From Catholic Roots to Uncompromising Faith
Erika Frantzve grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, raised by a Catholic entrepreneur mother who instilled in her the foundational principle that money is not ours—it belongs to God. From a young age, Erika watched her mother write tithing checks every Sunday, despite working endless hours building her company. Her mother told her plainly: "Erika, it's not our money. It's not ours. God has blessed us and He's blessed us to be a blessing to other people, and I'm a steward of this." That lesson became a core conviction that shaped Erika's entire life, even when she later lived in Manhattan and managed her own finances.
Though raised in the Catholic tradition—attending mass every Sunday, going through sacraments, wearing her saints—Erika always felt something was missing. She loved the reverence and structure of the Catholic Church, but she questioned why she had to go through saints and Mother Mary to reach Jesus. Why confess sins to a priest instead of going straight to the Lord? This internal tension followed her through Catholic high school and a Jesuit university, but prayer remained central to her life regardless of denominational labels.
Everyday Heroes Like You: A Ministry Born from Compassion
Erika's passion for giving back began early. Since she and her mother had no extended family in Arizona, they spent holidays serving in soup kitchens rather than gathering around a family table. Her mother, a solution-oriented entrepreneur, taught Erika to bring solutions to problems, not just complaints. When Erika expressed a desire to make a difference in high school, her mother challenged her: "Show me your business plan."
That challenge birthed Everyday Heroes Like You in 2006, a nonprofit designed to connect transparent, boots-on-the-ground organizations with donors who wanted to make a real impact. Erika was frustrated by classmates at Notre Dame Prep who would forge community service hours required for graduation rather than actually serve. When she asked why, they said they wanted to help but didn't know how. Everyday Heroes became the bridge.
The organization supports various causes, including an orphanage in Romania with 92 children, where the Marine Corps helps deliver Christmas gifts. Erika has never written herself a paycheck from the organization—100% of proceeds go directly to the cause. She prefers requesting specific items rather than cash donations, believing it creates more meaningful connections when donors purchase actual supplies knowing exactly where they're going.
Miss Arizona: A Platform, Not a Crown
Pageantry was never Erika's plan. She was a gym rat, a tomboy who wanted to play professional basketball. When she received a nomination to compete for Miss Arizona USA, she was skeptical. But after reviewing what the title could offer, she realized it could be a branding opportunity—a platform to serve communities and organizations making a difference, especially during Arizona's 100th year celebration.
For Erika, the pageant world was not about narcissism or photo shoots. It was about stewardship. Yet the stigma of being a pageant girl has often worked against her. She doesn't even include it on her resume because people assume she's not intelligent, serious, or capable. Being blonde and from Scottsdale only compounds the stereotype.
More significantly, being a Christian in the pageant world tested her convictions. During her reign, culturally sensitive topics like gay marriage began dominating public discourse. Pageant coaches advised contestants to remain diplomatic, use phrases like "in my opinion," and avoid offending anyone. Erika refused to play that game. She recognized that compromising truth for a plastic crown would set a pattern of compromise she couldn't live with. If she was willing to lie to win, what else would she compromise?
She now tells pageant contestants who reach out privately—mortified about being asked questions on BLM, sex trafficking, or social issues—that they must decide: Are you willing to compromise the truth just to possibly win? If you win on a lie, you'll have to maintain that lie in every future interview. Consistency and authenticity matter more than crowns.
Education as a Tool for Truth
Erika attended Regis University in Denver on a basketball scholarship but quickly became frustrated. Her business professors had never owned their own companies and couldn't answer her questions—she was frequently kicked out of class for challenging them. Her economics professor particularly angered her because his explanations made no sense.
When she shared her frustration with her mother, the response was direct: "Do you want to make a difference? Then you need to understand policy." That conversation redirected Erika's academic path. She transferred to Arizona State University and pursued a double major in political science and international relations, graduating magna cum laude.
Erika realized that citizens are not taught in high school about their rights, their voice, or the importance of their vote. We become sheep listening to CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC without understanding the foundational principles of freedom. Her blood boiled in political science classes more than business classes, and she absorbed information not just to pass tests but to teach others what they were missing—connecting policy to history, rights, and even Scripture.
Her international relations focus came from recognizing that we live in a global economy. Whether through supply chains, business, or social media, everyone is connected internationally. Even posting a business photo online connects you to someone in Japan who might like it—you're involved in a global society whether you realize it or not.
Erika also pursued a Juris Master degree in American legal studies from Liberty University—not to become an attorney, but to understand contract law and defend legal terms. She was tired of seeing friends and family charged exorbitant fees just for legal consultations on simple questions. Now she can review contracts for family and friends, understanding exactly what they're signing.
