Hey friends - Thanks for joining me in this LIFE ON MISSION with Jesus. My name Tanner Klein.

For the longest time I’ve been inspired by the integration of faith and work.

I love business as mission (BAM), business for transformation (B4T), faith-driven entrepreneurs, reaching the unreached by way of local business or investment in an otherwise inaccessible community, ministries engaging in the marketplace, and the like.

There is so much opportunity to use the gifts, time, talents, and resources God has given us to glorify Him while making a real and lasting impact in other peoples’ lives, across families, communities, and nations alike.

That is amazing.

God can make an eternally significant impact on other eternal souls through us, and He does!

Few topics get me more fired up. Our lives have so much meaning. Today has so much purpose.

Understandably, I’ve embraced living on mission abroad for the sake of Christ.

And here’s something I’ve witnessed from the US to Singapore to Europe to New Zealand and beyond. When I look at the landscape of business, ministry, creativity, and culture today, I see something extraordinary:God is raising up men and women who want to build with Him, not just for Him.He’s stirring a generation of entrepreneurs who aren’t driven by worldly success, who aren’t chasing influence, who aren’t satisfied with business-as-usual, and who aren’t settling for a compartmentalized faith that gets picked up on Sunday and left at home on Monday.

These are people who want to create with Jesus, serve like Jesus, and love the world the way Jesus loves the world.People who want to solve real problems without losing their souls.People who want to build ventures that express the heart of God.

This reflects the heart of Redemptive Entrepreneurship.

Not exploitative entrepreneurship.Not simply social entrepreneurship.Not just ethical entrepreneurship.

Redemptive Entrepreneurship is about joining God in His ongoing work of renewal—right where we are—building, leading, serving, and creating.

And through the years, this kind of entrepreneurship reflecting the ways of Jesus and His Kingdom has captivated my attention and inspired me greatly in my own business, missional, and entrepreneurial efforts.

I’m excited to explore this more with you all.

Let’s start with a question…

What is Redemption?

The New Testament Greek word for redemption, ἀπολύτρωσις (apolytrōsis), is a compound word, literally translated as, “from ransom.” It means “to redeem one by paying the price” or “to let one go free on receiving the price” (Blue Letter Bible). It’s another word for deliverance.

Redemption is costly. It involves sacrifice. It’s the way of the cross.It’s the way of Christ.

Ephesians 1:7 says this about our redemption that we have through Christ’s blood,

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”

Jesus took upon Himself the penalty for our sins, that is God’s wrath and righteous judgement, and He willingly laid down His life for us. Jesus died in our place. He overcame sin, death, and the grave, and He rose again so that we may live redeemed lives through Christ in close communion with our Creator.

And because of this, we now get to embrace Christ’s resurrection life.

We get to learn and walk in Jesus’ way, truth, and life.

We get to collaborate and partner with Christ our Lord as active participants in God’s grand plan of redemption, here and now, and beyond, reaching every tribe, tongue, and nation for the sake of Christ and the glory of God.

So what exactly is Redemptive Entrepreneurship?

Put simply, in my words:

Redemptive Entrepreneurship is building ventures that model the sacrificial love of Jesus in a broken world—restoring people, systems, and culture so that they better reflect God’s Kingdom.

If exploitive entrepreneurship says, “How much can I get out of people?”And ethical entrepreneurship says, “How can I avoid harming people?”Then redemptive entrepreneurship says:

“How can I bless people—even when it costs me—because that’s what Jesus did for me?”

Allow me to introduce you to Praxis, a NYC-based organization advancing redemptive entrepreneurship. Here’s how they break down the two parts of redemptive entrepreneurship:

REDEMPTIVE - “following the pattern of creative restoration through sacrifice in our life and work.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP - “directing our agency and resources toward organizational creation, innovation, and risk.”

According to our faith-filled brothers and sisters at Praxis,

“Redemptive entrepreneurship islove in organizational action:following the pattern ofcreative restoration through sacrifice,integrated across leadership, strategy, and operationsin venture creation, innovation, and funding.”

That is beautiful to me. The heart behind it. The love in action. The pattern of creative restoration through sacrifice. Bringing unity between the why, what, and how behind all that a team or organization does. I am convinced this deeply pleases God. This is like a delicious, sweet smelling aroma before His throne. I love it.

Before I get carried away, next question…

What Makes It Redemptive? Three Marks: Motives, Methods, & Outcomes

Here’s what I mean.

1. Motives: We build from love, not from ego.

Entrepreneurship can easily become about proving something, achieving something, or accumulating something.But redemptive entrepreneurship starts with surrender. For example,

“Lord, this is Yours. Lead me.”

This might look like:

* Saying “no” to a shortcut or partnership that compromises integrity—even if it would accelerate growth.

* Choosing transparency over image.

* Making decisions in prayer, not out of pressure.

* Taking action in faith, not in fear.

* Dying to self and denying self for the sake of Christ.

In short: my submission to the Lord’s leadership sets the entire direction of my work.

We are meant to be motivated by God’s love, building and partnering with God to both bring Him glory and bless people made in His image.

In doing so, we both play an active role in God’s plan to renew and redeem culture.

2. Methods: We co-create in ways that dignify people, not use them.

Redemptive entrepreneurship is deeply relational.We don’t just build products, we invest in and seek to bless eternal souls.We don’t just scale, we steward and shepherd.

For example:

* If someone on my team is struggling, I slow down and help instead of squeezing more out of them.

* If a supplier is vulnerable, I honor them by paying fairly and on time, even if it narrows my margin and may be temporarily inconvenient.

* If a customer is in need, I seek to serve them like Christ would, not merely as a transaction.

In other words:How I build matters just as much as what I build.

3. Outcomes: We aim for renewal, not simply success in the world’s eyes.

Success in the Kingdom isn’t measured by numbers, but by trust-fueled obedience.Not by reach, but by faithfulness.Not by applause, but by fruit and Christlike character that represents what Jesus is like.

This might look like:

* Creating jobs that restore dignity, enhance skillsets, and pave new paths forward for the overlooked, misunderstood, and undervalued.

* Building products that heal or protect rather than exploit.

* Reinventing business models to build up and benefit vulnerable communities, not just key shareholders.

* Giving away profits, time, or opportunities because generosity has become a default posture.

This is counter-cultural.

In short:Redemptive work brings renewal and life, just as the Spirit of God brings renewal and life in and through us.

Why This Matters — Right Now

We live in a cultural moment where trust is low, anxiety is high, and people are hungry for something real.

Businesses have influence, but the world doesn’t need more powerful companies.

The world needs more Christlike leaders.

It needs entrepreneurs who:

* Fear God more than they fear failure.

* Love people more than they love profit.

* Walk in holiness more than they chase relevancy.

* Live for eternal impact, not temporary approval.

Entrepreneurs whose “success metrics” sound more like the Beatitudes than like Wall Street

This is why Redemptive Entrepreneurship isn’t a trend. It’