Church At Work

I stood against the rails at Sunday School looking at the children playing. They seemed happy and care-free.

“I sure want to be like them.”

My fellow teacher came out to watch them too. We found ourselves talking about random things. The bottom line quickly became; how do I show my love for God at work?

Market-place ministry

If you thought that being a disciple for Christ in the work-place involved standing on top of your work desk and preaching the book of Acts to stunned colleagues, you are not alone.

If asked, many people also think that blasting worship songs at your workstation and having ‘Give Christ Your Life Today’ desk stickers is the ultimate Christian-At-The-Workplace starter pack as well.

But what if I told you that these, while being very bold, are actually the least effective way of evangelism in the workplace?

Like A Sore Thumb

When I think of the most effective carriers of grace (in their own ways) in both the Old and New Testament, I think of people like Jesus (duh!), Daniel, Nehemiah, Solomon, Esther, Joshua, Paul, John amongst many others.

Jesus is the King of all kings. He stood as a prophet, pastor, teacher, evangelist and apostle. Yet He is said to have been quite useful in his earthly father’s carpentry business. He brought down fire from heaven but He also found favour with human beings according to Luke 2:52: “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

He stood out in whatever He did. Not just the spiritual.

Daniel was a governor in ancient Babylon who was devout to God and refused to bow down to the Babylonian gods. He was therefore an instant enemy to his fellow governors. To add on to this, he was so excellent in his work that the king loved him and sought counsel with him. The governors around him could not find fault in him by means of shoddy work dealings so they poked at the one thing he would be guilty of and that is treason by way of not worshipping the king himself as a god. This was the only thing that caused his arrest and even though he was thrown into the lion’s den (the fit punishment for treason), the king lacked sleep on account of him and came looking for him. He came to see if Daniel’s God had saved him (He had). And this became proof of God’s true power to a polytheistic king.

What’s Work got to do with Evangelism?

“Ok. So how does work bring God’s kingdom on earth and especially in my work-place?”

Matthew 5:16 tells us “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.”

Our work is an opportunity to apply the biblical principles we study.

This is one of the places where we apply what God tells us about effective and powerful Christianity.

We get to truly apply the word of God in regards to diligence, humility, excellence, love for others, service to others, kindness and so on.

One who exercises true Christianity becomes an excellent worker and gives glory to God by being a trustworthy employee who does not inspire complaints from their superiors.

You cannot preach at the workplace and still be the same one with the most cases of indiscipline and complaints of rudeness at the workplace. That is a mismatch. An error when put side by side against the word of God.

The Spirit of Excellence

Sometimes people are drawn to God not by how you preach or post scripture, but by how well you live your life (and by the results that come out of that. We are naturally result oriented. See book of Acts😀)

In my years in university, I came across a person with the spirit of excellence. Her name is Effie. She was my classmate. She decided (all on her own) to be typing lecture notes. Perhaps it started off as a personal study hack so that she could easily find her notes when exam time came around. But as days went by, she started to share her notes with her friends and her friends shared them with their friends. Soon, we all started to request notes from her. She soon became our class note-taker and boy were her notes good!

They were so good that for some of us, those were all we went by as we prepared for the End of Medical School exams! Her notes always came on time and she always attended classes. Not because she had an unexpected added responsibility but because deep inside she sought excellence and it showed.

Inside the lecture notes typed by Effie, there was always a bible verse or scripture-based quote at the end. That became her ministry. And she served faithfully. Diligently.

Even up to now, 3 years after we graduated from university, Effie’s notes have helped thousands of medical students in their personal studies and are helping many more who still are in Medical School.

Wrapping it Up

Are you serving with excellence?

Are you a good witness to the works of God in your life?

Some have been given as preachers on a pulpit in front of hundreds or thousands of people and others, like you and me, have been called to serve in the marketplace. May we serve whilst giving God glory. Amen.