Tip when starting a new job

[KingJ]

Let everyone know that you are a Christian asap .

Advantages:

1. Less immoral conversations to endure.
2. The glory for any good work goes immediately to God.
3. God-haters revealed before they stab you in the back.
4. Fellow Christians immediately approach. No working with assumptions. Maybe person X and Y are
Christians.
5. Because of 4 you can immediately identify fellow brethren in need of help or to learn from and form a prayer
group with.
6. Lets you feel at home quickly (enemy of the world).
7. Others around you (carnal or Christian) remind you to carry your cross.

What are your thoughts?

I just hate the feeling that we have to wait for that moment to say we are a Christian. 'I have to stop this conversation because I am a Christian'. The worldly know we are a Christian. That’s why they are spewing their filth in our presence. The longer we take to make the stand, the worse it is for us. We do not want to be luke-warm or sin accommodating Christians. We stand pure and have extreme love for those that hate us. L

Lets get ready to turn the left cheek from day 1. They will hate us and call us self righteous. But when they are in need, they will know who to come to. Because we bring righteousness with genuine love.

 

[forrestcupp]

I think it's a great idea to let your light shine from day one. I do think there is a right and wrong way to let everyone know you're a Christian, though. It's probably not a good idea to do it in a threatening, holier-than-thou way, especially when you haven't earned the right through love to be confrontational. It's better to find ways to casually bring that fact up through open doors in conversations.

It's also a good idea to try to not be overly annoying with letting people know where you stand. I knew a kid several years ago that was the biggest Star Wars fan out there; he knew every small fact about the movies and books. As an adult who was a kid when the first movie came out, I'm partial to the movies, but no where near like what this kid was. Every time he was around me, he would stick to me like a fly and smother me with nothing but talk about Star Wars facts. I love him, and I love Star Wars, but it was very annoying. Overbearing Christians who are excited to let everyone know can be just as annoying, and instead of leading people to God, it just makes them not want to be around you. We should have unrestrained passion toward God, but be sensitive with our compassion toward man, without being so sensitive that we don't do anything at all.

But with these things in mind, I think you have great points, and there's no reason to hide for months before we say anything. The longer you wait to let people know you're a Christian, the harder it becomes. And even though people rib you, beneath that joking around, they actually like us more than we think they will, if we act in love and not judgment.

 

[aspen]

here is another tip: don't treat your boss or coworkers like many Christians treat each other on the board. the sarcasm and self righteous indignation and religious haughtiness are sure to get you fired.

 

[biggandyy]

here is another tip: don't treat your boss or coworkers like many Christians treat each other on the board. the sarcasm and self righteous indignation and religious haughtiness are sure to get you fired.

Oh yeah??? Well, la-dee-frickin'-da! Who died and elected you Pope?

 

[Mr.Bride]

How I see it you really don't have to "let everyone know" you're a Christian. The bible says that we are a peculiar people. We're like a billboard for Christ. I was a Christian when I started my job but about the third year people started noticing. There was nothing I did different but I had had the new birth. Everybody already knew me but they were looking at me strange. I asked the Lord in my heart what was going on, went and opened my bible and I was at the verse that said "Ye are the light of the world, a house on a hill cannot be hid". Jesus blew my mind again.(not against witnessing or anything. You can tell people you're Christian at first. But even if you don't they'll realize. If you're a true worshipper.

 

[biggandyy]

Let everyone know that you are a Christian asap .

Advantages:

1. Less immoral conversations to endure.
2. The glory for any good work goes immediately to God.
3. God-haters revealed before they stab you in the back.
4. Fellow Christians immediately approach. No working with assumptions. Maybe person X and Y are
Christians.
5. Because of 4 you can immediately identify fellow brethren in need of help or to learn from and form a prayer
group with.
6. Lets you feel at home quickly (enemy of the world).
7. Others around you (carnal or Christian) remind you to carry your cross.

What are your thoughts?

You're first time entering the workforce, eh?

Disadvantages:

1) Increased immoral conversations around you- this is because there is one sport that is universally accepted in the American workforce, and that is "tweak the Christian".

2) The glory for a job not so well done needs to be directed towards God as well... and a supplication to do better next time.

3) Announcing you are a Christian from day 1 puts that knife target on your back even quicker.

4) Fellow Christians know who to steer clear from while the rest of the vultures descend on your soon to be rotting carcass.

5) See 4 for that one as well.

6) We won't feel "at home" till we are called home. We will be just as uncomfortable there as we are anywhere else.

7) ?

My two cents.

 

[forrestcupp]

Oh yeah??? Well, la-dee-frickin'-da! Who died and elected you Pope?

