The do’s and don’ts of working with nonbelievers

Lifestyle Evangelism is a great mindset to have for Christians working in a non-Christian workplace. Unfortunately, two things happen: Either it’s all Lifestyle with no Evangelism, which doesn’t make a difference in the world, or it’s all Evangelism and no Lifestyle, which can turn people off of God.

Finding the perfect balance between sharing your faith and being a regular guy is tough. Here are the do’s and don’ts of being a Christian in a non-Christian workplace.

1. First things first. God has called us to win people to him. Sometimes in our busy days we miss the golden opportunities to share a little of Christ with our coworkers. On your way to work each morning, ask God to give you a clear moment in the day when you can share His love with them.

2. Split your face. Christians have an awesome hope for the future and grace to make it through each day. Being a Christian should take our minds off the rat race. If those things don’t make you smile, you need to go back to Sunday School 101 and rediscover the great things God promises. And since we have such a great hope, we can be so much happier than our non-Christian friends. Let your unbelieving coworkers see how genuinely happy you are… which will cause them to ask questions.

3. Check your head. You’re surrounded by people who don’t know or don’t care about your code of ethics. That doesn’t make it easy on you. When you find yourself in a group of people who are laughing at a coarse joke or a dirty story, check your head. This may not be the appropriate time to give ‘em a sermon, but going along with the story doesn’t help your witness. That goes for things you look at, things you say, things you do.

4. Break the mould. Pop culture has labeled Christians as judgmental people. We are trying to win people to Christ by showing them that Jesus loves sinners and He wants them to leave their old ways and be holy. Break the mould pop culture has given believers: don’t judge. Our role is to entice people to him, not judge ‘em into the Kingdom!

5. God, golf, and groceries. People who are afraid of sharing their faith tend to view evangelism as an unusual event outside of normal circumstances. Someone asks you a question and boom: you pull out the Bible and start. But God is part of your life, just like golf and groceries, so when someone asks what you’re doing on the weekend, you can casually mention that you plan on doing some shopping, hitting the links, and heading to church on Sunday. It’s a way to weave God stuff into your every day talk.

6. Don’t drop the ball. Christians are held to a higher standard, even by nonbelievers. Waitresses often say that Sundays are the worst day to work because Christians don’t tip as much as non-Christians. So at all times, whether doing business, playing sports, or heading out to a restaurant after work, know that people are watching you and linking your actions to those of all believers. Do quality work, don’t be lazy, don’t cheat on your taxes, be sure to tip your waitress.

7. Want to go to the bar tonight after work? This is one of the tougher ones believers have to face in the workplace. In most circumstances you should go. Christians are allowed to have a good time (within reason) and this is an opportunity to connect with your coworkers on a personal level while showing that you don’t need to get drunk to have a good time. It also builds credibility that you are a normal person, which is vital if we want nonbelievers to think that being a Christian is a good thing. And, if you go out a few times with them, it would be perfectly normal for you to invite them to do something like get together with a few of your (Christian) friends and a have a barbecue.

8. You don’t have to do it all. People avoid evangelism for one big reason: what if you dump the gospel message and they don’t accept? Things will be awkward after that. This valuable lesson will change how you view evangelism: It’s not about unloading a dump truck of Bible passages on the person and watching them accept Jesus. It’s about moving them closer to Him until they are ready to make the decision. So maybe today is not the day to break out the “Roman’s Road� passages. Maybe today is the day where you show them that Christians are normal people.

9. Know your stuff. Even if we’re called to nudge people toward Christ, there will come a day when someone asks you what you believe. You need to know a couple things: First, be able to explain the gospel message coherently. Second, you’ll get lots of questions, like “what about the dinosaurs?� or “why do bad things happen in the world?� You don’t have to have good answers for those, but it helps. Find a few wise people in your church to help you answer those questions before they’re asked.

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