Suggested Reading List: On Kingdom Business

Lots of books have been written on the topic of Kingdom Business and Biblical Entrepreneurship. Several of the books below have been reviewed by friends of RCE. We will continue to update this list, so be sure to check back periodically for the latest reads. If you have a book to add, or want to write a book review, we would love to publish your thoughts. Join the community! Email us at rce@regent.edu with a book review proposal.

  • Befus, David R. (2002).
    Kingdom business: The ministry of promoting economic development.
    Miami: Latin America Mission.
    Befus writes from his experience in integrating ministry with economic activity and presents five models of integration. There are both Spanish and English translations.
  • Burkett, Larry (1998).
    Business by the Book: The complete guide of Biblical principles for the workplace.
    Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
    Practical advice for how to apply Biblical principles to business operation and management.
  • Bussau, David, and Russell Mask (2003).
    Christian micro enterprise development: An introduction. Regnum Books.
    A handbook to equip practitioners and donors to build Christ’s Kingdom through Christian MED.
  • Chan, Kim-kwong, and Tetsauno Yamamori (2002).
    Holistice entrepreneurs in China: A handbook on the World Trade Organization and new opportunities for Christians.
    Pasadena, CA.: William Carey International University Press.
    Practical information on the economic changes taking place in China and the opportunities for Christian business entrepreneurs being created.
  • Danker, William J., Beaver. R. Pierce ().
    Profit for the lord: Economic activities in Moravian missions and the basel mission trading company.
  • De Soto, Hernando (2000).
    The Mystery of capital, why capitalism triumphs in the West and fails everywhere else.
    New York, NY: Basis Books.
    Examines the problem of why some countries succeed at capitalism and others fail. He finds a link to the legal structure of property and property rights of each nation.
  • Eldred, Ken (2003).
    God is at work: Transforming people and nations through business.
    Ventura, CA: Regal Books
    Deals with Kingdom business as an emerging mission movement, one in which Christian business people are meeting significant spiritual and economic needs in the developing world. They are pursuing for-profit business ventures designed to facilitate the transformation of people and nations.
    Buy this book now! Click hereand then click again on the picture.
  • Gibson, Dan (1997).
    Avoiding the tentmaker trap. Ontario, Canada: WEC International.
    Practical guidance for the prospective tentmaker, including a comprehensive resource list of books and organizations.
  • Greene, Mark (2001).
    Supporting Christians at work: A practical guide for busy pastors.
    London: London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
  • Grudem, Wayne (2003).
    Business for the Glory of God: The Bibles Teaching on the Moral Goodness of Business. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway.)
    Examines how business, in particular ownership, employment, profit, money, inequality of possessions, competition etc. may glorify God.
  • Hamilton, Don (1987).
    Tentmakers Speak: Practical Advice from Over 400 Missionary Tentmakers. Duarte, CA.: TMQ Research, 1987.
    Research led book sharing insights from tentmakers’ real life experiences.
    Available at 
    intent.org
  • Hammond, Pete, R. Paul Stevens and Todd Svanoe (2002).
    Marketplace Annotated Bibliography: A Christian Guide to Books on Work, Business and Vocation. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
    Comprehensive listing of 1200 books on marketplace-faith integration. The authors include a historical survey of the marketplace-faith movement and a variety of thematic indexes.
  • Hill, Dr. Alexander (1997).
    Just Business – Christian Ethics for the Marketplace. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.
    An introduction to business ethics and help for examining ethical issues that arise in any business development context.
  • Humphreys, Kent (2004).
    Lasting investments: A pastor’s guide for equipping workplace leaders to leave a spiritual legacy. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
    Rediscovering the common goals and visions that pastors and workplace leaders share.
  • Knoblauch, Jorg and Jurg Opprecht (2004).
    Kingdom Companies: How 24 Executives Around the Globe Serve Jesus Christ Through Their Businesses. Self published.
    Introduces kingdom companies – those businesses that operate on biblical values and as a means of spreading the gospel. Highlights principles for kingdom companies through short company profiles. (Contact:knoblauch@tempus.de)
  • Lai, Patrick (2003).
    Window businesses: Doing tentmaking in the 10/40 window. Pasadena, CA: William Carey International University Press.
