In China, some Christians have a misunderstanding that faith and life are separated. They believe in God seriously in the church but still behave like before in the same way in society. The following two stories are about how Christians overcome trials and become testimonies in the workplace.
Born in the 1970s, Elder Yang came to a new city and found a sales job, after marrying his wife from a different place. He told his boss that he would spend two days a week for God, and he achieved the No. 1 annual performance in the company in just one year. Moreover, the church he founded revived and expanded to more places many years later.
Yang never lost his temper in the company, often encouraging his men who encountered difficulties. In addition to setting an example for them, he also cared about the little things about them. Therefore, his subordinates not only respect his beliefs but also approach the churches. Even his atheistic boss often asks him questions about faith.
As Yang has worked hard for many years, he is well aware of the hidden rules. Therefore, he emphasized not to give false testimony, not to bribe, and not to make false statements when he pastors his congregation in the workplace.
A wholesale male believer in Yang's church got his goods detained at customs because a number on the bill of lading was wrongly written. Many knowledgeable friends advised him that he could get the goods cleared by bribing, but he struggled very much. When Yang knew about it, he prayed with the male believers and staff workers of the church. Later, the Christian made up his mind that he would not do anything that God did not like, even if he could not get the goods and lose money. "Three months later, he could finally get the goods. He didn't give bribes. When he got the goods, the price had increased greatly in the market, so he made extra money. This is God's job," Yang witnessed.
Yang also advocated that Christians in the workplace should not make false accounts.
A Christian woman called W in his church runs a company, with all kinds of taxes paid on time. One year, the taxation bureau examined her company. To complete their performance earlier, a tax official said to W, "Your company failed to pay some taxes on time, so you need to pay a fine of RMB 200,000." But W knew that it was not true. Some would advise her to give bribes of RMB 20,000–30,000, but W insisted not to and attended services and prayer meetings as usual.
On the final day of paying the fine, she went to the taxation bureau and said to the staff, "I have paid all the taxes. Why fine me?" After a stalemate, the director of the taxation bureau came out to check her tax payment details and said, "You have paid all you should, and you don't need to pay a fine." Later, W witnessed, "This is God's help to me. I didn't bribe or make false accounts, and finally, I got justice. God is faithful, and he never fails."
Elder Yang believes that numerous Christians tend to perceive God, whom they should depend on, through the words frequently spoken by others. If a Christian only talks about faith without good deeds, he is no different from unbelievers. Faith should also be life-oriented, and Christians should experience the presence of God.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
在中国，有一部分的基督徒对信仰有误解，认为信仰和生活是分开的：在教会里认真信仰，但走入社会就还是遵循老样子为人处事。下面2则基督徒得胜试炼的故事或许可以启发我们如何寻求信仰和生活的合一，在职场中活出见证。
杨弟兄，是一位70后的带职长老。在与异地妻子结婚后，他来到新的城市后，找了一份销售类的工作。入职前，跟老板讲好，一周中两天是要献给上帝的。他入职后在一年内做到公司年度业绩第一的水平。多年过去后，他所建立的教会也来到了复兴，也进行了多点植堂。
杨长老在公司里带领团队，他从来不发脾气，常常鼓励遇到难处的下属。除了给他们做工作的榜样以外，也有在小事上的真实关怀。因此，他的员工不仅尊重他的信仰，也有走进教堂的。甚至，他的公司无神论的老总也常常咨询他有关信仰方面的问题。
杨因为在职场打拼很多年，非常清楚职场的一些潜规则与特点。因而，他在教会里带领职场的信徒时，特别强调，不要做假见证，不要贿赂，不要做假。
有一次，杨长老教会里的一个做批发的男信徒的货被扣在海关拿不出来，因为货单号上一个数字写错了。遇到这种情况后，很多懂行的朋友劝他，给相关人员红包就能通关拿到货品，但是这个信徒非常挣扎。杨知道后，就联合教会的同工和这个男信徒聚在一起祷告。随后，这位弟兄也下定决心，即便没有及时拿到货，亏损了，也不做上帝不喜悦之事。“过了三个多月，滞留的货物终于可以过审提出来了。他没有贿赂，而等他拿到货的时候，货品在市场上已经大大涨价了，他额外多赚了钱，这就是上帝的工作，”杨见证到。
