Testimonies 192: Evangelism in the Workplace: What You Must Not Do? Pierre

Some evangelism methods lack wisdom. Evangelism in the workplace and in the public sphere must respect the freedom and personality of unbelievers, respect the codes of conduct in all professions, and put away our sense of superiority and desire to win the debate. Otherwise, your co-worker relationships and passion for evangelism will soon fade together. People don’t care what we believe and how much we know unless they know how much we care about them.

How busy modern people’s lives are! I am busy working overtime and making various leisure plans. Especially on Sunday mornings, people are either sleeping or arriving at a resort a day earlier and if you tell him that there is a group of people who go to a place called the church every Sunday and listen to the pastor tell everyone the exclusive news about God, he is not necessarily against God, he will just say, “I really don’t have enough time!” Why go to a class with people? How can it help me? ”

As long as a person has a life strategy that brings him even the slightest satisfaction, it is difficult for him to make other choices. What’s more, many people feel that Jesus is powerless in his predicament unless someone comes up to him and shows him it. Instead of showing him your unusual schedule of Sundays, let him see that you live very differently seven days a week: why do you still have peace in your heart in the face of adversity or difficult people, in the face of disappointment, hurt, or exclusion, in the face of illness or accident?

I think you’ve got the point, as a workplace Christian, you have to be brave enough to walk out the door of the church. Your pastor has probably said this to you many times without reminding you how to avoid messing things up. Some ways of sharing faith are unwise. Viable evangelism methods in the workplace and the public sphere must respect the freedom and personality of unbelievers and respect the codes of different professions. One principle remains constant: the more different we are from people, the more careful and thoughtful we are in our communication.

If you were to walk into your workplace tomorrow and intend to share the good news of Jesus with others, who would you choose to tell it? The one on the left may be an atheist who likes fortune-telling, the person on the right is probably a Buddhist, and the feminist male colleague sitting at the window wearing a pen skirt across the street is keen to talk about pornographic jokes and brag about his experience of “sex warfare”. If you don’t know your audience beforehand, I sympathize with your frustrated face. After a few such reckless encounters, I believe that your co-worker relationship and passion for evangelism will die together nine times out of ten.

Suppose Jesus’ carpenter work sucks

The most basic principle of sharing the gospel with others in the workplace is that if others want to pay attention to our faith, we must first pay attention to our own work. If you think about Jesus himself, can you imagine him using substandard materials, casually handing over errands, or making false demands? Imagine that after he came out to preach, an old client sat in the crowd of listeners. If Jesus had not been a good carpenter, there might have been people in the crowd who whispered disapprovingly, “I don’t listen to this man.” I tell you, he can’t believe it. The table he used to make for me broke down in less than a year. Normal people would think that Jesus’ theology is as good or as bad as the table he built.

This does not mean that everyone should become a superman in the workplace, the elite of the elite, but we must take our work seriously and do our best to the best of our ability. Of course, competence alone is not enough, and if you want to maintain the impact of your performance, you must have good character to match the gifts. Unfortunately, many leaders lose influence because of personality problems.

You can keep asking yourself every day, “What would Jesus do if He were in my place?” “When competence and good character are linked to us, there is a visible impact that transcends the position.

Character is not only internal but also in our thoughtful outward actions—people don’t care how much we know unless they know how much we care about them. The most accurate way to know how considerate people are is to observe how they discuss other people in the break room or over lunch. What do they say? How to say? Is it long and short? Will it insult, belittle, slander, ridicule, and despise people? The apostle Paul made it clear, “Do not utter a word of defilement, but speak good words that make man and good things that may be heard.” “Have you used that as a standard?

If you’re in leadership, it’s not just about avoiding harshness, insults, or other fear-mongering management, it’s about building an atmosphere where people can speak up. Whether the topic of discussion is a difficult business decision or a spiritual principle, not listening means not respecting. Good listeners not only hear the voice, but also try to understand the person speaking, and they think and reflect on what they hear to make sure they understand correctly. Even if criticism or response is too “close”, they strive to overcome the instinct for self-preservation. When listening, they are not busy thinking about how to respond to their critics. They strive to peer into each other’s hearts through each other’s eyes.

