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Pre-Introduction of Kingdom Entrepreneurship
Opening - Good Day to everyone. My name is Dr. Choong Chee Wah. Today I will begin a new series of topic of great interest – Kingdom Entrepreneurship (12 episodes). Several famous quotations from various great leaders of the world are made in this narrative throughout. However, I would like to begin with some general terminologies for our better understanding.
More often than not, “entrepreneurship” and “leadership” are taken as synonym. In fact there are some overlaps of these activities in these two human’s endeavours, such as mobilization, influence, persuasion, action, empowerment, participation, aptitude and attitude. However, these two terms could mean quite different in the non-overlapping shades. Entrepreneurship means a set of attributes that an entrepreneur possesses and practices in starting his/her enterprise business. Whereas, leadership is the process of influencing people and providing an environment for them to achieve the organizational objectives. Thus, leadership is quite different from entrepreneurship. In medical analogy, a leader is likened to a “GP” (General Practitioner), whereas an entrepreneur is likened to a “Specialist”. Therefore, Entrepreneurship can be included in leadership. Nevertheless, persons with leadership qualities such as influencing ability, are found more prone to become entrepreneurs (if they wish) and perform entrepreneurial functions more effectively.
All Entrepreneurships are operated with the goal of profit and wealth growth, and business sustainability. Christian and non-Christian entrepreneurs alike have to deal with wealth-gained and wealth-deficit in the cyclical economic time of prosperity and crisis period respectively. Conventional wisdoms in business are reused time and over time again unconsciously. These wisdoms are timeless and borderless in all aspects. They are used as business strategies.
In fact, most conventional wisdoms are taken mainly from Biblical principles unknowingly to many entrepreneurs if not pragmatic approach. This is because they function throughout generations of business whether it is a Christian or non-Christian concept of business. Therefore, it is not necessarily that Christian entrepreneurship will do better than any other entrepreneurship. On the contrary, Christian Entrepreneurship can fail miserably because Biblical principles can be compromised in many aspects. This article will deal with this in its next few sessions.
There is a vast difference between Biblical Entrepreneurship and Conventional Entrepreneurship. Biblical Entrepreneurship has much deeper insights with reference from Scripture. It has a lot to do with Wisdom of Faith and is purpose driven. One with and one without. What is this? Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) said, “Faith is the taking the first step when don’t see the whole staircase.” A lot of this Wisdom of Faith found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes written in the Bible. They are written by King Solomon who ruled the United Israelite Kingdom inherited from his father King David around 1000 BCE. King Solomon asked God not for more wealth and political power, instead he asked God for wisdom to rule his Kingdom with righteousness and justice. Many parables spoken by Jesus have profound Christ-centred virtues in terms of spirituality and maturity of a Biblical perspective in this modern time. It is hope that all entrepreneurs will capture the centrality of God’s calling in the essence of the business world. Christopher Columbus said, “No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Saviour, if it is just and if the intention is purely for His holy service.”
There are a few simple questions you need to ask yourself as an Entrepreneur, especially when you are successful.
I hope that these questions will be answered by you from within your inner self on what you have discovered in the centrality of God’s calling you (by choice or design) to be an Entrepreneur with a unique difference. It is necessary for you to respond not only when you are very successful and find complete sustainable and stability in your business, you should also pray as you work along on that entrepreneurial calling.
May God bless you in your entrepreneurial calling.
Generally, entrepreneurship is about vocational leadership related to economics and commercial activities that can be simply called Business Leadership. Business Leadership, likes any other leadership, will have its own goals in its operations (modus operandi). As such the business mission and objective will drive the culture of the business organisation, which is also influenced by the external environment of political and government policies, cultures and traditions of the community involved, community beliefs and livelihood practices. The business owner is usually referred as the “boss” who owns and drives the business in the direction that he or she wants it to go. He/she is a major stakeholder and profit is the impetus of the business orientation. Employees of the business entity will naturally ride on the same railroad to achieve business success led by the entrepreneur.
By and large, entrepreneurship has not been given much attention in relation to biblical principles because there is a perception (myth) of an uncompromising chasm between “money-making business” and “churchy things”. In the fifth century, John Chrysostom thought it was highly unlikely that merchants could pursue their vocation without sin. From the 13th to the 16th century, Catholic moralists such as Antoninus of Florence, Dominic Soto, Gregory of Valencia and Ludovico Molina justified the profits of entrepreneurs on condition that they performed a useful productive service to the community. Profit not based on such intended service was morally unsound. The boss is one often being referred to by many as decision maker, and the boss’ decision will be executed by the subordinates without question. On the other hand, Biblical entrepreneurship is unique in that the boss is a leader who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way, being conscious of community interest, discipleship, and empowerment of subordinates in God’s Kingdom.
However, Biblical entrepreneurship should not be taken as totally churchy things and all-spiritual. It is because, inevitably, its business activities will be carried out in the all timeless convention in wisdom of trades and legitimate monetary movement. Christian business cannot say that no money movement should be involved. Money is a neutral entity needed for exchanging services and products with any other kind of legitimate business activities which may involve time and border restrictions in imports and exports. Biblically, Cain and Abel were the first God created businesspersons on earth doing business with one another, probably barter trade. Cain produced agricultural crops, while Abel produced poultry. They traded business to complement each other for balancing food subsistence – meat and crops. Cain and Abel were the first man-entrepreneurs so to speak in this material economic world.
The purpose of this narrative is to provide a scriptural-informed insight, and biblical value-shaped understanding of vocational entrepreneurship in business. For a better understanding, certain concepts or ideas, pictures and illustrations are included. Some practical and authentic experiences (from some experienced Christian entrepreneurs) have been used to bring out a broader picture or perspective of Entrepreneurship, which can greatly help in advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Also, rich insights in Biblical principles are shared for Christian businesspersons or potential entrepreneurs to assist them in applying good Biblical ethics and ethos to operate amid the secular commercial arena.
This narrative has also included some case studies that the readers will be useful for studying to assist in the adoption and/or adaptation that may be deemed suitable. Biblical stories, scriptural parables and contemporary Christian business experiences are referenced, which will bring about the true message of ecclesiastical and theological Biblical Entrepreneurship for the advancement of the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.
Finally, but not least, at the end of this narrative I have included – The Disciplines of Entrepreneurship Practice (Appendix C) as an essential and beneficial addendum. From personal experience, taking these steps of disciplines could increase your chance of success especially for a start-up enterprise.
Ending - Thank You for listening and please stay tuned with us in my next Episode.
Discussion Questions