杨在教会里也倡导职场基督徒在公司里不要做假账。
有一次，教会里一个W女基督徒经营一间公司，素日准确地缴纳各种税款。有一年，在年终税务局审查的时候，税务人员要急于完成自己的业绩，便随意对W说：“你公司有些税没有按时交，要对此做出20万的罚款。”但W深知自己都交过了。在她面临仍然要被罚款的处境，当时她的同行都劝她给2-3万红包，但是W坚持不贿赂，照常参加礼拜、祷告会。
到了罚款的最后一天截止日，她去了税务局。她面对要罚款的工作人员说：“我该交的税，都交了，你凭什么罚我的款呢？”僵持一会后，税务局总管出来详查验了W的缴税各种数据后说：“你该交的都交了，不需要交罚款了。” 后来，W见证说：“这个就是上帝对我的帮助，我没有贿赂，没有做假账，最终得到了公平公义的伸张。我的上帝是信实的，他从来不误事。”
在杨看来，更多的时候，基督徒所信靠的上帝，是别人口中的上帝。基督徒若只谈信仰，却没有生活的见证，有上帝的生活和无上帝的生活就没有什么区别。基督徒跟上帝的关系也应该是生活化的，也是需要经历上帝的同在。
带职牧师、基督徒如何在职场活出信仰？
In China, some Christians have a misunderstanding that faith and life are separated. They believe in God seriously in the church but still behave like before in the same way in society. The following two stories are about how Christians overcome trials and become testimonies in the workplace.
Born in the 1970s, Elder Yang came to a new city and found a sales job, after marrying his wife from a different place. He told his boss that he would spend two days a week for God, and he achieved the No. 1 annual performance in the company in just one year. Moreover, the church he founded revived and expanded to more places many years later.
Yang never lost his temper in the company, often encouraging his men who encountered difficulties. In addition to setting an example for them, he also cared about the little things about them. Therefore, his subordinates not only respect his beliefs but also approach the churches. Even his atheistic boss often asks him questions about faith.
As Yang has worked hard for many years, he is well aware of the hidden rules. Therefore, he emphasized not to give false testimony, not to bribe, and not to make false statements when he pastors his congregation in the workplace.
A wholesale male believer in Yang's church got his goods detained at customs because a number on the bill of lading was wrongly written. Many knowledgeable friends advised him that he could get the goods cleared by bribing, but he struggled very much. When Yang knew about it, he prayed with the male believers and staff workers of the church. Later, the Christian made up his mind that he would not do anything that God did not like, even if he could not get the goods and lose money. "Three months later, he could finally get the goods. He didn't give bribes. When he got the goods, the price had increased greatly in the market, so he made extra money. This is God's job," Yang witnessed.
Yang also advocated that Christians in the workplace should not make false accounts.
A Christian woman called W in his church runs a company, with all kinds of taxes paid on time. One year, the taxation bureau examined her company. To complete their performance earlier, a tax official said to W, "Your company failed to pay some taxes on time, so you need to pay a fine of RMB 200,000." But W knew that it was not true. Some would advise her to give bribes of RMB 20,000–30,000, but W insisted not to and attended services and prayer meetings as usual.
On the final day of paying the fine, she went to the taxation bureau and said to the staff, "I have paid all the taxes. Why fine me?" After a stalemate, the director of the taxation bureau came out to check her tax payment details and said, "You have paid all you should, and you don't need to pay a fine." Later, W witnessed, "This is God's help to me. I didn't bribe or make false accounts, and finally, I got justice. God is faithful, and he never fails."
Elder Yang believes that numerous Christians tend to perceive God, whom they should depend on, through the words frequently spoken by others. If a Christian only talks about faith without good deeds, he is no different from unbelievers. Faith should also be life-oriented, and Christians should experience the presence of God.
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Part-Time Elder Shares Stories to Inspire Christians to Live Their Faith in the Workplace
