Confessions of a Pastor-Preneur

The phone rings at 6 AM on a Tuesday. It's a church member in crisis, needing immediate counsel. By 7 AM, I'm reviewing publishing contracts for LP Publishers. At 9 AM, I'm in a strategy meeting for our printing and supplies company. By noon, I'm back in pastoral mode, preparing for Wednesday night service. Welcome to the life of a "pastor-preneur" – a journey I never planned but have come to embrace as God's unique calling on my life.

For years, I struggled with what seemed like competing identities. Was I compromising my pastoral calling by running businesses? Was I shortchanging my entrepreneurial ventures by prioritizing ministry? Today, after years of wrestling with these questions, I want to share some honest confessions about living at the intersection of pulpit and profit, sanctuary and strategy.

Confession #1: I Used to Feel Guilty About Making Money in Ministry

Early in my pastoral journey, I bought into the false narrative that pastors should be poor to be "pure." I thought that financial success somehow tainted spiritual authenticity. This guilt was compounded when I started LP Publishers and our printing company in Gaborone.

The Reality Check: My banking experience at Standard Chartered and Stanbic Bank taught me that money is a tool, not inherently evil. The issue isn't having money – it's what money has of you. When I realized that my businesses could actually fund ministry expansion, support struggling families, and create employment opportunities, my perspective shifted dramatically.

The Truth: Proverbs 10:22 says, "The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it." God isn't opposed to His servants prospering – He's opposed to prosperity that corrupts character or derails purpose.

Confession #2: Balancing Both Roles is Messier Than It Looks

Social media posts make it look seamless – pastor on Funday, CEO on Monday. The reality is much messier. There are days when a publishing deadline conflicts with a pastoral emergency. There are seasons when the business demands more attention than feels comfortable for someone called to shepherd souls.

The Learning Curve: I've learned to see both roles as complementary rather than competing. The skills I use in business – strategic thinking, team building, financial management – make me a better pastor. The spiritual disciplines and people skills I've developed in ministry make me a more ethical and effective entrepreneur.

The Integration: Instead of compartmentalizing, I've learned to integrate. Business meetings begin with prayer. Pastoral counseling includes practical wisdom about life management. The two worlds inform and strengthen each other.

Confession #3: People Question Your Motives

Let's be honest – when a pastor is also an entrepreneur, people wonder about your motives. Are you in ministry for the money? Are you using the church to promote your business? These questions hurt, especially when you know your heart.

The Response: Transparency became my best defense. I openly discuss how business profits support ministry initiatives. I maintain clear boundaries between church and business operations. I regularly submit to accountability from trusted advisors who monitor both my spiritual life and business practices.

The Testimony: Over time, fruit speaks louder than critics. When people see businesses creating jobs, supporting community initiatives, and funding ministry expansion, motives become clearer.

Confession #4: Time Management is My Greatest Challenge

Pastoring isn't a 9-to-5 job. Neither is entrepreneurship. Combining both means you're essentially working multiple full-time jobs. There have been seasons when I felt like I was failing at everything because I was spread too thin.

The Solution Strategy: I learned to apply business principles to ministry and ministry principles to business:

• Delegation: Training leaders in both church and business to handle day-to-day operations
• Systems: Creating processes that run without constant oversight
• Priorities: Learning to say no to good opportunities that don't align with core calling
• Seasons: Recognizing that some periods require more focus on one area than the other

Confession #5: Success in Business Doesn't Equal Success in Ministry

Early business wins made me think I had figured everything out. But ministry success isn't measured by the same metrics as business success. You can have a profitable quarter and still feel like you've failed pastorally if you miss important moments in people's lives.

The Humbling Truth: Ministry is about transformation, not transactions. While business teaches efficiency and results, ministry requires patience with process and celebration of progress that can't be quantified.

The Balance: I've learned to measure success differently in each sphere while maintaining excellence in both.

Confession #6: Family Suffers When You Don't Set Boundaries

My marriage to Dineo and our children have taught me that being a pastor-preneur can become an excuse for never being fully present. "I'm doing God's work" became a justification for missing family moments.

