Where conversations about faith can often feel daunting, an article provides practical advice for Christians about expressing their beliefs in the workplace.
Main point: “Helping people see how their deepest longings are met in Christ can create irresistible curiosity. And if you can tell a story, you can do this.”
More about it:
- “…stories should populate our spiritual conversations with colleagues.”
- “If we want to tell stories about Jesus, we should listen to other people’s stories first.”
How to do it:
- To prepare for opportunities ahead, consider the conversations you’ve had at work lately.”
- “Stories can begin with something as simple as a casual mention of our faith during normal conversation.”
- “When we sense that God is at work in the lives of people with whom we’ve shared faith stories, it may be time to tell our best story—our own testimony of how God drew us to faith in Christ.”
- “Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa is a simple, clear example we can follow for telling our own story:”
- “A summary of his life before he met Jesus.”
- “A description of how he met Jesus.”
- “A summary of his life after he met Jesus.”
- “Prayer, blended with wise communication, built on good work, godly character, and genuine concern, invites God to be at work in our work—where every interaction with every person is spiritually significant.”
Takeaways:
- Recognize that both actions and words are necessary for effective evangelism; living a godly life alone is not sufficient.
- Be prepared to explain your faith, but do so with gentleness and respect, considering the listener’s spiritual openness.
- Develop wisdom to discern appropriate times and ways to speak about faith in the workplace.
- Approach conversations with grace, not judgment, remembering that conviction is the Holy Spirit’s role.
- View objections and questions as opportunities for dialogue rather than debates to be won.
- Focus on sharing your personal faith story when you don’t have answers to specific questions or objections.
- Prioritize listening and observing to understand colleagues’ deep longings and potential openness to the gospel.
- Be present in colleagues’ lives beyond the workplace, attending important events and being available during challenging times.
- Be aware of legal and company-specific guidelines regarding religious conversations in your workplace.
- Approach evangelism with a genuine appreciation for the dignity and worth of each person, rather than as a task to be accomplished.
- Consider the potential costs of speaking about faith in your specific workplace context, while drawing courage from historical examples of faith.
- Prepare to engage in long-term relationship building, recognizing that a person’s journey to faith often involves many small decisions over time.
Conclusions:
- The article emphasized the importance of storytelling as a powerful tool for evangelism, allowing individuals to connect on a personal level while addressing the deep longings of others.
- By focusing on genuine relationships and listening to colleagues’ stories, Christians can create opportunities for meaningful dialogue about faith.
- This article encouraged readers to embrace their role as ambassadors of Christ, equipping them with strategies to foster curiosity and openness about the gospel in everyday interactions.
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