5 big bible-based businesses that wear their faith on their sleeves

IMAGE: JHILA FARZANEH/MASHABLE

BY TRACEY EDOUARD2 HOURS AGO

In a Christmas season full of shopping and gifts, the religious undertone of the holiday is frequently forgotten in the scrum of consumerism.

SEE ALSO: Does God Make People Work Harder?

But there are companies who specifically point to the religious roots of Christmas — out of personal belief, and often, good business: When a company wears its beliefs on its sleeve, it can often attract faithful customers. Here are some companies that make their belief in God public knowledge to their employees and customers alike.

1. Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A has seen a lot of criticism and backlash over the past several years for its position onsame-sex marriage, remaining unapologetic about its Christian beliefs, but it certainly hasn't stopped its exponential growth. A QSR report from August 2015 reported Chick-fil-A as the eighth-ranked industry elite in the U.S., grossing more than $5.7 million in sales in 2014, beating out companies like Chipotle, KFC, and Panera Bread. And if that wasn't enough, the chain just recently opened up its first location in the heart of midtown Manhattan, this past October.

On their public FAQ page listed on their website, the company shares that the corporate purpose of Chick-fil-A is "to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us."

Back when the chain was founded back in 1946, Truett Cathy, the late founder and chairman of Chick-fil-A, enforced a policy based on his personal and biblical principles, that all Chick-fil-A restaurants are to be closed on Sundays to give employees an "opportunity to rest, spend time with family, friends, and worship if they choose to do so." The chain consider refers to this continued practice as "part of [their] recipe for success."

2. Forever 21

Forever 21, the fifth-largest speciality retailer in the U.S., is owned by Jin Sook and Do Won Chang, born-again Christians. According to theguardian, Sook and Chang emigrated from South Korea to California with a dollar and a dream, working tirelessly to make ends meet in a new country. Fast-forward 30 years, this family-owned business has journeyed through ups and downs and is now en-route to opening 600 stores by 2017 approaching a net worth of $8 billion.

At the bottom of their signature yellow bags are the words, "JOHN 3:16," which alludes to one of the most popular verses in The Bible, which reads: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life."

Mrs. Chang has been reported by BloombergBusiness saying that when she travelled to America, she had an encounter with God after a prayerful experience on a mountain top. She shares it was that there that God told her she should open a very successful store. "Every decision that they made has been with thoughtful prayer. The bag is simply a statement of [the founders'] faith," says Linda Chang, the public face of the private family.

3. Hobby Lobby

Back in 2014, Hobby Lobby made headlines big-time for undergoing a lawsuit in the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores case, which addressed the constitutional guaranteed rights of business owners to operate their family companies without violating their religious convictions. The Supreme Court issued a 5-4 ruling in favor of Hobby Lobby in the highly controversial case.

Hobby Lobby can be considered the 'Michael's Craft Store' of the midwest. This mega chain was founded in Oklahoma City in 1972. With more than 600 stores nationwide, 28,000 employees, and 3.7 billion dollars in revenue, founder & CEO David Green has always been open and honest about his belief in God. In an interview with Forbes Magazine in October 2012, Green goes on record saying, "I don't care if you're in business or out of business. God owns it." The Hobby Lobby website states, "We believe that it is by God’s grace and provision that Hobby Lobby has endured. God has been faithful in the past, and we trust Him for our future." Just like Chick-fil-A, all Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sunday for spiritual observances.

In 1996, Green said he felt commissioned by God to do something different with advertising. He responded to that commission by creating and sharing faith-filled newspaper ads that highlight what he believes is the real Meaning of Christmas, Easter and other national holidays in newspapers across the U.S. These ads have been uploaded digitally and are accessible to the public to download, email to friends and family or share through several social media outlets.

4. In-N-Out Burger

Similar to Forever 21, In-N-Out Burger, founded in 1948, is very adamant about sharing their beliefs with their customers. An assortment of bible verses ranging from Proverbs 3:5, Revelation 3:20, and Nahum 1:7, have been shared over the years can be found on assorted cups, containers, and wrappers.

In an interview with CBS News back in September 2015, the burger chain's president, Lynsi Snyder, shared her thoughts with CBS corresponder, Ben Tracy about the risks of turning off customers by continuing this practice. Snyder said, "My uncle's the one who put the [bible verses] on the packages before he passed away. Our main thing is that we're giving God the glory and that we believe that He's blessed this company and He's really had His hand on it through all the tragedy and all the deaths and everything so, I don't feel bad about having that on there. Do we face some persecution or haters? Sure, but I don't spend too much time thinking about it."

5. Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods has been very adamant and open about the faith-friendly culture they facilitate. Similarly to Chick-fil-A, they also boldly proclaim their Christian beliefs under their core values on their website: "We strive to honor God and be respectful of each other, our customers, and other stakeholders."

In October 2000, Tyson instituted a workplace Chaplaincy program, created to help support, nurture, encourage and counsel all employees across the board regardless of their specific faith background — including those who claim no specific religion. There are currently more than 115 chaplains at work throughout the company at hand ready to listen, encourage, and if asked, to pray with a handful of more than 113,000 Tyson members. John Tyson, Chairman of the $37.6 billion multinational corporation shared in company video, his thoughts on the program. "What it means to me is just a reflection of who we are. It's a reflection of our core values. It's a reflection of us striving to take care of each other."