“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18

This toolkit will provide you with resources and advice, and signpost you to where to start if you want to create jobs and help people into employment. We’ve collected together some of our favourite books to inspire you and organisations and resources which will help you take the first step.

The Evangelical Alliance launched the Job Creation Project to encourage the church to step up and respond to the employment crisis in our nations. 

Following the health crisis of the coronavirus pandemic is an economic crisis as millions come off furlough and businesses try to reboot their enterprises. Recent statistics suggest while there has not yet been rocketing unemployment, this number will likely increase as the furlough scheme ends, with younger people and the BAME community disproportionately affected.

We believe that work is an intrinsic expression of our human dignity and that’s why we want to help churches respond. Long-term unemployment can lead to associated problems of depression, addiction, family breakdown and abuse. The church can play a role in stopping this cycle and shift direction to help people thrive. 

These resources are designed to help Christian business leaders and employers see job creation as missional and a way to demonstrate the love of God to their neighbours.

We passionately believe that prayer works and we want Christians to pray into this issue, but we also want practical action to accompany prayers. 

Advice from Christians experienced in job creation as well as recommended books, programmes and resources, will help you understand the relationship between faith and work and identify the appropriate support and training you need as you look to create jobs. 

Christians have always been active in business and have long contributed to the welfare of their local communities. We hope the materials on this page support you as you consider if you can create jobs and evaluate the possibilities.

"Coming out of this pandemic, we need faith-inspired entrepreneurs to step up and create value in society, create jobs and create economic growth. It is the only thing that will pull us out of the impact of this pandemic. We need to think more strategically and long-term than emergency relief. The church could play a key role in pulling the country out of where we’ve got to."
Matt Bird
The Spirit of Enterprise

Six top tips for job creation

As part of its Job Creation Project, the Evangelical Alliance has spoken with Christian entrepreneurs and leaders of business networks and organisations, to find out from the experts what to consider when looking to create new jobs. You can find out what they had to say here and read some of their key pieces of advice below. 

  1. Employment opportunity comes from company growth; creating jobs is great way to help others, but you need more than just that desire to make it make a difference.
  2. Jobs should be worthwhile and sustainable. They should give dignity in the work that people are employed to do, and provide long-term opportunities to lift people out of poverty.
  3. Jobs should meet a genuine consumer need. Are you competing with companies already up and running, or offering something new and distinctive? This will affect how sustainable the jobs you create will be.
  4. Creating jobs can also create paperwork. In the short term, new roles may increase the burden of work on you. Ensure that you are equipped to navigate the necessities of tax, contracts, pensions and other legal responsibilities.
  5. Find trusted advisers who can support you and encourage you in your enterprise but also provide vital constructive and critical guidance.
  6. As you create jobs consider how the jobs will contribute to the company, the community and the welfare of the individual and their family or immediate environment. Is this a job you would want to do (even if you might not have the particular skills or training for it)?
"“Seek the help of someone who has been down a similar path, who has experienced both success and failure and who is willing to share the lessons from their experiences and potentially act as a mentor.” Michael Craig, Business Matters"
"“Businesses work when there’s an intersection of passion and faith and a problem. It also works when people don’t try to do it by themselves; we’re designed to work in community." Rich Robinson, Catalyse Change"