The Dirty Little Secret in Our Supposedly "Post-Christian" Country

Popular Media Lies Has Christians Stumbling Around to Prove How Tolerant They Are in the Marketplace

When it comes to talking about our faith, many Christians tend to choke.  

Popular Hollywood culture makes snide remarks on their TV shows.  Outspoken voices in the media have some variation on a theme:

• Christians are intolerant.
• Christians shouldn’t legally be allowed to express our faith in the marketplace (or elsewhere.)
• Christians should be boycotted.
• Christians should be sued for everything they have (if I can't make them do what I want.)

Christians Fear Revealing Their Faith in the Marketplace

There has been a pervasive sense of fear in recent years.  Fear that keeps people quiet.  And not without cause, when you consider a certain bakery that was sued for being respectful, but acting consistent with their beliefs.  

You may have worked in a business where they were trying to create an “all-inclusive” environment by banning religious symbols and proselytization (can’t say anything about God unless cussing.)

You can have an opinion, even a crazy one and it’s OK, as long as it’s not Christian.  

Everywhere you turn, the message is “Hide and maybe people will like you.”

There's a dirty little secret that Christians are ignoring.  Instead, they give into fear and shame.

When you start your own business, it’s easy to feel like you won’t be successful in today’s anti-Christian culture - unless you keep quiet.

Hobby Lobby and Chik-Fil-A have bucked the system and gotten a lot of press because of their Christian stand.

There are many others.  Highly successful Christian companies include:  Tyson Foods, Forever 21, Mary Kay, In-N-Out Burgers, Timberland, ServiceMaster (Merry Maids, Terminix and more), George Foreman Cooking, Curves … I could go on.  These effective companies are founded on Christian values.

Christian Culture Shows Up in Interesting Ways  

Dave Ramsey has a no gossip rule in his company.  He bases his rule upon the fact that it erodes unity.  It goes so far as to exclude complaining.  His flagship financial product is overtly Christian in it’s values as well. 

Mark Oppenheimer published an article in the New York Times stating, “For some, the Bible is a kind of business manual you’d buy in an airport bookstore, offering timeless precepts that happen to maximize profits.”

He included a story from Philip J. Clements, founder of Center for Christian Business Ethics Today.   

Phillip “tells a story to illustrate how Judeo-Christian principles make business run smoothly. He once met with a group of businessmen in Africa, most of them Muslim, who complained of the corruption in their countries. So he shared with them Jesus’ parable of the talents, from the Book of Matthew, in which a master offers his servants some money for their use. … Mr. Clements’s point is that the kind of trust Jesus teaches is a precondition for an efficient marketplace.”

Why Running a Christian Business is Desirable

No one objects to ethical business practices.  People appreciate you doing what you promised, on time.  They appreciate you honoring your estimate, even if things run higher. 

No one objects to being treated with dignity - employee or client.  If you must turn someone down, as happens in most any business on occasion, there is no reason to be disrespectful.

It doesn't mean that you will be perfect, or that every Christian will agree on exactly everything.  It does mean that people will be watching how you handle your mistakes.  It means people will hold you to a higher standard.

Ultimately, it comes down to one thing:  Honoring God in all things.

Christian Principles Work

Many non-Christian business owners use these same principles, not realizing they are in agreement with the Bible.  The rules of conduct work!  Businesses run by Godly principles have a better chance of success. 

If you still aren’t sure, drive through Chik-Fil-A.  Notice how they treat you.  They get your name for personalization.  They are consistently cheerful.  Genuinely glad to see you.   

Contrast that with another drive-through.  Are they glad to see you?  Consistently?  Do they look you in the eye?  Can you tell they care about the experience you are having with them today?  

When their values aren’t as high, it shows.  

The Dirty Little Secret

If it's not a "Christian" company, no one thinks twice.  Yet you can still expect a level of honesty and quality.  Without it, the business dies.  We the people have standards.

You see, the dirty little secret in our “post-Christian country” is that Christian values are deeply ingrained here.  The people who dislike Christians still benefit from these values.

Since I specialize in copywriting for Christian growth products, my business is overtly Christian.  Not everyone’s business makes sense to have it front and center.  Though you would run it with Christian ethics, someone can still tell why you do things the way you do from a statement in your business statement. 

How do you live out your faith in your business?