The Business of Witnessing

In Matthew 5, Jesus tells His disciples, Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. We have that same calling today as followers of Christ, to share the good news of the Gospel wherever we go, including at work and in the business world. We have some advice today to help you do that. Business people especially come in contact with many different people, like associates, customers and vendors, and while doing that, they can make a strong witness for Christ. And that doesn’t mean proselytizing. A better way to interest people in Christ is to act differently than the world. Always acting with absolute integrity and honesty and showing respect and concern for others. God knows this, of course, and that’s probably why His Word contains so many passages about work. We were ordained to be workers even before the fall. We see work referred to as a gift in Genesis 2 and a gift from God in Ecclesiastes 5. We’re also commanded to work in 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Work in its different forms is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible, more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise, and singing combined. People in the business world have a unique platform through the practice of buying and selling to witness for Christ and leverage their Kingdom influence. It’s probably not a coincidence that when Jesus called the 12 disciples, many of them owned and operated businesses as tradesmen and commercial fishermen. And consider where Jesus spent a lot of time during his earthly ministry. Of His 134 appearances, 122 of them are in the marketplace. He also told a total of 52 parables and 45 of them have a workplace context. And the practice of witnessing in the business world continued with the apostles. Of the 40 divine interventions recorded in the Book of Acts, 39 were in the marketplace. Obviously, the Holy Spirit and the Apostles knew the value of witnessing in the business world. There’s evidence for this throughout the Bible. In Hebrews 11 we find what’s often called The Faith Hall of Fame. Listed there are the many who were saved by their faith including Abel, Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Rahab, and the list goes on. They weren’t all necessarily business people by today’s definition, but they all used their position and interactions to influence others around them for God. Only one of them was what you might call a religious professional. In the modern world, we have many examples of business people using their influence to lead others to Christ. In his book, God Owns My Business, Stanley Tamm writes, Although I believe in the application of good principles in business, I place far more confidence in the conviction that I have a call from God. I am convinced that His purpose for me is in the business world. My business is my pulpit. We also see this demonstrated by the Green family who own Hobby Lobby, the Cathy Family, owners of Chick-Fil-A, the Malloons, owners of Correct Craft, and the Barnhart family, owners of Barnhart Crane Rigging who give away millions. Then there’s RG LeTourneau, who’s often called the most inspiring Christian inventor, businessman and entrepreneur the world has ever seen. He also gave millions to spreading the Gospel. And the late Larry Burkett, whose legacy of teaching God’s financial principles we try to carry on here at MoneyWise, was also a successful businessman. Larry also wrote Business By the Book in which he lays out the biblical principles all Christian business people should follow. Larry was also intimately involved with the Fellowship of Companies for Christ and the Christian Businessmen’s Committee. He passionately believed that your business is your pulpit. But the opportunity to share the Gospel with others extends to any work situation. God strategically places His children everywhere. If you work for a paycheck or own a business, big or small, the Lord has given you a position of influence. He wants you to impact your co-workers, vendors, customers, and even your competitors. You have a unique position in the lives of all those people. With the Holy Spirit, you can help point the way to Christ and salvation. It’s both a duty and an honor we should all gladly be a part of. On today’s program, Rob also answers listener questions: ● How do you determine whether it’s best to keep a rental property or sell it to pay off debt? ● What is the best way to establish new credit? ● What can you do with funds in a pension account upon leaving a job? ● Should you tithe on an inheritance that someone else has already tithed on? ● How do you determine if you’re eligible for student loan forgiveness? Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them to [email protected]. Also, visit our website at MoneyWise.org where you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, join the MoneyWise Community, and even download the free MoneyWise app. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29