Creating Change
Leadership Foundations’ vision is that cities across the world will be transformed into places of shalom where:
“Men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets…each with cane in hand” and where “city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” (Zechariah 8:4-5)
In short, we see cities as playgrounds.
Leadership Foundations’ vision is that cities across the world will be transformed into places of shalom where “Men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets…each with cane in hand” and where “city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” (Zechariah 8:4-5)
In short, we see cities as playgrounds.
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The Incarnation calls forth and sustains its work through community; true community engenders trust that develops into social capital when both individuals and the community are valued. Leadership Foundations develops the social capital among its membership and partners.
The Incarnation empowers organizations to be generative through the exercise of our God-given imagination, creativity, and effort. Leadership Foundations’ members commit to generously giving to each other and our partners by exercising our gifts, talents, and resources.
The Incarnation prepares us to accept our brokenness and to be sustained for the work we do through joy and laughter. Leadership Foundations’ members commit to live and laugh in transparent and vulnerable ways.
The Incarnation connects one to physical place and staying in place moves leaders to sustainable solutions that are uniquely calibrated to the needs of the people of that place. Leadership Foundations commits itself to staying in places with people for the duration.
The Incarnation moves one to action delivering on ideas in accessible, affordable, and relevant ways to communities in need. Leadership Foundations commits to delivering on its promises in a manner that is consistent with its values and the needs of those we exist to serve.
The Incarnation sees others first thereby engendering trust and participation. Leadership Foundations is committed to empowering and resourcing individuals and communities through leadership as servant-hood.
The Incarnation creates reconciliation that leads to vital relationships that are intentionally inclusive beyond cultural, ethnic, social, economic, and religious boundaries. Leadership Foundations commits to collaborating with all leaders of good faith and good will who believe in reconciliation.
The Incarnation lifts up those on the margins (the poor, widows, migrants, unemployed, prisoners, victims, etc.) who for a variety of reasons find themselves on the boundaries of society. Leadership Foundations commits to working with those on the margins in every venture and activity we undertake.
The Incarnation celebrates and commits to the Church and her organic unity and, at the same time, many-faceted expression that is found in a diversity of geography, ethnicity, theology, and practice. Leadership Foundations commits to Christ’s vision for the city which requires the participation of the whole body.
The Incarnation creates alternatives, or what can be described as a third way, in a dichotomous world where often only either/or scenarios are imagined. Leadership Foundations commits to the third way to bring together what are often seen as opposing sectors or groups in a community and mobilizes them around a common vision, mission, and set of values.
The Incarnation calls us to set a broad table of inclusion and nondiscrimination in order to serve well our global network and the marginalized in our cities.
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What book, movie, quote, or tv show has most shaped your understanding of leadership or the city?
A quote that has shaped my understanding of leadership and the city is, “Do not be daunted by the enormity of the world’s grief. Do justly now, love mercy now, walk humbly now. You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.”
While the amount of work there is to do to transform cities is great, this quote reminds me that we are freed from having to complete it all, though our obligation to continue remains. We may never see a huge transformation in our lifetime. The work stretches far beyond us. However, this does not make our acts of faithfulness in the day to day less significant, no matter how small they may seem.
