This unit introduces students to the theological and practical foundations of entrepreneurship through the lens of Christian faith and patristic wisdom.

• Week 1 explores the meaning of entrepreneurship, highlighting the call to creativity as imago Dei through readings from Genesis and Basil the Great.

• Week 2 examines patristic insights on work and vocation, drawing on Augustine’s vision of ordered love, Gregory the Great’s teaching on stewardship, and the practices of the desert fathers as a case study in sustainable living.

• Week 3 focuses on entrepreneurship as stewardship, considering resources, talents, and accountability in light of the Parable of the Talents and John Chrysostom’s reflections on wealth and almsgiving.

By the end of this unit, students will understand how early Christian thought frames entrepreneurship not merely as business activity, but as a vocation of creativity, stewardship, and service.

Week 1 introduces students to the foundations of entrepreneurship through the lens of the early Church Fathers. Students will explore how innovation, stewardship, and enterprise can be guided by patristic wisdom, emphasizing virtues such as service, community, and faithfulness. By blending practical business concepts with theological insights, learners will discover how entrepreneurial ventures can serve not only economic purposes but also spiritual and Kingdom impact.

This video provides an overview of entrepreneurship through a patristic perspective, exploring how the wisdom of the early Church Fathers can inform modern business and ministry practices. It highlights the integration of faith, stewardship, and innovation in building ventures with Kingdom impact.

Week 2 explores three foundational patristic insights that continue to shape Christian approaches to entrepreneurship and ministry. Augustine’s teaching on ordered love helps us understand how rightly ordered desires form the basis for ethical decision-making and sustainable leadership. Gregory the Great’s reflections on stewardship emphasize responsibility, humility, and the call to manage resources for the sake of others rather than personal gain. Finally, the Desert Fathers provide a case study in radical simplicity and detachment, demonstrating how discipline, prayer, and community can inspire faithful innovation. Together, these readings highlight how spiritual wisdom can guide practical engagement in business and ministry.

This reflective meditation explores how the human heart, by nature, seeks to love. It illustrates how the heart can become restless or disordered when love is misaligned, and how true fulfillment is found when that love is rightly oriented toward God. The video invites viewers into a journey of healing and spiritual alignment through the concept of “ordered love.”

Week 3 explores the call to faithful stewardship and generosity through the lens of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25) and the teachings of John Chrysostom. In the parable, Jesus emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and the wise use of God-given gifts, showing that neglect or fear leads to loss, while faithful stewardship brings increase and reward. John Chrysostom deepens this vision by urging believers to view wealth not as personal possession but as a trust from God, meant to be shared generously with the poor through almsgiving. Together, these readings challenge students to consider how resources, talents, and opportunities are to be managed faithfully—not for self-gain, but for service, justice, and Kingdom impact.

St. John Chrysostom First Sermon on Lazarus and the Rich Man", which is a homiletic exposition of the famous parable from Luke 16:19–31. In this sermon, St. John Chrysostom reflects on the story of the unnamed rich man and the beggar Lazarus, using it as a moral and spiritual lesson on charity, wealth, and divine justice.

In his Second Sermon on the parable from Luke 16:19–31, St. John Chrysostom shifts from describing the earthly lives of the rich man and Lazarus to a profound reflection on their destinies after death. He reverses worldly assumptions: what appears as misfortune on earth may be true blessing before God. Chrysostom emphasizes that true wealth is not in possessions, but in needing little, and true poverty lies not in lacking goods but in craving many desires. Lazarus, destitute though he was in life, is the one richly rewarded after death, while the rich man, despite earthly comfort, is truly impoverished due to greed and indifference.

He underscores the Christian duty of almsgiving without judgment—we are to help the poor without conditioning our charity on their worthiness or circumstances, as charity transcends human merit.

In the Third Sermon (often also considered part of the third discourse) of his On Wealth and Poverty series, St. John Chrysostom reflects on the rich man’s desperate plea for “a drop of water” (Luke 16:24). He highlights the irreversible chasm between earthly life and eternal destiny, emphasizing that repentance must occur before death—once life ends, the chance for correction is gone. Chrysostom presents a vivid portrait of the soul just after departing the body—filled with dread at the impending judgment—and invites his listeners to view the rich man as the most tragic figure of all.

