Revd Michael Volland, Director of Mission and Tutor in Pioneering at Cranmer Hall, Durham, is conducting research into entrepreneurial clergy as part of a doctorate at Durham University. He is a co-author of Fresh! An introduction to fresh expressions of church and pioneer ministry where he looks at what it means to be a missionary entrepreneur.
Watch Michael Volland explain what makes a good entrepreneur below.
Should I be an entrepreneur for Christ?
The guidelines for selection of ordained pioneer ministers are clear, 'Bishops' Advisers should watch for candidates who have the necessary vision and gifts to be missionary entrepreneurs.'
What are the sorts of images that come to mind when you consider the word 'entrepreneur'? Is it a word that you are generally comfortable with or one you instinctively recoil from? Maybe you are content for it to reside in the world of commerce but have an issue with its use in relation to Christian ministry and mission.
I suggest that the Church of England stands to gain a great deal by using the word entrepreneur and by drawing on the concept of entrepreneurship. However, the entrepreneurship I am considering does not have the generation of money as its focus. Instead, I say that we use the concept of entrepreneurship – of thinking and acting entrepreneurially – as an aid to reflecting on the ways in which Christians in the UK might approach the task of mission.
In my experience the word, entrepreneur, draws a mixed response when it is used in relation to Christian ministry. Although some are happy with it, more often than not it prompts anything from discomfort to fervent objection. This is in no doubt due to its association with greedy self-interest – an association that can be seen to be fostered by such TV favourites as The Apprentice and Dragons' Den.
While the instinctive reaction of many Christians might be to steer clear of the word and its apparently worldly connotations, it is nevertheless true that a good number of the characteristics associated with entrepreneurship are those that we see displayed in Christians who are catalysts for imaginative change in communities and churches. These include 'pioneers' – but it is certainly not limited to those with this label and in fact it takes in a range of people serving the Church in parishes all over England who may never have heard of pioneer ministry! Not all Christians are natural entrepreneurs, but a good deal more than we imagine have entrepreneurial potential and when this potential is nurtured and given space to breathe, a pioneering approach to mission and ministry is often the result.
As my own fascination with entrepreneurship has grown I have spoken enthusiastically to those who would listen about the possibility of an entrepreneurial approach to Christian mission. The problem I've often encountered is that people just don't seem to be able to get beyond the 'get-rich-quick' stereotype of entrepreneurs. With this in mind I set about trying to find a suitable definition, realising that whatever I ended up with would need to retain something of the essence of the entrepreneur in commerce while stripping away the associations with greed and self-interest that make the notion of entrepreneurship unpalatable to some Christians.
It transpires that there is no widely accepted definition of the word entrepreneur. What I noticed as I read about entrepreneurs was the reoccurrence of words such as: creative; innovative; energetic; focused; visionary. In short, things that I would hope to see to varying degrees in those involved in Christian mission.
During my reading I discovered a definition constructed by Dr Bill Bolton and Professor John Thompson. Of all the possibilities on offer, theirs was the most helpful and has shaped my thinking in this area enormously. According to them, 'An entrepreneur is a person who habitually creates and innovates to build something of recognized value around perceived opportunities.'
As I have set out this understanding of the entrepreneur in conversations with Christians it has generally been well received. One parish priest, initially uncomfortable with the prospect of associating her ministry with that of being an entrepreneur, commented after a long discussion, 'When I look at it like that, I'd like to be more entrepreneurial!'
I propose that the language of entrepreneurship offers the Church a useful lens through which to imagine the shape of mission for our emerging culture. The concept offers a way of thinking about the missional task to which we are called and the kind of approach that some Christians might take towards it. Which is all very well, except the question inevitably comes back, 'So, what should we do?' In the course of my research into entrepreneurship I've been asking lay people and clergy what factors they feel encourage and enable the exercise of mission-minded entrepreneurship in the parish. The responses are inspiring.
The list begins with things like prayer, encouragement, outward focus and the tangible presence of faith, hope and love. It goes on to include the need for vision, trust, strong teams, the sharing of stories, experiencing fruitfulness and high levels of personal discipleship. It also includes the importance of having positive entrepreneurial role models and being given opportunities to build confidence by attempting new things. A curate in the Diocese of Durham cited gaining experience of other parishes, churches and even other cultures as a way of broadening horizons and mindsets and grasping not just fresh ideas but an entirely new kind of creativity. Perhaps most importantly, one priest spoke of the importance of understanding that the Holy Spirit is opening up opportunities all of the time and that part of what the Church must be about is responding to those opportunities entrepreneurially rather than ignoring or missing them.
Enabling more Christians (including clergy) to recognise their entrepreneurial flair and to exercise entrepreneurial ministries requires that, as a Church, we make a priority of striving to do at least some of the things listed above. As we do so we will be putting our shoulder to the task of building a culture in the Church of hope, permission, communication, collaboration, ideas-sharing, mutual encouragement, strategic thinking, and proper recognition. A Church with this kind of culture will be well suited to sharing the Gospel faithfully in twenty first century Britain.
Good article. I agree that the church should become more familiar with the mentality, methods and even the word entrepreneur.
One major thing I’ve recently learned is that its more about creating wealth for others than trying to get it from them. Creating jobs, helpful products or services that improve other people’s lives is what makes one successful. Jesus’ simple teaching “it’s better to give than receive” has many layers of wisdom we’ve yet to understand and utilize.