Decisions affect everything. We decide how we live our lives, whether onto God or ourselves. We decide how and where we live. We decide how we vote. We decide where we work. We decide who we marry or whether we marry at all. We decide to have children or, if we can't have children, we may decide to fill our lives with children as foster parents, adoptive parents, aunts, uncles, and friends.

The point is, we get to choose.

Yes, there are situations where we don’t. Sovereign decisions by God affect our choices. On a human level, decisions by other human beings also can affect our choices. Consider the unfairness of a boss. Or the possibility that we can't get a job because of a poor credit score, a prison record or our age. Consider a health care system that arbitrarily makes decisions for us. Or how any illegal decisions by patients, health care professionals or insurers may hinder our ability to receive affordable care.

Decisions, decisions.

Decision-making is something to keep in the forefront when we think about helping our communities. If we’re not concerned about others at our core, we may be headed toward a Wild, Wild West motif, not a thriving network of communities.

• For instance, our urban planning may benefit the well-heeled. But why doesn’t our urban planning also anticipate the needs of current residents? Especially if they are underserved families?
• We may fight for fewer taxes and write-offs. But have we considered how our decisions may affect other people who may make far less? Have we wondered what tax benefits they have? Our incomes and neighborhoods may insulate us from transportation issues or struggling public schools, but what's the effect on those who need public transportation and public schools? Smart, affordable public transportation, and high-achieving public schools need money. Tax money.
• We may decide to patronize food-related companies that boast about helping families with needs in foreign nations, and yet those same “philanthropic” companies fail to transfer their spirit of philanthropy to U.S. neighborhoods plagued by food deserts. Their business models don't seem to fit the "clientele" or the investment doesn't seem worth it. But if we think about it, how philanthropic are these companies, really?

Remember, we all get to decide.

Decisions made solely on self-interest may make good politics and fantastic business, but they represent thorny theology. Jesus says that we're to treat others as we want to be treated. God holds us accountable for how we treat people, whether they are family members, next-door neighbors, or residents in another neighborhood, state or nation. For Jesus followers, kindness is a sacred principle that’s part of our daily lives. Proverbs tells us:

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. (Proverbs 18:1-5)

How do followers of Jesus respond in today's world? How do we lead? Issues like these in the articles below (and more) demand prayer, not neglect. Because every decision we make eternally matters. To the Lord Himself. And to the countless souls He loves.

• How Homeownership Became the Engine of American Inequality
• A Matter of Time: The Causes and Consequences of Rising Time Served in America’s Prisons
• How a Cashless Society Would Harm the Poor

If you're interested in brainstorming with Dallas Leadership Foundation about ways leaders can help leaders in Dallas communities, visit dlftx.org. 

Dallas is becoming a city of the very poor and the very rich, as Mayor Mike Rawlings says in a recent interview. From our perspective at Dallas Leadership Foundation, this disparity reflects an assortment of issues.

It’s not just about jobs and earning livable wages. It’s about having a place to live, whether you buy or rent. It’s about transportation, whether you plow through the city’s clogged arteries or catch a DART train (or wish you could). It’s about schools where children can thrive. It’s about eliminating food deserts and increasing health prevention efforts. It’s about reducing recidivism rates, improving existing housing, and creating recreational spaces for families.

It’s about all these issues and more. So how can we help each other through these issues to improve the quality of life in our city? First, as Jesus followers, we must ground ourselves in the Gospel about how to treat our neighbors. The Spirit of God must mold our perspective, not our politics, not our cultural partisanship, and not our personal preferences. To help us remember that, we can anchor ourselves in verses like these:

• “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.” (Proverbs 19:17)
• “And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:10)
• “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)

Secondly, we can get educated about why poverty is growing. We can prayerfully examine research from partisan and non-partisan sources to learn how policies have created or expanded economic divides in Dallas and the nation. We can study stats collected by the Mayor’s Task Force on Poverty. We can read stories about Dallas’ booming real estate market with a sensitive eye. When home prices are soaring along with rents, how do working people who can afford neither survive?  

Thirdly, we can get our churches involved. We can petition the Lord together about how to meet the needs of all people. We can form partnerships with congregations already battling poverty. We can discuss exchanging strategic resources above and beyond traditional donations. We can work with each other to generate innovative strategies and policies that aren’t 19^th or 20^th century in vision and scope. We can ask the Lord for effective 21^st-century innovations rooted in His ancient truths. The result? We can serve people in ways that matter.

If you’re interested in starting conversations about fighting poverty, contact us at dlftx.org.

At Dallas Leadership Foundation we hope you are and your families and communities are celebrating our nation’s birthday. The Fourth of July commemorates liberty. Liberty was hard fought at our nation’s inception, and liberty is still being fought for – from sea to shining sea – 241 years later. So over the barbecue and during the fireworks, we hope you remember the sanctity of living as a free people. We hope you respect and defend it.

Jesus followers know a thing about liberty. We know how important it is to love people enough to walk among them and not at a distance. It’s a privilege to speak out, vote and fight so that others can experience freedom. For Jesus followers, we also understand the breadth of liberty because it reaches beyond our personal and political freedoms to the endlessness of eternity.

