Business Formation for Christian Entrepreneurs

Abstract

One of the first and most important decisions every entrepreneur must make is their business form. The choice of business form can impact Christian entrepreneurs' freedom in pursuing their vision for a sacred workplace. Business textbooks tend to stop with the most common forms of business organizations, but there are almost endless combinations of financial and ownership structures possible. There are alternatives available that have advantages for religious-oriented businesses, and the details matter. The purpose of this research study was to integrate the latest academic, legal, and industry literature to present options for Christian entrepreneurs, and to help them understand the tradeoffs inherent with their selection of business form. Guidance has been curated to help Christian entrepreneurs set up their new businesses in a manner commensurate with their faith goals. Much like an introductory business textbook, this study will present a list of alternative business legal structures, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. However, uniquely, this will be done from the perspective of a Christian entrepreneur.