CHAPTER 6: THE BIBLICAL HUSTLE

Excerpt from the book "Her Hustle is Holy^TM: The Glow-Up Guide to Starting a Business—God's Way." Click here to purchase your copy!

Life has a way of tempering you. You just have to learn how to go with the flow! After closing my model and talent agency, I wasn’t sure which direction to go. We had grown accustomed to two incomes, so being a stay-at-home mom wasn’t an option, although, in hindsight, I wish it were. Nonetheless, we needed my income to continue to live and thrive, or so I had been conditioned to believe. At that moment, seeking employment was the best option.

After I closed the agency, I didn’t have the bandwidth to start another business or go back into corporate America, yet the latter seemed far more practical. I dreaded the thought, but somebody say, “God always has a ram in the bush!” That ram was an opportunity to serve as Church Administrator, something I had never dreamed of or considered a possibility.

Work for the church, you say? Church Administrator, who? What’s that? At that time, Church Administrator was a developing role that had gained prominence in churches across the country. As churches began to grow and expand, the need to be more about their business became clear. It was obvious that if churches were to reach the masses, spread the Good News of the Gospel, and win souls to Christ, it would require an all-hands-on-deck, business-minded strategy. Did somebody say business? Yes, business!

To fulfill the Great Commission—to make disciples and spread the message of Jesus Christ—churches now require a tighter structure and better systems to keep the mission moving and the operation running right. That was going to require business development, fiscal management, strategic planning, property acquisition, vision-casting, internal controls, collaboration, people development, and financial forecasting, among other business disciplines. Not that it wasn’t being done before—kinda, sorta—but the stakes were higher. Ministry was being extended beyond the four walls, and that was going to take more financial and people resources—and those with the vision and skills to manage it all.

The ideology of the church as a business and the need to hire someone to manage the church’s day-to-day operations—beyond just the pastor, church secretary, and the male-dominated deacon board—was born. From my Baptist upbringing, women weren’t allowed in the pulpit or any major decision-making role in ministry, and certainly not around the money. Deacons had that on lock! Yet, gone were the days when it was just enough to figure out how to pay the pastor, drop a few duckets to the piano player, and keep the lights on!

Church administration became a thing, and the Church Administrator role was soon implemented at my church. We first saw the role in operation at New Light Church, in Houston, Texas, under the visionary leadership of Bishop I.V. and Pastor Bridget Hilliard at their Church Leadership Conference. Women weren’t just present—they were empowered—high-level, positioned, and unyieldingly visible. It was something I’d never seen before in the church. To my Baptist mind, it was a shock. But my Church of God, turned non-denominational Bishop, was forward-thinking and saw the benefit of a Church Administrator. So, what the heck—he gave me a shot, and I was here for it. My spirit said yes, but ba-bay, nobody warned me I was in for a wild ride!

"*****"

That was good—hats off to the fellas—now let’s put the spotlight on the female hustlers in the Bible. These women weren’t waiting in the background—they were frontline, faith-filled, and fully activated. They built businesses with purpose, raised households with wisdom, poured out their time, shared their gifts, and gave generously. And through it all, they stayed anchored to God and their divine assignment. Heyyyyyy ladiesssss!

Lydia of Thyatira (Acts 16:13-15, 40)

Lydia of Thyatira was a true biblicalpreneur, willing to use her financial resources to support missions and ministries. As a merchant of purple cloth—a luxury product—she ran a successful business and worshipped God with sincere devotion. When the Lord opened her heart to Paul’s message, she didn’t just say yes spiritually, she opened her Afroyla leather handbag and said yes financially.

Lydia’s house was the “kickin’ it” spot where folks came to hang out, rest, and get refreshed! During those times, being associated with Paul and the early Christians likely meant Lydia was taking a risk, and her willingness to take on such risks speaks to a quality, i.e., risk taker, that’s all about that biblicalpreneurial life!

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and Others (Luke 8:1-3)

Talk about a squad! Mary, also called Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and others, rolled with Jesus and the disciples, not just spiritually but financially. They weren’t just in the background—they were bold partners in the mission. They popped open that leather Sistabag and poured out financial blessings without hesitation.

We know that Joanna was the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household, so we can assume she had financial means, but where their money came from is a mystery. Whether businesswomen, landowners, or women of wealth, they didn’t wait for someone else to step up. They took ownership of the assignment and put their money where their mouth is. Hands down, their generosity helped make Jesus’ ministry mobile and more effective in reaching the masses, which speaks to the power of generosity.

Zelophehad’s Daughters (Numbers 27:1–8)

Check out this story of female empowerment! Zelophehad had five daughters and no sons. The Bible says Zelophehad’s five daughters were excluded from inheriting land under God’s original decree because allocations were based on the census, which only included men. This meant that upon their father Zelophehad’s death, his daughters inherited nothing. Say what, now? His daughters were like, “Hold up, wait a minute! Yo, Moses, can we holla at you? This don’t sit right. Why are we being left out? We want our part. Run us our inheritance!”

Moses took it up the chain to God, and God was like, “You know what? They’re right; I see no lies. Quit playing—hand it over and make it right! However, this not only applied to the five daughters’ situation; it became the law of the land that if a man dies without sons, his inheritance belongs to his daughters.

Wow, y’all, this story gets me juiced up every time I recall it. I mean, first, I suppose we might have the Zelophehad Sisters to thank for our ability to inherit and own land in Our. Own. Name. That’s powerful!

Secondly, their fearlessness in asking for what they knew was rightfully theirs is a blueprint for us all to follow. Talk about #girlpower and the power of unity as together, they bravely presented their case to Moses to present to God. And I’m just gonna go here. Ladies, there are men, like a Moses, who are in our corner, cheering us on, and wanting to see us win!

Thirdly, chiiille, you better open your mouth and declare and decree what is rightfully yours! James 4:2 says, you don’t have because you don’t ask, especially if you ask with wrong motives. If your heart is right, ask boldly!

Lastly, and what stands out to me is this story illustrates how just our God is, meaning He is perfectly righteous and fair in His dealings with us! These five fearless women challenged the system—and won. They secured land rights for women and rewrote inheritance law through faith, unity, and a willingness to stand firm. Don’t underestimate your voice, ladies—speak up!

This last example of female biblicalpreneurs is a familiar one, but let me take just a little more time with this story—it’s personal.

"*****"

Sis, you don't want to miss the details of how I survived my Church Administration experience and the last example of the Proverbs 31 woman that hits hard, in more ways than I can describe. To read more in-depth about the experiences of each of these biblicalpreneurs and the lessons to be learned for your biblicalpreneurial journey, click here to purchase your copy of the book "Her Hustle is Holy^TM: The Glow-Up Guide to Starting a Business—God's Way."