I received this comment recently attached to one of my posts, although I think it is an agglomeration of comments to several of my posts that the reader read.
I want to share some of these comments and my responses with all of you, as I feel it points out some confusion people have about what Christian entrepreneurship should be about, as I outline in my book.
“…entrepreneurship can be used in positive ways - but capitalism, especially as practiced in North America and Asia has shown that it is not necessarily a Christian ideal.”
I think you may be confusing entrepreneurship with capitalism. The word “entrepreneurship” comes from the French word entrprendre, meaning “to undertake” something. So starting a business, starting a social enterprise (a not-for-profit) or planting a church, for that matter - all involve entrepreneurship.
John Bogle elaborates on this:
Let’s begin with Franklin’s entrepreneurship. It was not only remarkable for his era; it was remarkable for any era. While in today’s grandiose era of capitalism the word “entrepreneur” has come to be commonly associated with those who are motivated to create new enterprises largely by the desire for personal wealth or even greed, the fact is that entrepreneur simply means “one who undertakes an enterprise,” a person who founds and directs an organization.
But at its best, entrepreneurship entails something far more important than mere money. Please do not take my word for it. Heed the words of the great Joseph Schumpeter, the first economist to recognize entrepreneurship as the vital force that drives economic growth. In his Theory of Economic Development, written nearly a century ago, Schumpeter dismissed material and monetary gain as the prime mover of the entrepreneur, finding motivations like these to be far more powerful: (1) “The joy of creating, of getting things done, of simply exercising one’s energy and ingenuity,” and (2) “The will to conquer: the impulse to fight, . . . to succeed for the sake, not of the fruits of success, but of success itself.”
There is a difference, then, between an entrepreneur and a capitalist. Had Franklin possessed the soul of a true capitalist, “he would have devoted the time he saved from printing to making money somewhere else.” But he did not. For Franklin, the getting of money was always a means to an end, not an end in itself. The other enterprises he created, as well as his inventions, were designed for the public weal, not for his personal profit. Even today, Dr. Franklin’s idealistic 18th century version of entrepreneurship is inspirational. When he reminded us that “energy and persistence conquer all things,” Franklin was likely describing his own motivations to create and to succeed, using Schumpeter’s formulation, for the joy of creating, of exercising one’s energy and ingenuity, the will to conquer, and the joy of a good battle.
Sorry about the long quote, but hopefully this underscores my conceptualization of entrepreneurship.
“I don’t think that even many or even most Christians should start businesses.”
Why not? Should many or most Christians work for corporations and other organizations? Why? Paul himself said:
“Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you–although if you can gain your freedom, do so.” - 1 Corinthians 7:21
The best way to gain freedom in the sense that the verse talks about above (read the context- he’s talking to believers who are already have “liberty through Christ”) is through entrepreneurship, is it not?
“…the church isn’t a business…it is the church.”
I don’t think I ever said that the church is a business, but it is an entity that requires and employs entrepreneurship, as described above. I can give you biblical citations for this too, if you require them.
“…our founding fathers weren’t all Christians, and citing their entrepreneurial spirits is not a strong case for Chriatian entrepreneurial-ship (sic).”
I don’t think I said they were all Christians, but a significant amount of them were, and I don’t think I said they were all entrepreneurs, though I named a few. The point I was making is that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and that there was a “spirit” of entrepreneurship and free enterprise that pervaded throughout the history of the founding of our country.
“I don’t particularly believe that Jesus was particularly interested at all in pioneering a new way for his followers to make money, live in comfort, or to even be safe.”
I certainly didn’t say these things either. However, didn’t Jesus grow up in the house of a carpenter? I think most of them back then didn’t work for large corporations…they were entrepreneurs! 
I am surprised that you think that making money and being prosperous (financially and otherwise) means that you will be in comfort. Check this out:
“And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” - Mark 10:29-30
So Jesus Himself said that we could be prosperous and have material posessions (i.e., houses and lands) in this time, but that it wouldn’t be in comfort, but with persecutions.
To make sure you continue to receive this information on Christian entrepreneurship and purpose, click here.
), and he said something that really is in line with this series on Christian business and ministry planning.