I have a doctor friend named John, who is an excellent physician and his good character is obvious to all. He faced professional pressures and his first child was born with spina bifida. John was coping with work and commuting to the children’s hospital frequently, a situation that his colleagues understood well.

John had many reasons to lose his temper, but he rarely did. Once he discovered that the nurse had made a serious mistake that endangered the patient’s life. John spoke strongly but respectfully reproached the nurse. Nurses can leave without compromising their self-esteem after being reprimanded. Another colleague saw the scene and said, “John, I see how you handle this. If you are a preacher, I will go to your church. ”

The truth is, John was really a preacher. So are we. When people see our good deeds and good character, we speak with power, just like preaching from a pulpit, and even more influential. The distance between the pulpit and the bench does not exist in the workplace. We are people who are complete and consistent.

Don’t rush to show your superiority

Christ sent us not to “testify,” but to be “witnesses” or “witnesses.” The testimony that comes out of our mouths needs to be consistent with the testimony we live.

The apostle John said, “We will preach to you what we see and hear.” Telling people what you see or experience so that the world can see our transformed lives in our faith—that’s the job of witnesses. This life manifests itself in simple daily contact with people, showing our hope and joy, meaning and fulfillment, and how biblical principles help us solve or cope with the problems we encounter every day.

A simpler way to show life is the so-called “small act of conscience,” similar to giving someone a “cup of cold water” in Jesus’ name. Today, when people lack basic etiquette, the power of unexpected kindness is beyond imagination. Small actions of conscience can include the following actions:

Remember the name of the employee or client – as well as the name of their spouse, their birthday or wedding anniversary; When greeting others, listen genuinely to their reactions; Ask the assistant if you want to pour him a cup of coffee; Say hello to others sincerely; Helping colleagues inflate car tires in the parking lot; sharing knowledge with colleagues in need; Offer to tell a colleague that you appreciate what he does; Ask colleagues questions that matter to them, then listen attentively to their responses…

Over time, even small things will make Jesus visible in us, setting the stage for future spiritual impact. No matter how resistant people are to spiritual things, having a Jesus-like character is still very attractive. However, it should be remembered that small actions of conscience need to be deliberate, but not false. No one likes to be someone else’s project. Action, if there is no love, is only fake. Therefore, we should add a prayer to every encounter with others: Lord, please show me how to care for this person, and may this person see You in me.

Of course, this does not make you perfect, and faith in Jesus will not solve all of life’s problems or make us perfect. Don’t be afraid to expose your shortcomings, Christianity does have a triumphant side, but life is often full of failures and heartbreaks, and if we hide our vulnerability and talk only about beauty, we only show our lack of understanding of grace and do not know what God has done for us.

It is not our accomplishments that attract unbelievers, but God’s grace. They want to see the process and understand the path we’ve taken, not just the finished product and where we’re where we’re now. Let’s not rush to purify our stories and whitewash ourselves; Omitting the struggle in the middle makes it difficult for unbelievers to identify with us and instead feel that we are false. A lot of times we are really fake.

In addition, not showing superiority when doing good deeds is often one of the main reasons why unbelievers are annoyed.

Using the “banner of faith” in casual conversation

When is a good time for us to talk to people about the gospel? Many Christians who want to evangelize in the workplace will express confusion. It takes wisdom to discern. Talking about faith is appropriate when the topic of faith naturally fits into the conversation, rather than being mechanically and reluctantly pulled over. You’ve probably seen someone finish lunch and suddenly ask, “If you die tonight and stand at the gates of heaven, God asks you, ‘Why should I let you in?’ ‘How would you answer?’ “Frankly, this style of talking can disrupt the conversation and stifle the budding relationship.

It’s always the right time to talk about your faith, but that doesn’t mean you have to pour all your spiritual knowledge over at once. You just need to answer the questions, and remember to leave foreshadowing to foster curiosity and new questions so you have the opportunity to continue talking.

