The inspiration behind placing ads in newspapers to spread the Gospel came when David noticed that the real meaning of Christmas and Easter was progressively being removed from every facet of society. His Hobby Lobby stores already placed ads in more than 250 papers across America every week. He further reasoned that since retail merchants bring in billions every year from Christmas and Easter, he ought to make a bold statement of faith by bringing back the true meaning of these holidays. His first ad ran in 1997 and took up a modest six inches square. Two years later, he had upgraded to a full page ad for each holiday and he has taken out full page ads ever since. You can view his entire gallery of ministry ads HERE
Much like S. Truett Cathy, David choose to go against the retail grain and close his stores on Sundays. Further, he has created a work environment that glorifies his Savior, by having a servant’s heart and putting others ahead of himself. He raised wages in 2009 while the rest of the retail business world froze or even cut back on labor expenses. Despite persistent urgings to take his company public, David has kept Hobby Lobby private so that he has the freedom to use the company profits as he and his family so chooses. From running holiday newspaper ads, to funding a hospital in Haiti, supporting his local homeless shelter and printing literature about Jesus for those in faraway places, so long as Hobby Lobby stays privately held, the Green family can continue to contribute to kingdom building unabated. His willingness to place principals ahead of profits proves that he places God first in his life.
Although he grew up poor financially in rural Oklahoma, he was raised spiritually rich by a devote Christian home. His father was a pastor and the message prominently displayed in his childhood home was, “Only one life; ’twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” As David progressed in his career as an adult, his mother continually asked, “That’s nice, Dave. But what are you doing for the Lord?” His two brothers followed in the footsteps of their father, becoming pastors, while two of his sisters married pastors and the third became an evangelist. As an entrepreneur chasing the almighty dollar, David struggled early on to figure out if he was doing anything for Christ. It wasn’t until his first big financial gift of $30,000 that he finally recognized that God purposed him to be a merchant. Much like the revelation RG LeTourneau experienced when consulting with Pastor Duval, Green reasoned, “God is not averse to business, he’s not just a Sunday Deity and he understands margins, spreadsheets, competition and profits.”
Sad to see negative comments in regards to a successful man who has built his business around his conscience, convictions and what he believes the Lord has led him to do.
Of course, people have a right to their own opinions. But jealousy and bitterness is sin.
All you people who like David Green will be shocked to read this:
http://www.wnd.com/2016/07/meet-the-gop-billionaire-behind-lgbt-push/
Maybe you should ask him about this.
Praise God! That’s encouraging to see that we should always keep going forward and following the path God desires for you. 🙂
Dear Mr. GREEN,
GOD BLESS you and your Christian values .My Bible Study and I have always supported and admired you.
One thing I have seen in the Bible is how God can, and will use, the unlikeliest of people for His benefit and Gods glory.
I hope that you will think for a minute about this.
We cannot give our country over to Hillary, or we will be done.
I IMPLORE YOU to vote for ANY NOMINEE and vigorously support any Conservative candidate.
I believe that God is ready for us to take our country back.I believe and do not doubt the power and will of God, to use, mold and enlighten any candidate we put forth. Just because he may not exactly fit our mold, does not mean that God cannot mold them into the greatest president that America so desperstely needs.
As much prayer as we as a Christian Nation have prayed for this, I urge you and everyone to put our trust in following His lead. Whoever is elected as our nomine, please PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE YOUR COMPLETE SUPPORT. We need your public backing,please.
Thank you and God Bless Hobby Lobby,
Nancy Parker
Congratulations and bless you Mr. Green for standing by your beliefs and not supporting Donald Trump-who would ruin this country. Like you, if Hillary or Donald of the candidates I will not vote. I saw you today on Fox News and when Neil quoted the scripture-Jesus said: turn the other cheek, when you ask you about your support for Marco Rubio, he obviously forgot that Jesus also threw the money changers out of the Temple. I am with you and I support Marco Rubio.
