How do I share the gospel in the workplace?

 

How do I share the gospel in the workplace?

 

Every believer is called to share the gospel with others and since, for most of us, most of our time is spent at work, we also have the responsibility to shine our light there. While this is true, most employers do not allow their employees to share their faith freely. It may therefore seem impossible for you to find an opportunity to preach Christ here, but it is not.

We have the responsibility as believers to obey our ‘earthly masters' (Eph. 6:5; Col 3:22). Therefore, if our employers do not allow us to share the gospel directly with others, we must obey them in this. We must never forget that we have the responsibility to take care of our family. As 1 Timothy 5:8 reminds us ‘…if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.'

 Yet the believer cannot spend most of his day in such a way that the light of Christ is extinguished and where it cannot shine brightly. While we have a responsibility to obey our 'earthly masters', we have a greater responsibility to glorify our 'heavenly Master' in everything we do.

 

1. Live your testimony

While you may not have of the opportunity to speak freely about your faith, you are not prevented from living it out. Our faith must change our life and that change must be visible in how you act. That means your way of life can be a golden opportunity and way in which you make your faith known (Col. 3:17).

 a.Your words

While you may be prevented from taking the direct approach of evangelism, no one can prevent you from showing that you are different with your words. 

-    Speak differently

The believer's words must be different from that of people of this world. So we should never be guilty of lying (Prov. 6:17; Eph: 4:25). Furthermore, no foul language (Eph. 4:29) or filthy, foolish or crude words (Eph. 5:4) should be found among believers. Your words are a testimony of what is going on in your heart (Luke 6:45) and should therefore reflect your Christianity. Indeed as the apostle Paul teaches us, to let our minds be taken captive by obedience to Christ (2 Cor.10:5) so that our mind will be renewed to be different from this world (Rom. 12:2).  This will, among other ways, find its expression in the way we speak.

-    Create an opportunity

While you may not be allowed to speak directly to someone about the gospel, you can create an opportunity in which it comes in response to someone questions. The apostle Peter certainly understood a lot about a hostile context and teaches us in 1 Peter 3:15 '… but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect'. It says that you must be ready to give an answer. This includes creating opportunities to talk about the Lord. Someone might ask you if you want to go for a drink with them after work and you might reply 'Sorry, as a Christian I believe you shouldn't get drunk' or if towards the end of the week someone says, ‘enjoying the weekend’, you can reply by saying 'thank you, I'm especially looking forward to going to church on Sunday'

-    Pray for your co-workers

While it is important that you will be a witness to others through your words, it is also important that you will plead for them in your words to the Lord. Plead with the Lord for co-workers who live in sin and evil (1 Tim. 2:1). Pray for your employer, pray for your co-workers, pray for your clients and suppliers.

Co-workers may on occasion take the liberty to talk to you about a problem or sadness and then you can take the liberty to either pray for them then and there, or assure them that you will pray for them. However, it is important that if you have promised to pray, that you will do it (Matt. 5:37). 

b.Your stewardship

-    The Creation

In one way or another, most of our work has a connection with God's creation somewhere. Whether it is that you work for the department of environmental affairs, or care for the needy, print documentation, do scientific research or you are a teacher, somewhere there is a way in which you can not only preserve the environment yourself, but can help or encourage others to do it as well. Let us not forget that the Lord instructed us to rule over His creation 'in His image' (Gen. 1:26). Reflect on the ways in which His creative work affects your work and stand in awe of His grace to you in this, but at the same time try to limit the negative impact of your work on it and find ways to promote it instead.

-    Your Money Spending

I am not speaking here about how you spend your own money, but how you spend the work's money. The believer must not make himself guilty of any form of fraud (Ex. 23:8). Furthermore, we must learn to work as sparingly as possible with the resources of our employer and not waste them unnecessarily (Luke 12:47-48). We mustn’t forget that those resources are also provided to us as a gift from God (James 1:17).

