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Workplace Grace: Becoming a Spiritual Influence at Work
This six-session curriculum equips the participant to naturally bring Jesus to work and share his friendship, his impact and his life in a simple and non-threatening way that winsomely draws customers, clients and coworkers to a personal relationship with
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First published August 1, 2009
22 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Bill Peel
12 books9 followersDr. Bill Peel is an award-winning author/co-author of eight books (in multiple languages) and a leader in the global faith-at-work movement. He is a co-founder of the Faith@Work Summit that gathers business, academic, and ministry leaders from around the world to collaborate and learn from each other. He is also founder of the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University. He speaks at churches and conferences, and consults with individuals, churches, and business leaders—helping Christians bring their faith to bear in every area of life. (See speaking venues here.)
Bill earned a doctorate in Workplace Theology, Ethics and Leadership from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, a master’s degree in Bible Exposition from Dallas Seminary, and a B.A. from SMU. Bill and his wife, Kathy, have three grown sons, seven grandchildren, and a Border collie named Hank. They are active members of Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas.
Bill earned a doctorate in Workplace Theology, Ethics and Leadership from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, a master’s degree in Bible Exposition from Dallas Seminary, and a B.A. from SMU. Bill and his wife, Kathy, have three grown sons, seven grandchildren, and a Border collie named Hank. They are active members of Park Cities Presbyterian Church in Dallas.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 20, 2018
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. Definitely tipped on its head a lot of the things I’d been taught about witnessing. The second half got a little basic though. Still some good thoughts, but a little dry.
October 19, 2018
This book definitely impacted how I act in the workplace. It did however become repetitive in the last few chapters. I felt that some things could have been expanded on and other things could have been combined.
October 20, 2018
This books covered a lot of great topics. I felt like they kept saying the same things over and over again about halfway through though. I think I would have enjoyed it more with less repetitiveness.
January 1, 2023
Originally titled as Instructions of How to Share the Gospel at Work, the key takeaway is:
Evangelism is not an action (that is, presenting key words/argument at a time and place), but a process.
According to a cited, unidentified study:
* 7/10 adults have no clue what John 3:16 means
* 86% adults cannot accurately define the meaning of the Great Commission
Despite our 320k churches, 800k ordained ministers, evangelistic ministries that spend $200m on TV time and $100m on radio, 5,000 parachurch organizations, and a $1 billion Christian music industry, our message is not growing God’s Body.
"Faith Flags and Faith" stories were very helpful.
Knowing there are wrong ways to evangelize and to tailor the message for the right time are big thrusts of this book. Don’t be a bull in a china shop with your testimony.
There are many good and bad examples of how to react to conversations that would otherwise drive people away.
Harmful response to a non-Christian: “How could you think that?” versus
Helpful: “That’s interesting. I wonder if you’d consider a different perspective…”
The power one person can make… the book ends with the example of William Wilberforce, working with others in his profession to bring about a revolution in morality.
A reporter was asked about Einstein’s theory of relativity. Do you understand it? No, she said, but I know Albert, and he’s trustworthy. THAT is our role with the universe—we can trust God.
Evangelism is not an action (that is, presenting key words/argument at a time and place), but a process.
According to a cited, unidentified study:
* 7/10 adults have no clue what John 3:16 means
* 86% adults cannot accurately define the meaning of the Great Commission
Despite our 320k churches, 800k ordained ministers, evangelistic ministries that spend $200m on TV time and $100m on radio, 5,000 parachurch organizations, and a $1 billion Christian music industry, our message is not growing God’s Body.
"Faith Flags and Faith" stories were very helpful.
Knowing there are wrong ways to evangelize and to tailor the message for the right time are big thrusts of this book. Don’t be a bull in a china shop with your testimony.
There are many good and bad examples of how to react to conversations that would otherwise drive people away.
Harmful response to a non-Christian: “How could you think that?” versus
Helpful: “That’s interesting. I wonder if you’d consider a different perspective…”
The power one person can make… the book ends with the example of William Wilberforce, working with others in his profession to bring about a revolution in morality.
A reporter was asked about Einstein’s theory of relativity. Do you understand it? No, she said, but I know Albert, and he’s trustworthy. THAT is our role with the universe—we can trust God.
April 16, 2017
The authors of this helpful book tell us that between Sundays, we can be pipelines of God’s grace to people who would never darken the door of a church. They introduce us to a four-phase model of evangelism - cultivating, planting, harvesting, and multiplying - each with appropriate activities on our part that match the spiritual needs of non-Christians on their way to faith in Christ and beyond. They write that evangelism is a process, not an event and that each of us must think carefully about the best way to make Christ known in the workplace, given the particular limitations and constraints where we work.