Chrysostom further teaches that every person will ultimately receive what they deserve: “evil” may be permitted in this life as recompense for past good, and “good” may be withheld in this life as recompense for evil—suggesting that what matters most is how one prepares their soul for eternity. He concludes with a striking call: it’s better to endure suffering now than to be punished later.

In his Fourth Sermon on the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, St. John Chrysostom focuses on the rich man’s second plea—that Lazarus be sent to warn his living brothers. Chrysostom argues that Scripture alone is the true and reliable guide for moral instruction, far superior to any supernatural messenger or apparition. He warns that if the dead could return regularly, the power of resurrection would lose its impact—and the devil would twist such visits into falsehoods. Instead, our conscience, combined with Holy Scripture, provides the wisdom needed to discern right from wrong. He further emphasizes that both this life and the life to come reward the righteous and punish the wicked, and that no one can escape God's justice—even if outward appearances suggest otherwise.

In the Fifth Sermon of his On Wealth and Poverty homily series, St. John Chrysostom further explores the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), reflecting on the profound implications for both the rich and the poor. He illuminates how true blessing lies not in material abundance, but in spiritual readiness, virtue, and humility. Through vivid contrasts—Lazarus’s suffering followed by honor, and the rich man’s comfort followed by judgment—Chrysostom reinforces the spiritual reversal central to the parable: our eternal fate is shaped by how we live, not what we own. He exhorts listeners to embody generosity, cultivate restraint, and view earthly prosperity as an opportunity for virtue, not indulgence.

In the Seventh Sermon of his On Wealth and Poverty series, St. John Chrysostom offers a powerful summary and reflection on the entire parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Drawing together themes from his previous homilies, he emphasizes that true wealth and poverty are determined by one's inner disposition, not external circumstance. Lazarus, though poor and afflicted on earth, is truly rich in virtue—and receives eternal reward—while the rich man, despite his comfort, is impoverished by his greed and indifference. Chrysostom exhorts his audience to recognize God’s just economy, in which every person will receive what is due—either here or in eternity—and warns that earthly masks of prosperity or misery are stripped away by death, revealing the soul’s true state.

Week 4 explores the relationship between God’s creative nature and the human call to innovation. Beginning with Genesis 1:1–3, we see the Trinity active in creation—God the Father speaking, the Spirit hovering, and the Word bringing forth light. This divine act of creativity establishes humanity’s identity as imago Dei, called to mirror God’s creativity in shaping, cultivating, and stewarding the world. Building on this foundation, the reading from Innovation Theology: A Biblical Inquiry and Exploration invites students to consider a theology of innovation, where innovation is not merely technological or economic progress, but a faithful response to God’s call to participate in His redemptive work. Students will reflect on how creativity and innovation can serve Kingdom purposes, foster human flourishing, and remain grounded in Scripture rather than worldly ambition.

Week 5 examines the economic practices of early Christian monastic communities as a case study in stewardship, sustainability, and vocation. The monastic economies were not built on wealth accumulation but on principles of simplicity, shared labor, and communal support, reflecting the gospel call to live free from greed while serving one another’s needs. By studying how monks cultivated land, produced goods, and organized their communities, students will see how early Christians modeled a countercultural approach to work and resources—one rooted in prayer, discipline, and generosity. This case study highlights how faith can shape economic life and offers insights for applying Christian principles of stewardship and sustainability in today’s contexts.

Week 6 explores St. Ambrose’s teachings on courage and prudence as essential virtues for Christian life and leadership. Ambrose emphasizes that courage is not reckless boldness but the strength to remain steadfast in truth and justice, even under pressure or persecution. Prudence, likewise, is the wisdom to discern rightly and act with foresight, ensuring that courage is directed toward what is good rather than impulsive. Together, these virtues form a balance: prudence guides action, and courage sustains it. By engaging Ambrose’s insights, students will reflect on how moral character, shaped by courage and prudence, equips believers to face challenges faithfully and lead with integrity in both spiritual and practical matters.

