So, I know what you are thinking: he must not be an evangelical; he may not even be a Christian.
Actually, I am both, which is why I feel compelled to share this with you.
You may have been taught, as I was taught, that your work has value because it puts you near people who need to hear the gospel. It is true your work probably puts you near people who don’t know Jesus, and they need to know Jesus.
But the value of work is not based on the opportunity it provides for evangelism.
The problem of evangelism in the workplace
Have you ever wondered why you feel uncomfortable witnessing at work?
Everyone has the normal fears that go with sharing the gospel—the fear of rejection, damaging a relationship, or failure. But there is something else when you witness at work.
You know you are not getting paid to evangelize but to work. You are taking money from your employer to do one thing and your intention is to do another. You naturally feel you are breaking the Eighth Commandment to carry out the Great Commission.
So, ironically, the first problem with seeing your workplace as primarily a place for evangelism is an ethical one.
Moreover, your mission field is much broader than your workplace. It includes your entire sphere of influence (2 Cor. 10:13-16)—your family members, neighbors, friends, and acquaintances. To value work on the basis of evangelistic opportunity is to miss the forest for the trees.
A better way to think about work
There is a better way to think about your work and the workplace.
Work has inherent value. Man was given work in the garden (Gen. 2:15), when there was no one to evangelize. Surely then, its value is rooted in something other than the access it provides to those who don’t know God.
Besides, the Father works (John 5:17). He is first revealed while He is working — to create the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1). Similarly, Jesus works and glorified the Father with His work (John 17:4). In short, God is a worker, and we are made in His image. To justify work in terms of evangelism is like justifying school because it’s a place for the PTA to meet.
A better way to think about the workplace
Evangelism is not what gives the workplace, or your work, its value. But this does not mean we should ignore our coworkers when it comes to the gospel. There is actually a place where the purposes of your employer and the Great Commission overlap.
Work naturally builds relationships. You are likely working closely with others to solve problems, lead people, and develop products and services that meet others’ needs. Good relationships are the glue of any good company, and developing relationships is something your employer wants you to do. That is why companies have retreats with “trust falls” and happy hours.
Relationships are also bridges for the gospel. It is true that people don’t care what you know until they know that you care. So, build relationships with your coworkers. Listen to them. Empathize with them. Help them. Take them to lunch. Become someone they trust, and when opportunities arise to talk about things that matter most, talk about Jesus. A stronger bridge can bear that weight without breaking, but it starts with building the bridge. Focus on that. When you do, evangelism becomes more natural for you and less disruptive to your employer.
And here is the good news: you don’t have to stop doing your job to start doing Kingdom work. The work itself is part of the Kingdom work. GS
