10,000 Voices: The Restoration and Flourishing of Cities

Article originally hosted and shared with permission by The Christian Economic Forum, a global network of leaders who join together to collaborate and introduce strategic ideas for the spread of God’s economic principles and the goodness of Jesus Christ. This article was from a collection of White Papers compiled for attendees of the CEF’s Global Event.



by Eli Mercer

Joshua 1:9: Valuable Leadership Lessons

The timeless leadership lessons in Joshua 1 are as helpful today as throughout the ages. The story of Joshua encourages us to step up, take action, and lead wherever the Lord sends us (Joshua 1:9-11) but to do so in a diligent and committed manner that stewards well the resources and relationships we are provided (Joshua 1:12-18). Many people are suffering in the modern era, and cities face entrenched challenges and barriers to progress (Dreier, 1996). To follow Joshua’s example, we who feel called to restore cities must take immediate and decisive action. Are we committed to the restoration and flourishing of cities for God’s Kingdom and for His glory (Isaiah 61)? Will we make sacrifices? Are we prepared to obey the Lord’s call? 

New Seasons Require New Leadership

Moses had prepared them and led them out of Egypt, through the desert, and to the border of the Good Land. People overcame great hardship and endured the journey. The law of Moses had been their primary guide. Joshua’s leadership of the nation of Israel signified a shift in focus to the occupation, possession, and cultivation of the Good Land. Previously, it had been about getting to the River Jordan. This new season required a new type of courage and a new type of commitment to fulfill God’s call for the people of Israel. God commissioned them to “rise up and walk out His call to settle and defend the Good Land,” (Philippians 3:7-16). It is time to humble ourselves as disciples, roll up our sleeves, and invest time, talent, and treasure for measurable impact. We must work together to bring about transformative change (Acts 4:32-35). 

We Are Invited into God’s Economy by His Love and Grace

The story of Joshua reminds us that God, not their own strength, gave Israel the Good Land (Joshua 1:2-6). Victory belongs to the Lord (John 16:33). It is by His love and His grace that each of us is blessed with a role to play in His economy (1 Corinthians 15:10). We trust in Him and are at peace knowing He has a plan for us (Psalms 71:16). We acknowledge and embrace God’s sovereignty in our lives (Revelation 4:11) and declare that all good things flow out of intimacy with God (John 15:4-6). He can do more in an instant than we can do in a lifetime (Psalms 115:3). We pray for His divine guidance, wisdom, and favor on our mission and the communities we serve. “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord protects the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain,” (Psalms 127:1). Without Him, our efforts amount to little or nothing over time. With Him, we walk in joy knowing anything is possible (Matthew 19:26). We seek intimacy with God as our primary objective.

Away from Individual Giving and Toward Unified Investment Strategies

The story of Nehemiah teaches us the importance of organizing and dividing time, labor, costs, and responsibilities toward a common goal. They used prayer by fasting and calling upon the name of the Lord to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem section by section and piece by piece. However, it was their unity in sprit and in action that allowed each person or household to take a section of the wall and work together as one to build and repair it (Nehemiah 1:4-11). We need a similar concerted effort to restore cities. Trends show record highs in charitable giving (Association of Fundraising Professionals, 2022), volunteering (AmeriCorps, 2018), and the emergence of impact investing as a major capital source (International Finance Corporation, 2020). These stats show how more and more people are prepared to take action. Are we prepared to come together as one Body to team up for impact? Like Nehemiah, we rely on the Holy Spirit for the softening of hearts (2 Corinthians 5:17). Hearing the Spirit and taking action has the power to bring victory in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:18-22). We must steward all the Lord provides by investing in people and communities for their restoration and for His glory (1 Peter 4:10). 

God Calls Joshua to Lead the People to Take Possession of the Good Land

Joshua leads the people to reap a bountiful harvest for God’s Kingdom and for His glory. God calls Joshua to steward well the fruits of His provision. Joshua heard, saw, and obeyed. He stepped up, took command, and embraced his unique role, all the while relying upon the Lord and His Word for wisdom and discernment. The people followed Joshua’s lead. They went forth and multiplied in spite of many extraordinary challenges. The Lord saw them through and provided in great abundance. He will see us through too. We must remain in a posture of humility and submission to the Lord and service to others. We must shed sinful behaviors and turn toward the Lord in order to clearly hear, obey, and take up the mantle when called to serve. It is in obedience and hard work that we gain His double portion of the Good Land (Isaiah 61).

As One Body, Unified, We Are Unstoppable

The most pressing issue facing the world today is the lack of unified, cohesive, decisive, and obedient action on the part of the Body of Christ. If we were to come together and take action on the challenges we face, we would be unstoppable. We could overcome the vast majority of the suffering taking place in our families and our cities. Politically, socially, economically, and spiritually, the effects of a unified global Church would be staggeringly positive. As an example, Tarrant County, Texas, has roughly 2.25M inhabitants. Just over half of them self-identify as a Christian. That is roughly 1.25M people in one county, in one state, in one country—out of 2.38 Billion people who self-identify as Christians globally (Worldpopulationreview.com, 2022). Even at the small scale of one unified county, we could accomplish great things. Just imagine 2.3B people standing together as one for God’s glory. We are stronger when we are unified and working together. It is time to come together.  