Lol. Evidently, no one needs to die to elect him pope. We'll find out if he gets the job next month.

How I see it you really don't have to "let everyone know" you're a Christian. The bible says that we are a peculiar people. We're like a billboard for Christ. I was a Christian when I started my job but about the third year people started noticing. There was nothing I did different but I had had the new birth. Everybody already knew me but they were looking at me strange. I asked the Lord in my heart what was going on, went and opened my bible and I was at the verse that said "Ye are the light of the world, a house on a hill cannot be hid". Jesus blew my mind again.(not against witnessing or anything. You can tell people you're Christian at first. But even if you don't they'll realize. If you're a true worshipper.

Good point. They should be able to see Him in us. But like you said, we shouldn't be against witnessing in the right ways when the doors of opportunity open. But what is the right and wrong way to witness is another separate huge discussion.

You're first time entering the workforce, eh?

Disadvantages:

1) Increased immoral conversations around you- this is because there is one sport that is universally accepted in the American workforce, and that is "tweak the Christian".

2) The glory for a job not so well done needs to be directed towards God as well... and a supplication to do better next time.

3) Announcing you are a Christian from day 1 puts that knife target on your back even quicker.

4) Fellow Christians know who to steer clear from while the rest of the vultures descend on your soon to be rotting carcass.

5) See 4 for that one as well.

6) We won't feel "at home" till we are called home. We will be just as uncomfortable there as we are anywhere else.

7) ?

My two cents.

Good points, too. However,

Mat 5:10 "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:11 "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Mat 5:12 "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

It's worth it. There have been times when I was targeted in the work place because I was a Christian. During some of those times, I felt an unexplainable spiritual joy that I was blessed for being persecuted.

 

[Foreigner]

Let everyone know that you are a Christian asap .

I couldn't disagree more.

Many will take this as a declaration of superiority, or at least a strong statement of pride (one of the seven deadlies). Your first impression, in most cases, with then end up not being a positive one.

Many who have had less-than-pleasant encounters with Christians in the past will share those stories war stories with their fellow employees and help convince them the type of person you are even before you have your first conversation with them.

In many cases some will take your delcaration of Christianity to mean that you are a 'Jesus Freak' and avoid you out of the fear of being evangelized to.

I have heard horror stories of Christians being approach within the first day or two of work by people saying, "So your a Christian? So that means you think that gays are going to hell? There is no room for thinking like that in this organization!" Or "I better not start finding tracts or religious literature in the bathroom or scattered around the office or I will report you."

In other words, your statement of faith will go a long way to closing many doors before people get a chance to see that you aren't the abrasive problem they anticipate you will be.


A better way would be:

Once you know you have the job:

- Give thanks to God for the position, and ask Him to prepare you to be the person He wants you to be so you be so you can fulfill the calling He has for your at in this worksite with these people.

- Begin praying for the company that you will be working for, asking that God blesses it and helps it to find favor, but that God's will and God's will alone come first.

- Begin praying for individual employees themselves as you meet them at learn their names. If you learn of specific issues or concerns for them, lift them up, as well.

- Pray for your company and fellow employees WHILE YOU ARE AT WORK. Surrepticiously lay your hands on desks, chairs, computers, cubicle walls, etc. asking the Holy Spirit to move it that place.


And then just be who you are.
If you are positive, uplifting, supporting, avoid participation in activities that are non-Christian, but are kind and caring to your co-workers, even those who treat you poorly....

.....people will notice.

They will then watch you more closely, see there is truly something different about you, and doors for interaction will be supernaturally opened.

You are then truly in a position to change the culture of your company and the individual lives of your fellow employees.

 

[forrestcupp]

I couldn't disagree more.

You gave some good advice. I think you just have some different ideas on how to let people know that you are a Christian. I agree that you should let them know with your actions first. Your words mean a lot more to people when you get to know them first, and they see you living it first.

But on the other hand, it's also easy for some people to only ever show actions and never include the message. The world just looks at those people as nice people.

By the way, I liked when you said, " Begin praying for the company that you will be working for, asking that God blesses it and helps it to find favor, but that God's will and God's will alone come first." My wife has done just that at her job. From the time she has started, she has seen the company prosper more than ever, and it affects her bonuses greatly. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if that company is prospering now just because the Lord wanted my wife to be blessed with good bonuses.

 

[aspen]

BA No one has to die anymore before a new Pope is elected - haven't you been watching the news........?

Gosh Foreigner, if I had given the advice in you last post you would accuse me of refusing to witness my faith......

 

[Foreigner]

BA No one has to die anymore before a new Pope is elected - haven't you been watching the news........?

