Entrepreneurship in the Christian Context

Executive Summary
(please, email phidza@gmail.com for the Powerpoint presentation)

Key text: Eccl. 11:1-6

Entrepreneurship - is the practice of starting new organizations or revitalizing mature organizations, particularly new businesses generally in response to identified opportunities.

Advantages:

1. Self-employment offering more job satisfaction and flexibility of workforce
2. Employment for others, often better jobs
3. Development of more industries, especially in rural areas or regions disadvantaged by economic changes, for example due to globalisation effects
4. Encouragement of the processing of local materials into finished goods for domestic consumption as well as for export
5. Healthy competition thus encourages higher quality products
6. New markets
7. Development of entrepreneurial qualities and attitudes among potential entrepreneurs to bring about significant changes in the rural areas
8. Emigration of talent may be stopped by a better domestic entrepreneurship climate
9. Income generation and increased economy (i.e personal financial gain)
10. Competition -> Intellectual stimulation -> Development & Income -> THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE GOSPEL WORK

Qualities of an Entrepreneur

1. Courageous (takes risks)
2. Enthusiastic
3. Strategic
4. Persistent
5. Determined
6. Positive
7. Decisive
8. Patient

Is Entrepreneurship Biblical? Matt. 25:14-30.

King Solomon – an Entrepreneur. 1 Kings 9:26-28, 1 Kings 10:14,15

Matters of Consideration

1. Diligence (Prov. 6:6-11, Prov. 20:13, Prov. 24:30-31)
2. Honesty (Prov.13:11, Prov. 15:27)

So, as far as Stewardship is concerned, what is Entrepreneurship really about?

Entrepreneurship is about maximizing your time, talents and treasures for the benefit of all…

“The people will curse him who withholds grain, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.” Prov 11:26

The Industry lacks integrity and therefore, the Church needs Entrepreneurs to fill in the gaps:

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men-- men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.” --Ellen G. White, Education pg.57

The Church needs Entrepreneurs in the following industries:

- Media and Publishing

- Food industry

- Engineering (IT & Construction)

- Legal

- Humanities (ADRA, HIV-AIDS etc etc)

- Education

- ….and many more!!!

Concluding remarks:

“Commit your works to the LORD and your thoughts will be established.”

Prov. 16:3