Continuing his series on Social Enterprise Nick Priggis highlights more connections.
Connection 3: Working with other churches
One of the disadvantages of a small local church starting a Social Enterprise is that the skill-sets needed are not always found in a small church. But that disadvantage, as is often the way, can also be a great advantage. Having to look more widely for skills and gifts to grow our Social Enterprise has created many opportunities for partnership and connection with other churches.
Our Chair of Trustees is a member of the church we have helped to plant. Our Administrator and Employment Coach comes from the church who planted us! The resources are found in the Body of Christ. They are also found in the mission itself. A recently qualified apprentice at our commercial garage started his journey with our training programme when he was just 15 years old. His employment through our garage is the mission being worked out before our eyes.
Connection 4: Ministries in the churches
We don’t see Hope Initiatives as just a stand-alone operation. Instead we see it as part of our overall Kingdom ministry in our town. For example, our Food Bank refers Mark to our employment support programme. He does Alpha with some friends. His confidence grows and he gets saved. He then gets a job but keeps volunteering at Hope Initiatives. He gets baptised and then looks at starting an Alpha course after work at Hope Initiatives with some of the friends he has made through our Social Enterprise.
Another example would be James who, having gone through Hope Initiatives, is taken further along his journey by our partners in a different church who are able to provide additional personal and employment support. In this way we seek to work together across churches and ministries.
Connection 5: On-going Vision and the Leading of the Holy Spirit
For our last ‘connection’ we recognise that it is the Lord who puts new ideas and vision on our hearts. At the right time ideas, resources and opportunities collide in such an orchestrated way it seems no dream is ever wasted under the leading of the Holy Spirit. However, it does require patience and perseverance. One step at a time the Lord grows His purposes into something which we would never have dreamed of in the beginning. And yet it happens and continues to happen.
For you to consider:
To take this forward in your own setting consider:
- What connections do you see the Lord making?
- What resources are to hand and how might you develop links across churches?
- How have you seen strategic links with other ministries?
Next week we will look at how church leaders can release social entrepreneurs through the church.