[Featured Image: Photo by Kampus Production]
Guest Writer: Dan Veeneman | May 14, 2025
Faith and business might seem like two separate worlds, but when they come together with intention, they can help bring about justice, mercy, and lasting transformation. In the Christian Reformed church (CRC), deacons are chosen by their local congregations to give leadership to diaconal ministry. In this ministry, deacons empower members of their own congregation and partner with neighbouring churches, Christian services, and local agencies to join in God’s transforming work in communities across Canada.
Increasingly, one of the most exciting ways to do this is through the rise of Redemptive Social Enterprises (RSEs) and Business as Mission (BAM). These approaches offer a way for faith-driven businesses to grow sustainably while making a meaningful impact.
A Redemptive Social Enterprise blends the tools of the private sector with the heart of the social sector, all while fostering a culture that honours God and helps people thrive.
Social enterprises operate like traditional businesses. They sell products or services, but their profits are reinvested to tackle social or environmental challenges. Take Hope Blooms in Halifax, for example, where youth grow fresh produce in urban gardens and sell it to support local food programs. In British Columbia, Adult & Teen Challenge use a variety of social enterprises to diversify their income streams and sustain the programs that they offer. Their Good Tacos restaurant in Chilliwack allows the local men’s centre to provide safe work experience and skills development to the men in their long-term program, as well as possible employment opportunities after graduation. These are just a few examples of how business can be used as a force for good.
While RSEs and BAM share some common ground, they are not quite the same. BAM refers to any business that integrates Christian faith into its purpose, whether or not it operates as a social enterprise. That said, more and more BAM initiatives are embracing redemptive principles and seeking to reflect God’s character in how they create, lead, and serve.
For deacons in the CRC, redemptive enterprise opens up a world of possibilities. Many churches rely heavily on donations to fund ministry efforts. However, by partnering with or even launching a social enterprise, congregations can engage in self-sustaining, community-serving work. Imagine supporting a fair-trade café that gives jobs to people exiting homelessness, while using its profits to fund local outreach. These businesses also create real job training opportunities for people facing barriers, such as newcomers to Canada or those living with disabilities. Starting or supporting an RSE or BAM gives churches a practical, hands-on way to live out the gospel every day.
One inspiring example is Riversyde 83 in Simcoe, Ontario. It is run by Church Out Serving, a local charity with deep CRC connections. Before launching anything, they conducted a Community Opportunity Scan – an intentional listening exercise to understand local needs and existing resources – with the help of Diaconal Ministries. What emerged was a vision for repurposing a long-empty downtown auto garage into a vibrant, food-focused hub along the Lynn River. Today, Riversyde 83 features a café, a community teaching kitchen, flexible event spaces, and a marketplace full of local and house-made goods. Its profits are poured back into community food services and programs, and it provides training and meaningful employment to those who need it. Churches in the area have supported Riversyde by volunteering, hosting events, and pointing community members toward its services. It’s a beautiful picture of mission, mercy, and sustainability, rooted in listening and the stewardship of what’s already there.
Another example is The Raw Carrot, a growing network of social enterprises that employ people on the Ontario Disability Support Program to cook and sell gourmet soups. These kinds of partnerships are mutually enriching: several churches in Ontario have come on board, engaging their congregations in purposeful volunteer work and strengthening community bonds around a shared mission while the enterprise brings dignity, employment, and long-term impact to community members.
Where Could God Be Leading Your Church?
Deacons have a key role to play in sparking and sustaining this kind of work. Diaconal Ministries Canada reminds us that deacons are called to listen well, identify assets, acknowledge challenges, mobilize congregants, and steward resources wisely. That means helping churches support existing social ventures or explore launching new ones, whether it’s a second-hand store, a co-op, or a job training kitchen. It also means ensuring that these efforts are grounded in biblical values and aligned with the church’s broader mission.
So, where do you start?
First, by learning. Diaconal Ministries Canada and other organizations offer resources to help churches and deacons understand redemptive business models and imagine what’s possible in their own communities. From there, it’s about listening, discerning, and taking small but faithful steps forward. RSEs, along with BAM initiatives that adopt similar principles, offer the church a faithful and innovative way to engage its neighbours. While not every BAM effort emphasizes social impact, RSEs make that connection central: gospel mission woven together with economic and social renewal. In this space, deacons play a vital role as connectors, visionaries, and servant leaders. Through thoughtful partnerships, CRC churches can stretch their reach beyond the sanctuary and become catalysts for real transformation.
With prayer, creativity, and collaboration, churches can step boldly into this kind of redemptive work. In doing so, they reflect God’s justice, compassion, and hope in ways that speak powerfully to the world around them.
Next Steps
A small, but good, first step for deacons and churches could be looking at Diaconal Ministries’ Introduction to Community Partnerships.
Churches who may be ready to go deeper could consider a Community Opportunity Scan – a more robust learning and discerning journey.
