Entrepreneurial Church Planting
When it comes to thinking about the interplay of business, mission, and church planting there is different, yet helpful language that can be used. While I prefer the phrase Entrepreneurial Church Planting when speaking specifically about business and church planting, below are some other phrases that people might use.
1. Social Enterprise (Social Entrepreneurism)
2. Kingdom Ventures
3. Business as Mission
4. Entrepreneurial Church Planting
A Social Enterprise (or Social Entrepreneurism) is an organization or business that operates with the primary goal of creating positive social, environmental, or community impact. It combines entrepreneurial principles with a focus on addressing societal challenges and making a difference in the world.
Key characteristics of social enterprises include:
Social Mission: Social enterprises have a clearly defined social or environmental mission that is at the core of their operations. They seek to tackle specific social problems, address unmet needs, or contribute to the well-being of communities or the environment.
Sustainability: Social enterprises strive for financial sustainability through their business activities. They generate revenue by selling products or services, and they often reinvest the profits back into their social mission, rather than maximizing profits for shareholders or owners.
Innovation: Social enterprises often employ innovative approaches and business models to create both social and financial value. They explore new ideas, technologies, and strategies to tackle social problems more effectively and efficiently.
Double/ Triple Bottom Line: Social enterprises measure success not only by financial performance but also by their social and environmental impact. They aim to achieve a double or triple bottom line, considering financial, social, and environmental outcomes.
Stakeholder Orientation: Social enterprises prioritize the interests of their stakeholders, including employees, customers, communities, and the environment. They actively engage with these stakeholders, involve them in decision-making, and consider their needs and concerns.
Collaborative Approach: Social enterprises often collaborate with various stakeholders, such as nonprofits, government agencies, businesses, and communities. They leverage partnerships and networks to maximize their impact and access resources and expertise.
Examples of social enterprises include fair-trade companies that support sustainable livelihoods for artisans in developing countries, renewable energy companies that promote clean and affordable power solutions, and employment programs that provide training and job opportunities for marginalized individuals.
Social enterprises can take various legal structures, including for-profit businesses, nonprofits with earned income ventures, cooperatives, or hybrid models. The specific structure depends on the legal and regulatory frameworks in different countries and the goals and preferences of the social enterprise. The primary focus of a social enterprise is to create positive social change while employing business principles and strategies to ensure sustainability and impact.
A Kingdom Venture refers to a business or entrepreneurial initiative that seeks to advance the values, principles, and mission of the Kingdom of God. It is a business venture that aligns with and promotes the overarching purposes of God's kingdom, including justice, compassion, stewardship, and the proclamation of the Gospel.
Some key characteristics of a Kingdom Venture:
Kingdom Impact: A Kingdom venture prioritizes making a positive impact on society and advancing the well-being of individuals and communities. It aims to address social issues, promote human flourishing, and contribute to the transformation of society through its products, services, and practices.
Values-Driven: Kingdom ventures operate based on biblical principles and values. They prioritize integrity, honesty, fairness, and respect in their relationships with customers, employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders. These ventures seek to align their business practices with ethical and moral standards derived from their understanding of God's kingdom.
Missional Focus: A Kingdom venture views business as a platform for mission and seeks to integrate the Great Commission (making disciples) and the Great Commandment (loving God and loving others) into its operations. It intentionally engages in evangelism, discipleship, and acts of service, seeing the business as an avenue for proclaiming and demonstrating the love and truth of Christ.
Stewardship: Kingdom ventures recognize that all resources, including finances, talents, and opportunities, are gifts from God. They adopt a stewardship mindset, managing resources with wisdom, accountability, and a long-term perspective. This includes responsible financial practices, sustainable business models, and consideration of the environmental and social impact of their operations.
Collaboration and Partnership: Kingdom ventures often seek collaboration with other like-minded organizations, churches, and individuals to maximize their impact and extend their reach. They understand the importance of community, networking, and collective efforts to advance the Kingdom of God in a holistic and comprehensive way.
Profit and Sustainability: While Kingdom ventures have a primary focus on impact and mission, they also recognize the need for financial sustainability. They aim to generate profits to support their operations, expand their influence, and reinvest in their mission. However, the pursuit of profit is always balanced with ethical considerations and the overarching mission of advancing God's Kingdom.
It's important to note that a Kingdom venture can take various forms and operate in different industries. The specific business model and activities of a Kingdom venture will depend on the talents, resources, and vision of the entrepreneurs involved. The goal is to integrate faith, values, and mission into the business realm, demonstrating God's love and transforming society through business practices.
