirers are really quite simple. The Good Soil Basic Seminar, offered in May and October each year near Harrisburg, PA can help prepare you to know what you need to know to share the gospel competently with confidence.
Looking for resources to share when those sincere questions are asked? If so, take a look at the Chronological Bridge to Life cards.
Third: Start Safe and Simple.
Sharing your faith can begin with something as simple as, “Did you ever wonder how this world got in such a mess?” Or, “I was sad to hear of your mother’s death.” Or, “Have you ever read the Bible? If so, what did you think about it?” The “Worldview Onion Peeling Model” helps to make witnessing easy and simple, starting with “Human Commonalties”—safe topics that all people have in common, believers and unbelievers.
If this “Worldview Onion Peeling Model” sounds like something you would be interested in, you can learn more about it from the Good Soil website or Gaining Ground with Good Soil.
Fourth: Honor Your Workplace Policies
Knowing your employer’s workplace policies is a big part of having a positive Christian testimony on your job. If your “Christian activities,” like reading your Bible on the job or witnessing, detract from your work, that will not honor Christ or contribute to a positive witness.
Generally, lunch time is a “free zone” as long as you are not offensive with your behavior and you are wise in what you say, and you know when to desist. And after-work get-togethers or pre-work breakfast meetings are always appropriate, if your co-worker friend is interested in meeting with you.
What might be deemed acceptable probably depends a lot on the type of job you have and how much of a distraction you might be if you are talking to a fellow employee about spiritual matters. For example, if you ride in a delivery truck with another employee, you probably have freedom to talk about most anything as you ride. But, if you are in a cubicle with someone, working on a focus-demanding project, that’s a completely different situation.
More Help:
This Personal Evangelism and Discipleship page provides a lot more information that will be helpful as you ask, “How can I share my faith at work?”