When introducing the topic of faith into the conversation, the “flag of faith” is the easiest and least compulsive method. The so-called “banner of faith” are some simple statements that naturally flow in casual conversation, which can show that you are serious about your faith. For example, if you express to your subordinate that you are honored to work with him, you can say, “We’ve been looking for someone like you for a long time, and I’ve been praying for this for a long time.” When a colleague does a great job, you can say, “It seems that God gave you the ability to grasp the details.” ”

When someone encounters an opportunity or a difficulty, you say to him, “If you don’t mind, I’ll pray for you.” When others praise your character, you respond, “I don’t always do it right, but I try to follow some biblical principles that apply to the mall.” When someone is upset, you can say, “I remember one time when I was so depressed that a friend suggested I read some Bible verses, and that helped.” Doctors can say to their patients, “You know, there’s only so much doctors can do. I did my best, but it was God who healed people. ”

However, there are several things to avoid when using the banner of faith. First, don’t identify yourself as a member of a sect, because if the other person is dissatisfied with the sect, it is likely to transfer disgust to you. We’re not telling you to hide your membership, but when you notice that it can be counterproductive, you just need to highlight yourself as a person who values faith, prayer, the Bible, and God.

Second, don’t say that faith is the reason you don’t do anything. Christianity is not a rule or a ticket, but a personal relationship with God through Jesus. “I don’t drink, I don’t dance, I don’t smoke… Because it goes against my beliefs”, such a statement may only harden the already hard soil, because it almost always smells of condemnation to non-Christians.

Finally, avoid religious jargon, words that confuse outsiders, such as: washed in blood, redeemed, asked Jesus to dwell in the heart, saved, justified, repented for trespasses and sins, born again, and so on.

When God works in someone’s heart, that person usually wants to know more; When God works in a person, sooner or later that person will respond to the banner of faith.

A story that everyone loves

Once someone becomes interested in your “banner of faith,” the next step in communication is the “story of faith.” We were raised by television, we are all story people, and we can spit out gossip from the entertainment industry casually. We use stories to dispel boredom and pass the boredom.

The modern penchant for stories works in your favor because you have the best redemption story on the market—the process by which you came to know Jesus and how your life and that of your family became abundant after you knew Him. Faith stories don’t tell people how to know God, but they do tell people that God is at work, and God often uses these faith stories to increase people’s hunger and thirst, especially in the workplace.

Faith stories should come naturally in casual conversation and not be planned. Faith stories are not sermons, so they should be limited to a minute or two, focusing on God, the Bible, or prayer to show what to expect from being a child of God. If your non-believer colleagues already feel that you are a little different, faith stories can explain why you are different, so don’t talk about a particular church, denomination, or leader that may be the cause of the other person’s troubles.

It is recommended that each believer write their own story of faith. Write an outline, or simply write it down completely; Then share it with mature Christians, invite them to comment, help you revise it, and ask them to point out religious terms that should be removed from the story.

As a doctor, whenever I encounter a patient facing pain, I often tell them the following story of faith: I feel the same way about my current experience. When my daughter Kate was eleven, she had a physical convulsion that was even life-threatening. We rushed her to the hospital right away, and it took doctors more than an hour to stop the spasms. At that time, she stopped breathing and had to insert a throat tube to help her breathe. Doctors told us that her brain waves weren’t beating — not sure if it was drugs or brain death. At night, my child’s mother and I stayed by her bedside. We hugged each other and cried. A friend came, and he didn’t give us much advice, he just taught us to pray. Prayer has become our habit since that night, and God has been using it to bless us ever since.

Whenever a patient expresses interest, I tell him that God loves us and that He not only listens but even sends His only begotten Son to die for us when we are absolutely helpless.

At this point, be wary that if we tie success or self-esteem to the response of others, our behavior can become manipulative and offensive. All you have to do is tell your story, don’t try to play the Holy Spirit, don’t try to persuade people instantly, and let God’s power settle in the listener’s heart. Don’t try to be morally preaching or self-defeating, just make sure the story is honest and let the Holy Spirit do His work.

Even if the other person shows some interest, it is necessary to restrain yourself from pouring out all the “spiritual information” at once, people need time to think. Our goal is to spark curiosity and speak as concisely as possible so that the other person does not lose interest.