I am doing all that I can, which isn’t much, to see that Donald does not get the nomination. If everyone who reads this would do what they could to also see that clown does not succeed, perhaps with a stop his apparent momentum.
God bless all of his people.
Just viewed David Green’s interview with Neil Covuto – It was GREAT! Some acquaintances chided me for making the same stand – I will not vote for Trump even if he becomes the nominee. I, too, am dismayed to seeing supposed evangelicals supporting a man who breaks so many of God’s principles; He makes his money dividing people from their money at his casinos;, he supports sexual immorality with a strip club; he insults believers who aren’t ‘nice’ to him when they react to his nasty comments about anyone who doesn’t support him. Thank you, Mr. Green – Shalom and God Bless You.
Judge not or be judged! Listen more to what Trump has done to what is going on in the dumb political movement. We are in trouble in this nation, you have fought for no contraceptives, yet divorce is okay. I can judge you too, but I won’t. Your workers may well not be able to afford the pills not the child, but you have made your judgment.
Dear David,
Man, I do not know where you come off backing Rubio as a Godly candidate. Look into his background sir, he is gay, or have you caved on that issue now? Recently he had an affair with another GOP campaign adviser, and you think he is a Godly man. You must have some other axe to grind with Trump, because if you look at Trump’s family, all great children, they don’t drink, smoke or do drugs. Trump has a great healthy family. Rubio’s entire life is a lie. Just do a little research you jump into a snake pit with Rubio.
Sincerely,
Jack G Clark, CEO
Mighty Max Cart
Greetings!! I am writing to you today because God has placed this wonderful idea on my heart and I’d like to ask for your help. I currently work as a full time house mom for the Daughter Project in Perrysburg, Ohio. It is a non-profit organization who helps rescue girls pulled into the sex trafficking industry. Part of their independent living skills is preparing them for work once they leave the organization. I have recently gotten in contact with a friend who owns his own scarf business and was looking for homemade scarves to sell. Well, here at TDP all we do is knit in our free time! So God placed this brilliant idea in my head, what if we could start a savings fund for the girls while they’re here so when they graduate from the program and move out, they have money they have earned from making scarves. Eric is willing to pay the girls $10/hour until the scarves sell to which he will then give them $50 per scarf. I think this is a great way to help teach these girls how to save money and what worth means to them. What I am asking of you is if you can help us with the material for the scarves. We currently use the chunky yarn we purchase from your store so could you help us purchase at a discount price in bulk? I look forward to hearing back from you and God bless!!
First of all I love Hobby Lobby because it is owned by Christian people. I bought three wooden crosses with some scripters burned into the wood. I meant to keep one, at the last minute I gave it away for a Christmas present, now I do not have one, I wish that cross would come back to Hobby Lobby. I’m fighting cancer and the Lord is with me, I just wish I had that beautiful cross to hang on my wall. God bless you always. Donna
Thank you very much for your full-page ad on It’s a Boy in the Dayton Daily News.
Hello David Green it is an honor knowing that you are a strong Christian and businessman.
Hello please come and visit the website of a new pioneer network of churches, we have a daily scripture from the sword, a prayer wall, Christian philanthropist opportunities, come and learn more about us
Mr D Green
its a very encouraging story about your humble beginning to God be the glory. After all the things I have read I am interested in the HOBBY LOBBY expanding to South Africa and teaches their principles to us Christians and to create employment. South Africa is growing economically and the number of Christians is multiplying every day…I like the fact that the employers of the HOBBY LOBBY are given a chance to go to church every sunday because the shops are closed…that’s priceless. when u decide to expand to S.A. consider me.
May God bless the Company abundantly Mr. Green as you continue to lift up the Faith you have planted when you were small in JESUS!… You are really Christ Ambassador here on earth. Just before I end my writing…I shall declare that May the LORD bless you and your family,business and enlarge your territory, May he take away pain and give you peace, May HIS mighty Hands protect you from harm.
God Bless Us All.