In this biographical video, Saint Ambrose is portrayed as a Roman governor unexpectedly thrust into the role of bishop of Milan. Despite his reluctance—and even fleeing the selection—he was chosen from the assembly amidst theological turmoil and became bishop within a week, even before his baptism. As bishop, Ambrose quickly transformed into a bold and influential leader: defending Nicene orthodoxy against Arianism, challenging emperors—including barring Theodosius from communion until he repented for ordering a massacre—and profoundly shaping the early church through preaching, theology, and courageous moral leadership.

This video, “How to Write a Business Plan – Entrepreneurship 101,” walks students step-by-step through the essentials of crafting a strong business plan. It outlines why a well-designed business plan is vital—as both a strategic roadmap and a persuasive tool for securing funding. The video highlights various formats, from comprehensive traditional plans to lean startup models, and covers key components like the executive summary, company description, market research, financial forecasts, competitive analysis, and more. It’s a beginner-friendly guide to organizing your business vision clearly and effectively.

Week 8 readings explore the role of marketing in ministry through both practical and theological lenses. In Why It’s Not Wrong to Market Your Ministry, M. Kim argues that sharing a ministry’s vision and message is not about self-promotion but about faithfully stewarding resources and reaching people with the gospel. Marketing, when rooted in humility and integrity, becomes a tool for service rather than manipulation. The Purpose-Driven Marketing devotional reinforces this by grounding outreach in Scripture, emphasizing that all promotion should flow from God’s purposes—to glorify Him, serve others, and advance His kingdom. Together, these readings challenge students to see ministry marketing not as worldly or self-seeking, but as a form of intentional witness that communicates Christ’s love effectively in today’s culture.

Week 9's reading examines patristic critiques of greed and the misuse of wealth, drawing on insights from the early Church Fathers. The article “Is Greed Good? On God and Wealth” highlights how thinkers like Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, and Augustine viewed greed as a destructive vice that deforms the soul, harms community, and contradicts the gospel. Wealth, they argued, is not evil in itself but becomes sinful when hoarded, exploited, or used selfishly rather than for the good of others. The Fathers consistently framed generosity and almsgiving as acts of justice, not optional charity, since resources are entrusted by God for the care of all. Students will reflect on how these patristic critiques challenge both ancient and modern attitudes toward money, success, and consumerism, offering a countercultural vision of stewardship shaped by love and justice.

Week 10's reading explores Cyprian of Carthage’s vision of Christian community, shaped during times of persecution and crisis in the third century. Cyprian emphasized that the Church is called to unity, mutual care, and sacrificial love, grounded in Christ’s command to serve one another. For Cyprian, the community of believers is not simply a gathering but a family bound together in faith, where resources, encouragement, and even suffering are shared for the sake of Christ. His writings highlight how true Christian community resists division, embodies forgiveness, and offers a living witness of God’s kingdom to the world.

Week 11's reading examines the rise of early Christian institutions of care—hospitals, schools, and social support networks—that emerged as tangible expressions of the gospel. Rooted in the teachings of Christ and the compassion of the early Church Fathers, these initiatives embodied the belief that service to the poor, the sick, and the marginalized was an essential mark of Christian discipleship. Early Christian hospitals provided not only medical treatment but also spiritual comfort, schools formed communities of learning shaped by faith, and care networks ensured widows, orphans, and the vulnerable were not abandoned. Together, these institutions demonstrate how the early Church transformed society by building a culture of charity, education, and holistic care, laying the foundation for later Christian approaches to social justice and public service.

Week 12's reading explores John Chrysostom’s teaching on honesty in trade and the moral responsibilities of economic life. Chrysostom warned against fraud, exploitation, and greed in business, insisting that all transactions must reflect justice, fairness, and love of neighbor. For him, wealth gained through dishonesty was not only socially harmful but spiritually destructive, corrupting both the merchant and the community. Trade, when conducted with integrity, could serve the common good and glorify God; when corrupted by deceit, it became a form of theft. Chrysostom’s reflections challenge believers to see commerce not as morally neutral but as an arena for living out Christian virtue, where honesty and generosity are essential marks of discipleship.