5 Daily Activities for Full-Time Marketplace Ministers Part 2

By Mike Henry Sr.

Every day, as followers of Jesus, we can take part in Christ’s work in the world, even in our jobs. I believe there are at least 5 daily activities we can take to walk with God in our work and put ourselves in a position to make an eternal difference. Those activities are that we 1) Pray, 2) Appreciate People, 3) Know what we believe, 4) Serve Others, and 5) Speak for ourselves. Go here for more about the first 2 activities.

Know Why You Believe in Jesus

We must know what we believe. Many of us can’t explain to someone else why we believe in Jesus. Some who don’t know Jesus think Christianity is a crutch and all Christians are thoughtless, mindless and spineless. Could you explain your thought process for trusting Jesus so that even that type of person would know that you thought about your faith? When a Christ-follower is unable to explain their faith, people who don’t follow Jesus just write us off. If you ask someone why they do something, and they don’t have a good answer, do you do what they do? Never! So if you want other people to trust Jesus, you need to be able to explain why you believe. It’s that simple. Think about your faith and be ready to make a defense to any who asks (1 Peter 3:15). You don’t need to be a lawyer, but a transparent, reasonable explanation will make a difference.

Serve Others

The word translated “minister” also can be translated as “servant.” We are called to serve others. Jesus served and he wants us to do what he did: serve others. Get outside of your job description. Do something over and above what you’re paid to do. In a workplace, if what you do is part of your job description, you’re just doing what anyone else would do. No one will notice anything different about you until you do something others wouldn’t do. So do your job very well, but then do more.

When you pray for people as we noted in part 2, the ideas God gives you will often look like service. Maybe you need to stay late and get something done so you are available to help others tomorrow. Maybe you can come in early and help a teammate. Do you make the coffee, or turn off the pot when it’s empty. Go the extra mile every chance you get. Even Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve (Mark 10:45).

Speak for Yourself

When you have served others, especially when you go beyond what might be considered normal, others will ask you why you did that. Your answer needs to be your own. A sincere personal answer is much more meaningful than making universal statements about Christ others don’t accept. Another pitfall is quoting a book others don’t think is an authority. When someone asks us to explain why we went the extra mile, let’s tell them ‘ we live in the joy of following Jesus. And we chose to follow Jesus for the reasons we thought about above under Know What You Believe. When you can answer their “why?” with a reasoned, natural, thoughtful explanation, your coworkers begin to discover the difference in your life and the reasoning behind it. Dr. Robert Pike said, “What we discover for ourselves, we accept without question.” Peter said we should give a reason for the hope that is in us, yet with gentleness and respect.

Conclusion

When you take these daily actions, you minister full-time. Any legal job that creates value becomes a holy calling. You do “whatever you do” from Colossians 3:22-23, heartily, with passion and commitment, serving the Lord rather than men. Jesus transforms every kind of work into work for God’s Kingdom. Your work matters forever because you do it for his glory. You do it because, for many people, you are the only version of Jesus they will see.

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash

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