Every Environment Requires Criteria

Working in the marketplace requires a unique combination of faith, excellence and compassion. 

Many times, as a believer of Jesus Christ, we sometimes confuse witnessing the gospel in “one.” 

boxed package. When we are among our congregations, we all can generally speak the same 

languages of faith and understand the motives of hearts. When we are among people of different religions, cultures and backgrounds, “our” beliefs are tested for “being in the world and not of the world”. This means that you should walk among diverse people sharing “Jesus” through means of compassion, justice/righteous standing, a spirit of excellence and, more importantly, love. 

 It is your LIFESTYLE that should speak. Your lifestyle is what you do regularly. How you respond to challenges is what will say and how you treat others. 

 As a Christian in the marketplace, speaking what I call the “Jesus’ language” such as “praise the 

Lord” or “Hallelujah”, these statements of faith will not cause people to recognise your faith. What will bring recognition to your faith is how you complete your work with “excellence, timeliness and wisdom”. You then become the ADDED VALUE. You will have to know what is required for every environment that God will have you enter, and then you will meet the criteria and preferably exceed the expectations.

 Once this is done, a person will get to know you as one who has an excellent spirit. Then, they will want to know how you became so excellent at your work and then get to know the God that you serve!

 A Christian leader in the marketplace will also utilise the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit to go beyond the norm in administering laws, medical help, teaching or any role they may be working in or assigned to. They will see beyond what is being presented and wisely rule/lead. Being a leader in the marketplace does not mean to evangelise to those you work with or meet about the coming of Jesus Christ in the workplace. It means stepping in your authority to rule with excellence, listen, and administer equally to the saved and unsaved. It means glorifying God through the fairness and compassion of your heart to bring truth in every situation. Truth is the thing that is “right” according to God’s mandate for man. You become “The Message” to those who know the Lord and those who have not received Jesus Christ as their Lord and let others know you are concerned about them, their family and every aspect of their lives. This is the heart of the Father.

Love is Jesus’ most important message. The marketplace is one of the most exciting places for truth to be revealed through a Christ-like lifestyle. I didn’t say a religious lifestyle but a steady lifestyle in excellence, right standing, self-control, meekness, and wisdom. We must also be “mindful” not to leave the impression that fivefold leaders (Pastors, Evangelist, Prophets, Teachers and Apostles) are not necessary. Fivefold leaders are critical, just as are marketplace leaders. We ARE saying that the Church must change its thinking about ministering, assisting, and spiritually covering the marketplace leaders appropriately. We must not forget the importance of those in our present day who are like Daniel, Esther, David, and Joseph and work as a whole body to complete the works our King Jesus Christ taught us.