Grace and peace be multiplied to you, through the knowledge of Christ and of God our Father. I pray this missive finds you well. There is currently an initiative going on that is meant to strengthen the African American community economically. It is being referred to as the “Mass Economic Blackout.” We are being encouraged not to take part in any normative buying of goods and services from November 25th through Dec 2nd. This forces the dominant society to acknowledge the impact of our dollar and to playfully get them to understand that we do not stand with their racist acquiescence of racist norms and policies. Even if they are silent, we affirm that silence is complicity. We are also being asked to either begin to, or redouble our efforts to buy black.
There are a number of online opportunities to buy black, such as shopredbag.com/, and although we know that Amazon is not black-owned, there is a way to buy black on Amazon. (https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=69662226011) I have also listed at the end of this lengthy blog resources on buying black in Brooklyn. I did that because I am from and presently have the privilege to pastor in Brooklyn. But you can just as easily use a search engine or AI to get a listing in your community. In some places, it will be harder than in others, but the online option can help.
Here are some biblical arguments for buying black or for buying with in your community. I have attached the resources from which I have obtained the information. Enjoy.
Yours Because I am His,
Leo Colon, D.Min., M.Div.,
In His Presence Family Worship Center
Scripture gives a strong foundation for intentionally directing economic life to bless “our own” while still loving and serving all people.
Priority of the faith community
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
(Galatians 6:10 NIV)
– Galatians 6:10 teaches that believers are to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,” which clearly establishes a priority of care and support for the believing community.[3][4]
– The Jerusalem church modeled this priority by sharing resources so that “there were no needy persons among them,” showing that economic decisions were consciously directed to meet the needs of their own community.[1][2]
Economic justice and local impact
– The Law and the Prophets consistently call God’s people to structure economic life so the poor, vulnerable, and marginalized are protected, not exploited, which includes fair wages, just lending, and preventing generational poverty.[5][6][2]
– Passages like Isaiah 1:17 and Proverbs 31:8–9 call believers to “seek justice,” “defend the rights of the poor and needy,” and “speak up” for the oppressed, which today can include directing spending power toward businesses that strengthen oppressed communities rather than systems that exploit them.[7][8][9]
learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.(Isaiah 1:17 NRSV)
Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.
(Proverbs 31:8-9 NRSV)
Stewardship, solidarity, and “buying Black”
– Biblical stewardship means money is a tool entrusted by God to advance His kingdom purposes, not just to maximize individual comfort, so believers are called to align their economic choices with justice, mercy, and love of neighbor.[10][11][12]
– In contexts where Black communities have been systematically excluded from wealth-building, intentionally supporting Black-owned businesses can be preached as a concrete application of doing good “especially” to the household of faith and standing with the poor and vulnerable in pursuit of economic wholeness.[1][6][11]
Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.
(1 Timothy 6:17 NLT-SE)
Sources
[1] Topical Bible: Economic Justice https://biblehub.com/topical/e/economic_justice.htm
[2] What Does The Bible Say About Economic Justice? https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/csb-apologetics/what-does-the-bible-say-about-economic-justice.html
[3] Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to … https://biblehub.com/galatians/6-10.htm
[4] Galatians 6:10 – Bible Gateway https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Galatians%206:10
[5] A List of Bible Verses on Poverty, Justice, and Compassion https://sojo.net/list-some-more-2000verses-scripture-poverty-and-justice
[6] Seeking Justice and Compassion for the Poor and Vulnerable https://www.nae.org/for-the-health-of-a-nation/seeking-justice-and-compassion-for-the-poor-and-vulnerable/
[7] “WEALTH, POVERTY, and ECONOMIC JUSTICE in the Bible … https://www.royalpalmchristianchurch.org/pastor-craigs-corner/wealth-poverty-and-economic-justice-in-the-bible/
