如何在工作场所传福音
随着反对基督教信仰的文化势力不断增强,这对你在工作场所传福音会带来什么影响?你是更忠心还是更惧怕?
如果你更惧怕,这也难怪。社会上自由主义高歌猛进,以及公司人力资源政策推动在工作场所讲“宽容”,只会加剧我们不与同事传福音时通常归咎的两种惧怕:惧怕在社交关系方面受到伤害,惧怕在职业方面受到不利冲击——例如失去工作,或在职业晋升方面停滞不前。
传福音一直都是一件难事,如果我们今天面对的挑战有什么新的方面,这就是反对力量看起来是何等大胆。在过去,非基督徒经常会说,“各人信自己的信仰。”现在他们很有可能会指责我们愚蠢(“说真的,你不相信进化论?”)或者责备我们充满仇恨为人固执(“你怎么敢说同性恋是一种罪?”)雇主在做出雇用和晋升决定之前,越来越多进行严格的社交媒体背景审查。我们不知道还会有多久,那些怕在工作场所出现骚扰和歧视的公司,会选择不雇用更表明自己是基督徒的人,转而选择那些较少惹事的人。
虽然有这一切的挑战,我却为着那些更敬畏神而不惧怕人,向我传福音的弟兄非常感恩。我自己能相信,这就是在工作场所传福音的结果。
在工作场所失丧,又被寻回
12年前我在首都华盛顿一家中型咨询企业担任研究员。我是一个充满自信,自力更生,在职业方面进展顺利的印度教徒。你不会以为我在属灵的事情方面心存不定。老实说,当时我并不认为自己在属灵方面心存不定。我知道的,就是我并不是一个主动寻找基督的人。
然后我的基督徒同事亨特进入了我的生命当中。他在办公室里是一个大家都认识、人缘很好的人。亨特是一位销售业绩很好的家伙,兴趣广泛。曾经有人告诉我说,“你知道吧,他是一个基督徒。”说这话的人和我都不肯定这意味着什么,但我们都相信,这与他的表现有一定关系,我们都若有所思地补上一句,“原来如此。”
我确实知道,亨特并不是我脑海里想象的那一种基督徒。我认为基督徒是老好人、老土、伪善、说话只有一个语调。亨特并不是那种人,所以我开始留意他。
我们成了朋友,我们花时间在一起,谈论广泛的话题。动画片、《指环王》、基督、印度的神灵、咖啡和工作。当主使用亨特来寻找我的时候,我从来没有感受到我像是他要做的一件工作,我只是他的朋友。只有神能做到这一点,祂使用祂的护理之工,安排亨特正好在那时候出现,安排在我生命中出现一场属灵危机。祂给了亨特智慧和勇气,在我最需要真理的时候,对我传讲真理,让真理进入我的生命当中。
在工作场所传福音的人的行为表现
虽然亨特他自己当时在信心方面还很幼小,但他的榜样当中有许多方面,是可以应用于在工作场所传福音的处境当中。
1. 开门见山表明基督
首先,开门见山表明基督。因为要在工作场所遇到基督徒,这可能是很罕见的一件事,所以至关要紧的,就是让你办公室里的人知道你是一个跟从基督的人。这样你就可以让信心软弱的人来找你寻求帮助,做非信徒的榜样。告诉我亨特信仰的人是一个非基督徒同事。很明显,我们不应当用招人讨厌或不负责任的方式来表明基督,只要你讲述你如何度周末,描写你参加的查经班,或者分享你是如何为其他人祷告,人很快就会知道你是一个基督徒。
2. 工作追求卓越
第二,工作追求卓越。当你开门见山表明基督的时候,你要料到你的同事会仔细查看你,正如我曾仔细查看亨特一样。你的工作要反映出神的创造力、旨意和良善。你要彰显出信实和诚实。工作“不要发怨言,起争论”(腓2:14)。顺服权柄,谦卑服事。
这样做本身并不是传福音,但是我们工作时生命的内涵,应当强调而不是削弱我们分享的福音信息的内容。
3. 爱你的同事
第三,爱你的同事。在你的工作场所的非基督徒身上进行投资,与他们培养友情,而不是像例行公事一样把他们当作“项目”看待,而是带着爱心,看他们是按神的形像样式受造的人。不要低估信任的重要性。要知道,我和亨特认识一年半之后,才开始一起查考圣经,神开通我的耳朵,使我愿意听福音。
策略性地使用你的午休时间。按照你能做到的,慷慨款待人,使你可以与一位同事分享你的生活,而不是去谈办公室里的事,办公室里通常的闲聊和玩笑。
4. 预备好传福音
第四,预备好传福音。这听起来可能傻傻的,但你要确保自己知道如何轻易解释福音。如有需要,就进行操练。
当主提供机会,你并不希望你里面有一个声音对着你大喊大叫,责备你讲得不够清楚 ——你而是要你的头脑脱离纠缠,能够聆听你同事说话,聆听他们讲他们很难理解的事。毕竟拯救人的是福音,而不是我们的才思敏捷,强有力把握护教的技巧。我感谢神,因为亨特在传福音的时候清楚、勇敢、相信福音的大能。
5. 祷告
第五,祷告。经常为你的同事祷告,为能有传福音的好机会祷告,祷告求神让你变得越来越勇敢。祷告神要彰显为大,人要显得微小 ——我们都会犯错,把这两样给掉反了。
