Christian capitalists

Even if you missed the large sign out front, once you stepped inside the office in Broadview Plaza it wouldn't take you long to realize that this was not your run-of-the-mill real-estate agency.

Soft Christian music drifts from a CD player. There's a Bible on the glass table. A picture of Jesus with a lamb nestled in his lap hangs squarely on the wall. You're tempted to try to count the decorative angels, but suffice to say there's a lot.

There are also leaflets. But these don't deal with interest rates, home financing or where the good school districts are. The fliers here are about prison ministries, salvation and knowing God.

This is Divine Homes Realty, one of a number of businesses in Southeast Missouri -- and across the country -- that boldly declares its faith, incorporating strongly held Christian principles into their business practices while trying to transfer the Bible's message from the pulpit to the workplace.

"I can't have a business life here and a Christian life over there," said owner Sandy Donley. "I've dedicated my life to Christ, so how can I not dedicate my business to Christ? You can't separate Sunday from the rest of the week."

At Divine Homes, a division Donley added a year ago to her 13-year-old commercial real-estate business, there are weekly prayer meetings, a company chaplain and a requirement that all their for-sale signs include scripture. Donley and her husband, David, also give 10 percent of the company's revenue to their church on top of 10 percent of their personal income.

"It's not just a part of who were are," Donley said. "It's who we are."

To some, it may sound extreme, but it's a trend that's growing in Southeast Missouri and beyond. Whether it's through individuals with a religious bent, a ministry or loose associations of churches, Christian capitalism seems to be finding a niche.

Across the country

In Houston, a conglomeration of churches has just bought and fixed up an old Wal-Mart store, turning it into a shopping center. In Asheville, N.C., a ministry has opened a brand-new ladies boutique, Bishup's Design. In Los Angeles, a megachurch recently took over an old Department of Defense complex, and it's now part church sanctuary, part shopping mall.

Locally, there are other examples. A year ago, a teaching and singing ministry led two Sikeston women -- Teresa Griggs and Janet Mills -- to start a wholesale Christian gift business, called Heaven's Giggles. They largely sell their line of T-shirts, jewelry, stationary and jewelry to Christian bookstores, but they also have recently seen interest from hospital gift stores, secular gift shops, florists and companies that give employees gift baskets.

"When we first started, we were told we were too religious and that we should just stick to inspirational," Griggs said. "But we've got to share God's word. It's always going to be based on Scripture. It's just a decision we made."

Remona Grubbs chose the name of her Poplar Bluff-based business, Genesis Employment, because she wanted people to know from the start what kind of person they were dealing with.

"I'm a born-again Christian," said Grubbs, who recently expanded her job-placement business into Cape Girardeau. "I do understand the importance of trying to be that in your business life, too. I don't ever want to leave my Christianity in the church house."

For 17 years, Jerry Alexander has worked at Gospeland Bookstore, which has four stores, including the one at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

"We have a mission statement that's based on the Bible," he said. "I like this business because the product you sell is honorable and I agree with the values they teach."

Refreshing trend

While critics may argue that such businesses are too insular, some find the trend refreshing, especially considering the ever-growing list of corporate rip-offs that to date include WorldCom, Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco, Adelphia, Xerox, ImClone, Dynegy and Qwest.

"If customers want to patronize businesses that share their same belief, then the trend makes sense," said Dr. Hamner Hill, chairman of the department of philosophy and religion at Southeast Missouri State University. "If they don't like it, they can always go someplace else."

Hill agreed that such a declaration of faith is risky in an often cynical world, but he points out business itself is a gamble.

"Whenever anyone takes a political stand, it's a risk," Hill said. "But they have to ask themselves a question: Is the sole reason for starting this business to make a profit? If you believe the party line, then it should be. But I don't know anybody who really thinks that."

Bill Dalgetty is president of Christians in Commerce, a California-based group with chapters in 20 locations around the country. He said his group is dedicated to help more businesses become faith-oriented.

He said that it's already more common than it used to be.

"God is clearly doing something to raise his presence in the marketplace and in the workplace," said Dalgetty, a former lawyer who worked for Mobile Corp. "With the recent developments of Sept. 11 and so much fraud and misrepresentation in corporate America in eight months, there's certainly a need for that, it appears."

No specific formula

Dalgetty said there's no specific formula for making a business more Christian.

"Obviously, someone who wants to make 'Genesis' or 'divine' part of a business name or wants to provide a Christian atmosphere, that's a fine thing to do," he said. "What's more important, though, is that they conduct their business with truth and integrity. They should treat their employees and customers with respect."

It may not sound so different from basic, good business principles -- a point Dalgetty agrees with.

"Doing the right thing is good business," he said. "But it's not always an easy thing, especially in a world that continues to demand ever-increasing revenues. There are temptations out there. If someone doesn't have Christ in his life, it's difficult to fight that."

Sandy Donley at Divine Homes say they don't feel compelled to preach to every customer that comes through the door.

"But if something good happens to me while they're here, I sure don't mind saying 'Praise the Lord,'" she said. "If they're interested and God and ask me, I'm more than willing to share the word."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137