The Apostle Paul: An Entrepreneurial Steward
by Min-Dong Paul Lee and Dave Pederson, Wheaton College
The Apostle Paul is one of the most extensively studied biblical characters. However, much of the research focused on his theology, leaving Paul’s human side – his behaviors and motivations – underexplored. With the advancement of modern behavioral sciences, new conceptual tools are available to analyze his ministry from fresh perspectives. For example, what would we learn if we examined Paul’s ministry through the lens of modern entrepreneurial research?
Paul: The Accidental Theologian and Natural Entrepreneur
Paul was a theologian by accident. He didn’t see himself as a writer of long treatises. Rather, he saw himself as God’s servant and practitioner carrying out the pastoral and missionary work of the emerging movement of Jesus’ followers. If we focus on his actions and decisions, we see a unique figure that was highly proactive and entrepreneurial. He planted over a dozen churches, coached many leaders, wrote almost half of the New Testament books, and engaged in trades in multiple cities.
Paul’s life is an apt example of what modern organizational scholars describe as an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have the uncanny ability to see the unmet needs in the market. They are willing to take the risk to create something that exploits the opportunity to add value to society. Modern entrepreneurship research suggests that entrepreneurs possess a distinct mindset characterized by five key features:
1. Opportunity-Seeking: They stay alert and actively scan the environment for new opportunities
2. Disciplined: They are determined and persistent in pursuing their goals
3. Focused: They prioritize specific goals and are willing to make strategic tradeoffs
4. Adaptable: They adjust their strategies to the changing environment
5. Collaborative: They recognize the power of working together with others
Interestingly, Paul had all the marks of an entrepreneur even before his conversion. Paul was a Hellenistic Jew from Tarsus in the province of Cilicia. Yet, he moved to Jerusalem to become a student of Gamaliel, a leading figure among the Pharisees in Jerusalem, eager to climb the religious ladder. When the Jesus sect emerged, Paul saw it as a heretical threat and began to persecute them with discipline and focus. He often adapted his strategies of persecution, growing ever more violent. He was willing to collaborate with even the Sadducees to achieve his objective. Paul was an ambitious entrepreneur driven by his religious zeal and personal success.
Transformation as an Entrepreneurial Steward
Everything changes on the road to Damascus. The encounter with the risen Christ shook Paul to the core and fundamentally transformed his identity, purpose, and practice. It is not that he lost his entrepreneurial edge. Instead, God redirected his natural disposition toward a whole new mission (Acts 9:15). Paul continued applying an entrepreneurial mindset in his missionary work. However, instead of being self-driven and opportunistic, he submitted himself entirely to the leading of his master and committed to the new mission. To describe this unique blend of entrepreneurial mindset with a servant’s heart, we introduce the term entrepreneurial steward. Entrepreneurial stewards are people whose identity is firmly anchored in the stewardship commitment to serve their master’s interest while leveraging their entrepreneurial talents.
Entrepreneurship research identifies autonomy as one of the central motivations for entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs yearn to chart their own course, choose their battles, and be in charge of their destiny. Before his conversion, Paul was a self-driven entrepreneur pursuing personal and religious goals. The personal encounter with Jesus, however, radically transforms his motivation and modus operandi. Instead of autonomy, he learns to practice radical dependence and self-denial.
When Paul met Christ on the road to Damascus, one of his first responses was, “Lord, what shall I do?” (Acts 22:10). Up to this point, Paul was an independent decision-maker. He was always proactive in finding opportunities to achieve his personal goals. However, as he was going through the transformation, he learned to ask for guidance and sought to be led. Interestingly, Jesus does not tell Paul what to do right away. Instead, he asks him to go to the city and wait for instructions from someone.
In Damascus, Paul not only learns to submit to the guidance of Christ but also to the very people he came to arrest. Paul’s healing from blindness begins with his submission to Ananias’ laying hands on him. It almost seems like God is teaching Paul to unlearn independence and learn dependence on God and others. Jesus tells Paul that his intention is to appoint him “as a servant and witness,” especially to the Gentiles (Acts 26:16). These two words, servant and witness, become the cornerstone of his new identity. His identity as a servant and the radical obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit is well-illustrated by an account recorded in Acts 16:6-10.
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Here, Paul does not make decisions based on the opportunities he sees as a typical entrepreneur. Instead, he is attentive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He does not see himself as an autonomous entrepreneur but understands his role as an executor of the master’s will. His new mindset is aptly summarized in his letter to the Galatians: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20). Paul wholly surrendered the raw material of his entrepreneurial abilities before the Lord.
BAM – Entrepreneurial Stewardship
A key lesson we can learn from Paul’s actions and decisions is that our business, mission, and work ultimately belong to the Lord. We, too, are his stewards. We, too, have unique leadership gifts and are wired in a certain way to accomplish tasks. A steward’s primary responsibility is to understand and prioritize the master’s interests. As we learn to follow the Spirit’s leading, we can be excited that God will redeploy our knowledge, dispositions, experiences, and talents for His mission. Just like Paul, our work of entrepreneurial stewardship will begin with this simple question, “Lord, what shall I do?”
Min-Dong Paul Lee, Ph.D.
Co-Director of M.A. in Leadership; Norris A. Aldeen Professor of Business, Department Chair
Min-Dong Paul Lee’s passion is to see God’s people redeem and transform businesses to serve Christ and His Kingdom. He came to Wheaton with a very diverse set of experiences (e.g. ministry, corporate career, and international development) and training (e.g. theology, history, sociology, and business management). He is elated that, at Wheaton, all these experiences and training can come together in a meaningful way toward equipping God’s people to make positive impacts in the marketplace. Currently, the focus of his research revolves around three themes: corporate social responsibility, compassion in workplace, and faith and business as a mission. On the personal side, God has blessed him with a wonderful and godly wife, Caroline, and three hilarious children who cause him to give thanks to the Lord all the time.
Dave Pederson, PhD
Online and Projects Coordinator in the Litfin School of Divinity at Wheaton College
Dave served in the pastorate in Greece, South Korea, The Philippines and the United States. He chaired the Living in Korea Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Seoul and has served on various education boards. Dave’s current research focuses on four areas: the expatriate Christian, the intersection of addiction and theology, the social theories behind Paul’s community building, and the mindset of the modern entrepreneur. His favorite authors are John Owen and GK Chesterton. Dave and Debbie parent five grown children and one grandchild who has stolen both of their hearts.
Photo by Carlos Ibáñez on Unsplash
