Youth Ministry as a Playground for Entrepreneurship: Fostering Resilient Hope
Entrepreneurship, understood as endeavors pertaining to starting a new business or organization, involving innovation and risk, is both instrumental in contributing to economic growth and development and plays a significant role in societal development. Due to the complexity of the entrepreneurial endeavor and the many risk factors, entrepreneurs are trained in withstanding trials whilst fostering a resilient hope, as the possibility of failure is always imminent.
This paper presents some of the key findings of a recent qualitative study of nine Christian entrepreneurs. The study explores how Christian entrepreneurs interpret their involvement in entrepreneurial efforts related to theological concepts like vocation and stewardship, and if entrepreneurship may even be understood as an act of worshipping God. In this paper, I am particularly interested in how experiences in youth ministry have shaped the life and calling of Christian entrepreneurs, and I examine how youth ministry impacts their entrepreneurial journey, focusing on the four dimensions of entrepreneurship – the individual, the organization, the environment, and the process/practices.
Drawing on these findings, theories of innovation, play, and resilience – and theologies of youth ministry – are utilized to make sense of youth ministry as a place for innovation, change and creativity. The paper tries to identify how the practices, processes and encounters in youth ministry may be understood as a playground for entrepreneurship, fostering a resilient hope. The paper concludes by pointing at play as the key practice in developing youth ministry as such a playground.
This paper presents some of the key findings of a recent qualitative study of nine Christian entrepreneurs. The study explores how Christian entrepreneurs interpret their involvement in entrepreneurial efforts related to theological concepts like vocation and stewardship, and if entrepreneurship may even be understood as an act of worshipping God. In this paper, I am particularly interested in how experiences in youth ministry have shaped the life and calling of Christian entrepreneurs, and I examine how youth ministry impacts their entrepreneurial journey, focusing on the four dimensions of entrepreneurship – the individual, the organization, the environment, and the process/practices.
Drawing on these findings, theories of innovation, play, and resilience – and theologies of youth ministry – are utilized to make sense of youth ministry as a place for innovation, change and creativity. The paper tries to identify how the practices, processes and encounters in youth ministry may be understood as a playground for entrepreneurship, fostering a resilient hope. The paper concludes by pointing at play as the key practice in developing youth ministry as such a playground.
Publisert i IASYM 2026 BI-ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: "Resilient Hope in a Global Context.", 2026
Les artikkelen her