There are various examples of Kingdom ventures that have emerged in different industries and sectors. Here are a few examples:
Fair Trade Businesses: Fair trade enterprises aim to promote economic justice and empower marginalized producers by offering fair prices and working conditions for their products. These businesses often focus on sectors such as coffee, chocolate, handicrafts, and clothing, ensuring that producers receive a fair share of the profits and supporting sustainable and ethical production practices.
Socially Responsible Investing: Kingdom ventures can take the form of socially responsible investment firms that prioritize investing in companies with positive social and environmental impact. These firms seek to align financial investments with Kingdom values, supporting businesses that prioritize ethical practices, environmental sustainability, and social responsibility.
Ethical Fashion Brands: Ethical fashion companies are Kingdom ventures that produce clothing and accessories with a focus on fair labor practices, sustainability, and transparency in the supply chain. These ventures often work with marginalized artisans, promote eco-friendly materials, and raise awareness about the social and environmental impact of the fashion industry.
Microfinance and Social Lending Institutions: Kingdom ventures can also be found in the realm of microfinance and social lending, providing financial services and access to capital for underserved communities and entrepreneurs. These institutions prioritize empowering individuals and communities by offering affordable loans, business training, and support to help people start and grow their businesses.
Nonprofit Social Enterprises: Some Kingdom ventures take the form of nonprofit social enterprises that combine business activities with a social mission. These organizations generate revenue through their business operations to fund their charitable activities and address social needs. For example, a nonprofit social enterprise might operate a bakery or café to provide job training and employment opportunities for disadvantaged individuals.
Environmental Sustainability Initiatives: Kingdom ventures can also focus on environmental sustainability and creation care. These initiatives might include businesses that develop renewable energy technologies, promote sustainable agriculture practices, or offer eco-friendly products and services to reduce environmental impact.
Missional Business Incubators: Missional business incubators support and nurture entrepreneurs who want to start businesses that have a missional focus. These incubators provide mentoring, training, and resources to help entrepreneurs integrate their faith and mission into their business ventures. The goal is to create businesses that are not only financially sustainable but also actively contribute to the Kingdom of God.
These are just a few examples of Kingdom ventures, and the possibilities are vast. The key is to combine business principles with a commitment to advancing the values, principles, and mission of God's Kingdom in various aspects of society.
Business as Mission (BAM), also known as Business for Mission, is an approach that integrates business activities with a mission-oriented purpose. It involves running a business with the primary objective of achieving both financial sustainability and social or spiritual impact. The concept of business as mission recognizes that traditional mission work and charitable endeavors often rely on external funding and donations. Business as mission seeks to leverage the power of business and entrepreneurship to create sustainable sources of funding while simultaneously addressing social, economic, or spiritual needs.
Here are some key aspects of business for mission:
Holistic Purpose: Business for mission goes beyond profit generation and considers the broader social, economic, and spiritual impact of the business. It seeks to address specific social or spiritual needs in a community or target group while operating in a financially viable manner.
Integration of Values: Businesses for mission are often driven by a set of core values that guide their operations. These values may include principles such as integrity, fairness, environmental sustainability, and respect for employees and local communities.
Empowerment: Business for mission aims to empower individuals and communities by providing job opportunities, skills training, and economic development. It seeks to create sustainable livelihoods and improve the overall well-being of the people it serves.
Transformational Goals: Business for mission seeks to bring about positive transformation in the lives of individuals and communities. This can involve addressing poverty, promoting social justice, supporting education, providing healthcare, or fostering spiritual growth.
Market-Based Approach: Businesses for mission operate within the principles and dynamics of the marketplace. They aim to create products or services that meet market demands and generate profits, which are then reinvested into achieving the mission objectives.
Collaborative Partnerships: Business for mission often involves partnerships and collaborations with various stakeholders, such as local communities, nonprofits, churches, and government organizations. These partnerships help maximize impact and leverage resources and expertise.
Business as Mission can take different forms, including social enterprises, for-profit companies with a strong social mission, or nonprofit organizations that operate revenue-generating activities. The goal is to combine business acumen and entrepreneurship with a mission-focused approach to create sustainable solutions to social, economic, or spiritual challenges.
Entrepreneurial Church Planting refers to a strategy or approach to starting new churches that incorporates entrepreneurial principles and practices. It involves applying innovative and creative methods to establish and grow churches in different contexts.
Traditionally, church planting has involved establishing new congregations by following established models and denominational frameworks. While this approach has been successful in many cases, entrepreneurial church planting takes a more entrepreneurial mindset and approach to the process.
