One of the largest ‘unactivated’ peoples’ groups that spans across all nations and continents is the workplace where most of the world’s populations is actively engaged in earning income to support their families. Within all segments of the workplace are believers who have a personal relationship with God. Some are extremely effective in using their workplace to invite others to join them on their journey while for others work is a place where faith shapes their behavior but not much more. The fields are ripe unto harvest and in the workplace there are many harvesters but only a small percentage are fully engaged in proclaiming hope to a world looking for hope.

We are called to go into the entire world and that includes the world that God has placed us in. Wherever our sphere of influence extends we are to be the salt and light for this world to see. This call does not make a distinction between professional Christian workers in churches or Christian agencies and among those who have ordinary occupations. Even Jesus lived out His vocation as carpenter until it was time to live out the last ten percent of His life focused on announcing the Kingdom to the masses full-time.

There are numerous examples of Biblical heroes that model how faith was an integral part of how they conducted business in the workplace. The one common element in all the stories is that their faith journey and professional journey were one in the same with faith and work mutually interdependent. There was no differentiation between work and spirituality as they live out their faith twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Joseph’s faith not only sustained him through four separate careers (family business, household management, prison administration, public service) but also was a key element in his rise to the top in each position he held. Paul used skills as a tentmaker to not only support his missionary endeavor but also a means to reach an audience who did not have the luxury in engaging in public discussion on faith related matters. Daniel rose to the highest ranks because of his God-given wisdom and his unswerving commitment to God’s principles despite personal risk to his life. All aspects of their work was an offering of excellence unto God.

While there is little disagreement on the theology of being salt and light where we are planted, the reality of our current situation is that we have fallen short in our passion to live out our responsibility to declare Jesus Christ as Saviour.

In this blog, we explore where we are today, highlight the many positive developments in workplace ministry and look at the barriers to getting where God would like us to be so that there is sustainable development in properly equipping the believers in the workplace to do what God has called them to do.

God builds His kingdom one individual, one community, one nation and one generation at a time. So we come back to the question of the day, “Who is actively promoting God’s Kingdom within your sphere of influence if it is not you?”