I want to begin by asking some questions.
- Have you ever preached a sermon at work?
- Have you given the four spiritual laws over the PA system in your office?
- Do your coworkers beg you to take them to church with you?
- Do you read the Bible out loud to your coworkers each day?
I’m guessing not many of you answered yes, but neither did I. Does that mean none of us are effectively witnessing for Jesus on our jobs?
Effectively witnessing on our jobs. That thought frightens most Christians in the marketplace. For most of us, the idea of witnessing conjures up visions of cornering someone against their will, or passing out tracts, or badgering a coworker to go to church with us, resulting in being labeled as a religious fanatic, etc. Does that sound familiar? And yet, we know we should be sharing the good news of Jesus because there is likely someone in our work environment who really wants to know the truth. Besides, Jesus has called us to be his witnesses to the whole world.
Well, let me ask you another question: Has someone on your job ever asked you a question or made a comment that opened a door for you to talk about your faith in Jesus—maybe just a little bit?
Now all of us should have our hands up on that one, because if we’re living our faith out in our everyday worlds as we should be, someone will ask us a question and open a door for us to share what Jesus means to us.
Peter wrote:
But in your hearts set apart 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 (1 Peter 3:15).
I believe question-answering is the most effective means we have to share who Jesus is and the good news of his gospel with the people we interact with daily.
Jesus was the master of this technique. Nicodemus was fascinated with what he’d seen and heard about Jesus, so he came quietly to him to ask some questions. Jesus answered Nicodemus’s questions, explaining what it meant to be born again because Nicodemus found that a baffling statement.
His interaction with the rich young ruler was a series of questions and answers. With the Samaritan woman at the well, his behavior was so unusual it caused her to ask questions. And Jesus kept leading her to ask other questions. By the time he answered her questions, he’d revealed to her that he was the Messiah, and she went back to town to tell everyone else about him. Effective witnessing, wouldn’t you say? No meeting, no altar call, no one-two-three formulas. Those techniques would not have been appropriate at those times. But Jesus lived a life that generated questions, and he was prepared to answer them.
Throughout our history, Christians have spread the good news of Jesus by this one-on-one question and answer method. Just look at the Church in China or any of the countries where