Witnessing at Work - Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel

Being a Witness at Work

God blesses us with both the ability to work and the opportunity to work. These blessings are not just for us, though. They are also for those whom we serve and for those who see the light of Christ in us. Which brings up the question…

How do I share Jesus at work?

The first way we shine the light of Christ in the workplace is through our actions. When we work hard, go the extra mile to serve others, have integrity, and treat others with kindness and respect regardless of their position or demeanor, we shine. Similarly, when our language, jokes, etc. are appropriate and not coarse, demeaning or hurtful, we shine. When we help our coworkers, forgive them, and speak highly of them to others and avoid gossip and trashing others, we shine.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

Usually, when people ask about how to witness at work, they are referring specifically to talking to others about Jesus. This is good to do as well, but we first need to consider our actions as mentioned above. If we are dishonest or hurtful, etc., it will affect our ability to witness to others with our words.

That said, it’s good to endeavor to talk with others about Jesus. However, in our current culture, we have to be conscious and creative about how we do this. Even though we live in a country with freedom of religion, some companies treat talking about religion as harassment. So, here are some tips about talking about Jesus with others at or from your workplace.

It shouldn’t interfere with your work. Understanding our job as a vocation/calling from God helps here. We shouldn’t neglect our job or allow evangelism to interfere with our work. As an extreme example, if you are a salesman in a clothing store, you don’t greet customers with, “Do you believe in Jesus?” Serve them by helping them find clothes.

Pray. God is the one who creates faith. Pray for your coworkers. Pray for yourself.

Develop relationships. Sharing about Jesus can be done with a complete stranger, but people are usually more willing to listen when you first have a relationship with them. Shine through your actions, kindness, and friendliness. Develop relationships. Maybe even extend those relationships to doing things outside of work. Within those relationships look for ways to talk about Jesus.

Ask for permission. I don’t mean from your boss. Rather, if you are talking with a coworker at lunch and a subject comes up where there is a good opportunity to talk about Jesus, ask if they mind if you talk about your faith. For example, a coworker mentions that they can’t believe how you can be friendly with your manager even though he’s disagreeable most of the time. You respond, “Well, it’s because I believe in Jesus. Do you mind if I explain how Jesus changes how I treat our manager?” Most people will say they don’t mind. That opens up the conversation and prevents many misunderstandings.

Know your rights. Some companies have an unspoken (or maybe spoken) no-religion rule. They may caution employees or flat-out tell them not to talk about religion or they may be fired. Your religious freedoms do extend into the workplace, though there are nuances. Take a little time to understand your rights. This article can be helpful. https://aclj.org/free-speech-2/christian-rights-in-the-workplace If you run into issues from talking about Jesus, pray for wisdom and respond respectfully.

God bless!

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Kurt

Being a Witness at Work

Faith Lutheran Church in Wesley Chapel, FL serving Lutz, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes, and New Tampa, FL