Should I witness for Christ in my workplace?

Do you witness where you work? I know some people who do so on a regular basis and others who never do. This question often comes up when I conduct one to one evangelism training sessions. It is quite a big subject, so what follows is a brief summary.

Key Point: We are employed to do a job and not use our employer’s time to witness

There are many reasons why we should be keen to witness on the job. In the case of where we work though, there is a very important consideration. As employees, we basically promise to give our employers our best efforts for the times we are employed. It is only right that Christians should keep this commitment.

I must confess though, that there have been times when I haven’t done that in the past. In fact I couldn’t wait to get amongst people so I could tell them about Jesus. As Christians, we should be model employees  because when we work wholeheartedly it adds credibility to our words when the opportunity to share arises. Please remember the following four points in regard to being a witness for Christ.

Jesus commanded it: During Jesus’ last moments on the earth after He was resurrected, He could have said anything. There was great importance to what He did say because He told the disciples that they were to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. That is a command for us as well. Jesus also said in the Gospels,

“If you love me, you will obey My commands.” John 14: 15

We must remember that it’s our duty: We have been redeemed by Christ, which means we have been given something that is not our own. Without God’s amazing grace we would be lost for all eternity. It’s probably likely that most of us came to Christ because someone shared with us or invited us to church. Apparently, over 90% of professing Christians came to faith through a personal witness, or by simply being invited to church by someone they knew. How can we not do the same for others?

Real gratitude should move us to: An attitude of gratitude is what marks a true believer in Jesus Christ. As we recognise how great the forgiveness that was and is extended to us, the more we are thankful to God for redeeming us. One very simple way that we can thank God is to explain to others about His great love and mercy.

Time is extremely short: Jesus’ return to the earth is imminent. We don’t know the day or the hour; we just know He could be here any minute, as we are reminded in the story of the ten virgins; only some of them were ready with their lamps trimmed and with plenty of oil so that they could wait for the bridegroom. Like them, we must be ready as well, but we can’t forget the ones who aren’t ready, or the ones who don’t know that they need to be ready for anything.

How many people really know about Christ’s return to the earth? Who is going to tell them?

Do you make an effort to witness in your workplace?

How do we witness at work? Well, there is the “quiet” testimony. It is the one that speaks volumes, with no words at all. It involves being a loyal and faithful employee, not bad mouthing our company, bosses or our co-workers.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Colossians 3:23

If you have a Christian boss, you may be allowed to witness on the job. It is a truly great thing when you are able to lead a co-worker to Christ.

Another way is our ability to handle work stress and treat others with kindness and patience, which will make us stand out from others. When others notice our attitudes, they will often comment on it, giving us the opportunity to explain whom we really serve and how He has impacted our lives. In other words, we need to “walk the walk” in order to “talk the talk.”  To share our faith, we must always be ready to give an answer when we respond to their comments.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15

We need to understand the importance of this scripture:

 “Let the Word of God dwell in (us) richly in all wisdom.” Colossians 3:16

Finally, pray for God to open up opportunities to share Christ with others, also pray for boldness and words in season. You will then discover those “divine appointments” with people whose hearts have been prepared by the Lord to receive the good news from us.