교회가 참여하는 지역 공동체 운동으로서의 커뮤니티 비즈니스

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increase in interest in ‘community business’ as a part of various community-building movements. Community business is one of the methods of community building where the residents are the principal agents in building healthy community through local businesses. This article looks into methods where churches can participate in these community businesses. The reason why business is discussed as an example of local communal movement is because capitalism and the concept of corporation in our society are overly corrupted. In our society, capitalism symbolizes capital, or money-centered society, and corporation is understood to seek profit at all cost as if it is the goal. Lately, ‘community capitalism’ that does not function on the philosophy of the law of the jungle but gives consideration for the weak and respects the minority is rising as a way to overcome current weaknesses of capitalism. Community capitalism as a biblical and periodic alternative supports the organic balance between free economy and economic justice. Community Business supports this kind of communal capitalism. Community Business has its starting point in local community and maintains a friendly relationship with the residents as it operates independently. Community business aims at utilizing many dormant resources within the local community to voluntarily arrive at a solution to a local problem and establishing businesses to vitalize the local community. It is very meaningful that a local church participates in these things. In a situation where community involvement and interest by the Korean societies is still lacking, unlike other countries where local communities are active, a local church’s support as an organization utilizing internal resources will be a great help to local vitalization. This article presents three models: a church operating directly a small community business; unified church groups operating a large scale business; and unified church groups creating a smaller support organization that will run the community business.