Online Book Club: Your Faith at Work!

What do your co-workers think about the typical “Christian” in the workplace?Unfortunately, there are some not-so-flattering stereotypes about Christians out there.

Sound familiar?  I know, some of this is completely unfounded.  But unfortunately, perception is often reality.

For those of us who follow Jesus, these stereotypes make our jobs harder in the workplace.  Sometimes, these stereotypes even cause us to downplay our faith – or keep it separate from our “professional” lives.

In Chapters 10-12 of Work, Love, Pray, Diane challenges us to be full-time Christians.  “Faith isn’t something you turn on and off.”  At the same time, consider the “one cross rule” – we need to respect our colleagues and allow our actions to speak louder than our words.  In the words of St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times – if necessary, use words.” 

One thing’s for sure. We can’t live out our faith in a vacuum.  We need other Christians, and we need to be part of a vibrant community.  We also need to grow and nurture our faith – in Diane’s words, “grow your faith like you grow your career.”

Too many young professional women feel alone in the church; rather than complaining about it, Diane encourages us to get involved and get creative.  If we’re going to live out our faith at work, we need each other!  And we need to invest in the one relationship that won’t let us down.  “Distressing things will happen over which you have absolutely no control, but how you survive those storms depends on the one thing you can control: your relationship with God.”

Do you think some of the above stereotypes about Christians are true?  How do you live out your faith in the workplace?  What’s your next step to “grow your faith like you grow your career”?