Corporate Chaplain

How do you become a "pastor" to people that have very little understanding of who God is? How do you accomplish this when  you can't preach to them and you can't initiate any kind of conversation with them about faith while in the workplace? This then is Corporate Chaplaincy.

There is a term that comes from football which I feel is appropriate for many Christians after this past week. The term is "piling on". After this self-proclaimed (false) prophet predicted "Doomsday", every media outlet in North America has had a field day attacking evangelical Christians. They have conveniently painted us all with one brush and openly called us a bunch of loonies. I often write comments on the Toronto Star website, mainly to give a point of view that differs with the mainly liberal-minded left-leaning editorials and articles. On this occasion the overwhelming posts by visitors to the site, labeled all Christians everything from brainwashed to murders. The fact the Star allows these comments to be posted is outrageous but unfortunately predictable. People, mostly atheists, were almost giddy in their mocking. Did you know that we are all pedophiles?

So three weeks into this new job as Corporate Chaplain, as I try to build trust with the employees, a potential obstacle is presented. Or maybe not. Something that the world often insists on, is that religion should never be discussed. What happens however when the "world" initiates that discussion?

This is how it might go down, starting with a comment by a friend:

"Can you believe this religious kook? That's why I would never go to church, they're all crazy lunatics that are brainwashed."

"Actually I'm one of those kooks"

How the conversation proceeds from there is totally up to us. Some, unfortunately would say nothing. Hope that's not you. The first question we need to ask ourselves is this: would this person have any reason at all to think I am a kook? If they don't (hopefully they don't), you have a starting point, by asking a simple question: "do you think I'm a kook"?

As a believer, do they see the fruit of the Spirit in you? Do they see kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, patience, joy? Do they see you loving your wife, children and parents? Are you honest and punctual? Are you trustworthy?

Marketplace Christianity does not require you to give your opinion on homosexuality, abortion and same-sex marriage. It doesn't give you a soapbox to preach fire and brimstone. Neither does it give you license to live and act as the world does and talk like the world talks. In fact, if the fruit of the Spirit is not evident in us what makes us think we have anything worthwhile to say? It is Christ in us that the world needs to see. Hopefully that is who is seen in this chaplain.