也要邀请你教会中的弟兄姊妹祷告。亨特后来告诉我说,他的弟兄查经班从我开始询问他关于他基督教信仰的那时候,就开始不断为我祷告。
神呼吁我们忠心
随着工作场所对基督教信仰变得越来越怀有敌意,这些基本的做法就变得更加重要。主已经显出极大的慈爱,应允我许多求要有好机会,有话可说的祷告。让其他人知道我是一个基督徒,在职业和人际关系方面活出我的信仰,更爱我的同事,把他们看作是具有神的形像样式的人,这已经为我争取到机会,可以公开谈论我的信仰。神赐下祂奇异的恩典,选择使用我带领一位同事信主。
我们应当期望主要回答我们的祷告,赐我们机会传讲基督,所以求神赐我们勇敢的心,并且要愿意使用你人际关系方面的资本。神把你放在你现在的场所,这是有祂的目的的。
Evangelism in the Workplace
As cultural opposition toward Christianity grows, what is its effect on your evangelism at work? Are you more faithful or more fearful?
You could hardly be blamed for being more fearful. The rapid advance of social liberalism and human resources policies promoting workplace “tolerance” only exacerbate the two fears we commonly cite for not sharing the gospel with our co-workers: fear of social harm and fear of career repercussions, like job loss or career stalls.
Evangelism has always been hard. If there is anything new about our challenges today, it’s how emboldened the opposition seems to be. Non-Christians used to say “To each his own.” Now they are just as likely to accuse us of stupidity (“Seriously, you don’t believe in evolution?”) or hateful bigotry (“How dare you say homosexuality is a sin?”). Employers increasingly do rigorous social media background checks before making hiring and promotion decisions. How long before companies who are fearful of workplace harassment and discrimination pass over the more visible Christian for someone who makes fewer waves?
In spite of all this, I am so grateful for the brothers who feared God more than man and shared the gospel with me. My own faith is the fruit of workplace evangelism.
LOST, AND FOUND IN THE WORKPLACE
Twelve years ago, I was a researcher at a mid-sized consulting firm in Washington, DC. I was a self-confident, self-sufficient, professionally-prospering Hindu. You wouldn’t have assumed I was spiritually uncertain. Frankly, I didn’t know I was spiritually uncertain. What I was not was a guy who was actively seeking Christ.
