I never dreamed that the gospel could be so powerfully proclaimed in a country that is closed to traditional gospel ministry. (Read the story, “If She’d Known Then….”) So when I visited the English training center that Martin operates, I was almost bowled over by the enthusiasm of many of his employees who wanted to tell me how their lives had been changed through employment in the company.

No, Martin doesn’t hold chapel services or invite employees to study the Bible on company time. And his company is not a façade that hides ulterior “ministry” intentions. For Martin, all of life is ministry. Treating his employees with dignity is ministry. Investing in them so that they become better teachers is ministry. Paying them a fair wage, keeping his word, taking a personal interest in their lives — all is a God-given opportunity to live and love like Jesus.

And living like Jesus is eventually an open door for sharing Jesus — sharing the life-giving message that Christ came to save sinners and give them abundant life. Because Martin is doing legitimate business in a country that is closed to traditional missionaries, he has the freedom to engage in spiritual conversations and bring God’s love to life.

Bringing God’s love to life… imagine if we took this approach to our life — all of our life — like Martin. What would God do through us if we saw our time with coworkers as ministry? If we took a personal interest in the lives of our neighbors? If we used our trips to the coffee shop, gym and grocery store to life and love like Jesus?

How desperately we need to relearn, or perhaps learn for the first time, what it means to be the light of the world, rather than to hide our light under a bushel. When we do — when we begin to integrate the gospel into the way we do life — people like Lihua won’t be able to stay away.