Religious Organizations Development through Social Entrepreneurship Activity: Opportunities and Challenges from Stakeholders' Perspective

Abstract

Social entrepreneurship is an innovative approach to addressing diverse social issues across various sectors. However, its recognition within religious organizations remains limited. Social entrepreneurship offers significant prospects for enhancing community well-being while tackling prevalent social challenges. Nevertheless, substantial hurdles emerge, particularly in engaging stakeholders who are pivotal in executing social entrepreneurship initiatives within religious organizations. This research was conducted within GMIM Lembean Kora-kora region, where a religious organization is situated in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The organization has involved its congregation in implementing social entrepreneurship programs, primarily in agriculture and culinary ventures. The study identifies opportunities and challenges in social entrepreneurship within religious organizations. Additionally, it explores the implementation of social entrepreneurship in the context of congregational development, with a specific emphasis on the role of stakeholders in driving these initiatives. The findings demonstrate that religious organizations can harness social entrepreneurship's potential and surmount its challenges. This research introduces a model of social entrepreneurship better suited for religious organizations, particularly in their profound understanding of community opportunities and challenges.