Social, or Gospel Entrepreneurship?

There is an emerging field of entrepreneurs who are not Christians, and and interested in starting similar ventures in similar communities. They are social entrepreneurs, motivated not primarily by money, but by social change. They are convinced that commerce, and not just non-profits, can be the vehicles of change among the poor.

As I have been getting involved in entrepreneurship, I have been asking the question,

What is the difference between social entrepreneurship and gospel entrepreneurship?

Do we share the same values? Are we pursuing the same goals? Are we working together, or at odds?

I'll try to answer each of those in order:

• Do we share the same values? Yes and no. Yes, we care for poor communities, and yes, we believe that commerce can be a vehicle of social change. Yes, we believe that entrepreneurship is not about profiteering, but adding value and creating capital.
  But, no we do not believe that social change will happen in the the same way, and no we do not have the same hierarchy of values.
  
• Are we pursuing the same goals? Yes and no. Yes, we want to see poor communities revitalized, residents becoming invested in their communities, and local commerce flourishing. But there we part paths. With these outcomes a social entrepreneur will be satisfied; with only these outcomes, the gospel entrepreneur will not be satisfied.
• Are we working together, or at odds? There are many ways in which gospel entrepreneurs will join hands with social entrepreneurs to work for the good of a neighborhood. It is precisely in this context of partnership that the differences in our values and goals will emerge, and will, in a sense, put us at odds, even though we both seek the good of the neighborhood.

If you're asking, "So what are the values and goals of gospel entrepreneurship that differ from social entrepreneurship?" you're asking the right question.

1. Values: The primary interest of a gospel entrepreneur is to seek first the Kingdom of God. At its very core it is different from social entrepreneurship because it seeks to be a sign, instrument and foretaste of the Kingdom of God. Social entrepreneurship has none of these aims.
   
2. Methods: Gospel entrepreneurship believes that lasting social change happens through the Gospel and not apart from it. In fact, it believes that social entrepreneurship, though active and well-intentioned, does not address the real issues of poverty. Consequently, in its dialog with social entrepreneurs, it focuses on the chief end, and the methods of achieving that end.
3. Results: Gospel entrepreneurs measure success entirely differently than social entrepreneurs. Gospel entrepreneurs look for the extension of the reign of Christ over all things through the Gospel. If they start a business that is profitable, provides jobs to the community, and contributes to social change, but does not result in people submitting to Christ as King, they will not consider their work a success.
   

Social entrepreneurship and gospel entrepreneurship are distinct. They have different values, methods and metrics. Yet the business of gospel entrepreneurs is not to criticize social entrepreneurs, but to call them to Christ through the gospel, that He may be all in all.