It's not just a job, it's a ministry

Ben Blasingame, a bookstore manager in Florence, sells ideas as well as things.  That's because, as a Christian managing a Christian-based business, Blasingame believes his store is a ministry as well as a business.

LifeWay Christian Store, part of the LifeWay Christian Resources corporation, sells Christian books, gifts and worship supplies.

"That's the difference between this and another job," Blasingame said. "We're a business, but part of our business is ministry. The things that we sell have an impact on people, but we also have the opportunity to pray with people and tell them about Christ. It's a neat thing -- it really is."

Several businesses in the Shoals, including restaurants, gift shops and car repair services proudly say they operate on Christian principles.

Some use Bible verses in their advertising or on their business cards. Others use the well-known Christian fish symbol, while still others rely on word-of-mouth.

There's no complete list of Christian businesses, either locally or nationwide, but the number seems to be increasing.

"Christians are becoming bolder in the marketplace and are more willing to put up the fish sign or the Bible verse or state the fact that they're Christians," said Chris Chandler of Crossville, owner of Christian Internet business directory Christianbuy.com.

When he started the Web site in 1999, listings were sparse.

"But now I'm seeing in the entire Christian community more of a boldness and passion for God spilling over into the work world," he said. "Plus, a lot of Christians want to get into business now."

Chandler said that he is contacted by Christian businesses around the world eager to be listed in a Christian directory.

"I don't know how to describe it. It's amazing, really, but people love to get in there and look for Christian businesses," he said. "Christians like to deal with other Christians. It's kind of a covenant thing. If you want to be in covenant with each other, you want to build up the kingdom of God so Christians can get out there and give to churches and missions."

Plus, he added, Christians feel more comfortable doing business with other Christians.

"They probably feel as if they're not going to get ripped off as easily," he said. "You do feel a camaraderie. You can feel the spirit between two Christians when they meet."

Rick Burrell, 43, owner of Tri-Cities Transmission Service in Sheffield, is a Christian businessman who starts every day with quiet time at 6:30 a.m. in his shop.

"I try to make sure that I represent Christian values in the business world. I try to handle customers in a Christian manner," he said, "although I do think that most businessmen try to be fair, as well."

Several older widows bring their cars to him when something's wrong, he said, even if it's not a transmission problem,

and he feels responsible for them.

"My mother is in South Carolina, and I can only hope that somebody's looking after her there, so I try to pay it back down here," he said. "I think that attitude comes across to my customers."

The key is to treat customers with something they don't expect: Kindness.

"It can be challenging, but you always keep your eyes on the Lord," he said. "Most of the time, when a customer comes in with a complaint, it's not personal. They're just mad at the vehicle, not you, and mad that it's going to cost money. They figure they have to back someone into the corner to get what they want, but I do my best to go the extra mile, which is not what they're expecting."

Christian business owners pass their Christian values on to customers in different ways.

At Clear Day Studio in Muscle Shoals, owner Mark Pyle and Vice President Prince Damons, both Christians, say they're role models for youngsters trying to break into the music industry.

Pyle remembered one young man who recorded a song full of profanity.

"After we heard it, we double-teamed him, sat down with him and told him that that just wasn't cool," Pyle said. "It shows ignorance, plus, you're unmarketable. He left and came back a month later and was so much better. Had put some thought into it."

Damons added, "That's how we made a difference in someone else's life."

Pyle agreed that the studio is his pulpit for offering been-there-done-that advice.

"They come in here and tell me. They get a different reaction, telling me. I'm glad that I'm entrusted enough by God to be put in a position to have an influence on these kids," he said. "That's what makes me feel good, that I've been trusted to be able to tell those kids, 'Look, I've done all that, and I'm telling you that there's no future in it. Besides, girls don't like drunken drug-addict guys. The sober guy's got the edge."

The studio proclaims its Christianity with a fish sign over the door, by the name itself ("Clear Day means that with Christ, it's always a clear day," Pyle said.) and with rules such as no alcohol, no drugs and no profanity. At a recent artist signing at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, a pastor's benediction was part of the program.

The pair didn't deliberately set out to create a "Christian" studio, Pyle and Damons said - the Christian aspect evolved out of their faith.

"I mean, if you've got Christian people running a business, how can the business be anything but Christian?" Pyle said. "There's no other way it could be."

"We're Christians, so our studio is Christian," Damons said.

But they're not marketing it as strictly a Christian studio.

"I don't want people to think, 'I can't go there and record because it's a Christian place.' Plus, we're not out there saying we're holy and come do business with us because we're Christians," Pyle said.

"Life is ministry," Damons added. "Even if we don't call it a Christian song, there may be one sentence or one phrase that may make people think and say, 'Hmm, where did that come from?' You might hear a scripture reference and then go look it up and get a message from that, without pushing anything in anyone's face."

At Chick-Fil-A Drive-Thru in Florence, operator Mark Jordan said he applies biblical principals to his business.

Chick-Fil-A, one of the few national restaurant companies that closes on Sundays, is known for its Christian practices.

"Our corporate purpose is to glorify God by being a faithful steward on all that is entrusted to us and to be a positive influence on all people who come in contact with Chick-Fil-A," Jordan said.

"Basically, that's what I try to apply to the young people who work for me. We try to treat our kids here like family."

He usually has 28-30 employees, many of them youngsters in their first jobs.

"We have a responsibility to the kids who work for us to teach them work ethics and how to treat others, since a lot of them are not getting the influence they need from their parents," Jordan said. "I take that very seriously."

When Jordan started with Chick-Fil-A 19 years ago, he was impressed, he said, that Christian values began at the top.

"That's the way we operators are treated, and we're encourage to use the same principles with our employees," he said. "We tend to lean more on the side of mercy. I would prefer to be accused of giving second chances."

No matter how different their jobs, local Christian business owners and managers seem to face the same challenges - and reap the same rewards.

"There is an accountability issue," said Blasingame, from his office in the back of the LifeWay store. "You know that people hold you to a higher standard. There are frustrations, but overall, I know that we really have it good. I like what I'm doing."

Despite the usual conflicts in managing a business, Blasingame looks at his job as a chance to witness and put his beliefs into practice.

"When I looked at what I wanted to accomplish when I got to the end of my life, I wanted to be able to say that I had done some things that mattered. It's been extremely fulfilling," he said.

When it comes to spending your money where your faith is, experts caution the buyer to beware.

"I've seen some businesses that give special discounts to 'Christian' customers and others that consciously exclude gay employees or discriminate against them in various ways," said the Rev. Charles Henderson, a Presbyterian minister who's the Christianity guide at the Web site about.com.

"At the other side of the spectrum, some Christian businesses may put up various 'Christian' symbols around their offices, such as pictures of Jesus, the Ten Commandments, etc. It's often hard to distinguish this sort of thing from a not too subtle attempt to sell more effectively to Christian consumers."

Henderson called the whole idea of Christian business "fuzzy."

"I don't think there is any such thing as a 'Christian business'," he said. "Only individuals are Christians. A business is no more 'Christian' than your car is Christian if you put a bumper sticker on it that reads, 'Jesus Saves.' "

Cathy Wood Myers can be reached at 740-5733 or cathy.myers@timesdaily.com.