At the inception of Faith Driven Consumer™ (FDC), there were many possibilities for what we would name our organization. We wanted to represent Christians, quite obviously, and we knew we wanted to do it in the world of commerce. There are numerous organizations and ministries that do incredible work in every kind of area, but we knew from the beginning that we wanted to apply gospel principles specifically to the marketplace, so that Christians could produce change in the culture through influencing this particular area. So, naturally, the “consumer” part of “Faith Driven Consumer” was chosen. But what about the “Faith Driven” part? Why that specific term? Why not just “Christian Consumer?” Why not something more specific? Or, why not something more broad?
While there are conceivably many different names that we could have chosen that would have been acceptable or appropriate, we at FDC are partial to the idea of what we do and who we represent as being distinctly “faith driven.” Of course, we are Christians and are representing Christians in the marketplace. However, our intention is to represent, not so much those who loosely associate with Christianity or who default to a handful of beliefs traditionally connected to Christianity, but instead to be a voice for those individuals and families across America who identify with a biblically-based, traditional and orthodox Christianity, which permeates every aspect of their lives. This is why the forty-one million Americans that we acknowledge as Faith Driven Consumers, based on our research, are significantly fewer in number than Americans who identify simply as “Christian.”
Being a part of the Faith Driven Consumer community means that you are more than just someone who identifies with the religion of your parents. Instead, you are someone who has the work of Jesus Christ and the truth revealed in God’s word as defining features of your life. Those characteristics define who you are, what you believe, and how you live your life. And it not only extends to life decisions like how you will raise and educate your children, who you will vote for, or what church you will attend; it also extends to how you shop, save and conduct yourself in the marketplace. It means that when you set a budget, give your monthly tithe, and decide where to spend your money, your ultimate goal is to glorify God with your actions and have a gospel impact on the world around you.
This kind of Christian with this kind of mindset is who Faith Driven Consumer exists to represent, unite and amplify. And the importance of this commitment – one that goes beyond association or family tradition – is why we go deeper than the label of “Christian,” but less specific than any one denomination. Because the uniting feature of Faith Driven Consumers is that they are faith driven in their lifestyle and their choices. Anything less will fail to make a difference and impact our culture. We need gospel-centered community members willing to take their faith to its logical extent: to the ends of the earth, but also to every aspect of their lives.
If the Christian life is not just about affirming certain truths and being on the right side of moral or religious arguments, then we as Christians have a lot of work to do. In the book of James, chapter 2, the Scriptures make clear that our faith implies action and true change:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (James 2:14-18, ESV)
This passage describes perfectly why we chose the term “faith driven.” Faith is not just about believing; it’s a call to action, a cause to champion and the source of transformation. Faith without works is dead. And the FDC Community without the power of the gospel and transformed lives of believers is destined to fail: dead on arrival.
But we believe that our faith is not one that is powerless, inert or ineffectual. Instead, it is a faith that drives our very lives and extends to every part of our being. It shows us where to go, who to be, and how to live. And a community of millions of like-minded FDCs, united in our beliefs and actions, and engaged to make a difference in our culture, is an undeniable force to be reckoned with. This is why we are Faith Driven Consumer, and we believe that cultural change and transformation are truly possible through living out our faith in the marketplace for the glory of God.