Dear Mr. Green,
First i would like to thank you for the work you are doing. God lifted you to such height for a special reason. Iam a man of God who trust in the power of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I have been spreading His word for some years. Mostly i have been visiting those who are in need in villages, praying with them and supporting them where possible.
Please iam requesting for anyone who can support me financially in this mission i would appreciate. The reason why iam requesting for such assistance is, so that i may help needy children to continue in education and to buy Holy Bibles for the needy in their native language. Mostly let us pray for each other always.
We have a prayer shawl ministry at Our Lady Star of the Sea church in New Smyrna Beach Florida.
We buy yarn at your Hobby Lobby store in Daytona and we thank you for keeping your yarn reasonably priced as we knit and crochet blankets, chemo hats, hats and scarfs for the homeless. We have a ministry to the sick which we give a prayer shawl to those who are ill and need to feel the the mercy and love of Jesus as they wrap themselves in the shawl.
We crochet a American flag for our veterans. So please if you can , keep the yarn reasonably priced for us . Thank you and my God continue to shed his blessing on you.
Sincerely Lorraine Notte.
Hello Mr. Green,
I LOVE Hobby Lobby! I met the Burchfield Brothers who have played gospel music via the sound system years ago. I live in Jacksonville Texas where you have done a wonderful thing for our Christian college here. We really need a store here in our growing town, we have to drive to Tyler, Tx. as the Walmart is not selling many arts and crafts, material, patterns etc. any longer. Everytime I go in there the aisles have customers looking for things in that area.
Would you please consider building a store here in our largely Christian town. We have about 150 churches, a bible seminary, and a lot of Christian people who would not fight against a Hobby Lobby here. God bless you always! You’re doing the Master’s work each day.
In Him,
Debra Pike
Chris D,
Talk about freedom? Nobody is forcing people to work for HL. If they don’t like the policies, they can work somewhere else. Who are you to say that David should be FORCED to provide things to people he doesn’t want to? There are TWO sides to freedom, but you only seem to be interested in one of them.
I didn’t know some of these companies were started by Christians. This is great to read and also gives me encouragement in knowing I could possibly be successful in business with the goal of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helping others in need.
My small start-up http://www.3p39v.com (Christians Proclaim Christ Is Victory) T-shirts
Great God is greater, and thank master Jesus for this. God first.
Am Matt. from Nigeria. I honestly do not know or can tell what these comments are all about. But I believe, in what I have read about you, that you are doing a NOBLE work for the kingdom of God.
I also want to suggest that apart from using your resources to bring honour to the name of our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, you can also use your position to create”Prayer Cells” in your organisations, as you know, that it is ONLY Prayer that can REALY bring to pass the word of the Lord (“The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea”) in the hearts of the people of the nations of the earth.
The African church is a praying church. Partner with it and see how God will de-populate the kingdom of darkness (satan), and populate the KINGDOM of GOD, if of course, that is your goal and mandate. More grace to function in His vineyard. Thank you!
Hi Mr. David Green
I would like to send you a video of our ministry, could you please give us and e-mail address to send it to you.
Thanks,
Roberto Sorto
Senior Pastor
A Miracle Comes Ministry
Dear Mr. Green:
Would you sponsor me as a full-time missionary in America?
Hello Mr. Green,
Let me first state that I believe in religious freedom. I am trying to understand your viewpoint regarding the Obamacare program and your decision to challenge some of its provisions. I know yours is a private business, however, it is still quite public. If you don’t mind, please confirm if you stand behind excluding birth control for women yet believe it to be okay in the eyes of God to allow vasectomies for men. I’m not quite sure if this is a valid position that you have or not. That’s why I am asking the question since so many people that have stated that that is the case.
Please excuse the question if this is an incorrect statement and that your belief is that the same standards (both personally and spiritually) apply to both genders. If not, please allow me to understand why there would be a difference.
I appreciate your time in reviewing this e-mail and look forward to your response.