    Practical guide for starting businesses as a tentmaker in countries at various economic stages.
  • Lewis, Jonathan, ed. (1997).
    Working your way to the nations: A guide to effective tentmaking. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
    A study guide and handbook on tentmaking, with a series of practical essays by experienced specialists. Available at http://www.tentmakernet.com – free to download in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Arabic.
  • Myers, Bryant (1999).
    Walking with the poor: Principles and practices of transformational development., (Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis.)
    Theological basis for economic development and holistic mission, with discussion on the application of these principles.
  • Nash, Laura, Ken Blanchard and Scotty McLennan (2001).
    Church on sunday, work on monday: The challenge of fusing Christian values with business life. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
    A guide to improving communication between the worlds of church and business. The authors draw on extensive research including case studies and interviews, and define the obstacles to such communication.
  • Novak, Michael (1996).
    Business as a calling: work and the examined life. New York, NY: The Free Press.
    Examines the interplay between religion and business and the effect on the moral and social condition of a nation.
  • Olsen, J. Gunnar (2004).
    Business unlimited: Memories of the coming kingdom, (ICCC, 2002: Scandinavia Publishing House.
    The autobiography of Gunnar Olson, founder of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce. A story of an intimate walk with God which has lead to the author being used to influence nations.
    Available under “Resources” at iccc.net
  • Prahalad, C.K. (2005).
    The fortune at the bottom of the pyramid: Eradicating poverty through profits. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Wharton School Publishing.
    The relationship between business and development in developing nations. Examining the entrepreneurial ability and buying power of the poor.
  • Rundle, Steve, and Tom Steffen (2003).
    Great Commission Companies: The emerging role of business in missions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
    Introduces principles for Great Commission Companies in the context of globalization. Provides five case studies from businesses involved in mission.
  • Silvoso, Ed (2002).
    Anointed for business: How Christians can use their influence in the marketplace to change the world. Ventura, California: Regal.
    Silvoso shows how ministry in the marketplace should go hand in hand with building God’s kingdom and transforming society. He urges the church to overcome the barriers that remain to integrating business and ministry.
  • Schlossberg, Herbert, Ronald J. Sider and Vinay Samuel, Eds. (1994).
    Christianity and economics in the Post-cold war era. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.
    Developed from the second Oxford Conference on Christian faith and economics, this book reproduces the 1990 Oxford Declaration itself and eleven critical responses on the subject of Christian faith and economics.
  • Suter, Heinz and Dr. Marco Gmur (1997).
    Business Power for God’s Purpose. Greng, Switz.:VKG Publishing.
    Introduction to the role of business in the task of world evangelization, including history and ethics and some cases.
  • Swarr, Sharon B. and Dwight Nordstrom (1999).
    Transform the world: Biblical vision and purpose for business. Center for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development.
    A Biblical introduction to the domain of business followed by some practical guides and principles for developing ‘Great Commission businesses’.
  • Tsukahira, Peter (2000).
    My father’s business. Self-published.
    By drawing from his experience as both a pastor and a business leader, Tsukahira gives guidelines for ministry in the marketplace.
  • Wilson, J. Christy, Jr. (1979).
    Today’s tentmakers. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.
    Introduction to the idea of tentmaking from one of the founding fathers of the modern tentmaking movement.
  • Yamamori, Tetsunao (1993).
    Penetrating missions’ final frontier: A new strategy for unreached people. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Yamamori presents a challenge for tentmakers to go out into places other missionaries cannot, all in the light of the remaining task of world missions.
  • Yamamori, Tetsunao, and Kenneth A. Eldred, Eds. (2003).
    On kingdom business: Transforming missions through entrepreneurial strategies. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. This is a thorough introduction to the concept of Kingdom business from a broad range of experienced contributors, and is divided into three parts: case studies, essays and conclusions.

 

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