For David Green and Hobby Lobby, Giving is a Happy and Holy Habit
The cause of the devastating fire that gutted the historic sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Dallas on July 19, 2024, is still not known – but plans to rebuild the structure received a huge boost this past weekend.
David Green, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby, has pledged a $7 million matching gift to the Texas congregation. A single family in the congregation quickly responded, doubling the donation to $14 million.
“We are deeply grateful for the extraordinary generosity of David Green and his family for this gift that will go a long way in helping us rebuild,” said Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of the church.
David Green, 84, is among the most generous Christians in America, if not the entire world. But the philosophy of his philanthropy hasn’t only correlated with the final success of his company.
“From the very beginning, our purpose was to honor God in all that we did,” Green said. “We worked hard, and God gave the results. As we were blessed by God, we saw it as a great privilege to give back. We’ve been able to provide hope through supporting ministries and planting churches all over the world.”
Hobby Lobby stores are expected to generate upwards of $9 billion this year – an extraordinary record for a company that got its start with a $600 bank loan.
The Green family has poured over $500 million into the Museum of the Bible, a one-of-a-kind must-see attraction in Washington, D.C. The museum’s latest display is the “Dead Sea Scrolls: The Exhibition.” Visitors are able to see fragments from Genesis, Job, and the Psalms.
Matthias Walther, who serves as the museum’s chief marketing officer, has said, “Maybe you don’t walk away and become a believer, but I think it certainly will create a reverence and a respect for what this book is and the power that it has and how it transcends time.”
However, the Green family has been drawn to use their resources to share God’s Good News. Over the years they’ve helped distribute Bibles all over the world while partnering with other ministries such as One Hope and Every Home for Christ, and helping fund the YouVersion Bible app.
The varied ways in which the Greens have distributed their resources reflect not only their tremendous giving philosophy but also their earnestness for reaching as many people as possible who might otherwise not be introduced to the Gospel.
In the midst of their philanthropy, they’re also bold and fearless when it comes to facing down cultural objections to their deeply held Christian convictions. When the Obama administration demanded they pay for abortifacients in their health care coverage, they refused – and successfully defended their position all the way up to the Supreme Court.
When almost every other big retail chain opens on Sunday, they remain closed in observance of the Lord’s Day so their employees can worship without navigating work. Look for their annual full-page advertisements proclaiming Christ in major newspapers this coming Christmas – a tradition that also includes Easter Sunday.
“For me, my source of truth has always been prayer and the Bible,” David Green has shared. “I truly believe that if leaders pray and seek truth from the Bible that their businesses will be revolutionized.”
Hobby Lobby has led its own revolution of goodness – and now stands to fund the restoration and renovation of one of our nation’s most beloved churches. To David Green, giving back is more than a hobby but a habit rooted in his deep Christian faith.
