Invite Jesus Christ into the workplace
My buddy Chuck Reich sent this really interesting video clip of an interview he conducted for a company called At Work on Purpose, where they essentially teach and provide the tools necessary to introduce Christ`s values into their work environment. Working in a mostly secular environment myself, I can definitely see the real need for Christian values within all aspects of business and customer relations.
As Christians, it is our task (appointed by Jesus) to not only “go and make disciples”, but also to be the mouth piece of our Lord. To be a great example of true faith, integrity, purity, love, respects, ethics, and overall work values. Your co-workers will see the changes and hopefully become curious enough to ask the question “So why are you so different?”.
This entry was posted on April 13, 2009 at 11:08 am and is filed under Faith, Family, Film/TV with tags At Work On Purpose, corporate, Faith, God, Jesus Christ, praying, video, work place. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 4, 2009 at 8:58 pm
Hey! Man, you’ve taken even longer than me to get back on the sketch wagon dude! I got some new stuff up on my blog if ya get a chance to check it out… and just a side note comment on your post here — I gotta disagree with bringing any kind of religion into the workplace. I think if you want to bring your ‘values’ into the workplace, thats fine. I’m all for treating people with respect and equality, but I personally would feel disrespected if anyone at my workplace used that venue as a place to practice their ‘ministry’. Whether they be christian or any other religion. Just my 2 cents
August 10, 2009 at 2:14 pm
My major problem with this is that while that might work in some areas where everyone is Christian, I live in an area where Christianity is only one religion of many. I regularly interact with Muslims, Hindus, Wiccans, and Jewish people. Not to mention the Atheists or people like myself that are firmly Agnostic. I find it rather insulting when people try and force there faith on me, as I find ‘Christian Values’ too often serves as a cover for denying others rights (Or I could just still be bitter about Prop 8).
–Canageek
August 10, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I too live in a rather mixed area with several different “religious” beliefs and I completely understand your points. I think the problem is that there are too many compromised values in this day & age, which makes others look on and go “why bother?”. I guess all I can really go by (as a Christian) is my own testimony, trusting the Word of God, and recognizing the positive changes that ocurred in me from whence I came…
August 10, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Whereas I think Church and such should stay in private: I believe in a strong secular system and find it offensive how one religion has a habit of oppressing what I believe are human rights. A large reason I’ve been moving towards agnosticism over the last two years was loud Christians that degraded the faith. Wasn’t there a parable about a rich man who made sure everyone knew what a good worshipper he was and a poor women who quietly when about her faith?
I think we should promote good values because they are good values, not because some 2000 year old book tells us too.
August 12, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Just to clarify…
The rich men did boast about how much they gave. On that you are right. But, the poor widow was not quiet about her faith. She was very open about her faith and made her tithe as public as all the rest. The difference was, she gave all she had and only Jesus knew.
August 12, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Ok, I think I’m mixing up 2 stories, its been a few years since I’ve been to church: But what right do you have to impose your values on me? What about my friend F who is Jewish? Or Kash who is Muslim? Why must we put up with being preached at in the workplace?
August 14, 2009 at 11:26 am
This is a great point Clint. I happen to be lucky and work at a place where there are a lot of Christians. However, there’s a significant number of people of other faiths and lifestyles present as well.
I think first and foremost the Christian must conduct themselves according to Jesus’ example. We must love people. All of them! That’s the bottom line. We can never share our faith effectively unless we have real relationships with people. We need to truly care enough about them to share the Word with them.
And when I say share, I mean share, not shove it down their throats or try to trap them with tricky arguments or loaded questions, like a used car salesman closing a deal. I once had a guy in the lunch room ask me “have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?”. Right out of the blue. No setup, no explanation, no nothing. In fact, he had never even talked to me about anything significant before. Who is he to ask me about something as personal as my faith? He might as well have asked me how sex with my wife is.
Honestly, I just wanted to punch him in the face. My point being that he put me on the spot with a loaded question and he did it not for my welfare, but to make himself feel like he was doing good.
So the bottom line; if we truly care for people, YES we MUST evangelize in the workplace and everyplace else. But we need to first humble ourselves. Come down and meet people where they are. Get to know them. Serve them. This is how Jesus did it. This is how Paul did it.
August 17, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Like God told Joshua… “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
That includes the workplace…. remember.. 2 Corinthians 5
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you (people in the workplace) on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Pastor Chuck Reich
Journey In Christ Ministries
(561) 797 5988
http://www.jicm.org
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. (1 Thes 3:12-13)
September 8, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I understand that all people have beliefs that will contradict each other at times. I also know that all people know that loving each other and kind words and caring are all common attributes in the workplace. I work in an extremely dangerous environment and because of that I rely on other people to watch out for me as I do for them. so as far as lowering moral and causing strife; talking about jesus does just that and in my dangerous environment I need teamwork and trust. yes when we speak about Jesus Christ it does cause dissention because most people in our culture can’t understand religious things not because there stupid but because most christians don’t even act like christians. they say one thing then turn around and look and act like everyone else, it’s stupid. so I don’t blame people for turning away from christianity. I don’t like people yelling at me or telling me that I’m going to hell. I don’t like people in my personal space. I don’t think yelling to someone about Jesus accomplishes anything. it’s the same as if someone were yelling about how much better Toyotas were than Fords. having said that I am a hard core Christian I love Jesus Christ I read and study the bible and believe in God. it’s not a fad, I’m not brainwashed. but I have found that if I respect others beliefs that they will respect mine. I frequently have and enjoy conversations with nonbelievers about Jesus because they are curious, they do want to know more but theyre not stupid, they know when people are fake, they know all the bad things about religion and the church and christians. as a christian I don’t get caught up with trying to impress people or meet a quota for the number of people that I talk to about God. I’m me, I’m smart, I need people at work to think that i’m normal not some kindof hillbilly God shouter and when I do what I said, people respond in a normal way otherwise they have a kneejerk reaction to me, their defenses go up and then it’s really hard for me to share anything with them. you can’t change or force people to believe what you believe but give people the hard core scientific evidence for God, give them a reason to be a believer and they will. Most info on the internet is heresay about the bible. go to a credible source to get information about Jesus. try http://www.ankerberg.com/ and stop forcing yourself on others. Prayer is powerfull. read that bible. don’t give up but at the same time respect people they do care they just want truth and some people know God is real but they choose to live in sin because it is easier than living a Godly life. the bible says that ever knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. so whether they say Jesus is real or not a day is coming when they will realize they have made a horrible mistake. our Job is not to save people. that is a job for the Holy Spirit. plant seeds and water them. God Bless.