Dear Friends,
A case for the existence of Christian Fellowship in the workplace.
To clarify, I am using the ‘loose’ definition of work as something we are engaged in on a regular pattern. So, our work could be anywhere we perform activities such as paid work, volunteering, caring for loved ones, or even studying.
In the last blog, I reminded us that we are Christ ambassadors everywhere and that God is making an appeal to others through us (2 Corinthians 5:20). We do this in the workplace by being the salt and the light so that people may see our good deeds and glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16). Through this, opportunities are presented to us to preach the gospel to those around us, in deeds and words.
The scriptural basis for authentic individual Christian lifestyle can easily be seen from the above and most believers would like to be authentic wherever they may be.
Also, most Christians believe in the idea of ‘Church’ and many are connected to one. The scriptural basis for this is usually taken from Hebrews 10:25 ‘’not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching’’. So, we do not have a big problem in convincing believers about the place of the Church in their Christian living.
However, there appears to be a reluctance in Christians choosing to formally associate with others in the workplace. The belief of these individuals is usually based on something like ‘’my religion and my faith is a private matter’’. So, they see no need to bring it to the workplace. This trend is likely to grow as we see more persecution of Christians in all areas of life. An example of how to challenge this view can be read in the article by Jason Dulle at https://bit.ly/faithisnotprivate
This is why there is a need to make a case for the existence of Christian fellowship or ‘Church’ in the workplace.
A case for the existence – building effective partnership
Jesus died on the cross to save the world. This is the Good News, the Gospel that must be preached throughout the world. The Bible said we must ‘’go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 19-20).
The question is; how can we do this if we refuse to take the great commission to the place where we spend most of our waking life?
Jesus showed us the best way to effectively preach the gospel. He pulled together a group of people who became so effective as a witnessing body of believers, that the Good News of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God was spread all over the World. In the Book of Acts, we learn just what effective witnesses they became as they spread the Gospel and grew both in numbers and in confidence. The early disciples impact the World not just through what they said, but how they lived their lives.
Jesus demonstrated servant leadership qualities and used a partnership approach to build up his disciples for effective Kingdom ministry. This is the same method we must use to be effective in the Great Commission.
Previously we looked into the role of partnership as a principle of working as a true believer of Jesus Christ in the workplace. We showed that God, Adam, Bezalel, and Jesus Christ all worked in partnership with others to bring their creations to life. This is what we also need to do to be more effective in doing the work God created us to do. You may want to review the previous article at https://fmministry.co.uk/principles-of-work-partnership
We also learnt the importance of Christian fellowship in work as we explored the example of Daniel, Shadrack, Mishaek, and Abednego. You can review this at https://fmministry.co.uk/how-can-i-be-a-true-follower-of-jesus-christ-at-work-example-daniel-and-his-friends
Therefore, based on our understanding of scripture, and what we have shared in the blogs, we know that partnership and workplace fellowship is a great indicator for success on both personal and kingdom agendas.
A case of the existence – the unique benefits
All the advantages of the normal Church such as effective partnership work, individual, personal and spiritual growth, support of the membership, and leadership training are also available through Christian fellowship in the workplace.
Other unique advantages of workplace fellowship could be:
- Promoting Unity and Diversity – This is probably the most important. People who join Christian fellowships in the workplace are likely to come from a wide range of Christian backgrounds. They are likely to be from different racial, economical, and intellectual backgrounds. This is the ideal Church of Jesus Christ! As described in Revelation 7:9, the multitude of the saints at the throne of God will come from every nation, tribe, people, and language. We have a unique opportunity to make this a reality in the workplace. Hallelujah!
- Reaching the Unreached – The workplace Christian fellowship is one of the main ways to reach those who will not normally attend the traditional Church. Workplace evangelism sometimes referred to as ‘fishing evangelism’ provides the opportunity to preach the gospel in practical ways. This is well known to be a very effective way of sharing Jesus.
- Greater societal impact – The workplace Christian fellowship is uniquely positioned to have maximum impact in changing society. It has the potential of reaching and changing those who make decisions that affect the general population. As the Bible says in Proverbs 14:34, ‘’Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people’’. The more people are changed by the Gospel in the workplace, the more we see the Kingdom of God in our society.
- Effective stress relief – Most people face stress at work during the week and then try to relieve it by what they do on the weekend, including going to church. The workplace Christian fellowship provides a unique opportunity to deal with the stress from the source. Prayer, mentoring, pastoral and peer supports are examples of ways that individual Christians can be supported in the workplace.
Workplace Christian Fellowship – looking ahead
We shall continue looking at workplace Christian fellowship groups in the next few blogs. Jesus led His group of disciples in a certain way and so we will consider what leaders need to do to promote effective Christian Fellowship groups. We will also look at actual research evidence to back up the case for a ‘workplace church’. Our learning through this series will hopefully help our workplace Christian groups to grow from strength to strength so that we can impact the world for Jesus!
I hope you have benefited from reading this blog and if so, please share with others. Please also continue to send your feedback and comments to hello@fmministry.co.uk or use the comment box below.
Fishers of Men Ministry is interested in offering support and encouragement to individuals and workplace fellowship groups so please drop us an email if you need advice or support in the area. You can also check out our website to see how you can get involved in this work https://fmministry.co.uk/getting-involved
God bless you and let us keep growing in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ
Adesina
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