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Our Dwelling Place: The Calling of the Christian Entrepreneur

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Our Dwelling Place: The Calling of the Christian Entrepreneur
Chaya Braxton
BMBA622
Product/Service, Prdtn. & Qual. Impr
Dr. Emily Cabanda
March 16, 2012

Our Dwelling Place:
The Calling of the Christian Entrepreneur By Chaya Braxton

Introduction
The founder of local grocery chain, Ukrop’s, Joseph Ukrop was devoted to his vocation of being Richmond’s local grocer. He put community first and used his grocery stores to build community. His legacy of entrepreneurship in Richmond was characterized by a distinct commitment to the Christian principles. For example although Ukrop’s was closed on Sundays and sold no alcohol, they were still able to be a market leader in the Richmond grocery industry. In 2000, they were responsible for 38.9 percent of the grocery sales in the local market.1 If Joseph Ukrop’s decided to sell alcohol and required their employees to work on Sundays, the Ukrop’s company would have compromised their proclamation of Christian faith. Ukrop’s also maintained these business practices throughout the entire time of operation. This is Hebrews 13:8-9 applied: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever”. They were “not carried away by divers and strange doctrines…”2 Ukrop acknowledged Jesus as Lord in his business. The calling of the Christian entrepreneur is dynamic. Somehow, the entrepreneur must be guided by biblical principle, be influential in the marketplace while also yield profit to be successful in business. Still, this discussion asserts that when it is the Christian’s right to exercise “dominion in the earth through stewardship and enterprise.”3 It is also that entrepreneur’s responsibility to make his or her days count by forwarding the kingdom.

Psalm 90: Discussion
This tension between man’s place in the continuum of God’s eternity is the theme that characterizes the Hebrew poetic text of Psalm 90. This text begins the fourth division of Psalm, authored by Moses.



References: 1 Gilligan, Gregory J., 'Ukrop 's Supermarket Chain Continues Dominance of Richmond, Va., Area, ' Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News, June 11, 1997. 4 Fructenbaum, Dr. Arnold G Psalm 90:An Exposition, http://www.arielm.org/dcs/pdf/mbs184m.pdf, retrieved March 17, 2012 5 Numbers 13:30 6 Fructenbaum, 2012. 12 Urbrock, W. J. (1998). Psalm 90: Moses, Mortality, and... the Morning. Currents in Theology and Mission, 25(1), 26-29. (find in Regent Library: ATLA Religion database) 13 Ibid.

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