Entrepreneurs: How can the Church move the innovators to centre stage?

Growing the Church

The word 'entrepreneur' draws a mixed response when it is used in conjunction with Christian ministry. However, many of the characteristics associated with entrepreneurship are also those that we see displayed in Christians (both leaders and lay people) whose ministries catalyse growth.

At the present time the church is in need of missionary entrepreneurs: those who are able to prayerfully discern how and where change will be appropriate, spot opportunities, take (faithful) risks and bring others with them – all for the sake of the Kingdom.

A public lecture at Cranmer Hall, Durham seeks to address the need for the emergence of missionary entrepreneurs and to provoke new and inspirational thinking in local and regional churches:

The lecture is titled:
Entrepreneurs: How Can the Church Move the Innovators to Centre Stage?
It will be jointly delivered by Dr Bill Bolton and Canon Chris Neal.

Dr Bill Bolton is an international consultant in enterprise and entrepreneurship. He was the founding Director of the St John's Innovation Centre in Cambridge. After leaving Cambridge he was awarded a personal UNITWIN (UNESCO) Chair in Innovation and Technology Transfer. He is also a lay Reader in the Diocese of Chelmsford.

Canon Chris Neal is the Director of Mission Movement for CMS. Prior to this Chris was Rector of Thame Valley Team Ministry, and a member of the Springboard Core Team. He also served as Director of Evangelization in the Diocese of Oxford.

The lecture is organized and introduced by Revd Michael Volland as part of ongoing doctoral research with Durham University's Department of Theology. Michael is the Director of Mission and Tutor in Pioneering at Cranmer Hall. Prior to this he was a Pioneer Minister in the diocese of Gloucester.

Wednesday 16 November 2011
7.30pm
The Leech Hall, St. John's College, 3 South Bailey, Durham DH1 3RJ

The event is free, but it would be helpful to have an idea of numbers in advance. Please contact Revd Michael Volland on m.j.volland@durham.ac.uk if you would like to attend.