Don’t rush to debate when you encounter opposition

Two more puzzles often arise. First, sometimes colleagues behave inconsistently with Christian principles or even badly. Do not be surprised by human sin, or you will say, “I don’t believe what the Bible says.” Don’t rush to debate when you encounter opposition

Two more puzzles often arise. First, sometimes colleagues behave inconsistently with Christian principles or even badly. Do not be surprised by human sin, or you will say, “I don’t believe what the Bible says.” Because the Bible tells us this for a long time. In fact, many times we deliberately show surprise when we want to tell unbelievers, “I’m better than you.” Christians are often labeled hypocritical precisely because of moments of great surprise at human sin.

You can say no nicely without being drastic or too defensive. Most of the time, colleagues or friends just want to share with us what they like, and the intentions are good, although the proposed activity is not so good. Even if we don’t participate, this kindness can be appreciated. However, if the invitation is tentative, it is a different matter.

Second, we also need to deal with people’s opposition to Christianity. At this point, your apologetic feelings may be ignited, whatever it takes to “win.” But remember, winning a war is more important than winning a battle. If we value keeping us right more than helping others learn better, then we have forgotten our primary purpose – to increase understanding, not to win debate.

Asking questions is a good way to respond to objections, to show that we value other people’s opinions, rather than stuffing our own opinions on them, and it doesn’t make people stressed. There are three types of questions we can ask: questions that request clarification, such as “What do you mean?” ”

Questions that ask for an explanation, such as “How did you come to this conclusion?” Invite questions to think about, such as “Have you ever thought about it…”

It is important to remember that when faced with opposition, do not react negatively in the first place. Instead of making a fuss about the gospel, thank someone for finally being willing to talk to you about spiritual issues, even if they are just “picking” and haven’t made up their minds yet. Second, doubts often reflect that the other party is thinking sincerely. When people tell you questions, it’s likely that they trust you and feel safe talking to you, and that’s a good thing! Third, if you don’t know the answer, admit it and offer to find the answer with the other person. God’s call to you is not to give the right answer but to love and serve. Finally, there is no need to rush to correct every incorrect doctrine, God does not need you to be a theological patrolman, picketing problems everywhere.

The most powerful way to make people re-examine their beliefs is to ask them how that set of beliefs works. Can the faith they stake in their lives bring them true joy and fulfillment? If the other person answers in the affirmative, you can take a step back and approach them when they are trapped, lonely, or disappointed.

They finally decided to come to faith

Dave is a successful real estate developer in the Orlando area. He and I became good friends in a transaction. The Dave couple repeatedly encountered intolerance, condescension, and hypocritical Christians, so they turned their back on Christians. As he interacted, the messages I expressed through the banners of faith and the stories of faith seemed to make him curious.

One afternoon about a year later, I told Dave about my testimony of salvation. He listened attentively and asked questions. Finally, the couple came to my Bible study at our invitation at our invitation. Although his wife wanted to believe in Jesus, she offered to make decisions with Dave. It took me months and tried my best to evangelize Dave, but his heart seemed to be getting harder.

Feeling lost, I decided to stomp the dust off my feet and stop investing so much time in them, there are other “seekers” to care about anyway. I told my spiritual teacher about my disappointment, and he hit the nail on the head and asked me, “Do you really care about them?” Or just treat them as a work project? “I had to bow my head and admit that it was more important to make their decisions than to make friends with them. The instructor asked me again, “Did you pray for Mr. and Mrs. Dave?” I bowed my head and said, “Actually, I don’t pray much. He laughed, “They’re making the hardest decisions of their lives.” You can’t do it for them, but there’s one thing you can do that works better than the time and energy you’ve spent on them so far: pray for them. ”

When we introduce Christ to someone, we should always examine our motives to make sure that person is indeed what we care about, not just a “business” that needs to be concluded as soon as possible. Even if our motives are pure, we ultimately have no control over the outcome. If you’ve had a successful “track record,” you’re more likely to be disappointed.

Mark Twain summed it up well, “What troubles me is not the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand, but the parts I understand.” The struggle of the will stirred up by the gospel in the hearts of men can range from months to years, and this is God’s war, not ours. If people don’t believe it, there’s nothing we can do. People make their own decisions, and our most important job—and sometimes the only work we can do—is to pray and cry out to God who can only help.

So my wife and I began praying daily for both of them and continuing to love them. Our friendship is growing. After seven years of acquaintance, they finally decided to come to Christ.