Shady Business
Gradskills is a series of four workshops organised by FES-GCF for young graduates. Held on 18 April 2026, Shady Business explored the biblical vision of work and stewardship, evaluating the social and environmental impact of work and seeking to nurture commitments and ideas that reflect God’s ethics for creation and society. Two graduates share their reflections.
I think that for young adults, there’s often this sense of a split between work and the rest of our lives, which for Christians can translate into ‘spiritual’ dissonance. Conversations with Christian peers about work often are about being Christlike at work, or a reconciliation of this dissonance by focusing on what work brings to our lives outside of it. Those things are good, but stopping there leaves us still with a sense that going to work each day is like entering a lawless landscape full of moral pitfalls. There is futility in work, but I don’t suppose we are meant to live in futility, not when we have the hope of Christ!
The sharings during the workshop helped to show what it looks like to move past that and towards a view of what work looks like when it is informed by a transformed view of work itself. That one may work well in a way that does not just speak to one’s character but also influences the processes and ethics within one’s pockets of industry. Reuben’s sharing of how practises and SOPs, informed by a Christian worldview, organically changed both intra-company and inter-company culture across his industry was pretty… wow! While the example came from a managerial position, where the sphere of influence is seemingly larger than it is for most of us young adults, it spoke to the idea of working in a way that lives out our mandate to exercise the goodness within creation. Maybe being Christian at work is not just being loving in our words and attitudes, but also organising notes in a manner that is helpful for your colleagues to do tasks that fulfil a need.
These are, I think, important thoughts for me to ponder in my work. As a clinical psychologist-in-training, I am perhaps privileged that my work is directly concerned with goodness for people’s lives. But this is a two-edged sword; the keenness with which futility is experienced at work is sharp, and there is a temptation to act accordingly, in complaining, bad-mouthing, or problematising. It strikes me that I must be especially concerned not just to be good at my work or be Christ-like with my clients and colleagues, but to know that I participate in Christ’s redemptive work. By His Spirit may He help me in my weaknesses!
Mark Ngoh was a member of NUS VCF and graduated in 2023 with a degree in Psychology.
As someone going into the social service sector as a social worker, I find it much easier to reconcile my vocation with my faith and values. It has always been a no-brainer as there is nothing ethically murky about the work I am stepping into. That being said, I have always wondered how people in other vocations, especially those in the corporate world, manage to reconcile their faith within a Singaporean capitalistic economy where success is so often measured by profits and promotions.
This workshop gave me a fresh perspective as Reuben shared how his faith so evidently shaped how he ran his business, from treating his workers like family to practising sustainability in an industry not exactly known for being the most environmentally friendly. Through his example, I came to understand that living out the kingdom of God in the workplace means bringing the values God has taught us in His Word into the everyday practices of our work.
Despite that, I think his experiences deserve some nuance, as Reuben is a business owner, while most of the workshop attendees were fresh graduates or those with only a few years of experience. His example of living out the kingdom in the workplace, therefore, cannot be generalised across all individuals because not all of us will get the opportunity to hold so much power in our companies and organisations. Even so, the core principle remains – wherever we are placed, whatever position we hold, we are called to live out kingdom values in our everyday workplace practices. To whom much is given, much will be required. Perhaps if we are faithful in these little things, God will entrust us with greater responsibility – and one day, we too might have the kind of impact Reuben has had.
Coming back to my own transition into the workplace, I believe this principle holds regardless of industry. It is entirely possible to be a self-centred social worker – one who treats clients as KPIs to hit rather than people to genuinely care for with the same love and compassion Christ has shown me. Furthermore, office politics exist in every workplace, no matter how pleasant the environment may seem. I need to be intentional about how my words and actions reflect Christ. Living out the kingdom of God should not stop at church, but rather, whatever I learn at church should be carried over into the workplace, no matter the industry or the position I find myself in.
Aaron Lim was a member of NUS VCF and graduated in 2026 with degrees in Social Work and Sociology.
