For too long, the Black church has been trapped in a cycle of empty sermons, political grandstanding, and survival-mode thinking. There is a clear divide between pastors who preach Jesus and those who use His name as a tool for political parties. Some pastors genuinely teach the gospel, focusing on faith, self-sufficiency, and the power of God to transform lives. Others, however, manipulate the pulpit for political influence, aligning themselves with parties and policies that do little to serve the true needs of the Black community. Instead of being a force for transformation, many churches have become spiritual gangs—divided by denomination, competing for members, and seeking validation through government grants rather than God’s power and the resources already in our hands. Jesus never taught us to be poor or dependent. He taught us to love, build, and create communities rooted in righteousness, equality, and economic empowerment. Let’s be honest: do black communities resemble these qualities? If we truly followed His teachings, we wouldn’t have to look to Pharaoh—the government—for handouts. We would be too busy creating our own thriving, self-sufficient institutions.

The greatest commandment Jesus gave was to love one another, yet our communities are often filled with division, crime, and neglect. This is not the vision of Christ. A church that truly follows Jesus must take action to heal its people, restore dignity, and build safe, sacred spaces where Black men, women, and children can thrive. That means establishing businesses, schools, and hospitals—not just worship centers. It means replacing crime with opportunity, replacing hopelessness with vision, and replacing reliance on external systems with an internal commitment to self-sufficiency. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 8:18, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” If God has already placed the power of wealth in our hands, why do we keep looking outside ourselves for solutions?

Black businesses currently represent only 2 percent of all businesses in America. If we can increase that number to just 6 percent, we can radically shift generational wealth within our community. This is not an impossible dream—it is an achievable goal if we mobilize our existing institutions. There are over 65,000 Black churches across the U.S., with many concentrated in historically Black neighborhoods, according to data from the Pew Research Center and other sources—65,000 distribution centers for Black business, far exceeding the total number of Walmart and Target locations combined. Yet instead of leveraging these sacred spaces as economic hubs, we allow them to sit dormant six days a week while our people struggle financially.

The recent rollback of DEI initiatives at major corporations like Target should be a wake-up call for Black communities. Many Black-owned businesses that had once thrived under corporate diversity programs are now struggling as sales decline and distribution channels disappear. The Lip Bar, Mielle Organics, and Black Girl Sunscreen—brands that became household names thanks to DEI partnerships—now find themselves vulnerable because they relied on white-owned corporations instead of Black-owned institutions. This proves what should have been clear all along: we cannot afford to depend on corporate handouts. If Black churches and Black institutions were truly mobilized, these businesses would not have to rely on Target or Walmart for survival. With 65,000 Black churches spread across America, why haven’t we built our own distribution networks? If every Black church supported just ten Black businesses per year, we could sustain an Amazon-like Black business distribution annually, creating economic independence instead of dependency. Other communities have mastered this strategy—why haven’t we? If the Black church is to be a true force for economic empowerment, it must step into its rightful role as an incubator of Black business, a lender to Black entrepreneurs, and a marketplace for Black-owned products.

Read: Black Dollars, White Wealth: Why Our Spending Power Isn’t Building Our Future

Why am I critical of the Black Church? But I’m not being so critical; I’m speaking with love because the Black church is the largest, oldest, and most organized Black institution in America. Yet, it lacks any national economic program or agenda—one that God and the scriptures have already ordained. The boycott of Target was meant to send a message, but what it really exposed is that our economy is still in the hands of others. If we are truly serious about self-sufficiency, we must start building our own economic structures instead of begging for access to someone else’s.

The question we must ask is: Has the Black church been misguided all along? Statistics show that white women were the largest beneficiaries of DEI programs, yet the Black church and Black institutions rallied behind these initiatives as if they were designed to uplift Black communities. If these programs truly worked in our favor, why did Black-owned businesses remain fragile enough to collapse the moment DEI funding was pulled? Have we been fighting for programs that benefit others while leaving our own people in economic peril? These are the hard truths we must confront if we are ever to reclaim true financial independence and security.

Read: The Failure of DEI: It Did Not Equate to Black Progress, So Why Keep Fighting for It

Despite making up only 2 percent of the U.S. population, the Jewish community has built an economic and political infrastructure that allows them to control their own communities and institutions. Through group economics, cultural solidarity, and strategic investment, they have established a network of businesses, banks, media outlets, and educational institutions that keep wealth circulating within their community. Jewish consumers heavily support Jewish-owned businesses, and their financial institutions provide interest-free loans and investment capital to help fellow Jews start businesses and build generational wealth. Additionally, Jewish organizations believe in “Community Before Party” as their political slogan, prioritizing political engagement and ensuring their interests are well-represented in government, local leadership, and policy-making. Their institutions—whether synagogues, schools, or advocacy groups—serve as hubs for economic cooperation and influence, ensuring that they remain self-sufficient and independent of external control.

If the Jewish community—only 2 percent of the population—can build and sustain their own economy, why are Black churches, with 65,000 locations and $1.5 trillion in spending power, not doing the same? The Black population in the United States is approximately 14 percent, yet we have failed to harness our collective wealth and institutional strength to build sustainable economic systems. Why do we continue to look outside ourselves for economic solutions when other communities have proven that self-sufficiency is possible? The Jewish community has mastered the art of building institutions that serve their people, yet too many Black churches are content with simply passing the collection plate every Sunday while their communities struggle financially. What stops us from following this model? Why aren’t we using our churches as distribution centers for Black businesses, financial hubs for Black entrepreneurs, and training grounds for the next generation of leaders? The blueprint for economic empowerment is right in front of us—but we still refuse to follow it!

Why are we still begging White-owned corporations for DEI initiatives when we already have 65,000 ready-made platforms to promote and build Black businesses? If every Black church prioritized supporting just ten Black businesses per year, we could launch and sustain over 1 million Black businesses annually—creating jobs, circulating wealth, and laying the foundation for institutions that will serve generations to come. The infrastructure for economic power is already in place; we have to activate it.

Our collective $1.5 trillion in spending power can do more than make others rich—it can build our institutions. Every thriving community in America has businesses that create jobs, banks that finance their people, and schools that preserve their culture. The Jewish community, the Asian community, and others do this without hesitation. Why don’t we? We must shift from simply spending money to circulating and investing it in Black businesses, schools, and neighborhoods. That is not just economics; that is following Jesus’ teachings and making heaven on earth for our people.

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