The First of Words Matter

We are on week two of the cohort I am facilitating through OCEAN Programs ' Genesis Entrepreneurship Course. I love the experience because I am not only sharing my experience as an entrepreneur and guiding new startup founders through a structured launchpad, but I also get to orient that training to what we learn about life and business from the Bible.

And, I am continuously learning new things myself.

For example, today's lesson starts out by discussing a little-known fact about Jesus where He is frequently referred to as a carpenter. The European Bible translators in the 1700s utilized the English word "carpenter" to translate the Greek root word "tekton," but 'tekton' is more accurately translated as 'craftsman' or 'builder.' Because wood was the most common building material in Europe in the 1700s, the translator thought 'carpenter' made logical sense. However, stone and stucco were (and are still) the most common building materials in the Middle East and around the time of Jesus.

As entrepreneurs, it's remarkable to consider that Jesus grew up in a family of builders who built homes or whole villages out of stone and stucco rather than solely a maker of furniture (usually a chair or table) as depicted in every film and painting. This more grand idea of building and construction expertise would have exposed Jesus to the entire business spectrum, whereas carpentry alone would have been a more specialized artisan experience. Because Jesus' full-time ministry only began when He was 30, He would have spent most of His life working in the family business. With this experience, Jesus demonstrated that He was incredibly adept at coordinating people, building relationships, and constructing His Kingdom.

Jesus went on to launch a daring movement that altered the course of history. He had a bold vision and used counter-cultural means that, at their core, are ideas that apply to all types of entrepreneurs.?

His mission, like all new endeavors, required a leap of faith by all who participated. His task called for a radical definition and expansion of the Kingdom, necessitating resources beyond the traditional and ones only He could visualize.

Even if you have already launched your business and it is a great success, you can still learn more with me about business and life as we apply the principles of the Bible to the worldly models of entrepreneurship. You can see through this video how well established, Huntr, found their OCEAN experience an accelerator of their business. Watch is Faith Driven Investor video about OCEAN and Huntr.

Learn more here.

Gordon