The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

Hi

How do people find being a christian woman in the workplace or in buisness. I have never met any other christian women at work and I spend 40 hours a week there or more.

Hello Ruth

I was a teacher in secular schools for over 20 years. Sometimes there were other Christians on staff, sometimes they hid themselves very well. Sometimes, those who were Christian I sort of wished were not ... others were a shining light in an often dark place.

A number of thoughts for you:

In another thread you have given a partial answer for yourself I think. You say you try and be kind ... extend that.

The workplace, in many ways, is no different to any other place where the Lord puts us. So, if you allow the Holy Spirit to exhibit the "fruit of the Spirit" in your life, and try and act as you believe Jesus would towards your fellow workers, then they have a very strong witness to the truth of the gospel in their midst. By your love for them they will actually be seeing the love of Jesus in action.

Become friends. Be friendly over meal breaks, when you cross paths in the loo, at the water coola or coffee machine ... whatever. This "making friends" must be genuine ... not merely a way to win souls. People will see it if you have an agenda to convert them. But if you become a real friend, then you will have a greater chance for genuine opportunities to arise where you can share your faith in a natural way.

Of course, faith comes by hearing and hearing from the spoken word (as Paul reminds us in Romans), so pray that they might ask questions, and for opportunities to speak, or for someone else to speak to your friends.
Don't censor your converstions ... that is, if someone asks "how was your weekend?" do not be afraid to answer. "I had a good weekend, thank you. We went here, did that ... and church was great too."

Once people do know you are Christian, you are a witness whether you like it or not ... so how you act is very important. And you might be surprised at how many people quickly put the clues together and know you for who you really are. So, be honest, reliable, loyal, conscientious ... all the things you would like to see in an employee if you were the boss. Then they may never want to sack you - good. hard-working employees are not that easy to find.

A discreet bible in your bag ... a piece of fish jewellery (rather than a cross which might offend a Jewish or Muslim co-worker) ... how you celebrate Easter ... the type of Christmas cards you give, if you give them ... there are many small, subtle, ways to bring the name of Jesus before others. Then it will be the Holy Spirit who takes those efforts and draw people to Jesus.

Get your church, bible study gropu, home group ... those with whom you fellowship regularly ... to pray with you and for you, specifically about wor and your fellow workers.

Many find it helpful to simply pray for God to touch one person at a time through their witness. It need not be a specific person - that is, you are not "scalp hunting" for a particular soul - but that God will touch someone through you. Others choose to pray for a specific person who they already have some connection with.

I hope somethng here might be helpful.

May God bless you richly, and use you to extend his kingdom in the place where he has called you to be his witness. And, may he provide another Christian there for you, to encourage you, and so that you do not feel alone in the task.

Avid Reader

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Avid Reader

“Lord, in my zeal for love of truth, let me not forget the truth about love.” - Thomas Aquinas
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tHANKS - i used to wish I worked in an all Christian environment for ages cos I felt isolated and then realised God wanted to use me amongst the people I was with. So thanks for your tips

I am currently working in a Church School ...as opposed to a "Christian School." An agreement with the "ethos of the school" is required for employment, and parents enrol their daughters knowing it is a school run by the church where there is regular Chapel, Religious Studies etc. and I do get to oversee Chapel once a year with a group of students. Our turn included direct biblical teaching: Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who calls us to follow him.

For all that, I still find it a challenge being a Christian in the workplace. Those of us who are openly Christian ... of the Protestant variety ... are still a minority, and sometimes the near scornful attitude from other staff is quite hard to deal with. To believe the bible is almost seen as a joke ... yet to be Christian in the sense of formal religious affiliation is ok - just don't get too serious about it. The students are more accepting - maybe attempts to teach religious tolerance for the beliefs of other religions are having a positive side for Christians. Ironically, the Moslem girls are amongst the most respectful; the secular Westerners can be sadly cynical for ones so young.

Part of the problem, I think, is being consciously of God when the mind and body are so busy with work ... and being ethical and doing the job properly is surely a Christian attitude to work. So, I am back where I was when this thread first started ... feeling it is how we act and how we treat others that will earn us the respect, and then the privilege, of sharing our own faith stories and hopefully, getting the opportunity to speak the gospel message.

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Avid Reader

“Lord, in my zeal for love of truth, let me not forget the truth about love.” - Thomas Aquinas
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Hey Ruth,

Avid is so right! Just extending an extra amount of joy or kindness in the workplace can make all the difference. There are actually 2-3 christians where I work, but a couple of them I wouldn't have known were christians simply because they never mentioned it. You never know, you may work with some people who struggle with being bold.

The way I discovered they were, was through general conversation, where I sprinkled comments about something that was cool that I read in the Bible, or something about church, etc. People are much less inclined to be judgmental and offended when they hear what has been personnally impacting to YOU. Then, after several conversations, it's not offensive to ask if they go to church anywhere, or after a conversation about a circumstance that you're trying to honor God by, asking them what they think about God.

I am in a workplace that doesn't exactly condone "religious" conversation, but I have decided, that to make this possible, I will analyze how I talk so that I don't come off asking about God and them, out of the blue. They will have heard me mention God/church several times. Some people are easier to talk to than others.

I'm so encouraged that you want to find Christians in your workplace. Maybe you will, or maybe you won't. Maybe you will even be helpful as planting a seed and leading someone to Christ whether through you or through someone else! Either way, I'm excited and encourage you to keep up being bold and joyful and generally being different in a positive way from those you work with.

I've gotten the comment many times, "Why are you so happy?" And i'm not always happy, as you know. We, believers are just like anyone else . I used to have the fear of man, and just say something like, "oh it's just been a good day." or something of the sort. Now, I'm learning to be bold and give God the glory for my joy, by saying something like, "God gives me joy" or whatever comes to my head at that moment.

Prayers!!

Jasanna