Be Encouraged in the Lord

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9). This powerful Scripture provides clarity for us as leaders to seek God’s voice and direction in our lives and to remain obedient in times of harvest and in times of drought.  

Be Agents of Change

Take courage in deliberate and decisive action. Take concrete steps toward the mission God has called us to fulfill. Too often, we act as individuals, as small groups, as local churches, and as families—but not as one Body. We must unite as communities, as cities, as states, as countries, and as one global Body of believers. We must embody and walk out the change. It falls upon us, as believers, to be decisive and courageous. We must follow the work through to fruition. We plant many mustard seeds of change along the way and rely upon the Lord to spring them forth with life in His good timing.    

Eagle Venture Foundation

Similar to Joshua and his people, our team at Eagle Venture Foundation feels called to lead and take decisive action to build strong Kingdom ecosystems and collaborative communities for the restoration and flourishing of cities for God’s glory. The Foundation exists to fund, measure, and accelerate the restoration and flourishing of cities. Restoration refers to solving problems, overcoming barriers, and developing relationships to help citizens, organizations, and communities reach their full potential. Flourishing includes, but is not limited to, improved quality of life measures in 5 areas: Prosperity, Education, Workforce, Health, and Well-Being.

10,000 Voices Project

In collaboration with anchor partners in DFW, Boston, and Annapolis, we are conducting 10,000 interviews with regional leaders and influencers from all walks of life to gain their knowledge, wisdom, networks, and influence in support of our mission. The 10,000 voices project is a global first step in the development of a robust catalogue of needs, goals, barriers, and solutions faced by leaders seeking to restore and rejuvenate cities.  Our goals are to steward dialogue, build relationships, and foster a culture of shared wisdom among leaders from around the world. In addition, we seek to leverage our global network, partner organizations, and resources to help connect the dots, fill gaps, and break down barriers. We are conducting structured interviews in 100 cities around the world with 100 regional leaders and influencers from each city. We seek to answer three basic questions: How can we come together to break down barriers and overcome challenges to unleash the full potential of our cities? Once high-potential opportunities are identified, how can we laser strike capital, talent, know-how, leadership, and networks to unleash that potential and build momentum? How can communities flourish long-term? 

DFW Metro: Needs, Goals, Barriers, and Solutions – Interviews with 100 Leaders

Our first study is underway in DFW and globally during summer 2022. We plan to interview 100 regional leaders and influencers from all sectors of society to learn their Needs, Goals, Barriers, and Solutions to the restoration and flourishing of their cities. We grow stronger when we share information, take steps to measure impact, and improve together. Quarterly reports will identify clear and measurable targets and help build pathways to get there along with reports on the state of the region and the landscape globally. We measure impact and communicate wins along the way.  



5 Pillars of Global Collaboration: Matrix 2.0 and Methodology

The 5 Pillars of Global Collaboration is a methodology for developing and optimizing robust human ecosystems. Ecosystems struggle when it comes to finding, choosing, and implementing a methodology for the formation, segmentation, engagement, relationship building, and deal flow that takes place in robust collaborative ecosystems. Scholars such as Smilor, Kozmetsky, & Gibson (1989), Butler & Gibson (2013), and Etzkowitz (2008) paved the way with global research, publications, tools, and methods they developed and tested in various ecosystems. I was fortunate to learn while leading regional ecosystem development projects in several countries. The research, practical application, and years of experience resulted in the 5 Pillars of Global Collaboration model depicted above (Mercer, 2013 and 2022).


We Were Created for Just a Time and Place as This

While the vision can feel daunting in scale and scope, we find solace in Jeremiah 1. “‘Before you came forth from the womb, I knew you; And before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you. I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ Then I said, ‘Alas, Lord Jehovah! Indeed, I do not know how to speak, for I am but a youth.’ But Jehovah said to me, ‘Do not say, I am a youth; for everywhere I send you, you will go; and everything I command, you will speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, declares Jehovah,’” (Jeremiah 1).  


The Year of the Lord’s Favor

This is the year of the Lord’s favor (Isaiah 61). The Spirit of the Lord our God is upon me (us). We are called to bind up the broken-hearted, feed the poor, heal the sick, care for the widows and orphans, and love and serve one another as we would want to be loved and served. We are called to build one another up in love, that we may reach our full potential. We are called to blend and harmonize as Saints and Ambassadors in the world, bearing witness to the good news of the Gospel. We are called to tend His vineyards, shepherd His flocks, and plant mustard seeds in faith. We are called as One Body and as One Church to this good work. 

Sources



Biblical References

Joshua 1

Isaiah 61

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 2:18-22

1 Peter 4:10

Acts 4:32-35

John 16:33

1 Corinthians 15:10

Psalms 71:16

Revelation 4:11

John 15:4-6

Psalms 115:3 

Psalms 127:1

Matthew 19:26

John 21:1-25

Isaiah, 1:19

Matthew 13:9-16

Deuteronomy 5:33

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Acts 4:23-31

1 Peter 3:18

Philippians 3:7-16

Ephesians 3:8

Jeremiah 1

Nehemiah 1:4-11

 
Power of Money&MarketsFaith Driven Teamchristian investor, christian investing, Eli MercerComment