Common Ideas Christians have about Ministry in relation to the WorkplaceNew Picture (1)

  • Some Christians understand work’s relationship to ministry to mean that work is a way to provide wages so that funds can be used to support ministries like churches, missions, or special projects outside of the workplace. This idea about ministry and work does not see ministry as woven into work but sees ministry only as a beneficiary of work.
  • There are other Christians who see ministry in relationship to their work to mean that they should bring their local church programs and methods into their workplace to reach people. Others may see their work environment as a place to incorporate evangelism strategies, handing out their local church’s brochure or special tracts. I know of some Christians who gather people together during their break time at work to show a DVD of their church’s Sunday message. These attempts are not wrong but may represent a limited view of ministry.
  • Then there are Christians who think they have to wait or seek out an obvious Divine intervention or a Divine activity to spontaneously pop up for ministry to take place. One must look for and discover it in order to get involved. They may be hoping to cross paths with someone who is obviously looking for God, or maybe they are watching for an opportunity to minister in an event which seems to have God’s finger prints on it. Certainly God can and does work in such ways. However, I believe this view minimizes the capacity of ministry for a Christian in his workplace. We must consider this important truth…God has put His treasure in each of us[i] in order to bring about ministry through every circumstance of life and every place.
  • Then again there are some Christians who believe ministry does not relate to work at all; that the two are incompatible and should not be carried out simultaneously. They view the two as separate compartments of life; one as their spiritual arena where ministry takes place, and the other as their secular area wherein one works a job. Interestingly, this view seems to indicate that the Christian life is more like a leisure activity rather than it encompassing all of life.
  • Lastly, there are those who see ministry as an integrated and influential part of their work. They understand that workplace ministry does not operate in the same way as in their local church but see it as a fulfilling and complimenting part of the church’s life and mission.

[i] Colossians 1:27; 2 Corinthians 4:6-7