[8] Bible Verses About Justice – Justice in the Bible https://sharedhope.org/2018/06/04/biblical-justice-and-social-justice/
[9] 35 Bible Verses for Addressing Income Inequality – Believers Refuge https://believersrefuge.com/bible-verses-for-addressing-income-inequality/
[10] In God We Trust? Five biblical lessons for believers during an … https://www.jonathanmorrow.org/in-god-we-trust-five-biblical-lessons-for-believers-during-an-economic-recession/
[11] Economics and the Christian Worldview: 12 Theses – Southern Equip https://equip.sbts.edu/publications/journals/journal-of-theology/economics-and-the-christian-worldview-12-theses/
[12] THE DISCIPLE AND MONEY: A LESSON IN STEWARDSHIP https://discipleship.org/blog/the-disciple-and-money-a-lesson-in-stewardship/
[13] Social Justice 101: 12 Scriptures, 7 Proposals, and 3 Appreciations … https://davidschrock.com/2020/08/11/social-justice-101-12-scriptures-7-proposals-and-3-appreciations-from-what-is-the-mission-of-the-church/
[14] What Does The Bible Say About Giving? (12 Principles) https://thethink.institute/articles/what-does-the-bible-say-about-giving-12-principles
[15] What is the household of faith mentioned in Galatians 6:10? https://www.gotquestions.org/household-of-faith.html
[16] Scott Rae: Why Pastors Need to Be Economically Literate https://cfc.sebts.edu/faith-and-economics/scott-rae-pastors-need-economically-literate/
[17] “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people … https://www.reddit.com/r/Christianity/comments/2czhkm/so_then_while_we_have_opportunity_let_us_do_good/
[18] 20 Inspiring Bible Verses About Helping The Poor – Bright Hope https://www.brighthope.org/blog-stories/serving-the-poor/20-inspiring-bible-verses-about-helping-the-poor/
[19] 20 Bible Verses on Showing Kindness to Others – Cara Ray’s https://cara-ray.com/20-bible-verses-on-showing-kindness-to-others/
[20] 8 Bible Verses about Helping the Poor and Needy https://globalchristianrelief.org/stories/bible-verses-helping-the-poor/
Yes. While Scripture does not use the modern language of “buying Black,” it clearly supports prioritizing economic care for “your own” community—especially the people of God and the vulnerable in your midst.[1][2]
Household of faith priority
– Galatians 6:10 commands believers to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith,” which creates a biblical principle of prioritized care for one’s own spiritual community.[1][3]
– The Jerusalem church in Acts 2:42–47 and 4:32–35 models an internal economy where resources circulate among believers so that “any had need” is met within the community first.[1][3]
Community-centered economics
– Old Testament law required provision for “your brother” and “the poor man with you…in any of your towns,” showing that economic decisions (lending, release of debts, gleaning) were to be structured to directly benefit one’s own local community.[4][5]
– Household and family economy teaching emphasizes governing the resources of the home in a way that protects and strengthens the household and its neighbors, not just pursuing abstract profit, which parallels the idea of keeping spending power working within the community.[6][7]
Application to “buying Black”
– Loving neighbor and seeking the good of others (Mark 12:31; 1 Corinthians 10:24) provide warrant for directing spending toward those historically disadvantaged, so that economic life aligns with justice and mercy, not neutrality in the face of injustice.[8][9]
– In a context where Black communities have been systemically excluded from wealth-building, intentionally supporting Black-owned businesses is a contemporary application of prioritizing the household of faith and the local “neighbor” community in economic practice. [3][2]
Sources
[1] 10 Key Bible Verses on Community | Crossway https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-community/
[2] Household Economics | Practicing Our Faith https://practicingourfaith.org/practices/household-economics/
[3] Philippians 4:16: financial support? – Bible Hub https://biblehub.com/q/Philippians_4_16_financial_support.htm
[4] Financial Assistance – The Bible On Helping the Poor – NeverThirsty https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-studies/topical-bible-studies/financial-assistance/
[5] Biblical verses that encourage people to donate to the needy? : r/Bible https://www.reddit.com/r/Bible/comments/cx2pzo/biblical_verses_that_encourage_people_to_donate/
[6] The Biblical Principles of Household Economy https://chalcedon.edu/resources/articles/the-biblical-principles-of-household-economy
[7] The Family Economy https://churchandfamilylife.com/resources/6544102e6c1bbf0c10aee22b/the-family-economy
