Witnessing at Work

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I can't believe there is even a debate on this issue.

Your boss is not asking you to sin, therefore you need to submit to his authority. Stop witnessing at work. End of discussion.

As others have said, if you have a burden for the souls of your coworkers there is nothing keeping you from asking them to meet outside of work to talk about the gospel.
 
I agree totally with those that have you should not violate the lawful authority of your supervisor (a violation of the 5th Commandment).

Another thing that has already has been stated is the notion of "role" when it comes to sharing the Gospel. There is a confusion of role and calling when we conflate Matthew 28, Romans 10, and 1 Peter 3.
 
I can't believe there is even a debate on this issue.

Well there really isn't. I believe only the OP, Jared, has taken the position that he should disobey his boss and continue to share his faith at work. I sincerely hope he takes the advice of some wise posts that advise him otherwise.
 
Jared, you're witnessing at work is a great thing. Keep it up and don't stop. Just be wise about the when and how.
I can't believe how much energy is going into protecting the sanctity of the Papa John's workplace and the grand honour of Jared's employer who himself needs the gospel desperately.

How about defending our brother Jared's conscience and anguish he feels about his colleagues dangling over the fires of hell like a spider over a candle flame? How about encouraging and giving him tips on sharing the gospel in ways where he doesn't waste time rather than telling him to quit altogether?

People can have conversations at work. This is not a sin. Even bosses chat. If your boss chats with you about the football game while standing at the water fountain together, don't ignore him and walk away for fear that you're stealing his time and money.

Unlike some, I don't think that being offensive or being a bad testimony in one's life is eternally detrimental to the salvation process in the slightest. Millions of true believers through the ages have been saved through the worst of gospel presentations delivered by the worst of people. So that is in no way an argument to refrain from preaching.

Jared, be strong and courageous.
 
General principles for you, brother:
1. Strive to be a Christian employee, the best employee you can be. You will be respected.
2. Strive to build relationships and friendships with your co-workers to bring them the Gospel on your own time.
3. If your co-workers ask you for the reason for the hope within you, tell them (if it will not affect your job performance). If your boss isn't in favor of even that, plan to tell your co-workers when you are off the clock. It's a delayed opportunity, not a lost one.
4. If your co-workers are speaking of worldviews or beliefs, don't be afraid to offer yours (if it will not affect your job performance). If you're not able or allowed to expound on what you mean, ask your inquiring co-worker if he would be willing to hear your explanation at another time when you are off the clock.


I have applied these principles imperfectly but genuinely, and the Lord has really blessed it.
 
Jared, you're witnessing at work is a great thing. Keep it up and don't stop. Just be wise about the when and how.

His employer told him to stop. How can you argue in favor of disregarding an employer's instruction? Are we or are we not to submit to authority?
 
Jared, you're witnessing at work is a great thing. Keep it up and don't stop. Just be wise about the when and how.
I can't believe how much energy is going into protecting the sanctity of the Papa John's workplace and the grand honour of Jared's employer who himself needs the gospel desperately.

How about defending our brother Jared's conscience and anguish he feels about his colleagues dangling over the fires of hell like a spider over a candle flame? How about encouraging and giving him tips on sharing the gospel in ways where he doesn't waste time rather than telling him to quit altogether?

People can have conversations at work. This is not a sin. Even bosses chat. If your boss chats with you about the football game while standing at the water fountain together, don't ignore him and walk away for fear that you're stealing his time and money.

Unlike some, I don't think that being offensive or being a bad testimony in one's life is eternally detrimental to the salvation process in the slightest. Millions of true believers through the ages have been saved through the worst of gospel presentations delivered by the worst of people. So that is in no way an argument to refrain from preaching.

Jared, be strong and courageous.

BTW: Thanks for the encouragement. I don't want to waste my employer's time or be a bad employee in any other way. I agree with you.
 
The issue really isn't one of whether or not we can or should share the gospel in the workplace, whether or not the boss is okay with it. Certainly scripture does make it clear that servants are to joyfully serve their masters for testimony sake.
However, in the OP, Jared tells us that he has already shared the gospel with his co-workers. So the question then becomes one of whether or not we trust the Holy Spire, or whether we believe that it is us who do the saving. If the latter, then we must hound them until they give in. If the former, then we can witness through our lifestyle with a clean conscience.
That being said, if your boss allows coarse joking at work, then you can asl him to put a stop to it or to allow you to then witness once for every coarse joke. You can also share thoughts and life experiences when asked or it fits in with the conversation if you can do it without coming off as preachy.
 
How about defending our brother Jared's conscience and anguish he feels about his colleagues dangling over the fires of hell like a spider over a candle flame? How about encouraging and giving him tips on sharing the gospel in ways where he doesn't waste time rather than telling him to quit altogether?

How about not putting forth false assertions since others have not encouraged such? I don't find where anyone has told Jared not to be concerned about the salvation of his co-workers or to "give-up" on sharing the gospel altogether. Instead I find that Jared has been encouraged to continue to share his faith, but in a more appropriate setting where he will not be directly usurping the authority of his supervisor.
 
