Living on Mission at Work: 5 Simple Ways to Share Christ in Your Workplace

Do you have a yearning to share the love of Christ with others in your workplace? While I realize that every place of employment has its own challenges—and some environments feel darker than others—I believe God has strategically placed you there for His glory and for your refinement as a follower of Jesus.

Read on for five missional strategies you can practice in your everyday workplace.

5 Ways to Be Missional in Your Workplace

#1 Missions Start When You Abide

When I think about missions, one of my favorite passages is John 15. It is not a traditional missionary text, nor does it present a detailed list of “how to be a missionary.” Still, it contains a powerful promise: when you remain connected to Jesus, you will produce lasting, eternal fruit.

All Christians abide in Christ because their life is in Him. However, the degree to which we abide grows as we spend time with the Lord through prayer, studying God’s Word, and worship. When you meet with the Lord regularly, you will begin to see transformed character (Galatians 5:22–23) and fruitfulness in sharing the gospel (Matthew 28:19–20).

As a follower of Christ, there is great value in starting your morning by meeting with the God of the universe and leaning on Him throughout your day.

#2 Prioritize Relationships

Sometimes our workdays are filled with so many tasks that it is easy to overlook the people around us. When I was a teacher, my days often felt like one long blur. So how do you accomplish everything on your list and still be mission-minded?

I believe the answer is simple: prioritize relationships.

Creating trusting relationships is essential to sharing the love of Christ. I learned that when I overlooked the relational aspect of our humanity, my rushed attempts to be intentional felt disingenuous.

While I firmly believe that a strong work ethic honors the Lord, becoming overly task-oriented can lead you to treat people like items on a checklist. When that happens, you miss the joy of truly knowing others and inviting them to know God.

Some of the most meaningful moments happened when I set aside my grading for a few minutes and simply talked with a student or fellow teacher. In those conversations, connections formed that would not have existed otherwise.

People can sense authenticity. Building genuine, trusting relationships is often where mission work begins.

#3 Find Your People of Peace

While you represent God to everyone around you, there will naturally be a smaller group of people with whom you connect more deeply.

Perhaps you were assigned to work closely with them, or maybe the connection developed naturally. Whatever the case, these are people you can be especially intentional with through prayer and relationship-building.

“People of peace” are those who are open to building a relationship with you and are receptive to deeper conversations—including spiritual ones. They may show curiosity about your faith, ask questions about your life with the Lord, or feel comfortable opening up about their own struggles and beliefs. These individuals are often people God has strategically placed in your path for you to love and serve. Many times, they also become people you learn from and are encouraged by as well.

#4 Be Genuine. Be Honest.

As a teacher, students occasionally asked why I didn’t get angry quickly or why I seemed happy so often. My answer was simple:

“I know God.”

It was a genuine and honest response.

Many employees—especially teachers—fear bringing up the Lord in the workplace because they worry about being reprimanded for “preaching.” However, if God is truly at the center of your life, He cannot be separated from any part of it.

I never formally preached to my students. Yet because they saw consistent character traits in my life—the fruit of the Spirit—they became curious about what motivated those qualities.

When students asked what made me different, I didn’t hide my faith. I simply answered truthfully.

The more you practice pointing to God’s goodness, the easier it becomes. A simple, authentic response can open the door to deeper conversations later.

At the same time, authenticity involves both words and actions. Ask yourself: Do my words and my life match? If not, bring your weaknesses before the Father. He lovingly prunes what is unhelpful and helps you grow good fruit.

#5 Get Creative

For several years, I taught high school English. I often asked God for creativity in my teaching—whether for explaining a concept or for recognizing opportunities to point to Him.

One creative method He gave me involved modeling writing techniques. When teaching students how to include personal examples in their writing, I occasionally used a spiritual example from my own life or church family that fit the assignment prompt.

In this way, I stayed true to my profession by teaching a strong writing skill while also representing God through real-life testimony.

God often provides creative opportunities to reflect Him when we simply ask.

May God Be With You

God is present in every area of your life. When you ask Him to reveal new and creative ways to display His character to the people around you, He will provide ideas.

I love the promise attached to the Great Commission:

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20

You are not alone in the mission of making disciples. God will give you the wisdom and creativity to work for His glory. In fact, some of the most challenging situations can become the places where we see God’s creativity the most.

Reflect and Connect

1. Do you view your workplace through a missional mindset? Why or why not?

2. What challenges do you face when trying to live missionally in your workplace?

3. What are some other ways believers can live missionally at work?