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What examples do we know of using the church infrastructure to train and support microbusiness development, and what issues does this raise for conflicts of interest with pastoral responsibilities?

MClargo

23 posts

www.reconxile.com

Joined
9/12/2006

Re: Using the existing Church infrastructure for business?
Posted: 12 Nov 06 9:04 PM

Cornell Jackson replies: You are right to be worried about a conflict of interest in this area. The only experience of churches being involved in business development I can relate is from the African-American experience in the USA. As a result of the civil rights movement, black power and community development initiatives, churches became involved in spurring economic and business development in black communities. My mother's church has a business development centre connected to it. The churches directly involved tend to be the larger ones and the pastor is normally not running the business development efforts. Even where they are , they are usually wearing two hats. For example, Leon Sullivan, pastor of a very large black church in my home town of Philadelphia, set up the Opportunities Industrialisation Center (OIC) in the 1960's to spawn the creation of black businesses. The OIC was separate from the church and when he was at the church he was pastor and when he was at the OIC he was president. I do not remember any conflicts of interest being published in the press and Dr. Sullivan is remembered very fondly. However, the risk is real. You may want to study what black churches are doing in America now in regards to business development. However, it may not prove to be applicable to where you are currently working.

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