Gosh Foreigner, if I had given the advice in you last post you would accuse me of refusing to witness my faith......

If you can't tell the difference between the common sense necessary in laying groundwork when starting a new job among several complete strangers, and 'helping' your homosexual friends of many years, then you really need someone to hold your hand, don't you?


BIggAndyy, you miss the part where Pope John Paul II's former aids criticized what Pope Benedict was doing as "climbing down off the cross."
Apprently there is some real dissention in the Catholic church about this.
Because in order to believe that the Cardinals decision to select Benedict was "God's will," it would mean that God always knew and planned that Benedict would take him out of the game long before the last inning. Amusing...


.

 

[aspen]

actually I think everyone enjoys a little hand holding now and then - human contact is a good thing, Foreigner. The fact is, both sets of behaviors rely on God to intervene and ultimately save people - if you cannot see that you need to stop working so hard in vain. May I suggest some hand holding during all the time you will be saving? It might remind you of your own humanity.

 

[Foreigner]

Hmmmm....who said human contact wasn't a good thing? Straw man much?

"The fact is, both sets of behaviors rely on God to intervene and ultimately save people." - Aspen

True.

One is where people are actually told God loves them, died for their sins, wants an intimate relationship with them, wants to give then an eternity of joy, and in the meantime will forgive all sins, make them whole again, and can help them find healing and happiness here on earth.

The other is your way.
You "love" them and hope they get your drift, leaving them to live a life without direction or peace, leaving them at risk of dying in their sins and suffering for all eternity, until God puts someone in your life to help YOU realize what a mistake you are making, and the opportunities you are missing / ignoring.

And here I am.....

 

[aspen]

And, as i have said many times before - show me one person who has not heard your simplistic formula for salvation and I will be the first to tell them. i have never met a person who has failed to hear a Christian 'share the Christian doctrine' masqurading as the gospel. it is as common as spam. hearts are moved by the love of Christ demonstrated through the love of neighbor, which of course is the real gospel.

 

[the stranger]

Being lead to do so, after I became a Christian, at the bottom of my resume I always had "God fearing" indicating a belief in God and a day of accountability. I was always very open about being a Christian in interviews though only upon the swing of the conversation.

For me, it was about giving the glory to God first, secondly, letting everyone know where I stood in advance. For me, I know from my life, it has helped me get long lasting two jobs at least as well as a good place to rent a room for a while, as also anything I request such is living arrangements and others I also share my faith. I know this because I was told this. It does not mean I was always perfect.

I do believe it does a couple things
(1) keeps you out of companies who hate Christians (usually)
(2) Keeps God first, and you second

God bless

 

[Foreigner]

And, as i have said many times before - show me one person who has not heard your simplistic formula for salvation and I will be the first to tell them.

-- Aspen, you keep spouting this same tired drivel.

You yourself say that you never discuss God with them. So you have no idea all they have or haven't heard about God other than occasional comments or discussion that - by your own admission - you listen to but don't participate in.

That means you're willfully leaving them with mistakes and misconceptions as to who God is, His love for them, what He wants for them, and what He expects from them.

Or worse still, if they know you are a Christian and you don't share who God REALLY is with them (instead leaving them with just the negative), you are giving them the mistaken impression that "real" Christianity (God) actually has no problem with what they are doing.

You are actually leaving them with a false sense of security that will be shattered once they stand before God.

Translation: Your silence is part of the problem, not part of the solution.


.

 

[soupy]

And, as i have said many times before - show me one person who has not heard your simplistic formula for salvation and I will be the first to tell them. i have never met a person who has failed to hear a Christian 'share the Christian doctrine' masqurading as the gospel. it is as common as spam. hearts are moved by the love of Christ demonstrated through the love of neighbor, which of course is the real gospel.

I talk with many people who do not understand what it means to be a Christian, they have heard many different messages and are confused. May be hard to believe in America but it is very true.

 

[Foreigner]

I talk with many people who do not understand what it means to be a Christian, they have heard many different messages and are confused. May be hard to believe in America but it is very true.

-- Hopefully, you speak with them to help clarify and don't leave them wallowing in their misconceptions.

 

[aspen]

You sure seem to have a low view of the power of the Holy Spirit and in His ability to convert a sinner's heart, Foreigner ...... How unfortunate

 

[forrestcupp]

Explaining and standing up for your beliefs is one thing. But how is it profitable to the Kingdom of God in the least for God's children to argue to the point of anger, and bashing each other? If an unbeliever came on to these forums and saw our conversations, would they be enticed to run to Jesus, or would they be scared into running away because they think they'd get eaten for lunch? Are these little meaningless arguments worth that?