All I'm going to say is that even in Buisnesses owned by Christians, I've seen cases where young men in all sincerity created a hostile work enviroment for other Christians (talking about baptism or predestination), non christians (trying to convert them either during work time or on breaks), and ignore work to read the Bible. Work is for work bottom line and it puts Christian bosses in an awkward posistion. My elder owns a buisness (not a papa johns, but a buisness all the same) and he has fired members of the congregation for being lazy and doing such things. You are not a missionary, not an evangelist, not a pastor, you are a pizza boy. Make your pizzas and if you get the opportunity to testify to Christ, great! but if not, that's not the end of the world.
 
At 19 I took a job in a factory that produced grain trailers. At first I was placed with a riveting crew of Texan Christians. They spent way too much time tsk-tsking everyone else there and in the world, or discussing the means whereby they'd burned their rock collections, & etc., and were very unproductive. I had just begun reading the bible when I took that job, and those guys drove me nuts with the way they robbed our employer to engage in 'christian' talk, as well as how slow it made the day go by. As a nascent believer, I could easily see how wrong that was. I could speak some Spanish, so I asked to be put on a hispanic crew, and the production speed was challenging and engaging. The days went by much faster. And everyone else on that factory floor had great fun mocking the lazy christians. Not very glorifying to the Lord.
 
Dennis Oh, are you related to Michael Oh by any chance?
Nope. I wish.

His employer told him to stop. How can you argue in favor of disregarding an employer's instruction? Are we or are we not to submit to authority?

The authorities told Peter and John to stop preaching Christ as well, and they ignored the order because there was a higher authority, and higher stakes, at play. Has anyone bothered to ask whether the boss has the right to issue such a command? Why is he doing so? Because it might cause disruption among the people? Because the gospel goes counter to the prevailing religion and culture? Sounds similar to the religious authorities' reasons.

---------- Post added at 07:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 AM ----------

How about defending our brother Jared's conscience and anguish he feels about his colleagues dangling over the fires of hell like a spider over a candle flame? How about encouraging and giving him tips on sharing the gospel in ways where he doesn't waste time rather than telling him to quit altogether?

How about not putting forth false assertions since others have not encouraged such? I don't find where anyone has told Jared not to be concerned about the salvation of his co-workers or to "give-up" on sharing the gospel altogether. Instead I find that Jared has been encouraged to continue to share his faith, but in a more appropriate setting where he will not be directly usurping the authority of his supervisor.

Andrew, I recognize that you were not one of the ones who suggested that Jared stop witnessing in his workplace, but by my rough count, at least 7 other posts (the majority) on this thread were clearly in the direction of submitting to his boss absolutely.

---------- Post added at 07:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 AM ----------

I think it might be helpful if we define what it means to "steal our employer's time." Do all minutes of an 8 hour work day need to be spent in pure uninterrupted work in order to satisfy our obligation as employees? Can anyone possibly obey this?

Can we not take a bathroom break, get a drink of water, check our email, chat with colleagues/bosses, take a phone call? I think these little moments are more than acceptable in most workplace settings, and bosses do not feel robbed. But of course it depends on the work.

In these little moments, there are opportunities to speak truth and challenge people to consider their souls. I believe Jared would do very well to wisely use these moments to share the gospel with gentleness and respect. He most certainly should not be expected to blindly obey an order that goes against his conscience.
 
With all do respect to the OP he is not an Apostle called by Christ. The comparison to Peter/John is ridiculous.

The person-in-the-pew (or a lawfully-called Minister/Elder/Deacon) is not called to disrupt a place of business. That is a gross misunderstanding of 1 Peter 3.
 
Dennis,
It would be helpful if you interacted with the other posts that address the points you raise. First, Peter and John were commissioned by the Lord to preach. Jared has not identified such a call. Second, Peter and John were choosing to disobey a council to which they had not contracted to obey. By contrast, Jared has (willingly) entered into an agreement to work for someone who could tell him to get out just as simply as he could (by rights) determine how he should talk, dress, etc. when representing the business. Again, as has been stated, were the boss to demand conduct that violated the law of God, Jared would be right to choose rather to obey God. That is not the case, however.
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm beginning to doubt that. With only a very few exceptions, the advice that you've been given has been essentially the same. It appears that you want vindication, not advice. And you haven't gotten much of that here.
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I'm beginning to doubt that. With only a very few exceptions, the advice that you've been given has been essentially the same. It appears that you want vindication, not advice. And you haven't gotten much of that here.

Ouch, just because he doesn't jump behind the first 5 or 6 posts doesn't mean he is unteachable. This spiritual "diagnosis" shows a lack of generosity in your assessment.