Thank you.
Millie Ragazzo
Dear David;
I am doing genealogy ad cannot seem to find your parents name mentioned anywhere. I am sure that we share ancestors (Greens of Rhode Island.) I am just curious how we are related, as I have seen references to you having ancestors from Rhode Island.
Thank you for any info you send,
Chuck Green, Arizona
Isn’t it hypocritical to claim you are for God when 99% of your merchandise is made in China who are largely communists and deny God? Also, can you tell me if your insurance allows Viagara or prostate health for men?
David….stay strong to your principles and the Lord. You are not the only company suing the Federal Goverment for wrong-doing. Obamacare will likely implode on it’s own in short order. In the meantime, The American people cannot continue to be this Administrations collateral damage. I have written many Republican governors, senators and congressman on this topic and will continue to do so.
God bless you and your family,
Diana Finn, Richfield, WI
I dare you to post my comment if you believe in 1st amendment rights…
Your law suit is a DISGRACE.
We should boycott your stores.
The ACA is the law of the land. IF you don’t like it I suggest you close your stores and go do business in a theocracy (Saudi Arabia sounds perfect cause Extremist Christians and extremist Muslim have a lot in common when it comes to respecting CIVIL rights).
Let your EMPLOYEES CHOSE: do not impose your religious views on them this is dictatorship (theocracy) and since they are at risk of losing their job if they publicly oppose it and protest it is TERRORISM.
Freedom is sacred.
IMAGINE is corporation owners who are Jehovah witnesses opposed provisions of the law with coverage for blood transfusion and end of life care!
Can you see how undemocratic and tyrannical your demands are in a civil society which btw is NOT a Christian nation and NEVER was…
What about veganists creating their religion (perhaps it’s already done) and opposing anything non vegetarian covered by the law – including meat in meals paid for at the hospital, vaccines cultivated on eggs etc…?
Religious FREEDOM is guaranteed under the Constitution.
What part of FREEDOM do you NOT understand.
This is NO longer serfage of the Middle Ages and NO, you do not own your employees as serfs.
REMOVE your law suit or move to Saudi Arabia. Even Israel is NOT good enough for you. Forget the most Christian countries (Spain, Italy…) and get ready for same sex couple benefits!! IT IS THE LAW, love it or leave!
Sincerely, from a former Christian who still follows Christ’s TRUE messages and still reluctantly shops at HL!
Chris Drozier
Dear David;
I’m glad to learn you’re helping God on a personal level. After all He does seem to have a problem handling money. And, as you are a C H R I S T I A N and all things Christian are virtuous and good you must succeed, right?
By the way can you think of a religious order other than Christianity which has caused,historically, more death & dismemberment than C H R I S T I A N I T Y?
Stop waving the cross as your imprimatur for screwing up. If you go under it will be at the hands of other money grubbing Christians who are “just doing God’s work.”
You’re fooling no one except fellow parishioners! Have a nice day. =
Although we have no affiliation to David Green or Hobby Lobby, but are merely an informational website sharing the life stories of successful Christians in business, it is our understanding that Hobby Lobby and David Green issued a public apology for any misunderstandings related to the topic you are bringing up.
Why is your company Anti-Semitic? Why don’t you post your email???
Coward, just pathetic.
Statement of Grace Children’s Orphanage – India…
We the organization “Grace Children’s Orphanage” committed to serve the deserted, destitute and lonely children (boys and girls) are being admitted by providing them food and education, clothes, books and health care free hostel and accommodation facilities. It is a registered organization and run by collecting donations from private donors and individuals and with our own funds. Our primary motto is to inculcate the spiritual learning and build up god’s wisdom among the boarders. We are giving training to the boarders in handicrafts also.
