Steven Gillum: Be Christ’s Ambassador in Every Sphere

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Recently, I was speaking with a Liberty University student who desires to one day serve the Lord in another cultural context. Their aim is simply to use their passion and career overseas to proclaim the Gospel.

However, the weightiest question for this student did not center around a physical move to another country or even learning a new language. It was whether their calling and future business profession would be understood as service and ministry to those who have never heard the Good News.

This is not an uncommon challenge among Christian young people who have predominantly understood service and ministry within the framework of the local church. But what about the public square that Christ compels His followers to enter? It says in Scripture, “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ“(Ephesians 4:11). The Apostle Paul meant for followers of Jesus to be sent out to do the work of ministry —within every sphere of society, in the public square.

I truly believe that the Christian mission must involve the complete Gospel and the whole person, including their professional calling, sent out from the local church to fulfill the Great Commission.

Followers of Jesus need to expand on the possibilities and potential of fulfilling the mission of God as Christ’s ambassadors in every sphere. To do this, Christian young people need a greater view of God and His glory to resonate louder than ever before in their lives and callings. William Carey, an English Christian in Nottingham, England, in 1792, pled with his fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord to lay themselves down for the cause of Christ and to “expect great things from God and attempt great things for God.”

This statement was rooted in Carey’s vision of relying on God’s glory alone to promote the Kingdom of Christ. Now, that is certainly bigger than any type of professional calling, but it does provide a goal in that all professions should lead toward the proclamation of Christ’s Gospel. It is a vision that sees the greatness of God, endures professional hardship, keeps resolve under pressure to compromise, and allows joy to produce faith.

The student I spoke with resolved to do this, which I hope all believers will do as well. As Christ’s ambassadors in every professional sphere, we should expect great things from God and attempt great things for God. How can you bring this approach into your career? Ask the Lord to show you how you can use your profession to further His mission.

To speak with Steven about this topic, please email radio@liberty.edu to schedule an interview.