Wet window. Scrub. Squeegee. Rag. Repeat.

Paul’s questions run through my mind as I work, washing each store window orderly and diligently:

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)

Wet window. Scrub. Squeegee. Rag. Repeat.

I know that God has called me to be an ambassador for Christ. Through me and through you, God makes his appeal for his enemies to be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:19–20). And yet, evangelism at my job seems so difficult. Excuses flood my mind, and I’m sure they have filled yours at your own workplace too:

• I work alone cleaning windows. My only interactions last twenty seconds to exchange payment. Evangelism just doesn’t fit with my job.

• I stay home with my kids. My only interactions last twenty seconds at the store or the playground. Evangelism just doesn’t fit with my job.

• The quick pace of my office is overwhelming. My only interactions are strictly business-related. Otherwise our whole team will fall behind. Evangelism just doesn’t fit with my job.

These excuses along with our perceived failures plunge us further into second guessing ourselves and evangelism:

• Should I have said something about Jesus?

• When I planned to say something that one time, it just totally flopped.

• Can I really say anything worthwhile?

So how do we navigate the tension between our call to make the good news of the gospel known to all people and our hesitation to share the truth in our workplaces?

Work to Build Bridges

Our jobs consume the majority of our time, second perhaps only to sleep. If we desire to worship God by proclaiming Jesus’s name to every tribe, nation, and tongue, we must learn to faithfully share the gospel in our workplaces. We need to make the opportunities.

First Thessalonians 4:11–12 provides us with a solution:

Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Paul’s first three imperatives establish how we should work. We should live orderly, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. We should accomplish our own work, not simply as busybodies, but actively earning a living (2 Thessalonians 3:11–12). We should work with our hands, not depending on others to provide for us (2 Thessalonians 3:8).

But why? Why work so earnestly at our jobs? “So that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (1 Thessalonians 4:12). We work to build bridges with those who do not know God.

God has closely connected the way we work and how unbelievers view the gospel. If we take up the mantle of “catching men” at our jobs like Peter in Luke 5:8–10, we can embrace this connection wholeheartedly!

Practical Help to Evangelize at Work

1. The call to “pray without ceasing” empowers effective evangelism (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

As I scrub the grime off of windows, I plead with God for opportunities to share the gospel. I beg the Lord to help me reflect the hope and joy he has filled me with in all my conversations (1 Peter 3:15). Come dependently, come repeatedly, and come expectantly with hope for your workplace evangelism.

Borrow words from Scripture to make your request known to him. “Here I am! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). “Father, may my coworkers, may my clients, may those I encounter while running errands or taking my kids to the park hear and call on your name, and be saved.”

2. Work to God’s glory (Colossians 3:23).

Paul makes sure that the Thessalonians know they must work hard. By working to honor God, they will gain the respect of those around them. This is the key to beginning the conversation. I should rely on the power of God as I wash windows so that I can reflect his pattern of excellence in work. I should work to his glory and in love for others.

“When we enter our work in this spirit of humble trust in God and love for others, the truth of Christ will be adorned and bridges will be built for the gospel” (Piper). These bridges provide a pathway for the infectious joy we have in God to reach the lives of others. This irresistible, contagious joy fuels and empowers our evangelism as we point our work ethic, our love, and our truth back to their source: Jesus Christ.

3. Take opportunities to change your surroundings.

Gospel conversations often seem unnatural. It’s difficult to interrupt a business meeting or casual sports conversation with matters of ultimate significance. For a change of pace, invite a coworker to spend their lunch break with you, go to the gym with someone after work, or try reading a book with coworkers and meet outside of work to discuss.

Use these opportunities to trade stories with one another. This is not so you can drop a gospel bomb and evacuate. This is an opportunity for you to genuinely listen. People love to tell their stories, and as we listen attentively, we can prayerfully discern whether this friend has found ultimate satisfaction in God. Careful listening also opens up the door for you to share your story. You may still feel awkward and uncomfortable, but God is working through you.

The Workplace Harvest Is Plentiful

Paul’s reminder in 1 Corinthians 3:7 rings true:

So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

Serve your workplace diligently to the glory of God, but don’t forget your primary calling as an ambassador of heaven. Build bridges, share the truth, and leave the growth to God. The harvest at your workplace is plentiful (Matthew 9:37; Luke 10:2).

Will you step out into the field in faith and labor for God? God may fill you with discernment, boldness, and a zeal for evangelism that you have never experienced before.

Wet window. Scrub. Squeegee. Rag. Repeat.