The first graduations as part of a ground-breaking enterprise programme, encouraging Christians to become entrepreneurs, have taken place.
The first church to take part in The Spirit of Enterprise programme was Zac’s House Kingdom Community, part of Knutsford Methodist Church, but active in the town of Northwich. The church’s pastor Neal Stanton (pictured) said: ‘So many people find themselves out of work and believe they have no future or hope. We wanted to change that.’
The graduate-entrepreneurs are: a profoundly deaf teenager Kiera, who sells; Sarah McKechnie who makes party balloons; Diane Smith who designs and makes T-shirts, pillows and cards; and photographer and artist André Van-Thomas.
Matt Bird, who founded Christian charity NAYBA, launched the programme in January 2021 and challenged churches to step up and help those hit by unemployment, said: ‘I knew when we launched Spirit of Enterprise that God was calling us to make a difference.’
He added: ‘Throughout history Christians and the church have been at the root of enterprise and I believe God is calling us at a time like this to show His love through encouraging enterprise.
‘There are a lot of businesspeople in the pews of churches on a Sunday and I thought we could help them give something back by using their expertise through mentoring.’
More than 20 churches from across the UK have now signed up to the programme for this year.
