(FinalCall.com)�One thing I am sure we can agree on is that the greatest example of pooling our resources is demonstrated every Sunday in our churches. People work collectively for common goals, and they pool their dollars to support their church and its programs. That�s simple economic empowerment. Churches do it every Sunday. Why can�t we do it on the other six days of the week?

As long as I have been writing about and studying this phenomenon, I have yet to figure that one out, but let�s concentrate on this positive notion of economics in our churches.

Every church probably has men and women who own businesses. Each church more than likely has members who have talents or hobbies through which they could create some level of income for themselves. If the members of our churches made it a practice to utilize the goods and services of their fellow members, the church would be stronger collectively, and the individuals in the church would have more to give back to the church.

Makes a lot of sense, doesn�t it? So why don�t we see more churches promoting this brand of empowerment? It is a known fact that the Black church is, as Willie Sutton said, "Where the money is?" It is common knowledge that Black churches deposit billions of dollars into banks every Monday morning. It is also common knowledge that many of those same church members cannot go to those same banks and get loans for which they qualify. We also know that many of the individual members of churches struggle every day to make ends meet. This is in spite of all the financial resources within the churches they attend.

Now I am not saying churches should, willy-nilly, give collected resources to members, some of whom may simply be taking advantage of a particular church�s benevolence. I am saying that our church leadership should rethink their mission by revisiting the procedures of the first-century church and getting back to the principles of Koinonia.

A very practical agenda for Black churches should include stewardship seminars, forums for members who have their own businesses and for those who may want to become entrepreneurs; and our church leaders should always do everything they can to empower the members collectively.

There are many examples around the country from which we can take lessons, although too numerous to mention, I will note one excellent example. The Collective Banking Group, formed by Pastor Jonathan Weaver of the Greater Mt. Nebo A.M.E. in Hyattsville, Md., is where we should begin our work to bring some sense of economic parity to our people.

In my hometown, Cincinn-apathy, Ohio, I hear a great deal of complaining from our brothers and sisters about banks not lending to us fairly and so on and so forth. You know the story. Well, I say our churches should do what Weaver did: Form a collective group of churches and take advantage of our leverage when it comes to bank loans and other services offered by banks. Assure, via the thousands of members in the collective, that our people are treated fairly by an industry that makes billions of dollars from Black consumers. That�s what economic empowerment is all about. And what better place to accomplish it than in our Black churches?

Additionally, when we build these churches, let�s seek out and use Black developers, contractors, insurance agents and other Black professionals. (Why do I have to even say that? It should be a no-brainer.) Let�s get to know who attends our churches and what they do, even if it�s a hobby, and let�s support these members in their business endeavors. By circulating our dollars among our fellow members first, we all become empowered through the empowerment of the church. Because the more we have as individuals, the more we have as a collective body�the church.

Is this making any sense? It seems so simple to me. I know, I know, there are a lot of egos in the church, a lot of jealousy and a lot of other "issues," which are completely contrary to what church is about. But, as Dr. Michael Grant once told me, "E.G.O. is an acronym for Ease God Out." We had better change those kinds of attitudes in our churches and get on with taking care of our business, after we take care of God�s business, of course.

(James E. Clingman, an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati�s African American Studies department and founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, hosts the radio program, "Blackonomics.�� He is the author of the book, "Economic Empowerment or Economic Enslavement�We have a choice.")