Primary Calling vs. Functional Calling
Erika makes a crucial distinction that many Christians miss: the difference between primary and functional calling. Your primary calling is to God first and foremost—to spread the Good News, live for Christ, be involved in the church, and authentically reflect Him in your life. Your functional calling is your response to that primary calling—how you implement and incorporate God into your work, your passions, your daily life.
These are not separate categories. Erika is adamant: if she can't bring Jesus into the boardroom, into her modeling contracts, into her TV work, she wants nothing to do with it. She tells friends and family struggling with their calling to first ensure their hearts are in the right place serving the Lord, then understand their why and recognize they are gifted with purpose.
Here's the key insight Erika shares: you carry a different portion of Christ that someone else might not see if it wasn't through you. If we don't all come together as the body of Christ, if you don't bring your portion to the table, someone might miss out on seeing Jesus in full because you're not living unashamedly and fully for Him.
Frustration with the Compromising Church
Erika doesn't mince words: she is "unbelievably frustrated" with the church and "let down" by pastors. She sees shepherds who should be leading their sheep instead catering to seekers, compromising biblical truth to increase attendance and tithing.
She asks the hard question: How can pastors stand for victims of sex trafficking and voiceless people, then simultaneously march in the streets supporting organizations that want to legalize sex work, break down the nuclear family, and oppose everything the church stands for? Where is the line in the sand? What are pastors truly fighting for?
If pastors use cultural moments as opportunities to gain followers and fill pews, it will backfire. God sees what they're doing to His children. Erika hears parishioners at churches saying they wish they could speak truth to family and friends without being screamed at, but their own pastors won't model that boldness.
She also points out the hypocrisy of tolerance: if you're on the left with a strong opinion and someone on the right asks a simple question, you can't go off on them and still claim to be tolerant. True tolerance is proven by how you treat those who disagree with you.
Erika fell in love with non-denominational Christianity because of the bold preaching of the Gospel and the focus on the Holy Spirit. She asks: Where is that now? We need pastors to say, "No, we are not compromising on this." Instead, she hears pastors saying it's okay to just livestream church, that the body doesn't need to physically gather, that you can worship in your pajamas drinking coffee. That is not the power of the body of Christ. The church must stand firm and come together.
She praises the California Christians who brought church to the beach, to Home Depot, to Walmart when buildings were closed. That's the creativity and refusal to compromise that's needed. The devil is conniving and manipulative, so we must be creative, stand firm, and not compromise our faith and values just to avoid insulting someone.
Encouragement for Pastors Who Stand Firm
Despite her frustration, Erika expresses deep gratitude for pastors like Craig Rodgers who stand firm regardless of the cost. She tells Pastor Craig that God sees his heart and what he's doing, and although it might not seem to be producing much fruit now, it absolutely will in time. There are many pastors proud and grateful for his voice in the fight, and they need to come together to defend the Gospel.
Erika believes that as churches fully reopen, people will start hearing things from pulpits they didn't originally agree with, and the veil will be lifted. People will leave compromising churches and find churches that preach straight Scripture. She sees Pastor Craig's church as one strong church standing alone—and sometimes God just needs one, not four.
She reminds pastors of Jesus' words: "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, like they did the false prophets." If everyone loves you, something is wrong. Jesus was perfect and spoke truth in love, yet people hated Him so much they killed Him. Pastors must be willing to endure the same.
Tithing: Not Ours, But God's
Throughout her story, Erika returns to the lesson her mother taught her: money is not ours. Tithing literally means ten percent, and it's not a burden—it's a recognition that everything belongs to God. Erika has seen God's hand of blessing in her life every time she tithes, just as her mother did.
We are stewards, not owners. God blesses us to be a blessing to others, and when we honor Him with our finances, He multiplies the impact beyond what we could achieve on our own.
Bringing Jesus Everywhere
Erika's life is a testament to refusing compartmentalization. She doesn't have a "spiritual life" separate from her "work life" or "public life." Jesus goes with her into every contract negotiation, every modeling shoot, every business meeting, every podcast episode. If He's not welcome, neither is she.
This is the standard she calls every Christian to: live unashamedly for Christ in every arena. Don't hide your faith to avoid offense or gain opportunity. Stand firm, speak truth in love, and trust that God will open the doors He wants opened and close the ones He doesn't.
The culture is not our standard—Scripture is. We are called to be salt and light, to change the culture, not be changed by it. And that starts with each of us bringing our unique portion of Christ to the table, refusing to compromise, and trusting God with the results.
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