Following a meeting with a fellow Christian today wanting to start a regular Fellowship meeting in his workplace I have provided the following guidelines in meeting in an office environment that we developed in our workplace.
Suggested Guidelines for Workplace Fellowships:
- Company premises are being used on basis that fellow employees wish to have a lunch discussion/learning session together
- Respect the time allocated for lunch by the Company
- Inviting colleagues to attend must be on the basis of it being entirely voluntary (even for Christians)
- Those attending do so to enhance their understanding of Christianity/the origin of Christianity as applied to everyday workplace life
- Any form of evangelism that imposes on other employees is not allowed – need to be sensitive to other colleague
- Respect the rules of each individual workplace
Establising a Christian Fellowship in your Workplace:
I have a vision for seeing Christians being an amazing influence for good in their workplace and in their work community. It used to be enough to just be encouraged that there are other Christians at work and back 15 years ago for me this was true. But today I am seeing the opportunity for us to be the church in the marketplace. A dynamic and powerful force for good in an environment that is often tough and competitive.
If we are to see this vision fulfilled we need to consider what such an environment might look like and how it might be achieved. Also, in defining the work community, we need to consider those we come into contact with as a result of our working. To me this starts from the moment we leave our homes until we return again at night and opens up the door to the mode of transport, our work location, our lunch breaks, our travels, associates within and outside our company and any other factors that define our work world. So depending on our interests and gifts we have an abundance of ministry opportunities.
In being an effective witness I see fellowship as a crucial component as we get significant encouragement from sharing this vision both in fulfilling our personal service and corporately as the body of Christ in the workplace. We are reminded that “where two or three are gathered in my name” Jesus is there in our midst. Also as a body we obtain effectiveness as we each contribute differently and our combined effort is so much greater than our individual.
So how do we become this body of Christ? A simple model is to start small and stay focused on the ultimate aim which is that we are each a living message being read by all who observe us daily. If you know of another Christian in your workplace or who works nearby why not meet briefly each week for prayer and include in this time any needs you have and any words or acts that might be of encouragement. You can achieve this level of fellowship with just a half hour meeting each week and generally this works well with three to six people as someone is usually unavailable but a weekly meeting means you get into a good routine and there is little confusion as to the next meeting. If the group desires more than the half hour some bible study or other activity can easily be added.
Having established regular prayer it does not take long before the group may develop a shared burden to do more to impact their workplace and so it might well be better to maintain the half hour prayer to enable a second meeting which might be a short course on discovering faith or a topical outreach meeting monthly. Depending on the maturity of those Christians in your workplace or because of new Christians it may well be that the focus moves away from outreach to growing in your faith. This is the wonderful flexibility we have to nurture the whole body until we all reach maturity in Christ.
All work environments are different and much prayer and wisdom is required if we are to sustain such ventures in a workplace. People change jobs and suddenly the momentum is lost. No matter how busy you are remember to keep the faith and maintain your personal integrity. In the same way do not give up meeting with each other for prayer. It is your foundation and you can always wind down the programs but these relationships are key.
Partnering together may be one solution to enabling your little prayer group to extend their influence. Maybe you just cannot imagine having the energy to do anything beyond your weekly prayer gathering and even this is barely happening each week. Consider what other Christians might well be in the same situation in their workplace and find ways to connect with them in their broader initiatives. You may be surprised how close these others might be and combined you could be of great mutual encouragement. If you have no obvious way to find other Christians then first ask God to make these connections happen. You will be surprised how often these things come about when you watch and pray. Also consider asking around at church for others who work nearby and finally see if there are any marketplace ministries in your work area.
There are so many ways to be a witness for Christ both individually and as a group and if you’ve got to this point then the challenge is to know what God wants you to do. It is best to seek out the most suitable resources and tools for your current situation.
If you are interested in knowing more please refer to Australian Marketplace Connections How to Grow a Small Group in Your Workplace http://www.marketplaceconnections.com/resources/newgroup.htm and Business Life Project http://www.businesslife.org.au/BusinessLifeProject.html
References:
There are quite a few references on the AMC website linked above which you may find useful. Peter Kentley leads this ministry (based in Melbourne) and Tony McLennan leads the Business Life ministry which includes Business Alpha (base in Sydney).
http://www.marketplaceconnections.com
http://www.businesslife.org.au
http://www.businessalpha.org.au
http://www.24sevenfaith.com & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LcAu_Ftz-g
http://www.thewaycm.com/ & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfn5q_Y8Jc4&NR=1