Sharing Your Faith in a Faith-Neutral Environment
Posted on Jun 1, 2025
Next year, I will celebrate 35 years of music ministry through Quake, Youth Encounter, Lifest, and numerous bands, including Echelon and The Junker Georges. God continues to give me amazing opportunities to sing, praise, preach, hang out, and worship with folks all over the country, and I am unbelievably thankful.
But next year, I will also celebrate 25 years of teaching fifth grade in the public school. This has been no less of an amazing opportunity to share the Gospel, but in very different ways. As you are probably aware, the subject of faith, particularly the teacher’s faith, is delicate in a public school setting. Being in a position of influence in the classroom, I can’t use that influence to unfairly sway kids to my beliefs. But that doesn’t mean I can’t be a light for Christ in that space. I like to think of it in terms of that old chestnut that is so often misattributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the Gospel. When necessary, use words.” (Yeah, he never said that. Sorry.)
The goal is to be as Christ-like as possible without using words. How can I treat people better? How can I be a better friend, educator, or co-worker without telling people why I want to be like that? Of course, being Christ-like is always the goal for Christians, and if you’re like me, you fail more often than not. But if I can communicate to students that they have intrinsic value, and show them that they are loved. If I can act justly, show mercy, and walk humbly with God (without saying that I’m walking with God!), hopefully, I am creating a space where Christ can be seen. The other thing that often happens is that kids- being kids- are eternally curious. They ask me questions about myself all the time. The “rule” is that I can answer questions about faith and religion if the student initiates the conversation; I can’t bring it up myself. (For more information on where these “rules” come from, check out “Christ in the Classroom” by Aaron Burron and John Eidsmoe on Amazon.) Then, when it does come out that I go to church, or I am a Christian, or I am taking a day off to play music for a bunch of middle and high schoolers at a hotel in Wichita (because they always ask where you were when you’re out!), then the kids start putting two and two together. I want them to know that people who follow Jesus are loving, respectful, fair, honest, and caring, even before they find out I follow Jesus. For a public school teacher, the walk has to come before the talk, because you can’t talk!
So what does that mean for you, dear reader? What can you do to show Christ in the places where you work and live? Even if you can speak freely about your faith in the workplace, it can be tough; it can be uncomfortable. First of all, pray. I pray for my students all the time, knowing that while my example may be a push in the right direction, it all comes down to the Holy Spirit. I pray I will have opportunities to show Christ to my students, colleagues, and parents. Secondly, find other people to support you in the workplace. At my school, we have a weekly (and constitutionally protected) prayer meeting in the library before school. Those people who show up are my tribe. They are my support and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Finally, I believe that kindness is never wasted, especially when kindness is in Jesus’ name. You may not be the one who brings a person to Christ directly, but you are a step on that person’s path. You can be a light in a dark place, or even a light in a not-so-dark place, but be a light for Christ wherever you are.
Todd Miller is a husband, dad, teacher, Philly sports fan, and Quake and Lifest musician. He lives in Locust Grove, Virginia.