The degree to which all this reflects the growth of biblically informed faith is open to consideration. “These kinds of expressions are selling…” Harvard’s Laura Nash admits; then adds: “but are they capturing the fullness of the faith? I think this is a big concern to many theologians.”

Mathisen: “As our NBC News poll shows, three out of five Americans say religious faith plays a role at work and two out of three say it influences their choice of TV shows or movies.”

“Devout Christians are an economic force to be reckoned with…In the workplace, in the marketplace, in boardrooms and in family rooms, it’s clear religion is a powerful presence in our culture.” — Tyler Mathisen

• “We didn’t create any market,” claims Jerry Jenkins (Left Behind), “we revealed a market.”
• “I think that Jesus is the product,” Jakes says. “When the product is excellent, it doesn’t require a big sales pitch.”
• “Jesus is big business in America,” Nash reports, not ungenerously.

The show explores the strength and breadth of self-identified Christians in the marketplace then turns to the products and services that capitalize on that market share — including the cross over appeal.

“People say, ‘I’ve never been to church, but you know I’m watching your broadcast, I’m reading your book (Your Best Life Now),’” pastor Joel Osteen says. “So I think faith is definitely growing all across America.”

Whether or not faith is growing, the numbers certainly are:

• Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ has grossed more than 600 million dollars worldwide, breaking into the top ten all time grossing films.
• Contemporary Christian Music has expanded 15% a year for the last decade (seven billion dollars in 2004 sales) in an otherwise flat market.
• Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life is number one on the USA Today nonfiction list this week with nearly 23 million copies sold.
• Joel Osteen’s Your Best Life Now is number three on the USA Today list.
• The Rising: Before They Were Left Behind, by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, is at number seven on the USA Today fiction list. The Left Behind books are the fastest selling adult fiction series in history (63 million units and counting).
• 46% of Americans say they watch or listen to Christian programming at least once a month (NBC News Poll).
• Christian-oriented television (notably TBN, CBN and Pax) is a 3.5 billion dollar a year business (Christian Broadcasters Association).

“Devout Christians,” CNBC’s Mathisen concludes, “are an economic force to be reckoned with…In the workplace, in the marketplace, in boardrooms and in family rooms, it’s clear religion is a powerful presence in our culture. And in our free enterprise economy, money follows culture.”

“I say, write all your books down here, brothers and sisters; produce all your tapes now; ‘cause nobody’s going to be interested in your books or your tapes when we get to heaven.”
— T. D. Jakes

Skeptics note that mainstream media conglomerates bought their way into the mix through acquisitions. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp owns Zondervan, publisher of the popular NIV Bible line; Sparrow Records became EMI Christian Music Group — and EMI’s fastest growing business unit — after it was purchased by the international media giant. Hollywood is getting in the act too, green lighting a much-expanded array of movie and television projects with religious, mainly Christian, themes.

That said, Michael Cromartie (Ethics and Public Policy Center) weighs in: “ It’s never a bad thing for anybody to have a lot of economic clout if they use their finances responsibly and they don’t cheat and steal and lie.”

Os Hillman (International Coalition of Workplace Ministries) agrees: “God does not frown on people with money;” he says, “the issue there is the love of money versus money itself.”

Chick-Fil-A founder Truett Cathy exemplifies the sort of Christian in business who is very clear about serving customers, not merely selling sandwiches. Nonetheless, Cathy and his successors steadfastly decline to open Chick-Fil-A stores on Sunday, even though it means lost revenues. “I was not so committed to financial success that I was willing to abandon my principles and priorities,” Cathy says on his website (truettcathy.com), “Our decision to close on Sunday was our way of honoring God and of directing our attention to things that mattered more than our business.”

Jakes has the last word on the CNBC broadcast, telling his Dallas congregation: “I say, write all your books down here, brothers and sisters; produce all your tapes now; ‘cause nobody’s going to be interested in your books or your tapes when we get to heaven.”

Watch On Assignment: God & Money Sunday night on CNBC at 9 pm or midnight. Let us know what you think on Monday.