Workplace Ministry: Action Steps for the Local Church

Become a workplace ministry-friendly church. Here are some ideas and strategies.

1.      Establish a team of intercessors to pray for workplace believers, businesses, and pray for God to raise up a strategy of ministry to workplace believers in your church.

2.      Present examples of workplace transformation to your body to inspire personal application in different types of workplace environments.

3.      Preach sermons related to workplace applications. Form a team of workplace believers from different vocations to give input on the type of sermons that should be preached to address the felt needs of those in the workplace.

4.      Do a survey among those in the church on a Sunday or other day that asks this question:

How might our church help you apply your biblical faith in the context of your daily work life? Provide five ideas our church could do that would help you do this.

5.      Start an on-going workplace ministry/outreach that mobilizes your entire congregation into the workplace. His Church at Work can launch a WorkLife Support Center online for your church. (start here hischurchatwork.org) Also check out in the workplace. com

6.      Preach a series of messages on the priesthood of all believers in the context of work. Preach on the five-fold ministry in Ephesians 4 and how these gifts and offices are in the workplace.

7.      Remove formal titles of church staff that would tend to place them spiritually above members in the church but reinforce that each person’s call is equal in the site of God. (This does not mean church leaders are not the spiritual leaders and shepherds).

8.      Avoid addressing or favoring only those “in business” or those with influence.  Equip and train the whole work force for ministry in the workplace.  Be inclusive of the entire congregation including mothers, students, executives, construction workers and professionals. We often isolate the masses by this emphasis and our language.  Read our important article on the subject (Is Your Message being Minimized?)

9.      Affirm workplace believers that their call is equal to vocational ministries. (see our article on Work as Ministry and other articles on the workplace movement in our article section of ICWM.net)

10.  Understand the problem that often separates workplace believers from church leaders. Read our “Dear Pastor...” letter from a member. This will help you see the heart of a workplace believer.

11.  Affirm workplace believers through church commissioning services focused on the church recognizing and confirming their calling (vocation) in a formal way.  

12.  There are hundreds of workplace ministries that can be a resource for your local church. See our international Workplace Ministry Directory that can identify workplace ministries that can assist you in your area. These ministries can often provide helpful advice and equipping resources.

13.  Provide discipleship opportunities for your people. Several workplace ministries offer online devotions. Os Hillman’s TGIF Today God Is First email devotional is a free daily email that helps men and women apply biblical faith in their daily workplace. (www.marketplaceleaders.org)  Marketplace-Network is another resource (www.marketplace-network.org) (hischurchatwork.org for churches)

14.  Ed Silvoso offers an Anointed for Business conference that also provides excellent teaching on what it means to transform the workplace for Christ.

Os Hillman teaches a one-day workshop entitled,  Called to the Workplace that is designed to equip your workplace believers to see their work as a ministry.

15.  Begin a small group ministry in the workplace. Priority Associates, Priority Insights, and Needles Eye Ministries are three ministries that have excellent resources and tips on how to host a successful small group in the workplace.

16.  Read the most important books on the movement and make them available through your church bookstore.  See each workplace ministry’s selection of products and books for examples.

17.  Establish a SWAT team of intercessors from your church who are willing to go into businesses and pray for the leaders of those businesses. Their role is to go into different businesses to help discern issues in the business that may be hindering God’s blessing upon the business.

18.  Place a workplace emphasis on your missions or outreach giving budget in order to focus your church in this area.  You can also support workplace ministries of your choice that equip men and women in the workplace such as ICWM which services the entire movement.

19. Marketplace Network specializes in equipping the professionals and career minded in your church. They also provide a “How To Start A Marketplace Ministry in Your Church” kit that can help you get a start with bible studies and other resources designed at this audience.

20.  Begin to teach and equip your people to see their work as a ministry through preaching, teaching and equipping. (see in the workplace.com for content on teaching, equipping and sermon messages)

21.  Study successful church models that are operating based on these philosophies. (see His Church at Work & ICWM site for models of church based ministries)

22.  Invite guest speakers on Sunday to address the faith and work issues to introduce them to the movement and their unique calling to their vocations.

23.  Download powerpoint presentations by Os Hillman and Rich Marshall that can be used in teaching and training. www.icwm.net and http://www.godisworking.com

24.  Once a week spend a few hours with one member in his place of work for a few hours. Get a feel for the struggles and opportunities his workplace provides.

25.  Teach a theology of work to your young people so they do not have to relearn God’s view of work.

26.  Allow one or two people each week to stand up and share a brief testimony on how they experienced God’s presence in their workplace that week.

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