[8] 20 Bible Verses About Neighbors & Community https://biblehealth.com/bible-verses-about-neighbors/
[9] 20 Inspiring Bible Verses About Helping The Poor – Bright Hope https://www.brighthope.org/blog-stories/serving-the-poor/20-inspiring-bible-verses-about-helping-the-poor/
[10] 40 Scriptures on Giving – Compassion International https://www.compassion.com/christian-faith/bible-verses-about-giving-and-generosity.htm
[11] What does the Bible say about helping your family financially? https://seedtime.com/helping-family-financially/
[12] 10 Key Bible Verses on Fellowship | Crossway https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-fellowship/
[13] Bible Verses about Financial Blessings and Breakthrough https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-financial-blessings/
[14] 10 Biblical Principles About Finances and Stewardship https://manhoodjourney.org/bible-verses-about-finances/
[15] 5 Bible Verses About Community: How to Have Christian Family https://www.askaboutmyfaith.com/blogs/pursue-community
[16] Did You Know God Has an Economy? – Bibles for America Blog https://blog.biblesforamerica.org/god-has-an-economy/
[17] Understanding the Kingdom Economy: How Faith Works as … https://www.micahsutton.com/2025/02/understanding-the-kingdom-economy-how-faith-works-as-heavens-currency/
[18] 25 Bible Verses About Serving and Volunteering https://smartchurchmanagement.com/bible-verses-about-serving/
[19] 13 Bible Verses About Giving & the Generous Life | Bill High https://billhigh.com/faith/13-bible-verses-on-the-generous-life/
[20] 9 Bible verses on the importance of community | Caring Magazine https://caringmagazine.org/9-bible-verses-importance-community/
Buy Black
You can find comprehensive listings of Black-owned businesses in Brooklyn through these dedicated websites.
Each site offers different features—some have interactive maps, others let you search by category or neighborhood. These resources offer the most current and verified information for supporting Black entrepreneurs in Brooklyn. For grocers and cleaners specifically, narrowed searching or map features on these sites are recommended.
Sources
[1] Black-Owned Brooklyn https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com
[2] Brooklyn NY Black Owned Business & Black Entrepreneurs Directory https://www.afrobizworld.com/Black-Owned-Business-Brooklyn-NY
[3] Black-Owned Businesses – Shop Your City https://shopyourcity.cityofnewyork.us/syc-black/
[4] Black-owned business Directory – Brooklyn, New York – BuyBlack.org https://www.buyblack.org/new-york/brooklyn?page=48
[5] New York City Launches a Black-Owned Business Directory https://nbltop100.org/new-york-city-launches-a-black-owned-business-directory/
[6] Black-Led Co-ops to Support – NYC Network of Worker Cooperatives https://nycworker.coop/blackcoopsmatter/
[7] BK Entrepreneur Academy – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/bea/
[8] Black-Owned Brownsville – Brooklyn – Pitkin Avenue BID https://www.pitkinavenue.nyc/blackownedbrownsville
[9] Central Brooklyn Food Coop (@cbfoodcoop) – Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cbfoodcoop/?hl=en
[10] New York City Black Chamber of Commerce – Business Assistance … https://bccnyc.org
[11] Support Black-Owned Businesses Now & Always – Soho Grand Hotel https://www.sohogrand.com/stories/support-black-owned-business-new-york-copy/
[12] Black-Owned Businesses at Your Co-op! – Flatbush Food Coop https://www.flatbushfood.coop/article/black-owned-businesses-at-your-co-op-1
[13] Assistance Programs – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/assistance-programs/
[14] Support Black Entrepreneurs This Black Business Month https://downtownbrooklyn.com/news/2025/black-owned/
[15] Black-owned supermarkets/vegetable markets south of Harlem? https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/18bil07/blackowned_supermarketsvegetable_markets_south_of/
[16] Economic Development Solutions – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/education/economic-development-solutions/
[17] Map – Black-Owned Brooklyn https://www.blackownedbrooklyn.com/map
[18] What are some favorite small businesses in Brooklyn? – Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/bedstuybrooklyn/posts/1386977678875472/
[19] Chamber on the Go – Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce https://www.brooklynchamber.com/services/assistance-programs/chamber-on-the-go/
[20] African American Business Directory – I Am Black Business https://iamblackbusiness.com/businesses.php?filter=category%7CBusiness+Services%2Bstate%7CNY%2Bcity%7CBrooklyn&sort=
Pastor Leo Colon's Blog 