If you are part of a faith community, either as a paid staff member, volunteer, or participant, you can likely imagine the problems that may arise when combining business and church. However, Kirbyjon Caldwell and Walt Kallestad, the authors of Entrepreneurial Faith, believe that these barriers can be overcome. In fact, they see no inherent conflict between church and commerce. They state, “In the Kingdom of God there is justice, including economic justice and the creation of jobs so people can support their families.”

Caldwell and Kallestad use case studies, personal reflections, and advice from social enterprise and business authors to enlighten readers about the unique challenges of managing faith-based enterprises. Additionally, they attempt to clarify the role of the faith-based entrepreneur by proposing that he or she is an individual who,“marries a challenge with a vision to create a blessing for others.”

However, for all its advice, the most useful element of the book is its appendices, which offer complete sample business/strategic plans, operations plans, and funding proposals. This section also includes instructions for conducting feasibility studies.

Both Caldwell and Kallestad have developed social enterprises. Caldwell has an MBA from the Wharton Graduate School of Management and is the pastor of the largest United Methodist church in America. In 1982, when he assumed leadership, the church had only twenty-five members and was planning to sell its land in order to cover its expenses.At that time, the community had few businesses, jobs, or other necessary services.

Today, the church runs several enterprises. Most of these are in the real estate development arena, and include the “largest residential subdivision ever built by a nonprofit organization.”This neighborhood provides housing for many people who were homeless.

Kallestad pastors Community Church of Joy in Phoenix, which sits on a 200-acre campus that includes a retirement center. He also began with a small congregation and ten acres of land that were in danger of being sold. However, before he experienced success, his “entrepreneurial faith” helped the church to decline in membership from 200 to 100 members in his first year. He attributes this rapid drop in membership to his own mistakes and to the fact that many people are uncomfortable with the integration of church and commerce.

Readers will find it valuable to hear about the authors’ successes and failures. However, although Caldwell and Kallestad seamlessly integrate different perspectives and leave readers with the idea that faith and enterprise are perfectly compatible, they do not specifically address the unique difficulties that arise in faith-based enterprises, nor do they extensively discuss the unique qualities of faith-based entrepreneurs. Thus, those looking for a comparative analysis will be disappointed.

Nonetheless, because it is one of only a few books on this subject, Entrepreneurial Faith breaks new ground. Those seeking to implement social enterprises within communities of faith will find it most useful, given that the book clearly addresses the unique needs of ministries and churches.

On the whole, the message one receives from this book is that social enterprise within a faith community is more difficult, not in kind, but by degree. Leaders often encounter stronger resistance that comes from a deep foundation. However, faith-based entrepreneurs do not significantly differ from their secular counterparts: they are equally motivated and their purposes are similarly strong and profoundly rooted.

Rating = 5 (for church or ministry leaders and volunteers) = 3 (for other readers)
Rating System Key
1 – Don’t read this book, even if you get it for free
2 – Reading this book review gives you everything you need to know
3 – Check out the book from your local library
4 – Buy the book for your personal library
5 – Buy the book and get a couple for your friends and associates