Faith

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It was probably one of the most defining, and humiliating, moments in my life as a Christian.

I was a newlywed, married less than two years, when I went to work for a local publisher. I had a new marriage, a new baby, and a new commitment to my faith, thanks to a loving husband who cared enough to share with me the joys of his personal relationship with Christ.

I wasn't bold enough in my newfound faith to witness to co-workers, but I wasn't shy about hiding my beliefs. I kept a copy of the Desiderata on my bulletin board, and I was known to often spend lunch hours sitting outside with Rich Mullins or Steven Curtis Chapman blaring from my CD player.

One afternoon during a break, several co-workers were discussing music. I started to add to the discussion when a co-worker waved me off with the comment, "Oh, you don't know what you're talking about. All you listen to is that contemporary Christian crap."

I felt like I'd been slapped in the face.

There were other incidents during my tenure at the company: business practices I thought were unethical, language I found unacceptable, and comments about Christianity I found hurtful. Eventually, I realized I worked in an environment that was emotionally toxic for me as a Christian. That realization led to my decision to leave the company.

But does it have to come to that for all Christians? The short answer is no, it doesn't. Merging our faith and our career takes commitment and conviction, but it is possible.

Psalms 51:12 says, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me."* God wants to sustain us in our journey in life. He wants us to trust Him and be willing to follow His path, no matter what we encounter in the course of our daily lives.

Lori McKenzie, a biologist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has found a way to sustain her faith at the Biotechnology Company she works for. "Five of my co-workers, who are also believers, and I have formed a prayer group which meets once a month during lunch in a nearby empty room."

Lori says the group opens with a scripture reading and then each person briefly offers their prayer requests for the week. The group closes with each person praying out loud for the person sitting to their left, as well as other prayer concerns.

While Lori says she and her co-workers don't make a point of discussing their beliefs with other colleagues, they don't avoid discussing Christ if the subject comes up. "I have done so in an open manner, but I don't preach," she says.

Even Lori's supervisor, a non-believer, has given his stamp of approval to the group. "He's very open-minded," says Lori. "We're praying for him!"

But the road isn't always so smooth in the secular workplace. Kim Pokalsey, a stay-at-home mother and writer from Indiana, recalls that her job as a deli worker and cashier in a convenience store often brought ridicule and situations that tested her faith as a Christian.

"One time money was stolen and someone tried to pin it on me," says Kim. "God and I knew I didn't do it. When it was appropriate, I said, 'God knows that I didn't do it. He also knows who did do it.' I was bold and that was okay with the Lord." Eventually, the employee who stole the money returned it. Kim doesn't know if her statements had anything to do with that, but she'd like to think that her decision to be bold in her faith made the guilty party think twice about what they'd done.

Kim's quick comeback to a co-worker who constantly ridiculed her by sarcastically yelling, "Jesus Christ!" whenever she was in the store shows Kim's even-tempered devotion to her faith.

"I would always say, "Yes, He's a good man."

It can be difficult to feel connected at work if your Christian beliefs don't mesh with the business practices at your place of employment. Lisa Beamer, a freelance writer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, found this to be true when she worked as a mental health therapist.

"There was almost an unwritten code that religion was not tolerated," she says. "If you had religious beliefs, they were best kept to yourself. Many of the therapists at the agency held a pretty "new age" stance with life, and Christianity definitely cramped their style, so to speak."

Lisa kept Christian-themed books in her office, mostly to help clients, but also as a reminder of her faith. "I always had to be careful about recommending them to clients, though, because we were not supposed to talk about faith or religion unless they brought it up first."

Even working in a Christian environment isn't a guarantee that keeping your faith strong will be easy. Barb Huff, the teen program director for a YMCA in Stark County, Ohio, has found it difficult at times to deal with non-believers on her staff.

"The Y is Christian-based. Many of the employees are decent people with good moral values if not Christian believers," says Barb. But a summer employee who was Muslim often tested Barb's resolve during the time she was his supervisor.

"He would loudly denouce his anti-Christian beliefs in front of the kids," she says. "My personal belief about the YMCA is that our missions, our goals, and our Christian basis are right there in black and white before you enter the program."

Working with teens, Barb is constantly trying to evolve the YMCA program, adding things that she knows will pique the kids' interest in learning more about Christianity. But even Christians at Barb's workplace have occasionally challenged her ability to do so.

"The only resistance I've ever received was from a supervisor who didn't feel that my music was appropriate since it was rap," says Barb. "I couldn't get her to understand that it was Christian music."

Staying strong in your faith, no matter where you work, is a daily challenge. But Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will."

By following the advice of other Christians in the secular workplace (see sidebar "10 Tips for Staying Strong"), rejecting that which is not of this world, and following God's will, you can survive in the secular workplace without feeling that you are compromising your Christian beliefs.


10 Tips for Staying Strong in Your Faith

1. Make time for morning devotions – "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed." (Mark 1:35) If Jesus could make time to pray in the mornings, so can we.

2. Stay close to the scriptures – "Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God." (I Chronicles 22:19) Make time in your day to study the Word of God and learn what God wants from you.

3. Be in constant communication with God – "Listen to me, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me." (Psalms 55:1). Try and find simple ways to stay in touch with God at work. Kim Pokalsey, a stay-at-home mom from Indiana, used to carry index cards with her favorite verses on them to refer to when she felt the need.

4. Seek out fellow believers in the workplace – "What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:15) If you are feeling like an outcast in your office because of your beliefs, seek out other Christians who may want to form a lunchtime Bible study or prayer group.

5. Be patient with God and unbelievers alike – "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." (Colossians 3:12) Know that you are following the path God has chosen for you, and be patient with both God and colleagues who are unbelievers.

6. Be prepared to deal with secular issues in a Christ-like manner – "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (I Timothy 4:16) Don't compromise your Christian values for unethical business practices. Find a way (either by speaking with a supervisor or staying within company policy on your own) to deal with issues you are uncomfortable with.

7. Seek out Christian support outside of the office – "Dear friends, let us love one another, for loves comes from God." (I John 4:7) Join a small group Bible study through your church, or form you own group. While church families are an essential part of Christian life for many, small groups offer an even more intimate setting in which to fellowship with Christian friends.

8. Be an example – "In everything, set them an example by doing what is good." (Titus 2:7) In other words, if you're going to walk the walk, then talk the talk as well. "Some people may never see you as more than someone who thinks they are better than everyone else," says Barb Huff, "but God willing, someone may see the way that you live and want to know more."

9. Be bold in your faith – "The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1) Don't be afraid to be strong in your faith, but at the same time understand the definition of the word as it is defined in the Bible. "Bold meaning 'clear,' not 'in your face'," says Lisa Beamer.

10. Be realistic about workplace issues – "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man." (Psalms 118:9) While the Lord is your refuge, be realistic about how the business world ticks. You will find yourself fighting a losing battle if you can't compromise on some issues you'll face in the workplace. That doesn't mean betraying your beliefs, it simply means understanding that not all companies operate on Christian principles, and finding a way to make that work for you and your career.

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