The crux of the Gospel is that love led Jesus to live, die and rise again so that any human being could have the chance to receive His gift of a free life, a gift tailored for the human soul. When any human being accepts this gift, they experience a freedom that not only encompasses body, mind and spirit; it defies time, matter and space. In other words, with the Son of God, we receive mega-liberty.

Every single day, Jesus followers should be in the business of sharing mega-liberty. We may support the American tenets of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but we must be mindful of a greater constitution, the superior covenant provided by Christ Jesus. Our template is not a political party, but the love of Jesus. Race-centered politics, worldliness or self-interest never should drive our actions. Authentic and lasting freedom sprouts from God alone because Jesus set us free for freedom.

On this July Fourth, let’s remember the Apostle Paul's plea to the Jesus followers of his generation. He asked them to remember the only "pledge of allegiance" that will matter forever:

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6, NASB)

Why treat the health-care debate like a spectator sport where all we do is watch and worry about how the U.S. Congress will resolve the issue of health care? As local leaders, we can bring meaningful contributions to the national discussion. We can jump in the arena. We can become compassionate gladiators fighting for the health of our families, neighborhoods, cities and spheres of influence.

The roller-coaster debate over health care provides a golden opportunity for each of us to lead from where we are. But remember, golden opportunities don’t always look golden. They can appear futile. Even dangerous. And they don’t necessarily emerge conflict-free. And yet, golden opportunities, when viewed with the eyes of faith, are priceless chances to innovate, build coalitions, and care for others.

Major decisions about health care — whether to revise the Affordable Health Care Act or repeal it and introduce an alternative — eventually will be made by the legislators our nation has elected. But while the debate and protests continue, as Jesus followers and local leaders there are additional ways we can engage in the health care debate. We can pursue essential solutions on the ground. 

We can start by launching or shoring up health-related actions on the local level that can have a transformational impact. For example:

• Ask for God's grace when praying about the health of communities and talk with Him about specific health trends; ask in faith, believing Jesus can heal
• Work to eliminate food deserts
• Push excellent nutrition in school and after-school programs
• Support and create community-based programs that help seniors live in safe homes while them providing them access to physicians and prescriptions
• Encourage and participate in community gardens
• Increase education and accessibility for health prevention and screening
• Insist on creating buildings and spaces equipped for multiple generations and physical abilities
• Tackle transportation as a health-related issue
• Host bicycle and walking clubs and increase activities such as marathons
• Underscore the need for mental health care professionals in underserved communities
• Volunteer at hospitals
• Invite an array of health care professionals to host presentations at community meetings, faith-based organizations and churches that train audiences about healthy living
• Increase healthy recreational outlets for children and teens such as playgrounds, basketball courts and soccer fields
• Work with employers and municipalities to increase employment, support entrepreneurs and help build wealth
• Hold fast-food establishments accountable for their menus
• Engage with city and business leaders to invite food providers who offer healthy menus
• Pray that people will be moved to participate in strategic civic philanthropy
• Invite technology leaders to generate ideas that improve mental and physical health

This list is just a start. What are your ideas to help improve your community's health by addressing health-related issues? Let us know in the comments below or reach out to us at dlftx.org.

*Post updated June 28, 2017

Through decades of service to the community, we at Dallas Leadership Foundation have learned that God orchestrates ways for us to serve and stand alongside people. We’ve learned that leadership development and neighborhood transformation, while wonderfully organic at its best, just don’t happen in isolation. Every step toward leadership and neighborhood transformation is watered by prayer.

We believe focused prayer is a powerful place for Jesus followers to begin serving their communities. Prayer opens unknown doors, brings in unexpected resources, and defeats unseen spiritual enemies. With that in mind, we invite you to include two prayer requests during your time of intercession. The first request is for the Dallas City Council.

On Monday, the city hosted the 2017 Dallas City Council Inauguration. Four new members joined the council. Mayor Mike Rawlings gave an inaugural speech that covered multiple issues facing Dallas. The Bible instructs us to pray for our leaders, and we can play a role by asking God to give them wisdom, protection, and tenacity for tough times. See how the Holy Spirit may lead you in prayer by reading the text of Mayor Rawlings’ inaugural speech on Facebook. Here’s an excerpt:

I believe the way we conduct ourselves as leaders of major American cities is being looked upon like never before. We, the elected leaders of municipal government, are closest to the voters and the taxpayers. We are the ones that have the most direct daily impact on our constituents’ quality of life. The world is starting to understand it is at the local level where we make progress, keep people safe, create jobs and opportunities.

The second prayer request we invite you to consider is World Refugee Day, which is being commemorated Tuesday. A lot of political discussions can be found about refugees on news outlets and social media channels, but we’re not espousing any partisan views. We’re just asking that you pray.

The Bible says that His people are to be kind and generous to our neighbors. To walk in kindness and generosity means trusting that God will guide as we serve others in His Name. Check out this article from CBN.com for related biblical passages about God’s heart when it comes to helping refugees.

To learn more about the mission of Dallas Leadership Foundation, please visit dlftx.org.