Darrow Miller speaks of the entrepreneurial mindset (or what he calls “development”) in his book, Discipling Nations: The Power of Truth to Transform Cultures. The words quoted below are from the chapter entitled, “Stewardship: Creating and Managing Bounty.”
As we have seen in previous chapters, we are not to be God’s mindless lackeys, although that in itself is more than we deserve. No, God has given us the unfathomable privilege of being co-creators with Him. Man made in God’s image, is given the awesome task of bringing forth all the potential of creation. Man is the source of earth’s bounty as well as its poverty. As the sovereign God’s vice-regents, we are stewards for His household, coworkers in His kingdom, caretakers of His garden, builders of His city, and actors in His story. In some ways, like our Master, we transcend nature. Of course, He is completely above the natural order, while we live in it and in some ways are bound by the universe’s physical processes. Yet the minds God has given us allow us to move ahead, to leap over barriers, to devise new ways, to solve problems. As Novak has said, “Creation is full of secrets waiting to be discovered, riddles which human intelligence is expected by the creator to unlock.” Created “a little lower than the angels,” we have a task to perform and a purpose to fulfill.
…We can dream of a better world and then begin to make it happen. Where there is darkness, we can create a lightbulb, where there is desert drill a well, where mountains are barren plant a forest, where people are forgotten and ignored set them free through the power of the gospel, where people are ignorant build them schools and libraries, where the land is wasted, plant a garden, where people are sick develop a cure, where there is silence hear the music and play it. Man is the discoverer, explorer, innovator, initiator, creator, and composer.[1]
I just love the creative, transformational juices that run through Darrow Miller’s words above. I believe Miller argues persuasively that this “development ethic” is in the heart of every entrepreneur, and that it ultimately derives from the Christian worldview.
Are you an entrepreneur? Do you wish to use your creativity, your visionary abilities, your ability to lead a team and “get stuff done”—for the glory of God and the blessing of the nations?
At Mission ONE, we have a learning journey—The Beauty of Partnership—that can help you succeed. Check out the panel on the left side of this blog for more information. If you’re interested, you may contact me, Werner Mischke, at werner@mission1.org.