-    Your diligence

Let's not forget that the Lord expects us to earn our bread through hard work (Eph. 4:28). The believer should always be on time (1 Tim. 6:1) and work during his working hours as if he is working for the Lord (Col. 3:17). The expectation is that believers will therefore always work hard and give their best. While others may hide the lazy or steal time, this is where believers must show they have a Master who is higher than their employers. 

c. Your Self-Sacrifice

While the believer must be careful not to make an idol of his work by overworking himself, he must always be prepared to go the 'extra mile' to be helpful, especially in times of need or pressure.

-    A sick co-worker

The believer must be prepared, as far as possible, to stand in for co-workers who are sick or absent for some reason.  I remind you of our responsibility to follow Christ's example in this according to Philippians 2:3-4 which says ‘Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.'

-    Times of pressure

There will be times of extra pressure in most people’s work circumstances. Like end of month or end of year for someone in finance, or in an emergency for someone in nursing, or exam times for teachers. The believer must be cheerfully willing to accept extra work pressure during these times (James 1:2-4). While working conditions that cause constant pressure are not good for you physically or mentally, you should be prepared to deal with such pressure at times if it becomes necessary. Your attitude of not complaining can be a good witness of your faith.

 

2. Share the gospel

While most employers forbid their employees to share their faith directly in the workplace, there are employers who allow it or who do not prohibit it. In such a case, the believer should take courage to openly share his faith with others. What should be our approach in such a case? (This is also appropriate where the above evidence is through actions where you respond to an interest on their part) 

a.Pray

E M Bounds makes a very important statement about prayer when he says 'Talking to people about God is important, but talking to God about people is even more important'. The apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of believers praying for an open door and open hearts to be able to share the mystery of Christ (Col. 4:2-3). Unless the heart of the unbeliever is opened to receive the gospel they will never receive it. Therefore we must plead with Him to make person receptive to the Word through His Spirit. Furthermore, we need the Holy Spirit to guide us and show us how to share the gospel with the specific person. 

b.Find an opportunity

If the apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15 ‘always being prepared to make a defence to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect', it does not mean that we always have to wait for an opportunity, but it also means that we can create or seize an opportunity ourselves. His point is that every opportunity can be an opportunity to testify to our hope and we must be prepared to seize those opportunities when they arise. In fact, it is possible to turn any conversation into an opportunity to talk about the Lord. While I am not saying that we should make every moment at work an evangelistic moment, we should, where it is permissible, at least regularly create and use such opportunities for His glory. 

c. Share the gospel

If the opportunity presents itself, the believer must always seize it to share the gospel with others. The believer needs to redeem the time by walking in wisdom (Col. 4:5). Sharing the gospel does not mean we have to be harsh and harsh, on the contrary, especially in the workplace I would encourage you to do it with gentleness (Gal. 6:1). It is also important to show patience and not expect radical immediate conversion in every case (1 Cor. 3:6-7) 

 

While it becomes more difficult day by day to find opportunities to share the gospel and especially in the workplace, the believer must be wise and knowledgeable to live out his testimony and create opportunities to testify to the hope that is in us. The fact that employers forbid us to share the gospel directly doesn’t take away our responsibility to the Lord to use every opportunity to honour Him and proclaim His Name. The command to witness is not given only to certain believers or for certain times, but to all believers on every occasion. 

While your work is essential and you must therefore honour your 'earthly masters', you must always remember that you must not thereby disregard the 'heavenly Master'. Be a light through your actions, and where the opportunity presents itself, seize it to be a light by proclaiming the Word clearly in love. But let us remember that evangelism begins in the heart, a heart that is concerned about a lost world and a heart that is more concerned about the glory of our Lord. That's why I want to encourage you to first talk to God about people, before you talk to people about God.

 

ds. Leon Harmse

Pastor of Sunward Park Baptist Church

Hoe deel ek die evangelie in die werksplek?

 
Hoe deel ek die evangelie in die werksplek?

Elke gelowige is geroep om die evangelie met ander te deel en aangesien, vir meeste van ons, die meeste van ons tyd by die werk gespandeer word, het ons ook die verantwoordelikheid om ons lig daar te laat skyn.  Terwyl dit waar is, laat meeste werkgewers nie hulle werknemers toe om hulle geloof vrylik te deel nie.  Dit mag daarom vir jou onmoontlik lyk om hier ‘n geleentheid te vind om Christus te verkondig, maar dit is nie.

