Entrepreneurs: Undertaking more than business
January 3, 2011 at 8:48 pm 2 comments
While the editor for PLNU’s alumni magazine was away on maternity leave, I got to manage the production of our fall issue. One of the perks of being in charge is that you sometimes get to push your own agenda. And, well, my agenda is helping people make a meaningful connection between faith and work. I encouraged the executive director of our Fermanian Business and Economic Institute, Randy Ataide, to pull together some of his thoughts on entrepreneurship, faith and culture. He had been writing along these lines in the academic arena with lots of big words and complicated concepts. He was kind enough to write an original piece for our magazine that is very personal and puts some complicated concepts into easy-to-understand terms. Check out the article.
In the article, he shares his personal reflections on the opportunities for connection between the church and the entrepreneur, as well as the mischaracterization and misunderstanding that he has personally experienced. His article explores some exciting connections that entrepreneurs can help the church make in the world, including the ability to critique the dominant culture, serve the poor and do justice, and reach the lost.
I hope you enjoy reading the article as much as I enjoyed getting it printed for 40,000 alumni to read!
Entry filed under: Sacred vs. Secular, Vocation, Work with a Purpose. Tags: church, creativity, culture, entrepreneur, hope, perspective.
1.
vanessa | January 8, 2011 at 3:26 am
I love, love, love this article. I remember at the age of about 31 or 14 having the desire to help hurting children and wanting to own my own business. This, I’m sure was a result of my own familial difficulties, but the desire never left. Once saved, these two childhood passions resurfaced and I have sought many avenues to pursue them.
Thank you for this article. There are probably many Christian entrepreneurs who need this validation – that being in business, being an entrepreneur is a great thing. It is an opportunity to share our faith in a way that builds relationships, impacts communities, and glorifies God.
God bless you…
2.
Dr. Rochelle Carr Burns | April 18, 2011 at 11:21 am
It’s very inspiring that you were able to push for your own input in the alumni mag. And the fact that 40,000 were able to read your work is pretty impressive.