Redemptive Entrepreneurship

An interview with Philip Yan: Director, Centre for Redemptive Entrepreneurship, Tyndale University, Toronto, Ontario

“What is good for the world, according to its Creator?” Answering this question could transform your business! Philip Yan defines “Redemptive Entrepreneurship” as: “Building profitable businesses that serve the community, renew culture, and bless people; restoring society to its intended state.” Yet, it’s not only business leaders that are impacted. Individuals, too, can feel a strong lament that draws them closer to the heart of God, and requires a response, or an action step, to make life better for someone in need.

Philip’s Story
Philip and his wife, Amy, are both passionate about serving God by reaching the next generation. A homeless man in his twenties once opened Philip’s eyes to see just how difficult job seeking is for individuals battling mental illness and past drug addictions, while having limited life skills. Trained as a designer, Philip launched two redemptive businesses in response to the many individuals facing similar barriers. The first launch was an online coffee business. The profits from the business were used to fund new programs that expanded job opportunities for the disadvantaged and the homeless.

He later launched a VHS tape recycling business to employ people with barriers to employment. This business addressed a silent but significant environmental issue while offering dignified work. It did not primarily scale jobs, but rather served as a transformative portal – restoring dignity, confidence, and vocational imagination. In fact, measurable improvements in employment and lifestyle stability were realized within the community connected to this initiative.

Over time, Philip became aware of a growing tension many Church leaders face. While deeply committed to caring for their congregations and communities, many have not been equipped with the language, tools, or imagination to support holistic mission through innovation and marketplace engagement beyond the church walls.

This realization led Philip to embrace a renewed vision of God’s holistic mission at work in the world – one that seeks the redemption of people, the marketplace, and communities. Jesus models this mission by meeting people in their places of deepest need and restoring them with dignity and purpose. Out of this vision, the Centre for Redemptive Entrepreneurship was birthed and founded in 2021.

Philip highly recommends Jon Tyson and Heather Grizzle’s book A Creative Minority: Influencing Culture Through Redemptive Participation. Philip loves its holistic narrative and its scriptural focus on hope.

An Illustration
Redemptive Entrepreneurship is not about the form of business, but rather the personal journey of leadership. It’s a heart issue!

Philip shares a brief story about an engineer he knows who fell on hard times in 2016 but dared to address the core issue of his life. As he battled the death of one daughter, a business lawsuit, a divorce and another daughter’s painful drug addiction issue, he chose to surrender control of his life to God and entered a new chapter shaped by prayer, humility, and dependence on Him.

Over time, this posture led to healthier leadership, a strengthened business, flourishing staff relationships, strong customer service, and new opportunities for missional leadership. This story illustrates that redemptive transformation flows not from formulas, but from surrender, faithfulness, and obedience to God.

Biblical Principles
Jesus Redeems Us: In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  Ephesians 1:7 NIV

God’s plan is to save believers and save the world:  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17 NIV

Jesus is anointed and sent to redeem: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.  Luke 4:18-19 NIV See also Isaiah 61:1-2a NIV

In conclusion, here are two questions: First, why am I created?  The answer is to be formed into the likeness of Christ!

Secondly, how am I responding to Jesus’ gift of restoration? Jesus invites us to do in His strength what He does, which is to intentionally obey God’s Word and serve the needs of others.

In other words, our faith journey is rooted in our relationship with Jesus, which means drawing closer to the One who loves us so much that He died to redeem us.

God’s plan is to restore not only us, as His beloved children, but the world in which we live. Furthermore, each one of us, as a believer, is an integral part of that divine redemption plan!

“Connecting Your Sunday Faith to Your Monday Work” The Canadian Christian Business Federation exists to support business leaders in the study and application of Biblical Leadership Principles with peers, in order to transform lives, strengthen businesses, and positively influence and impact our world. ccbf.org

Nancy Kingdon is an author and freelance writer proudly serving CCBF ministries as their Story Writer.  Her newest book release in March 2025 is Magnolia Grace Gardens: A Collection of Devotional Poetry. Visit her website at: writinglegacy.com