My coworkers think my faith is a joke. They’re never mean about it. They just don’t realize the significance of it. What should I do?
Your question speaks to the heart of many conversations I’ve had with believers in secular spaces. We’re all acutely aware our non-Christian coworkers often don’t “get” our beliefs. And that’s not the end of it. Our brains can take one idea and pile on a whole host of other assumptions:
The rest of the team must think I’m so dumb for believing what I do.
We have nothing in common. He probably dreads working with me.
I bet she thinks I’m a goody-goody, sitting on my high horse, thumping my Bible.
He knows his lifestyle isn’t supported by my faith. He probably thinks I hate him.
The mental leaps can continue far beyond these examples, depending on your situation. When clients or friends tell me their coworkers think their faith is a joke, I usually respond, “Oh, do they? How do you know that?”
I know. That’s a truly annoying response to give someone who’s reaching out for commiseration. I assure you my response is given with lots of love and the best of intentions. Because it’s important for us to sort out the facts and ensure we aren’t making assumptions about how others may feel about us or our faith.
It’s important for us to sort out the facts and ensure we aren’t making assumptions about how others may feel about us or our faith.
Skeptical coworkers may simply have little exposure to authentic Christianity, causing them to respond how most of us might respond to the unfamiliar. Or they may have had negative experiences with Christians in the past, and they’re wondering if you’re any different. Or maybe they do think your faith is a joke. In any case, don’t give the Enemy a foothold or cause hesitation that could squash the kingdom opportunity within the situation.
We can’t forget the spiritual warfare happening around us—even at work. The Enemy can use a snide comment or an eye roll from a coworker to shut down a relationship or a conversation that could lead to something wonderful. When our fear of man (Prov. 29:25) causes us to retreat, we can’t build relationships that represent Christ more fully and accurately within our workplaces.
2 Reminders
We must remember two things. First, it shouldn’t surprise us when the world hates Jesus and his followers (John 15:18). Faith in Jesus requires a certain amount of grit, and a lot of prayers, as we walk into the resistance we should very much expect from our secular workplaces.
Second, God can use you there. A Christian called to be a church pastor and a Christian called to the marketplace have both been called to spread the good news. And which has more exposure to the unreached? I’m not minimizing the role pastors have in spreading the gospel, but we often miss the unique opportunity we have in the secular workplace.
4 Steps
Let’s look at a few steps you can take to improve your experience at work and represent Christ more fully.
1. Look for seed-planting opportunities.
For some of your coworkers, you may be the only exposure they have to authentic Christianity. Don’t let the media or the confident online atheists tell them who Jesus is. Set the record straight. You have an opportunity to represent Christ well through your interactions at work. Such intentionality could lead to seed-planting opportunities (1 Cor. 3:6–9) as the Holy Spirit may be at work in their hearts.
2. Defend the faith.
Many Christians hesitate to share their faith for the very reason you’ve brought up: they worry others will think it’s a joke. This often comes from the perception that Christianity is a baseless belief system.
But we’re all responsible to defend the faith when asked (1 Pet. 3:15). This may require you to speak to the effects of the gospel (why it matters), the real message of the gospel (what it really says), or the reliability of the biblical texts that contain the gospel message (why we can believe it).
Of course, it takes some preparation on your part to be able to speak to these things. I’d encourage you to do a little research into Christian apologetics. It’ll help you confidently speak to the significance and the reliability of the faith you hold dear; it’ll also likely fortify your own faith as you’re reminded just how reasonable the Christian faith is.
3. Engage in fellowship.
Christian fellowship is too often neglected by busy professionals. You’ll fare much better if you have a community of brothers and sisters walking alongside you. They’ll serve as prayer warriors, accountability partners, and a space to discuss common challenges through the lens of a shared biblical worldview.
If you don’t already have such a community, think about how you can create one. Consider bringing up workplace topics when you meet with your church small group. Schedule weekly coffee with a couple of friends from church who work in similar industries. Start a Bible study at work, meeting over lunch or before the workday begins. You may be surprised how many Christians come out of the woodwork at your invitation.
4. Keep work in perspective.
Most professionals spend a lot of time working. Because of this, what happens at work tends to become inflated in our minds. I’m guilty of this. When I led a team, if my team exceeded their quarterly targets, I was on cloud nine. When we lost a deal we thought was in the bag, it felt like the end of the world. Similarly, when we face opposition to our faith at work, we can feel incredibly alone.
Maintain your mindset and stay anchored in the truth. God is on the throne. You’re not alone. You belong to the body of Christ. Surround yourself with others who will remind you of that. Remain anchored in Jesus and don’t neglect prayer and time in the Word. These spiritual disciplines will prevent you from losing sight of the bigger picture.
You’ll fare much better if you have a community of brothers and sisters walking alongside you.
You mentioned your coworkers aren’t mean, so I hope these words have met you where you are. If the situation goes deeper or begins to become more hostile, remember your options. Consider a discussion with an HR contact if there’s religious discrimination in your workplace. Ask God for wisdom and seek the advice of a trusted pastor or mentor if the situation is interfering with your spiritual health and well-being.
Finally, thank you for being a light within the darkness of your workplace. God is with you and he can use you there.
The Gospel Coalition