You are not called to escape the chaos of the city; you are called to rebuild its foundations. Discover why strategy is spiritual and how to restore identity to broken systems.
Dubb Alexander delivers a paradigm-shifting message that shatters the "sacred vs. secular" divide. He argues that for too long, high-capacity leaders have been told that the only way to serve a higher purpose is to leave the marketplace and join the "ministry."
Using the ancient case study of Nehemiah—a governor, not a priest—Dubb outlines a strategy for **cultural architecture**. Nehemiah didn't build a temple; he built a city wall. He didn't just pray; he planned, organized, and executed. This teaching is a call to those who feel the burden for their cities, their school boards, and their businesses to step up as the builders they were created to be.
Dubb confronts a damaging mindset: "We have created a false dichotomy between the sacred and the secular. [The Creator] is as interested in your city council meeting as He is in your prayer meeting."
If you are a business owner, a politician, or an educator, your work is not "lesser." Nehemiah was a cupbearer to the King (a high-ranking government official). His "ministry" was civil engineering and governance. The lesson? "Strategy is spiritual." Excellence in your field is a form of worship.
Why did Nehemiah weep over broken walls? Because "A city without walls is a city without an identity." In ancient times, walls provided security and definition. When the walls are down, anything can come in, and the city loses its distinct character.
Dubb applies this to modern leadership: "You are called to restore the identity of your city." Broken systems (education, economy, family) are "broken walls." Rebuilding them isn't just about functionality; it's about giving a community back its self-respect and purpose.
Before Nehemiah laid a single brick, he spent three days in silence, inspecting the ruin at night. He didn't rush in with a "God told me" complex. He assessed the damage.
The principle: "You cannot rebuild what you have not honestly assessed." Effective cultural architects face the brutal facts of the situation (the rubble) while holding onto an unwavering faith in the outcome (the restored city).
As soon as you start building, opposition will arise. Dubb warns: "You cannot build a future without offending the past."
Critics (represented by Sanballat and Tobiah) will mock the work ("That wall is so weak a fox could knock it over!"). Nehemiah’s response wasn't to argue on Twitter; it was to stay on the wall. He said, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down."
Takeaway: Don't let critics distract you from your assignment. Your answer to their noise is the finished work.
The goal isn't a theocracy; it's a blessing. "The [Community of Believers] is not called to escape the city; we are called to govern the city."
But "govern" here doesn't mean control; it means serve. It means bringing wisdom, solutions, and stability to chaos. It means being the best citizen, the best employer, and the best neighbor. When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices.
You don't need a pulpit to change a city; you need a plan. Nehemiah organized families to build the section of the wall "in front of their own house." The strategy for city transformation starts with taking responsibility for your immediate sphere of influence.
Stop waiting for "the church" to fix society. You are the strategy. Your business, your classroom, your office—that is your section of the wall. Build it with excellence, defend it with integrity, and watch the identity of your city begin to rise from the rubble.
Perfect for:
It is the mistaken belief that things done inside a church building (worship, preaching) are "sacred" and matter to God, while things done outside (business, politics, art) are "secular" and less important. Dubb argues that God values all spheres equally and calls leaders to impact them all.
Because chaos is not a fruit of the Spirit. Order, planning, and wisdom reflect the nature of the Creator. Nehemiah’s success came not just from prayer, but from logistics, resource management, and personnel organization. Being organized is a way of honoring the mission.
Start where Nehemiah's people did: "in front of your own house." Identify the sphere of influence you already have (your family, your job, your neighborhood). Assess the "broken walls" (needs/dysfunction) there, and begin to systematically restore health and order in that specific area.
Key Scripture Reference: Nehemiah 2:17-18
"Then I said to them, 'You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.' And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good... And they said, 'Let us rise up and build.'"