Thinking about the ministry of the church and the place of an entrepreneurial spirit. I cam across a publication entitled Entrepreneurship and the Church By Eric Bahme and Patrice Tsague. The piece describes Bahme’s role as pastor of Eastside Foursquare Church, which purchased and runs a hotel that both generates revenue for ministry and provides a direct ministry opportunity to the hotel guests, visitors, employees and neighbors. In addition, the church uses the hotel as its home base for worship and other activities. Tsague leads a ministry that trains Christians and churches to use best business practices for the benefit of the church and the kingdom. While it does not bring this out, the article reminds me of Jeremiah 29 where the Lord says to put down roots and build prosperous businesses in the community where you are, for as the city is blessed so will you will be blessed (29:4-14).

How can the business people in our congregations make better use of their work for the kingdom?
How can they teach the rest of us the skills they have so that all of us can be more effective and efficient?
In the days of reduced church income, is it legitimate for churches to engage in business, or are we compromising the gospel and sullying our hands to do so? Is it OK up to a point, and if so, how do we know when we are at risk of “crossing the line”?

However the business question gets resolved, it seems there are opportunities to learn from the work being done here.