Contact: Richard Glickstein, 917-371-0868

NEW YORK, Feb. 4, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- Steve Green, President of arts and crafts retail stores, Hobby Lobby, is this year's recipient of the National Bible Association's (NBA) John M. Templeton Biblical Values Award. The award is given annually in recognition of a business leader who exemplifies Biblical values in the market place.

"Biblical values are at the core of Hobby Lobby's business -- from closing stores on Sundays to defending religious liberty. The bar has been set high for Biblical values in the work place," said Richard Glickstein, NBA President. "Steve is an outstanding example for business leaders across the country, and we are grateful for his exemplary spiritual values and his continued commitment to the Bible," Glickstein said.

The Award is named after John M. Templeton who successfully integrated work and his Christian faith. By using his investing talents to help ordinary people and practicing Biblical values in the market place, Templeton serves as a model to all business executives of faith.

"It is truly an honor to receive the prestigious Templeton award from the NBA," said Green. "I am humbled to join the ranks of other leaders who are committed to the Bible to guide their spiritual and religious beliefs as well as their business," Green said.

Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby was founded in the early 1970s, a chain of 525 arts and crafts retail stores with more than 20,000 employees in the U.S. The decision to close stores on Sundays cost the company over $100 million in product sales annually. The decision to pay all new employees at least 80% more than the minimum wage is a further reflection of the company's values. Hobby Lobby also offers Biblically-based spiritual and financial counseling to its employees.

Nearly half of Hobby Lobby's annual profits are donated according to Biblical principles and for the promotion and reading of the Bible itself. These donations have allowed Hobby Lobby to acquire one of the world's largest private collections of Bibles and Biblical artifacts, a collection that will be housed in a fifty-thousand square foot Bible museum opening in Washington, DC in the near future. Steve has been at the forefront of this project since its beginning in 2009.

Green will be recognized at the annual NBA awards luncheon in New York City on April 15 at the Union League Club. NBA will also make a $25,000 donation to a nonprofit charity designated by Green that has biblical values.

Previous Templeton Award honorees included Ambassador Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman of the American Red Cross and Founder and President Pace Communications and Dr. Thomas Haggai, Chairman of IGA, Inc.

Dr. John M. Templeton Jr. is Chairman of the National Bible Association (NBA) and is also Chairman of the Templeton Foundation.