Baltimore, USA - At first glance, there isn't much difference between Mark Gadow's driving school and his competitors -- red means stop, a solid yellow line means no passing, apply the two-second rule when following another car.
But at Gadow's school in Caroline County, Md., the $325 tuition gets you more than just 36 hours of lessons on how to be a good motorist -- it also gets you a lesson on how to be a good soul.
That's because on the 10th and final day of classes at Gadow's Christian Faith Driving School, he will bear witness to how prayer healed his hip and joint pain. He'll share how his deep faith in God led him to leave his longtime career in law enforcement to start his own business. And, upon request, he will sit and pray with students.
His business, Gadow said, is not about preparing young drivers just for the road, but for life. That philosophy has won Gadow and Christian Faith many fans. Every class he teaches is packed 25-30 students deep.
Think of it as faith at work -- or maybe even the business of faith. Across the country, growing numbers of Christian companies are hanging their shingles on their religious beliefs and finding that customers are eager to embrace them.
"Look at how we were awe-struck by Mel Gibson's 'The Passion of the Christ,' " said consumer-trend expert Annette McEvoy, a consultant in New York. "Look at the November elections. There are a substantial number of people who want to vote this way and support businesses this way, according to their values.
"I believe there was some pent-up feelings about religion, and now people want to express themselves."
The cultural embrace of faith has given birth to what experts call the "values shopper." For this consumer, value means living -- and spending -- according to his beliefs.
There are no firm figures on how many Christian businesses are operating now compared with years past, but what is clear is that they are becoming more open about their faith.
Flip through the Yellow Pages and there are dozens of listings for small Christian businesses that reach beyond the obligatory bookseller to include plumbers, real-estate brokers, dance instructors, pest controllers and computer technicians.
Finding a Christian business used to mean relying on local Christian telephone directories or word-of-mouth referrals from church members. Today, a simple Web search will turn up countless networks such as Massachusetts-based DisciplesDirectory.com and 123Christian.com in Colorado that can link Christian shoppers with Christian providers of goods and services.
The concept of Christian businesses is nothing new, experts say, but what is new is their increased visibility.
In New York, Peter Weisner started Christianmortgage.net 10 months ago based on the idea that faith and trust would put his clients more at ease to discuss personal financial matters such as bankruptcy and debt.
In Crofton, Md., Joe Morson opened a branch of Florida-based Christian Financial Services in 2000 to help clients invest in companies that reflect their values.
"I think . . . after 9/11 people were reaching out to religion more. They're looking to find more meaning in their everyday life," said Morson, whose business cards are emblazoned with a cross. "For me, it was personal: I wanted to help people invest their money in a way that would reflect their Christian standpoint."
Even as the rise of religion in pop culture has helped stimulate its role in the marketplace, some see the movement as an outgrowth of the megachurch phenomenon, which has demonstrated how Christians can cocoon themselves among their own on campuses offering gyms, schools, shops, banks, counselors -- with activities to fill an entire week.
"The megachurch mentality returns the church to the absolute mentality of not relegating your beliefs just to Sunday, but living your faith throughout the entire week," said James B. Twitchell, a consumer expert who wrote "Branded Nation: The Marketing of Megachurch, College Inc., and Museumworld."
At the same time, he said, many businesses have become less unique, giving consumers fewer reasons to choose them.
"It used to be there really was a difference if you bought product A instead of product B. But most stuff is interchangeable now if you're buying from a Kmart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Lowe's, for instance," said Twitchell, a professor of English and advertising at the University of Florida.
"The way to separate yourself is using your religion as a brand. That's what you're seeing when you leaf through the phone book and see the word Christian in an ad."