Sometimes, work can be a lonely place, especially for Christians. We may be the only source of Light that our co-workers ever see, and we desire for them all to come to Jesus for salvation. But we struggle to know how to bring up spiritual matters in the conversation. We fear rejection, and we want to keep the peace. 
We often think that sharing the gospel means we have to give them a whole sermon with all the gospel elements included. Then, we assume that the ball is in their court, and they will either accept or reject Jesus from there. But sharing the gospel is not a one-off event, and it doesn’t have to be forced. With a little practice, we can even learn to share the gospel naturally in our everyday conversations.
Start at Home
In the West, we are often content with knowing the basic contents of the gospel. We don’t have a great system of discipleship, and we struggle to live with the gospel at the forefront of our minds. But by putting on our “gospel lenses” at home, we disciple our own kids and grow more comfortable talking about spiritual matters.
Putting on our gospel lenses means looking for opportunities to connect everyday events to an element of the gospel. If our child spills a drink, we might say, “We have made a mess of our life by sinning against God, and we can’t clean it up on our own. But God didn’t leave us to clean up our lives on our own. He sent Jesus to pay the penalty for our sins for us!” If we get angry and lash out, we might go back to them later and say, “I know that God says not to rush in our spirits to be angry in Ecclesiastes 7:9. I sinned against you when I did that. Please forgive me.”
Look for Gospel Bridges
This same principle can be used to share the gospel with our co-workers. At work, we can use our gospel lenses to transition conversations naturally to the gospel. We look for gospel bridges and simply use what we are already talking about to lead us into the gospel. For example, if they mention being stressed, we can point them to the peace that we have found in Jesus.
Another gospel bridge might come in the form of a conversation about a tragic event that leads to a discussion about all people being sinful. They might hint at believing in moral absolutism even though they claim to believe in moral relativism, and we can explain that there is a moral standard established by God. We can also look for opportunities to share what we learned from the sermon on Sunday or share how the gospel has affected us personally.
When we are intentional about looking for gospel bridges, we can find ways to weave gospel truth into the conversations that we are already having. But for this to be successful, it requires a few things to happen first.
First, we must actually be having conversations with our co-workers. We can’t expect our co-workers to receive gospel truths from us unless they see that we care about them. And they can’t ever hear the gospel from us if we never talk to them. We should intentionally cultivate a relationship, allowing them to see that we love people in both word and deed.
Second, we must show them that we are interested in hearing about and understanding their worldview as well. We should ask questions and affirm them when they express truth that aligns with the Bible. As we share the message of hope with them, we must make it clear that we are sinners in need of grace just like they are.
Third, as we share gospel truths with our co-workers, we should develop the habit of praying. We should be praying for the Lord to soften their hearts to receive His truth. And we should ask them if there are any ways we can pray for them. And then we should follow through with that and actually pray. This may be praying out loud for them right there or praying for them in our daily time with the Lord.
Prepare for Rejection
In an article about sharing the gospel with co-workers, we would all love to see the ending say something like, “And this will guarantee that you have successful gospel conversations with all of your co-workers. And they will all come to Christ if you follow these steps.” But the reality is that Satan has blinded people to God’s truth. Many people love their sin and want nothing to do with Jesus.
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t share!
God has predestined His people for salvation. And He has chosen to use us as instruments to accomplish this salvation. This should encourage us because it tells us that there are people out there who want to hear the gospel and receive salvation! But we do not know who will accept the gospel and who will not, so we have a responsibility to present the gospel to everyone.
Many will react harshly to the gospel. They will grow angry, and they might respond in an ugly manner. Choose ahead of time to keep loving them. Know that it is not you they are rejecting but God. And know that their reaction is often a test for you to see whether your actions match your words. When they see that you still care about them, they often become softer to the gospel as a result.
Most adults do not accept the gospel the first time they hear it. Their entire worldview has been developing for however many decades they’ve been alive. And though the Word has the power to cut straight to the heart, the goal of sharing gospel truths is not necessarily an immediate conversion. The goal is to give them truth to think about and chew on – truth that the Holy Spirit can use to make them think about their own views.
Prepare yourself to be sharing gospel truth for the long haul. If the opportunity ever arises for you to share about creation, the fall, redemption through Jesus, and the future, go for it! But if you only have time to share 10 seconds of truth before the conversation goes a different direction, that is okay, too. Make yourself available to talk more in-depth if people are interested, but don’t push them too far too fast. Listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and make truth-telling a part of who you are.