---------- Post added at 02:16 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:10 AM ----------

The issue really isn't one of whether or not we can or should share the gospel in the workplace, whether or not the boss is okay with it. Certainly scripture does make it clear that servants are to joyfully serve their masters for testimony sake.
However, in the OP, Jared tells us that he has already shared the gospel with his co-workers. So the question then becomes one of whether or not we trust the Holy Spire, or whether we believe that it is us who do the saving. If the latter, then we must hound them until they give in. If the former, then we can witness through our lifestyle with a clean conscience.
That being said, if your boss allows coarse joking at work, then you can asl him to put a stop to it or to allow you to then witness once for every coarse joke. You can also share thoughts and life experiences when asked or it fits in with the conversation if you can do it without coming off as preachy.


I think this is an excellent point.

In most workplaces, the employees talk about a number of subjects while they work. If the boss forbids "Christian talk" but allows for coarse jesting and dirty stories, then this needs to be addressed.

After all, few employees work completely in silence and void of some sort of social engagement at work. And most consider passing conversation (not sustained badgering), not as "stealing time" but as a normal part of work.

So, even while respecting the boss and working hard, you can still be a Christian and engage in talk as a Christian should, giving an answer fitting with the hope that lies in you. However, it sounds like the boss desires Christian employees not to badger or hound the others, and this is a fair request.

---------- Post added at 02:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:16 AM ----------

Dennis Oh, are you related to Michael Oh by any chance?
Nope. I wish.

His employer told him to stop. How can you argue in favor of disregarding an employer's instruction? Are we or are we not to submit to authority?

The authorities told Peter and John to stop preaching Christ as well, and they ignored the order because there was a higher authority, and higher stakes, at play. Has anyone bothered to ask whether the boss has the right to issue such a command? Why is he doing so? Because it might cause disruption among the people? Because the gospel goes counter to the prevailing religion and culture? Sounds similar to the religious authorities' reasons.

---------- Post added at 07:02 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:53 AM ----------

How about defending our brother Jared's conscience and anguish he feels about his colleagues dangling over the fires of hell like a spider over a candle flame? How about encouraging and giving him tips on sharing the gospel in ways where he doesn't waste time rather than telling him to quit altogether?

How about not putting forth false assertions since others have not encouraged such? I don't find where anyone has told Jared not to be concerned about the salvation of his co-workers or to "give-up" on sharing the gospel altogether. Instead I find that Jared has been encouraged to continue to share his faith, but in a more appropriate setting where he will not be directly usurping the authority of his supervisor.

Andrew, I recognize that you were not one of the ones who suggested that Jared stop witnessing in his workplace, but by my rough count, at least 7 other posts (the majority) on this thread were clearly in the direction of submitting to his boss absolutely.

---------- Post added at 07:12 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:02 AM ----------

I think it might be helpful if we define what it means to "steal our employer's time." Do all minutes of an 8 hour work day need to be spent in pure uninterrupted work in order to satisfy our obligation as employees? Can anyone possibly obey this?

Can we not take a bathroom break, get a drink of water, check our email, chat with colleagues/bosses, take a phone call? I think these little moments are more than acceptable in most workplace settings, and bosses do not feel robbed. But of course it depends on the work.

In these little moments, there are opportunities to speak truth and challenge people to consider their souls. I believe Jared would do very well to wisely use these moments to share the gospel with gentleness and respect. He most certainly should not be expected to blindly obey an order that goes against his conscience.


Dennis,

I hope nobody on the board here advocates submitting to the boss "absolutely." I doubt if they do.

However, given some very annoying Christians that go and hound people at work without gentleness and respect, while doing a shoddy job themselves, this has brought shame to the cause of Christ. Therefore, it is a legitimate expectation that a Christian employee not take company time for sustained witnessing, especially if the boss mentions it.

Now, it is true, indeed, that in most workplaces there are down times that people use to talk, drive to the work-site, etc. And certainly I would imagine that most people can talk and make a pizza at the same time such that said talking was not "time theft" but was healthy enjoyment that helped sustain a good work environment.

So I agree with you , Dennis, on those points.
 
Ouch, just because he doesn't jump behind the first 5 or 6 posts

More like 40.


This spiritual "diagnosis" shows a lack of generosity in your assessment.

My generally plain spoken approach has been known to give offense here. But clarity in communication can save a lot of time and energy. But since you disagree with my assessment, what is your more generous one? After all, you did make the point in two posts. :)
 
Dennis,
It would be helpful if you interacted with the other posts that address the points you raise. First, Peter and John were commissioned by the Lord to preach. Jared has not identified such a call. Second, Peter and John were choosing to disobey a council to which they had not contracted to obey. By contrast, Jared has (willingly) entered into an agreement to work for someone who could tell him to get out just as simply as he could (by rights) determine how he should talk, dress, etc. when representing the business. Again, as has been stated, were the boss to demand conduct that violated the law of God, Jared would be right to choose rather to obey God. That is not the case, however.

I think it's important to note that Jared (and others) may not share the view that one needs to be an ordained or licensed preacher to share the gospel outside of a church setting. I understand that this is the position of the Presbyterian and continental Reformed, but not of independent Calvinists and Particular Baptists. Jared belongs to a non-denominational church and has the right to not abide by strict Presbyterian guidelines - although this is a Presbyterian board, and we are all keeping that in mind.
 
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