Is there an undiscovered Dragon in your church?

Church is not a business, right?

In recent months many of us have come to question the businesslike approaches of many megachurches and church plants, particularly as scandals have revealed the thin ice on which some have been built. But, before we overreact and discredit this businesslike approach, we should not lose the valuable insights that those with a good business head have brought to our churches.

For many people the landscape has changed significantly during the pandemic, and how we go about connecting with family, friends and colleagues looks different. The opportunity for deeper conversations may have increased, but how we do church and reach communities has been shaken up. In our congregations there are talented people who have had to rethink what they do in their sector. Others will be dreaming of fresh ideas that they may be reluctant to share. Now is a time when the entrepreneurial spirit needs to be welcomed into the church.

For too long the values and approaches of the business world have been quickly dismissed by churches as irrelevant. Yet, in my experience of working in business, both in Christian contexts and with local authorities and large secular charities, I have found the approaches in the ‘secular’ organisations to be a far closer expression of Christian values than what I’ve experienced in the Christian context. I don’t say that to be provocative, but to dispel the myth that ministry and the secular workplace are so far apart. There are things I learned on ‘the mission field’ that have influenced my approach to business and vice versa.

Church in the Dragons’ Den

Entrepreneurs make up less than 5% of the population, but the entrepreneurial spirit lives in many more people. At its most basic level, it is simply about giving room for ideas to be shared, and creating an environment for nurturing these ideas. It is about giving people confidence and pathways to ‘go for it’. Realistically, it’s also about creating an environment where failure can happen, mistakes can be made, and lessons can be learned. Good businesses grow with that environment.

In the popular TV series Dragons’ Den, the programme builds its formula on the combination of many factors including ideas, personalities, instinct, skill, and likelihood to succeed. The Dragons all have unique experience and different personalities, but the thing they have in common is an ability to listen to the ideas and a willingness to nurture the person they choose to invest in. If our churches are going to engage with our changing landscape then we should adopt a similar approach to listening, nurturing, and giving space to creative talent. Church leaders are not one-stop shops for every skill a church requires. In the local body to which we belong there are probably extraordinary talents allowed to shine in the secular workplace but sadly invisible in the local church. Is there a Peter Jones or Deborah Meaden unnoticed in your church fellowship?

Open for business

Those in business and leadership outside of the church have transferable skills that can impact the church. If you’re in church leadership, soak up the opportunity to learn from those people in your congregations that have real experience in a number of sectors. Invite them to share their ideas, ask for their expertise, take time to listen. How do they run business meetings? How do they manage change? How do they use email and social media? How do they empower their workforce? What key issues do they think the next decade will bring? What technology has enabled them to develop and what has ended up a waste of money or time? Just think about the wealth of insight and experience they could bring. And what about the budding entrepreneur, how can you capture that enthusiasm and unleash it into an area of church life?

As a leader in a Bible-college environment, I have no doubt theological training is relevant to any area of life including business, education and politics, and can help to direct the entrepreneurial spirit. Applied theology equips students with tools that help them to be effective Christian leaders who serve others with humility and wisdom whatever sector they go into. But I also think those who are called into church ministry can learn good practice from the wider world. Paul was a tent maker (Acts 18:1-4). Sadly, this has become a metaphor for those in Christian ministry who do a secular job to earn their keep. Surely, given Paul’s talent, it was much more than that to him? Making tents was a business, a calling, a ministry, and an opportunity. Whether it is collecting taxes, herding sheep, fishing in Galilee or making tents, I am sure these were all opportunities to be disciples and to learn skills that would develop the fledgling church.