Social Entrepreneurship is hope for the decaying world and an opportunity for Christian missions. We are living in very uncertain times where many nations are shutting its doors to Christianity and mission work. These countries are using economic gallows to choke the Christian propaganda by prohibiting money flow in order to stop the mission work. Having this in mind, the author has introduced Social Entrepreneurship as a tool for self sustaining mission work, which surpasses the idea of BAM (Business as Mission), and gives a way to spread hope to the hopeless, communities, and to the world.
Manoj Parajuli completed his MPhil in Sociology, and then went on to complete his Master of Theology in Mission Studies from Luther W. New Jr. Theological College, Dehradun. He has served numerous Mussoorie churches as well as served in a ministry of inner healing and deliverance for six years. Currently, he is working with Assemblies of God in various capacities.
Uttrakhand is the 27th state of India, known as 'Dev Bhoomi' which means the "land of gods." Christianity had reached this land in 1624, but became more prominent in the 1814. Despite this, impact of Christianity has been very slow and the presence of Christians in these mountains is less. Missions work has been done through various kinds of social work, education, and medical avenues, but there has not been much impact.
I have been a missionary in Uttrakhand for the past eighteen. years. I was 16 years old when I came here and started working along with "Community of Nation, Church." I have seen and experienced mission work ups and downs, based on funding coming from the west. However, we often talk about self-sustaining, self-governing and self-propagating mission work not only in India but throughout the world; in reality, many times, mission works are very much dependent on donors.
Workers, who are on a mission field and visit house after house or village after village, to share the Gospel, are often seen Struggling with financial hardship. This is particularly true among native missionaries. They do not have proper financial resources, but instead they are very much dependent on some kind of mission organization's support which helps them to barely survive. They areseen as people who do not have financial income source but somehow they survive and propagate Christianity.
This kind of situation invites unnecessary attention and trouble upon workers from anti-Christian government or the people group within their own community from another faith.
Due to organizational structure and its administrative cost, lots of resources are used in organizing it rather than using the resources for the very mission work. Not only that, people who are holding the higher post enjoy the resources but those who are at the lower end including the indigenous workers who are actually putting blood, sweat, and tears into the mission field to reach out to the unreached people group, survive on little resources.
Many missionaries are now trying to use the BUSINESS model for mission. However, it is a personal conviction or call if someone does business for the cause of mission. For example, if someone wants to become a doctor and open a hospital or clinic for the cause of mission. These are wonderful things where all Christians are obligated to do so, whatever profession they are in. Social entrepreneurship is based on the concept of making wealth within the community for the community, which will not abuse the environment, rather it goes towards sustainability. It brings order in a chaotic situation. Christian Social Entrepreneurship is very much Missional in its nature. This can be the best tool for modern mission.
Social entrepreneurship combats social issues by the application of business methods to achieve financial sustainability while seeking to create a social impact. For Christian missionaries, this blending of a business model can be a valuable tool to help sustain an organization while at the same time bearing witness in particular places as missionaries. The overall purpose of this book is to introduce Social Entrepreneurship as a sustainable tool, which is both Missional and Biblical in terms of its nature. The concluding remarks of this book "Developing Social Entrepreneurship as a Tool for an Innovative and Sustainable Christian Mission Work" has been brought out throughout this book. As you go through the book, it will help you understand Christian social entrepreneurship through theoretical, Missional, biblical, theological perspective.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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