In the beginning we started with 10 children at our home with our own resources. Now the present strength raised up to 70 children and 50 Widows with in 3 branches (places), our goal is to provide food, shelter, education and spiritual raise parentless or fatherless orphans and destitute children in spiritual wisdom. We are taking delight in caring for their health and spiritual, welfare. In inculcating, gods fear in them. Providing them a good life, which, without god’s mercy, they do not have nor can get from their parents/families. (If they exist)
We are also providing equipment for disabled children. We have good a dedicated staff to look after them all the time. We give medical care through a qualified physician and prescribed medicines in times of their illness.
For their educational growth: we provided needed books and materials, for their school study and uniforms and shoes for their health and well-being. Teaching, stories from the bible for learning about god and god’s will for each life. This will build their spiritual strength strong and teach them to be good servants for lord in the future. It is a great joy for us to tell you that we encourage children to improve their minds with knowledge that will make them better citizens in the lord’s kingdom, as well to their fellow citizens.
We provide entertainment to children through sports and indoor and outdoors, games. We also take children to see parks, big cities, museums and seashore for their recreation. We also encourage children to improve their personal skills like drawing and art, singing and playing music instruments, acting, writing, sewing and embroidery (for girls), swimming, guardining etc.
The other works which we do are church, evangelism and social activities. Doing all this depending entirely upon the will and grace of god.
Casual needs: a constant need of the children: – New/used clothes, bibles, books, pens, and soaps, biscuits, tooth cream, (paste) tooth brushes, face powder, milk powder, washing powder (detergent), toys, medicines, like school supplies, shoes, socks, pencils, sketch pens for the children and ribbons and barretts for the girls hair, computers for the children would be a God send.
“Pure religion and undefiled before god and the father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)
“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the lord, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2,)
Please visit our orphanage website: http://graceorphanage.webs.com
Thank you in the love of Jesus.
Your Brother in Christ,
Brother Emmanuel Nethala.
DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
GREETS TO YOU IN JESUS NAME. I AM M.P.VICTOR FROM ANDHRAPRADESH,SOUTH INDIA.
REALLY I AND MY CO-WORKERS VERY HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU AND YOUR MINISTRIES HERE IN ANDHRAPRADESH BECAUSE OF WE LIKE YOUR FAITH AND GREAT WORK.
WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS,SUGGESTIONS,GUIDANCE AND HELP TO REACH THE ANDHRAPRADESH WITH GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
ORPHAN CHILDREN AND HI/AIDS CHILDREN ARE HERE IN MY HOME THEY NEED HELP TO EAT THE FOOD AND EDUCATION AND ETC,,,
HEARTY WELCOME TO YOU TO ANDHRAPRADESH TO VISIT US AND OUR WORK.
PLS EXTEND YOUR WORK TO ANDHRAPRADESH.
WE WILL WORK TOGETHER HERE IN ANDHRAPRADESH
WE ARE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR GREAT WORK,PLS PRAY FOR US AND our WORK.
THANKING YOU
YOURS
BROTHER IN CHRIST JESUS
M.P.VICTOR
ANDHRAPRADESH
INDIA
My first adventure into one of your stores was in AZ, loved it!!! After arriving home in Washington state I searched your web site and discovered there were two in our area (kinda). Today three of us took the hour drive to your Lynnwood store and spent three hours there!!! We could have spent longer but we were so hungry and left for lunch. Over lunch we vowed to make the trip again soon. Do you think you’ll build one of your stores in the Tacoma/Puyallup area anytime soon? We would love it 🙂
Thank you for an amazing store and a wonderful shopping experience. Love everything I purchased today and can’t wait to hang my pictures, start my crafts and dream about when I’ll be in your store again. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Lynn Hanssen
Dearly Beloved In Christ,
Greetings to you in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am so glad to write this loving letter to you. We are so glad to see your good works on the website. I also thank Lord for giving us a great communication to share one another. Before introducing myself, we are assuring our continued prayers for your ministry and for your dear family in all our prayers and you please do pray for us and for our ministry in India. My name is Pastor Samuel Joshua Geddam, the Founder & President of Hope Ministries in India. We have been preaching the gospel and also planting churches and doing our best as much as we can from 13 years and we are heartily inviting you and your team to India for a International Crusade and for a Pastors Conference, which will really equip us and also win thousands of souls into the Kingdom of Heaven through your powerful and spiritually filled messages.
