The goal of Community Conversation is to identify and/or highlight successes and problems. To celebrate successes, to contribute to the resolution of problems.

To do so through productive and constructive impartial information that lovingly, graciously and mercifully enhance the quality of life and standard of living for all the marginalized regardless of gender, race, ethnicity and nationality.

I am a Christian Minister. I believe America is or at least ought to be in perception and actuality a Christian Nation.

For such Christ instructs in such scriptures as Matthew 28:18-20 where we have what is commonly called the Great Commission.

In the Great Commission Christ instructs his disciples then, down through the generations even unto now, to make disciples of every nation.

In line with the goal of us being a Christian community and a Christian nation, I remind you of Psalm 127:1 that says: Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

And Jesus words in Matthew 22:15-22 where he speaks about rendering unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are God's.

And Paul words in Romans 13:1-7 that echoes both Psalm 127:1 and Jesus in Matthew 22:15-22. For Paul says the powers that be are to be ministers of God for good and not evil. This refers to authorities of every type at all levels including governments at all levels.

Community Conversation is about that foundational love Jesus speaks about in Matthew 22:37-39, love for God first and foremost and then love for others as we love ourselves. Matthew 22:37-39 is rooted in Deuteronomy 6:4 and Leviticus 19:34.

Community Conversation is about applying the expectation of Christ as expressed in Matthew 25:40 which is itself expressive of Leviticus 19:9-10. That is to say, as much as you have done it unto the least of these whether good or bad, you have done it unto me says Chirst.

Community conversation is about the equal value every human has to God regardless of gender, race or skin color, or ethnicity or nationality or any other classification humans view people as being a part of.

It is about being mindful of Christ words in Matthew 10:29-31. There Christ reminds the people then and now that to God we are more valuable than many sparrows who God by his power holds up and do not let them fall to the ground, but equips them to fly.

And so one song says His eyes is on the Sparrow. And I know he watches me.

Another song says I believe I can fly. I believe I can touch the sky.

And so each one of us at the earliest of age are to realize that God watches over us. We are to discover and use the gifts to fly that God has equipped us with though different gifts they might be.

We are not to oppress or knock any out the sky. And when one does the community must come to the rescue. That is love.

And so in my view, all things have spiritual considerations or implications that determine how well something shows up in the natural.

Christ speaks to this principle in Matthew 6:24-34. These includes him saying seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteously and he shall provide.

Elements of his discussion describe the importance of giving things of God priority in our lives, trusting and relying on him without worrying about provisions.

Now Christ is not saying in those scriptures that a person is not to plan.

Neither is Christ saying that God is just going to always place things in our hands without us having the faith to put forth the diligent effort to obtain them.

For Christ in Luke 14:28 discusses the value of planning while yet trusting in God.

And 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says if a person wants to eat, he ought to work.

Now let me briefly discuss the concept of equity and its biblical basis.

Equity is about the biblical concept of commonality as expressed in Acts 2:42-47, specifically Acts 2:44-45 which says:

(44)  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

(45)  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Now the key to understanding the rightful application of Acts 2:44-45 is to observe the presence of the principle of commonality and the method of selling and distributing/sharing.

Furthermore, it is necessary to observe that though the principle of commonality is transgenerational and transcultural, the method used in that biblical generation of selling and distributing is not the only method that one may righteous choose to achieve the principle. It was the one they chose in their generation.

The principle of commonality is not about sameness but about similarity. It is about an approximation, a closeness not a far-offness.

And so American past forms of slavery and Jim Crow Era socio-economic policies and laws errored in its preference for far-offness rather than choosing the correctness of closeness.

Modern day rhetoric that claims there is no governmental and church role in actively promoting and ensuring equity or commonality in every societal institution is clearly an unbiblical claim per Romans 13:1-7 and Acts 2:44-45.

And so the idea of Community Conversation is to explore major inequities across genders, races, ethnicities, and nationalities:

To explore inequities as to the impact of moral confusion, moral complacency and moral conflict with respect to the measure of pursuing compliance to God's commandments and laws to include consideration of crime and courts.

To explore inequities in the areas of education, employment, family formation and sustainment; and as to essentials of food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare

To explore inequities in equal opportunity, criminal justice, and law enforcement.

To explore these in consideration of civic participation, and other general political and socio-economic factors.

Exploration of such impacts is to be accomplished through conversations, research, tapping into the expertise of prominent figures in the local community and even beyond the local area.

The idea is to offer and cultivate and promulgate insightful information and to take productive and constructive action all rooted in impartiality, reasonableness, and fairness.

I believe that foundationally it is important that we who are Christian without shame and without apology promote maximizing Christian influence on every aspect and institution in our community, city, county, state, nation, and world.

Yes, it is about being a Christian Community, a Christian Nation as best as we imperfect humans can achieve with the grace and help of our Creator God in contrast to being a non-Christian Community, a non-Christian Nation.

It is about contrasts. It is about who wins the spiritual warfare that none of us can escape. It is about who cultivates, culturizes, and otherwise influences the current generations and generations to come.

It is about faithfully and courageously confronting the moral confusion and moral complacency that exist in all our modern churches and other societal institutions and cultures, black and white, in general across all genders, races, ethnicities, and nationalities. Of course, there are exception persons and groups of persons.

We ought not settle for the bad when there is a better. We ought not unrighteously compromise.

I actually have done some work in this area over the years to include conferencing and meeting with various community leaders both as part of my own initiatives and participating in the initiatives of others.

If you desire to survey some of the information I have collected especially in the areas of education, poverty, and criminal justice you may go to texarkana.totallifeinsight.com.

Click here for scheduling info. Of course, given the complexity of the matter strategy and schdule will be adjusted as level of community interest and community courage deem appropriate. For a realist I have been all my life and will always be. I practice wise faith not foolish faith. Private complainers without public courage demonstrates a lack of integrity. Keeping it real in 2025 plus!