Sean Benesh's Blog, page 2

Funding Social Good Through Startups

When I first began dabbling in startups, admittedly, I wasn’t motivated by financial gain. It was scratching a creative itch that ministry never could. And so I experimented. I had a blast building brands and learning a lot along the way. However, my tune has changed. No, financial gain isn’t my primary motivation. Social impact is. However, starting and scaling a prosperous brand is the only way to get there.

Don’t let the word “prosperous” throw you off because I’m intentionally ambiguous about...

Why I Still Believe That Startups Are a Viable Path for Ministry

First of all, thank you for your outpouring of support after my post last week. I appreciate your encouragement and kind words. It was good to let things cook on low heat on the back burner for the past six months. During that time, one of the topics or ideas I kept wrestling with (and continue to do so) was what help or value I could add to someone interested in such things as startups in the context of ministry. I am even more resolute on the power and impact that startups can have. In fact, t...

Update on the Past 6 Months at Intrepid

Well, it’s been a while. In fact, when I checked this morning, I saw that I hadn’t written an article, sent out a newsletter, or posted on social media since February 8th. So happened?

Life.

Busyness.

More importantly, thinking through Intrepid and its future.

In the midst of teaching full-time, the coaching tracks that I was leading all finished up one by one. On top of that, around mid-March, one of the startups I launched back in 2015 and sold in 2020 suddenly was mine again. So now, I am teachin...

"Bivocational" is Not a Helpful Word So We Should Stop Using It

Language is constantly evolving. New terms are continuously being introduced while older ones are repurposed. Since I spend time daily in the classroom with university students, I get introduced to many of these new terms … like “mid.” I noticed last fall that more and more students were using “mid” in class at the same time my sons (also college students) started using it.

Early on, when I started my church planting journey, it was during an era of the whole emerging / emergent church movement. ...

Why Bivocational Ministry is Not Catching On

Over the past few years, I’ve realized and seen clearly that bivocational ministry isn’t appealing … at all. For most, bivocational ministry represents failure or is not something worth pursuing intentionally. While we know it’s as old as the New Testament, and in the majority world, it’s an everyday reality, but for the more affluent West, it’s still viewed by most as the “minor league of ministry.”

My question is, do we change this? Or how do we change this? One of the books I’ve picked up rece...

Finding Margins in Ministry and Life to Launch a Startup

One of the points I like to reiterate is that not all startups are equal. That is an understatement. They are all vastly different from one another in terms of expertise needed, upfront costs, timeline to scale up, and more. What kind of startup exactly are you wanting to start? A bakery? Are you making jewelry? Creating an app? Coaching/consulting? Building websites? A publishing company? Your answer to that question determines a lot.

One frequent question I hear from people interested in launch...

How to Launch a Low-Cost / No-Cost Startup

I’m convinced that whether we’re talking about starting new churches, businesses, or non-profits, you can do so with little to no money. I understand that line sounds like it was blasted out of your T.V. at 1 AM during one of those over-the-top infomercials … but it’s true. You don’t have to act now to get an extra set of stainless steel knives thrown into your order. The bottom line, it just doesn’t cost that much to start a business.

Obviously, not all businesses are equal. Not all require the ...

What Kind of Startup Can You Realistically Start While You're a Pastor, Church Planter, or Missionary?

I love meeting with those who're kicking the tires of whether to begin the journey down the path of launching a startup. There's a searching-out process that is normative. Often, the conversation turns towards the feasibility of launching a startup while leading or planting a church. Usually, there's a tinge of guilt. It's like, "Oh, I want to and am super interested … but can I really? Will I have time? How much time will it even take?"

Those are normal and healthy questions to ask. Underneath t...

What Have I Learned in 2022 Coaching Ministry Leaders and Growing My Own Brands?

As the year draws to a close, reflecting back over the past twelve months is always healthy. I am always surprised by how fast time flies. This year has been a great adventure in coaching ministry leaders to launch startups and grow the brands I have started within the past two years. I’d love to share with you what I am learning …

what I’m learning coaching ministry leaders to launch startups

Most ministry leaders would rather not be bivocational. How’s that for honesty? If given a choice, hardly...

Sometimes You Need to Leave Ministry to Do Ministry

Thirty years ago, I gave my life to Christ. I had just graduated high school and was headed to college to pursue art. The decision to put my life and future into God’s hands changed everything. As people in my church heard, they suggested that God was calling me into “full-time ministry.” What did I know? So I did a 180. I ended up transferring schools and switching my major to ministry. I went after it full throttle.

My heart beats for people like me at 18. Those who didn’t feel at home in churc...