Seeking God for the Right Method

    David-Isaac Arinze - Transform Work Ambassador and Prayer Lead


In Mark 1, we are introduced to John the Baptist in a striking way:

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘Behold,

I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

Then, in verse 4, we read these simple but powerful words: “John appeared.”

For many years, John had been in obscurity. He was not known publicly. He had not yet become the voice people would travel miles to hear. He had been hidden in the wilderness until the appointed time. Then suddenly, John appeared.

But he did not appear without purpose. He appeared with a message and a method.

His message was repentance. His method was baptism.

John came “baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” People left the comfort of their homes, towns, and cities to come into the wilderness. They were not merely drawn by words; they were also drawn by a God-given method. Baptism was unusual. It was distinct. It was a visible sign connected to a spiritual message.

John’s assignment was to prepare the way of the Lord. His method was baptism. Through that method, Christ was eventually revealed.

This has much to teach us as Christians in the workplace.

We all share the same great assignment: to bear witness to Christ, to make disciples, and to live as salt and light wherever God has placed us. That assignment has not changed. The Gospel has not changed. The call to love, serve, pray, witness, and disciple has not changed.

But the method may be different depending on where God has placed us.

John was in the wilderness, and baptism was the method God gave him for that environment. But we are not in the wilderness. Some are in hospitals. Some are in schools. Some are in local authorities. Some are in banks, businesses, universities, charities, shops, technology firms, creative industries, and government spaces.

The same method will not necessarily work in every place.

A Christian workplace group in a hospital may need a different approach from one in a council office. A believer in education may need a different strategy from someone working in finance, AI, policy, media, or retail. The message remains Christ, but the method must be discerned.

God is not short of strategies.

Throughout Scripture, we see God giving different strategies to different people in different seasons. David did not defeat Goliath with Saul’s armour. He used a sling and stones. That was the strategy for that moment. At other times, David sought the Lord and received different instructions for different battles. His victories were not only because he was courageous, but because he learned to ask God for strategy.

This is a vital lesson for us. In our workplaces, we need more than good intentions. We need divine wisdom.

We need to ask: 

Lord, what is the strategy for this organisation? What is the method for this team?

What is the way to build relationships here? What conversations are You opening?

What needs are You highlighting?

What doors are You preparing?

What kind of Christian presence will reveal Christ most faithfully in this environment?

For some workplaces, the strategy may be prayer gatherings.

For others, it may be lunchtime conversations, mentoring, wellbeing support, Bible reflections, acts of service, quiet intercession, hospitality, or simply building trust over time. In some places, the first step may not be a public meeting, but faithful relationship-building. In others, there may be an open door for visible Christian witness.

The key is not to copy blindly. It is to discern prayerfully.

John’s method also shaped his life. Mark tells us that he was clothed with camel’s hair, wore a leather belt, and ate locusts and wild honey. His assignment affected how he lived. His method was not just an activity; it was part of his witness.

In the same way, our witness in the workplace is not only about programmes. It is also about presence. It is about how we speak, how we work, how we respond under pressure, how we treat colleagues, how we carry integrity, how we love people, and how we represent Christ in ordinary moments.

Whatever strategies God gives us in our workplaces, the end goal must be that Christ is revealed. Not our name. Not our group. Not our cleverness. Not our platform. Not our activity. Christ. John’s method prepared the way, but Jesus was the One to be seen.

This is why we also need the Holy Spirit. The power of witness is not merely in our words, plans, or structures. Jesus told His disciples to wait until they were clothed with power from on high. They had walked with Him, listened to Him, seen His miracles, and heard His teaching. Yet He still told them to wait for the Holy Spirit.

Without the Spirit, they could tell stories about Jesus. But with the Spirit, they became witnesses of Jesus. The same is true for us.

If we are to be faithful witnesses in the workplace, we need fresh filling. We need the love of God poured into our hearts. We need boldness, wisdom, compassion, discernment, patience, and power. We need the Holy Spirit to teach us what to say, when to speak, when to be silent, and how to serve. Our workplaces are not accidental. God has placed us where we are for a purpose. Every organisation, every team, every desk, every meeting, every project, every relationship can become a place where Christ is quietly and powerfully revealed.

So perhaps the prayer for this season is simple:

Lord, show us the method.

Show us the strategy for our workplaces. Show us how to build Christian workplace groups that are faithful, wise, welcoming, and Spirit-led. Show us how to create spaces where believers are strengthened and those who do not yet know Christ are drawn with love, clarity, and grace.

Give us courage to witness; wisdom to discern the right approach; compassion for our colleagues; fresh baptism in the Holy Spirit. And above all, let Christ be revealed.