Become a Religious Entrepreneur
Opening a Unitarian Universalist Church
We've collected some good advice that is ideal for those who hope to start a Unitarian Universalist church. Read this article before you begin your venture.
Wondering how to start a Unitarian Universalist church? We take you step-by-step from start to success.
Unitarian Universalist Diversity
Diversity is the operative word in Unitarian Universalism. Even though the denomination has Christian roots, today's Unitarian Universalism is about each individual's search for spiritual truth. Subsequently, Unitarian Universalists come in all shapes and sizes. While some maintain Christian ties, others come from various faith traditions including agnosticism and atheism.
Governmentally, Unitarian Universalism is a denominational/congregational hybrid. All of the approximately 1,000 congregations worldwide are self-governing. However, UU congregations voluntarily affiliate with the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUAC) for the combined influence and resources provided by a typical denominational structure.
The Ministerial Fellowship Committee of the UUAC recommends candidates for ordination based on the successful completion of typical UU ordination requirements. But ordination approval and authority is maintained at the congregational level. So religious entrepreneurs in Unitarian Universalism need to complete UUAC ordination requirements while maintaining ties to a specific congregation.
Entrepreneurism & Unitarian Universalist Church Planters
Most people don't automatically identify church planting as an entrepreneurial pursuit. Yet church planters and entrepreneurs share a number of entrepreneurial characteristics, especially in the Unitarian Universalist environment.
In a successful religious startup, the person who carries the vision leverages a combination of career skills, personal commitment and ambition to fulfill their organizational mission -- just like a small business owner.
But at the same time, religious entrepreneurs (including UU church planters) understand the value of collaboration and networking, traits that are also common in the small business community. In the current religious environment, even skilled ministry professionals need to rely on one another for encouragement, support and resources.
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