Entrepreneurial church planters often exhibit characteristics like those found in entrepreneurs in the business world. They are willing to take risks, think outside the box, and are driven by a vision to reach specific communities or demographic groups with the Gospel message.
Some key elements of entrepreneurial church planting include:
Contextualization: Church planters assess the specific needs, interests, and culture of the target community and tailor their approach to effectively connect with people and specific needs in that context.
Innovation: Entrepreneurial church planters seek to innovate and experiment with different approaches to ministry. They are open to trying new ideas, experimentation, and methodologies to engage and disciple people in non-traditional ways.
Networking: Building relationships and partnerships with other organizations, churches, and community leaders is crucial for entrepreneurial church planters. They actively seek collaborations to leverage resources, share knowledge, and expand their reach.
Empowerment: Entrepreneurial church planting often emphasizes empowering and equipping local leaders within the newly planted church. This can involve training and mentoring individuals to take on leadership roles, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility within the community.
Sustainability: While the focus is on starting new churches, an entrepreneurial approach also considers long-term sustainability. This includes strategic planning, financial stewardship, and creating a discipleship culture that enables the church to thrive beyond the initial stages.
Overall, entrepreneurial church planting aims to bring a fresh perspective and adaptability to the process of planting new churches. It seeks to overcome barriers and effectively engage with diverse communities, ultimately leading to the establishment of healthy, multiplying, and impactful congregations.
Examples of Entrepreneurial Church Planting include:
Networks: Some entrepreneurial church planters have embraced the concept of microchurches or house churches to reach communities in non-traditional settings. They establish small, intimate gatherings in homes or other informal venues, focusing on mission, fostering relationships, discipleship, and community engagement.
Marketplace Church Planting: Entrepreneurial church planters recognize the potential for ministry within the marketplace. They start churches or small groups in workplaces, engaging with employees and business owners to provide spiritual support, discipleship, and outreach opportunities within the context of their work lives.
Ethnic and Immigrant Communities: Entrepreneurial church planting often targets specific ethnic or immigrant communities that may have unique cultural and language needs. Church planters work intentionally to understand and engage these communities, adapting their approach to meet their specific cultural and contextual requirements.
Innovation Hubs and Incubators: Some entrepreneurial church planting initiatives create innovation hubs or incubators that foster creativity, collaboration, and the development of new approaches to mission and ministry. These spaces serve as platforms for equipping and supporting church planters with resources, training, and mentorship.
Community-Centered Initiatives: Entrepreneurial church planting can involve starting churches with a strong emphasis on community engagement and service. These churches seek to address the practical needs of the community, such as providing food, healthcare, education, or other social services, alongside their spiritual ministry.
Digital Church Planting: In the digital age, entrepreneurial church planters leverage technology and online platforms to reach and disciple people. They establish virtual communities, online worship experiences, and utilize social media for evangelism and engagement with individuals who may not be reached through traditional means.
Business startups: Several types of businesses can work well in support of church planting efforts.
A few startup examples:
Coffee Shop: Opening a coffee shop can serve as a gathering place for the community and provide a relaxed environment for people to connect. It can also generate income to support the church's activities and serve as a venue for outreach events or small group meetings.
Event Space Rental: Operating an event space or renting out facilities can generate revenue while also providing a location for worship services, community events, or conferences. This business can support the financial sustainability of the church and increase its visibility within the community.
Arts and Crafts Store: Opening an arts and crafts store can promote creativity and provide a space for workshops, classes, and community engagement. This business can generate income while fostering connections with artists and individuals interested in artistic expression.
Fitness or Wellness Center: A fitness or wellness center can offer exercise classes, personal training, and wellness programs. It can provide an opportunity to build relationships with the community, promote physical well-being, and create connections for sharing the gospel.
Social Enterprise: Creating a social enterprise, such as a bakery, restaurant, or artisanal product business, can combine business activities with a social mission. The profits from the business can support the church's ministry while addressing social needs in the community, such as providing job opportunities for vulnerable populations.
It's important to note that the choice of business should align with the specific context, needs, and resources of the community where the church plant is taking place. Conducting a thorough assessment of the target community, its demographics, and existing businesses can help identify viable business opportunities that support the church's mission and generate sustainable income.
It's important to note that these examples are not exhaustive, and entrepreneurial church planting can take various forms depending on the specific context and vision of the church planter. The common thread among these initiatives is the application of entrepreneurial principles to establish and grow churches in innovative and creative ways, adapting to the needs and dynamics of the communities they seek to serve.