Ons het die verantwoordelikheid as gelowiges om ons ‘here na die vlees’ te gehoorsaam (Ef. 6:5; Col 3:22).   Daarom as ons werkgewers ons nie toelaat om die evangelie direk met ander te deel nie, moet ons hulle hierin gehoorsaam.  Ons moet nooit vergeet dat ons die verantwoordelikheid het om vir ons familie te sorg nie.  Soos 1 Timoteus 5:8 ons herinner ‘Maar iemand wat vir sy eie mense, en veral sy huisgenote, nie sorg nie, het die geloof verloën en is slegter as ‘n ongelowige.’ 

Tog kan die gelowige nie die grootste deel van sy dag spandeer op so ‘n manier dat die lig van Christus uitgedoof is en waar dit nie helder kan skyn nie.  Terwyl ons ‘n verantwoordelikheid het om ons ‘here na die vlees’ te gehoorsaam, het ons nog meer die verantwoordelik om ons ‘Here na die Gees’ te verheerlik in alles wat ons doen.

 

1. Leef jou getuienis uit

Terwyl die geleentheid om vrylik oor jou geloof te praat jou miskien ontneem word, word jy nie daarvan ontneem om dit uit te leef nie.  Ons geloof moet ons lewe verander en daardie verandering moet sigbaar wees in hoe jy optree.  Daarom kan jou andersheid ‘n gulde geleentheid en manier wees waarop jy jou geloof bekendmaak (Kol. 3:17). 

a.Jou woorde

Terwyl jy verhoed mag word om die direkte benadering van evangelisasie te neem, kan niemand jou verhoed om deur jou woorde jou anderheid te getuig nie.

-    Praat anders

Die gelowige se woorde moet anders wees as die van mense van hierdie wêreld.  So behoort ons nooit skuldig te wees aan leuens nie (Spr. 6:17; Ef: 4:25).  Verder behoort ons geen vuiltaal (Ef. 4:29) of dwase, lawwe of ligsinnige woorde (Ef. 5:3) nie by gelowiges gevind word nie.  Jou woorde is ‘n getuienis van wat in jou hart aangaan (Luk. 6:45) en behoort daarom jou Christenskap te vertolk.  Inderdaad soos die apostel Paulus ons leer, ons moet ons gedagtes gevange laat neem deur gehoorsaamheid aan Christus (2 Kor.10:5) sodat ons gemoed vernuwe sal word om anders as hierdie wêreld te wees (Rom. 12:2) wat onder andere uiting sal vind in die manier waarop ons praat.

-    Skep ‘n geleentheid

Terwyl jy miskien nie direk met iemand oor die evangelie mag praat nie, kan jy wel die geleentheid skep waarin spraak hieroor in antwoord kom op iemand anders se vrae.  Die apostel Petrus het verseker baie van ‘n vyandiggesinde konteks verstaan en leer ons in 1 Petrus 3:15 ‘…heilig die Here God in julle harte en wees altyd bereid om verantwoording te doen aan elkeen wat van julle rekenskap eis omtrent die hoop wat in julle is, met sagmoedigheid en vrees’. Hierdie teks vra dat jy gereed moet wees om ‘n antwoord te gee.  Dit sluit in om geleenthede te skep om oor die Here te praat.  Iemand mag jou dalk vra of jy na werk saam met hulle iets wil gaan drink en jy kan antwoord ‘Jammer, as Christen glo ek jy mag nie dronk word van wyn nie’ of as iemand vir jou teen die einde van die week sê om jou naweek te geniet, kan jy antwoord deur te sê ‘dankie, ek sien veral uit om Sondag kerk toe te gaan’

-    Bid vir jou medewerkers

Terwyl dit belangrik is dat jy deur jou woorde teenoor ander ‘n getuie sal wees, is dit ook belangrik dat jy in jou woorde teenoor die Here vir hulle sal pleit.  Pleit by die Here vir medewerkers wat in sonde en boosheid lewe (1 Tim. 2:1).  Bid vir jou werkgewer, bid vir jou medewerkers, bid vir julle kliente en verskaffers. 

