Leverage your life for eternal impact.
When I was in fifth grade in Vancouver, British Columbia, I went down to the store and bought $20 worth of candy. I came home and divided the candy into five plastic bags. I proceeded to try and sell each bag for $5 each. My mom bought one as did a couple sympathetic neighbors, but my dreams of profit ended up feeding my own sweet tooth.
Personality characteristics
John G. Burch (Business Horizons, September 1986) lists traits typical of entrepreneurs:
- A desire to achieve
- Hard work
- Desire to work for themselves
- Nurturing quality
- Acceptance of responsibility
- Reward orientation
- Optimism
- Orientation to excellence
- Organization
- Profit orientation
Spiritual entrepreneurship
In Matthew 25:14-20, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. In the story, faithfulness is equated with putting assets to work for the Master. He was not pleased by the fear of the man who buried his talent. In this case, a spiritual entrepreneur is someone who knows how to multiply what he has.
When Arlene and I first went to the mission field, we were greatly encouraged by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9: “A great door of opportunity has opened for me and there are many adversaries.”
A spiritual entrepreneur recognizes Kingdom opportunities. Paul saw the “great door” of the city of Ephesus in front of him (Acts 19). This key city, the most populous in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey), was a leader in athletics and arts—its theater could seat 25,000 people! It was an economic hub with an inland harbor, the intersection of major sea and land routes to eastern provinces. Politically, it ranked with Rome, Corinth, Antioch, and Alexandria as a foremost urban center. Religiously, it held the temple of Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world).
Arriving in this city of opportunity, Paul chose a core group of disciples to mentor (Acts 19:6-7). He spent three months on apologetics in the synagogue. In addition, for two years he had daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
A spiritual entrepreneur puts trials in perspective. Opportunity and opposition go together. Paul said, “There is a great door of opportunity for me and there are many adversaries”—not but. If we are doing the will of God, there will be “many” who oppose, many who consider themselves our “adversaries.” Opportunities are often disguised as problems. Paul was willing to pay the price that Jesus called for in Matthew 13:44-46. He was willing to sell all to buy the treasure and the fine pearl.
A spiritual entrepreneur focuses on effective work. Effective work is expansive—“all the Jews and Greeks in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). Paul reiterated later, “Through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him” (2 Corinthians 2:14). That fragrance multiplied, “... so that the grace…is reaching more and more people” (2 Corinthians 4:15).
Paul’s work was intensive: He was “daily” involved in interactive evangelism and discipleship. Through his work, people with limited understanding of the gospel were brought to maturity. New believers were taught - 700 lessons!
His work was also powerful. The Holy Spirit poured revival on believers. Extraordinary miracles were performed through Paul. There were healings and exorcisms that illustrated the power of the One he presented. As a result of his ministry, there was public confession and repentance (Acts 19:18), the burning of scrolls ($7.5 million worth!), and displays of the Spirit’s power that rapidly spread the news of the gospel further (Acts 19:17).
Society was being transformed. Asia Minor was evangelized. A "people movement" was taking place—all through a spiritual entrepreneur.
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