Christian businesses gain in popularity

GLEN BURNIE, Md. — Philip DeLizio's real estate office looks like hundreds of others, with a few unusual touches.  In addition to glossy home magazines, clients can rifle through "Biblical Archaeology Review" and "Christianity Today" in the reception area.  While most advertise in the yellow pages, he prefers "The Shepherd's Guide," a Christian business phone book. 

DeLizio, who owns Maryland Christian Real Estate, sometimes prays with his clients, is planning to add a conference room with Bibles and other religious information, and has discouraged young couples from buying houses that they couldn't comfortably afford.

"In somebody's life, buying a home is usually the biggest decision they are ever going to make monetarily, so they want someone that they are going to feel comfortable with ... someone that should have the same moral and ethical values that they do," said DeLizio, who also owns a larger RE/MAX franchise.

Maryland Christian Real Estate is one of many Christian businesses growing in popularity among Evangelicals, a broad term that includes various doctrinally conservative Protestant churches that emphasize an adult commitment or conversion to faith in Christ and a focus on spreading the word of God.

In addition to traditional Christian bookstores and religious keepsake shops, the faithful can now find Christian banks, Christian mortgage companies, Christian construction companies, Christian investment firms, Christian cellular phone services and Christian fitness centers.  Other religious groups say they have no problem with the Christian businesses as long as they don't discriminate against employees or customers based on religion.

W. Brad Wilcox, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, said that the Christian businesses are part of a shift in which religion is, to some extent, re-asserting control over other domains of social life.  This is a departure from a historical trend since the Middle Ages in which other parts of society — such as education, government and business — have been breaking away from the control of religion, he said. 

Boston College sociologist Alan Wolfe, director of The Boisi Center on Religion and American Public Life, said that the growth of Christian businesses — along with the popularity of home-schooling and Christian universities — could lead a small percentage of Evangelicals to become isolated from the larger American culture.

Such Evangelical "subcultures" would violate one of the basic tenants of the faith, which is spreading the word to others, he said.  "By just re-enforcing the people who are already like themselves, they're not really doing that," he said.

Chuck Ripka, a born-again Christian, said he co-founded Riverview Community Bank in Ostego, Minn., two years ago after God spoke to him and told him to do so.  It is a Christian bank with a copy of the Ten Commandments in the foyer and a Bible buried deep within its foundation.

Ripka prays with customers every day, sometimes after they sign a mortgage or talk about difficulties in their lives. In the office of the bank's CEO, a painting shows two businessman, one shaking hands with Jesus.  "This is not about money. It's about being obedient to what God wants me to do," said Ripka. "It's not a gimmick. It's not a sales pitch. It's just who we are."

The bank has been a success, building its deposits and assets from $5.5 million to $ 90 million in two years.  Ripka calls it "super-natural growth" inspired by God.  He claims that 90 people have accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts at the bank and that dozens have been healed from maladies, including severe back and hip pain.

The bank does not force anyone to pray, but Ripka said he has never been turned down. Being a Christian is not a requirement for employees or customers at Riverview, he said, adding that it operates as a regular bank in every way, including collection services for those who are late paying loans.

Irene Trammell also was inspired by God to create a business. She said she heard a "still, small voice" one day, after leaving a gym in which women could be seen exercising through large windows facing the street, and the music was loud and thumping.  Her answer: "This is It! Christian Fitness for Ladies" in Pasadena, Md., which she opened last year.

The gym, which has about 200 paying members, has a more modest setting, where women can't be seen from the street or the reception area. Bible verses adorn several walls and Christian music plays at all times.  Trammel said that 16 women have been "saved" at the gym, including one who accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and savior while reading the Bible with her in the sauna.  "We cry a lot. We hug a lot. We pray a lot at the gym," she said.

Other Christian businesses have thrived on the Internet.  Justin Smith and his father started the Christian Real Estate Network — www.hismove.com  — three years ago. The service allows people to find Christian real estate agents and loan officers across the country.

Smith said that home buyers and sellers are looking for people they can trust and that "the faith connection is very important." He also said that Christian agents are going to know about Christian schools and churches in the area, key issues for many Christian families seeking to relocate.

Most of the network's 400 agents and 60 loan officers are Evangelicals. There are a few Catholics, a fact that is "kind of a little sticky for us," Smith said.  "We don't allow Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses or a few of the denominations that say that they're Christian but really, most mainline Christian denominations view them as cults," he added.

Another search engine — www.ChristianEbuy.com — lists businesses ranging from bookstores to health care plans to cellular phone services.

Blessed Hope communications is one of the latter.  On its Web site, the company's president and CEO, Bob Ulrich, tells potential customers that some of his competitors — mainly large phone companies — support gay and lesbian events and "dial-a-porn services."  "I don't believe God wants us to support organizations that are following the anti-Christian agenda," he says. "We all have choices to make and now that you know the truth, well ... we'll leave the decision up to you."  The phone service claims more than 300,000 members.

Maryland Christian Real Estate: www.mdcre.com

This is It! Christian Fitness for Ladies: www.thisisitfitness.com

Christian Real Estate Network: www.hismove.com

Eunice Moscoso is a Washington correspondent for Cox Newspapers.