Medewerkers mag by geleentheid vrymoedigheid neem om met jou oor ‘n probleem of hartseer te gesels en dan kan jy vrymoedigheid neem om of vir hulle dan en daar te bid, of hulle te verseker dat jy vir hulle sal bid.  Dis egter belangrik dat as jy belowe het om te bid, dat jy dit sal doen (Matt. 5:37).

b.Jou rentmeesterskap

-    Die Skepping

Op een of ander manier het die meeste van ons werk iewers ‘n konneksie met God se skepping.  Of dit is dat jy vir omgewingsake werk, of behoeftiges versorg, dokumentasie druk, wetenskaplike navorsing doen of skool gee, iewers is daar ‘n manier waarop jy, nie net self die omgewing kan bewaar nie, maar ander kan help of aanmoedig om dit ook te doen.  Kom ons vergeet nie dat die Here ons opdrag gegee het om ‘na Sy beeld’ te heers oor Sy skepping nie (Gen. 1:26).  Besin die maniere waarop Sy skeppingswerk jou werk beinvloed en staan in verwondering oor Sy genade aan jou hierin, maar poog terselfdetyd om die negatiewe impak van jou werk daarop te beperk en vind maniere om dit eerder te bevorder.

-    Jou Geldbesteding

Ons praat nie hier spesifiek oor hoe jy jou eie geld besteë nie, maar hoe jy die werk se geld besteë.  Die gelowige moet homself nie skuldig maak aan enige vorm van bedrog nie (Eks. 23:8).  Verder moet ons leer om so ver moontlik spaarsamig te werk met die hulpbronne van ons werkgewer en dit nie onnodig vermors nie (Luk. 12:47-48).  Ons moet nooit vergeet dat ook daardie hulpbronne as ‘n gawe van God aan ons voorsien word nie (Jak. 1:17).

-    Jou ywer

Kom ons vergeet nie dat die Here verwag dat ons deur harde werk ons brood sal verdien nie (Ef. 4:28).  Die gelowige behoort altyd op tyd te wees (1 Tim. 6:1) en tydens sy werksure te werk asof hy vir die Here werk (Kol. 3:17).  Die verwagting is dat gelowiges daarom altyd hard sal werk en hulle beste sal lewer.  Terwyl ander lui mag wegsteek of tyd mag steel, moet gelowiges juis hierin getuig dat hulle ‘n Meester het wat hoër is as hulle werkgewers.

c. Jou Selfopoffering

Terwyl die gelowige versigtig moet wees om van sy werk ‘n afgod te maak deur homself te oorwerk, moet hy altyd bereid wees om die ‘ekstra myl’ te gaan om behulpsaam te wees, veral in tye van nood of druk. 

-    ‘n Siek medewerker

Die gelowige moet bereid wees, om sover moontlik, in te staan vir medewerkers wat siek is of afwessig is vir een of ander rede.  Ek herinner julle aan ons verantwoordelikheid om Christus se voorbeeld na te volg in hierdie geval volgens Filippense 2:3-4 wat sê ‘Moenie iets doen uit selfsug of uit ydele eer nie, maar in nederigheid moet die een die ander hoë ag as homself.  Julle moet nie elkeen na sy eie belange omsien nie, maar elkeen ook na die ander s’n’ 

-    Tye van druk

Tydens meeste mense se werk kom daar tye waar daar ekstra druk op jou geplaas word.  Soos maand of jaar einde vir iemand in finansies, of in ‘n noodgeval vir iemand in verpleging, of eksamen tye vir onderwysers.  Die gelowige moet blymoedig gewillig wees om tydens hierdie tye eksta werkdruk te aanvaar (Jak. 1:2-4).  Terwyl werksomstandighede wat konstant druk veroorsaak nie goed is vir jou fisies of geestelik nie, behoort jy bereid wees om vir tye sulke druk te hanteer as dit nodig raak.  Jou gesindheid om nie te kla nie kan ‘n goeie getuie wees van jou geloof.

