Social entreprenuership is generally
defined as the use of business to address social problems. That is
essentially what the Sun Ministries Opportunity Center does. We
currently run 5 businesses which act as employment and training
environments for people with obstacles. We are also using them to
rebuild the economy of our neighborhood. They provide jobs, bring
money and visitors into the area, and act as a tool to highlight the
problems we face. Our customers are aware of the nature of our work,
regardless of what business they're patronizing, and learn about the
challenges people have and the immensity of the solutions necessary
to overcome them.
We are creating opportunity for the
oppressed with the work of our hands, instead of storing up wealth
for ourselves. Our missionaries are not paid, and they live a modest
lifestyle so that we can use most of our resources for the ministry.
We can improve our businesses, provide steady hours and decent pay
for our employees, and be involved in other ministry opportunities in
the neighborhood.
We are utilizing all of our resources -
money, labor, creativity, skills, materials – for the sake of the
Kingdom. Our businesses provide skill and tools for ministry. We've used vehicles and tools to do community
clean-ups. We've used our maintenance and construction skills to fix
widows' homes. We've utilized our cafe for our employees' family
gatherings, and for employee Christmas parties. This is simply
taking the values of the Good News of the Kingdom and applying them
to everything we do- not just to our own personal attitudes and
actions, but also to our businesses. In living the Gospel, we can
utilize all we have and do in outwardly-focused ministry
opportunities. The Gospel of Jesus is always bigger than our selves
and always sacrificial, and there's no reason that should not
permeate our businesses.
This business model also fits in to the
long-term, big picture view of Pastoring the Community. Rebuilding
economy takes time. Reentering the workforce takes time. We have to
be creative, patient, and always looking to solve problems.
We have learned that not all people can
perform all tasks. Having multiple businesses gives us the ability
to move people around. It also diversifies our income so that the
ministry as a whole can continue to function, even if one of the
businesses does poorly for a while.
Pastoring the Community also involves
care, and we've already shared some examples of that. In restoring
buildings, creating nice spaces, and stabilizing areas, we are caring
for the neighborhood as a whole. Our restaurant, Sun Cafe, has
especially played a role in being a meeting space for all sorts of
businesses and organizations.
We've also found that when you set your
intentions on following God's design, He builds something you didn't
expect. We've already talked about the idea of a prepared work,
which is spoken of in Ephesians 2:10. Besides the miraculous
provision and planning that has come about, we've witnessed that the
businesses God has built here function differently. They are places
where ministry can occur, where pride can be challenged and yet
esteem built up.
To learn more about the Opportunity
Center and our businesses, visit our websites:
http://www.suncafeandmarket.org
Read Pastoring the Community, Part 1 - Social Justice
Read Pastoring the Community, Part 2 - Urban Renewal
Read Pastoring the Community, Part 1 - Social Justice
Read Pastoring the Community, Part 2 - Urban Renewal
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