The Wake-Up Call: Dineo lovingly but firmly helped me realize that my first ministry is to my family. If I fail there, all other success becomes hollow.

The Adjustment: We established family time that's sacred – no church calls, no business emergencies. We also involved our children in understanding both sides of our calling, so they see it as family mission rather than competing priorities.

Confession #7: You Need Different Skill Sets for Each Role

Pastoral ministry requires empathy, patience, and spiritual discernment. Entrepreneurship requires decisiveness, risk tolerance, and strategic thinking. Some days you need to be a comforter; other days you need to be a disruptor.

The Development Journey: I've had to intentionally develop skills for both roles:

• Reading business books alongside theological texts
• Attending entrepreneurship conferences as well as pastoral conferences
• Finding mentors in both ministry and business
• Learning when to apply which skill set in which context

Confession #8: Money Conversations Get Complicated

When you're both pastor and business owner, conversations about money become complex. Church members may feel uncomfortable doing business with you. Business partners may expect pastoral services for free. Finding the right balance requires wisdom and clear communication.

The Framework: I've established clear policies:

• Church members aren't obligated to use our business services
• Business relationships don't automatically include free counseling
• All financial dealings are transparent and arm's length
• Regular reviews ensure no conflicts of interest

Confession #9: Your Identity Gets Questioned

"Are you a pastor who does business, or a businessman who pastors?" I've been asked this question countless times. The assumption is that one identity must be primary and the other secondary.

The Reality: I'm both, fully. Just as Paul was both apostle and tentmaker, I'm called to both pulpit and marketplace. Neither diminishes the other when both serve God's purposes.

The Confidence: My doctoral studies in divinity and my business experience aren't competing credentials – they're complementary qualifications for the unique calling God has placed on my life.

Confession #10: The Rewards Are Worth the Challenges

Despite all the complications, being a pastor-preneur has allowed me to impact lives in ways that neither role alone could achieve. Through LP Publishers, I've helped authors share their messages. Through our printing company, we've created jobs and served businesses. Through the profits, we've funded ministry initiatives that wouldn't otherwise be possible.

The Multiplication Effect: Business success creates resources for ministry expansion. Ministry credibility opens doors for business opportunities. The two work together to multiply impact.

The Fulfillment: There's deep satisfaction in knowing that both Funday's sermon and Monday's business meeting can serve God's purposes and advance His kingdom.

Lessons for Aspiring Pastor-Preneurs

If you're sensing a similar calling, here's what I wish someone had told me:

Start with Calling: Make sure both ministry and business are genuine callings, not just opportunities.

Maintain Integrity: Your reputation is your most valuable asset in both spheres.

Build Systems: Create processes that allow both to function without constant personal involvement.

Find Mentors: You need advisors who understand both ministry and business.

Communicate Clearly: Be transparent about your dual role and how you manage potential conflicts.

Stay Accountable: Submit both your ministry and business to trusted oversight.

Serve First: Let service, not profit, drive both your pastoral and entrepreneurial activities.

The Divine Design

Looking back on my journey from Standard Chartered to It Is Well Church International, from Childline counseling to LP Publishers, I see God's hand weaving together experiences that seemed disconnected at the time. Banking taught me financial stewardship. Counseling developed my people skills. Writing gave me a platform. Business provided resources for ministry.

Being a pastor-preneur isn't about having two separate lives – it's about living one integrated life where every skill, every experience, and every opportunity serves the same ultimate purpose: advancing God's kingdom and serving His people.

Final Confession

Here's my most honest confession: I wouldn't change this path for anything. Yes, it's complicated. Yes, it's challenging. Yes, people sometimes misunderstand. But it's also incredibly fulfilling to see how God can use both pastoral heart and entrepreneurial mind to create impact that neither could achieve alone.

To my fellow pastor-preneurs: embrace the complexity, manage the challenges, and trust that God can use your unique calling to make a difference that spans both boardrooms and sanctuaries.

The world needs leaders who can speak both languages – the language of faith and the language of commerce. Don't apologize for being bilingual in blessing.