 

2. Deel die evangelie

Terwyl meeste werkgewers hulle werknemers verbied om die evangelie direk met ander te deel in die werksplek is daar wel werkgewers wat dit toelaat of wat nie ‘n verbod hierop plaas nie.  In so geval behoort die gelowige vrymoedigheid te neem om sy geloof openlik te deel met ander.  Wat behoort ons benadering in so geval te wees?  (Hierdie is ook toepaslik waar bogenoemde getuienis deur dade waar jy reageer op ‘n belangstelling van hulle kant af)

a.Bid

E M Bounds maak ‘n baie belangrike stelling oor gebed as hy sê ‘Om met mense oor God te praat is ‘n belangrike ding, maar om met God oor mense te praat is selfs belangriker’.  Die apostle Paulus benadruk die belangrikheid dat gelowiges moet bid vir ‘n oop deur en oop harte om die verborgenheid van Christus te kan deel (Kol. 4:2-3).  Tensy die hart van die ongelowige oopmaak om die evangelie te ontvang sal hulle dit nooit ontvang nie.  Daarom moet ons by Hom pleit om deur Sy Gees, die persoon ontvanklik te maak vir die Woord.  Verder het ons die Heilige Gees nodig om ons te lei en te wys hoe om die evangelie te deel met die spesifieke persoon.

b.Soek ‘n geleentheid

As die apostel Petrus in 1 Petrus 3:15 sê ‘wees altyd bereid (gereed) om verantwoording te doe naan elkeen wat van julle rekenskap eis omtrent die hoop wat in julle is, met sagmoedigheid en vrees’, beteken dit nie dat ons altyd moet wag vir ‘n geleentheid nie, maar dit beteken ook dat ons self ‘n geleentheid kan skep of aangryp.  Sy punt is dat elke geleentheid kan ‘n geleentheid wees om te getuig van ons hoop en ons moet bereid wees om daardie geleenthede aan te gryp wanneer hulle na vore kom.  In werklikheid is dit moontlik om enige gesprek te draai tot ‘n geleentheid om oor die Here te praat en so te getuig.  Terwyl ek nie daardeur sê ons behoort elke omblik by die werk ‘n evangeliesasie oomblik te maak nie, behoort ons, waar dit toelaatbaar is, minstens gereeld sulke geleenthede skep en gebruik tot Sy eer.

c.       Deel die evangelie

As die geleentheid homself voordoen moet die gelowige dit altyd aangryp om die evangelie met ander te deel.  Die gelowige het nodig om die tyd uit te koop deur in wysheid te wandel (Kol. 4:5).  Om die evangelie te deel beteken nie ons hoef hard en kras te wees nie, inteendeel, veral in die werksplek sal ek julle aanmoedig om dit met sagmoedigheid te doen (Gal. 6:1). Dit is ook belangrik om geduld aan die dag te lê en nie radikale onmiddelike bekering in elke geval te verwag nie (1 Kor. 3:6-7)

 

Terwyl dit dag vir dag moeiliker word om geleenthede te kry om die evangelie te deel en dit veral in die werksplek, moet die gelowige wys en kundig wees om sy getuienis uit te leef en geleenthede te skep om te getuig van die hoop wat in ons is.  Die feit dat werkgewers ons verbied om die evangelie direk te verkondig ontneem ons nie van ons verantwoordelikheid aan die Here om elke geleentheid te gebruik om Hom te eer en Sy Naam te verkondig nie.  Die opdrag om te getuig word nie net aan sekere gelowiges of vir sekere tye gegee nie, maar vir alle gelowiges by elke geleentheid.

Terwyl jou werk noodsaaklik is en jy daarom jou ‘here na die vlees’ moet eer, moet jy altyd onthou dat jy nie daardeur die ‘Here van jou Gees’ moet verontagsaam nie.  Wees ‘n lig deur jou dade, en waar die geleentheid homself voordoen, gryp dit aan om ook ‘n lig te wees deur die Woord duidelik in liefde te verkondig.  Laat ons egter nooit vergeet dat ons evangelisasie van ander begin in die hart nie, ‘n hart wat besorg is oor ‘n verlore gaande wêreld en ‘n hart wat meer besorg is oor die eer van onse Here.  Daarom wil ek julle aanmoedig om eers met God te praat oor mense, voordat julle met mense gesels oor God.

 

ds. Leon Harmse

Leraar van Sunwardpark Baptistekerk