The authors write that many Christians walk out of church on Sunday and see no connection between their faith and their work. The next six days between Sundays seem like a spiritual black hole with little or no spiritual meaning. But they tell us that the Bible has much to say about how God values work. They write that when work is done with reverence for God and with all your heart, it must be recognized for what it is - worship.
The first phase of the evangelism model is cultivation. This phase is about earning the right to be a spiritual influence in someone’s life. The goal of this phase is to break down emotional barriers by earning trust and creating curiosity about our faith.
In evangelism, a story is a potent yet understated way to communicate truth without confrontation. Telling a story about a personal experience with God or about how a principle in the Bible changed our lives, or family, or career, can resonate with an unbeliever’s longings and allow us to connect on an emotional level.
The authors introduce us to “faith flags” and “faith stories”. A Faith Flag is a brief mention or statement about God, the Bible, or prayer in the natural course of conversation that communicates we have a spiritual dimension. A Faith Story is another powerful way to communicate spiritual truth in an inviting form. It briefly describes a particular instance when we had an encounter with God or a time when we learned an important spiritual lesson. It lets the listener see how God is at work, making a meaningful and practical difference in our lives.
The next phase of the evangelism model is planting. In this phase, nonbelievers begin to view the Bible from a different perspective and consider how it might be personally relevant. The goal of this phase is not to win arguments but for nonbelievers to gain understanding. The Planting Phase of evangelism is about scattering seeds of truth in heart soil that has been cultivated and softened.
The authors tell us that every phase of the evangelism process—from cultivating to harvesting—depends on prayer. We do our part in cultivating, planting, praying for the harvest, and seeking His guidance. The rest is in His hands.
The multiplying phase is about making disciples. The authors tells us that in the Great Commission, Jesus did not mandate that we sign up new recruits or volunteers for His kingdom agenda, He told us to make disciples. The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament. The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. Learning to read and study the Bible, both personally and with other believers, is essential to the spiritual growth of new believers.
We need not look far for opportunities to help others. It starts in our own work. Seeing our daily work as an opportunity to meet legitimate needs is vital to spiritual growth and serves as a witness of our faith in Christ. You do not have to leave the workplace to know the joy of being used by God. He can use you right where you are.
This is a very useful and practical book that shows Christians that God values their work, and how they can shine His light in their workplace. Throughout the book the authors share helpful experiences from their life to supplement the points being made.
The authors write that many Christians walk out of church on Sunday and see no connection between their faith and their work. The next six days between Sundays seem like a spiritual black hole with little or no spiritual meaning. But they tell us that the Bible has much to say about how God values work. They write that when work is done with reverence for God and with all your heart, it must be recognized for what it is - worship.
The first phase of the evangelism model is cultivation. This phase is about earning the right to be a spiritual influence in someone’s life. The goal of this phase is to break down emotional barriers by earning trust and creating curiosity about our faith.
In evangelism, a story is a potent yet understated way to communicate truth without confrontation. Telling a story about a personal experience with God or about how a principle in the Bible changed our lives, or family, or career, can resonate with an unbeliever’s longings and allow us to connect on an emotional level.
The authors introduce us to “faith flags” and “faith stories”. A Faith Flag is a brief mention or statement about God, the Bible, or prayer in the natural course of conversation that communicates we have a spiritual dimension. A Faith Story is another powerful way to communicate spiritual truth in an inviting form. It briefly describes a particular instance when we had an encounter with God or a time when we learned an important spiritual lesson. It lets the listener see how God is at work, making a meaningful and practical difference in our lives.
The next phase of the evangelism model is planting. In this phase, nonbelievers begin to view the Bible from a different perspective and consider how it might be personally relevant. The goal of this phase is not to win arguments but for nonbelievers to gain understanding. The Planting Phase of evangelism is about scattering seeds of truth in heart soil that has been cultivated and softened.
The authors tell us that every phase of the evangelism process—from cultivating to harvesting—depends on prayer. We do our part in cultivating, planting, praying for the harvest, and seeking His guidance. The rest is in His hands.
The multiplying phase is about making disciples. The authors tells us that in the Great Commission, Jesus did not mandate that we sign up new recruits or volunteers for His kingdom agenda, He told us to make disciples. The word disciple occurs 269 times in the New Testament. The New Testament is a book about disciples, by disciples, and for disciples of Jesus Christ. Learning to read and study the Bible, both personally and with other believers, is essential to the spiritual growth of new believers.
We need not look far for opportunities to help others. It starts in our own work. Seeing our daily work as an opportunity to meet legitimate needs is vital to spiritual growth and serves as a witness of our faith in Christ. You do not have to leave the workplace to know the joy of being used by God. He can use you right where you are.
This is a very useful and practical book that shows Christians that God values their work, and how they can shine His light in their workplace. Throughout the book the authors share helpful experiences from their life to supplement the points being made.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews