SHARING YOUR FAITH (AT WORK) (DISCUSSION AND DIALOG)

Sharing your faith at work – Acceptable or not? Brainstorm acceptable ways to witness The best way to witness Sharing your faith Sharing the story of Christ Giving your testimony

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Matthew 28:18 – 20 (The great commission) 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mark 16: “ 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

Romans: 13:1- 5 “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.” Hebrews 13:17 “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”

1 Peter 2: “ 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. Caterpillar on-line harassment training (religious examples) 1 Peter 3:13 – 15 “ 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats [a] ; do not be frightened.” [b] 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”ab

Display your faith (create opportunities) Bible on desk Scripture in Bible quotes on wall Inspirational picture Pray (Silent) at lunch Share it at Toastmasters, etc Memorize scripture and us it Talk about weekend plans, including church etc. Get personal. Small statements of speech, like praise God. Be generous Share yourself with others.

Do you think you can be persecuted at work? How? (EOS feedback) Could your faith cost you advancement at work ? What do you think you should do if persecuted ? Should you report it ? I Peter 3: “ 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats [a] ; do not be frightened.” [b] 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”.ab

Is it good to invite other Christians to Wednesday studies? Yes Why? Help strengthen each others faith They can reach out to other believers Helps everyone think about sharing the gospel at work Keeps us focused on God and his will first. Support each other.

When co-workers see a life of faith, they will likely listen to what you say (Milo Twist) James 2:17: In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by actions, is dead. Colossians 3:17 “ 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” What do your actions show ? (what do people see) Life of hope – how you act in tough times / personal trials Language, temper, Honesty in our actions Apologies when wrong Grace, Kindness, support when others struggle People are watching you !!

Statistics show that “Once the average person becomes a believer in Christ, he or she loses all contact with unbelieving friends within 2 years” (Patton, 2004 “Should Christians have unbelieving friends”) Where is the easiest place for us to make meaningful relationships with nonbelievers? Not church, not bars, work, where you spend your time Jesus vs Pharisees on dealing with sinners ….. Luke 5: After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

How do we connect to coworkers ? (brainstorm) Create opportunities (social outings, lunch ) During the tough times of others (prayer) Walk to someone’s desk rather than or phone. Build on the personal relationships Make an effort to know people personally. Know about their family, hobbies, pets, whatever. Ask about them. Take water breaks with them. Walk with them, talk about non-work Go to happy hours with them but honor God in your actions One on one time with people. Others…….

1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” 3 minute testimony Your story is never too boring. (Be honest) No wrong way to share …. Three recommended parts When did you hear about Christ? When did you make the decision? What is different now?

Matthew 28:18 – 20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Romans 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 6:23 “The wages for sin is death” Romans 5:8 “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 10:9 “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Not by “being a good person”, “doing good works”. It’s a gift. Just share it. Only God saves people, changes their hearts.

Slide 6 – Display your faith – one action Slide 8 - Invite someone new to midweek Slide 11 – Connect with non-Christians – 2 actions Slide 12 – Bullet out your 3 min testimony Bonus – Share your story with someone