A Voice to be Heard
by Richard Higginson and Kina Robertshaw (published by Inter-Varsity Press, 2017).
Christian entrepreneurs are often misunderstood. Yet Christian entrepreneurs are at the heart of the church’s mission. These dynamic, innovative followers of Jesus are making a major contribution to our society through the businesses they run, the products and services they supply, and the people they employ and influence. A Voice to be Heard explains and celebrates their work, mostly through their own words.
Maybe you work in business, or are an entrepreneur yourself; perhaps you think you might want to become an entrepreneur; or maybe you’re a church leader who needs to understand and support this Kingdom missionary role more closely. This book is for anyone who wants to know more about some of the most exciting, Kingdom focused entrepreneurs at work today.
This book is itself a God-given entrepreneurial venture. Richard is the longest serving member of staff at Ridley Hall, Cambridge where he is Director of Studies, Tutor in Ethics, and Director of Faith in Business. Who would have thought that such a distinguished academic would team up with a young, Zambian businesswoman who set up the first independent department store in Lusaka and then went on to establish an events agency, and fashion and music magazines? Yet the combination of Kina’s dynamism and Richard’s deep theological knowledge is brilliant – an unexpected, creative blend that helps the reader unpack the essence of what guides, motivates and sustains the fifty Christian entrepreneurs that were interviewed for this book.
Richard and Kina first build a foundation, giving examples of Christian entrepreneurship, charting the history and image of entrepreneurs in the UK, and showing how Christian entrepreneurs are making a major contribution in the Global South, as well as to the UK economy. They then move on to draw upon their extensive research material and explore a series of “twin themes” that emerged from the fifty interviews. They look at calling and Kingdom, vision and passion, creativity and courage, relationships and service, stewardship and power, integrity and honesty, prayer and fasting, and finally perseverance and hope. They close by examining the tricky relationship between entrepreneurs and the church, concluding that - if the church will embrace them - entrepreneurs have the potential to play a major role in the church’s mission.
This is a very enjoyable read, but also a stimulating and thought-provoking work.