Enter my Christian colleague Hunter. Well-known and well-liked around the office, Hunter was a high-performing sales guy with a range of interests. Someone told me, “He’s a Christian, ya’ know.” Neither one of us knew for sure what that meant, but both of us believed it was relevant enough to add a knowing, “Huh.”
I did know Hunter didn’t fit the mold of a Christian that I had mentally constructed. Christians were nice, old-fashioned, hypocritical, one-note tunes. Hunter wasn’t that. So I started watching him.
We became friends. We spent time together and talked about a range of topics—The Simpsons, Lord of the Rings, Christ, Krishna, coffee, work. While the Lord used Hunter to pursue me, I never felt like a project, just a friend. As only God can do, he providentially arranged for Hunter to be there at the same time that God orchestrated a spiritual crisis in my life. And he gave Hunter the wisdom and boldness to speak truth into my life when I needed it most.
BEHAVIORS OF A WORKPLACE EVANGELIST
While young in the faith himself at the time, there is much about Hunter’s example that any believer can apply in a workplace setting.
1. Put Christ on the Table
First, put Christ on the table. Because it can be rare to meet Christians in the workplace, it is essential that people in your office know that you are a follower of Christ. That way you can make yourself available to weaker believers and an example to non-believers. It was a non-Christian colleague who told me about Hunter’s faith. Obviously we should not do this obnoxiously or irresponsibly, but by recounting your weekend, describing a Bible study that you are in, or sharing how you pray for others, people will soon know.
2. Work with Excellence
Second, work with excellence. When you put Christ on the table, expect to be studied by your peers as I studied Hunter. Work in a way that reflects the creativity, purpose, and goodness of God. Demonstrate faithfulness and integrity. Work “without grumbling or complaining” (Phil. 2:14). Submit to those in authority, and serve humbly.
This in itself isn’t evangelism, but the content of our lives at work should reinforce, not undermine, the content of the gospel message we share.
3. Love your Peers
Third, love your peers. Invest in friendships with non-Christians in your workplace, not perfunctorily as “projects,” but lovingly as those made in God’s image. Don’t underestimate the importance of trust. Consider that it was a year and a half after Hunter and I met that we studied the Bible together and God gave me ears for the gospel.
Use your lunch break strategically. As you’re able, make generous use of hospitality, where you can share your life with a colleague away from the office and the usual chit-chat and office banter.
4. Prepare to Evangelize
Fourth, prepare to evangelize. As silly as this may sound, be sure you know how to easily explain the gospel. Practice if you need to.
When the Lord provides an opportunity, you don’t want your inner voice screaming at you for being unclear—you want your mind free to listen to your colleague and what they are struggling to understand. After all, it is the gospel that saves, not our quick wit and strong grasp of apologetics. I praise God for Hunter’s clarity, boldness, and trust in power of the gospel.
5. Pray
Fifth, pray. Pray for your colleagues regularly. Pray for good opportunities to share the gospel. Pray that you would grow in boldness. Pray that God would be big and man would be small—we’re all guilty of getting the two mixed up.
And invite brothers and sisters in your church to pray as well. Hunter later told me that his men’s Bible study group was praying for me from the moment I asked him about his Christian faith.
A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS
As workplaces grow more hostile to Christianity, these basic practices will be all the more essential. The Lord has been kind to answer my many prayers for good opportunities and the words to speak. Being known as a Christian, living out my faith professionally and interpersonally, and loving my colleagues more as God’s image-bearers has gained me opportunities to speak openly of my faith. And, in his amazing grace, God has chosen to use me to bring a colleague to faith.
We should expect the Lord to answer our prayers and grant us opportunities to speak of Christ, so pray for boldness. And be willing to spend your relational capital. God has put you where you are for a purpose.
作者:Ashok Nachnani
Ashok Nachnani 是北卡罗来纳州德汉市第一浸信会长老,一家跨国能源管理公司的战略行政官。
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