India is a pagan country bounded by 330 million pagan Gods and there are 880,000 villages in India where people still do not know Jesus. Our goal is to plant churches in such areas and we as a team go over there preach the gospel and stay over there and see that a church is planted over there and leave a new Pastor over the work. We support the Pastor for a period of 2 years until he becomes self sufficient with the growing church. We have planted more than 154 churches in our area and we thank Lord for His provisions. Please do pray for us and encourage us to plant more churches and win more souls into His Kingdom. Now we are also busing and trucking people from unreached areas to a International Crusade with an attendance of 50,000 people for 3 nights and through this International Crusade more than 75 churches would be planted and we will make up a follow up after the three nights giving them salvation cards. We are really excited to invite you to India for a International Crusade and we are praying to Lord that Lord will give you provisions to conduct a International Crusade in India which will really plant more churches through your powerful messages. We can also conduct small crusades in village junctions and as you respond to us in whatever manner Lord leads you in His timing we would abide by your honor’s instructions. We are praying with faith that Lord will bring you to India for a Pastors Conference in the days and for a International Crusade in the nights. Please ask us for more details once you see our letter.
Apart from the Church planting, we do have an Orphanage with 40 Orphaned and abondoned children.(Hope Children’s Home, Jangareddigudem). We save these children to win them for christ. We are accommodating them in a rented building and we are praying for our own ministry campus. Please do encourage us and do help this children if you are led by the Lord. The name of our orphanage is Hope Children’s Home. If you need more information regarding this project, we shall send to your honor.
Once we plant the churches in villages the people who respond to gospel are not allowed to collect water near the wells and they face lot of perscution and as water is essential element in our daily life, we do dig borewells near the church and show our love and compassion to all people. We also give the village people the physical wells of salvation. Praise the Lord. We are in need of drilling more wells in more village churches. Please do encourage us in these areas if you can save a village with wells of salvation. If you need more details, please do ask us.
We do also support the village poorer communities with micro financing projects as giving them loans for sewing machines, basket making funds, setting up small business stores and as they grow and pay the loans more poorer communities would be blessed. We thank the Lord for His provisions and we are showing our love of Christ abiding by His principles. Amen. If you are interested in helping us with these smaller projects, we shall send you more information.
We do also support the widows in the church with a small monthly support and there are so many widows who desperately need help. (James 1:27). Please do pray for the needs of our ministry and also we are requesting you to please visit India so that you will know that we are a genuine ministry. If you need any references if you cannot come, we can give you and you can contact them.
But our heartful invitation is for you to visit us as a team or your family, we would be really excited in meeting you and hearing your powerful messages. Please let us know of your schedule and please inform our ministry activties in whatever way you can help us, or encourage us to your churches, friends, relatives, crusade speakers who are interested in helping with the work of Lord in India.
Our letter is not to ask you for funding all of our activities, but we are only telling you of our activities and if you are only led by the Lord, we ask you to encourage us and guide us and support us and visit us and give your valuable suggestions and also pray for us as God answers our prayers and fulfil our needs.
We also request you to please send us your messages which will be in form of dvds, books and other tapes, we will really be thankful for your support and products.
We close our letter with love and greetings and hugs to you. If you need more information please do email us or you can ring us through telephone.
Love to hear from you a good news.
Your Loving Brother,
Pastor Samuel Joshua
Founder & President
Hope Ministries
Morning I am impressed to c lord servants prosper. I would like to be mentored by David if by the God will
Sydney Motimele
Email David Green, the CEO of one of the largest retailers in the world? This site was designed to honor these great people, not a place to network with them. You may want to contact his office in Oklahoma? Sorry we couldn’t be of more assistance.
Mr. Green,
how can I email personally?