God has been bringing a significant number of people from across the globe to America. Rubbing shoulders with the nations in the workplace provides a great opportunity for reaching the unreached of the world with the good news of Jesus Christ. Whether perceived or real, there are barriers to reaching the lost at work. It is a common belief that we cannot talk about religion in the workplace, yet there are right ways and wrong ways to share our faith. Much of it can happen through the relationships we build with coworkers that go beyond the workplace.

God has been bringing a significant number of people from across the globe to America. Rubbing shoulders with the nations in the workplace provides a great opportunity for reaching the unreached of the world with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Whether perceived or real, there are barriers to reaching the lost at work. It is a common belief that we cannot talk about religion in the workplace, yet there are right ways and wrong ways to share our faith. Much of it can happen through the relationships we build with coworkers that go beyond the workplace.

Relationships start with the conversations that naturally occur at work. How often do you talk with colleagues about things such as their family, hobbies or something in the news?

Such friendships may result in no more than eating lunch together, but they can also result in families getting together outside of work. Ongoing conversations can help us understand their spiritual beliefs and provide us with opportunities to share what we believe. Such conversations can be part of ongoing discussions which can deepen over time. Coworkers who are our friends rather than mere acquaintances are more inclined to go to a Christmas program or other church-related event with us.

While we wish to see everyone saved and following the Lord Jesus, we also need to be mindful that people may become upset if they feel like we are trying to “convert” them. We should be friends with others regardless of whether or not they want to follow Jesus.

In time, the life we live may be what influences them to be interested in Christ. We can invite them to participate in a devotional study. We can pray with them about issues they are facing. This doesn’t mean that we don’t have to explain the gospel, but we should explain it with gentleness and respect. Pressuring them or demanding a decision may turn them away and cause them to be distrustful of our motives. If the Holy Spirit is working in our coworkers’ lives, He will use us as an influence to bring them to Christ at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way.

As an engineer, I frequently travel to customer and supplier facilities. Often, I interact with colleagues who are from an unreached group. During breaks from the regular meeting, I can learn a lot about them by asking questions about where they are from, what they believe and more. In all my interactions, only once has a conversation turned sour and affected my work relationship with that individual. From this experience, I’ve learned to pay more attention to the other person’s demeanor and try not to get ahead of what the Holy Spirit is doing.

As Christians, we should live out our biblical principles and faith in the Lord Jesus in front of others in the workplace. If Jesus is central in our lives, we do not need to be quiet about our faith. However, we do need to be discerning about how we share the gospel.

Many individuals who come to the United States to work have families in their homelands who could eventually hear the gospel, accept Jesus and spread the good news there.

Could it be that God might want to use us to see that happen through the relationships we have with our coworkers?

EDITOR’S NOTE: Walt Tucker is a church planter among an unreached people group in North Carolina.