By Jeremy Robertson
November 26, 2024

Five ways to share faith at work

Here are five practical ways to bring Jesus into your workplace.

Last time, we discussed the church’s tendency to conflate outreach with inviting people to church. While inviting people to church is a worthwhile and important mission, we shouldn’t believe that inviting people to church is what saves them. Jesus saves; a church building does not.

How can you take the love of Jesus into your workplace? 

If we are going to fulfill the “great commission” to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), we need to help people experience Jesus in our offices, warehouses, classrooms, and boardrooms.

Act like Jesus

“Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

1 John 2:6

How can you take the love of Jesus into your workplace? Act like Jesus! It sounds oversimplified, but Christ followers should embody Jesus in every aspect of life. Discipleship isn’t reserved for church and home. 

Acting like Jesus is more than just avoiding the common workplace vices like gossip, bad language, inappropriate jokes, or laziness. Through the help of the Spirit, Christians should be characterized as loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. People will not be drawn to you just because you abstain from vices. People will be drawn to you if you embody these positive characteristics. They are magnetic. People flocked to experience Jesus in part because he embodied these characteristics.

Listen intently

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

James 1:19

The best way to connect with others is simple – listen! When others speak, give them your attention. When they speak, set down your phone or close your laptop. Convey that what they’re sharing matters to you. 

Inevitably, coworkers will share aspects of life with you. They’ll celebrate their child’s accomplishments in sports. They’ll talk about struggles with aging parents. They’ll share frustrations about challenges at home. Listen to them. Celebrate with them when times are good and serve them when times are difficult.

Don’t hesitate to let your coworkers know that you’re going to spend time in prayer over the challenges they are facing. If they’re open to it, consider offering to pray with them at that moment. If they’d rather not, let them know that you will remember them in your personal prayers. Don’t forget to check in and follow up on the items you’re praying for. It reminds your coworker that you care for them and you’re invested in their well-being.

Talk about church

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 10:32

If church is a big part of your life, don’t hesitate to discuss it at work. You shouldn’t have to force it. As you talk about your life, conversation about how God has blessed you through your church experience should be a natural conversation piece.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had the opportunity to celebrate my church’s generosity when it comes to wedding showers and baby showers. For those that haven’t experienced this, churches will often throw parties for engaged couples or for those about to have a baby where they will “shower” them with presents. It’s a humbling and gratitude-filled experience to receive such generosity. At a time when money is often tight – most engaged couples or expecting parents have limited disposable income – their church family supports them by providing for them. My family was richly blessed by showers. I enjoy bragging on the church for doing so. It’s a great way to talk about blessings you receive from being part of a community of believers. 

If you have been blessed in any way by your church family – meals when you’re sick, comfort during a loss, celebration of milestones, support for your marriage, encouragement in parenting, etc. – brag on your church to your coworkers. Positive atmospheres like your church are attractive to those that don’t have that kind of support system.

Model rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28

Our society has an epidemic of hurry. Free time is filled with activities. People move at breakneck paces in order to juggle busy schedules and over-commitment. This pace of life is exhausting and has negative ramifications for family life and for an individual’s mental health.

Jesus offers a better way. He offers rest for the weary. I imagine many of your coworkers feel weary. How are you modeling rest? Christians should be diligent workers, but not workaholics. Workaholism does not allow for much-needed rest and rejuvenation. Christians should have sabbath. They should intentionally set aside time for rest and recharging with God.

In a society that desperately needs rest, this should be an appealing thing for non-Christians to witness in their Christian coworkers.

Study together

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

When a coworker expresses interest in the Bible, don’t hesitate to study with them. Consider reading through a gospel together. Help them meet Jesus. Resist the urge to hand your coworker over to a pastor or minister to study Scripture. You have done the legwork to develop a meaningful relationship with them, and you are plenty capable of reading the Bible with them.

A common fear is the perception that you must have all the answers before studying Scripture with someone. This is a misconception. Just read Scripture together and discuss the questions the text presents you. If there are any questions you don’t have the answer to, go find the answers together!

If you’re anxious about getting started, consider using resources like Discovery Bible Study or other devotional material. Allow the text to do the work. It’s not your job to convince them to follow Jesus. The Bible is plenty compelling on its own. Just connect them to Jesus as revealed in Scripture.

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About Jeremy Robertson

Jeremy Robertson has served as a Minister at the Edmond Church of Christ since 2010. After 13 years of Youth Ministry, he transitioned to Family Life Ministry in 2013. He graduated from Oklahoma Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in Ministry/Bible and later earned a master’s degree in Family Life Ministry from OC. In his role, Jeremy leads ministry and outreach efforts for marriage enrichment, young adults, men’s and women’s ministry, and other family life contexts. He and his wife Ashley have two sons.